YM778.TV Chapter 78 A Weighty Investment
Von, on the other hand, cryptically said he had some "business" to take care of, offering no further explanation before disappearing down the bustling streets.
Frigid, ever the loyal companion, stuck by Horizon\'s side, dutifully carrying their bags of materials. While Nyx was sleeping over Horizon\'s hair, making her permanent nest there.
They made their way through the crowded marketplace, Horizon scanning the shops along the way for anything useful.
First stop: a small, rugged forge that smelled of hot iron and burnt wood. Horizon approached the shop owner, hoping to find the materials he needed to upgrade their equipment. The owner, an elderly dwarf with soot-streaked arms, shook his head apologetically.
"Sorry, lad," the dwarf grunted, wiping his brow. "All our materials are gone. Sold out fast with all the forgin\' for the competition. Only scraps left now. But—" he gestured toward a dusty shelf, "feel free to take a look. Might find somethin\' useful."
Horizon frowned but wasn\'t surprised. The competition had put a massive strain on the local forges, and most of the valuable materials were snapped up by larger guilds long before he had the chance.
Undeterred, he rifled through the remnants. Most of what was left was subpar, certainly not what he needed to forge top-tier weapons or armor.
But just as he was about to leave, something caught his eye—a small, gleaming bag tucked away in the corner.
It was a [Silver Rune Bag].
Intrigued, Horizon examined it closer. The shop owner, seeing his interest, perked up. "Ah, that\'s a fine piece. Magic-infused. Can carry a thousand items, stackable, and weighs next to nothin\', no matter how full it gets."
Horizon\'s eyes widened slightly. A thousand items? Stackable? Weightless? It was perfect!
With this, he could finally get rid of the cumbersome backpacks and heavy pouches his team lugged around. It would streamline their movement in battles and make collecting loot a breeze.
But then he saw the price—100 Bullions.
A sharp pang hit his chest. He currently had 200 Bullions to his name, which he had intended to save for upgrading their gear.
This bag was useful, sure, but was it worth spending half his remaining wealth?
Your next journey awaits at empire
He clenched his fist, wrestling with the decision. On one hand, buying it would mean sacrificing the materials he needed to improve their equipment.
But on the other hand, with no good materials available in the shops, it was useless to keep all this gold around and just admired them. And this [Silver Rune Bag] could prove invaluable in the long run.
Frigid glanced at him, noticing the internal struggle. "If it helps us carry more without slowing down, it\'s worth it," he said calmly. "Especially in the wilds."
Horizon sighed, knowing his companion was right.
"Fine," he muttered, heart sinking as he handed over the 100 Bullions. His chest tightened as the gold coins exchanged hands—his money gone in an instant.
But as the shopkeeper handed him the [Silver Rune Bag], Horizon could already feel the weight of their future travels lift off his shoulders.
It was a painful purchase, but in the end, a worthy investment.
Horizon still didn\'t have a proper lair, so stockpiling riches wasn\'t practical just yet. Right now, they needed to win—win big—so they could pave the way to something greater.
Afterwhich, Horizon, Frigid, and Nyx headed toward the Forging Studio Area. Upon arrival, they were met with a bustling crowd gathered around a grand stage.
At the center of the attention stood a breathtakingly beautiful Elf, tall and slender, with porcelain skin and radiant golden hair. Her smile was as warm as the sun, while beside her stood a more serious-looking older Elf, his expression cold and distant.
"Step right up, everyone! You\'re in for a rare treat!" the elven woman announced, her voice bright and commanding. "This is Master Forger Eldrin Silverforge, the greatest blacksmith in all of Eldrasil!"
At the mention of Eldrin\'s title, the crowd fell silent. In the realm of life skills, only a handful ever reached the prestigious rank of *Master Forger—even fewer were known to walk among the living lands.
And here stood Eldrin, one of the elite few. The crowd of top-tier players and guilds erupted in excitement, desperately vying for a chance to speak with him. But Eldrin, a native of the land, was sworn to the Crownjade Woods and its royal family, immune to any outsider\'s offers.
"Today, Master Eldrin will forge a Low-Tier Gold Equipment for the highest bidder!" the elven girl continued, her grin teasing the eager crowd.
The buzz that followed was instant.
Gold-tier equipment, even at its lowest level, was leagues beyond High-Tier Silver gear. The stat bonuses and unique abilities that came with such equipment could turn the tide of battle in an instant.
Currently, only the wealthiest guilds and top players backed by powerful kingdoms could afford such treasures and players donning on such equipment were even rarer.
The murmurs intensified. "A Gold-tier item—up for auction!"
"What\'s the starting price?" a voice shouted from the crowd, echoed by many others desperate to know.
The elven girl\'s eyes twinkled with amusement. "Starting at 10 Aurum!" she called out.Nôv(el)B\\\\jnn
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Ten Aurum—an astronomical sum, on par with the combined wealth of a small guild! But Gold-tier equipment? That kind of power was worth every ounce of it.
Eager top-rate players and guild representatives wasted no time.
"10 Aurum and 10 Bullion!"
"10 Aurum and 20 Bullion!"
"11 Aurum!"
The bidding skyrocketed in mere seconds, numbers thrown into the air faster than Horizon could process. He glanced at Frigid, then back at the bidding frenzy. The reality hit hard—after buying the [Silver Rune Bag], they only had 100 Bullion left. Not even close to the starting price.