Bullish in Another World: Isekai Trading for Survival

Chapter Eight: The Surge

**Chapter Eight: The Surge**

Mia sat in her small apartment in Eodora, staring at the glowing lines on the map that pulsed with a steady rhythm. Days had passed since her encounter with the dragon, and now she was back in the heart of the city, waiting for the surge. The market buzzed around her, traders rushing to make deals, magical commodities shifting with every passing moment. But Mia couldn’t focus on any of that. Her mind was solely on the prediction she had made to the dragon—and whether or not it would come true.

Her desk was scattered with notes, scribbles, and charts. She had poured over every detail, tracking the fluctuations in magical gold, monitoring the flow of magical energy that coursed through the market. Everything pointed to one thing—a massive surge that was about to send the value of gold soaring.

She had done all the work. She had run the numbers a hundred times. But no matter how confident she tried to be, the gnawing fear remained. If she was wrong, the consequences were unimaginable.

"Okay, Mia," she muttered to herself, pacing the small room. "You’ve got this. You’ve seen the patterns. Everything lines up. This is going to work."

Just as she was about to sit back down, there was a knock on the door. Mia’s heart leaped in her chest. For a split second, she feared it was the dragon, already here to collect on its deal. But that was impossible—the surge hadn’t happened yet.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door. Logan stood there, arms crossed and a smirk playing on his lips. “Well, look at you. Holed up like a proper market analyst. Heard you’ve been busy.”

Mia exhaled in relief. “You have no idea.”

Logan strolled into the apartment without waiting for an invitation, glancing at the chaotic mess on her desk. “I take it you’ve got something big cooking. Care to fill me in?”

Mia hesitated for a moment, then sighed. “I made a deal with a dragon.”

Logan blinked. “Come again?”

“I went to the Crystal Caverns,” Mia explained. “I found a dragon and made a deal. If my market prediction about this magical gold surge is right, I get a portion of its hoard. If I’m wrong…”

Logan whistled low. “You’re risking your life on a market surge?”

Mia nodded, her nerves flaring up again. “Yeah. I know it sounds insane, but the dragon said it valued knowledge, and I figured this was my best shot.”

Logan stared at her for a moment before breaking into a grin. “You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that. Most traders would be running for the hills. But I have to ask—are you sure about this? Dragons don’t mess around.”

Mia bit her lip. “I’ve tracked the flow of magical energy for days now. It’s all there, Logan. The surge is coming, and when it hits, it’s going to be huge. I just need to hold my nerve and ride it out.”

Logan walked over to the desk, scanning the notes. “Well, it looks like you’ve done your homework. Still, you’re playing a dangerous game. The market can be unpredictable—especially with dragons involved.”

“I know,” Mia said quietly, staring at the map. “But I didn’t come here to play it safe. I have to take risks if I want to make it in this world.”

Logan leaned against the desk, his expression softening. “I get that. And honestly, you’ve got a lot of potential, Mia. But just remember—there’s a fine line between risk and recklessness.”

Mia nodded, though the weight of the situation pressed harder on her. “I won’t forget that.”

Logan glanced at the map one last time before standing upright. “Alright. I’ll be around if you need backup. Just… don’t get yourself killed.”

With a wink, he left the apartment, leaving Mia alone with her thoughts once more.

As the day wore on, Mia kept a close eye on the market. She could feel the tension building in the air—the calm before the storm. Traders across Eodora were beginning to sense it too. Prices were fluctuating wildly, and the value of magical gold was creeping upward, just as Mia had predicted. But the real surge hadn’t hit yet.

Her palms were sweaty, and her heart raced as she watched the numbers on her enchanted market screen shift. Any moment now…

Suddenly, it happened.

A sharp spike in the value of magical gold shot through the market, lighting up the screen in front of Mia’s eyes. The surge was here, and it was massive. Traders scrambled to react, trying to buy in before the prices climbed too high. The energy in the market was electric, buzzing with excitement and panic in equal measure.

Mia’s breath caught in her throat. This was it. Her prediction had come true.

She quickly moved to position herself in the market, making a series of rapid trades to capitalize on the surge. Her fingers flew across the magical trading screen, her instincts guiding her as the value of gold skyrocketed. Every trade she made was more profitable than the last, and the rush of adrenaline mixed with the sheer relief that her gamble had paid off.

But there was no time to celebrate. Mia knew she had to act fast. The surge wouldn’t last forever, and the dragon would be waiting for her to return with proof of her success.

Gathering her things, she bolted out of her apartment and made her way through the city streets. The market was in chaos—traders shouting, magical commodities shifting wildly, and the whole city buzzing with the effects of the surge. But Mia stayed focused. She had one goal now: get back to the Crystal Caverns and claim her reward.

It wasn’t long before she was back at the entrance to the cavern, the glowing crystals lighting her path as she ventured inside. Her heart pounded in her chest, but this time it wasn’t from fear. It was from excitement. She had done it. She had outsmarted the market, and now she was about to face the dragon as a victor.

As she entered the dragon’s chamber, the massive creature stirred from its resting place atop the hoard. Its golden eyes locked onto Mia, and for a moment, the tension in the room was palpable.

“Well?” the dragon’s deep, rumbling voice filled the chamber. “Have you come to prove your worth, or do I need to prepare a space for your remains?”

Mia swallowed hard but held her head high. “The surge happened, just as I predicted. Magical gold has spiked, and the market is in chaos. I made a series of trades and profited from the surge.”

The dragon’s eyes narrowed, watching her closely. “And your proof?”

Mia reached into her bag and pulled out the enchanted trading ledger she had been using to track her trades. She showed the dragon the records of her transactions—each one confirming the surge in the value of magical gold and the profits she had made from it.

For a long moment, the dragon said nothing, its massive form looming over her as it studied the ledger. Then, slowly, it let out a low, rumbling sound that Mia realized was a chuckle.

“Well done, little trader,” the dragon said, its voice filled with amusement. “You have proven yourself worthy. It seems there is more to you than I first thought.”

Mia exhaled in relief, her entire body relaxing as the dragon’s words washed over her.

“As agreed,” the dragon continued, “you will be rewarded with a portion of my hoard. But remember this: knowledge is power, but it is also fleeting. What you have gained today may not be enough tomorrow. Always seek more, always push forward.”

With a flick of its massive claw, the dragon gestured to a pile of glowing gems at the edge of its hoard. “Take what you can carry. And consider this a lesson in the value of true wealth.”

Mia stared at the treasure, her heart pounding with excitement. She had done it. She had made a deal with a dragon and lived to tell the tale.

As she carefully selected a handful of the enchanted gems, the dragon watched her with an approving gaze. “You are an intriguing one, Mia. I will be watching your future endeavors with interest.”

Mia nodded, her hands full of treasure. “Thank you.”

As she left the cavern, her mind buzzed with the possibilities ahead. The market, the dragon, the power she had just tasted—it was all just the beginning.

**End of Chapter Eight**