The town square was the main center for business, market stalls were flooding the whole place as people continued to trade and barter. The mode of currency available here are gold, silver, and copper coins. 1 gold is equivalent to 100 silver coins, and 1 silver is equivalent to 100 copper coins
"Skill books available!" The vendor on the east wing of the square shouted. People soon flocked the stall, almost everyone was there. Brooke squeezed his way in, bumping into others. At the front, the stall was neither humble nor extravagant, the books were placed on top of a wooden plank.
"What do you have?"
"Three for warriors, two for mages, and one for clerics. Unfortunately, we don't have anything for rangers."
"That's fine, let me see the skills for the warrior class."
"Can you prove you're able to pay? Five gold per skill book."
The gold coins in this age were something of high value and so are skills. With a silver, you'll be able to live comfortably for one week with food and lodging. However, five gold coins for a single skill book did not seem worth it for others, but to Brooke who currently had 53 gold coins from selling his loot and the rewards from his quests. Every essential skill would matter to him now, since he's about to undergo a trial for the class change.
"Let me see the three skill books," ordered Brooke, who was in a rush. He gave the merchant a glance to his number of golds.
"Right away," he gave Brooke the access to see the definitions of the skills.
Merlin's Touch
Your blade will be encoated with fire magic casted by the Grand Magus Merlin.
Deals 2-3 magic damage multiplied by the number of your intelligence stat.
May also leave the burn effect, an after effect that deals damage over time.
Unyielding Spirit
[Active]
Your spirit would be enforced, removing all the debuffs and buffs casted on you.
The first two skills could provide Brook with assistance in battling monsters at a large scale, making his leveling a bit easier later. These books were invaluable at the moment as everyone only have their basic skills. In terms of fighting against the same kind, their battle would be mostly about wits, strategies, and timing – something Brooke is great at.
"Only these two," I said, pointing at the two books I read.
"You haven't read the last one, dear customer. I hope you'll take a peek, at least," the merchant insisted.
He wanted to sell everything on the spot to the rich customer in front of him. Brooke followed what he suggested and read over the details of the skill.
The Art of Killing Gods
You will have stealth for five minutes against the observing eyes of the high and mighty.
This skill book disappointed almost everyone as by activating this skill would mean severing the connection with your god, even for at least five minutes. They wouldn't be able to warn you of possible dangers nor would you be able to contact them. For everyone who had seen this skill their thought would naturally be, hiding from the gods is useless.
Brooke recalled his encounter with a strange beheader. The manipulation of the Neutrum Allegiance, he thought. This might become something he will need in the future.
Brook bought all of the skill books for warriors, leaving the other customers who wished to buy angry. They shouted at the unfairness of the merchant for selling everything in one go.
"Those who have money are prioritized. Move along if you don't have any."
Brooke left the town square to meet up with David, whom he contacted earlier for a monster extermination quest. He went back to the smithy to claim his items and, of course, he paid for it.
Opening his inventory, he suddenly had the urge to reread the skills he consumed.
Personal Traits:
…
Class Skills:
…
Sponsor Skills:
1. Concealment [Neutrum, passive] – identity would be hidden from others. You can choose what you want others to see. You're not easily noticed by others.
2. The Art of Killing Gods [null, active] - you will have stealth for five minutes against the observing eyes of the high and mighty.
[LOCKED]
Confusion was all over Brook's face as he has never saw the [LOCKED] part while reading the description at the town square earlier. He kept looking at it for about three minutes but was stopped by the incoming loud David.
"Man, do I need some experience to level up," grunted by the ogre-looking man in front of me.
"We're going to go to the outskirts of Pertruse to hunt deviated nymphs."
Brook sent the details of the quest to David.
New Mission: Nymph Killing.
The corrupted nymphs have been slaying its own kind, apparently revenge for the isolation the leaders ordered as punishment for letting a human access to the spirit fountain without permission
Find the entrance to the nymph village and find the chieftain.
Slay the two corrupted nymphs and reap rewards from the gods.
"Nymphs are so hard to fight," complained David, who stomed both his feet on the ground. "Agile and deals high burst damage."
"I bet the rewards are going to be awesome," Brooke lured him in.
"Fine," he gave in. "I'm doing this for the experience."
They walked to the gate of the city, with guards operating the tall steel-enforced gate. The paths they treaded on had cobblestones on the surface, making David trip to the ground. Brooke had pulled him up and snorted at his carelessness.
They went outside the walls, and went back inside the part of the Loggerman Forest, the Pertruse Outskirts where the nymphs were last spotted.