Weekend (2)

The merchant, seemingly unfazed by the worn appearance of the stall, spoke with a tone that dripped with mysterious charm. "Welcome, Customer. Here, within my shop, lies an array of wonders waiting to be discovered. Pay no mind to the humble exterior; true value often hides in plain sight."

The items he had for sale were absolutely insane. There was no way a place like this could have something like this.

[Grade - 4 Book: Projectile Disarm: The Projectile Disarm ability is a precision-focused skill that allows the user, to actively deflect or parry incoming projectiles with remarkable accuracy.]

[Grade 2 [???] Cloak of Invisibility - Condition: Very Good - Enchantments: Evasive Charm: IV, Thornmail: III, Elemental Shielding: III]

[Grade 4 Frostbite Lance - Condition: Perfect - Enchantments: Swift Draw: II, Sturdy Grip: IV,]

[Grade 3 Glacial Ward - Condition: Very Good - Enchantments: Calm Mind: III, Balance Enhancement: II, Energy Absorption: I

Oh my God... Could this be the black market's hidden merchant Merk?

In the novel, he was a source of all major weaponry and Armory. He was an immortal doomed to walk the ends of this earth with only the sole purpose of creating and selling items to those who had the potential to end his misery.

[Assistant Tool Modification: Merk the Hidden Merchant now appears in the Pinnacle Academy Saga.]

Fuck. That's not good, not so good at all. To top it off, if these items land in the wrong hands, the progression of this story might be altered since I prefer not to sway off from the original storyline early on.

But this was all pure luck. For him to appear before me was not just a string of fate but a calling from him. So maybe he sees something in me or, like I said earlier, just pure luck to have found him by chance.

"How much are the items you have for sale?" I asked in a polite manner.

"Ah, well, for you, today will be a highly discounted price since you are the first customer I've seen in a while."

Wait a minute, I know this line. This is the same line he used back then when Jan discovered him later on in the story...

"Oh, hello there! What are you doing all the way here deep in this dungeon?" Jan asked with a curious look. "Are you the boss of the dungeon?" Jan gripped his sword tightly.

"Ah, no, I'm not a boss, sadly. I'm just someone who walks this earth. But since you are here, I come with selling items at a very low price."

"Items in a dungeon? Wow, I guess I'm extremely lucky, then. What do you have?" Jan looked at the man in the mysterious robe without questioning his existence.

He provided him with an assortment of items...

"Woah, these items look expensive. How much are they?"

"Ah, well, for you, today will be a highly discounted price since you are the first customer I've seen in a while..."

Hmmm, this is the same exact quote. So I guess, by my current understanding, his one-item-per-customer policy is voided, so I can at most buy two of these items.

"So what's the price for the items?"

He seemed to stare at me for a moment before speaking.

"It seems that only two of these items are befitting of you. I will allow you to purchase two items, on one condition."

One condition? Seriously... But I had no complaints since he's the equivalent of hitting three jackpots in a row.

"Sure. What is it?" I kept my polite tone.

"I will allow you to purchase one item of the two I will suggest, and you can get the other free. But I want you to obtain an item that can only be won in the arena duel tournament."

"Okay, that's fine. So what payment do you accept?" I asked already knowing the answer as he kept his stern gaze at me.

"I take special energy harnessed within the soul, but I keep having doubts, there's something strange about you. Instead, I'll take your five years off your lifespan as a hold for payments, and if you return the item I ask of you, I'll return those years back to you. So, what do you think?"

Oh shit. Five years off my life? I can't really afford to do that, and there's no guarantee I could win a tournament the way I am right now. But if I do win, then I could get on good terms with him as well.

"Okay, I'll do it."

"Good. The item is called the Natural Stone of Light please bring it back before then. Now shake my hand." He extended his hand out towards mine, and I took it without any doubt in my head.

"Interesting... You aren't afraid, nor are you scared at the thought of me having such a terrifying ability," he said out loud as he kept analyzing me.

"I trust you are a good person."

He let go of my hand after absorbing my lifespan, even though I felt nothing, there was something I couldn't shake off. But I guess this is just the way it is.

"Please choose one of the two."

He displayed the Projectile Disarm book and the Cloak Of Invisibility, but I had already assessed the usefulness of both items, so I think it's better for me to have more abilities in my arsenal rather than being stacked in items.

"Thank you, valuable customer. I'll be here for two days, the 2nd afternoon will be the final day."

Suddenly a door from behind opened, and I was pushed out by a gust of wind.

"I will come and find you if you succeed so do your best... Rel."

How the... actually, never mind. There's no use. I guess he has his ways for an immortal being. So, how do I use this book? Do I have to read it or what?

Fwanggg!

[The Item you hold can be absorbed. Would you like to consume the item to your memory? 200 PPP is required.]

That is impossible for me to get. I only have 65?? I guess I need to figure out how I'm going to gain PPP but it's best if I head towards the arena now.

***

[Enterance A: Front Gate of Dawnblade's Arena.]

The entrance itself was a grand arch, adorned with intricate carvings that told stories of past glories and fierce battles fought within the arena. There was a booth stationed in the centre of the gate, and inside stood a lady who I assumed was in charge of today's event.

"Hello, sir. Are you here for today's event?" she asked, her gaze sizing me up.

"Yes, I am."

"Okay, so this tournament has a 2-day duration as there are 360 participants in each rank. I'd like some identification and clarification on what league you should enter for the tournament."

I handed out my student ID. She inspected it with the same stern look Merk gave me.

"Okay, so there's no need for me to evaluate ability. You will fight in the D-League," she said as she typed on the holographic keyboard in front of her.

Luckily for me, I was entering what I call the 'farmers league.' The participants here were probably around my level, but some opponents could hide their abilities or 'restrict themselves' to enter lower leagues. Most of Dawn's Systems would detect that before the first match, but it did have some flaws and loopholes. I hoped I wouldn't face a smurf in the weekend league tournament.

"What name would you like to use?" she asked, handing me a tablet.

Contemplating several options, I decided on one. I returned the tablet, and as she recited my chosen username, "ShadowWriter," I felt a sense of satisfaction. The same name I used when I uploaded my content in the dead of night.

"Alright, I'll make this clear. Once you enter the arena, you'll be transported to a waiting room with clothing to disguise your identity. As for weapon choices, there'll be a tablet on the wall with a category of weapons for you to choose from. Before each fight, someone will come to your door to escort you to your battle. Now, happy duelling..." she explained in a matter-of-fact tone.

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{Axel Saint Rel Laurence STATS:}

Age: 17

Talent: Marksman Of Weaponry [Grade 8] [...]

Affinity: Flame, Water_

>Health: 67

>Strength: 20.5

>Stamina: 33.5

>Speed: 62

>Evasiveness: 3.25% Stat will trigger only in situations when the chances of an attack that is deemed improbable to dodge occurs if so Speed stat is enhanced by percentage 2x.

>Intelligence:? [Unlocks after theory exam]

>Mana: ? [100 BP Required]

[Special Stats:]

Archer: 2/10

Luck: 0.08%

Precision: 45% - Your shots are more likely to hit opponents in critical areas, If shots end up missing your current percentage will be cut in half to re-direct to attempt another hit.

Tenacity: 2.45% Stat will trigger dire situations that are deemed too much to handle increasing your willpower [Hidden Stat] and mental health 5x.

???: ? / ?

[Special Abilities:] Deadeye Grade 9, Sixth Sense 9, Aura Concealment Grade 8, Clockwork of Time Grade 3, [Abilities:][...] Passive Abilities: Perceptive Mind Grade: 3

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