13 Chapter 13 (1/2)
A hand went around the leather-wrapped hilt.
An arm pulled a weapon slowly from its sheath.
The weapon slowly emerged, the blade a black color that looked like it devoured the light and patterns engraved on the blade both making it look more like a work of art than a dangerous weapon.
And finally, a beat began in its wielder's head, until the holder of the sword burst out in song.
”I believe in miracles… where you from, you sexy thing?”
In an off-key tone borne from exhaustion, sleep deprivation and madness from having to hunt all those monsters just for the tomes to raise his statistics, Jake Smithson was belting out the tune of the one who has done very good work and has earned a very good prize.
”Where did you come from, baby? How did you know I needed you?”
His satisfaction was such that he simply could not keep a sword he'd battled countless monsters for in his inventory, storing it in his back on a sheath it conveniently came with.
And every now and then, he'd simply draw the weapon and look at it… and then burst into song once more.
”I'm too sexy for my shirt. Too sexy, it hurts.”
Jake smiled as he finished going down the mountain, his happiness at such a level that he didn't notice that he was talking to himself – out loud.
”People are going to want to hook up with me now… for monster hunting parties. Whereas before, no matter how I look at it, it's the lack of a badass weapon's fault I'm not popular… well consider that meme dead and gone!”
It was only after he had finished his descent from Mount Mushin and was making his way back to Brino that he remembered that the package also contained another item.
He promptly opened his inventory, navigated to where he stashed his unread tomes, and stopped at the one he needed to use, now that he had the strength to do so.
[Would you like to acquire the Great Sword Mastery skill?]
'Oh, hell yeah.'
As soon as the effects of the book poured over him, Jake grinned.
His first thoughts were obvious.
'Status window.'
[Name: Jake Smithson
Level: 1
Class: Shopping Addict
Basic Stats:
Strength: 40
Agility: 14
Intelligence: 14
Mana: 2
Physical Defense: 4
Magic Defense: 3
Luck: 2
Skills:
Shopping (Awakening Store Beta access, Black Label access)
Great Sword Mastery Lv.1]
”I do hope that all this effort helps me look cool, too. Swinging a bat works, but it doesn't look as appealing as a sword does.”
Yet, as he continued back home and took a few practice stances and swings with the Swiftstone, he found out that the skill he learned was only to wield it more efficiently.
Something felt off, though.
Like, the moment he held it out in a stance, it felt lighter than the bat he used to wield, and his body seemed to move to the proper place before taking a practice swing.
He gripped the hilt tight with both hands and swung.
Sometimes he swung the bat too hard and ended up spinning.
This was not the case here, as the Swiftstone became a black blur as it cut through the air, a deep whoosh following through.
'That was pretty good.
When it comes to wielding this sword, I have to anticipate attacks properly and attack accordingly. Since even changing my stance can alert enemies on what attack I'll use, I will have to vary the intensity of my swings to bait out counterattacks and then strike hard to overwhelm their guard – wait, did reading that book also show me how to think like a swordsman or something?'
Jake was surprised at his thoughts taking a turn into the subtleties of wielding a two-handed sword.
Before this, the only bladed items he was acquainted with were kitchen knives, but now, though… it felt strange to him.
He wore a very self-satisfied smile as he re-sheathed his weapon.
Rather feeling odd with the situation, he was full of self-satisfaction.
Furthermore, like a typical shopping addict, he justified himself with shopping through the incident.
'And this is what you get when you buy a lot of stuff. Everyone tells me I don't save for the future.
But now… that doesn't matter anymore, does it?'
'Anyway, level 1?' Jake asked himself as he looked through the status screen in detail again. 'Does this mean I can level this skill up and get better at it?
If I can, the question now becomes how do I do it? Use the skill a lot, hunt a lot of monsters… or both?'
It took him a moment to make his decision.
'Who cares. It doesn't mean much if I don't gain points from this. Making bank is what really matters.
On to the next challenge, and more points for me.'
”After grinding all night, I'm going to window-shop all day, and no one's going to stop me.”
He made up his mind halfway back to Brino, and began the rest of the journey back to town.
Even though he has already acquired himself a gift through shopping, he was yet insisting to get another one.
It was an hour's walk, but being able to rest and recover within the town's limits was also important.
Half an hour later, the gates of Nohas loomed before him.
Not only that, something else was waiting.
A group of Awakeners were getting ready to sally forth when their leader saw him.
”Have you seen Seamus?” he asked. ”A knight with armor like mine, has a warhammer as well?”
***
Jake had a look of surprise as the knight in charge walked up to him, asking the question. The others were looking at him and exchanging whispers of their own, which he could barely make out.
”Sera went along with Seamus... ”
”Where are they all now? Were you not with them?” the knight asked again, and Jake shook his head.
”I think they followed you to where you were going, Jake,” another Awakener, this time wearing wizard robes and carrying a staff, asked. ”Did you not see them?”