Obela of the Desert
“Welcome to the free trade city. The merchants of Obela welcome both natives and foreigners alike.”
The guards at Obela's massive gate—built by hardening desert sand with special magic—greeted me with smiles more fitting for restaurant hosts than stern sentinels.
It's been a while.
After leaving Sandorim Forest, I'd stopped in this mid-continent city before heading to the Spider Lord's Tomb. Explorers were already mapping the continent as mid-level players emerged, drawing quite a crowd of players to Obela.
To get here, you have to cross the great desert... where level 40 monsters roam. It's no easy feat. You'd need a party of at least level 30s to hunt safely.
Yet here were droves of them already. I scanned the players inside the city. Their gear was no joke—rare grade at minimum.
Impressive as always. The server's only been open a few months, and regular players are pushing central already... not to mention the powerhouses.
Every game has its veterans, and with Dimension World's 1.5 billion players, there'd be no shortage. Human growth always exceeds expectations. That's what makes it fun.
The eight major clans must be fully entrenched by now. Hell, players might be scarier than the Calamity itself.
I let out a wry chuckle at the lighthearted jest—the first in a while.
“Nothing's changed here. From demihumans to humans—all crammed together in total chaos. So why'd you come?”
Black Eye said that, but he was scanning the bustling streets with evident curiosity. It made sense; after the northern starting zone, we'd been caught up in one thing after another, and this was our first real city stop.
“Gotta prep a few things for the Spider Lord's Tomb. Can't just wing it.”
No matter how talented players are—without guild backing or sponsors—staying ahead is never easy. But knowing the info? That's an undeniable head start.
Hamma, the Shadow Market's info broker.
I thought of the man dubbed Obela's hidden shadow.
No one knows much about the Spider Lord's Tomb right now. To get there, I need a new quest.
That's where Hamma came in. Top info broker in the city's shadowy exchange, the so-called Shadow Market. But really, he was more con artist than merchant.
Most of his quests are fakes. But every now and then, he drops a golden egg. Adventurers hate his guts but can't ignore him.
Items like the [Lizard Pairing Ring] for summoning high spirits or the [Storm Cloak] for flight without mana—all undiscovered legendaries—traced back to him.
The Tomb Heaven Demon Flag too.
Ironically, I knew it well because he'd led me to Yul's Witch, one of Glory's 9.
Though I made him grovel after conquering the continent. Petty revenge, in hindsight.
The key point: one of Yul's Witch's weapons was the Tomb Heaven Demon Flag.
The Spider Queen dropping it isn't just waiting in the tomb.
It required a quest—one no one knew, a hidden chain from Hamma.
Hidden spots aren't just in the field.
Like the Sword Grave in the Kalun Tribe or Unto's Night Tool Shop—villages and cities hid plenty too.
No one knows about Hamma's basement yet... I can monopolize his quests now.
Skipping dungeon research saves massive time, keeping me ahead of rivals.
And info isn't just for dungeons or quests.
Shing—
I lightly touched the Plunder Sword at my waist.
“It's essential for handling people too.”
“You're scheming again.”
Black Eye shook his head at my smile.
“You know it by now. Sometimes, the carrot—or the stick—is the answer with people.”
Thud. Thud.
I looked forward to reuniting with Hamma.
Obela's streets buzzed with mid-level players.
“Selling plate armor made of special steel!”
“Taking silver scimitar crafting commissions!”
“Blacksmith level 8. Bring blueprints, pay materials only!!”
Surprisingly, most players weren't adventurers but crafters. High-level crafting needed rare materials, tough for independents to farm amid grinding skill levels.
Risking the desert is worth it. With adventurers stuck at level 40 zones, most trades happen here.
I eyed the gear laid out on mats.
“Hmm...”
Nothing special, but not bad for server infancy.
Expected as much, but still underwhelming.
With my haul from Lanselro—Dragonkin Amulet, three swords, Giant's Plate—mostly legendary and heroic, their mid-tier crafts didn't impress.
And 'mid-level' means character levels, not skills.
I'd just hit 40+, but my swordsmanship was barely past 20.
Most items here are weapons or armor, obviously. No weapon, no hunt. No protection, no survival.
Later, accessories might rise, but early on, weapons dominated—swords, spears, hammers, axes offered more variety and easier skill-ups than armor.
“Hm?”
Something caught my eye amid the vendor-packed alley.
Black Eye.
“What's up?”
Can I use Appraisal there?
“No need to order it. As I said, you share my abilities. Perfect timing—we've been hunting nonstop, no practice. Wanna try?”
How?
“Like casting magic. Visualize the ability you want. You fought my spirit form with spells—recall that.”
“Hrm...”
I licked my dry lips nervously and opened my palm.
Woooong...
Light shimmered as I focused mana at my fingertips.
“Whoa?”
A kid squatting by a mat jumped as I picked up a crescent wood carving.
“Fun. So that's your take on Appraisal—grabbing and scanning. Basic, but solid. Abilities manifest differently per user.”
Black Eye watched intrigued, but I focused on the trinket.
◈ Slot: Accessory
◈ Durability: 100/100
◈ Level Req: 1+
◈ Crude wood carving by an apprentice. Not refined enough for a proper name. Useless as gear, but fine as a light gift.
Just as described—a practice carving.
Appraisal Lv2 proficiency increased.
Proficiency exceeding familiar trait level allows skill acquisition.
Not just sharing—acquiring skills too? With Black Eye's traits, I could snag his skills.
His HP/MP and stat growth boosts would tempt any player. But traits aren't skills—no clue how to learn them.
Knowing they exist is enough. Means they're obtainable somehow—item or reward.
“Weird you'd eye trash like this.”
Black Eye was baffled; I'd ignored rares for a normal.
It's junk, yeah. Laughable to sell it—no buyers.
“But?”
That's why it's suspicious. Everything here's rare. Desert-crossers—even crafters—are at that level.
“Now that you mention...”
The kid's stall was all normal junk.
“Kid, you make this?”
“Yeah! Buy the carving?”
He nodded eagerly—likely his first customer.
“One question first.”
I handed him gold.
“Where'd you get the wood?”
“This?”
He looked puzzled.
“Just scrap from behind the village?”
“Doesn't look special to me.”
Even Black Eye questioned it.
“Exactly. He never carved with proper wood. But seeing these crude early works... kinda humanizes him.”
“...Hm?”
I smiled faintly at the engraved mark under the moon palace.
Great Carver Phail.
Never imagined meeting the god-statue sculptor here.