The High Price

Vyn had always thought of himself as a very smart and easily adaptive individual. He took great pride in this aspect of himself, believing it set him apart from others. His ability to think quickly and adjust to new situations was something he held in high regard.

Ever since he noticed this dilemma, the constant and increasing difficulties in dungeons, he had been on edge.

For someone like himself, who couldn't even utilize any form of world energy, surviving these challenges felt like a daily miracle. He barely made it through each raid by a thin thread, often with his heart in his mouth.

It became clear to him, without anyone needing to spell it out, that the hourglass of his life was running out of sand. It was only a matter of time before he would fall prey to the jaws of death lurking in every shadowy corner of those dangerous dungeons.

As a result of this dire situation, Vyn had decided to increase his chances of survival, just like everyone else around him. But he did it in a very cost-effective way.

Instead of buying high-quality, expensive equipment, he would purchase low-quality or scrap pieces. He would then take these to local forgers and have them work on improving the items bit by bit.

After every dungeon raid, he would spend some amount of his earnings to reinforce his equipment gradually. Over time, this piecemeal approach allowed the overall quality of his gear to surpass even the highest standard for his rank, at least according to his own estimations.

It was quite a simple and straightforward logic that wasn't hard to deduce, but Vyn took pride in it nonetheless. Sometimes during dungeon raids, he felt as tenacious as a cockroach, a trait that oddly thrilled him. He liked knowing he could survive against the odds with just his wits and resourcefulness.

But now, things were quite different. He had recently gained a huge amount of money. If he continued to be stingy with his equipment, what would others think of him?

There was no reason to live life pettily anymore. Even if he had grown quite fond of the hardships, it wouldn't hurt to live a little more lavishly now that things had improved. He also shouldn't forget that he was once a noble, he shouldn't be hard on himself. He deserved to enjoy some of the finer things in life.

"I need a sword and shield," he declared.

Although he also used other sets of equipment like breastplates, backplates, and boots, his main focus for upgrades had always been his sword and shield. He found these two pieces the most important, the ones he relied on the most.

"Noted. What rank of equipment would you be going for, sir?" the blacksmith asked.

"Well, I used D-rank equipment before, but I think it's time to go for something higher, maybe a C-rank,"

Vyn stated firmly. He couldn't forget how his reinforced sword, which he always took pride in, had shattered when he struck at the monster in the last dungeon. Even his shield, which he often boasted had reached the level of a divine metal after countless upgrades, had been crushed like dried twigs by the monster's claws.

This was definitely the time to go for higher-rank equipment.

If it had been before, Vyn wouldn't have considered going for higher-rank equipment. He was too weak with no possibility of getting stronger, so it would have been impossible to use them.

The higher the rank of equipment, the higher the strain it put on the wielder. These pieces were made from materials sourced from their respective dungeons, mostly monster parts, and they emitted a certain amount of aura and pressure depending on the strength of the materials used.

Someone like Vyn, who was weak and of a low rank, wouldn't have been able to handle the pressure of higher-rank equipment. He struggled even with those of his current rank, so he hadn't even bothered thinking about changing to higher-rank equipment before.

Previously the idea seemed far-fetched, like a distant dream he couldn't afford to entertain.

"Alright. From your requirements and body size, I will show you the ones we have that might suit you so you can make your selection," the attendant said, his tone professional and courteous.

With that, he directed Vyn to a corner where there were several categories of C-rank equipment. The equipment in this area was of different types and variations, each piece more impressive than the last.

From a quick glance, Vyn could already tell the quality they had. The designs were exquisite and elegantly crafted, a stark contrast to the rough and scrappy equipment he was used to. The craftsmanship was evident in every detail, making his old gear seem like mere toys in comparison.

Vyn didn't waste time. He selected a sword and a shield according to his taste from the stock. The sword had a sleek, sharp blade with intricate engravings, while the shield was sturdy yet beautifully decorated. They were both beautiful and distinctive, standing out even among the other high-quality items.

"Oh, I must admit that you have a really good eye for quality. That set was made by the same forge master who is well-renowned. His work is no joke. You will be able to experience the uniqueness when you test them out soon!" the attendant said, full of praise.

His words flowed smoothly, almost as if rehearsed, and an effort to sweeten the deal and entice Vyn into paying.

Vyn thought the attendant's flattery sounded too obvious, as if it was a calculated effort to sweeten him into paying. But he was about to pay anyway, so there was no need for the attendant to go all out with his sweet talks.

He wasn't someone to be swayed by words in the first place. He preferred actions over empty compliments.

"How much are they?" Vyn asked, ready to complete his purchase.

"The sword is twelve gold coins while the shield is ten. Both will be twenty-two gold coins in total," the attendant replied with a smile.

At this point, the smile on the attendant's face instantly transformed into something ugly and sinister from Vyn's perspective. His voice, which was sweet and angelic earlier, now sounded unpleasant in his ears, as if he had just spouted a forbidden taboo.

Vyn didn't know if it was an illusion or due to what he had just heard. His mood turned sour instantly, the previous excitement fading away.

"Twenty what?" His voice was tinged with disbelief.

"No, it seems you didn't hear me correctly. I said twenty-two gold coins," the attendant repeated, his tone a bit sharper.

'I heard every damn word you sh*t!'

Vyn barely held himself from cursing out loud. He managed to calm himself down and spoke in a controlled voice, suppressing his frustration.

"For it to be so expensive, do I get any extra privileges or special status for buying this equipment? Like exclusive access to dungeons or top-secret information?"

This was the only logical explanation he could come up with for why he had to spend twenty-two gold coins on a simple sword and shield!

Gold wasn't just any currency, it was incredibly valuable. Considering he had lived his life for two whole years without even touching or feeling a single gold penny, the idea of spending twenty-two gold coins on equipment seemed absurd to him.

If someone had told him just moments earlier that he would spend that much, he would have accused them of talking nonsense!

The attendant was at a loss for words. He stared at Vyn, dumbfounded by his question, unsure of how to respond.

___

Vyn was seated inside a carriage, heading out of the Trade Market. A sullen look was plastered on his face as he struggled to accept the fact that he had just spent twenty-two gold coins on equipment.

What was the world coming to? Was this how he would have to spend more and more money on equipment as he got stronger and upgraded his gear? What kind of life was this? He could already imagine himself broke in the near future.

He had just gotten a bit of wealth, but he could already feel poverty lurking in the shadows, ready to drag him back into a life of suffering without giving him any time to enjoy his newfound riches!

He realized he needed to be careful from now on, especially when it came to equipment. If possible, he might as well learn forging himself to make his own gear as soon as he gathered materials from dungeons.

This was a brilliant idea that would save him tons of money. Vyn believed he was smart enough to become a skilled forge master, even though it was a very difficult task. It wasn't out of his reach. He just needed to think more about it and come up with a solid plan.

With these thoughts, his mood brightened a little. He could see a ray of light shining through the darkness that clouded his future.

Just then, a system prompt appeared before his eyes.

[Host has defied the system]