Lukas shuddered to think what might have happened if someone saw him. He was physically and magically drained from his ordeal. All he wanted now was a hot meal and some rest.
Making his way across campus, he used his credits to purchase a bowl of stew and bread from the cafeteria. He ate ravenously, regaining some strength.
He burped in satisfaction, getting a meal after a tiring work is always good. Unfortunately, he couldn't order monster meat since it wasn't available for first years.
He finished quickly and headed outside. His destination? The market.
The reason? He needed armor. Even the lowest quality would do. He didn't want to get his hand torn apart again. Just thinking about it gave him chills.
As he walked, he pondered what type of armor might suit his needs and budget. He had no skill with heavy plate armor, and leather wouldn't offer much protection.
"Getting hand guards along with a small dagger would do," he thought.
He realized he should also get something like a cloak to hide his dagger and the hand guards. He didn't like the idea of showing others what he had.
Soon, he reached the library, with the credit center at the end of the road.
He stopped for a moment, gazing at the sigil library, thinking if he needed anything or not.
"Shapes like swords, claws?" Lukas muttered, then his eyes lit up.
"Yes, a defensive shaping sigil! Like a small shield."
He quickly entered the library and located the auxiliary section, where he soon found the things he needed.
After passing the 10th floor, he had 400 credits left. 100 credits were deducted from his meal.
Now he could buy a couple of them. He first decided to buy a food subscription after getting some credit points.
"Bye bye, my good meals. Training comes first!" he muttered with a saddened heart and bought three sigils. It was a great sacrifice for him.
The sigils he chose were:
• Sigil of Half Dome: Shapes essence into a half dome for defense and vehicle protection.
• Sword Dice Sigil: Shapes essence into a sword, pairs with Sigil of Condensed.
• Claw Dice Sigil: Shapes essence into three-fingered claws, synergizes with Sigil of Condensed, Telekinesis trait, and Air element.
• Spear Sigil: Shapes essence into a spear. Pairs with Sigil of Condensed and Sigil of Everlasting.
This almost emptied his pocket, leaving him with 180 credit points. Thankfully, these types of sigils were cheap for some reason.
After a fifteen-minute hiatus standing in line, he finally paid for them.
He got out and looked at the credit center, remembering he had received something called a five-potion ticket or something after passing the 10th floor.
Then, he looked to the right, where the market was located. "Can I at least get one arm guard, right?" muttered Lukas as he started heading. He had nothing to do for now. Visiting the arena would be good, but it's almost useless for him since real magicians aren't allowed there.
A magician without his Aura zone isn't a real magician yet, so going there is useless except for the weapon combination, which he has enough experience from his past life. Thus, going there is useless.
Of course, if he fights, it wouldn't be useless anymore.
Lost in random thoughts, he soon arrived in front of the market.
The market was bustling with activity as Lukas walked in. All kinds of goods and services could be found here. He weaved his way through the crowds, taking in the sights and sounds.
Armorer stalls lined the perimeter, displaying an array of protective gear for arms, legs, chest, and head. Lukas stopped to examine some sturdy-looking leather vambraces with reinforced edges.
"Try them on, lad. Let's see the fit," encouraged the older student. Lukas slipped them on and tested his flexibility. They were comfortable without restricting his movement.
"I'll take these," said Lukas, reaching out for his credit badge.
The price was reasonable, considering he somewhat had a guess of how much credit points are worth. But it wasn't exactly pocket-friendly for him.
The seller was asking for 70 credit points, which was good, but he also wanted to have a dagger if possible and save at least 70 credit points for dinner and entering the tower again.
He had 180 credit points now.
"These are excellently made, but perhaps a bit more than I have to spend just now. By any chance, do you have any lesser items, or do you know where I might find a dagger or a small blade?"
The older student nodded understandingly. "For a fellow student on a budget, I may have just the thing. Wait here one moment." He ducked behind his stall and emerged holding a pair of worn but serviceable leather bracers. "These have seen some use but still have strength left in them. I can let them go for... say 40 credits. And I believe Senior Henry down the row has a box of plain daggers he sells for 30 a piece."
Lukas brightened. "That will serve my needs well enough. Thank you!" As they exchanged goods and credits, he also bought one of the worn-out daggers. No wonder the seller had so many; he himself uses daggers as Lukas saw a bunch of them hanging on his waist.
With his new bracers and dagger in hand, he set off through the busy market once more. He was tempted to buy a cloak too, but he forced himself not to.
He gazed at the sky and sighed, realizing quite a bit of time had passed quickly. It was already afternoon, and the sun was shining brightly. He sped up and headed directly to his dormitory. He could also practice spells at the training ground, but he didn't want to attract attention. He decided he would only go there to practice his swordsmanship, as training in the cramped space of his dormitory was risky.
He arrived right in front of the dormitory, and as if fate was reminding him of someone, he noticed Levia not far from him heading towards the academic building with her maid.
Lukas shook his head and focused on his current goal: to become stronger, much stronger than in his past life.
Scanning the token on the teleportation slot, he disappeared and appeared in his room. The books had been delivered on the small table located right in the middle of the room.
"It's time to practice," he muttered, grabbing the books and getting to work.
[To be continued]