' Hmmm, I think I should first pack food, water, and a good sword for now. The sword that I will get in the tutorial dungeon won't do. ' Aster thought to himself.
' What do I do about my illness too?...'
Of course, this was a big problem for Aster.
His terminal illness.
Whenever Aster would exhaust himself, his heart would start beating at rapid rates sometimes even leading to painful and minor attacks. This made it even more hard for Aster to clear the tutorial dungeon as he was.
" I have to find a way to easily clear the tutorial dungeon without depleting my stamina too much. "
This was going to be very hard. Aster was skeptical about his chances.
" Well, we'll see when we get there. "
Aster sighed as he set his empty coffee cup aside on the countertop.
'Maybe I should go and get the sword right now. If I go there late, they will be out of stock.'
Aster walked out of the kitchen as he slipped on his favorite black hoodie, the one his mom had bought for him. Grabbing some cash from his wallet, he headed out the door.
The warm sunlight spread across his cheeks and a gentle breeze greeted his face.
He walked through the suburban streets, the atmosphere ghostly-quiet.
....
Aster finally reached the city.
He walked down the well-maintained sidewalk, weaving past pedestrians running to and fro. The sounds of the city swirled around him,- car horns blaring, numerous people chattering, and the wail of a siren in the distance.
Tall skyscrapers loomed above, their glass and steel façades glinting in the sunlight. Neon signs flashed, beckoning passerby into restaurants, bars, and shops.
The air was also alive with a smell of freshly brewed coffee, which Aster particularly liked.
' Wow, It's just so....breathtaking. '
As he reached a sidewalk along with a signal, he stopped. The light turned green and he started to walk once again.
Aster navigated through the streets, coming across various types of bakeries, office buildings, and street performers.
As he took a left turn onto an other street, the sign for ' Moonlight Swords ' appeared ahead, It's elegant writing and white crescent moon logo highlighted through the chaos.
" I finally found it. "
As Aster pushed the glass door open, a soft bell above the entrance announced his arrival. Soft and ethereal music floated through the air, accompanied by a sweet sense of sandalwood and vanilla.
" It even smells good. Thank god I've been saving up to buy my first sword. "
Ever since Aster was a child, his dream was to be an Awakened. So, whenever he would get some money from doing part time jobs or from his mother, he would mostly store it. These savings were meant to be used on better things instead of games and ' magazines '.
Huge wooden shelves lined the walls, stocked with an array of metal swords, axes, daggers and small knives.
He browsed the shelves, scrutinizing the swords. A soft voice interrupted his thoughts from behind his back.
" Excuse me sir, are you looking to buy something? "
He turned back immediately to face a girl, her curly brown hair tied back, light-brown eyes shining beneath red glasses. She was wearing a green apron along with a formal uniform, looking like a part-timer.
" Hello, I'm Aster. " he formally introduced himself.
" Hello Aster, I'm Elara. " the girl responded back.
Though Aster didn't like talking to people in general, he had to right now. It was a necessity, so that he could have a proper first impression on the lady. If he had a proper first impression, he was guaranteed to get a good sword from her.
" I'm sorry to disturb you, but are you looking to buy something? " Elara asked him once again.
" Yes, I am looking to buy an inexpensive obsidian sword. "
Elara interestingly raised a brow.
' Now watch and learn, people. ' Aster thought to himself.
He had walked by this shop several times before. Whenever he would, He would always see Elara standing behind the counter, smiling as she studied various types of swords by putting them in her hands and carefully poring them over.
The point to this was, this girl...doesn't care about people who don't like swords. If people just barged in and asked for a sword, she would never care. She would just grab any sword lying in the shop's inventory and give it to the person.
However, if people showed personal interest towards swords or weapons in general, She would give them a special and personalised sword, her own recommendation.
Some people might call this stalking but Aster called this ' strategically and intricately studying your victim '.
He knew that she had a particular liking to swords and weapons in general. So, this was the perfect way to get even more acquainted to her, all for the purpose of getting that sword!
( Back to the present)
" Wowww!! You're one of the first people I met who actually know about swords! Most of them just ask for a good sword or just flash their eyes at me and ask for my recommendation! " Elara's eyes sparkled.
' So they're basically making a move at you'
Aster realized something. He felt a warm sensation on his hands as he looked down upon them.
" Umm, could you stop holding my hands? " He sarcastically tried to smile.
" Oh, I'm sorry! " Elara immediately let go of Aster's hands as her cheeks turned red.
" Also, could you show me the sword already? I'm running out of time. "
" O-Oh, sure! Let me show you some options! " Elara disappeared into the back room, returning with a sleek obsidian blade adorned with purple engravings.
She put the sword up on the glass counter, yellow light shining from below, highlighting the small shades of red along with the purple engravings. The yellowish-orange hilt glowed, the tip of the black blade polished and sharpened.
It was the size of Aster's arm, the perfect size for him. The intricately crafted pitch-black obsidian blade seemed beautiful along with it's engravings.
He grasped the hilt of the obsidian sword, feeling its balanced weight in his right hand. With a fluid motion, he began to swing it, the blade slicing through the air with a soft whoosh.
Swing. Swing. Swing.
The sword's black surface glinted in the shop's warm lighting, casting tiny shadows on the wooden shelves. Each strike vibrated through Aster's arm, the impact resonating in his bones.
Slice. Slice. Slice.
The air whirred as the blade bit into the silence, its song echoing off the shop's walls. Elara watched, mesmerized, as Aster's movements became a dance, his footsteps light on the polished floor.
Thrust. Parry. Riposte.
The sword's edge shimmered, leaving trails of distorted light in its wake. Aster's breathing synchronized with the rhythm of his swings, his focus narrowing to the blade's path.
Swing. Swing. Swing.
" This looks good. How much is it? " Aster asked.
" Usually 700,000 won, but I'll give you a special discount - 500,000 won, just for
you! "
Aster's eyes narrowed, pleased with the deal.
' Mission successful! ' He victoriously thought to himself.
" Done. "
Aster then took the sword into his hands and put in a small, black sword pouch, the size of a guitar pouch.
As Aster left the shop, Elara waved her hand, saying goodbye.
" Bye, Bye, Aster! Come back soon! "
The bell on top of the door rang, announcing Aster's departure.