Pain Snake

Walking to the rear of the prestigious shop, I glanced towards the exquisite items elegantly arranged behind the gleaming glass displays atop the pristine marble pedestals.

[ 𝐍𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬 ]

My attention was particularly caught by a resplendent golden ring nestled on a plush, scarlet pillow beneath the glass. The accompanying label indicated that the ring had the remarkable ability to deflect a single C-rank attack per day.

However, as my eyes fell below the display, I hissed seeing the price tag.

It cost 500,000 Arcons!

I promptly averted my gaze from the display, acting if I wasn't interested in it anyway. It was a self-imposed rule of mine to not to show that I was too poor to buy something.

As I ventured deeper into the shop, I couldn't discern any significant changes in the interior, but I did notice that the number of items on display had multiplied. The price tag was also not merely inflated numbers conjured up for a competition of who could outdo the other.