The woman behind the counter takes my coins, then walks into a backroom before finally coming back with a small white concealment case. She opens it up for a moment just to show the white crystal inside, before closing it quickly and pressing a small button on her workstation beneath the counter.
A portion of the blue glass window slides open, and she pushes the rectangular case through. As I grab it, she speaks to me.
"I'm sure you know how these work. You don't need an explanation, do you?"
I nod while accepting the box, remembering back to the crystal I used after defeating the behemoth in the Vice City labyrinth a while back. It transported me beneath the Association building right before we headed off as a team to the dark continent.
"Of course. It's a one-time use transport spell. I just break the crystal and I'll be teleported to Valor City, right?"
She smiles and nods with a sparkle in her eye.
"Yes, exactly that. You'll be sent to a teleport platform right outside. Valor City is the City of Commerce, so keep an eye on your coins at all times. Those without them very seldom leave. Though, I don't think I have to tell someone like you that twice."
She gives me a thin smile, and I give one back with a quick nod. However, the atmosphere slightly shifts, and a hint of sorrow shows in her eyes.
Then, she gives another bright smile just like when I entered making me question if I imagined her brief change of tone.
"Anyway, is there anything else we can help you with today, Sir?"
I open my mouth to ask what she meant by that but decide to brush it off. Keeping track of your money is good advice for anyone.
"This is all I need, thanks. Have a good rest of your day."
I turn and walk out the door I came, then begin making my way down the marble steps.
The morning sun is about to come directly overhead to mark the middle of the day as I step into a less crowded street and take out the white concealment case.
"Well, there's no reason not to go right now. I've waited long enough."
After taking a deep breath in and out, the concealment container pops open with a light click and I waste no time in taking out the crystals and crushing them in my fist. A white light takes over my body and I feel weightless for a fraction of a second before my boots squeak against a glossy tile floor.
The desolate desert city street around me fades, and the chatter of what sounds like a crowded train station fills my ears.
Once my vision comes back to me, that's exactly what I see...
Looking down, I'm standing on a large circular tiled surface about 10 meters in diameter, with a large white sign above me on the wall just behind my head labeled [Teleport Platform]. In front of me, a subway system is moving like any normal city would.
Everyone is dressed in much darker clothing here; the red cloak I wear sticks out like a sore thumb. My darker complexion also doesn't match the majority of much lighter skin tones of the locals here.
My gaze travels over everyone and I quickly change my appearance to match the average person in the crowd before taking my hood down.
I slowly step off the raised platform and walk through the crowd. As I do, a small transport train pulls up, similar to ones used in the Vice Region. Its brakes screech to a halt and a flash of white light appears behind me as another man appears on the transport platform right where I left.
A long moving staircase is visible off to my right about 30 meters away, and that seems to be where everyone getting off this train is moving to. I follow the crowd and ride it upward.
The blue sky of the outside world comes into view as I step off the top of the escalator and breathe in the crisp and cold air while taking in my surroundings.
There are small shops that line the streets, selling all kinds of items. Not just hunting gear, but home appliances, food, and even children's toys and personal gadgets.
Everyone that gets off the train below begins heading off in all directions, but again, most head primarily one way.
I scan the streets one more time before deciding to follow the crowd.
The sidewalks are hard, and the smell of food from nearby shops fills the air. People of all background line the streets. Some are beggars, others are busy salarymen, and a couple stand outside shops yelling out deals while holding up signs to try and get people to come inside. Most of the storefronts rise up 1 or 2 floors at most, and some even have apartments above them. Off in the distance, I see a few complexes rising up to 4 or 5 stories, but nothing is close to the high rises in Solara.
I murmur under my breath.
"Is this really what they call the City of Commerce?"
It's hardly even as impressive as my hometown back in the Vice Region. It's definitely interesting, but not what I expected to see from the so-called strongest and richest city in the Dark Continent.
Still, I enjoy my time and stroll the streets, enjoying the sight of a new city. The crowds from the station start to disperse more and more to the point where I'm not quite sure who came off it and who is a native citygoer here.
I decide to fit in as well and drop into a hunters' clothing store that looks to be my style. Although I could use my conceal skill to make a disguise myself, I'd rather not constantly think about and use up mana on something I could just buy cheaply at a store. Keeping my face concealed is more than enough of a mental drain.
I'm greeted by a kind old man at the back of the shop with a wave as I walk in the door and begin browsing their selection. However, I'm soon disappointed by none of the items surpassing 20-30% buffs even in their most expensive sections of the shop. This seems apparent on my face. The man who greeted me speaks up again.
"Is there anything in specific you're looking for, Sir? You seem to be from out of town. That cloak is of incredible quality, I can see from here you may need to go into the city to find what you're looking for."
I turn to him and raise an eyebrow.
"If it's that obvious I'm not from around here, then yes, I'm looking for something to substitute for this gear. But-"
He finishes my sentence before I even realize it.
"But none of my items stand up to the buffs given by your current ones, it seems."
He gives me a sly smile.
"Well, if you're just looking to fit in for the time being, I have something that may suit your fancy."
He shuffles under his desk counter, and I walk over out of curiosity. This old man knows exactly the situation I'm in from a single glance, so whatever he has to offer must be worth a look.
He places a small silver ring on the counter, and I immediately use my appraisal skill to see what it is.
[Silver Ring of Appearance v16][72/72]
My eyebrows scrunch, and I don't know what to make of it. The old man speaks again.
"You've never seen one before. You really are new to town, aren't you?"
I nod, but he continues.
"Now before you complain about wasting an item slot on your status, I assure you this doesn't count as an active item. It's already infused with all the mana necessary to do its job."
He slips the ring on his finger, and his entire appearance shifts. The old man's outfit changes to a long black classy coat and formal pants and shoes to match. It looks just like what the business men in the crowds outside are wearing. My smile widens and I reply.
"A one-time use concealment item."
I think back to the time I wore contact lenses similar to what this ring does, but the fact that it's already infused with mana is another thing that catches my attention.
"And you said it doesn't count as an active item? It's already infused with mana?"
He takes off the ring and places it back on the counter.
"That's right. This model lasts 72 hours, and it comes in 20 different versions. This one is version 16."
He smiles wide while pulling up a case of identical rings from beneath the counter.
"Feel free to try as many on as you'd like. Just don't wear them too long, I don't want future customers to have too much time missing. They're just a silver each, by the way."
I nod while picking up the ring he just took off and sliding it on a finger.
Nothing changes at all in my eyes, and when I check my status, nothing pops up at all. I move over to the closest mirror, and sure enough, the same black coat and outfit is on me now, fitted perfectly.
However, less than a minute goes by before the [72/72] on the ring ticks down to [71/72]. I let out a sigh as I realize this is the customer copy he shows everyone. I roll my eyes, but then smirk as an idea pops into my head.
Using my mana manipulation skill, I infuse a few dozen MP into the ring, and the bar turns back up to [72/72]. I let out a chuckle and think to myself. It looks like I don't have to buy more than one after all.
I reach into my storage and put a single silver coin on the counter.
"I'll take this one; that's all I think I'll need for my time here in Valor City."
He quickly takes the coin off the counter but looks up to me with a concerned impression.
"You're really going up to the City? What business do you have there?"
I look back at him with an equally confused and concerned look.
"I thought I was already here...?"
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Author's Note:
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