[Steel Messenger] (supreme quality, dagger)

Materials: Tempered blue steel, metallic manatite.

This weapon was crafted by an advanced master forger.

Blade: The thick convex bevel of this symmetrical double-edged blade was designed specifically to counter heavy armor – be it plate mail or giant reptilian scales, there isn't much that can stop it.

Handle: To prevent the blade from getting stuck in armored targets, the ringed knuckles provide a fixed grip for recovery.

Core: Keystone to magical enchantments, metallic manatite both channels and stores mana – channeling can be amplified up to 3 times, while storage capacity reflects that of an average person (100). Embedded into the core is a circuit with a singular formula:

[Supersonic Shockwave] (activable)

1 hour to full charge. Can be fueled by the wielder.

Effect: Deplete all stored mana. Generate a supersonic pressure wave within the target, mutilating soft tissue.

Warning! Hard targets are likely to redirect part of the forces back at the blade, damaging it.

Carl inhaled with a whistle from the sheer impression once he read the note.

“Woooaaah … !”

Radiant Bulwark's men had secured the readily available fragmentation arrows and a superior shortbow for Toothy, as well as some potent irritants in the form of smoke bombs and sprays, though there was no telling to what degree would they be effective against an evolved beast. Locating an appropriate knuckle dagger, on the other hand, was going to take some time, and Carl was provisionally given an ordinary one of masterwork quality and sturdy build as backup. It featured a similar core to the Black Fang, only stronger, increasing the channeling of mana by a whopping 150%. That was a terrifying amount of power, and Carl imagined it would be a real struggle to reliably hold on to it in a chaotic scuffle. After all, there still was an organic equivalent of level requirement to efficiently handle formidable items. None of them were locked or disabled, only using them without the necessary foundations would be counterproductive, often dangerously so.

“Should I get it, or do you want me to look for a masterwork instead?” Amaranthine Bushido offered.

“Hmm, I don't know … 300 gold sounds scary cheap.”

“I agree, it's almost like a consumable. But it looks quite robust … ought to last a good few runs if you're careful … I think.”

“That's what worries me. It's just steel. Vicious Hook is fine, but Ripping Claw isn't easy on the blades, and it's my main skill. Ten-fold momentum boost between Last Hurrah and triple mana … I wouldn't be surprised if it broke on the first run. Heh, I wouldn't be surprised if it broke my hand, either.”

“Yes, it's an assassination tool, not a combat knife. A piercer, not a slasher. Aside from the blade, the magical augment may also be prone to rapid deterioration.”

“Mhm, I'd even be hesitant to activate it within the horrid wolf's skull. As a last resort, I love it. However, I'd prefer if it was a masterwork for 50 or 60 gold, but as it is, 300 is too much. Maybe later? Right now we don't have that kind of money to throw around.”

“I understand. I'm merely presenting an option, brother Lionheart, for it's not easy to encounter such high quality on the open market. Normal daggers aren't an issue, but your requirement of a hand guard limits the selection greatly. I only have the scoop on this one because Fate found it for you previously, and since it's a couple time zones away, I can't even be certain if it's still on sale. Unfortunately, it was just a curiosity, she didn't employ our– … I mean Skyborne Lions' information network to compile a comprehensive report on the matter, as you already had the Black Fang. Truth be told … what you need for custom weapons are conquest rewards.”

Carl sighed dejectedly.

“Lack of remote auction system is such a hassle,” he concluded. “Though I guess I shouldn't complain. I can't deny that it's more realistic this way, and it opens up new opportunities … yet we don't have access to an intelligence department any more, so we can't take advantage of it. Worse than that, we're falling behind.”

“Yes, we need to rectify it as soon as possible. NPC auction houses sell some amazing stuff, but they're no place to search for specific items. There's also many unofficial online auctions for players, but those suffer from decentralization and are riddled with scammers and resellers. Without a unified database, it's seriously hard to browse them all in real time, because they require a lot of direct communication and verification. Once more … manpower we don't have. I'm sorry, brother Lionheart.”

“It's fine, Bushido, you're doing an awesome job. And what about local player-organized auctions? I was applying Hyperacusis upon each return, and I overheard some haggling on a few occasions. The gatherers sure are quick to jump on our platform.”

“Haha, you should see them going at it now that you're not around! They only silence when you reappear, afraid of incurring your wrath.”

“Let them promote themselves, so long as they're good sports about it. Immortal Frontier is exceptionally harsh on them. What I meant to ask, was can't we use that ourselves? I realize this would attract resellers, but it's either that, or we will have to commission someone else with a large network to find what we need.”

“Oh, no-no, brother Lionheart. You don't want the public to know what you're looking for. I will make some new contacts, don't worry.”

Carl reluctantly conceded. He could only rely on others for that, because his own time was too precious.

After his current run, he did one more with NPCs and then one with players, which was his tenth run today, and fifth of his own. He had earned 545 gold and 7 Scrolls of Danger, plus a bunch of pelts, but spent 200 gold on supplies alone, and only 2 scrolls remained. Between his masterwork knife for 70 gold, Toothy's bow and arrows for 30 gold, various top-of-the-line repellents for 15 gold, a potion stockpile for future runs, and 50 gold set aside for Beatific Restoration, he had left his allies with barely a 100 gold at their disposal, which they needed dearly, and not just to rearm themselves for all the unbound gear they relinquished to their old guild, but most importantly to expand their non-existent network and hire the professional services of gaming workshops. Money was going to be tight for quite a while yet, at least until all the 60-odd NPCs completed their runs.

It was now 4 o'clock, and the mental buff had run out. Courtesy of several supplementary great mana potions, Last Hurrah and Champion's Conviction both reached the illustrious expert level together with Hyperacusis and Arrest Bleeding. The gravidon leathers still held strong in the face of occasional prowler bites, the hardened steel sleeve was due for repairs, and – to Carl's great relief – the Black Fang survived without further chipping.

On top of that, he became so proficient with Hyperacusis, that he could regulate it to desired frequencies. This allowed him to eavesdrop on hushed conversations about his condition, which weren't exactly wrong – his avatar was indeed thoroughly exhausted, but not because of stamina potion overuse, like everyone was thinking.

It was time for the covert operation.

“I'm sorry, brother Lionheart … I've tried to come up with something, but … thing is … I doubt we can do anything about that … they're watching us like hawks …” Amaranthine Bushido apologized helplessly. It pained him to be so incapable.

“No matter, relax. Now that I think about it, there's no way I can hide this fact. Even if we pulled it off, they would know I'm resetting exhaustion at the temple. All we can really do is confuse them a bit.”

Not bothering with a shower, Carl announced a small break of around half an hour to the utter perplexity of the masses, then speedily took the swordsman and a few of his subordinates to the temple to investigate the options, punching through the crowd as if a force field extended in front of him, leaving all the spies in the dust.

But he wasn't mean to arrive at his destination undisturbed …

“I said go away!”

“Come on, missy, don't be like that. 10 gold for such a tiny stone is a lot of money. You should count your blessings while you still can.”

“I know it's worth! Go away!”

Despite the distance, the adjustable Hyperacusis was now just sharp enough to pick up an argument occurring some 50 meters ahead of them on the bustling plaza. A lonely girl was being persecuted by a group of insistent buyers. Carl slowed down, seeing that the two nearby NPC guards did nothing when she requested their help.

“Bushido, wasn't she at our venue auctioning something?”

“Hmm? Oh, her? Yes, looks like the one who got a lucky with a crystalline manatite find somewhere in the open world. She adamantly asked 100 gold for it, but nobody budged. She overshot big time. It may go for that amount if it's processed into a 1 carat personalized mana bank, but as it is I wouldn't pay 80 gold for it.”

“You said mana bank?”

“It's negligible, especially to you, who has 20 intelligence and ludicrous regeneration.”

“It may be negligible on its own, but what if I had tens of them?”

“Well … if you want to lay out quadruple digits, then absolutely. Magic is the ultimate power, and this kind of storage puts it at your fingertips. With enough mana, you would be unstoppable.”

“No question about it. These guys, however … I'm getting an ominous feeling about them.”

The swordsman sighed compassionately.

“Like you noticed, brother Lionheart, gatherers don't have it easy. It's the same in every other game, but here they're even more vulnerable. Soft blackmail is the norm of our times, and she just broadcast her fortune to all of Geneva by soliciting your bidders' attention.”

Carl kept listening.

“Fine, 20 gold! Know the generosity of Blood Brothers! But do not test my patience any further!”

“Get lost, filth!”

“Oh, is that how you want to play with us? You better consider the teleportation fees to get out of our range of influence!”

“Or what, you'll hunt me down? I'm a gatherer, you idiot! Like I'm afraid of dying!”

“Pfft, you think we will simply kill you? What good would that do us? Naaah, we'll just wait for you to find something valuable … and then we will kill you! Hahaha!”

Carl looked at the guards. They surely heard it …

… and ignored it once again. He approached them decisively.

“Hello.”

The two jumped with fright and reached for their weapons, finally noticing the blood-soaked monster who turned up behind them.

“Oh, it's Lord Lionheart. My sincere apologies. How may we help you?” one of them asked after composing himself and putting on a fake facade to hide his embarrassment. They were excellently geared, but still at the mortal realm, like all the regular guards. They wouldn't stand a chance against someone of Carl's caliber. Only the mighty authority behind them was what players had to respect – one wrong move and a bunch of evolved special forces would make an appearance to ruin the day for any troublemakers.

“They're blatantly committing crime in public, yet you deny your assistance?” Carl's strangely placid admonishment elicited immediate abashment.

“But … they're offering 20 gold,” the guard defended tentatively.

“Yes, for an item that's worth 80.”

“… That's … not a crime …”

“Extortion is not a crime?”

The two exchanged shamed looks.

“What about death threats? … No?” Carl hammered mercilessly in a sedate tone.

“Lord Lionheart … we really can't … you know how your kind is … it's just words …”

“Just words,” Carl repeated flatly. He drilled the guards with his gaze, but their feeble minds were set. This puzzled him. Was it the system's default? Or was every guard different? Either way, his unyielding mind was set as well. He sped up to intercept the Blood Brothers.

Amaranthine Bushido and his men froze with terror …

… because Carl just drank a mana potion!

The girl stared wide-eyed, as a scarlet demon emerged from the crowd.

“Hmm?” the lead oppressor tried to check his surroundings, but he was too late to see anything.

His head tumbled through the air and fell to the ground several meters away.

It was as if time had stopped.