Chapter 10: Time to grind

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"Shield of Will?"

Jason looked at the icon above, knitting his eyebrows together.

Having read the original book, he didn't recall Iwatani Naofumi having this skill at all.

"Did I miss it, or does it appear later in the plot, or... is this a special skill?"

Jason pondered this for a moment and then chose the skill.

The shield on his arm transformed, becoming a dark golden shield with the word 'Yi' inscribed in the center.

"It must be a special skill. After all, in the original book, Iwatani Naofumi never challenged the world's rules. I must have awakened the Shield of Resistance by enduring a large amount of electric current, which then evolved into the Shield of Will, likely due to my willpower."

At the same time, Jason noticed an empty space behind the [Shield of Will] icon.

Having played many games, Jason immediately realized that the [Shield of Will] could likely evolve further.

[Shield of Will] has not been upgraded yet, and already increases all resistances by 50%. If it evolves again, who knows what extraordinary skills might be unlocked.

"Although I don't know how to evolve the Shield of Will, it's something else to look forward to in this world."

Having obtained the Shield of Will, Jason felt his earlier frustration at failing to fight the world's rules fade away.

After all, he gained a benefit.

Who would have thought defying the rules would awaken special skills?

"This world is more interesting than I imagined!"

A smile surfaced at Jason's lips. It was like playing an open-world game and discovering things others hadn't, which was a very satisfying feeling.

"Guest... Guest... Are you okay?"

At this moment, the boss came out from behind the counter and asked Jason, who was sitting on the ground, with concern.

Considering his head was nearly pierced by a flying sword just now, the fact that he came to check on Jason showed his genuinely good character.

"Thank you for your concern, I'm fine!"

Jason returned the shield to its original shape and slowly stood up. He felt that his right hand, which had been gripping the sword, was still a bit numb, though it was gradually regaining sensation.

"Can you tell me what happened just now?" the boss asked, relieved to see Jason was alright.

"This... Let me apologize first. My name is Jason, the Shield Hero recently summoned to this world. It seems that because of this shield, I can't pick up other weapons, and when I try, I experience a strong electric current that forces me to let go."

As Jason explained, he raised the shield on his arm and waved it in front of the boss.

"In that case, I'm relieved. I thought there might be something wrong with my weapon, haha..."

The boss touched his bald head and laughed heartily.

"Hey, hey, hey... I can't pick up other weapons and you're laughing... it seems like you're gloating."

"I absolutely didn't mean anything by it. Besides... the sword you dropped almost stuck in my head."

"It didn't hurt you. Don't be so stingy!"

Jason shrugged, indicating it wasn't a big deal.

"Forget it. As you said, it didn't hurt me. But now that I think about it, Brother Shield Hero... the small shield you're holding looks a bit unusual..."

The boss leaned in to take a closer look at the shield on Jason's arm.

"Boss... you have a keen eye. After all, this is a legendary weapon, which prevents me from holding other weapons."

"Congratulations, the gem in the center of this shield is its core. I can feel a powerful force hidden within this gem. I tried using identification magic just now, but couldn't determine its nature. It truly is a legendary weapon."

The boss stroked his beard thoughtfully.

He then shook his head: "This visit has truly been eye-opening. Since you can't wield other weapons, how about buying a set of armor? I can give you a discount."

"OK!"

Jason nodded.

"A full-body plate armor will make the wearer sluggish and isn't suitable for adventurers. Only chain armor is more fitting for novices."

The boss pointed to several sets of armor in the store.

At his suggestion, Jason picked up the chain armor beside him. It looked like clothing woven with chains and made a clanging sound with movement.

It didn't seem much different from equipment of the past.

Jason examined the chain armor, and some text appeared in his sight:

Chain Armor: Increased Defense, Slash Resistance (Small)

The attributes of this equipment weren't very detailed.

Jason then returned the chain armor to its place: "Boss, this one isn't suitable. It's too noisy and unattractive."

"Too unattractive? You're not a woman, but I agree the noise is an issue."

The corner of the boss's mouth twitched.

"You can't say that. As a professional hero, you have to maintain your image at all times."

Jason shook his head, refuting the boss's biased thinking.

After searching for a while, Jason finally found the equipment he was satisfied with.

A simple-looking white shirt, a hooded windbreaker, trousers, and shoes.

These pieces were made of special thread, offering good durability, providing some defense, and having properties of dirt, dust, and odor resistance. The boss had collected this set over a long time.

After putting on the new equipment, Jason had to admit that his appearance had improved a bit. His figure was wrapped in a black windbreaker, and with the faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth, he looked even more charming.

Seeing Jason's appearance, the boss sighed to himself: This hero pays attention to both the practicality of the equipment and its aesthetics, demonstrating a keen sense of style.

However, the defensive power offered by the novice equipment was still insufficient for Jason.

It wasn't that he intentionally chose stylish equipment; the main priority was mobility. The light clothing provided him with the agility he needed in battle.

Moreover, this set of equipment featured technologies for decontamination, dust prevention, and deodorization, which was incredibly convenient. He wouldn't have to worry about washing the gear in the future, saving him a lot of time.

"Boss, how many silver coins do you need for this set of equipment?"

Jason looked at himself in the mirror and nodded in satisfaction.

"After the discount, it will be 200 silver coins!" the boss replied directly.

"Consider it done!"

Jason readily handed over the silver coins to the boss. He felt a bit guilty about the long sword that had almost injured the boss earlier, which encouraged him not to haggle over the price.

"By the way... let me ask, where can I level up?"

"Leveling? If you're referring to monsters... it's not too far from the city. There's a small grassland nearby that should be more suitable for beginners to level up!"

"Thank you, boss! I'll be sure to come back again!"

Waving goodbye, Jason pushed through the store's door and walked out of the city, not pausing as he made his way.

Finally, it was time to start leveling up, and Jason was eagerly looking forward to it.

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