Chapter 5

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Himari led me to a bustling street corner crowded with players.

Several stalls were spread out around us, displaying countless weapons and armor.

However, what stood out the most was a large tent set up in one corner of the street.

The stalls around it had a better selection of items compared to the others, and many players were gathered there.

Amidst this crowd, Himari and I deftly dodged people as we made our way forward.

"Is that our destination? It seems quite crowded."

"Yes, that's right. That's the headquarters of the Plekran, who manage the production guild."

"What's a Plekran?"

"A guild is like a team formed by players working together. However, to create one, you need to reach the next city, which hasn't been unlocked yet."

"So that's why it's called 'Ple.' But can we really enter such a prestigious place?"

It looks like a popular store, and there are too many people.

I don't think we'll be able to get a proper hearing.

In response to my doubts, Himari smiled confidently and spoke up.

"I'm a top player, you know. Of course, I'm on good terms with the people here."

"I see. Building supply lines is a good thing. Well, I'll take advantage of your connections, then."

"Sure, go ahead. This way, please."

I smiled to myself as Himari led the way.

Usually, I'm the one giving advice, so this kind of interaction is a bit refreshing.

Himari seems to be enjoying the role of being the one to teach me.

Well, it's nice to have a change of pace sometimes.

"Hey, isn't that...?"

"The 'Sword Maiden'..."

"The one next to her is the one from earlier..."

We seem to be attracting a lot of attention.

Himari has a well-groomed appearance, and her avatar is realistic, so it doesn't look out of place.

Moreover, as a top player, it's natural to draw attention.

Of course, I'm also getting a lot of looks by association—

"Is no one going to challenge me?"

"Teacher, please don't cause any more trouble. Come on, let's go in!"

"Alright, alright, I understand."

Despite being reprimanded by Himari for my muttering, we stepped into the large tent together.

Inside, several players were busily moving around, transporting various goods.

There were quite a few players, but the one directing them was likely a single person—a woman with long blonde hair sitting at a large table in the center.

Approaching her, Himari greeted her cheerfully.

"Hello, Elenora."

"Oh, Himari. You're quite the topic of conversation today. Is this the one they're talking about?"

"Nice to meet you, I'm Kwon. It seems my disciple is under your care."

"Nice to meet you too, Kwon. Please take care of him."

A gentle and composed woman of the Forest Elf race.

However, I could sense a seasoned air of authority behind her calm demeanor.

While I'm not good at business, I could feel her ability to manage such a large group of people.

"Teacher, please don't say anything strange... Elenora, where is Fino?"

"Oh, she's in the back. Do you have an order for her?"

"No, I just want to see what's in stock. I also want to introduce my teacher. Thank you for your time."

"You're welcome. See you again."

"Sure, see you."

It's always good to maintain a good relationship with her.

I don't know how Himari met her, but it seems she has made a good connection.

As I glanced at Elenora, who had returned to her work, I followed Himari to the back of the tent.

There, I saw countless weapons and a single girl arranging them.

She had a dark complexion and orange hair, was short but had a solid build—she must be a Land Sprite.

Confirming her presence, Himari called out brightly.

"Hey, Fino!"

"Oh, Princess, it's been a while!"

"Stop calling me that, already."

Perhaps due to her race's characteristics, she was quite short, but she seemed to be around the same age as Himari.

They might know each other in real life, but that's not something to pry into.

After exchanging greetings, the Land Sprite girl turned her gaze to me and asked Himari.

"Is this the 'teacher' you were talking about?"

"Yep, that's right. This is—"

"My avatar name is Kwon. My disciple is under your care."

"Hi, I'm Fino. I'm a blacksmith. Nice to meet you!"

Despite her casual tone, I could see pride and confidence in her when she mentioned being a blacksmith.

It seems she's not just doing it for fun.

While it's just a game, someone who approaches it with such sincerity might be worth expecting.

Fino looked up at me and smiled.

"If you're the teacher, you must be really skilled."

"Yeah, he won a duel right after the game started."

"It's a big topic on the bulletin board. He's a top player, after all."

"He has some skills, but I wish he wouldn't pick fights."

"Well, that's beside the point. Did you get a lot of money?"

It seems she already had an idea of our business.

In a production guild, information is crucial, I suppose.

In any case, if she already knows, it will make things easier.

"Yeah, at Himari's suggestion, I want to buy equipment from you. I can afford about 400,000 gold."

"Wow, that's generous, but with your stats, you might not be able to equip that level of gear yet."

"Right, I forgot that equipment is determined by stats."

You can't just start with the strongest equipment.

So, it's better to get something suitable for my current state.

I can fight with my current equipment, but I prefer a sword of this length.

"For armor, let's see... the torso and waist can be anything, but I need gauntlets and greaves. For weapons, I want a katana and a wakizashi. Please find something I can equip with my current stats."

"Sure... we do get a lot of requests for Japanese-style equipment, so I have some in stock."

With that, Fino began to search through the numerous weapons and armor.

First, she brought out two swords.

"Here, the limit for initial stats is black iron equipment."

"Let me see them."

I took the weapons and began to inspect them.

The katana was about 2.5 shaku, a common size for a katana.

The blade was straight and the dark, sturdy blade was sharp enough for combat.

It's hard to believe such a young girl made this.

The wakizashi was about 1.6 shaku and was also well-made for combat.

■ Weapon: Katana (Black Iron Katana)

Attack Power: 18

Weight: 8

Durability: 100%

Effects: None

Crafted by: Fino

■ Weapon: Katana (Black Iron Wakizashi)

Attack Power: 10

Weight: 5

Durability: 100%

Effects: None

Crafted by: Fino

I held the katana in a standard stance, then in an upper stance, a mist stance, and a side stance.

The katana felt a bit heavier than what I'm used to, but it should be manageable.

At the very least, it's far superior to the mediocre sword I had before.

"Excellent. I'd like to purchase these."

"O-oh..."

"What's wrong?"

"W-well... when you hold it, it feels so real and intense... You look like a complete swordsman, Teacher."

"When you hold a real sword, you get that vibe... I was surprised the first time I saw it too."

"Is that so... Well, I'll take it as a compliment, then."

When you hold a sword, you imbue it with the intent to cut your enemy, which she must be sensing as pressure.

The kid from earlier didn't even feel that... I guess it's a matter of how serious you are.

I sheathed the two swords and handed over the payment.

The katana cost 30,000 gold, and the wakizashi 10,000, which is a small amount compared to what I have.

For initial equipment, that's the limit.

I wanted to see better swords, but it's pointless to have equipment that doesn't fit my level.

"By the way, Teacher, can you use two swords?"

"I can, but not to the extent of the Niten Ichi-ryu. The wakizashi is for defense. It's also easier to use for flowing techniques."

"You can switch between them... You're really versatile."

While I can handle various weapons, I'm no match for the old man in terms of variety.

He embodies all martial arts.

I can't beat him unless I fight on my own terms.

I still need to improve... but without an opponent, it's hard to do so.

I want to fight a strong enemy soon. With these new swords, my body is itching for action.

Sensing this, Fino quickly brought out the rest of the equipment.

"Here's the armor."

"I understand the gauntlets and greaves, but a kimono and obi? Do they have any defensive value?"

"The threads are made from monster materials, so they have decent defense. They're light and durable, though they don't resist blunt attacks."

"Will they get in the way of my movement?"

"Skirt equipment doesn't restrict movement for some reason. The equipment adjusts to your legs, allowing for more stylish designs."

I don't really care about the appearance, but as long as it doesn't hinder my movement, it's fine.

The kimono and obi I received were dark blue and had a pattern of Chinese grass.

It's a style that even the ancient Kugene family doesn't often wear, but it might fit the image.

■ Armor: Torso (Forest Spider Silk Kimono - Dark Blue)

Defense: 11

Magic Defense: 3

Weight: 3

Durability: 100%

Effects: None

Crafted by: Iori

■ Armor: Waist (Forest Spider Silk Obi - Chinese Grass)

Defense: 8

Magic Defense: 1

Weight: 1

Durability: 100%

Effects: None

Crafted by: Iori

■ Armor: Head (Black Iron Helmet)

Defense: 4

Magic Defense: 0

Weight: 1

Durability: 100%

Effects: None

Crafted by: Iori

■ Armor: Arms (Black Iron Gauntlets)

Defense: 7

Magic Defense: 0

Weight: 3

Durability: 100%

Effects: None

Crafted by: Fino

■ Armor: Legs (Black Iron Greaves)

Defense: 8

Magic Defense: 1

Weight: 4

Durability: 100%

Effects: None

Crafted by: Fino

I don't know who crafted the kimono, obi, and helmet, but they are likely from someone in the guild.

They are far superior to what I currently have and don't hinder my movement.

It's a good purchase.

"Alright, how much?"

"80,000 gold for the armor set?"

"Agreed. Thank you for the good deal."

"No problem. If your equipment's durability decreases, bring it to me. I'll repair it at the same discount as Himari."

"...That's very kind of you, but are you sure?"

Given that she's part of this guild and makes equipment for Himari, she must be a top player.

Considering the crowd of players outside, she must be in high demand.

Being favored by her is quite advantageous, but I wonder why she's doing this.

In response to my question, Fino smiled and said:

"Swords are difficult weapons. They have high attack power but low durability. Many players try to use them because they look cool, but they often give up. But you seem like you can handle them well, and it could be good for my reputation."

"I see. If it benefits you, I'm happy to accept. I'd like to commission a sword from you in the future."

"Of course, I'd be happy to. But for now, this equipment is good enough for the front lines. Save up some money. Oh, here's my friend request."

She operated her menu, and a window appeared in front of me.

It read, "Friend request from [Fino]. Accept? Yes/No."

Hmm, this is—

"Himari, what's a friend request?"

"Oops, I missed the first one!"

"Oh, you're new to MMOs, Teacher... A friend is like exchanging contact information with a player you like. You can contact them anytime."

"I see. Then I'll accept."

"Ah! Ah!"

Despite Himari's noisy reaction, I pressed Yes on the window.

The window disappeared, and a 'New!' icon appeared in the friends section of my menu.

Opening it, I saw Fino's name listed. It seems the registration was successful.

"Thank you. If I have any questions about equipment, I'll contact you. You can do the same if you need anything."

"Sure thing, anytime!"

She's a laid-back girl, but she has an interesting personality.

I'll ask for her help if I need it.

In any case—

"Himari, how do I send a friend request?"

"Ah, you still have my initial request! Go to the friends menu, press the register button, and search for nearby players!"

"...Why are you so excited?"

Despite Himari's unusual enthusiasm, I followed her instructions and operated the menu.

A list of nearby players appeared, and I selected Himari's name.

A popup appeared, giving me the option to send a friend request or add her to the blacklist.

I ignored the latter and sent a friend request to Himari.

A window appeared in front of her, and she immediately accepted.

The 'New!' icon appeared in my friends list, and Himari's name was listed.

"Good, it worked. That's all for now."

"Okay... Well, that's settled."

"Thanks... Oh, here's a little something extra, Teacher."

"What is it?"

Fino handed me a fairly large pickaxe.

It's not for climbing but for mining.

"Pick up any interesting ores you find. If they're good, I'll use them to make a sword."

"I see. That's perfect. I'll take it with me... Thanks for everything."

"Phew... Thanks, Fino. See you next time!"

"Bye!"

I waved back at Fino and we left the tent.

We were still attracting attention, but we ignored it and made our way through the crowd.

"Now that we have the equipment... it's time for combat, right?"

"Yes, this time it should be fine. Where are we going, Teacher?"

"To the place with the strongest enemies."

"...You're so consistent, Teacher. Let's head north, then."

Sighing, Himari pointed down the street.

Beyond the massive walls surrounding the city and the gate, a vast, grassy plain stretched out.

■ Avatar Name: Kwon

■ Gender: Male

■ Race: Human

■ Level: 2

■ Status (Remaining Status Points: 0)

STR: 11

VIT: 10

INT: 11

MND: 10

AGI: 10

DEX: 10

■ Skills

Weapon Skill: Katana (Lv.2)

Magic Skill: Enhancement Magic (Lv.1)

Set Skills: Death Point Strike (Lv.2)

HP Auto Recovery (Lv.1)

MP Auto Recovery (Lv.1)

Plundering Sword (Lv.1)

Mining (Lv.1)

Sub Skills: None

■ Current SP: 2