Niel smiled faintly, eyes on Alaric, this time with genuine pride.
"I wish you continued success. I'm sure one day, this small venture of yours will outgrow everything I ever built," Ragil added.
Alaric nodded once more. Deep inside, those words struck a chord. Like a quiet affirmation of the dream he had kept to himself all along.
After a long silence, the System's notification appeared, breaking through the tension of recent problems.
[Complex Case Resolved — Business Channels Secure and Controlled]
[Challenge Level: High]
[Multi-layer Verification: Successfully Passed]
[System Progress Increasing Rapidly: → 40%]
[Mainshield Skill: Level 8]
📂 Secret System Note: PT Aestron consistently bribed supervisory officials to block legal pathways with high sums. That's why reports vanished without a trace for years. Your indirect strategy cracked this fortress once deemed impenetrable.
💡 "You have opened a new path for business justice. Several small companies have anonymously sent their thanks for your courage and precise action."
That afternoon, in a modest office without applause or media glare, three men from three generations stood together. Each carried the weight of the past, present, and future.
This meeting wasn't just about thanks and recognition.
It might also mark the passing of the baton.
..
Inside that small room, where Alaric's production office stood, the atmosphere was warmer and more spirited than ever. A stark contrast to the cloudy sky outside that morning.
Alaric sat at the round table in his small meeting room, alongside four staff members from the marketing and creative divisions. On the presentation screen, a bold title was displayed.
"National Dropshipper Program: Spread, Grow, Empower"
He looked around the room, took a deep breath, and began to speak.
"Until now, we've sold our products through platforms, collaborations, endorsements... but this time, we're changing one thing. We're giving opportunities." He looked straight ahead.
"For people who want to start selling, but don't know where to begin. We'll help them. We'll train them. We'll give them our best products."
Rani, one of his team members, raised her hand. "Who's the target, Ric?"
"Students, stay-at-home moms, young people looking for side income. Anyone. We're not just trying to sell more. We want to be useful," Alaric answered with confidence.
Some of the staff exchanged glances with small smiles. This wasn't an ordinary business idea. It was more than just a sales strategy. It was also a socially-driven move.
The program started taking shape. Digital brochures were shared across social media, university networks, and entrepreneurial communities. The program name was simple:
CRAFTPARTNER – Be Part of the Craft, Be the Owner of Fortune
Alaric didn't just build a dropship ordering system. He also prepared online classes. The modules were simple yet substantial, filled with topics people actually needed. From promotional techniques, copywriting, basic design, to honest business ethics.
The first class started a week later. Alaric himself greeted them through a livestream.
In front of the camera, with rows of colorful hangers behind him, he smiled.
"Hi everyone. Thank you for joining us. Welcome to the first Craftpartner class. You're not just future dropshippers. You're part of my journey now."
Dozens of faces appeared on the screen. Some shy, others filled with enthusiasm. Some were from small towns, others from big cities. But everyone's eyes lit up.
A system notification popped up.
[New Mission Unlocked]
[Guide 100 Active Dropshippers in 30 Days]
[Reward: +20% Progress Boost]
[Trade Skill +3 Levels]
[💠 Module: Leadership in Retail & Public Scaling]
["Don't just build a market, build a bridge. They will carry your name farther than one place ever could."]
The following days were full of action. Alaric formed a small team of mentors, created an active community group, and occasionally appeared in the chats to give motivation.
"If you get one order, it's not just a number," he said in one of the mentoring sessions. "It's trust. And we're going to take care of that trust together."
In just two weeks, the initial results came in.
🔹 43 dropshippers were already actively selling
🔹 378 products sold, from Sabang to Makassar
🔹 Some dropshippers even got invitations to local events
Alaric smiled to himself as he opened the data dashboard on his laptop. One section collected testimonials from dropshippers. One of them wrote:
"I used to be unemployed, with no direction. Now I feel proud every time a package of mine gets delivered out of town. Thank you, Ric."
By the third week, the mission was nearly complete. The production team started working overtime due to the surge in demand. Some dropshippers began creating their own innovations, making TikTok content, joining local bazaars, and even collaborating with small businesses around them.
In the middle of all that, a notification appeared on Alaric's screen as he was preparing social media content with the creative team.
[Mission Complete: ✓]
[100 Active Dropshippers Achieved]
[You've successfully built an empowered sales ecosystem]
Reward Received:
[Progress Boost: +20%]
[Trade Skill Increased: Level 6]
[New Module Unlocked: Leadership in Retail & Public Scaling]
["You're not just selling. You're multiplying the hands that sell for you. This is the path of market leaders."]
Alaric leaned back in his chair. Rain had started falling outside, but the room still felt warm. He looked at the shelves filled with keychains, phone holders, and all the handmade products from his team.
He hadn't just created a product.
Now he had built a network.
And for Alaric, this wasn't the end of the journey. It was the starting point of something much bigger.
..
That day, the skies over Jakarta looked bright through the window of Alaric's small office, but the mood inside was far from calm.
His phone kept ringing. Messages came in from the production team, the distribution manager, even some customers and investors. Their tone was all too similar.
"Something's wrong with our stock today…"
"Items arrived damaged."
"We're getting bad reviews, Ric. Everything was fine yesterday…"
"Al, your brand is getting spammed with negative comments on all the marketplaces!"
Alaric pressed his fingers to his temples. On the laptop screen in front of him, the e-commerce dashboard showed a spike in negative ratings and copy-paste reviews, repeated over and over.
Worse, another store had started selling products with very similar designs. Even using old photos from their collection, slightly edited, and priced lower.
Alaric's expression hardened.
This had happened before, and he knew exactly who was behind it.
Edward. The same person.
After previously trying to copy and twist their narrative, now he was playing dirty. Using buzzers, sabotaging the logistics system, and even accusing Alaric's dropshipping system of being a scam.
And it showed.
In just three days, orders plummeted. Local partner stores started asking questions. One of the major investors even sent a message that made Alaric's heart skip a beat.
"Does this mean we're pulling out, Alaric?"
He didn't reply right away. He didn't want to show fear.
But that night, Alaric didn't sleep at all. Behind his simple wooden desk, he evaluated everything. From top to bottom. He knew this wasn't just about keeping sales up. It was about protecting the trust that had been broken.
And when morning came, a call came through.
From a senior investor named Benedict – a businessman in urban fashion who had helped fund CRAFTPARTNER from the beginning.
"Alaric. I don't want to see this business fall."
Alaric stayed silent. His voice was rough. "I… thank you. But I really don't know what's going to happen next."
"You once said you wanted to take this product global. Don't stop now."
Alaric took a deep breath.
"We're launching a counter-campaign. Don't worry. I've got you. Use my marketing team. We'll bring in top influencers. Collaborate with big local brands, artists. We go all out."
Alaric froze for a moment. "That's… a huge expense."
"Losing the brand you've built would cost even more."
Alaric couldn't help smiling. Even though his body was drained from sleepless nights, his eyes lit up again.
That day changed everything.
Behind the scenes, Benedict's marketing team got to work. High-profile influencers began promoting Alaric's products. Honest TikTok reviews started circulating. Collaborations with local artists were announced through sudden press releases.
Within 48 hours, the trend started to reverse. Website traffic increased. Negative comments were buried under real testimonials. Dropshippers regained their confidence. A batch of new custom designs even sold out within two hours of being re-released.
CRAFTPARTNER was alive again.
[System Notification]
[Enemy sabotage neutralized]
[Investor confidence secured]
[Overall Progress: +30%]
[New Skill Unlocked: Business Tactics – Defensive Strategy]
[Branding Stability Increased Significantly]
["Victory doesn't always come from attack. Sometimes, it's about having the courage to hold your ground."]
Alaric couldn't stop smiling. The anxiety began to fade.
..
The next day, the sky above the campus where Alaric studied looked dim. He arrived with tired steps, eyes a little swollen, though his face stayed composed.
He carried a folder full of assignments, but his mind was still occupied with the business. There were design revisions, updated training modules for dropshippers, and a marketing coordination meeting later that afternoon.
He walked briskly down the hallway toward his class.
BRUKK
Someone's shoulder bumped into him.
His folder slipped from his hand. Papers scattered across the floor.
"Oh, sorry…" the voice was quiet, almost stuck in the throat.
Alaric turned slowly and found Clarissa standing there, just as startled. But her face wasn't angry. Not cold. Not even sharp like usual.
She immediately crouched down, picking up some of the papers. "I didn't see you. Sorry, Ric…"