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“What’s our next move, Princess?” The query came from Yunuen as the three humans and one Artifact Soul gathered.

“We can’t enter the city right now. Let’s take a breather,” Yaeger suggested, her voice imbued with calm assurance. Then, a thought crossed her mind. “Since we’ve got time to spare, how about we check out the store for some equipment upgrades?”

“Oh, I almost forgot!” Yunuen exclaimed, tapping her forehead before promptly opening the special event store tied to the underground maze. “I’ve actually accumulated 2,500 points!”

“I have 2,000 points,” Little Fairy chimed in.

Confused, Little Blue tilted her head.

“I wonder if they have anything worthwhile?” Yaeger mused as she navigated into the event store. “Oh, there’s actually some decent stuff here.”

She first noticed bloodline items like [Black Dragon’s Bloodline], [Frost Giant’s Bloodline], [Blood Wolf’s Bloodline], and [Mutant Bug’s Bloodline]. These were followed by an array of equipment ranging from Common to Epic rarities. Bloodline items demanded the highest points, starting at a minimum of 2,000.

Yunuen eyed the [Black Dragon’s Bloodline] and sighed. At 3,100 points, it was well out of her reach; she was 600 points short. Even if she had enough points, she reasoned, she wouldn’t blow them all on a single Bloodline item. After all, the Epic and Rare equipment also offered incredible value. To her, Bloodline items seemed less cost-effective compared to high-grade equipment, particularly in the early stages of the game.

Little Fairy, meanwhile, completely bypassed the Bloodline section, knowing it was beyond her budget. “The cheapest Epic equipment only costs 1,500 points!” Her eyes widened at the dazzling array of purple-hued items.

For Little Fairy, each piece of equipment was a treasure, especially the Epic ones. Very few players, be it on the Linhnan server or even globally, possessed Epic equipment. Such equipment conferred immense power, making their holders formidable entities within the game.

‘An Epic piece could fetch tens of millions on the black market. The rarer it is, the higher the price,’ she thought, casting a sidelong glance at Yaeger. ‘Her gear alone must be worth well over a hundred million! Not to mention, she also owns a priceless Artifact!’

“Hisss,” she breathed out.

“Are you cold, Little Fairy?” Yunuen inquired, hearing her exhale sharply.

“No, it’s nothing,” Little Fairy replied, her cheeks flushed.

On the other side, Yaeger scrutinized the attributes of the Epic Equipment available and gradually grew disenchanted. These pieces weren’t even on par with what she’d obtained from the lottery.

‘No need to waste points here. It would be wiser to invest in a Bloodline instead,’ she thought.

Her current gear was already so advanced that new Epic Equipment would do little to enhance her capabilities. Moreover, the offered items were capped at Level 30—hardly enticing. If the equipment levels were slightly higher, she might have considered making a purchase.

“Among my gear, my belt and Toxic Set are the least impressive. The low-level set is losing its effectiveness against higher-level monsters. I need to replace it soon,” Yaeger mused, only to grow more disappointed as she continued scrolling through the store’s inventory.

There were plenty of potions, but she had no use for those. “Wait, what’s this?” Her eyes narrowed as she discovered an item called [Puppet Pin], a seemingly ordinary needle exuding a sinister aura.

[Puppet Pin]

Success Rates

Notes
– Effective only on unconscious Legend targets.
– Failing to control the target results in tenfold backlash, causing rot and death.
– Backlash causes permanent damage and reduces basic stats by up to half.

Upon examining the item’s details, Yaeger quickly discerned that it was far from the gem she’d initially thought it to be; instead, it was essentially worthless. The item appeared potent, but its functionality was severely limited, especially for someone of her caliber. The high success rates were designated for the lower ranks—who she had no interest in confronting. Using it against higher-ranked enemies like those at the Jade level carried an unacceptable level of risk. ‘The penalty of halving my basic stats for failure is unthinkably harsh,’ she mused. For any player, suffering such a drastic cut in attributes was a fate far worse than multiple in-game deaths.

“Utterly useless,” she concluded. Nonetheless, she opted to part with 1,000 points to acquire the [Puppet Pin], her total dwindling from 12,000 to 11,000. “Sometimes, even trash has its appeal,” Yaeger thought as she resumed browsing the store. Her eyes soon landed on another peculiar item—a black collar, whose information promptly unfurled before her.

[Kin Collar]

After quickly scanning the item’s description, Yaeger couldn’t help but chuckle and shake her head. ‘A pet collar priced at 2,400 points? This is beyond mere trash.’ Despite her judgment, she went ahead and bought the collar, leaving her with 8,600 points.

Just then, Yunuen chimed in, seemingly overwhelmed by the choices. “Princess, could you recommend some Equipment for me?”

“Of course, let me take a look,” Yaeger replied, her eyes scanning the array of available gear. Half a minute later, she made her suggestion. “These [Ursine Boots] would work well for you,” she said, smiling warmly.

Upon hearing this, Yunuen swiftly read the item’s specifications. A moment later, her eyes and lips twitched involuntarily. ‘The might of a bear, encapsulated in boots!’ Indeed, these war boots significantly augmented the wearer’s strength, allowing them to harness the power of a bear. Additionally, they came with a unique ability: [Ursine Charge]. When activated, the user would benefit from a 50% increase in total defense and a 30% boost in speed and strength for a brief 5-second period.

“Amazing, isn’t it?” Yaeger flashed a seemingly innocent smile.

“Absolutely,” Yunuen responded, her eyes dry though she felt like crying. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was on an irreversible path, one that transformed her into a battle-hungry priest!