Chapter 106: Let the grind begin!

Even though I had mentally prepared myself before stepping into the blacksmith shop.

But when I truly heard the chainmail shirt I had once spent 50 gold on being sentenced to "death," I couldn't stop the ache in my heart.

Seemingly sensing my gaze lingering on the chainmail, the burly man before me, "Rockhammer" Barn, showed a comforting smile.

"A true blade never fears being broken, only that it has not drunk its fill of blood."

"No need for regrets."

He extended a brawny arm, as thick as an ordinary person's thigh, and patted my shoulder forcefully.

"The fact that you can still stand here steadily already proves its worth."

It wasn't a collector's item displayed on a counter, nor did it ever need any splendid decorations.

The meaning of armor's existence was to block out the damage that should have been borne by the flesh.

Every spark from the smithing hammer's strike, every glimmer of light refracted from the chain links, was born for this purpose.

It had endured damage far exceeding its own defensive capabilities, and its metal structure had collapsed, but it had also turned a near-fatal wound in a fierce battle into a minor injury that didn't affect my ability to move.

Whether it was 50 gold or 500 gold.

The chainmail shirt had completed its mission.

"If you're willing, you can sell it back to me."

Barn lifted the chainmail with one hand and shook it a few times in the air.

The rings scraped and collided with each other, producing the unique light clang of metal.

"15 gold. The remaining parts that are still in good condition will be used as parts for other equipment, to serve out their remaining usefulness."

It was completely scrapped, with no point in repairing it.

Naturally, I couldn't keep this chainmail shirt anymore.

Barn's proactive offer to recycle it also saved me a trip to the "Hickory Furnace."

In terms of price, given the current extent of the equipment's damage, the price he offered, while not particularly favorable, was within a reasonable range.

"Alright." I nodded in agreement.

My eyes shifted, looking at the other piece of equipment on the counter.

The light plate armor that had also been pierced by a bone spike, stripped from a dead man.

"If I want to repair it, about how much would it cost?"

Due to the influence of forging techniques and materials, the price of heavy armor type equipment was much more expensive than other types of armor.

Although this set of plate armor was modified from the mass-produced standard issue for peacekeepers, its size and type were more akin to a breastplate, only covering a few vital areas of my upper body.

But whether in terms of its intrinsic value or defensive performance, it was far better than the few pieces of equipment I had owned before.

If it could be repaired, I definitely should repair it.

"Hmm... let me see." Barn's thick palm brushed over the scars on the plate armor's surface as he observed carefully, pondering.

A moment later, he slowly spoke again:

"The internal metal plates need to be completely replaced, and the connecting parts also need to be fused and reinforced, otherwise there's a risk of them separating."

"It'll be at least 40 gold."

After speaking, without waiting for me to reply, Barn curled his fingers and gently tapped the metal surface of the plate armor with his knuckles, adding:

"Although I've said it before, I have to remind you again."

"With this level of piercing damage, even I can't guarantee that after repairs, it will still have the same defensive strength as before."

"And if it suffers an attack of the same level in the same spot again, what little durability it has left will be completely exhausted."

"I suggest you think it over carefully."

Barn's attitude was sincere, and the good reputation he had accumulated over many years made me inclined to believe that he was telling the truth.

I couldn't help but follow his suggestion and began to consider it seriously.

For an adventurer like me, who didn't excel in defense and had no other active defensive equipment or combat techniques besides a hastily crafted, thin arm shield.

My margin for error was basically all on my armor.

With this as a premise, the stability of the equipment, whether it could provide me with defense for a long and steady time.

This was what I valued now.

The light plate armor was certainly expensive, but it was already in a state that required major repairs.

According to Barn, even if I spent over forty gold coins, he couldn't guarantee its subsequent durability and defensive strength.

Wearing it would be nerve-wracking, and I would have to be careful when using it.

I did not want to be distracted in battle, having to pay attention to angles to prevent the enemy's attack from landing on the repaired seams of the plate armor.

I made up my mind right then.

I raised my head slightly and looked at Barn behind the counter.

"If I sell it for recycling, how much can I get?"

"You come by every few days, you're practically a regular. I'll earn a little less, how about 35 gold?"

"Deal."

One mission, and both pieces of armor on me were scrapped. I felt as if my heart was dripping blood.

Even the money pouch I took from his hand didn't seem to have that weighty, reassuring feel of the past.

With the two old pieces of equipment dealt with, the next step was naturally the spending phase.

Heavy armor was too heavy, and the blacksmith shop didn't have the lightened type that peacekeepers used, which reduced weight by greatly cutting down on volume and coverage area.

Not to mention how much it would cost, with my current physical fitness, it would be difficult to support a full set of plate armor that included boots and gloves.

So I didn't consider it further.

The previous chainmail shirt had tenaciously survived two missions, and it still had good defensive performance even after major repairs.

The user experience was very good.

Without hesitation, I directly took out 50 gold and bought a brand-new chainmail shirt, wearing it on the outside.

On the other hand, perhaps I had tasted the sweetness of wearing two pieces of armor for "double protection."

After comprehensive consideration, I spent another 45 gold to buy a suit of studded leather armor as an inner layer.

Dark brown leather, tough as iron hide after being tanned, with two rows of brass rivets extending from the shoulders down to the side of the waist.

It was light and close-fitting, without feeling restrictive.

Its defensive performance was almost the highest grade of leather armor in the shop.

In addition, the two daggers from the gnome Erji of the "Rotten Fish and Stinking Shrimp" squad, which had been with me the longest among all my equipment, were lost in the battle with the thorn demon.

So I spent another 2 gold coins to buy one.

Collecting monster materials, cutting food, and even for use in combat under special circumstances...

It had a wide range of uses.

At this point, my total expenditure in the "Rockhammer" blacksmith shop was 50+45+2—

97 gold.

After returning the 50 gold I got from recycling the two scrapped pieces of equipment, I added another 47 gold of my own.

Only then was the matter of equipment settled.

I changed into the new armor right away and walked out of the blacksmith shop.

I couldn't help but reach out and touch the supple surface of the studded leather armor under the chainmail, which was pressed against my inner shirt.

Feeling the solid weight on my body that balanced flexibility and defense, I breathed a sigh of relief in my heart.

My gaze swept over the bustling street.

New equipment purchased, next up is...

...

Adventurer's Guild (River Valley Town Branch).

In a corner of the hall, a shop with a sign that read "Alchemist's Guild."

I moved carefully, passing through shelves filled with various alchemical potions.

I angled my body slightly as I moved to prevent the twin swords on my back from accidentally brushing against the bottles and jars on the shelves on either side.

I had been in the adventuring business for a few months and was only one combat technique away from becoming a professional.

Yet, this was still not a place I could afford to shop in.

[Necrotic Resistance Potion], [Oil of Slipperiness], [Keoghtom's Ointment]...

With prices often in the triple digits, accidentally knocking over two bottles would be enough to bankrupt me, wiping out all the gold coins I had painstakingly saved.

I couldn't help but feel a bit emotional:

"This is the real profiteering, isn't it..."

I wondered if alchemy required talent and where one could learn the relevant knowledge.

It was a pity that my golden finger currently only had the ability to display information about equipment and my own attributes.

If it were a bit more useful, extending the "proficiency" system beyond combat techniques, like in the games of my past life, where one could quickly improve skills like "Gathering," "Forging," and "Alchemy" through training.

I wouldn't have to eat and sleep in the wild, enduring for more than ten days just for a pittance.

I could just stay in an inn, crank out a few dozen potions, and I would be set for life.

As I passed by a [Potion of Water Breathing] with a price tag of "230 gold," the corner of my eye couldn't help but twitch twice.

"What kind of people shop here?"

As I grumbled inwardly, my footsteps suddenly halted.

What came into view was a potion of golden color, with foam on its surface refracting a dazzling golden light.

[Radiant Resistance Potion], 300 gold.

My mind couldn't help but recall the battle with Peacekeeper Ingram in Karanfor many days ago.

At that time, although I had relied on the "Fate Coin" to trigger [Bronze Sinews and Iron Bones] and become immune to the physical damage caused by my opponent.

But the holy light impact from [Holy Smite] had struck me full force.

Even now, I could still clearly remember the searing pain, more intense than being roasted by fire.

If I had preemptively drunk this potion back then, my post-battle injuries would probably have been much lighter, and I wouldn't have needed to take such a great risk.

For those veteran adventurers who could earn several hundred, or even four-digit figures of gold from a single mission, such potions that could greatly increase their survival rate were undoubtedly worth it.

If my future mission target was a monster with a specific type of special damage, perhaps I could also...

I shook my head, scattering the chaotic thoughts within.

One potion was worth more than half my assets, far from something I could consider now.

My pace quickened, and I took a healing potion from a shelf in the middle of the shop.

And walked towards the front counter.

The goods in the small alchemy shop were expensive, and even though it was located in the crowded guild hall, few people patronized it.

Therefore, the man who was likely the shop owner, the bald man who had reminded me of the [Adventurer's Handbook]'s existence when I first came to River Valley Town.

Usually, he would just wear his alchemist's robe, lazily leaning back in the reclining chair behind the counter. From time to time, he would stroll out with his hands behind his back to chat with other guild staff, not caring about the shop behind him with tens of thousands of gold worth of potions, seemingly not at all worried that someone would have sticky fingers while he was away.

Today was no different from the past.

I was the only one in the entire shelf area.

When I reached the counter, there was only one other customer.

Also fully armed, dressed in thick iron armor, the surface of the elbow pads even had residual bloodstains.

Her back was to me, making it impossible to see her face, but from her simple and neat short hair and sturdy build, it was not difficult to tell...

"Cut the crap, take the money."

Hmm?

The voice was hoarse and low, but the tone was slightly soft and clipped.

A woman?

My gaze subconsciously paused.

As if to confirm, my eyes once again swept over her short, fine black hair, which was no different from a buzz cut, and her muscular body.

It seemed they were arguing with the shop owner about something, their words growing more and more intense.

"How many times has it been this month? What about the poison-dispelling ointment I sold you last time? Don't tell me you've used it all again."

"With the hobgoblins, those green-skinned beasts seem to have grown brains, they're using poison."

"Eighty percent of the gold you've earned over the past half-year has gone into my medicine cabinet, hasn't it? Even Old Charlie next door, who's known for 'only taking in, never giving out,' dares to bet with me that you won't live to see next year."

"Heh (cold laugh)."

"If you ask me, you should save up the money you spend on medicine and go to Nyum..."

"Bang!" It was the loud sound of a money pouch being slammed on the table, her tone full of impatience, "50 gold is all in there, it's just a healing potion, stop dithering!"

"Damn it..." accompanied by a sigh, the bottom of the glass potion scraped against the wooden table, "I bet 300 copper pieces with him that you'd at least live until the end of this winter, don't you..."

"Pat, pat..."

There was no answer, only the sound of footsteps gradually receding into the air.

Seeing this, I also lowered my perked ears, deliberately made some noise, and walked out from behind the shelf.

"Healing potion, 50 gold."

We'd only met once, so the bald man didn't recognize me, treating me just like a regular customer.

Although I was a bit curious about the conversation between the two just now, I didn't pry.

I handed the gold coins to him, placed the healing potion into an easily accessible waist pouch, and walked out of the shop.

"Healing potions" were expensive, but there was no doubt about their exaggerated effects—healing minor injuries in the span of a breath, and being able to hang on to life even when facing heavy, life-threatening injuries.

In my view, it was an essential item before an adventure, one of my important trump cards in battle.

The last drop of the bottle I bought before had been drunk in the battle with the thorn demon. Now that I was back in River Valley Town, of course I had to replenish it.

And then...

"Rest for two days first?"

I considered in my heart.

This trip out, although it had cost me two pieces of armor and half a bottle of healing potion, the rewards were equally abundant.

Following behind the barbarian, just by picking up some things casually, my assets had skyrocketed to over 400 gold coins;

More importantly, I had completed the key prerequisite for obtaining a professional level, mastered a new combat technique [Fang Hunt], and obtained advanced knowledge related to "specialties"—the type of specialty influences the direction of one's profession to a certain extent;

I even learned some secrets about goblins and their main god during my conversation with Forgan.

My next goals were clearer than ever.

First, find a channel to acquire a new combat technique (preferably in the direction of the Warrior class) to speed up the process of gaining a professional level as much as possible;

Second, save up more money, then go to "Rockhammer" Barn to upgrade the Serpent Scale Arm Shield in my hand into a magic item.

Judging by the strength of this otherworldly serpent scale, after being forged into a magic item, my actual combat power would definitely receive a qualitative leap.

Finally, since [Fang Hunt] was now completely initiated and displayed on my attribute panel.

During this time, I could also earn money on one hand, and on the other, increase the proficiency of [Fang Hunt] through training and combat.

As I pondered, my eyes unconsciously stared at my own reflection on the glass surface in front of me.

Translucent characters subsequently appeared before my eyes:

[Fang Hunt] lv1 (1/100)

"Forget it, what's the point of resting."

"Let the grind begin!"

It's the middle of the month!

Does anyone have any spare monthly tickets... (voice trails off)