Evil Dragon Sword!

Has the value of psychic gold coins truly plummeted to such absurd levels? I vividly recall a time when a single psychic gold coin could fetch two hundred, sometimes even three hundred, regular gold coins.

Has it truly been just a handful of years?

Could it be that in merely two or three years, psychic gold coins have depreciated so drastically? If one psychic gold coin is now worth a mere fifty gold coins, then five would only net you 250 gold coins.

And if the value has dropped to thirty gold coins per psychic coin, you'd get only 150 gold coins for five. Such an amount won't even cover the teleportation fee, the cost of cross-border teleportation. Given the annual investments required for maintenance and costly materials needed for the teleportation array, I suppose the steep fees make sense.

"Mr. Lance, what Lewis mentioned is indeed correct. The value of psychic gold coins isn't what it used to be," remarked one of the chamber members.

"Psychic gold coins are esteemed in hell. Primarily, only the nobles, affluent merchants of the chamber of commerce, and necromancers engage in trading these coinsc."

"For bounty hunters like us, while psychic gold coins are beneficial, what we truly need are more tangible currencies, gold or silver, that circulate readily in the human realms."

"Owning one psychic gold coin as a reserve is prudent, but accumulating more becomes futile."

"Presently, the amount needed to purchase a single psychic gold coin could employ two or three reputable necromancers."

"While the demand for psychic gold coins can cause minor fluctuations in their price, perhaps reaching up to seventy gold coins, these are not significant."

"Mr. Lance, it appears you've been out of the loop regarding the trade of psychic gold coins. Had you been aware of their diminished value, perhaps you would have increased the bounty."

"Beyond the five psychic gold coins, the old man's bounty also includes a rare opportunity, a session to communicate with the dead. This extra reward might draw the attention of some bounty hunters harboring unresolved regrets."

"After all, which among us, who brave the dangers to fulfill challenging bounties, can claim they carry no burdens from the past? Losses of comrades during perilous missions are, unfortunately, all too common."

"If given the chance to converse with a deceased comrade, the guilt-ridden bounty hunter might eagerly accept Mr. Lance's offer."

"Even in the absence of the Bronze Guild's endorsement, the old man's bounty, once posted at the headquarters of the bounty guild, is bound to draw interest from various hunters."

"I trust your judgment. The reward has been raised to fifteen psychic gold coins, and the chance to communicate with the dead still stands. Should a courageous young member from the guild step forward to take this mission, I will bestow upon him an additional token of appreciation," Mr. Lance announced confidently.

"Old man, this 'small gift' wouldn't happen to be one of those experimental potions of yours, would it?" a curious voice chimed in from the back.

"Let's just keep it a little mystery for now," Mr. Lance replied with a secretive smile.

Aware of the potential dangers that the young and valiant of the Bronze Guild could face, particularly from the cunning of a Lich, Mr. Lance planned to provide a pair of specially sealed scrolls containing the formidable "Evil Dragon Sword Skill" as a secret weapon.

Liches, those ancient beings steeped in dark magics and countless years of survival, often outmatch enthusiastic young hunters in cunning, strategy, strength, and the use of devious artifacts.

The "Evil Dragon Sword Skill" was a powerful technique Lance had mastered through his own profound experiences. He had once attempted to condense this technique into a sword, though unfortunately, he failed.

Resorting to a secondary solution, he encapsulated the "Evil Dragon Sword Skill" within a unique scroll. In combat, one merely had to unfurl the scroll or cast it forth, releasing the potent sword intent automatically.

"It's simple," Lance thought. "Find a capable individual, compensate them for their efforts, and send them to Lion Heart City. There, near the city, lurks the lich. Unleash the scroll of the Evil Dragon, and the lich will stand no chance against the unleashed force of the sword intent."

And why hadn't he pursued this lich himself? Besides his current commitment to raising a fledgling dragon he'd recently adopted, Mr. Lance if ask will confess another reason: the lich marked by the God of Death in Hell simply did not pose enough of a challenge to pique his interest.

"Mr. Lance, we've decided to take on your bounty mission," announced the group leader, a hint of resolve in his voice.

The bounty, fifteen psychic gold coins, when converted, amounts to five to six hundred regular gold coins. "That's a decent sum," he mused aloud. "We'll need two hundred for the transmission fees and another hundred to cover our daily expenses."

He continued, tallying up their potential earnings, "That leaves us with two to three hundred gold coins as the reward for this mission. Split four ways, each of us could pocket a respectable sum. It's enough to live on for a month, or even a month and a half if we're frugal."

He paused, acknowledging the gravity of their profession. "The expenses for bounty hunters far exceed those of ordinary folks. A few dozen coins might sustain an average person for half a year, or even a full year."

Turning to the less tangible part of their reward, he noted, "As for the opportunity to speak with the dead, if none of us needs it, we could sell that chance to someone who does."

"If anyone else had posted this bounty, considering the risks with liches, we wouldn't even consider it for less than a thousand gold coins. Liches, with their ceaseless quests for immortality through dark experiments, are not to be underestimated. One does not simply kill a lich without formidable power."

He looked squarely at Mr. Lance, a stern expression crossing his face. "Old man, if we fail and die to the lich, I'd expect you to up the ante. Hire more powerful hunters to avenge us."

"But," his tone softened with a flicker of hope, "if that mysterious gift you hinted at boosts our strength significantly, then perhaps we'll stand a better chance against the lich you want us to hunt."

"Knowing the precise strength level of this lich would indeed bolster our confidence and increase our chances of success," he added thoughtfully.

There was another unspoken reason behind their decision to accept Mr. Lance's offer. The leader glanced at his team, each member carrying their own personal histories and secrets, some perhaps drawn by the chance to converse with spirits long passed.

Although Mr. Si is known for enjoying the perks of his status without charge, he does bring considerable assets to the table. This time, his gifts must prove their worth, especially considering the combined strengths of Dalton, Bazel, and me... paired with Mr. Lance's enigmatic offerings, we might stand a chance. However, we're still up against a lich whose power level remains a mystery.

"I didn't mention the lich's strength level?" Mr. Lance inquired, eyebrows raised in apparent surprise.

"No, you did not," I replied.

"Consider it akin to facing death itself."

Trainee Shinigami and even seasoned members of the Bounty Guild risk their lives in such encounters. While Lewis, Bazel, and Dalton are competent, they've yet to match the might of the truly formidable, the type who would boast of slaying dragons and challenging gods.

"Mr. Ha, if that's the situation, we'll take just five psychic gold coins for our fee. Leave the other ten for the next group of hunters, those who might avenge us, should we fall," I proposed, hoping to strike a prudent deal.

"That's a fair point. The bounty will be five psychic gold coins for your efforts then," Mr. Lance conceded, nodding slowly.

"Mr. Lance, it feels like you're sending us to be slaughtered by that lich," I half-joked, though the nervous tension was palpable.

"Old man, we've yet to truly live. We haven't even held a girl's hand," Dalton chimed in, attempting to lighten the mood with a touch of humor.

"Grandpa Lance, don't listen to them," Meredith, the tavern's cheeky bunny girl, laughed. "These three are regulars at the red light district. They've held plenty of hands."

"Meredith, it is true we've never been in love?" Lewis asked, playing along with the jest.

"You're already divorced, Lewis..." she quipped back, earning a round of laughter.

"Alright, boys," Mr. Lance interjected, "I'm giving each of you two sword scrolls. If you find yourselves outmatched by the lich, just unfurl one of these scrolls directed at him, it could save your lives. And if you don't even get the chance to open one, just throw it at the lich's head and make a swift escape."

"Sword Intent Scrolls? You can seal the will of a sword into a scroll?" Bazel asked, genuinely intrigued by such arcane weaponry.