Chapter 345: Secret Store
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 345: Secret Store
‘Fuck…’
A tremendous amount of time had passed since I first saw the Sealed Greatsword. The Secret Store wasn't a place only I could enter. I’d thought that weapons loved me, given my unique ability and the sense of ownership I felt from them, but the case of the Holy Sword proved that wasn't always true.
When I’d stroked the greatsword, I was sure it had responded positively to me. But it had been sold off because I couldn't wait and chose another weapon.
“Too bad for you. I recall it was sold quite a while ago. Kik…”
I was just feeling empty, but that damn laugh started to piss me off. Still, there were plenty of other weapons.
I had a whopping fourteen million points, enough to buy that other impressive weapon I’d seen.
[Hammer of the Gods]
[A hammer used by a continental hero who inherited the power of five giants. It is unknown how it came to be here, but it wandered for a long time while retaining the hero's power, and as a result, the hammer's functions have been deified. In addition to the Forest, Volcano, Wind, and Wave attributes, it has other sealed attributes.]
But that one was gone, too.
“The Hammer of the Gods? Its original owner bought it.”
“…”
“Too bad for you.”
It was impossible to buy the two weapons I had my eye on. A sense of futility washed over me. But not all hope was lost. I could definitely see weapons that weren't here last time—new stock the goblin must have brought in.
Especially now that I had a new unique ability related to weapons, I needed to take a closer look.
I had to choose a weapon to use, but I also had the clear objective of finding one suitable for integration. Levatain might be a lower grade than Mistilteinn, but it was by no means a less effective weapon.
Having summoned the Flames of Ruin myself, I knew its power better than anyone.
Even a piece-of-shit weapon could grow depending on how it was used. I almost thought it was a good thing the others were sold. In truth, I was just trying to console myself out of disappointment, but if I didn't think this way, the regret would be too much.
‘I need to find a weapon type or attribute that I don't already have.’
One greatsword, two swords, one hammer, one spear, one dagger.
I could control fire and plants, and even blood. The greatsword was used more for defense, and the throwing dagger was incredibly versatile. I even had a staff.
It was no exaggeration to say I had almost every type of proper weapon, but it wouldn't hurt to look at other options.
I had the Great Tribe Leader's hammer, but it seemed like a good idea to check out other blunt weapons. Something like a whip also caught my eye. It wasn't my style, so I only gave it a passing glance before quickly dismissing the thought, figuring it would be too difficult to use.
‘An axe?’
Not a bad choice, but I probably wouldn't use it often. My main weapons were Levatain and Dainsleif. That fact wouldn't change. This one looked decent, though.
[Axe that Strikes the Giant's Neck]
[An axe used to put down the giants that existed on this continent in ancient times. It has incredibly good cutting power but is heavy and difficult to handle. Receives an attack power bonus when striking the target's neck. Greatly increases Strength.]
The description was just that. But the fact that it was heavy made me realize buying it was not the right answer. It would be a disaster if I integrated with it and my body became heavier. A weapon with no penalties was best.
This was the reason I didn't mess with Dainsleif.
Of course, that was partly due to the special nature of undead enemies, but I couldn't imagine what the penalty would be if I integrated with it. Just as its power would increase miraculously, the penalty could skyrocket just as miraculously. As Isaac had said, there was a chance I could be devoured by it.
Levatain still called Dainsleif a "crazy bitch," so I needed to be careful when it came to integrating with it.
I hadn't ruled out using a bow, but there was really no reason for me to shoot one. With fire, blood, and magic, I had already completely overcome the limitations of range. Drawing a bowstring would only take more time.
However, if I assumed that integration would allow me to shoot an infinite number of arrows, then it wasn't a bad choice either. I had to choose the right weapon to get good efficiency, but for now, I felt a bow was worth considering.
[Fail-not - The Bow That Never Misses.]
[The bow that never misses, used by a knight of the Knight-King. It is unknown how it came to be here. However, anything shot from this bow will never miss. It has the ability to shoot arrows of wind even without physical arrows. Cannot be touched by anyone but its master.]
[Agility +12]
[7,000,000 Points]
It was a rather eye-catching bow. But of course, there was a problem.
When I reached out my hand, I felt nothing. The bow had refused to choose me as its master. I hadn't planned on buying it in the first place, but now that the opportunity was gone, I felt a strange resentment toward it.
‘A bow, of all things…’
It was better to use a melee weapon. I started looking around again. I checked various items, but I couldn't find anything that caught my eye. The more I looked, the more I missed the Sealed Greatsword, and my shoulders slumped.
The shopping trip I expected to be short was dragging on, and I was naturally getting tired. It was then that I found a pretty decent item.
“Oh…”
[Riddell - The Dagger that Plucked the Evil Dragon's Heart]
[A dagger used by a nameless hero to remove an evil dragon's heart after slaying it. It was never an ordinary weapon to begin with, but after plucking the dragon's heart, the dagger was contaminated and gained a new attribute. Greatly increases the user's agility and accuracy.]
[Agility +7]
[4,000,000 Points]
In truth, it was a dagger with no special functions. It was even a bit ambiguous to call it a dagger.
It was longer than a dagger but shorter than a longsword. It was a weapon of an intermediate size, probably what an Ogre slightly larger than me would consider a dagger. I liked the rough design. The problem was its stats.
Assuming Isaac's staff was for magic, Levatain for fire, Mistilteinn for healing and buffs, and the greatsword for defense, it was time to consider an agility-based weapon. I had the throwing dagger, but it was far from what you'd call a high-grade weapon. It was more of a helper that gave wings to my 'Weapon Switch' unique ability.
In contrast, this dagger was set up purely for agility. The lack of any other special function was the issue. But I focused on the dagger's lore.
‘Weapon Integration.’
What was the dagger contaminated by? What was the new attribute it gained? It might be nothing special, but if the dragon was what influenced this dagger used to pluck its heart, I might be able to aim for a dragonoid transformation through Weapon Integration.
The actual value of this dagger was probably less than four million points. The price was undoubtedly inflated by factoring in the aura it contained. It was worth the gamble.
I quietly reached my hand toward the dagger.
[You have spent 4,000,000 points to purchase Riddell - The Dagger that Plucked the Evil Dragon's Heart.]
“You're lucky.”
For the goblin to say that, my choice was definitely not wrong. Depending on the circumstances, this weapon would be worth more than four million points.
I had ten million points left. I could buy one or two more items. This time, I broadened my search and started looking at things other than weapons.
There might be good accessories on sale, like the Ring of Critical Hits or Aegis that I was using. Again, they were all decent, but my hand didn't readily move. I was looking around for a long time when it happened.
“If there's nothing else you want to buy, I have a recommendation.”
“…”
I turned my head in curiosity, and the goblin slowly turned his.
“That greatsword you have.”
“You mean this Greatsword Too Large to be a Sword?”
He nodded.
“It's possible to forcibly awaken it.”
That was welcome news. The Greatsword Too Large to be a Sword had gone through numerous enhancements and had become strong enough to be called a masterpiece, but it was still severely lacking compared to my other weapons. It was the weapon I had used the longest and was most familiar with. I had a greater attachment to it because it was with me from the very beginning when I entered the continent.
The reason I coveted the Sealed Greatsword in the first place was that I wanted to acquire a greatsword for combat. If my first weapon succeeded in awakening, I wouldn't need the Sealed Greatsword, though I'd still feel a bit disappointed. I looked at him with expectant eyes and opened my mouth.
“How is that possible?”
“Because of the Seat of Sorrow you possess.”
“Hmm…”
“If you pay 8,000,000 points along with the emotions you've collected, I'll upgrade it for you. You will not be disappointed.”
I couldn't help but ponder it. I couldn't trust the goblin before me, but I could trust points. Points in this system didn't lie. Occasionally, irregulars would interfere, but expensive weapons were worth their price.
I had always bought things here, but I had never once felt that I was scammed on the quality of a weapon.
The Seat of Sorrow was the same. The more emotion I poured into it, the more effective it became.
My body, my eyes, my tail—they were all proof. The investment didn't lie.
“Really?”
“Points don't lie, friend. Your current emotions and 8,000,000 points. If you have nothing else to buy, it wouldn't be a bad idea to try.”
It would take a considerable amount of emotion and the huge sum of 8 million points.
I'm not one for gambling. But for some reason, I started to lean toward it. I had grown fond of the weapon after using it for so long. It would be strange not to want to see it evolve into a better form.
I slowly nodded my head.
“A wise choice.”
In any case, I would have to wait quite a while until the next Customization. Once the war was over, emotions would gather, and I would earn more points. No, I might be able to get a lot of points just for blowing up the Magic Tower.
I handed my beloved weapon to him, and a special forge began to emerge from the item shop. It was an interesting sight, no matter how many times I saw it. There was no clang, clang sound. Instead, with every swing of the small hammer, I could feel emotions being driven into the greatsword, making it surge.
The goblin's expression was also quite serious. I was worried he might be a scammer, but he seemed serious about his work. With each step toward its new form, gasps of admiration began to escape me. A greatsword forged with sorrow—it would be strange not to be excited.
After a long, long time…
As I looked at the goblin holding out the finally completed weapon, my jaw couldn't help but drop.
[Gram - Great Sorrow]
Because the weapon that revealed itself before me was completely different from before.