I woke up, and for a moment, I thought I was back home. The realization that I wasn't brought about a wave of nostalgia.

Nevertheless, I got up, ready to face another day, feeling more motivated than ever. The recent battle with the three bears had taught me a valuable lesson: I had the strength to overcome any challenge. All I needed was some confidence.

"I can do this," I said aloud.

The countdown until nightfall displayed :

14 hours 21 minutes

I needed to get moving, but before that, now that I had some gold, it was time to upgrade my gear and acquire better weapons.

Heading downstairs, I found the place quiet and mostly empty, except for a few Enkis enjoying their breakfast. A contrast compared to last night. The aroma was delightful. As I descended the stairs, a waiter gestured toward a table.

"Breakfast is on its way," he informed me.

Taking a seat at the table, it didn't take long before the food was served, just like the dinner the previous night ; the service was fast. As the waiter placed the food on my table, I observe yet other new dishes. A greenish pancake adorned with unusual colorful fruits was placed before me, accompanied by a small paper box. Opening it revealed two rolls, resembling cigar cookies, but larger and swirled with alternating dark green and bright blue colors. A pink fruit juice complemented the meal. I took a sniff; it had a hint of banana. I used FOCUS on the food :

"Seaweed Flat Cake with Fruits : Heals for 50, slowly regenerates health for 30 minutes.

Floaty Juice : Heals for 10, +1 Dexterity for 2 hours.

Tiwuiwui : Heals for 25."

"The famous Tiwuiwui," I remarked.

I stowed the box of snacks in my inventory. It would come in handy for healing purposes. Perhaps I should buy some extras for the journey. I started eating, finding the cake a bit salty, and the combination with the fruits wasn't particularly tasteful. Nevertheless, I ate it all, washing it down with the pink banana-flavored juice. The fruits, on their own, were actually quite delicious. While I couldn't recall anything similar from my previous life, they had a pleasant taste without being overly sweet.

Finishing my breakfast, I called over a waiter. The Enki promptly came to my side, fixing his gaze upon me, saying nothing.

"Um... I was wondering if it's possible to get more of those Tiwuiwui," I inquired.

"Two per person, that's the rule," he replied. "If you want more, come back tomorrow."

Before I could reply or comment, he had already turned around.

The waiter swiftly moved on to attend to the next customer, and I stood up, leaving the inn. The street was equally quiet, still early in the morning with the sun casting a gentle orange and pink hue over everything. I decided to stroll along the main street, searching for a vendor or gear shop. With my vision now clear, it was much easier to navigate. As I walked, I noticed some young Enkis playing with a ball.

"I guess a ball is always fun, no matter the world," I mused.

I thought I should visit the Green Tree, and it felt like the journey to it could be long, a good 20 minutes to reach its base at least. Nevertheless, I thought it would be interesting to see it from closer.

The street was dotted with various shops, mainly markets selling fresh produce.

If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

"Revival!" someone shouted.

I turned my attention to an old Enki waving at me. I approached him, observing his worn appearance. He wore thin, circular, gold-rimmed glasses and donned a dark blue suit with gold accent and a matching hat. Numerous rings adorned his fingers, and he sported bracelets on his wrists.

"Hi," I greeted him.

"Are you also looking for gear?" he asked.

"Also?" I asked back.

"Another Revival woman was here last night buying everything, she was loaded with gold!" he exclaimed.

Cleo, I thought.

"Did she leave?" I inquired.

"Oh yes, she departed early this morning. Headed north, aiming for the second floor most likely," he responded.

"Can you describe her?"

"Well, you all kind of look the same to me," he chuckled. "But she was big, like strong. Real tall lady too!"

That wasn't Cleo, I realized.

"Are you buying?" he asked.

"How do you know about Revivals?" I questioned.

"We're familiar with your kind. It's good for business. You come and go, striving to reach the top. Most people don't care, but I do. Good for business, oh yes, good for business," he explained.

"Alright," I said. "What are you selling?"

He opened his arms wide and declared - almost singing - "Welcome to Malii's Workshop! The finest gear in Green Tree! Sturdy, guaranteed, and affordable! You won't find better gear in the area. That's a promise!"

Amused, I smiled and replied, "Sounds good. Show me."

He gestured behind him, directing me to a door, and motioned for me to follow. Intrigued, I entered his shop, and to my amazement, I found an extensive selection of gear. Armors, swords, axes, staffs, spears - you name it, he had it.

"Wow!" I exclaimed.

Malii grinned with pride. "Told you. Now, what are you looking for? I'm guessing something better than this... this..." He pointed disdainfully at my Adventurer suit, wearing a skeptical expression. Finally, he remarked, "This crap."

I couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Yes, I do need a weapon as well. And perhaps some health patches. Do you sell Gems or any kind of spell?"

"I'm afraid not at this time. Gems are rare and highly sought after. Buying them can be quite expensive. By the way, you have a good one there," he commented, pointing to my armband and the Orange Hermes Gem embedded in it.

"Too bad you've already slotted it. I would have given you a good price for it!" he added.

I had no intention of selling it, I thought to myself. But good to know Gems are worth a lot.

"But I do have some health patches, although not many. The strong lady bought most of them, but I still have a few left."

I perused his inventory for a while and ended up purchasing several items, nearly exhausting all my gold. I was left with only 55 gold, but my new gear significantly improved my Stats. Finally, I possessed some magical items.

My updated equipment was as follows:

"Survivor Suit :

+25 Vitality

+5 Dexterity

The Survivor Suit was a robust and flexible leather outfit with belts and pockets for storing items. It featured metallic shoulder pieces and offered additional protection for my fists, elbows, and knees. It felt comfortable, almost like a second skin.

Sword of Tamius :

20% chance to trigger a shockwave, pushing enemies away from the impact.

The Sword of Tamius was relatively light and not overly long, but it exuded a remarkable sharpness. Its silver color shimmered with hues of blue and violet, while the pommel boasted delicate, light blue carvings reminiscent of Art Nouveau. The sword came with a beautiful sheath.

Iron Crossbow with 50 bolts (Generic).

Six Health Patches (heals for 25)."

My updated stats showed significant improvement:

Strength : 17 (15 + 2 Iron Ring of Strength)

Vitality : 170 (145 + 25 Survivor Suit)

Intelligence : 10

Engineering : 30

Dexterity : 45 (40 + 5 Survivor Suit)

Charisma : 5

Luck : 5

Chaos : 5

Mana : 10 "

I sold my Adventurer suit but kept my trusty rusty knife.

As I exited the shop, my eyes caught sight of a small, moss-covered stone resting on a tiny pedestal—a decorative stone, it seemed. However, it reminded me of the knowledge stone given to me by the old fish-lady. She didn't know its purpose, and I wondered if Malii was aware either. I used FOCUS on it:

"Knowledge Stone of Ceto's Wrath; Category I.

Allows you to learn the Ceto's Wrath spell if requirements are met.

Requirements:

Intelligence : 20 Dexterity : 10 Strength : 10"

Though I didn't currently meet the requirements, I figured I could acquire it for a good price. I could always learn it later.

"What about this stone?" I asked, pointing at it.

Malii looked perplexed and responded, "That's just a decorative stone. You want to buy it?"

"Yes, I find it... beautiful," I innocently replied.

"5 gold!" Malii immediately stated.

"Deal."

He was surprised by my quick acceptance. I handed him the gold and placed the knowledge stone in my inventory. I would need an additional 10 points in Intelligence before I could learn the spell, but that was a good buy.

Leaving the store, I resumed my journey toward the Green Tree.