Departing from the inn, Howard, relying on his memory, headed towards the bar where Tana had led him the day before.
He intended to meet Wales and find out what exactly was going on.
But why was he comfortable leaving Abby alone at the inn?
The laws of the Alliance were strict, especially in a major city like Adia City, where the safety of its residents was held paramount.
Once a room was booked, no one but Howard and Abby could access it.
Only after they checked out and the agreement was nullified could the staff gain access.
Howard made his way to the bar with familiar ease.
To his surprise, the doorman, previously known as the old gambling addict, was now replaced by a voluptuous middle-aged woman.
As Howard approached, she let out a surprised sound and remarked, “You have quite an aura about you. Tsk, joining the Nightshade at such a young age. Little brother, are you struggling in life?”
She scanned Howard from top to bottom, a sly smile creeping across her face. “Young man, you’ve just had some exercise, haven’t you? Your physique seems quite sturdy. If you’re short on money, come see me. Spend one night with me and I’ll give you 10 gold coins. What do you think?”
At her words, Howard’s mouth twitched noticeably.
He was rather taken aback that she could discern so much from just a glance, revealing her prowess was not to be underestimated.
Ignoring her remarks, Howard simply stated his pseudonym, “Briar”, and strode confidently into the bar.
The woman chuckled, “Hee hee hee!”
Noting down Howard’s name, she flipped through her records, musing to herself, “A newbie who’s only been here once?”
“Introduced by Agave? Intriguing… this will be interesting.”
…….
Making his way through the main hall, Howard quickly arrived at the spot where he’d met Wales a few days prior.
It seemed to be Wales’s customary seat, as he was leisurely seated there, casually sipping from his wine glass.
Upon seeing Howard’s arrival, Wales showed no hint of surprise.
He gestured for Howard to sit. With a flick of his right hand, a book landed in Howard’s grasp.
Glancing down, Howard’s pupils involuntarily constricted.
Boldly printed on the book’s cover were the words “Spirit Veil Skill.”
“This… Isn’t this the reward you promised in advance?” Howard exclaimed in astonishment.
Wales nodded with a light chuckle, “Make use of it. With this, your upcoming journey will be much smoother.”
Hearing this, Howard became entirely convinced of his earlier speculation: the person Wales wanted to take was him.
The qualification match didn’t have specific point criteria, giving Wales room for maneuvering.
No matter what Howard did, in the end, he would be the chosen one.
With this in mind, Howard couldn’t help but retort, “If you wanted me to go, why bother with the qualification match?”
Wales laughed, “How can you be sure I intended to pick you? What if I chose someone else?”
Seeing that Wales wasn’t keen on being straightforward, Howard didn’t press further, choosing instead to delve into the details of the Spirit Veil Skill.
[Spirit Veil Skill (S-level active skill)]
[Level: 1]
[Effect: Upon activation, the user will enter an Ethereal State. In this state, they will not be detected by Divination spells and will be immune to the first ten instances of physical damage and magic damage within a specified range. Movement speed increases by 30%. The user only becomes visible when initiating an attack. After revealing oneself, the first attack is guaranteed to be a critical strike, increasing damage by 200%. After eliminating a target, the cooldown time for Spirit Veil Skill resets.]
[Cooldown: 30 minutes]
[Mana Cost: 500]
[Proficiency: 0/100]
The moment he saw the skill description, Howard’s pupils sharply constricted, and astonishment surged in his heart.
The skill effect was profoundly powerful!
A stealth skill undetectable by Divination spells, combined with immunity against ten attacks.
Its other attributes were enhanced versions of invisibility: swifter movement speed, and the guarantee that the first strike after becoming visible would be a critical hit, dealing multiplied damage.
It was almost otherworldly.
What caught his eye the most was the effect where the skill’s cooldown time resets upon killing a target.
Used correctly, it could allow him to effortlessly strike down foes, leaving no traces behind.
Without any hesitation, Howard chose to learn the Spirit Veil Skill.
As for why Wales was so generous to him?
In the face of such an outstanding advantage, such questions barely mattered.
Even if Wales had ulterior motives, so what?
As long as Howard grew stronger, he could face anything fearlessly.
Watching this, Wales nodded approvingly, thinking to himself, “Such decisiveness. He hasn’t disappointed me.”
As the entirety of the Spirit Veil Skill integrated into his mind, Howard opened his eyes, looked at Wales, and said with a smile, “Thanks.”
Wales waved dismissively, “No need for gratitude. You’ll have quite a bit to do for me later. This was your reward anyway, I just let you have it in advance.” He added, “It’s time for you to go.”
Seeing that Wales wasn’t keen on further conversation, Howard wasn’t the type to force it. He took his leave without hesitation.
However, just as Howard was about to leave the hall, a fleeting glimpse caught his eye — a silvery-white stone beckoned to him.
His eyes darting, Howard calmly approached the small stall.
The stall wasn’t large, displaying only five items: the silvery-white stone, a blood-colored seal, a fiery-red flag, and two pieces of equipment.
Sensing Howard’s approach, the stall owner immediately broke into a welcoming smile, exclaiming, “Young man, have a look! All top-notch items here!”
Howard casually inquired, “What grade are those two pieces of equipment?”
He was well aware that to spot a potential underpriced gem, he couldn’t let the seller discern his true interest.
Although Howard was initially drawn by the silvery-white stone, he made sure to feign disinterest.
“These two pieces of equipment are of Epic-grade quality!” The stall owner began his pitch, making it sound as though the items bore effects rivaling that of Supreme Artifacts.
After listening, Howard was left speechless.
They were clearly two damaged Epic-grade pieces of equipment, and it was uncertain how they could even be repaired.
Yet, the seller audaciously priced one at three hundred gold coins!
Howard certainly wasn’t going to be a sucker. He proceeded to inquire about the other three items.
The silvery-white stone was called Dragonheart Stone, its specific effects unknown and unsuitable as forging materials.
The blood-red seal was named Crimson Seal, possessing the capability to bind the souls of monsters.
Upon defeating a monster, it allowed the summoning of its spirit to fight briefly on one’s behalf.
The fiery-red flag was known as the Blazing Banner, capable of conjuring flames.
With a smirk, Howard retorted, “Come on now, you’re weaving quite the tale here. Most of it’s likely bogus. The two Epic-grade equipment pieces might be genuine, but they’re in a broken state. Who knows how to mend them? And as for the Dragonheart Stone, if it truly held the mysterious power you claim, would you be selling it out in the open? You’ve probably tested it multiple times!”
The stall owner, a skinny man, couldn’t help but chuckle. “Ah, so you’re not a rookie after all. You seem so young, yet you’re quite astute.”
“Take a look at the Blazing Banner and Crimson Seal; they’re valuable items.”
Upon hearing this, Howard shrugged, “I’m a magus. The Blazing Banner is of no use to me. However, this Crimson Seal seems useful. It can summon a soul and protect me. Name your price.”
“Crimson Seal goes for 200 gold coins or a piece of Legendary-grade equipment!”
The stall owner held up two fingers, wearing a pained expression, “I promise I’m not ripping you off. I’ve sunk quite a bit into this.”
Howard scoffed, “200 gold coins? That’s enough to buy a decent life-saving skill! You’re unwilling to show me the exact properties of the Crimson Seal, leaving me to guess. I bet there’s a limit to the number of souls this seal can bind, which doesn’t justify your price.” 𝘦𝑎.𝒸ℴ
Hearing this, the stall owner’s expression finally turned serious.
Initially, he had sought to exploit Howard’s youthfulness, attempting to flatter by calling Howard a connoisseur.
Many young folk, upon hearing such praises, would often become overly confident, thinking they couldn’t be taken for a ride, only to be deceived and spend more gold coins in the end.
“However, I could also accept a Legendary-grade equipment,” Howard said, feigning indifference. “I happen to have a fondness for collecting interesting stones. Give me that Dragonheart Stone, and we have a deal.”
“Dragonheart Stone?”
The stall owner raised an eyebrow and promptly responded, “I’m sorry, we don’t give things away for free here. If you want the Dragonheart Stone, it has a price! And it’s not costly, just a piece of Legendary-grade equipment!”
It goes without saying that those who make their living here are shrewd.
The stall owner immediately sensed the potential value of the Dragonheart Stone and promptly inflated its price.
“Heh, my interest is merely to satisfy a collector’s whim, along with acquiring some exceptional equipment for protection, not to be taken for a fool. If you show such a lack of sincerity, then forget it.”
With a cold laugh, Howard turned on his heel and strode away.
Watching Howard’s retreating form, the stall owner’s eyes narrowed, his mind racing.
He tried to discern Howard’s true intentions.
After all, while there were those looking for a bargain, there were also genuine collectors out there.
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