After he finished hunting in Barecan's Crypt, Weed returned to Seagull with Helain's Grail in hand. Seagull had recovered and was digging out herbs.
"Ah, you finally came. What of my quest? Were you able retrieved the Lost Treasure of Freya?"
Seagull bombarded Weed with questions one after another.
"Yes, here it is."
Weed took out Helain's Grail and showed it to Seagull.
"Ohhh! Finally, this holy artifact can be returned to the Order of Freya. Thank you. To be honest, I didn't really expect much when I first saw you because of your low level ability, but you've truly done a great deed."
Stolen Treasure of Freya completed
The Order of Freya received a prophecy foretelling the coming of an age where Chaos would reign once more.
Hoping to alter destiny, the Order raised gifted disciples and nurtured their talents. These holy knights and priests were tasked to retrieve the stolen holy treasures.
Seagull was ordered to retrieve Helain's Grail, but he failed where you succeeded.
You have gained 200 Fame (+200 Fame)
You've Leveled Up!
You've Leveled Up!
As expected, the rewards were on different scale from other quests, since it was related to a temple.
200 Fame and a level gain of 2!
Yet, Seagull did not take Helain's Grail.
"I'm sorry to trouble you further, but could you take Helain's Grail to the Order of Freya?"
"Me?"
"Yes. I could take it there, but the darkness is trying to rise once more. There have been signs of its attempts."
"Signs… you mean…"
"This is only an unreliable rumor, but it seems Barecan was attempting to unravel the secrets of immortality during the Last Battle. There is word that he's trying to come back to life and form his army once more. Still, no one knows the location or size of his forces. I beg you; please take Helain's Grail to the Order of Freya! I must prepare my fellow Avians for a possible attack and have no time to spare."
Ding!
Quest: Deliver Helain's Grail
Seagull is in a situation where he cannot travel to the City-State of Somre where the Order of Freya is based.
He has to prepare for Immortal Barecan's return.
You are the one whom Seagull trusts the most.
Rank: C
Reward: Unknown
Quest limit:
You need to finish mission within three months.
'It was a chain quest!'
"This task seems critical for the peace of the continent. I cannot find it in my heart to turn down this important request. I will return the treasure to the temple as soon as possible."
You have accepted the quest.
"Thank you!"
Seagull flapped his wings happily.
No matter how much Seagull tried to move with dignity, he could not change the fact that he was a cute Avian with a cuddly appearance. In truth, Weed had to avert his eyes to avoid laughing at Seagull's bright face and glistening eyes.
Still, he kept focused, planning on taking advantage of Seagull's good mood. It was a chance for his specialty: flattering people to extract as much information as he possibly could. Weed's instincts would not let him miss a single opportunity and here was a golden one.
"Seagull-nim, I have heard that you are the most renowned herbalist in Lavias."
"Huh? Ah, I'm somewhat good at it, although you would not find a better looking, or cooler herbalist among the Avians."
Praise delights any man, and it works especially well on the birdbrained Avians.
"So how do you tell the difference between herbs?"
"Ah? Do you wish to learn medical botany?"
"Yes. I want to learn everything Seagull-nim can teach me. After all, isn't there meaning in everything a great person such as you do? The truth is, I want to follow in your footsteps and become a great sage like you."
"I love the way you think. Of course it is important to be able to differentiate between the herbs, but the crucial factor is the way you dig them out from the ground.
You must not let the roots get damaged. Start by scooping out the surrounding dirt slowly and carefully…"
Skill: You learned Medical Botany.
****
Weed hunted in Barecan's Crypt a little longer before setting out to return the grail to the Order of Freya. Regrettably, he did not finish hunting in Balog's Ruin, Gahet's Holy Place or Secmail's Relics. But it was impossible to finish those all places by himself anyway. The weakest monsters in those hunting grounds were Death Knights. The other monsters: Balogs, Succubi, Blood Ladies, and Blood Lords, were all monsters over level 400. They were too strong even for Weed.
Those monsters noticed players instinctively, so he could not move around hiding like he had been doing earlier to avoid Death Knights. But he was thinking of leaving Lavias anyway, so he did not mind too much.
"Welcome, human!"
The grocery store owner was an Avian Weed knew well, but Weed was still treated like a stranger due to the Avian's exceptionally short memory.
"I want to buy two hundred Feathers of Lightness and one thousand Fruits of Heaven."
The market owner was surprised.
"Ohh, it'll be pretty expensive if you're buying that much, is that alright?"
Because Lavias did not have many visitors, items were always overpriced. Simple items sold in grocery stores were at least four times as expensive those sold in the Citadel of Serabourg. Neither did they have any weapons with good abilities for the price that was paid. Weed could not make use of most of the equipment, considering it was meant for the Avians.
Still, there were some items that were exclusive to Lavias. The Feather of Lightness and Fruit of Heaven belonged to that category.
Feather of Lightness:
Durability: 1
Number of Uses: 1
Makes the body as light as a feather, so damage can be avoided when falling to the ground.
Price: 50 silver
Fruit of Heaven:
Price: 15 silver
A sweet fruit only grown in Lavias.
It is edible for 6 months after its harvest.
It will greatly increase Intelligence and Luck Stat if used in cooking.
"Hmm… that would cost 250 gold, but I'll charge 235 gold, just for you. Thank you for your patronage!"
The power of fame!
Weed had attained a fame level of over 1,200 by finding new dungeons and finishing maps. With that, even the shopkeeper's attitude toward him had changed.
"Is there anything else you need?"
"Could I get some Avian eggs?"
"Our eggs? Why would you need those?"
Avian eggs were kept and incubated in a separate area, since the Avians laid an enormous number of eggs. In fact, there were Avians who laid an egg every day, so the quantity was unimaginable. Newly hatched Avians were no different from normal birds, but once they turned 10, they began to slowly gain the unique shape of an Avian. When they turned 30, they could speak, gain a higher level of intelligence, and begin to live in cities.
"I love nature as much as the Avians do, and I haven't met a nobler race. If I had the chance, I would humbly accept to become their father."
With that, Weed procured 300 Avian eggs.
He could feel his stomach rumble by simply looking at them. Needless to say, Weed had no intention of raising them.
Would I get a reward if I brought these back to their parents?
Unfortunately, Avians did not have a close relationship with their offspring. No matter who he brought them to, no one would give him a reward. Weed decided to cook the eggs and eat them. Each egg was not only delicious, but also conferred an increase in health and mana by 500, and a 2% improvement in Cooking skill.
There was one more place that Weed needed to visit: The Beginner Training Hall. There was unfinished business, and it seemed impossible to ignore.
I will succeed this time.
Weed threw open the doors and proceeded inside the training center.
"Welcome!"
The rooster-like Avian greeted Weed cheerfully. With his thick torso and powerful legs, the instructor looked quite peculiar for an Avian. The smile abated and was replaced with a solemn expression when the man recognized Weed.
"I see in your eyes show that you have gotten stronger. Still, I'll warn you again: if you fail, you could die. Will you still take the challenge?"
"Yes."
Unable to resist the benefits of completing the task, Weed chose to take on the challenge despite the danger. The instructor took him to the dark entrance that led only to a pitch black corridor where one could not even see one's own hands and feet. Here, one could only survive by utilizing their other sense; smell, hearing and their sense of touch.
"If you fail, I won't come to save you. In that case, you'll probably die. If you want to leave a will, I'll be happy to keep it for you."
"If you want one, I'll give it to you on my return."
"Ambitious, I see. You may go inside."
Weed entered the dark tunnel, his sword ready in hand. He had not walked far when…
Fwoosh!
At the distinct sound of a flying weapon, Weed dodged instinctively at the sound and counterattacked.
Clang!
The sounds of metal clashing. The brisk reaction of the wrist. The flow of the air currents.
Sparks flew with every strike of the sword, briefly illuminating the pitch black corridor. Weed struggled to see the vague silhouettes of his attackers, the engulfing darkness drowning him in fear as the howling wind tore at him. Weed's level may have risen, but the Steel Barbarians' capability had also risen to match his. Their coordinated attacks hid their weaknesses and maximized their strengths. The relentless attacks gave him no room for thought and forced him to be on the defensive.
Dodge. Can't dodge. Hit. Miss.
As soon as he chose which move to make, he was forced had to make another. The enemy attacked ceaselessly, limbs striking like lightning. As he overcame his fear of the enemy, his training kicked in and his body began to move on its own. He parried, dodged and countered the attacks with greater ferocity. In fact, he improved to the stage where he occasionally had a free hand as he dealt with the ongoing blows.
Weed came to remember the feeling of popping balloons. Definitively, the danger was greater this time around, and the Steel Barbarians' speed was truly astonishing, but once he was accustomed to the initial shock, the rest came easily…
A pattern. There is a pattern in their movements. I must find the precise sequence.
Weed began to match his movements with the Steel Barbarians' attacks, perfecting his own sequence of movements.
Water, I have to become fluid like water.
Synchronized to the Barbarians' movements, Weed evolved from an impregnable wall to a maelstrom. As they fought, it felt like his heart was about to explode. As his blood surged, his destructive strength began to break them one by one.
Crack! Pop!
He was no longer afraid of the Steel Barbarians. They were no longer a threat.
Within a span of 30 minutes, Weed managed to destroy all hundred Steel Barbarians. He collapsed onto the floor as he finished his deed, his chest heaving from exhaustion.
"… Huff" He gasped for breath and tried to move but his aching muscles prevented him from doing so. His heart pounded wildly and his stamina had dropped dangerously low. He felt the biting pangs of hunger in his stomach.
The dark hallway lit up and the rooster-like instructor appeared.
The Avian's face flickered with surprise as his gaze fell upon the remains of the Steel Barbarians.
"Amazing. You are the first one to succeed in the second attempt here."
Weed shakily stood up, needing to be supported by the instructor's wings.
"Did I pass the Beginner Training Hall?"
"Of course!"
"If it's not too much trouble, could you tell me how many people have passed this before me?"
"Here, you are the first. If you're talking about the whole continent, you're about the 400th."
There were about 3,800 people who had passed the Basic Training Hall. They were the ones who had raised their stats by constantly hitting scarecrows for a month.
It was an impressive number, considering the sheer determination and willpower one required to accomplish such a task. Yet, the number who had passed the Beginner Training Hall was significantly less. This was possibly because there were many who couldn't find a Beginner Training Hall, but the more likely reason was the difficulty of the test.
Instead of the mindless task of hitting a scarecrow for a month, to pass the Beginner Training Hall, one was required to understand the essence of fighting against groups.
This could not be done by just anyone.
Even after repeated failures, few have the will to continue trying after dying dozens of times. That was the amount of perseverance it takes to pass the Basic Training Hall.
Of course, the reward was well suited to its level of difficulty and incredible risk.
"You have the potential to be a true fighter. Do you have any intention of quitting your useless class and becoming a Master Fighter? You will be able to equip any weapons. Your punches and kicks will become stronger too. It is the secret class of a Martial Arts Practitioner."
Ding!
You can change your class to secret class 'Master Fighter'
You will be able to use special skills related to this class.
You could raise Weapon Mastery further.Attack and Vitality increases. Do you wish to change your class?If you change your class, secret class 'Legendary Moonlight Sculptor' will automatically disappear.
Only those who had an innate understanding of fighting could pass the Beginner Training Hall. Knight, Archer or any other job could have its level raised using Weapon Mastery. In addition, the ability to use any weapon and change them while fighting was a huge advantage.
Bows for long range attacks. Spears for facing cavalry, powerful axes… All of it would be at his immediate disposal.
The strength of attacks and his vitality would increase faster than with the other classes.
Master Fighter.
It was a reward offered only to those who had passed the Beginner Training Hall. Most people would choose to become a Master Fighter without hesitation.
But…
Weed did not have to think about his answer. Although he had acquired the Moonlight Sculptor class unintentionally and had many regrets initially, all of it was now in the past.
The charms and hidden advantages of the Sculptor class attracted him. Though he did not know how strong the Master Fighter class was, his resolution did not waver.
"I'll keep my current job."
You have declined the offer to change your class.
The instructor's face was tinged with disappointment.
"Very well. Here is another reward, based on your performance during the fight." The instructor continued, "Also, you have a chance to attain a new skill. Whatever action you take, a skill will be created for you. Do as you wish."
Weed fell deep into thought. A skill was not something that could be attained by effort alone, and so this opportunity should not be wasted.
What skill do I need?
Sword fighting? He did not need it. He could not even use his existing sword fighting skills properly.
Footwork? He only used special footwork when he was trying to reduce the distance between himself and his opponent in a long distance fight, or when dodging magic spells. His basic instincts were more than adequate and he did not need that skill.
Of course, when met with a highly skilled opponent, he would need to use footwork, but he could compensate with his other skills.
Magic? He could not learn it now, but when his Intellect rises above 300, then he would be able to learn magic, regardless of his job. It was something to consider in the distant future.
Holy Magic? He did not even give it a second thought. After much consideration, he decided to just do something random.
Whatever I do, a skill suitable for me will be made.
He could do anything he wanted, but with the stage set, he had no idea what to do. Weed stood there unmoving, while the instructor stared at him.
Weed suddenly felt uncertainty as he thought about leaving Lavias. Memories of the brief period he spent with Da'in inundated him, the hunting grounds they scoured, the Skeleton Knights, Skeleton Mages, Soldiers, Dullahans, Death Knights, and Spirits they fought together. He'd be leaving all these behind with no chance of returning.
She might be not even be alive anymore. He still regretted not saying farewell to her in the end.
"Ahhh…" Weed opened his mouth and made a small sound. The shout steadily grew louder, until it reverberated through the whole cave.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
This was a farewell to the Avians and his memories of Da'in. His suppressed emotions exploded in one agonizing howl.
Ding!
You have learned a new Skill: Lion's Roar
It is a thunderous shout that will shake the heavens, and it is filled with the fighter's Will.Effect:
Allied army's Fighting Spirit increases by 200%.
Enemy army's confusion state increases.
Temporary increase of Leadership.Stat Charisma formed.
****
Baran Village had prospered after the Lizardmen's defeat. Home to the epitome of abundance and beauty, the Statue of Goddess Freya drew visiting nobles and merchants from far and wide. Perhaps due to the statue's blessing, the town had not encountered further invasions from the monsters. Nobles would chat excitedly about the statue when they returned to their cities.
There was a small inscription by the Statue's feet, which most thought of as nonsense:
"Thought the sculpting level is low, I hope the finished product of the Freya's Statue will be accepted by all and praised for its beauty"
Baran was previously a small town despite the patronage of nobles, kings and merchants. But as users who hunted near Rosenheim Kingdom increased, their gradual southward migration in search of new hunting grounds and adventure rapidly increased the town's population.
The abundance of nearby dungeons coupled with the conference of a 15% increase in the recovery rate of vitality and mana for a day on all those who laid eyes on the Statue of Goddess Freya, were key factors in attracting new residents.
"Was this great statue here before?"
"Who made this?" People were intrigued and amazed by the statue. Rumors spread that the mysterious sculptor was in the punitive force that helped liberate Baran.
Weed became a celebrity.
The pure smile and face fresh like the morning dew captivated the masses. They could not bear not seeing it at least once a day. The square near the statue was filled with merchants hawking their wares and adventurers come to admire the statue.
"These are weapons sold in Citadel of Serabourg. Selling very cheaply at original price plus some transportation price."
"Buying items. I'll pay 10% more than the retail price."
"Need fighters above level 100 damage dealers for hunting Salamanders and Werewolves. Rogues or Assassins are welcome too!"
"I'm looking for a party to hunt at Chalupan Valley or at least someone who would guide me there. I'm level 120 Ranger."
"First time in Baran Town. Invite me to a party! Job is Bard. I'll sing beautifully for the whole battle."
Within the noisy, packed square, a hushed silence suddenly spread. This was because of a single merchant: Mapan.
He was level 70 merchant. Though only a beginner, he mainly delivered items over a long distance and transported items from the Citadel of Serabourge or nearby major cities to the rapidly growing Baran Town in need of resources. Customers flocked to him in an instant.
With a dream that he would one day rule Rosenheim Kingdom, Mapan worked hard to gain money. Gathering money little by little was the fun only merchants can savor. Mapan wheeled his wheelbarrow to a corner after selling off all his items and took a well-deserved stretch, looking towards the sky.
Something was falling from the sky.
"Hu…Huh? That…"
That something was a person.
"A person, a person is falling from the sky!" Mapan yelled with all the air in his lungs, pointing at the sky.
"What is he talking about?" Many dismissed it as nonsense, but some looked up to where Mapan pointed.
Someone was really falling from the sky. A person holding on to nine gigantic bags appeared from above, hurtling towards the ground at a tremendous speed!
"Ahhhhh!"
"Run for your lives!"
In an instant, the square fell into chaos.
****
Whoosh!
Weed's ears hurt because of the howling winds, and if he hit the ground at this velocity, every bone in his body would be broken and he'd end up as a gory pancake. Even hardened stone and huge boulders would be splintered and crushed to pieces.
Even in the perilous situation, he was calm. Squinting, he looked at the ground to aim.
A little bit to right…
Weed adjusted his body accordingly and sped up towards the ground, seen as he wanted to arrive as soon as possible.
"Ahhhh!"
"Run! Hurry!"
He could see people screaming and running helter skelter very clearly. Merchants jumped and abandoned their stalls as though a fire was burning them.
Were there this many people in Baran Town?
Weed used Feather of Lightness when he was about 500m above ground. His body which was free-falling quickly slowed down, gaining air resistance. Only a small cloud of dust rose upon his landing. However, due to the weight of the nine gigantic bags he carried, his feet plunged into the ground to a depth of 10cm.
"..."
"Who is he?"
"Is he a Mage?"
Users pointed at Weed, speculating the identity of the mysterious man who fell from the sky. Everyone's first suspicion was that he was a mage who used Flight magic. But Flight magic couldn't be used by just anyone. Only a mage with Five Circle Supporting Magic over level 300 had the ability.
Level 300 could be only seen from the top gamer in Royal Road. What sort of mage would appear like that, falling from the sky?
Because Weed descended with such speed, he attracted more attention than he would normally have. Over a hundred users stared at him as he surveyed the town.
Weed focused on a stand that did not close despite the chaos and looked at Mapan who was hiding behind the Freya Goddess Statue, peering back at Weed.
"Hey, you."
Mapan answered in surprise, "Yes? Yes."
Weed said gently, "You look like a merchant, do you buy items?"
"Yes, of course!" Mapan hurriedly nodded as he scurried from behind the statue, afraid that Weed might change his mind. Mapan was a businessman after all, and he specialized in trading with items.
After buying items from major cities cheaply using the Item Trading Skill that only merchants could get, he sold them at a high price in stores. Merchants could earn experience points by buying at a cheap price and selling at a high price.
Weed said in a laid-back voice, "How much would you pay for it?"
"If you sell to stores, the profit would be 2% of the original price. I could pay at least 15% more than the stores, and when in bulk, I'll pay at 18% more. I would be buying with only 2% margin left for me."
Weed looked around for someone who would suggest better deal than Mapan, but no one called out. The price suggested was a very honest price.
A Merchant's trading skill depended on how quickly he could sell his merchandise. Mapan, who could leave a 2% margin, was considered as very highly skilled merchant. Weed decided to make a deal with him.
"If there's any item you're collecting, I'll sell them to you separately."
Mapan's jaw dropped.
'This person is a big catch!'
How many items did he have to be able to say that he'd sell an item separately if there was any Mapan was collecting?
When selling items, it was much more beneficial to sell in bulk.
"Anything. I sold all the items I had, so it was about time I bought some more."
"Is that so?"
Weed flipped his bag upside-down and shook it. Out poured Dullahan's legs, Skeleton bone pieces, charcoal, tree stems, rusted short spears, bone clubs, and other items to no end. Suede Pants, golden strings, tunic cloth, and other such items flowed out freely as well. They piled up until a mountain formed.
"H-How can this be!" Mapan's eyes couldn't get any wider.
'To be able to bring this many of items… Where did he go hunting?'
Logically, the enormous amount of items was impossible to get: these items could only be gathered through hunting, but this amount was beyond anyone's capabilities.
Considering the fact that not many people had discovered Lavias, Weed had gathered items in secret hiding places throughout the dungeon. He couldn't sell at a good price if he sold them to stores in Lavias. He would benefit much more from selling them to merchants who would buy such items at a higher price.
Profit!
Money!
Weed would never budge in this area. He would never throw away even an item worth just 1 copper.
"Th-This many items…" Mapan's eyes twitched slightly. He had never imagined that anyone could see such a sheer amount of items in a lifetime!
"How many will you buy?"
Mapan replied immediately, there was no need to even think about it, "I'll buy everything I can."
159 gold was all the money that Mapan had. Merchants could only get money by selling items that they bought from other users, but due to fierce competition, prices were constantly raised, so getting a surplus was difficult.
"Then take it."
The moment Weed gave his permission; Mapan began categorizing the items by their price. His abilities in item evaluation were used for moments like these, so assessing an item's value on the market took less than a second.
1 gold… 2 gold… the value rose quickly, and he had soon calculated that the mountain of equipment had a net worth of 157 gold.
The magic backpack, able to be filled with ten times its volume and reduced the work to carry it to a third, spilled out an avalanche of items.
"Th-then…" Mapan gave Weed a strained smile as he began to wobble off to his nearby store.
'How heavy is it to cause…?'
"I feel his pain…"
The crowd had begun to scatter, but the remaining spectators looked at Mapan with pity. Meanwhile, the merchants' expressions were filled with bitter jealousy, since if they could sell that many items, they would definitely be able to raise their level.
Following the wake of Baran's expansion, Weapon Stores and Smithys were yet to be built. On the other hand, variety stores did which sold and bought a plethora of different items.
"I'm grateful for your business. Since there is a lot, I'll give you 169 gold in this special case. Will you accept?"
"Thank you, sir!" Mapan was able to sell the items at the reasonable price of 169 gold by bargaining with the variety store owner. Mapan joyfully rushed out of the variety store.
"I have hurry and thank him."
Since his level and proficiency rose greatly due to selling items in large quantities, Mapan ran to the town square in hope of at least giving thanks. Weed was still in the same place.
"Thank you! My name is Mapan. If you come by again, at any time…"
Just then, Weed opened another bag and turned it upside down. Suddenly, another pile of items poured out!
"Th-th-that's…" Mapan's gaze was frozen in place as he stared at the small mountain that had just formed in front of him. He was already dazed from just one of the nine bags that Weed was carrying.
'… It can't be!' It was just as Mapan thought: all nine bags were filled with various items.
Weed emptied out the other eight bags where he stood. Excluding the first bag, six bags were filled with minor items, while two bags were filled with weapons and armor. Together, the items were worth an astounding sum of one thousand gold. The last bag was filled with the Death Knight's armor and various ores that he had kept for when he became level 200.
He had collected 145 iron ores and 109 copper ores!
Once one's Repair skill reached Intermediate level, one could learn the Blacksmith skill, so Weed was saving them until then.
"Please tell me just where you had such training!"
"You came from the sky, but how did you do it? Even a magician like me couldn't feel the flow of mana!"
"Could you give me some money?"
Users swarmed Weed.
In just a moment, he became a celebrity of Baran Village. However, soldiers that were protecting the village soon gathered around Weed.
"Is that you, Commander?"
"You guys…"
They were the soldiers from the Lair of Litvart: Hosram, Dale, and Becker.
"Ooh! You have finally returned!"
The elder, Ghandilva and the other villagers came out to greet Weed as well. At the sight, everyone's curiosity was amplified. Who was this person who literally fell from the sky and was getting all the NPC's respect?
Weed exchanged greetings with Ghandilva and the soldiers. Seeing the transformation Baran Village had gone through, he felt a surge of emotion.
'To think that my sculpture would have this effect…'
Under the sleeve of the Statue of the Goddess Freya was an inscription that only Weed knew about. Every time he saw it, he became anxious. If by some chance Seoyoon discovered this, a clashing of swords was inevitable!
The recovery speed of Health and Mana has risen by 15%. This effect will last the entire day.
The effects of the statue influenced Weed. The statue not only affected users, but also gave similar results to NPCs. It gave significant help to the NPC soldiers when exterminating monsters and leveling up. If a Fine Piece had this much affect, what would happen in a city with a Grand or Master Piece?
Statues could strengthen the military force of a city.
Sculpting could be an indescribable amazing thing…
While Weed was looking at the statue, lost in his thoughts, the merchant who bought his items, Mapan, appeared.
"Excuse me… if it's not too much trouble, may I ask where your next destination will be?"
Mapan, thanks to Weed, had hit the jackpot. He had leveled up 14 times, and his Trade skill leveled up three times.
One could say it was a miracle for a merchant. Shrugging, Weed answered,
"I'm going to go past the Baruk Mountain Range."
"The Baruk Mountain Range?"
"Yes. The place I am trying to reach is the Free City of Somre."
The destination was where the Order of the Goddess Freya was based. Weed had to deliver the Helain's Grail. There were two ways to reach the Free City of Somre, which had a church.
The more commonly used route was to go back to Serabourg Castle, pass Brent Kingdom, and before passing Hilcos Badlands, go straight in the Southwest direction. This was too complicated, for not only did it take three months just to get there, but one had to follow a trail.
It was far too boring for Weed, so instead he was planning to cross over the perilous Baruk Mountain Range and reach the Free City of Somre more quickly. Although the Baruk Mountain Range was infamous for its monsters, Weed had a secret weapon for emergencies, so he was unconcerned.
"So you are." Mapan smiled.
"Could you take me with you? Oh, please don't misunderstand! By seeing the items you brought, I can tell that our levels are very different, but I am not trying to burden you. I know very well that Merchants are weak in combat," he explained.
Merchants were one of the weaker classes of the non-battle type classes. However, Sculptors were commonly known to be weaker than Merchants, and Mapan did not know that Weed was a Sculptor.
What kind of Sculptor could kill a Death Knight or Dullahan? Furthermore, a Sculptor searching for stronger monsters because he got tired of hunting Death Knights was unthinkable.
"Even if we make a party, not many experience points will come to me. I will even cover all the costs of the herbs and bandages used for battle."
The largest part of Weed's losses was due to buying herbs and bandages. Mapan the Merchant said that he would take care of that part knowing that if he gives something, it would be reciprocated.
"What is it that you are after?"
"Items. If you choose to carry everything that drops, you'll be restricted in more ways than one. The bags will become too heavy and you will be unable to fight, so I will buy it all. The items you would otherwise sell ends up with me, and your burden is lightened considerably."
Mapan's goal was high level items. Following a strong fighter would be a huge advantage for him. Just one item from a level 200 monster was ten times more valuable than items from level 50 monsters.
He wanted to get items while following Weed rather than waiting at a town. Since he could trade items at each town, it wasn't bad business at all.
Weed considered it momentarily. It was a win-win situation if he took up the offer. His previous tactic of storing items in a hideout when he was hunting could only be used in Lavias. If someone used that tactic on the mainland, others would steal his bounty and get away with no repercussions.
"Very well! Let's travel together."