Both skills and expertise allow Wayne to control luck, an attribute that could almost be considered a law of cause and effect—truly a magical ability. Just as Wayne hesitated over which skill to choose, another option suddenly appeared in the system.
Ding!
All four main skills have been upgraded to level 10, unlocking additional skills and expertise columns.
There is no upper limit to the additional skills and expertise columns, and any unselected skills and expertise can now be chosen. However, each additional skill or expertise selected will consume one ability point, and they will be added in sequence.
Upon seeing this system prompt, Wayne was pleasantly surprised. Not only did this mean he no longer had to worry about choosing between these two powerful skills, but it also allowed him to reclaim skills and expertise he had previously missed. This was fantastic news for someone with difficulty making choices.
The only downside was that the system forced him to consume a significant number of ability points this way. If he chose every skill and specialty available, how long would it take before he could meet the requirements for high-level Elder Blood?
With these thoughts in mind, Wayne, torn between options, reluctantly spent two ability points to acquire both skills that could control luck.
These two skills work together to create a synergy that's greater than the sum of their parts—a perfect combination.
As for the previous skills and expertise, Wayne decided to wait until he had accumulated enough ability points before considering them. For example, the earlier mutation-enhancing skills, which could increase his potential, needed to be purchased as soon as possible—the sooner, the better.
After dealing with the selection of skills and specialties, Wayne quickly turned his attention to another matter.
Since the mission involving Letho and the others would take some time to complete, and Wayne didn't want to waste his time in Toussaint, he decided to devote all his efforts to exploring another world.
This new world was different from the previous deceptive high-demon realms he had encountered through dimensional rifts. There were no evil gods, rampant magic, or exaggeratedly powerful mythical creatures. It seemed like a suitable place for him to explore with his current strength, offering the potential for significant rewards with minimal risk.
After wrapping up some tasks in Beauclair, Wayne returned to the Carbota Forest and located the space rift that linked to this low-demon world.
After conducting some tests, he found that while there was a slight difference in the flow of time between the two worlds, the overall difference was negligible. The rift connected to a forest in an uninhabited area, making it a safe and discreet location for exploration.
Upon entering the unknown forest in the other world, Wayne, as usual, took out his magic carpet and flew over the forest to survey the surroundings. However, as soon as he started flying, he realized the limitations of the low-demon world.
The concentration of magical energy in this world was far too low. Even though Wayne could almost fully convert the magic power in this world, the conversion speed couldn't keep up with his mana consumption.
Moreover, the low concentration of magical energy affected the performance of his magic carpet. Both the flexibility of maneuvering and the speed and height of flight were noticeably reduced.
The magic carpet couldn't reach the level of performance it had in the witcher world, but it was still functional—better than nothing.
Flying several hundred meters above the forest and against the wind, Wayne had a broad field of vision. With the help of his witcher-enhanced eyesight, he quickly spotted signs of the indigenous people.
Beyond a few scattered farms on the forest's outskirts, he noticed a large and beautifully constructed city. The city featured a castle, tower, wall, market, and moat, giving it the appearance of a fortress. It was located about twenty or thirty kilometers from the forest.
Although Wayne couldn't clearly see the specific details of the fortress city due to the distance, its overall appearance was more impressive than some of the capital cities of the Northern Kingdoms in the witcher world.
Seeing this city, Wayne was intrigued. Could the technology and productivity of this world be more advanced than those of the witcher world?
With this question in mind, Wayne guided his magic carpet swiftly over the forest and arrived at its outskirts.
He was confident that, given the low concentration of magical power in this world, there wouldn't be any wizards more powerful than himself. Moreover, compared to the local spellcasters, Wayne's space bracelet and magic wine flask, filled with mana potions, provided him with a significant advantage. Even in a war of attrition, the spellcasters here wouldn't be able to compete with him.
This meant he didn't need to be as cautious as he was in the world of Azeroth. He didn't have to avoid the eyes of ambitious and powerful individuals and could act more boldly. However, that didn't mean he should expose his secrets recklessly. He just needed to blend in and act normally.
After arriving near what appeared to be a livestock farm, Wayne found a hidden corner, stowed away his magic carpet, and assumed the guise of a traveler before heading toward the farm.
Wayne maintained his appearance as the young tobacco merchant from Beauclair City, using this identity as a cover to gather the information he needed. If that didn't work, he could always rely on the Axii Sign to help him.
As he approached the outskirts of the farm, the first person Wayne encountered was an elderly man holding a walking stick and wearing a sheepskin jacket. The old man was followed by more than a dozen sheep, and judging by his skillful movements, he was likely the farm's shepherd.
Wayne took a few steps toward the man but didn't rush to speak. He wasn't sure whether the language of this world was the same as in the witcher world and wanted to hear the man speak first before deciding on his next move.
The old shepherd was a friendly man. When he saw Wayne approaching, a smile spread across his face. He nodded to the handsome young man and said, "Sir, how can I help you?"
Upon hearing the man speak English, Wayne raised an eyebrow, though he kept his expression composed. He responded politely, "I am Wayne, a tobacco merchant from a foreign land. I've traveled a long way."
"Could you please tell me which direction the nearest city is and how far it is from here? I hope to enter the town."
The old shepherd looked at Wayne with some surprise. The young man before him was clean and well-groomed, not at all looking like someone who had traveled a great distance. However, he didn't doubt Wayne's story. Instead, he pointed behind him and answered seriously, "If you go about fifteen kilometers in that direction, you'll reach the capital of our Kingdom. King Brahmwell currently rules there. You should be able to sell your goods in the city."
"King Brahmwell?" Wayne quickly searched his memory but found no recollection of these names. Even if he had come across them before, they must not have been very famous. He wondered what kind of world this was—whether it resembled Azeroth, Middle-earth, or Diablo, or if it was a world from some movie, novel, or television series.
After a few seconds of thought, Wayne refocused, bent down to express his gratitude to the old man, and then glanced at the farm nearby. Curiously, he asked the old shepherd, "Old man, does the owner of this farm have any extra horses for sale? I lost mine in the forest and hope to buy another."
The old man carefully observed Wayne, his eyes lingering on the dagger at Wayne's waist and his handsome appearance for a moment before he replied, "I am the owner of this farm. You can call me Thomas. Are you really looking to buy a horse, young man?"
Seeing Wayne nod sincerely, perhaps impressed by his refined demeanor, the old man thought for a few seconds before saying, "Come with me, Wayne. This farm is run by me and my three sons. My youngest son is responsible for training the horses. You should be able to buy one from him."
Thomas then led Wayne into the family's farm, where Wayne met his three sons, all of whom were very strong—no wonder the old man felt confident bringing a stranger to his home.
However, Wayne quickly realized that he didn't have the local currency and couldn't complete the transaction with Thomas's youngest son just yet.
Using the excuse of needing to visit the bathroom, Wayne entered a small restroom, closed the wooden door, and immediately took out Vivian's wallet.
After opening the money bag, the wealth elf, Vivian, was summoned. To Wayne's surprise, this time the cute little elf was dressed in a black silk skirt and a small plaid shirt, looking both sexy and adorable. As she flew out of the money bag, she acted as if she had been pent up for a long time, circling Wayne several times like an excited puppy, her laughter tinkling like silver bells.
However, when she realized that they were in a bathroom, her expression changed to one of disgust. She quickly flew onto Wayne's palm, her cheeks puffed out in annoyance, and complained, "Wayne, why did you summon me in a toilet? It's too dirty here."
Wayne, not paying much attention to her playful behavior, spoke directly, "I've come to a new world, Vivian. I need you to exchange some coins of this world for me."
Upon hearing Wayne's request, Vivienne immediately switched to business mode. She loved working for the generous Wayne, who always tipped her a few gold coins after each transaction.
The little elf began reciting a spell, and with a wave of her hand, a light screen filled with various words appeared in front of her. However, after a few seconds, Vivienne exclaimed in surprise, "This is actually a new world—a world that hasn't been recorded by the Goddess of Wealth."
"I can't exchange currency in this world yet, but from the information I just checked, this world still uses basic metal currency. You should have no problem using gold directly."
As she spoke, Vivian looked up at Wayne with her big, watery eyes and asked in a sweet voice, "Wayne, would you be willing to dedicate the coordinates of this world to the Goddess of Wealth?"
"According to the regulations of the Goddess of Wealth," Vivian continued, "if a silver-level customer contributes the coordinates of three new worlds, they can be promoted to gold-level, granting them higher permissions and more services. Additionally, you would receive a reward of about 10,000 gold coins each time."
"I, too, would be rewarded by the Goddess of Wealth," she added, her tone a mix of excitement and anticipation. "I'd gain some benefits and be able to serve you even better in the future. So, would you like to donate these coordinates?"
Wayne frowned as he considered the proposal. Dedicating the coordinates of this world to the Goddess of Wealth felt like making a significant commitment, and there was no way to know if there were any hidden risks involved.
The reward, however, was tempting. Ten thousand gold coins, equivalent to roughly 50,000 or 60,000 orens, would be enough to pay off his debt to Vivian. Plus, being promoted to a gold-level customer was an enticing prospect.
He thought it over for a few moments. The worlds he had visited before—Azeroth, Middle-earth already had currency exchange capabilities, indicating that they were already on the radar of the Goddess of Wealth. These worlds had shown no major negative changes, and any deeper impacts were likely beyond the control of a single witcher like him.
The Goddess of Wealth didn't seem to be an evil entity. So far, Wayne hadn't observed any malicious behavior associated with her, and Vivian was, after all, an elf in her service. If the goddess had any ulterior motives, Wayne doubted he could do much to stop them.
After weighing the pros and cons for a bit longer, Wayne decided to take the plunge and reap the benefits. He nodded, giving Vivian permission to proceed. He then tucked the little elf back into his purse, retrieved a few pure gold coins from his space bracelet, and prepared to talk to the old man and his family to see if the gold could be used to buy a horse.
When Wayne emerged from the bathroom, he saw the old man sitting by the fire, holding his granddaughter on his lap. The old man was holding a book with a cover depicting a crown, bean sprouts, and giants, and he seemed to be telling her a story.
The little girl clapped her hands and sang:
"Ask not when the thunder and lightning will strike.
Don't ask where the herds went.
And don't ask why the birds stopped singing.
Go home, don't stay too long.
There are giants roaming Albion."
The old man chuckled, then continued telling the story to his granddaughter. Wayne listened quietly, not wanting to interrupt.
As he heard the nursery rhyme and listened to the story the old man was telling, the imagery on the book's cover—with the crowned giant and the bean sprouts—triggered a memory in Wayne's mind. A fragment of a movie he had seen before flashed before him.
The crown that controls the giants, the kingdom of giants in the sky, the magic beanstalk that connects the earth to the heavens, and King Erik, who defeats the giants and protects the kingdom.
Sure enough, Wayne remembered the movie—Jack the Giant Slayer.