Chapter 98: Weapon Hunting (1)
Chapter 98
Walking into their room were Lyra, Aria, and Jace. The moment the door opened, they were instantly struck by the sight before them.
The room was spacious, far more than Lyra had expected from a mid-tier inn in Magnolia. Soft amber light poured from a floating crystal lamp fixed to the wooden ceiling, casting a warm, cozy glow across the space.
The floor was smooth, polished maplewood, and the faint scent of lavender lingered in the air, most likely from an incense burner glowing gently in the corner. The fragrance gave the room a calm, soothing feel that made one want to sink into rest.
A medium-sized bed dominated the center of the room, its frame carved from dark, rune-etched oak. The mattress looked plush enough to swallow anyone whole with comfort.
Velvet blankets, dyed deep crimson and decorated with golden embroidery, were neatly tucked in, while two large pillows rested side by side, practically calling out for someone to collapse into them.
To the left of the bed stood a low dresser with an oval mirror, polished enough to reflect their figures with clarity. Opposite it was a tall wardrobe crafted for storing the client’s clothes and gear.
Near the window stood a small round table with two cushioned chairs. Through the glass panes, the view of Magnolia’s glowing night street could be seen, lanterns lining the cobbled paths and people moving about, giving the town an almost dreamy, festival-like atmosphere.
"I’m so tired." Lyra mumbled beneath her breath as she tossed the bag in her hand aside. Without a care, she dropped onto the bed with her armor still strapped on, making the wooden frame creak slightly under the weight.
"Don’t you at least take off your armor before you go to sleep?" Jace asked, raising a brow.
"Don’t speak to me." Lyra coldly replied as she shut her eyes, already trying to drift into slumber.
"Uhm... Miss Lyra." Aria’s nervous voice called out, causing Lyra to open one eye and give her a sharp glance.
"What is it?" she asked flatly.
"We still have at least nine to ten hours before sunset." Aria said softly.
"So?" Lyra asked with a raised eyebrow, clearly uninterested.
"I want to explore the town and maybe get a new weapon. My bow and quiver of arrows are still D rank, and now that I’m a C ranked Reaver, I figured it would be wise to get an upgrade before the mission begins." Aria explained, her tone a mixture of nerves and determination.
"Whatever. Just take a few shards and get out. Let me sleep peacefully." Lyra muttered, waving her hand dismissively.
"Thank you." Aria beamed, her face lighting up with relief. She hurried over to Lyra’s bag, carefully dug inside, and pulled out fifteen shards. A smile stretched across her lips as she clutched them tightly.
"I’ll come with you." Jace said as he stood up from the chair he had been resting on. "Can’t stay cooped up in this room for minutes on end doing nothing."
"Sure, come along. Let me go and call the others." Aria said happily. With that, the duo exited the room, leaving Lyra to drift back into her much-needed sleep.
A few seconds later, they arrived in front of Zen’s room and gave the door a soft knock.
They waited for a short while, and soon enough, Zen opened it, his expression calm yet slightly curious.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Just wanted to ask if you’d like to come explore town with us." Aria said with a hopeful tone.
"Yeah, sure, I’m coming!" Vynn’s voice rang out before Zen could even respond. The next second, he bolted out of the room with a bright grin plastered on his face. "I actually wanted to head out too and see if I could get a new sword since mine got broken during the fight with that B ranked boss."
"Zen, what about you?" Jace asked.
"Sure. I’m getting bored too," Zen replied as he stepped out of the room.
"You guys go, I want to sleep," Tom yelled from inside the room, his voice carrying a lazy drawl. With that, the others closed the door shut and began walking away, heading downstairs.
They got downstairs, passing by the receptionist and a man who sat on a chair with a newspaper covering his face. The faint sound of pages rustling was the only noise that accompanied them.
And then they exited the inn.
The man who had been sitting down slowly lowered his newspaper, revealing sharp eyes that gleamed with intent. He looked toward the receptionist, who gave him a simple nod without uttering a single word.
The man smirked knowingly, stood up, and moved after the kids. The moment he stepped out, he glanced to the side and spotted three more men waiting nearby.
With a sharp whistle, he signaled them, and they immediately stirred. Together, they followed the kids, staying just a few meters behind, careful to remain unnoticed.
—
"I wonder what really makes this town famous. To me, it looks... plain, I guess," Vynn muttered as his curious eyes darted from one side of the street to the other. The bustle of Magnolia seemed normal to him, with stalls scattered around and merchants shouting out their wares.
"We aren’t here for sightseeing but for a mission. And I reckon we’ll get a few shards out of it too," Jace replied, his hands tucked in his pockets as they continued to survey the place. His gaze swept over the stalls and alleys, scanning for anything that looked like a weapons shop.
’Weapons, huh?’ Zen thought inwardly as he shifted his attention to the glowing system interface that appeared in front of him. His eyes narrowed when he noticed something new.
’Wait, I have another tab in the shop? I didn’t even notice this third one before since I was too focused on the weapons and gear tab. Let’s see what this one has.’
[UTILITY / SPECIAL TAB]
<Minor Essence Flask – E Rank – 25 NP
Description: Restores 25 Essence instantly.
Useful mid-battle when you’re low on fuel.>
---
<Beast Soul Container – C Rank – 100 NP
Description: Allows the capture of a defeated beast’s soul.
Can be used later for crafting, evolving, or summoning.
Storage Limit: One soul per container.>
---
<Shadow Blink Rune – A Rank – 220 NP
Status: Locked
Description: Allows instant teleportation up to 15 meters forward.
Cooldown: 60 seconds.
Note: Not yet available. Survive a bit longer.>
---
These were just a few of the items Zen saw. The rest remained locked for reasons he couldn’t access yet.
’These things look interesting, but I think I’ll stick with the gear tab. I’m sure I saw something that caught my eye earlier th...’
"Oh! Here’s one shop. Let’s go check it out," Aria suddenly said, interrupting Zen’s train of thought. Everybody looked up to see a medium-sized shop ahead, its wooden sign dangling slightly above the door, swaying in the breeze. Without hesitation, they all walked toward it and entered.
None of them noticed the four men who had been following them. The pursuers stopped just outside the shop, leaning casually against the wall as if they were ordinary townsfolk loitering around. Their eyes, however, remained sharp and fixed on the door the group had just disappeared through.