Flintlock.

Isaac entered the Merchant Store for the third time.

Kudos looked up and saw the familiar, fair-skinned boy walking through his door once again. He sighed and pushed aside the paper he was writing on.

''You again?'' Kudos asked, boredom and irritation clear on his face.

Isaac nodded and sat 5 Adult Wild Boar Furs and 3 Adult Wild Boar Meats on the desk.

Kudos barely glanced at the items and gave Isaac a number, ''70 White Coins.''

Isaac nodded and pocketed the Coins.

''I have one more item,'' Isaac said before placing the Adult Wild Boar Meat (Common) on the desk.

A slight hint of interest flickered across Kudos' usually dull exterior, ''How did you manage to get this?''

Isaac smiled but didn't answer the shopkeep.

''50 White Coins,'' Kudos muttered, taking on his customary air of boredom.

Isaac nodded and watched the coins vanish into his inventory.

In total, he'd received 120 White Coins from this transaction, bringing his total to 155.

Now he had enough to buy that flintlock pistol.

Isaac left the store with light steps and quickly reached the weapon store.

It wasn't as crowded as before— likely due to players learning of the expense. This game wouldn't let them upgrade their equipment so easily.

Isaac entered the store and walked straight to the Flintlock pistol. He lifted it up, feeling the weight of the weapon in his hand before carrying it to the female clerk.

''Hello,'' Isaac said, placing the Flintlock pistol on the desk.

''Good morning, sir," The woman blushed after looking at Isaac's face.

He found it odd that an NPC would act in such a manner.

From a distance, it looked as if a young woman had entered her store. After Isaac had approached, she was surprised to find that he was, in fact, a young man.

Not only that, but he was beautiful!

''Ah... Right, the Flintlock Pistol, that will be 150 White Coins!'' The female NPC said with an embarrassed smile.

Isaac nodded and sat exactly 150 White Coins on the desk, finding that they would instantly appear if he pictured himself holding them.

''Thank you for doing business with us! Please, come again!'' The NPC bowed, hiding her blushing face from the gorgeous young man before her.

Isaac grabbed the Flintlock, and a prompt appeared in front of him.

[You acquired Flintlock Pistol (Common) ]

[Flintlock Pistol: Damage: Reload 30 Seconds - 1 Shot Ammo Capacity - Flintlock Bullets Needed!]

''30 seconds...'' Isaac grumbled— he glanced at his pouch, which was still filled with tiny rocks. He'd been collecting them after his battles as long as it was safe.

''I guess I still need to use the slingshot... I don't even have bullets...''

Isaac left the Weapon Store and moved to Armory, which he assumed would have the ammunition that he needed.

He entered the store, looking around until he noticed an old man sitting on a nearby chair.

''Excuse me?'' Isaac said.

''Yeah?'' The old man said grumpily.

''Do you have any Flintlock Bullets?''

''Yes!'' The old man shouted, ''10 Flintlock Bullets will cost 1 White Coin!''

Isaac nodded, ''I will buy 50 of them.''

The old man snorted, taking a bag from beneath a nearby table and throwing it toward Isaac.

Isaac caught it, and a text appeared in front of him.

[50 Flintlock Bullets Acquired!]

Isaac took his last remaining White Coins and handed them all to the old man.

He left the building before the man could scowl at him any longer.

Isaac tied the pouch on his waist next to the one that held the small stones.

People in the streets looked at him oddly, not just because of his appearance but also because of the way he carried the two large pouches. Wouldn't carrying two heavy bags on your hip weigh you down and slow your movements?

What Isaac wasn't aware of was that he was already doing something that other Ranged Classes would start doing in the coming weeks.

Even though it sounded like something simple, a majority of other players treated the game as most gamers would.

It wasn't that they were unintelligent. They just had a habit of plucking the ammunition from their inventory like was typical in most games.

Without being aware, Isaac was already using more practical methods, and his reload time was much faster because of it.

Reaching into the inventory to snatch a bullet may have only taken an extra second, but players would soon find that extra second was crucial for staying alive in this hyper-realistic game.

They were right in assuming that it hindered his movement, but what would that matter if the enemy died before reaching him?

Isaac walked in the streets, soon spotting a few benches on the side of the road and taking a seat.

He found that he was starting to get tired from the hours of walking and running around the Newbie area.

The physical exhaustion wasn't too bad, but the mental fatigue was getting to him.

''Interface...'' Isaac mumbled, and the familiar blue-colored Interface appeared before him.

[Name: Wraith]

[Level: 4]

[HP: 40/40]

[XP: 20/250]

[SP: 20]

[White Coins: 0]

[Title: None]

[Class: Marksman]

[Legacy: None]

[Legacy Rank: No Legacy]

[STR: 9]

[AGI: 20]

[VIT: 20]

[STA: 20]

[PRE: 31]

[CHA: 10]

[Map]

[Inventory]

[Help]

[Log Out]

Isaac took a moment to place all of his stat points before once again reviewing his progress.

[Name: Wraith]

[Level: 4]

[HP: 45/45]

[XP: 20/250]

[SP: 0]

[White Coins: 0]

[Title: None]

[Class: Marksman]

[Legacy: None]

[Legacy Rank: No Legacy]

[STR: 13]

[AGI: 25]

[VIT: 25]

[STA: 22]

[PRE: 35]

[CHA: 10]

[Map]

[Inventory]

[Help]

[Log Out]

His slingshot and pistol were the only items in his inventory, and his map showed nothing but the newbie town and the small forest area he'd traveled.

''I should go test the limits of my flintlock pistol... Once I reach Level 5, I'll log off for the day,'' Isaac sighed.

He stood up and left the village.

He ran past the players, who he noticed were taking their time. It seemed that they had learned to conserve their stamina.

He ran through the woods, ignoring the low-level spawns and heading straight to Level 5 and 6 enemies.

It didn't take long for Isaac to come across another Adult Wild Boar.

[Adult Wild Boar]

[Level 6]

[HP: 45/45]

Isaac carefully approached the boar, maintaining distance but getting close enough that he didn't think he would miss.

This time he wouldn't scurry up a tree. He first needed to test the range and accuracy of his new weapon.

Isaac put a single bullet in the chamber.

''Whew.'' Isaac took a deep breath and aimed down the barrel. There was no sight, so he had to play it by ear.

The Adult Wild Boar was still minding its own business.

*BANG*

Isaac's wrist popped back slightly. He wasn't prepared for the small weapon to have so much recoil.

''GRAAA!''

The boar was heavily injured, and it slowly turned in his direction.

Even the injured creature didn't have any issue following the sound.

[-39 HP]

Isaac grinned after seeing the damage— He tossed the pistol into his inventory and snatched out the slingshot.

He grabbed a rock from this pouch and took aim.

''GRAA!''

The Adult Wild Boar stumbled around, staggering in Isaac's direction. But how could he let the wounded creature reach him?

*SWISH*

The rock flew through the air, managing a solid hit on the beast's head.

[-9 HP]

The boar collapsed to the ground and turned into pixels.

[You Killed Adult Wild Boar!]

[40 XP Earned!]

[Adult Wild Boar Meat (Common) Acquired!]

Isaac looked at the Flintlock Pistol and noticed a cooldown counter hovering over it.

[5...]

[4...]

[3...]

[2...]

[1...]

[Cooldown Is Complete! Ready To Reload]

Isaac raised an eyebrow, seeing that the gun didn't reload itself.

He took another bullet, placing it in the chamber.

Isaac was pleased to see that it would remain pre-loaded for the next battle.

''It'll be tricky to reload during combat. I'll have to keep that in mind.''

Isaac walked deeper into the woods, pistol in hand.

He only had one goal at the moment.

Level 5