The curved dagger not only looked beautiful, but deadly.
Naofumi watched Mina inspect the dagger, turning it over in her hands. The silver blade had runes on both sides. Tabitha – the magic shop owner – said those were fire runes.
"I'm sorry I couldn't get ice daggers for you," Tabitha sighed. "I know ice is your affinity, but you shouldn't have trouble using it. And it does increase your magic!"
Mina still kept inspecting the dagger. Then, in one swift motion, she thrust the dagger, like she was stabbing someone. Wisps of fire followed the direction of where the dagger was.
"Excellent." Mina set the dagger on a display case. "It's nice of you to offer them to us on such short notice."
"Oh don't worry. After I head you helped with the restoration of Lute, the least I could do was show them to you. You're more than welcome to look for more stuff."
Naofumi wanted to give the lady a big hug for her help. She and the medicine shop guy, Tomas, and Elhart are the only shop owners who gave them the supplies they needed. Had he not helped Lute, they wouldn't give him the time of day. Except for Elhart.
"Is there anything else you got?" Naofumi asked. Something he noticed when looking at his party's stats, they would need weapons and accessories that would help with them.
He went over their stats in his mind.
Rachel Adlehart
Age: 22
Class: None
Occupation: Apothecary
LV: 35
HP: 2,146
MP: 201
PHYS ATK: 504
ELEM ATK: 322
PHYS DEF: 325
ELEM DEF: 215
SPEED: 250
CRITICAL: 145
Equipped Weapons: Silver Axe. Increases PHYS ATK 488 to 504
Equipped Accessories: None
Mina Kaldori
Age: 24
Class: None
Occupation: Dancer
LV: 35
HP: 1,841
MP: 254
PHYS ATK: 290
ELEM ATK: 436
PHYS DEF: 142
ELEM DEF: 247
SPEED: 352
CRITICAL: 174
Equipped Weapon: Stinging Daggers. Increases PHY ATK 210 to 290. Increases SPEED 330 to 352
Equipped Accessories: None
Rowan Blake
Age: 21
Class: None
Occupation: Hunter
LV: 40*
HP: 2,022
MP: 230
PHYS ATK: 520
ELEM ATK: 282
PHYS DEF: 345
ELEM DEF: 200
SPEED: 325
CRITICAL: 298
Equipped Weapons: Nomad Bow. Increases PHYS ATK 500 to 520. Increases CRITICAL 280 to 298
Equipped Accessories: Wind amulet. Strengthens Wind magic. Increases ELEM ATK 250 to 282
*Must get class upgrade for level progression
They each have their strengths and weaknesses. If they were to buy weapons and accessories, then they have to buy the right ones that would fit them well with their stats while increasing their lower ones.
'Maybe for Rachel,' Naofumi thought, 'I can try to ask Tabitha if she has any magic axes. That should increase her elemental attack. She's also slow too. Not too slow but I need her to be quick. Does Tabitha sell fire amulets?'
"Hey, Naofumi."
'Mina is our glass cannon. Great speed and magic attack but not enough defense. And her physical attack is pretty average even with her current daggers. She utilizes her ice and illusion magic well enough to fend off enemies. But her physical attack and defense could use some work.'
"Um, Naofumi?"
'Then there's Rowan. He's an interesting one. Great speed and physical attack. And a near 300 crit, that could take out enemies quick. On the other hand, his elemental attack is low along with his elemental defense. He'll be quick to dodge them but if he gets hit it won't be good. Does Tabitha have magic bows too? And more magic amulets?'
*flick*
A finger flicked him on his forehead, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Hey!"
"Good, thought we lost you there for a moment," Mina stood in front of him, her hand raised.
"If you're done with your daydreaming," Rachel said, holding a coin pouch. "Let's buy some stuff. We could use them after the Legrand fiasco."
Naofumi pulled out his menu and looked at their money. They had just enough to buy things. More than enough. But they needed to save should they come across expensive weapons or charms.
"Sure," he stood. "We could use some of this stuff."
"Good!" Tabitha cried out. "I'm so glad you've become a regular here. If there's anything you need, feel free to ask me. I'm only ten years away from my twilight years, but I'm still kicking and ready to help!"
She sounded like a cheerful grandma that kids would love. Naofumi smiled. "Thanks."
While his team looked through the items, Naofumi wandered the little store. It was cramped in some places but it was cozy. Bookshelves that reached the ceiling were filled with tomes and other books. Mounted on the walls were different magic weapons.
He went to a bookshelf and pulled out a tome. The leather cover was embroidered with runes and in the center was a lightning strike symbol.
Lightning magic. That much was obvious to anyone. Not like he could use it. He put it back and pulled out another one. This one had swirling symbols. Wind.
"Something caught your eye?" Tabitha came up to him.
"No," Naofumi put back the book. "Just looking at all of your tomes. Is this bookshelf nothing but tomes?"
"Yes. Specifically, tome magic."
"Tome magic?"
"Oh, has no one told you about tome magic?"
When Naofumi didn't answer, she continued. "Before I tell you, how familiar are you with magic?"
"Not much, unfortunately," he replied dejectedly.
"Well, how about a little magic lesson?" She said invitingly.
If she was offering, who was he to say no.
"That'd be great, thanks."
"No problem, sweetie. Let's get your friends so they can help explain."
Friends. The word was becoming more comfortable for him to hear.
'They are my friends.'
He met up with the others near the back where Tabitha stood behind a display case. Resting on the case was a tome.
"I'll try to keep it simple for you to understand," Tabitha began. "To use magic, we must be connected to mana. The land is enriched in mana, allowing anyone to tap into it and manipulate it. Because of that, every person in the land is capable of using magic. Even if you have a low elemental attack, you can still use it for a variety of things other than offense.
"Each person had a special affinity to one or two kinds of magic. There are fire, ice, lightning, wind, water, earth, light, and dark magic. Your friends are attuned with one kind of magic. That doesn't mean they aren't capable of learning other kinds. It will take time though, but with enough training and the right tome they can learn just about anything."
She pushed forward the tome. "Tome magic is different than regular magic. Tomes are used by mages who draw in the mana of each tome to use. Say if someone has an affinity for earth magic, they can use tomes to use different kinds of magic. If their enemy is weak to fire, they can use a tome to strike that weakness. Each tome is different but is very much useful."
Naofumi reached for the tome and opened it. He still couldn't read the language. He flipped through the pages and with each page, he could feel more of the mana residing in the book. He couldn't describe it, but it felt like he was touching energy. A low vibrating kind of energy.
"Can I use magic?" he asked.
"Technically, you already do," Rowan said. "Your shield lets you use different kinds of magic."
"Think of all the times you used it to fight back or defend us," Rachel stated. "You draw in the mana from the land and the shield. You're a magic-user at this point."
True, but…
"You're wondering if you can use the types of magic I mentioned, right?" Tabitha asked.
"Yes. It's one thing to use the shield, it's another to use other types of magic. If I can learn it, then it'll be helpful for us in the long run."
"Very well."
Tabitha crouched down, rummaging through stuff before coming back up with a crystal ball. "This here is used to determine what magic you have an affinity for. You came from a land where there is no magic, correct? Since you've been in this world for a couple of weeks, you should already have mana inside of you to use. Just place your hand on the ball and it'll determine what you can wield."
The crystal ball looked foggy on the inside. Normally crystal balls he was used to were clear and reflective. He couldn't see his reflection nor see the other side through it.
He put his right hand on the crystal. Nothing happened for a few seconds. It didn't have the same vibrating feeling the tome had.
Then, the fogginess started to clear. That's when he felt the same vibrating feeling. The fog cleared away revealing flashes of yellow. Streaks of yellow shot from different parts of the crystal.
Like lightning.
He removed his hand from the crystal. "Does that mean I…"
"Congratulations, Naofumi!" Tabitha cheered. "You can use lightning magic!"
Magic. He can learn magic!
"Haha."
"Naofumi?" Mina looked concerned. "What's wrong?"
"Haha."
Naofumi shot both his hands in the air.
"Fuck yeah!"
His team and Tabitha looked utterly surprised by this.
"I can use magic!" Naofumi shouted. "Now I don't have to rely on my shield all the time. I can help you guys out!" He felt utterly giddy at the declaration.
Nothing could stop him now.
"I don't mean to cast dispersions on your little celebration but," Mina gently grabbed his arms and lowered them down. "You are aware that your stats are mainly to your defense, not offense. Meaning…"
She didn't need to finish the sentence to know what she meant.
"No no no." Naofumi shook his head furiously and looked at his stats.
Naofumi Iwatani
Age: 20
Class: Shield Hero
Occupation: Cardinal Hero
LV: 40
HP: 3,544
MP: 350
SP: 432
PHYS ATCK: 140
PHYS DEF: 760
ELEM ATCK: 140
ELEM DEF: 760
SPEED: 245
CRITICAL: 300
He knew his physical and elemental attack was low, but he didn't think they were this low! At level 40 no less!
He crumpled down to the floor. "UGGGHHHH!"
"Is he OK?" Rowan asked nervously.
"He's just going through a crisis," Rachel answered. "He'll be fine."
"I'm not fine!" Naofumi shot back up. "What's the point of me knowing lighting magic if my elemental attack is low? That be like using a stick against a rock monster!"
"Unless you were using a magical stick."
"Not helping!" He turned to Tabitha. "Please tell me there's a way to increase my magic. Anything!"
Tabitha hummed as she pondered. "There are different ways. Two of the most common ones are using your lighting magic to kill enemies or mixing magical flowers into a drink."
"Really?" If it's that simple, then the next time they're up against a monster, he'll let the others weaken it and he'll finish off. "What about the flowers? Are they like regular flowers you find?"
"Yes and no," Tabitha answered. "Yes, you can find them just about anywhere but no because they don't follow the seasons."
"What do you mean."
"These magic flowers grow not based on the season but based on the amount of mana stored in them. You could be in a field of flowers as far as the eye could see in the springtime and only find five of them. They grow no matter the area and can be eaten by animals, allowing them to use magic. You can cultivate and sell them but they're sold at a very high price and there are several steps you need to follow if you want them to bloom. One mistake and they'll wither away."
"How will I know if they're magical or not?"
"It's easy. They're taller and bigger than regular flowers and they have an aura coating them. That's how you know they're magical. You take each petal, tear them into small pieces, and grind them. You then put the powder into water mixed with honey and there you have it: A magical drink that will increase your elemental attack."
Naofumi took several mental notes. If they're hard to come by, he'll have to rely on defeating enemies with his magic for now.
"Thanks. You've been nothing but helpful to us."
Tabitha blushed. "No need to thank me, dearie. I have you to thank for saving my grandchild and Lute. What with that princess and Spear Hero causing trouble, we need someone like you and your friends. You're always welcome here day or night. In fact," She went over to where Mina had placed the rune daggers. "Why don't you take this free of charge." She handed them to Mina.
Mina took the daggers. "Are you sure? I'd be more than willing to pay for them."
"I insist."
"Thank you, then." Mina tucked the daggers into her leg strap.
New weapon equipped: Fire Rune Daggers
Strengthens fire magic
PHYS ATCK: 290 to 300
ELEM ATCK: 436 to 452
'Nice,' Naofumi thought. "Guess that's it then. Thank you."
"My pleasure," Tabitha said, smiling. "Oh, and one more thing. The merchant who I usually get my supplies from is here in Castle Town. If you get the chance, stop by the bazaar. She won't be hard to find. She might have more magical weapons than I do."
The team left the magic shop, the door closing behind them.
"Now that we're done here, let's go to Elhart," Naofumi said.
"One good thing came out of this," Rowan said as they walked to the weapons shop. "You can use lightning magic! That's great… right?" He looked uncertain in the last part.
"Great, yeah but there the issue of my elemental attack. What good can I be if I have to rely on my shield all the time? If there's a monster that's weak to lightning then I should use it."
"Relax," Rachel put a hand on his shoulder. "You'll have time to increase your magic as we go along on our adventure. Besides, we're all due for a class upgrade soon. We should focus on that."
Naofumi remembered the little asterisk on Rowan's level stat, saying he needed a class upgrade if he wants to level up some more.
"You need that to level up, right?" he guessed.
"Yep. Not that everyone does that but since we're with you, we'll have to level up if we fight in more waves."
Speaking of waves, Naofumi opened his menu and looked at the timer countdown for the wave.
-:-:-
There was no time. When they were in the caves hiding from the bandits, Rachel did say the waves were sporadic. And it's been nearly a month since the last one.
If that were the case then they can worry about other things than the waves.
When they reached the shop, Naofumi saw someone was inside through the door window. Pushing open the door, he saw a woman speaking with Elhart.
Her back was facing him but her long dark blue hair cascaded down to her back ending just below her shoulder blades.
Elhart notices him and waves.
"Hey there, kid!"
The woman turns and Naofumi could finally see her face. She looked young, probably in her mid-twenties. Her eyes were a bright pink rimmed with eyeliner. She wore a brown beige tunic with intricate patterns. Her left sleeve ended at the wrist while the right ended at her elbow. She wore burgundy pants and black sandals.
"Glad you're here," Elhart exclaimed. "I wanna introduce you to someone."
The woman stepped forward. "So, you're the Shield Hero I've been hearing about." She playfully winked at him. "You've definitely exceeded my expectations. You're not plain-looking but also not over the top. I like that."
"Um… thanks?" Was that supposed to be a compliment?
"What I tell ya," Elhart says to the woman. "This kid here isn't what he seems. Watch, he'll be one of your best customers, I swear."
"Customer?" Naofumi asked.
"Guess I should introduce myself." The woman cleared her throat. "The name's Coco. Traveling merchant at your service. I like money, unique items, money, bargaining, money, haggling, and money. Nice to meet ya!" She held out her hand.
Naofumi reached and shook her hand. Before he would just shrug in response but things have changed. Coco doesn't seem like the type to swindle him if she was being honest about loving money.
"OK then," Elhart said. "What do you-" he stops when he sees Rowan.
The hunter shyly waves.
"Another one?" Elhart asks.
"Yeah," Naofumi says. "So what?"
"I swear every time you come to visit you have another person with you. Is this going to be a reoccurring theme with you or what?"
"Maybe," he replied.
"Guess so." Elhart moves around the counter and comes up to Rowan. "You're a hunter."
"Y-yes. I am." Rowan says.
"Then you need a good bow. Come look here." He walks over to a shelf with bows. Rowan follows, leaving the group with Coco.
"So," Naofumi crosses his arms. "What kinds of things do you sell?"
"Lots! I'm no ordinary merchant. If you're looking for something rare, chances are I have it or know someone who does." She waves a finger. "I have lots of people who buy from me. Weapons, items, rare medicine, tomes, magic weapons, you name it! I guarantee you a great offer at a reasonable price."
"That so?" Having someone like her would be essential.
The only problem is Naofumi doesn't know the first thing about merchants. Video games and anime offer only so much. Haggling and bargaining are foreign to him.
He looks over to where Elhart and Rowan are. The weapons dealer gave Rowan a sturdy looking bow. He accessed his menu and examined the bow.
Knights Bow
Increases PHYS ATCK
Further reading says the bow only increases Rowan's physical attack by 10 points but doesn't add to his critical damage. It'll be a waste of money to buy it.
"I see what you're doing," Coco says.
"Doesn't everyone do that?" Naofumi closes the menu.
"You'd be surprised by how many people buy weapons just for appearance. You and your friends have some strong weapons. I just happen to have stronger ones." She smirks.
Now he was intrigued. "How strong?"
"Why don't you come by my shop and see for yourself?"
Naofumi then realized she just convinced him to look at her ware without even putting in that much effort.
'Damn she's good.'
"Hey, Elhart," Naofumi calls out. "We're going to check out Coco's shop. Before we go, anything interesting happened while we were gone?"
Elhart put the bow away and Rowan rejoined the group. "Not really. I've been getting orders left and right the past few days, I haven't heard any news. Although, you might want to stop by Tomas' shop. Lots of people have been visiting his shop lately and he looks like he hasn't slept a wink."
"Really?" Rachel steps forward.
"Really. I had a break in orders and went out to eat something when I saw him. I tried to talk to him but he had to go back to his shop. Whatever's got him worried, it doesn't sound good. Do me a favor and check on him when you're done with Coco."
Naofumi nods. "Will do. See you around."
"Take care kid. Nice to meet ya, Rowan."
"L-likewise," Rowan responded.
Outside, Coco began looking at them individually.
"What?" Naofumi asks.
"Nothing. Just that your group is very mismatched. An apothecary, a dancer, and a hunter. You sure do know how to pick them."
"Ha, I can't disagree with you on that," Mina chuckles.
"This is perfect for me! With a group like yours, I can sell all kinds of weapons you need. Now then, follow me."
Like a school teacher leading their kids, she ushered them to the bazaar.
"She's kinda strange," Naofumi whispers.
"Maybe," Rachel put her hands behind her head. "But if she has rare weapons we could use, then who cares if she's a little eccentric."
"Also," Mina adds. "If we earn her good graces, she'll be more inclined to sell her stuff to us. Maybe at a discount."
"That sounds like a good idea," Rowan says.
Soon they reached the bazaar. Stalls were crowded closely together with lots of merchants trying to get the attention of people passing by.
"Here we are!" Coco goes to a massive market stall that could easily fit in fifteen people. Weapons, items, and many more things decorated the stand.
Naofumi took a look at her items then at the other stands. Compared to theirs, Coco had rarer items. Where one person was selling silk, Naofumi saw different kids of silk Coco was selling. One merchant was selling makeup, whereas Coco had a display shelf lined with all kinds of makeup.
Most notably were the weapons. From swords to axes to bows, they were out in full display for everyone to see. Each weapon looked to be well crafted and designed. There was even a katana among them!
He lets out a whistle. "Wow."
"I know right!" Coco goes around the counter. "Anywho, welcome to my shop! Feel free to look at everything. And since you guys are first-time customers of mine, you get a 40% discount on your entire purchase."
40%! That's perfect.
His team began to go through her wares. Naofumi stayed at the front and watched them. They would know what they need. He, on the other hand, didn't need much.
"So," Coco rested her elbows on a counter. "How's it been for you, Naofumi?"
That's an odd question coming from a random merchant.
"Why ask?" Naofumi picked up a silver bracelet with several beaded charms.
"What's not to ask? You saved Lute from a wave, helped cure sickness in Westbrook, and you got a captain thrown in jail for corruption! Word gets around quickly. I should know. How are you after all of that?"
That's a good question.
"Fine." That was the truth. There were still people who hated him but the ones he helped make up for that. His friends were also a big help. Things might still be difficult for him, but as long as he has his friends and continues to do good deeds, it'll get better.
"That's good," Coco said. "You know, seeing you now up close, you're not like what some people said."
"Let me guess. They said I was a monstrous rapist with no regard for human life?"
"Close enough. Actually," she ducked down and rummaged through a box pulling out a paper. "I found this in a village."
Naofumi took the paper and the second he saw the drawing on it, he wanted to crumple it. It was a crude drawing of him. There were words written underneath the drawing but he couldn't read it.
"That's how you are in some areas," Coco took back the paper. "I only heard rumors about you but after talking to Elhart, I knew you couldn't be some kind of monster. Trust me, I have a keen eye for people. It's how I stay afloat as a merchant. Looking at you now, I don't see the monster other people see."
Monster. Was that how they saw him?
He gripped the edge of the counter. What do they know? He could save the entire capital from a wave monster and they'll still hate him. To his left, he could see a church with three spires reaching out to the sky. Each spier was built differently from each other to represent the bow, sword, and spear. The Church of the Three Heroes.
'What did the Shield Hero ever do to you?' He thought bitterly.
Sighing, he shifted his gaze back to Coco's shop. The bracelet he grabbed was one of many accessories that were displayed in a wide velvet box. They all looked well crafted.
"Like my handiwork?" Coco picks up a golden hairpin decorated with small red gems. "They're more than just accessories. They help with your stats. This hairpin boosts fire magic. And the bracelet you were holding boosts your defense."
"Really?" He picks up the bracelet again.
Iron Bracelet.
Boosts PHYS DEF.
Then he looks at the hairpin Coco was holding.
Blazing Hairpin.
Boosts Fire Magic.
"And you made these?"
"It's pretty easy when you put in the effort." Coco waves a hand at all of the accessories. "Crafting was how I started my business. When you learn the basics of crafting, you can make accessories that help you and your team. Do you want to learn?"
"Yes!" Naofumi eagerly said.
"Well then," Coco takes out a book from a shelf and hands it to him. "I don't know if you've gotten around to learning the language, but your friends can translate what the book says. It's a beginner's guide to crafting. I'll even add these." She goes to the back of the stall and retrieves a tool bag and a small pouch.
"These tools are made for crafting. And this pouch has gems that can boost elemental magic. It won't increase a lot but it'll give you guys the needed strength, both physical and elemental. And if you're ever in any town and I happen to be there, I'll have new items to sell. Meaning more accessories for you to craft."
"This is…" Naofumi stared in wonderment at the items. "This is great! I don't know what to say."
No, there is one thing he has to say.
"Why help me? Isn't it going to hurt your business if the Shield Hero is a customer of yours?"
"Tsk," Coco scoffs, "Like I care what others think. Besides, a friend of Elhart is a friend of mine. If you're worried about my business, don't be. Regardless if people know you're a customer, they'll still buy stuff from me because of how rare they are. Elhart and the magic shop owner, Tabitha, buy a lot from me since I have access to weapons and tomes."
"Then you're the merchant Tabitha mentioned?"
"Yep! You'd be surprised by how many blacksmiths, magic shop owners, and apothecaries buy from me. Where ever I go, I always have items fresh in stock to sell! How else do you think most of them are in business. Money makes the world go round and keeps people afloat. As a merchant, I have to focus on my customers and the items I'm selling. If I don't, I'd be out of business before I can even say profits."
Though he didn't know a single thing about being a merchant, Naofumi could see that Coco was no ordinary one.
"We're back!"
His team came to the counter each holding different items. Rachel had three vials of liquids and a small tub of cream, Mina was holding a black and white fan, and Rowan had a quiver with blunt arrows in them. They placed their items on the counter and Coco began to tally up the cost.
"Let's see here. All of this together normally costs 150 gold coins, but with your 40% discount, it comes to 60 gold coins!"
Ouch. Naofumi could hear their coin pouches screaming. It did cost a lot of gold.
Rachel reached into her satchel and pulled out a leather hide wallet. "How much will it cost in talents?" In her hand was paper money.
"You guys have a paper currency?" Naofumi stared bugged eye at the money. In all the fantasy games he's played, very little of them had paper currency. It was all coins.
"Yeah?" Rachel eyed him. "It's not adopted in every city or village, but some places do accept talents."
"It's true," Coco says. "You have to go to major cities to find businesses that accept talents. Even Castle Town has places where you can use them. Now, if you're using talents, then it'll cost you 20 talents."
Rachel flipped through her money and gave Coco two different colored talents.
"Perfect! That completes your order!"
Naofumi gathered his tools and book in his arms. They'll have to stop by their wagon to put his stuff away. The others can hold their own.
"Wait!" Coco's shout made Naofumi nearly drop his stuff. "Before you guys go, here. Take these. Consider them on the house."
She pushed forward three accessories. Two of them were the Iron Bracelet and Blazing Hairpin while the other was a leather band with a green gem on it. "It'll take a while for you to get used to crafting, so I figured you could use these in the meantime to help your team."
Naofumi had to adjust his stuff to grab the accessories. He focused on the leather band.
Wind Leather Band.
Boosts wind magic. Increases ELEM ATCK.
Perfect for Rowan!
"Thanks. We'll see you again soon, I hope."
Coco winked. "That you will! Bye-bye for now!"
The team walked to the direction of the stables where their wagon was. Since their mode of transportation was a spider, Rowan had told it to guard it along with other spiders. It was a weird security system but a good one nonetheless if people are scared of giant spiders.
"That turned out better than I had expected." Naofumi hefts his supplies, getting a better grip on them.
"And it seems like we've earned her good graces," Mina says. "With a merchant like her, we can buy new weapons and items."
"If they're affordable, that is," Rachel interjects. "If we're going to be buying from her often, then we have to help out people more."
"Actually," Rowan chimes in. "If we come across any hunting guilds, we could look and see if there are any monsters that need to be taken down. Since Gareth and I are well known to many guilds, finding a hunt shouldn't be hard."
"Guess being the apprentice to a famed hunter has its perks," Naofumi pointed out.
Rowan nodded. "It does. We may not be like the knights, but hunters help quell monsters."
They had finally reached their wagon and Naofumi deposited his things in it.
As he got out, he noticed Mina's new fan. "Why you'd get that?" He knew Mina used her fan as an extension of her magic, waving it while using her ice magic.
Mina smiled, opened the fan, and fluttered it, covering the bottom half of her face. The fan itself looked sturdy and well made.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Mina posed her body like she was beginning to start a routine.
Naofumi felt his throat dry.
"Y-yeah," he said sheepishly.
"Beautiful, yes."
*Shink*
Metal blades protruded from the fan.
"And deadly."
That's when Naofumi's menu popped up.
Menacing Fan.
Increases PHYS ATCK 290 to 310
Increases CRITICAL 174 to 198
"Good choice," Naofumi comments.
"Thank you."
"All right, now that my stuff is safe, let's go to Tomas'."
It took them ten minutes to get to the shop.
"Hey!" Naofumi calls. "Tomas! You in here?"
The man in question pops up from behind the counter.
"Oh, you guys. It's been a long time since you've been here."
"Sorry about that, Tomas," Rachel waves. "We've been busy. Elhart wanted us to see how you've been doing." She looks around, noticing most of the shelves were almost empty. "Busy day for you?"
"More like a busy week." Tomas groans. "I've been working my back carrying boxes and my legs are sore from climbing the ladder so many times, it's a miracle from the Gods that I'm still standing."
"What's wrong?" Naofumi asks. "Did you have a sale or something?"
"Not so much a sale. More like doctors coming to pick up orders. I swear I haven't seen this much worry since flu season."
"There's a flu?"
Tomas shakes his head. "No. Or, well, it's not the flu so much as something worse."
The air felt tense at his words.
"Worse?" Mina asks
"There's this village a few hours from here. The residents there started to become sick for no reason. What started as one patient soon turned to half the village falling ill. I only know about this from the doctor who lives there. Sent me a letter telling me all that's been happening there."
Naofumi felt a sudden sense of déjà vu. He didn't need to look to Rachel or Mina to know if they were feeling the same thing.
It was just like in Westbrook.
They had informed Rowan of what happened there when he joined. The hunter looked back and forth between Naofumi and Tomas. "Um, and your shop? Is this flu or whatever it is the reason why your shelves are nearly empty?"
"Yes. It's more out of precaution than fear. Some of them came from other villages to restock. I even got a few from Silvershore, though most of them I had to go to the post office to ship the medicine."
"What can you tell us about this village," Rachel sounded serious. "Anything?"
"Just what I read from the letter," was Tomas' response. "He said that the village went on lockdown and are only allowing other doctors and apothecaries to enter. Whatever's going there, I just hope it blows over quickly before the entire village gets sick."
Naofumi wanted to believe his words, but in the back of his mind, he knew this wouldn't go away without their help.
Without his Shield.
"Where's the village?"
An hour later, they were en route to the village, the plains passing by them as one of Rowan's spiders pulled the wagon.
"What do you think will happen when we get there?" Rowan asks from the front.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Naofumi replied. "Tomas said the village is on lockdown. But we can't be sure what type of illness it is."
"It has to be somewhere here," Rachel said while flipping through the pages of her medical book.
Before they left, Tomas had told them of what symptoms the village doctor has recorded. Fever, persistent cough, vomiting, and fatigue. It sounded like the flu. Except the flu doesn't cripple half a village population in a matter of days.
"This is strange," Mina says. "First there was Westbrook with the Frost Sickness, and now this. Honestly, I'm a little scared that something is spreading."
"Spreading or not," Rachel closed her book, "if there's anything we can do to help, then we must. If this flu or whatever it is can be spread, we have to find a cure fast."
Her words were laced with determination. Naofumi shared that determination with her. This newfound sense of conviction was certainly a strange feeling for someone like him who got through life with not much effort back home.
Here, however, he had to put in the effort to help people. It started to come naturally to him when he was needed.
'Not everyone may like but, but I'll be damned if I let people get sick.'
"I can see the village!"
Naofumi, Rachel, and Mina cautiously stood and moved to the front. They were on a hill and below was a village.
It looked like an ordinary village.
What stood out were the several black flags waving at the entrance.
So in this chapter, I decided to go even further in breaking the original story in different ways. Aside from giving the magic shop owner and medicine shop owner names, there are some things I did differently.
The first being that Naofumi can use magic. Lightning magic. I wanted this because each party member has one affinity for magic. Rachel has fire, Mina has ice, Rowan has wind, and Naofumi has lightning; leaving the remaining members to have control of the other types of magic (water, earth, light, and dark).
The second is the stats for each member. I wanted to create a team where each member has their strengths and weaknesses. If you're confused by CRITICAL, it means that the higher the crit, the more often someone will land a critical hit and deals extra damage.
The third is the introduction of Coco. Coco replaces the role of the merchant Naofumi escorts. Coco is more of a reoccurring character who will show up all while selling special items.
I have loads of ideas for this story and while it will loosely follow the canon, most of it will be AU but still being connected to the canon in different ways. I am reading the light novels so I can get as much information as I can and to see how much of it I can change.
I hope you all enjoy the chapter!