Upon entering the shop, he was greeted by a thief. An elf with large pierced ears, dark blue skin, and black eyes filled with obvious malice. A twisted, vicious smile stretched across his face, typical of a seasoned thief.
"Level 20, I see..." said the elf, sizing him up. "You're looking for basic spells to go farming?"
Ryuichi nodded. "Yes, that's right."
The elf then pulled out five books, each corresponding to a thief spell, and laid them on the counter.
Blood Slash
Description: A vicious strike targeting a major artery of the enemy, causing severe bleeding. The enemies bleed slowly, losing vitality every second.
Effect: Inflicts immediate damage and leaves a hemorrhage that causes damage every second.
Spectral Walk
Description: The thief becomes an intangible shadow, nearly invisible, slipping silently behind the enemy.
Effect: You become invisible, and the next attack from stealth deals massive shadow damage.
Scorpion's Venom
Description: Coats your blades with deadly poison, which not only inflicts damage on the enemy but slowly paralyzes their muscles, making any counterattack difficult.
Effect: Each strike slows the enemy and deals damage over time.
Dark Strike
Description: An invisible, deadly strike aimed directly at the enemy's heart. If the enemy is caught off-guard, they suffer devastating damage.
Effect: Deals heavy damage when attacking from stealth. Also reduces the enemy's healing ability.
Shadow Stitch
Description: You strike in silence, inflicting unbearable pain. The enemy is immobilized by the agony, their muscles stiffening as if sewn by invisible shadows.
Effect: Paralyses the enemy and deals moderate damage.
"That'll be one silver coin."
"What? A whole fucking coin? That's fucking robbery!"
The elf stared at him with a twisted smile and replied in a cold voice, "Exactly!" He leaned forward slightly, his dark eyes glinting with malice. "I made sure to be the only one selling these spells in town. The others... are no longer here." He paused before adding sinisterly, "By 'no longer here,' I mean... dead!"
A sinister laugh escaped the elf's throat, echoing through the small shop. Ryuichi, his face tight with anger, reluctantly pulled out a silver coin and handed it to the elf.
The elf, in a flash, drew a dagger and held it dangerously close to Ryuichi's throat. "Listen carefully, little thief," he hissed in a venomous voice. "Come back here with that fucking attitude, and I'll make sure to cut off your balls and sell them to the first warlock who comes by. Got it?"
Ryuichi swallowed, feeling the tension rise in the room. "Okay," he said, trying to mask his anxiety. Then, without another word, he turned on his heel and quickly left the shop.
Then as he was walking through the dark alley, Ryuichi felt a slight cold draft brush against his skin. His heart tightened, and cold sweat dripped down his spine. This feeling... He knew it too well. His parents had warned him: danger lurked in the shadows.
It echoed in his head like a whisper from beyond the grave: "Act like nothing's wrong." He continued walking at a steady pace, but every muscle in his body was tense to the extreme, like a cord about to snap. "When the cold turns to warmth... act and strike with everything you've got."
The chill in the air suddenly turned into an oppressive wave of heat, and Ryuichi sensed it coming. He didn't wait a second longer. In an explosion of movement, he turned, his blade rising like a ravenous claw, and struck with all his might.
The metal cut deeply, sinking into the face of the assailant with a sharp, sickening sound of flesh tearing. Blood gushed everywhere, splattering the walls of the alley. The thief's face contorted under the impact, his eyes widening in terror as his own blood obscured his vision.
But Ryuichi didn't hesitate. He had no luxury to retreat. He kept striking again and again with surgical precision, each blow targeting vital points. Bones cracked under the violence of the impacts, the thief stumbling backward under the assault.
Desperate, the thief pressed a magical bandage against his mutilated face. The wound quickly sealed, but the raw and red scar remained. He then sprang forward, spinning to deliver a lightning-fast kick to Ryuichi's face. But Ryuichi, agile as a shadow, dodged the attack with feline grace.
The thief leaped again, performing an acrobatic flip in the air, aiming to strike Ryuichi from behind. This time, his blade managed to slash Ryuichi's shoulder, a searing ripped through his arm. A grunt escaped Ryuichi, but he didn't falter.
Grimacing, he stealth, disappearing into the shadows before reappearing behind his opponent. In an instant he stroke. His blade cut deep into the thief's back, leaving a wide gash that revealed broken shoulder blades. The enemy's back opened like a gaping wound, exposing white bones and torn muscles.
The thief collapsed to the ground, his screams distorted by pain and fear. His wild, terrified eyes desperately searched for an escape, but there was none. Ryuichi, now consumed by rage, grabbed the thief by his blood-soaked hair.
The thief coughed up blood, choking, his eyes full of fury. Ryuichi couldn't care less.
"Go to hell." he said spitting his blood to his face. The words snapped like a death sentence. Without waiting, Ryuichi slit his throat with a clean, cold cut. The bright red flow gushed out, quickly pooling on the filthy cobblestones of the alley, forming a bloody puddle.
A notification then appeared before him:
You have gained 250 XP.
Unfazed, Ryuichi mechanically searched the body. The thief's gear disintegrated in blue and green electric sparks, a sign that it was rare and uncommon loot.
"Not bad..." he murmured with a predatory smile before disappearing into the darkness of the alley.
Once safely home, Ryuichi opened his inventory to examine the spoils of the man who had attacked him. His eyes lit up as he discovered the items, excitement rising within him.
Dagger of the Whispering Shadows
Quality: Rare
Required Level: 20
Damage: 15-25
Speed: 1.80
Passive Effect: Increases critical hit chance by 2%.
Special Effect: Applies venomous poison with each hit.
Silent Leather Leggings
Quality: Uncommon
Required Level: 18
Armor: 50
Agility: +12
Special Effect: Improves stealth, reducing the chance of being detected while moving stealthily.
These items would greatly ease his recruitment test at the house of recruits, increasing his chances of success. In addition to these two rare pieces, Ryuichi found 3 silver coins—a modest sum, but sufficient for his immediate needs. The rest of his loot consisted of trinkets of little value or basic equipment likely purchased from the local tailor.
"Not great," he thought as he examined the remaining items, "but the dagger and leggings made all the difference."