Set Items (2)
I leaked some info about the set item. The murmuring bastards snickered and scurried off in a hurry. Looked like it hooked them good. Yeah, go ahead and steal it.
"...Anyway, our family went through some tough times, but since it's a request from you, Oppa, I'll do my best to help! You took me in, after all! How much do you need?"
She's still talking about lending or not lending. Well, at least she's willing to lend it. Not that I'll take it...
"You're quite the schemer, aren't you?"
That's when it happened. A woman dining alone at the next table spoke up to me. Wait. Is she talking to me? Her eyes are just glued to her plate.
"Planning to use those lowlifes, huh?"
Brown hair tied in twintails. Leather gear that left her midriff bare and a short skirt. Goggles perched on her head. She must've caught on to my plan.
"Got a problem with that?"
"Problem? Nah. Just think you're bold as hell. I don't give a damn about those guys as long as they keep their filthy hands off my stuff."
I had no intention of chatting her up. No point in blabbing anyway. And she didn't say another word after that.
Once we finished eating, it was time for the auction house to open.
Scrape.
The woman stood up too, probably heading to the auction. "Hmm, this stays here. And this too." She glanced around, patting herself down like she was checking for anything left behind. What the...? Kinda scatterbrained for someone with that look.
"Let's go."
"Yes!"
I headed straight for the auction house.
* * *
The auction house sat at the end of the black market. A massive tent that reminded me of a circus big top. Inside, chairs filled the space, packed with so many people that only a few empties remained.
Plenty of high-levels here too.
Why I figured the scavengers' stunt was insane. No guards patrolling a black market, sure, but auction houses like this were crawling with high-level players. Folks hunting rare items hard to find elsewhere. Others after custom gear. And plenty more eyeing the occasional rare monster captures for taming.
"Why's the vibe in this auction so intense? Everyone looks ready to kill."
April had picked up on it too. Happens when high-levels cluster. Power begs to be flexed. Give 'em an opening, and they'll show off.
"Alright! We've kept you waiting!"
I snagged seats in the far corner. If the scavengers stuck to plan, better to be out of the blast radius.
The auction kicked off right on time, items rolling out one by one from number one. Light elven armor. Heavy, sturdy dwarven plate. All sorts of goods paraded by until we hit item nineteen.
"And now, the item up for bid... this beauty!"
Whoosh! The host whipped off the cloth cover. There it was: plate armor, exactly the second set item I was after.
"See it? Looks thin, so you might think it's light but flimsy. Wrong! Elven craftsmanship—light and tough as nails."
Light yet sturdy. Perfect for me. This wasn't a game; it was reality. Regular plate could hinder movement in a fight.
"Plus, this gear carries a set effect! You all know the drill—collect matching pieces, unlock bizarre powers! Let's start the bidding at two million bells!"
Snap! Snap! Bidding paddles shot up before he finished. Price rocketed to eight million bells in no time.
This is climbing higher than I figured.
Whoooosh.
"...Huh?"
Right then. Something arced through the air, landing in front of the host. The flash bomb the scavengers mentioned.
Blinding blue light erupts!
BOOM! Hiss! A small blue orb burst. The flash magic inside bloomed. I ducked my head, shielding my eyes.
"Gah! My eyeeees!"
"Damn it! Who the hell?! I can't see!"
"My eyes! My preeeciouuus eyes!"
Screams echoed everywhere. Who'd expect a flash bomb in an auction? Dozens writhed, sight stolen.
Swish!
Frantic movement from the scavengers. Still, I kept my head down. Flash lasts about ten seconds—meet it head-on, and I'd be blind too.
How much time passed? The glare faded.
"N-No way..."
The host gaped at the empty stage, speechless.
* * *
Chaos reigned inside. Blinded players raged. Staffers who lost the goods rampaged.
These guys are pros. Clean getaway, no trace. Typical scavengers? Or...
Someone backing them.
Either way, plan worked perfectly. They snatched the set item. Of course, I knew where they were headed.
Their base isn't far from the city.
Pops up in Averyum region quests. They stir minor trouble in town, tied to plenty of quests.
Time to reclaim it.
Swish.
"Hmm, this is a problem."
Suddenly, someone slipped between me and April. The woman from the tavern.
"Those bastards took my food."
"...Food?"
Auction snacks are for tamed monsters. So she's a tamer too.
"You're going after them, right?"
"Yeah."
"Take me with. I need that back."
Level 45 high-rank. Extra hands wouldn't hurt, especially at her level. Wonder what she tames...
Whistle!
A massive shadow loomed.
-Grrrrr.
A drake, the one lounging on the tavern roof. Ah, she's the owner.
Drake's power? Insane. Level 40s monster.
"Name's Snella. You two?"
"Damian."
"April!"
"Cool. You know the spot? Let's ride together?"
Snella pointed at her drake. Mount up, huh? Drakes usually can't fly, but in Esperro, they're aerial types. They soar.
Unexpected air transport.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The white-scaled drake beat its wings. Just that kicked up helicopter-level dust.
Swoosh! It rocketed skyward.
Air mounts are fast, no doubt.
Passed the city limits, soaring over forest. Speed, terrain? Irrelevant. Maybe time for my own mount?
"There."
I pointed to a building amid the trees. Rundown, windowless ruin. Their hideout.
"That it?"
Snella confirmed and landed the drake. It dropped us off, then circled overhead, awaiting orders.
"We'll head in. Stir things up from outside?"
"Easy."
Drake too big for indoors anyway. Its strength shines in the air.
April and I approached the building. They spotted the drake, yelling skyward.
"A drake!"
"Isn't that the one from the tavern?"
"Why's it here?!"
Scavengers panicked. Drake means they're targeted. Thought they'd pulled it off clean—how'd we track so fast?
Thieves haven't arrived yet.
They probably used a truck or bikes. No sign around the building. Drake beat them here.
Handle these guys first. Game-wise, about fifty inside? Level 15-ish. But probably not alone...
Something's off. Flash bombs? Suspicious.
Someone's meddling. Time to check. I summoned the Piercing Heavy Bowgun.
Piercing Heavy Bowgun Summoned
Clack! The bowgun auto-loaded. Handy as a familiar.
Targets: window guys. Test this boosted piercing power.
Lock On.
Thwang! Screeeee!
Bolt screamed forward, skewering them.
Crunch!
"Gaaah!"
"Guhk!"
Bolt dragged bodies into the wall. On impact, chunks exploded. Insane penetration. No wonder Jackson's shoulder got wrecked.
And this sweet option applies across all weapons.
Weapon Summoner's cheat: gear perks shared universally.
Shing. Shing.
Two-handers summoned. They'll burst out soon. Secure sightlines.
Slash! BOOM! BOOM!
Bowgun's penetration transferred. Door shredded like rags. Supporting wall crumbled.
I'm a monster now.
"Whoa..."
April's jaw dropped. Never seen doors pulverized by greatswords. ...Well, she hasn't seen much anyway.
"Burn every bastard who comes out."
Why I wrecked the door. Clear shots for April.
"Got it. Sharrsharrsharr, kabooms, right?"
"...Yeah. That."
"Leave it to me."
Battle mode flips her switch. Face dead serious. Words shorten.
"Who the hell?!"
"Who're you?! Which bastard?!"
They poured out, scanning wildly. Eyes met April's in the brush.
"What're you doing, bitch?!"
"...Sharrsharrsharr."
"Huh?"
Can't drop the sound effects? Even deadpan.
"Kaboomaaa!"
Fwoosh!
"Uwaaaah!"
"What the—? Why's it buurning?!"
"Gaaaah!"
Flames on one leaped to the pack. Panicked bodies...
Whoooosh! Splat!
Sliced by waiting greatswords. Or exploded? They burst apart.
Whirl! Stabstabbstab!
"Guhk!"
"Keurk!"
Daggers evolved too. Deeper pierces, total punctures.
Like getting shot, not stabbed.
More changes.
"Over there!"
More from inside. Perfect.
Whoooosh! Crunch! Crunch!
Locked on. Hurled daggers pierced concrete, shredding them.
"Guhk!"
"Keurk!"
Proper gear unlocked Weapon Summoner true power. Add legendaries? Unstoppable. No wonder it's busted.
Screeech!
Then. Mid-entrance slaughter, the auction truck rolled up late. Bikes trailed.
"Wh-What's this? A drake...? And those guys?"
Disembarking scavengers freaked. Gear's in there, somewhere.
-Rooooar!
Drake's aerial bellow.
Screech. Boom!
Truck smashed, flipped by drake. Raw power.
"Sh-Shoot! Fire!"
Rat-tat-tat!
They unloaded machine guns from the bed. At a drake.
Tututu.
Bullets pinged off thick hide, dropping harmlessly. Drake tilted its head.
"Hungry? Dig in."
-Grr.
Snella stroked its neck like a pup.
Crunch! Crunch!
"Uwaaaah!"
One per chomp. Blood dripped from jaws. Terrified runners...
Won't let 'em escape.
Shadow Strike
Six daggers surge at extreme speed!
Six daggers blitzed, piercing bikes.
Boom! Crash! Bang! Bang!
Bikes tumbled. Faces scraped pavement, screams rising.
Check for gear first.
Truck smaller than expected haul. Divvied en route? If my gear's gone...
There it is.
Luckily, mine was aboard. Now Weapon Summoner set effects activate.