The dwarf led Jonathan along the streets of the town, and towards a strangely shaped building propped up against one of the walls. It looked like a cross between a general store and a smithy, with a forge clearly visible from outside, peeking out between rows of shelves. At least the dwarf actually owned a store, and hadn't been lying about that too.
When Jonathan stepped inside, after the other man had opened it with a bronze key hanging off his neck, he saw that all of the items were seemingly random in provenance, with rucksacks next to swords and cans of food. Then he remembered the circumstances of his attempted mugging, and realized that most of these goods had probably come from people passing through the town. Jonathan ignored that for the moment though, and walked along the shelves, trying to determine what he wanted.
First up was a rucksack, as he needed to have some way of carrying his equipment, if he ever got any, and also some proper shoes. His hardened skin from his boon was good for keeping his feet undamaged, but he didn't especially enjoy stepping in the nameless filth that lined the ground of the Infinite Hells. Spotting a pair of sturdy looking leather boots, plated with iron, he walked over to them and took them off the shelf. Placing them on the ground, Jonathan tried them on, stunned when they adjusted their size to fit him. They had been a few sizes too large previously, but now they fit perfectly. In addition, his grip on the ground felt far surer than it had before.
“Are these enchanted?” Jonathan asked Tom.
“Most of the goods in here have at least a minor enchantment. I acquired them from others like you, by, um, relieving them of their belongings. If you want those, they’re yours.”
Jonathan had half a mind to clear out the entire shop in order to punish the dwarf for his wrongdoings, but he realized that would be petty, and an utterly futile endeavor. There was no way for him to carry the items with him, and he would end up wasting them. He would rather only pick up things that he needed. With his new shoes, it was time to pick up some armor as well. Because of his fighting style, plate armor would be useless, not that he saw any here, so leather armor would have to do for now.
Spotting a likely set hanging next to the forge, Jonathan padded over, his new shoes even reducing the sound of his footsteps, and pulled down the set of armor. Turning it over, and finding the buckles on it for loosening and tightening the fit, he tried it on. It was divided into a few different pieces, with a chestplate made out of boiled leather run through with strips of metal, leggings, and arm protectors. It looked a bit strange, but such was the cost of protection in this world. Jonathan quickly donned it, finding that it fit perfectly, and nodded in satisfaction.
He was almost finished with his shopping spree, and the only thing he needed now was some sort of weapon. He actually liked his pugilist fighting style, as it meshed with his martial arts Pathway skill effectively, but he still wanted something to make his blows stronger. Searching around the shop while Tom watched in barely concealed dread, he eventually found the perfect item. Nestled between a greatsword and a pair of daggers was a pair of dark iron gauntlets, which had giant spikes affixed onto the ends, tipped with serrated barbs. Picking up the item, Jonathan almost dropped it because of its weight that belied its size. He put the gauntlets on, and immediately felt more powerful than before. If that amulet that he had found in the goblin nest had provided a few stat points, this one provided more than a dozen. He heard a muffled wail of despair from behind him, and he smiled. This was likely one of the most valuable items in the entire shop. At least he could get at the dishonest dwarf like this. He quickly analyzed the gauntlets, smiling as he read the description.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Marauder’s Batterers
Tier 1 Weapon(Blunt)
Twin dark iron gauntlets that are imbued with the spirit of a pugilist, these weapons are the perfect accompaniment to any martial path that eschews normal weaponry in favor of fighting in hand to hand combat. Using these weapons will even the gap, allowing you to fight against wielders of any other weapon.
+6 to Strength, +6 to Dexterity while wearing.
Jonathan slammed the weapons together, smiling as he did so. These were perfect.
The last thing he needed was some food, as he doubted that the bartender back at the inn actually had any for him. Eying up cans of food on the shelves, he cleared out a good section, dumping them into his rucksack. Although it likely weighed over 50 pounds by the time he was done, it felt like almost nothing, because of his strength. With a cheeky grin at the shopkeeper, he left the building, leaving Tom fuming in a corner, enraged at his loss. Perhaps he could have come out on top if he had tried to deal with Jonathan normally, rather than attempting to rob him.
Before he left this place, he had a grudge to settle. Walking down the streets, enjoying the new confidence that his gear instilled in him, Jonathan stopped outside of the tavern, and then kicked the door in. It flew off its hinges and he stepped through the portal, his eyes on the bartender. The man quivered in fear as Jonathan approached, and as he sent mana to his fists, finding that the gauntlets were able to conduct the energy, the man whimpered.
“You set me up, you bastard!” Jonathan roared at the man, spittle flying out of his mouth. “How about we settle this, here and now?”
The man shook his head in terror, and Jonathan grinned wickedly, leaning over the counter. He snapped his hand out and gripped the man by his collar, pulling him over the counter and onto the ground.
“Get up,” he snapped at the man, readying a punch. The bartender quivered on the ground, and seemed to be crying.
“Don’t kill me, please,” he whimpered. “ I’ll give you anything. Money, women, anything!”
Jonathan cocked his head at the sound of the word money. He needed more money than he had, that much was sure, although he had no idea what the actual value of the Leviathan Marks that he had were.
"Hmm. Money, you say? I might be tempted to let you off if you pay me,” Jonathan responded. The bartender nodded in fear and got to his feet, edging behind the counter as if Jonathan was about to hit him. Jonathan had half a mind to do that, but he restrained himself. It wouldn't be in good form to do something like that. As the horrified patrons watched the exchange, Jonathan turned to them.
“Next time you see something like this happening, don’t stand by. I don’t know if a single one of you has a good bone in your body, but if you do, some changes need to happen in this town. This may be Hell, but that doesn't mean that we have to be the demons.” Jonathan’s off the cuff speech had the desired effect on the people. Most of them cowered further, but he saw that a few of them seemed to have taken the words to heart. If he could convert even one person, he would have done a good job here.
Turning back to the counter, he found himself facing a crossbow, locked and loaded. The bartender had his finger on the trigger, but before he could pull it, Jonathan grabbed the bow with his gauntleted hand, and snapped it in two with an expression of brute force. A moment later, his fist was planted in the bartender’s skull, splattering gore over the back wall. Withdrawing his hand, Jonathan smiled as he saw that the blood slipped off the gauntlets like water. These weapons had been the best thing he had found in this forsaken world. Reaching over the counter and scooping up a pile of money that was lying there, Jonathan left the tavern, and walked out into the night.