Under a cloudless sky; a lone male was seen walking with a satisfied grin. His once short spiky hair was now slightly longer. His once carefree gaze was now sharp but still retained some of its carefreeness and his body language told everyone he was always ready for an attack.
“I can’t believe I really had to train to control my own body to not crush a fork…”
His voice retained its carefree tone and his armor was still its silvery-white and lustrous color because he kept it well maintained using his transmutation skills. On his back was a sword with a pale blue hue. The sword was also created by the male with his transmutation skill from an ore called [Volt Stone]
“Now… I think the [Imperial city] was this way…” the male took out a detailed map of the region he was in. “If I run it would take only an hour at most but I won’t be able to enjoy the scenery but if I take too long, the market prices might drop…”
Hyakuren had transmuted a lot of swords he found back into iron, steel and corundum; ores mainly used in the making of weapons.
“Then there is the [Damascus balls] too… but let’s keep those.”
During Hyakuren’s first attempt at trying to journey to [Sofia]; He had a run-in with a [Disaster target] called [Damascus the fortress] and after defeating the monster: he gained a blessing (or to Hyakuren: a curse) and had his status multiplied by 10.
“I hope no one can see my status… or that would be very bad…” Hyakuren paled slightly as he thought of what may happen if some powerful or troublesome person might set their sights on him. “If it was Takamoto, he might not care and just go along with it like the wind but it is just too troublesome…”
Hyakuren was now walking on the main road towards the [Imperial city Sofia]. He could see many merchants travelling the roads. Weapons, armors, accessories and miscellaneous items could be seen in their inventory.
“I guess I should sell the [Monster Loot] I have to them and wait to get to [Sofia] before selling the ores and leather to the blacksmiths…” Hyakuren took the chance and began to sell his [monster loot].
[Wyvern fangs], [Wyvern claws], [Wyvern Feather], [Dire wolf pelt], [Dire wolf claws], [Dire wolf fangs], [giant toes], [slime core], [flying manta spike], etc…
Every merchant close enough were racing to buy his hard to harvest materials. So they competed with each other by increasing the prices by twos or threes.
“Thank you for your patronage…” Hyakuren said cheekily as he held 15 bags of coins. Apparently, he had made five times the amount of coins than he should have. “It is really fun watching them race and try to appeal to me to sell the loot…”
Hyakuren was openly laughing with a low voice.
“I used more than half of my money!”
“Why did I buy the wyvern fangs?”
“Will these even make a profit?”
Hyakuren laughed as he quickly went ahead of the merchants and their caravans.
—two hours later—
Hyakuren admired the road leading to the [Imperial city Sofia]. He had expected grandness but he did not expect the city to float in the sky. He saw it from afar but he thought it was some other city or ruins but it was actually [Sofia] in all its glory.
The road began to elevate at a scalable rate as if a ramp. Hyakuren walked leisurely as he enjoyed the sights. “I guess other countries can’t just come and invade the place…” Hyakuren commented as a group of [Wyverns] were shot down from the sky with magic as they were trying to enter the city in groups.
“It’s hard to siege unless someone used some airship… but even then it would be somewhat impossible if they can’t make the airship magic-proof…”
Hyakuren climbed higher and higher, enabling him to see as far as he could now that the mountains were slightly below him. The scene was beautiful.
To the East: Hyakuren could see [Eclana] with its beautiful castle and plains. To the south: he could see a large expanse of trees and some towers. To the west: he could see the blue sea.
“After here… I should go to the sea and try to travel to other places…” Hyakuren said as he imagined an adventure on the sea and before he knew it, he was a few steps away from the majestic gates of the [Sofia].
“Wow…” Hyakuren could not help but admiring the city. Each building was tall and unique. To his right were different colored buildings with clothing, accessories and other miscellaneous and daily shops. To his left were weapon shops, armor shops, there was even a shop that focused on buying and selling materials from monsters.
“I am quite surprised… and this isn’t even the real marketplace…”
Hyakuren was tempted to enter each shop but he refrained from doing so and walked around. He was afraid he might get coerced into buying unneeded things.
He did take the chance to inquire the shop that bought and sold [Monster materials] if the items on display could be made into weapons and such.
“Excuse me, but I am still a bit inexperienced with [Monster materials]. Can you explain to me what some are used for?”
A middle-aged man turned towards Hyakuren with a smile.
“Ah, you must be a new adventurer?” Hyakuren nodded towards the question. “Well then lad, let me give you a tour in the shop and tell you about material types and what they are good for.”
The middle-aged man mentioned Hyakuren to enter the shop, to which he agreed to, and began explaining.
“[Monster materials] are, as the name implies, materials obtained from monsters by either drops or harvesting. Some monsters in this world eat equipment of the adventurers they kill. In their stomachs, and through unexplainable methods: go through a kind of transmutation and create better material as it stays inside the monster.”
Hyakuren nodded as he continued to follow behind the man.
“There are two different types of [Monster materials]: [convertible materials] that can be turned into other goods and [edible materials] that can be used as food and drinks. This shop mostly buys [convertible materials] which can either be cores, skins, fangs and bones. There are others like tusks and horns too. These [convertible materials] can be sold to the blacksmiths and whitesmiths to change them into equipment and scrolls.”
The shop-owner stopped in front of a rack with different sized spherical crystals. “Monsters sometimes drop their [Cores] as loot. These [Cores] can be imbued with magic and be turned into [Gems]... and seeing your confused face, you do not know what a [Gem] is, do you?” Hyakuren shook his head at the question, causing the friendly shop-owner to laugh.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
“To put it simply: [Gems] are accessories that give you [Blessings] if you put them on armor and weapons. For example…” the shop-owner took a small sized crystal that glowed red. “If you equip this here [Fire crystal] to your weapon, it gives your sword the ability to burn your enemies and if you equip it onto armor, it gives you a resistance against fire; the stronger the glow, the stronger the [Blessing]; how that works: I do not know. It has been this way since old times.”
“What about equipment that already has [Blessings]? Will the gems override the [Blessings] or simply add another [Blessing] along with the original [Blessing]?” Hyakuren inquired.
“If your equipment already has a [Blessing], it will not be change. The [Blessings] will stack and give you… for example: [Fire resistance low] and [water resistance low]. The [Blessings] seem to know how to sort themselves, which I think is very convenient.”
Hyakuren nodded. “I believe not everyone can create these [Gems] right?” Hyakuren got a nod. “Is there anyone you recommend to give [Cores] [Blessings]?”
“Across this here shop is a [Gem shop] that my daughter owns. She’s a real genius when it comes to these things so if you want to know more, you should go to her. Now; do you wish to buy or sell some [Monster loot]?”
Managing to escape the kind shop-owner; Hyakuren went across the street and went to aforementioned [Gem] shop the kind shop-owner told him about.
Arriving in front of an antique looking store filled with gems, Hyakuren entered the front door politely. “Excuse me…” Hyakuren quietly apologized to the store. He saw many glass shelves filled with different colored [Gems] with different types of abilities.
“This is amazing… I never thought there would be a store that specializes in [Gems]…” Hyakuren commented and began to inspect each [Gem]. “Then again… this world is unlike my own…”
“Are you looking for something, sir?” Hyakuren was slightly surprised that someone had managed to sneak up behind him. Turning around, he was met with a young girl no older than 15 years of age. But even then Hyakuren could not believe that was her age seeing as the girl was an elf.
“Ah… I was looking for the owner of this shop. Are you by any chance her?” Hyakuren studied the girl. She was tall, blonde and had pale skin. She wore what seemed to be a maid uniform with less frills than the ones that were used in modern day japan.
“Ah, I am sorry but the mistress is out at the moment. May I inquire what business you have with her?” The maid showed a smile but Hyakuren knew better.
“You were originally some kind of hunter or soldier aren’t you?”
The question made the maid’s eyes turn round in surprise.
“And judging from your expression: I am right… Do not worry, I do not wish to harm anyone. I am merely an adventurer interested in how a person manufactures a [Gem] to give it a [Blessing] because my magic is different than of [Gem] creation.”
Hyakuren explained with a sincere attitude.
“You are a dangerous person… but I guess I cannot shoo you away.” The elven-maid sighed. “Since the mistress is out at the moment, will you wait or will you come at a later time?” “I am Hyakuren by the way…” “Will you be staying or not adventurer Hyakuren?”
Hyakuren laughed. “I guess I will stay…” Hyakuren took to the front counter and leaned against it. “What will you say if I was going to propose a contract to only come to this store for any needs on [Gems]?”
“That would improve the store’s reputation and revenue so I do not have any objections but that is a different matter for the mistress. Many people have tried to do what you have and every time she would turn them down. Unless you have some sort of advantage over those people, she will reject you as well.”
“My, my… I guess I should prepare myself. Do you wish to know why I want to enter a contract with your… mistress?” “No…” “It is because I wish to create a guild.” Hyakuren disregarded the elven-maid’s answer. “If I can have some whitesmiths and blacksmiths in my guild, the jobs can increase the others revenue. As far as I know: no blacksmith can create a weapon with its own [Blessing], am I right?” the maid did not answer his question. “But would you believe me if I told you I can make weapons with their own [Blessings]?”
“It seems you are either delusional or are on drugs. May I ask you to leave the store?”
“How cold… then let me show you my ‘Magic’…” Hyakuren took out one of the [Damascus balls] and in front of the elven-maid. The fist-sized ball slowly began to lengthen and became thinner at the blade part and retained its bulky handle part. The sword slowly turned took its intended shape of a short sword. ‘Creation: [Magic absorb], [Armor penetration]…’ Hyakuren added two characteristics to the blade.
While the sword was beginning to take form, the elven-maid refrained from leaving her mouth agape as a sword began to form from a fist-sized metal ball. ‘Is this what he meant by his magic?’ The maid thought with a confused look. This was no normal magic; no… it was not magic but something else entirely.
“You seemed to have guessed it… this is not magic.” Hyakuren smiled. “It is my own… [Skill] per say… I call it [Transmutation: creation] in which I transmute anything into anything. Try inspecting it…”
Just as Hyakuren suggested, the young elf took the sword from his hands and inspected the blade using magic.
[Damascus short sword: a simple short sword made from Damascus; a metal that can rival Mithril, adamantium and platinum together. It can be made by using traditional methods from a faraway country to the west. Magic absorption and armor penetration are given to the sword as blessings.]
“Just… who are you?” the maid was speechless. She did not expect the young male to do what he did.
Hyakuren bowed deeply. “Ichiharu Hyakuren, copper adventurer and captain of a now gone Vanguard unit from far to the east past the [Eastern Island federation].” He straightened his back and smiled. “I am also a transmuting artisan from another world.”
—end of chapter--
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