Trading Center

When the fight was over, and the quest was completed, the group just walked off. They didn't know if killing or helping the Steamweaver would make any changes in the quest, and no one was willing to take that chance. Outside the nest, they all checked their rewards. Hera left the level up for last and first took a look at the Thirmal Water's treasure. It didn't have a letter grade, but what came out was a simple-looking obsidian dagger, if it could be called that. It had some sort of fiber wrapped around the handle, making it look very tribal, but the weapon itself gave off an air of power and danger that was almost unsettling.

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Obsidian Whisper

Dagger

Very Rare

Level Requirement: 30

Scaling

Intelligence x 15 Agility x 13 Charisma x 10

Passive Skills:

Enhanced Critical Strike

Attacks aimed at the weak spot of a target while using this dagger deal 50% increased damage.

Whispering Strikes:

After dealing a critical strike with this weapon, the next three attacks can deal 50% increased damage. Both critical effects can overlap.

Active Skills:

Shadows Embrace:

By melding into the shadows, you are able to become invisible.

This effect lasts for up to 10 seconds.While standing still, the duration of this effect does not decrease.

Cooldown 24h.

Shadow step:

Using this dagger, you can hop between shadows. You are able to jump 3 times before the cooldown begins.

Maximum Distance: 10 meters

Cooldown: 1 minute.

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It was a really good weapon, but Hera couldn't help but feel this wouldn't be very helpful for her. Not to say that the increased critical strike wouldn't be something her entire court would take advantage of, but the dagger was small, just around 25 centimeters long, counting the handle, which was less than half of the actual weapon, but still. She also didn't know how to use those skills very well. Sure, a small teleport would be amazing, but if she went in by herself and one of her court members was suddenly too far away from her, things could be bad. That kind of thing never happened, but according to Daskka, it would be the same as the blade being broken. The invisibility also felt weird. How was she supposed to stop moving? What about her hair or clothes. Would those count?

Thinking that maybe, someone else in the group might be able to have a better use for this weapon, she turned to the next reward and instantly frowned. It was yet another weapon, but a staff, and just by the name, one that someone else could use it better.

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Celestial Nova

Staff

Unique

Level Requirement: 35

Scaling

Intelligence x 60

Passive Skills

Mana regeneration

While holding this staff, your mana regeneration will increase by 50%. This effect can be shared with up to 10 people, being equally divided amongst all the affected.

Intelligence bonus + 10 points.

Simulcasting Amplification:

Spells cast through this staff will receive a 30% increase in their potency.

Active Skills

Stellar Blast

By channeling the energy of the stars gathered on the crystal, you are able to unleash a blast of stellar energy.

Radius 10 meters

Base mana cost 300 thousand mana

Astral Barrier

By channeling the reflection of the stars, you are able to deploy a barrier that absorbs incoming damage. Depending on the stars used, the barrier can have different effects.

Radius 10 meters

Duration 10 seconds

Base mana cost 200 thousand mana + 100 thousand for each extra star added to the barrier.

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"Oh yeah. Bonnie, I'm positive you will want this one," Hera said and touched the notification on her tablet to bring the staff out. It was a pitch-black gnarled branch but didn't look burnt like charcoal. Instead, it was soft to the touch, as if this was the natural color of the tree where it came from. Reaching the top, there were a couple of swirls that wrapped around a crystal or a piece of glass that seemed to mirror the sky itself, even peering beyond the clouds and steam of the valley. When Hera moved it around, some small shiny particles appeared like stars covering the staff.

"I'm the shadow girl. Why are your rewards all in black?" Helena asked.

"Ask the system. I don't freaking know," Hera gasped and pulled out the dagger, "So yeah. I have this staff and this knife. It is classified as a dagger, but it's a knife, let's face it. Who wants to trade?"

After a few minutes, everyone traded some of the items. The idea of selling them to one another was tossed around, but they were too close for that now. Not to mention they had no idea how expensive one or other of their items would be. Blue got a waterskin that could turn hot water into a version of the thermal waters of the room, which would help them heal their wound, and it would, over time, purify any water put inside it. It was something that required just a few minutes, and it would happen naturally without the use of anyone's mana. She also got a pair of gauntlets in the trade that allowed her to channel lightning through, both adding elemental strikes to her blows and creating a small rolling thunder that would increase her speed. Funny enough, the gauntlet was called Tempest Torrent. Which was just the beginning of various odd coincidences.

Helena got a mana stone that could store 300 thousand mana, and traded in an item called 'Luminous Veil,' which increased the healing of any spells targeting herself, increased her resistance against shadow and light, and, most importantly, allowed her to create a bright light above her head. It was hardly stealthy, but considering that she needed light for her new skill and to use light spells properly, it was an almost perfect fit. The one thing that bothered her was the size. Since it's been a few months since they left civilization, her hair had grown a lot, and it wasn't exactly well maintained when they were constantly fighting and staying in places filled with humidity. She wasn't looking bad by any means, but it was hard to make the veil fit with her entire aesthetic without some changes to her style.

Alex traded an item called Searing Emberstone with Hera for the Obsidian Whisper and got a piece of raw aquamarine that could become something interesting in the future. While Adriel got a mana stone capable of storing 500k mana and something called Crystal of Reflection. It was a material, and his idea was to add it to his drones to make them stronger and maybe change how the lasers worked.

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Searing Ember stone

Rare

This radiant gemstone pulsates with fiery energy created by the intense heat and mineral-rich properties of thermal waters.

When used in crafting, this might provide both offensive and defensive capabilities related to fire.

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Shane eventually landed on an item called Harmonic Echo Shards, they were a solid crystal that she could peel off a single thin sheet every couple of hours and attach them somewhere. Every three places she attached those shards to would resonate, being able to access the type of mana present in any of the other locations. She also got an essence extractor that could break down items into a single material for crafting. But as useful as that may be, the machine was large, about the size of a full backpack with a sleeping bag on the top. Mylo got a vest of elemental resistance with a loud pattern showing several different elements, but the effect was only to reduce elemental damage. Simple but effective. He also got a pair of boots that made him move faster and increased his reflexes somewhat. Both Blue and Alex argued that they could use those as well, especially since they came with a universal fitting skill. But Mylo was adamant against it. Just because the two of them were fast and nimble, it didn't mean he couldn't get a bit of a boost in that area. Not every attack could be blocked, and he needed something for those situations.

Lastly, Bonnie got a mana crystal that could hold 5 million mana and something called an Aquaflame Pendant. Both were given to Hera, trading for the staff, which was the rarest and clearly most powerful item they got in this.

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Aquaflame Pendant

Rare

Level Requirement: 32

This is a radiant pendant that combines the essence of water and fire, representing the harmonious coexistence of contrasting elements within the thermal waters.

Passive Skills

Aquaflame:

Fire and/or Water attacks and spells deal 25% more damage.

Perfect Symmetry: Charisma bonus + 2

Active Skills:

Aquaflame Fusion:

You can channel a fire and a water-based spell on the pendant to deliver a powerful blow using this mixture.

Range 50 meters

Base Mana cost 200 thousand mana.

Ebb and flow:

Reduces the chance of your spells fizzling or misfiring and increases their overall accuracy.

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Hera tried to refuse that trade, saying that the stone was more than enough and that the pendant would work great with Bonnie too, but the researcher vehemently refused. The staff was the rarest item that they got from the rewards, and the flat increase in attributes was something incredible. Not to mention the scaling, which focused only on one attribute, and her desire to find the Astral Witch's legacy made that staff an absolutely perfect fit.

This whole trading spot happened close to the nest of the Steamweaver, and as they were finishing up, the monster emerged from the cave, battered and bruised. This made everyone pause and watch. They shouldn't lose the rewards now, no matter what happened, but going out of their way to kill it didn't feel right. They all watched as the Steamweaver dragged a large rock to a pool of water in front of the nest and shoved it inside. The monster then jumped into the pool, making sure to keep its head on the side, above the water. At first, that was it, but slowly, they all noticed how the steam surrounding the area started to gather on the tip of the rock that was half submerged.

"I guess this is why the room became like that," Hera mumbled while watching the monster.

In the end, they all decided to leave the dungeon, walking back up to the top of the valley where they found the entrance. Everyone left, and they walked back to Sammy's place. During that trip, Hera also took a chance to level up, reaching 99 in all of her attributes, which felt amazing but also really annoying. She was so close to 100, but there was nothing to do now but to continue leveling up. Another troublesome detail was that the Aquaflame pendant stopped her from using her [Exponential Growth] skill. Since it gave her a flat +2 to her charisma, it broke the equilibrium required for her skill. Not that this was much of a problem since she could just remove the pendant from her necklace and level up, but it was something she would have to keep in mind in the future.

When they were about to reach Sammy's, Hera took a detour. She wanted to confirm one thing about her workshop, and she took the essence extractor that Shane got to test one thing. Inside Hera's Special layout, there were the glass cases that were housing items, and she never checked what those cases actually were. After going inside her private room, she opened the edit mode of the place and started checking. To her surprise, the glass cases were, essentially, hologram projectors, so they were empty on the inside. But, there was one other item, located right under the central table where she would be using her Royal Seal skill. A large case that could keep tools. When opening it, she saw a small chisel and a piece of paper.

'Hey, kid. I don't know how long it will take you to notice this, but what is life without a good treasure hunt?

This cabinet is the only place in your room that can keep something from the outside. If you want to move it, go ahead, but because it's a special tool, it can't change shapes. You can go ham with the colors, though. Another thing, this uses us, the guides, to make sure things are in place. I'm not saying we are messing with your things, but if you put something in here, we will know. And obviously, it doesn't work for living things, nor does it keep temperature or stop things from spoiling. Aside from that, if it fits inside and you can close it all the way without forcing the door, you can keep as many tools as you want here. Check the internal configurations later. You can put shelves, hooks, drawers, whatever you want. One last thing, this is part of your special. Other explorers can get this, Shane, for instance, is almost there. Feel free to talk about it, but never give any information about how you got it. Just say that you opened the edit mode of the room, and it was suddenly there. We will make sure no one will doubt you.

The chisel is a gift from me. I remember how you took care of your weapons in your role test, and I figured I could use the blacksmith from back there to give me some inspiration. That one is for your workshop. You don't have to keep it in the cabinet and it will always show up with the rest of the tools.

One more time. Thanks for everything, kid. You are incredible.

Peaches.'

Hera smiled and took a look at the chisel. It was simple and had some runes carved on it.

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Runebound Chisel

Private Workshop tool

A finely crafted tool made from a blend of enchanted metals. It possesses the unique ability to inscribe intricate runes onto weapons, imbuing them with magical properties.

Skills:

Empowered Rune Engraving:

Empower any runes or spells circles carved onto weapons, granting them additional abilities or augmenting their existing attributes.

Elemental Attunement:

Allows the user to carve elements onto weapons, providing them with elemental damage or effects without changing the actual affinity of the weapon.

Guide-d Rune carving:

This tool was created by a guide, you are able to access information on symbols for different elements and basic concepts of carving as long as a guide agrees to your request when using this tool. Just don't abuse this, kid.

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She put the essence extractor, a somewhat small oxygen tank with a funnel on one side and a faucet on the other, inside the cabinet and closed it, confirming that it fit. She then left her room, already thinking about what she could do with her chisel and how she could use these new items. Thankfully, as she exited her private room, the essence extractor was still inside. Which meant that, for a while, she would have a place to store things that were too big to be carrying around.