Chapter 60: Buying Frugally and Painfully
There was also a large note underneath saying [Items could only be used and will be bound to the Innkeeper. None can be given, lent, or used by people other than the Innkeeper.]
"Wow, so limiting," Finn said, looking over to Pang. "What if I want to help others, huh?"
"Well, potions can be given as long as you hold the bottle, la."
"..."
"You’re an Inn not a charity, la."
"Were you always so pragmatic?"
"Pang is cool, aren’t I?"
"Cool to squish, yes."
Anyway, he ignored the panda, and continued to window shop. Unlike the [Inn Improvements] tab, though, the options were much smaller.
As for the Skills...
[Would you like to unlock skills for 1000 Hearth Points?]
"..."
"Seriously? I thought I just had to awaken???"
"Even if you buy it, it might be useless, la."
"Huh? Why?"
"You’re not awakened."
"..."
No skill for the Doormat, er, Dormant, so to speak.
That said, it was still tempting. How could it not?
Of course, he didn’t do that yet. He had to buy a weapon, awaken first, et cetera. If he still had some points left after that, he could go back to this.
"Where’s the item you said before? Something that can help me awaken?"
"I thought you were going to look at the tabs one by one?" Pang asked, lazily eating another chip (somehow, the Panda, knew he still had some in his space). "You’ll know the item that could awaken you when you see it."
Obviously, he just didn’t want to bother.
Anyway, Finn decided to go through the tabs in order lest he missed anything. It wasn’t like he had a deadline, anyway.
For the [Equipment], it had three tabs under it: [Weapons], [Armors], and [Accessories]. Each one had 3 options, which would refresh every day (damned capitalist system), and he could only buy one piece of equipment a day. He shrugged; he wasn’t rich enough to swipe everything anyway.
As he knew from using Syl’s dagger, weapons didn’t have a level requirement. This meant he could buy anything, and nothing was greyed out.
The only limitation was that much of the weapons’ capabilities would be locked until their body could either handle them or activate them. There were also some abilities that required affinity, so there were really weapons that felt bespoke to people.
[Butcher’s Fang (Class E)]
[Information: A broad, cleaver-style sword originally forged in a butcher’s shop. Its heavy rectangular blade delivers brutal chopping power with minimal finesse.
Sharpness: 50
Durability: 500/500
Cost: 20 Gold, 200 Hearth Points]
.
[Ranger’s Longbow Set (Class F)]
[Information: Bow and arrow set built for accuracy and adaptability. The longbow is made of seasoned yew wood, allowing great draw strength. Comes with 30 reusable superior arrows and a quiver. Useful for ranged reconnaissance and ambushes. Other arrows can be used, as needed.
Durability: 50/50
Cost: 10 Gold, 100 Hearth Points]
.
[Windpiercer Halberd (Class D)]
[Information: A precision-crafted halberd built for agility and reach. Forged with tempered steel and fitted with an aerodynamically etched shaft, it cuts through the air with less resistance. The spear tip is elongated for deep thrusts, while the axe blade is curved for clean sweeps.
Penetration: 100
Durability: 1000/1000]
Interestingly, as with the bone sword, there was no such thing as ATK stats like those games. In retrospect, it did seem more realistic this way. Ultimately, the weapon’s effectiveness would depend on its user.
Anyway, the bow-and-arrow set wasn’t even considered. One, he didn’t know how to use that and he didn’t want to waste his [Blade Proficiency] passive. The other blade, on the other hand, was far inferior to Syl’s dagger, so that left the halberd, which also had a higher level, so it would be value for money on its own.
It also looked heavy.
Could he even carry it?
That said, Halberds themselves were good weapons if he could learn to handle them. They were mid-range weapons, and they could also be used in close combat. They looked very cool in the movies, but there was a reason why the bulky characters were usually the ones to wield such a weapon.
But...if he could use it and he could actually keep hold of it, it would be great for his stabbing sessions through the barrier.
He did not even look at the defense and the accessory tab. He’d look at them tomorrow. He had already consumed his equipment purchase limit today, so it wasn’t like he could do much.
He was definitely buying the halberd. The dagger was great but its reach wasn’t long. He’d probably lose his hand—his most important appendage—if he depended on it.
Besides, even if it were too heavy for him, he believed he’d find a way to maximize it. Better yet, it would probably be easier to wield when he awakened.
In a sense, buying the weapon was like a reassurance to himself that he would awaken. Maybe. Hopefully.
[Purchased! Windpiercer Halberd (Class D). -50 Gold, -500 Hearth Points]
As soon as he purchased it, another magic circle appeared in front of him, and the weapon appeared.
It was glorious, and even better than the weapons in the movies. All the blades looked sharp, and the shaft had patterns but also ergonomic. He grabbed its shaft to lift it up, only to realize he had to use much of his strength to lift it up to stomach level.
"..."
Next, he finally took a look at the [Potions Tab] which he assumed would have those classic healing potions and stuff.
Although he’d be hiding behind the barrier indefinitely, he knew getting very low stamina could also affect his stats. It was good to have one or two healing potions ready. If there was something like a stamina potion, then better.
He opened it and, while there really were healing and mana potions there... there were other, more interesting, options.
One potion, in particular, almost caused him to fall down his seat.
[Awakening Potion]
[Information: Rare Alchemical Consumable. Bitter, crimson-hued tonic that sends a surge of energy through the muscles, bones, and mana pathways. The user will experience intense muscle spasms, accelerated heartbeat, and temporary blackouts.
Has a 30% chance of death for the physically weak and 40% chance of insanity for the weak willed. Possibly both.
Effect: If the user survives, obtains a chance of awakening dominant traits by 70% to 80%.
Cost: 20 Gold and 200 Hearth Points]
!!!