Finally managing to uncomfortably play the role of a defiant celebrity, Lucas handed the hard tablet back to the young lady. She blithely thanked him for his autograph, then gestured him to choose a skill of his liking at a fifty percent discount.
Rummaging through the shop's supercomputer's holographic screen that grinned before him, Lucas maneuvered over a couple of fire affinity fighting techniques, then suddenly came to a halt after coming across a unique one... The name of the skill was quite unique ''Pyromancer's slug'' .
''Interesting.... let's see what it does'' Lucas mused inquisitively, then proceeded to have a look at the details of the skill whose name had piqued his interest.
[Pyromancer's slug; Skill that can only be used by flame affinity awakeners. The individual is able to create fire bullets and launch them at a designated prey. Number of fire bullets that can be created and launched in a period of 24 hours depends on the hunter's level . Note that that the learning difficulty rate of this skill however is quite high. And only a select few manage to learn this skill ]
''The learning difficulty rate is quite high err.. I suppose I will have to suck it up... Even in the novels and anime I've read and seen, the difficult path trodden by the few always come with the greatest rewards... In fact even in the history of the world, those who stand at the zenith are those who choose the difficult road... Damn, I sound cliché ...I could pose as a philosopher or a novel MC at this point...but well, this is real life... But on a serious note, with great power comes great sacrifice...I'm getting this skill''
After purchasing the skill at the price of 1,500 student credits, instead of 3000 student credits, since he had a fifty percent discount from the shop, the data for how to learn the skill was transferred into his World Hunter's Alliance website account . It was akin to a skill book with directives, who's guidelines he would have to follow to assimilate the skill.
'' Are there no lightning affinity skills at the shop?'' Managing to stir up a commotion amongst the in queue spectators, due to asking a question only ''Dual affinity holders'', a one in a dozen people kind of person would ask, Lucas insouciantly awaited the shop owner's reply. Unfortunately to his disappointment, the young lady glared at him shock.
''Their surprise is not to be blamed on them. Everyone knows that dual affinity holders have multiple advantages in battle over opponents they are in the same rank with, and sometimes, if they have enough battle experience, they can give people with a rank above theirs a run for their money. After all, it will be quite troublesome on someone in the same rank as yours, or a rank above yours, to fight you when you are using a flame and a lightening affinity at the same time in battle. The firepower you would subject them to, would be double of the firepower they would usually be prepared to handle, if they were to face another opponent of that similar rank who is not a dual affinity holder'' Lucas mused inwardly to himself.
Realizing that the customer still glanced at her with an expression of one who awaited at a response, the young lady awoke from her transient stupor, then stuttering, she managed to eject a satisfactory response to the dual awakener who stood before her ''Err ... of course sir... we... kindly check the other side of the affinity related fighting techniques log''.
Lucas facepalmed inwardly . ''Of course, why would something so trivial elude me. Well, I suppose this is my first time checking out this place as a novice awakener so I should not berate myself.''
Proceeding to the the lightning affinity fighting techniques' bar, Lucas managed to pick a skill with quite a catchy name.
[Lightning Maestro; Skill that can only be used by lightning affinity awakeners. The individual is able to control and fire lightning at will. However, range of lightning onslaught , attack power and control over lightning depends on hunter's level. Note that that the learning difficulty rate of this skill however is quite high. And only a select few manage to learn this skill.]
''Another skill with a high difficulty rate ... I suppose I am your usual calamity magnet''. Sighing with a tinge of unwillingness, Lucas purchased the skill at a price synonymous to that of the previous one, the discount dashed to him by the shop owner still at play.
He strolled out of the shop, almost all pair of eyes on him, after thanking the young female shop owner who finally managed to reveal her name to be Lucy. The shop owner managed to convince him to return to make more purchases from this shop in the future if he had the time...
''To think that 3000 student credits would disappear like a pack of biscuits being rummaged through by a voyager strangled on a desert (sighs....) I still have one more thing to do before I proceed to learn the skills '' Lucas headed towards the direction of another shop on the same floor of the awakening center.
The shop owner managed to spot the young man headed his way and adjusted his demeanor into that of a professional businessman. He stood confidently at the counter of his customer devoid shop, awaiting the approaching youngster.
Finally reaching his destination, as directed by the student map, Lucas politely questioned the owner of the shop. Before the shop keeper could even politely ask the young man what he was here for, Lucas' voice reached his ear... ''Good day...I am here to purchase an ID bracelet features upgrade device''
As if the shop owner had struck gold, he fidgeted around for a while before he finally managed to crawl out of who knows where, a small cube looking device.
Being an engineering student, Lucas was not oblivious concerning what that small cube looking device was for. He actually managed to land one for himself as a birthday present from his parents in the past. Instead of keeping the device under the wraps, and ensuring that he made good use of it's one time use, the young Lucas, twelve of age at that time, in his naivety, was playing with the device in an alleyway, only to be threatened by an awakener he encountered in the alleyway. Scared out of his wits, he tossed the device over to the awakener and skidded away home in tears, berating himself for losing an ID bracelet feature upgrade device.
''That's all in the past'' Lucas emerged out of his memories.
The shop keeper replied in a professional businessman's voice ''The price of the artefact will be four thousand student credits sir''
On hearing the price, Lucas felt as though he had gotten an auditory hallucination...'' I suppose the awakening center is just an expert at squandering student credits''
Unwilling to empty his account to a small remaining amount of a 1000 student credits, he still chose to pay the price for what he wanted, purchased the device and found a nearby lobby, ready to upgrade his ID bracelet features.