56 || Class Set Equipment

They had very nearly died if it weren't for Hanit activating a Lifesaving Skill that can be used on multiple people, called Ocean's Protection. Similar in constitution to Tara's aura, the Skill covers herself and her allies with a film which converts any damage into healing.

After three days of fighting alongside each and trading some stories, Tara is now a little closer to everyone, especially Asuka. It is a little looking into a mirror for her with each life being touched by virtuality in one way or another. For as quiet as Pakeeja is about their life, it is very clear their upbringing is similar to Asuka's. Aelix uses the system when it comes to her movies while Hanit's family background is similar to Starshine and Izel fell in love with coding at a younger age.

Since their Workshop had found the map together, they don't have to worry about having the item to transport. As such once the teams are finished defeating their Bosses, they have decided to all meet up at the village.

The Novelists arrive first and Pakeeja, ever the entrepreneur, visits every stall and shop they could find as the others went over their performance. Pakeeja finds that the Mysterious Crystals operate as a means of currency while every stall has Potions of different types. Some are Health or Spirit Potions, some shrug off Debuff like the Kindle Dolls [Burn] or the Lightning's Storm Soldiers [Shock], some give better Buffs than even Hanit's Skills. According to the vendors all items they sell were also stocked in the camps as well.

The Light and Dark areas do indeed have a higher reward rate of Mysterious Crystals, Tier Drops from the Mobs, and Tier Crystals from the Bosses. So once Pakeeja gathers all of their collected wealth to go buy items, they bring along Tara and Jumping Sash to the only place they had yet to visit: the only blacksmith in the village!

The stalls all sell their wares at 5 Mysterious Crystals for the weaker items to 20 for the strongest. Without any competition and being the only source for Equipment, the blacksmith can afford to have higher prices.

A bell jingles as they enter, three sets of eyes immediately going to the gear aligning the walls. The quality is equal to or greater than the items Tara had crafted herself. Jumping Sash actually stops by the doorway, four items from the counter giving off a powerful magical presence that stifles her.

A multi-armed youth in a smith's apron over his clothes fiddles with a small puzzle box with one set of hands at the counter. He sneers as they step forward as if he knows they can't afford anything, instead only capable of looking.

"How may I help you today, Travelers?" He asks nicely. That's what NPCs referred to them as. Pajeeka's eyes lock with him as Tara looks at the items that kept Jumping Sash at bay. A white and a black bracelet behind the glass with a white and a black Blueprint resting just below them.

"How much for both items and their Designs?" Pajeeka says plainly. No compliment, no flourish, no buttering up just straight to the point.

"Dear Traveler you must have lost your mind outside of our small village," He replies, turning his nose up at the hunger in their eyes, "You shouldn't covet the Angel's Gamble and Demon's Surety, to say nothing of their Designs. None of your folk have ever been able to amass 600--"

Two hefty bags filled to the brim of crimson crystals are placed onto the countertop without Pakeeja blinking. The youth's eyes turn into dinner plates as his jaw hits the floor to reveal rows of sharp teeth. Because the Novelist went Boss hunting separately from their friends, the amount of Mysterious Crystals all together is more than enough to buy the four items and thensome.

"J-just who are you?" He gasps, eyeing the bags as dollar signs appear in his sockets.

"A humble Merchant, though apparently too much for you. Is your boss available?" Pakeeja honeys which causes the youth to head into the backroom. Soon a tall and bulky androgynous figure with blue skin and multiple eyes arrives in his place. Clearly they are working on something in the back.

"Xanso said you were willing to buy some of our items?" The figure asks, three eyes flickering to the bags while the others look towards Pakeeja, Tara, and Jumping Sash.

"Along with what you have encased here, I also noticed you have Obsidian Uniform Equipment for both magical and physical Classes. If your apprentice's price of 600 for the four items of such a high quality is correct then I should have enough to purchase the Designs for the Set gear as well."

Pakeeja pulls out a silver necklace with an airy green stone hidden underneath their tunic.

One eye cuts to the boss's side to their apprentice while the others focus on the gem on the necklace. The Angel's Gamble and Demon's Surety are worth 100 Mysterious Crystals each while both their Designs were 200 apiece.

They are not items that would be easily exchanged compared to the Set Equipment which would likely last these Travelers up until level 40. Even though it was some 30 levels from where the three before them are, they can't argue for more than 75 Mysterious Crystals for the Designs and more than 30 for the actual equipment.

"I'll sell you the Obsidian Uniform Equipment Designs to you, but only if you buy one of each Class Set Equipment as well." They conceded.

Uniform Equipment simply gives those who wear it a significant boost to all their stats. Tailor made Sets for the various Classes grant players with Skills alongside other benefits. Each Set cost 50 Mysterious Crystals, all 7 coming to 350 in total.

Pakeeja gives a moment of thought to do some mental math. She'd still have more than enough to buy provisions.

"Okay, that's a fair deal." Pakeeja smiles, holding out a hand. The owner smiles and shakes on it. The first trade is the two bracelets and their Designs.

The two bracelets are costly because they are not combat oriented. Instead they increased two Hidden Stats:

[Angel's Gamble, Silver Grade]

<A bracelet forged with the best intentions!>

<Passive Ability: Increases wears Luck by +10>

Active Ability: [Locked]

<Can be Evolved through special means.>

[Demon's Surety, Silver Grade]

<A bracelet forged with parting wishes!>

<Passive Ability: Increases wears Fortune by +10>

<Active Ability: [Locked]>

<Can be Evolved through special means.>

Angel's Gamble granted Luck by 10 points while Devil's Surety upped Fortune by 10 points. Each point of Luck is akin to a 0.5 percent increase in drop rate while with every point of Fortune the rarity of the dropped items increases by the same percentage. Hence, increasing both Hidden Stats are ridiculously hard to do but worth it in the end.

The Designs Pakeeja reveals to Jumping Sash show that the items are simple in construction but hard enough to elevate their Artisan players to a new level.

"Oh!" Jumping Sash perks up after looking at the materials listed, pulling a leatherbound book from her bag. When she opens it two screens appear before Pakeeja and Tara, a list of various materials. "When we aren't crafting, we spend some time in the library and research different materials. I asked everyone to make note of interesting ones from both sides!"

If the two items had fallen into the hands of any other Guild or Workshop, however, they would have been unable to craft more of these items until the far off future. This is because both bracelets required materials from both continents, Sash points out, having previously compared and contrasted what each Continent had.

Unlike Ruby Blade and Lapis Tome occupying the two continents, most groups focused all of their forces and development on a singular continent. Travel between them is impossible and trade is even more rare. Players currently can only visit the ocean for beach related questions as maritime ventures are inaccessible at the moment. It is only because of their unique circumstances that they'd be able to craft such heaven defying items.

"We won't be able to make anymore till Level 50 since what we need are in Black Mist Forest and Charcoal Cove. Well, we could try some substitutions, but it wouldn't come out as a Silver tier." Jumping Sash surmises.

"No, let's just wait. There's no reason to have inferior quality." Pakeeja pauses as they glance towards Tara. It was hard to ignore the star-like twinkle in her eyes as her Forger's spirit wanted to take on the challenge. The only jewelry she had made previously were their Mages bookmarks since jewelry designs are harder to acquire than weapons or armor.

"Though when you make copies, save one for Starry, see what she can do. In the meantime go give Angel's Gamble to Galidious and Demon's Surety to Syringa."

Jumping Sash puts the book away and scampers off with the new items, their Designs safely packed away as well. The first two Dreamers to meet wait for the rest of their order in a comfortable silence. Tara goes about using Inspect to see how the displayed Weapons and Shields stats differ from what she's created before.

"Would you give Set Equipment a try?" Pakeeja asks curiously. Tara shakes her head as she looks over a spear.

"Crafting a Set is beyond me I think for right now. It takes a lot more experience and a steadier hand than I have. The only reason I was able to give everyone an item is because I had good circumstances and I was even luckier to make them all Minor Artifacts."

"What does that mean by the way? I've seen plenty of pieces of Equipment in my Story due to my Merchant trade but none of them had the label of Minor Artifact." Pakeeja wonders which causes Tara to look at her. Given their eye for appraisal without the use of a Skill, Tara's a little surprised at the claim.

"As far as I understand it, an item being a Minor Artifact means that it has been personalized for the user. I guess it's similar to an NPC's Named item? It's also why they'll grow in strength with our friends. My daggers are both Minor Artifacts as well." Tara explains. She doesn't say that without Oorun's constant instruction as they had crafted together, Tara would have failed more than half of her attempts.

Pakeeja nods in understanding before resting their hand over their mouth in thought. Tara can't even begin to fathom what Pakeeja's planning for the future. Tara inspects more items, Oorun even admiring some of the craftship and taking notes.

"Tara, can you--" Pakeeja finally breaks the comfortable silence that had formed. They are cut off, however, as Xanso comes in from the back with some of their purchases in hand.

The shopkeep a follows soon after and places the Uniformed Set Designs along with the rest of the various Obsidian Class Sets before them. The Uniformed Sets are known as the Kindle Doll Armor and the Water Puppet Robes.

They consist of Head, Chest, Arms, Legs, and Feet Armor. As expected neither gives any additional Skills but have a huge increase every Stat instead.