Chapter 25

[Your relations.h.i.+p level with Hairtoe dropped from Strangers to Ruffian!]

Huh? Leonel was confused. He did know about the relations.h.i.+p level of NPCs because Ren explained it to him before, but he didnt know nor care about the gravity of such things.

Ruffian? Leonel muttered.

He looked at Ren and tilted his head with a flower sprouting over it and a wolfish smile on his lips. Ren, I think the ugly gnome doesnt like me.

Ren smacked his hand over his face, and he immediately pushed Leonel back to the Fairy when Hairtoe was about to wrestle Leonel to the ground.

Leo, why dont you look at the items here while I speak with Hairtoe? I need to have my subcla.s.s first.

Fine. Fine, Leonel said without a care and went over to the Fairy. Rubbing his hands together, he said, Show me what youve got.

The Fairy beamed, cheeks full and lips pouty. Here you go!

C L A S S L E S S

M E R C H A N T

I T E M S

Elixir (100 000 gil)

the highly sought-after Miracle Elixir!

restore HP and MP to full

Full HP Potion (5 000 gil)

restore HP to full

Full MP Potion (10 000 gil)

restore MP to full

Panacea (5 000 gil)

heals all status effect

W E A P O N

Excalibur (4 700 000 gil)

a one-handed sword that only true knights may wield.

STR +47

A R M O R (4 000 000 gil)

Platinum Armor

a silvery armor that is a sight to behold

DEF +40

S H I E L D

Platinum s.h.i.+eld (2 000 000 gil)

a silvery s.h.i.+eld that is a sight to behold.

HP + 20 000, DEF +20

A C C E S S O R I E S

Fairy Shoes (2 000 000 gil)

this set of winged shoes will fly you wherever you want to go

ignore terrain restrictions

DEF +4, AGI +10

Platinum Gauntlets (500 000 gil)

its silvery s.h.i.+ne is a sight to behold

HP +10 000, DEF +10

Queen Fairies Plume (40 000 000 gil)

a fallen feather from the Queen of Fairies.

SUMMON, t.i.tania, the Queen of Fairies

E N D

Whoa! What the heck?! Whats up with all these zeros? Theyre all f.u.c.king expensive! Leonel checked his 2 435 gil before looking at the Fairy with a gaping mouth. Who the heck could afford this?

No one. Ren thought.

The items the Cla.s.sless Merchant sells were mid to late-game items, so of course, the ludicrous price tag. And the items changed, matching the race and cla.s.s to the player inspecting their wares.

However, having those items early on would surely catapult you to the top. Too bad that by the time the in-game currency was introduced, the Cla.s.sless Merchant was already roaming the whole ARCADIA and would take extreme LCK to reencounter them.

Even Ren, the head of the information gathering department, didnt know where they would appear next.

In the past, when the in-game currency was taking effect, those who did encounter them early in the game suffered hair loss from frustration. Because they met at random, most didnt bring enough money for their items, and it was forever the regret of their lives.

If they only acquired those items, theyd surely be one of the tops in rankings in the middle and later part of the game.

Ren left Leonel with the Fairy and walked towards Hairtoe.

Is that ugly dwarf your friend? Hairtoe asked the moment he saw Ren in his line of sight.

Ren could say no because he was afraid his relations.h.i.+p level with Hairtoe would plummet to Ruffian, and he wouldnt give him the Arcanist Subcla.s.s.

But . . .

Yes, answered Ren without a hint of regret. He owed too much to Leonel to ignore him again.

Hed rather take the strenuous quest to become an Arcanist than pretend that he and Leonel didnt know each other all for the sake of a game.

Hairtoes face wrinkled into a frown. Tell him never to set foot in front of me, or Ill cut his beard with my large pointy nose. HMP!

Augh . . . Ren was glad that there wasnt a drop in their relations.h.i.+p level, but Hairtoe was like Leonel. Theyre both immature and short!

Hmm . . . I see that youre still a mortal. Hairtoe rubbed his pointy chin and looked at Ren up and down.

Finally, Ren thought.

Hairtoes face grew solemn as he sat straight on the drivers seat and leaned towards Ren before speaking with a grating voice.

Allow me to tell a tale, adventurer.

Here were go. Ren didnt want to skip and risk his relations.h.i.+p dropping and lose this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get the Arcanist Subcla.s.s this early game.

Actually, if a player with an already existing subcla.s.s approached Hairtoe, the latter would just sn.o.b the former and pretend to sleep in the drivers seat of his wagon.

My name is Hairtoe, and I was a gnome adventure myself, like you lad. One day I stumbled across an interesting magical item during my career as a mercenary.

Didnt you say youre an adventurer? Ren cut in.

Shus.h.!.+ Let me finish first.

Ren pursed his lips tight.

Hairtoe coughed before he continued, As I was saying. I was a gnome treasure hunter. Finding lost forgotten relics was my game.

Augh . . .

Behold, this is the Lost Necklace of the G.o.ds! Hairtoe said and showed Ren the necklace on his neck.

This would allow ordinary mortals like you into the path of G.o.dhood!

I doubt it. Ren thought, though his face was still listening to Hairtoes nonsense seriously.

I had traveled across villages, towns, cities, kingdoms, realms and had aided many beings like you into the path of G.o.ds. Now . . . its your turn, adventurer. Are you ready to become a G.o.d?

Augh . . . that line was so cheesy, but Ren still managed to nod his head. He couldnt even speak from the hives erupting on his skin, and it wasnt brought about by his soon-to-be subcla.s.s, that was for sure.

Hairtoe nodded. Hmm . . . very good. Then place your hand over the crystal and call upon your hearts desire!

My desire is money. Ren thought and placed his palms over Hairtoes necklace.

others fear the unknown, but you embraced it. Death is your ally, and everything rots are within your grasp.

time is but a number, and you mold it in the palm of your hands.

past, present, future. None of that matters in your eyes of all-knowing.

the brain is your weapon, and knowledge is your power.