Chapter 72 (1/2)

The people at the gate were shocked when they saw the backstage passes, and directed them around the side of the stadium to another, quieter entrance. A man with a clipboard took their passes and checked them off.

“Oh, so you are Cassie’s guests,” The man said, his face warming immediately, looking them up and down. After a few seconds of scrutiny, he extended his hand to Tessa. “And you must be the gifted seamstress that sewed the costumes. Beautiful, absolutely beautiful. If you ever have some spare time, please consider making a gown for my daughter. I’ll pay very handsomely.”

Tessa just gave the man a blank stare. Randidly politely disengaged the conversation and walked into the stadium, dragging a dazed Tessa.

“How…. how did you say you got these?”

Randidly frowned. “Sewing, I told you.”

“Sewing gowns?” Tessa asked, incredulously.

Randidly’s frown deepened, but he did not reply. He couldn’t decide whether it was more embarrassing to acknowledge it, or to simply stay silent..

****

Daniel peered through the newly available options for the village, excited even after the exacting interview he just sat through with Regina.

Most of the new items available for purchase with SP were simply higher tiered versions of the shops they already owned. Weapons, Armor, Miscellaneous, Accessories, etc.

There were however, some notable, and expensive, exceptions.

One was the purchase of Gold Nexus coins, which could be used to found another Newbie Village. Although this didn’t seem a very practical way to handle things, it would allow them some way of making outposts, should the need arise.

In addition, Nul informed Daniel that the golden Nexus coins had two other uses. The first was they could be consumed by individuals with Classes to allow them to have another, extra skill, above the normal skill cap. This could be used as many times as they wanted, but at 5k SP, it was too expensive to be feasible for general use. And even concentrating a few on one person was bound to have a low level of return…

After all, they would need to first position themselves to learn a useful skill, and then take several weeks to level it up to a level where it could impact battle.

The second use was to bribe a random monster to act as your companion. In the case of rare monsters, you needed to be a higher level and have beaten it until it is near death, but then it would serve the user for the rest of its life. It would continue to level.

This option was mostly attractive due to the currently unused Ride skill that Donny and his knight mentees had. If they could gather a cavalry squad…

Aside from the coins, Daniel now had the option to purchase what he could only guess were higher leveled buildings. Production focused buildings, which Sam was already very interested in: pre-made smithies and workshops. Watchtowers. A shop for rare crafting materials. A very expensive cathedral. Something referred to as a Nexus Array

And also, most intriguingly to Daniel, was the Adventurer’s Guild building. The rest of the counsel were less impressed, and insisted on first purchasing several Watchtowers to help with the immediate threat of monsters, and a Smithy in order to advance the weapon and armor crafting past the basic stages.

But, almost unwillingly, they agreed that the Adventurer’s Guild could be the next building. Eyes sparkling, Daniel looked at the 8k SP option, and to him, it only meant one thing.

Quests.

After thinking about it for a long time he was sure that it could only be for acquiring quests. Or bounties. Or…. something else game related.

Always the downer, Mrs. Hamilton had suggested that it might be possible that it allowed more individuals into their world, like the strange portal that had sprung up, and would open in several days. But Daniel didn’t think it was that likely. At this tier, their strange, and confusing bond with another Trainee Village would probably be their only contact with other forces in the Nexus.

Still, even that contact posed interesting questions…

Daniel was very much looking forward to that portal opening.

****

After a long walk down a deserted hallway, Randidly and Tessa emerged into a large, cluttered space, full of people with glassy eyes drinking straight from liquor bottles. At the far side of the space was a small opening in the curtains, from which flashing lights and noises echoed.

“Oh my god! Raina is on already!” Tessa hurried forward, barely seeing the bodies sprawled around, grasping and laughing drunkenly in the dimly lit room.

A bouncer blocked her before she could rush out onto the stage, and pointed her to a side door, which would lead her to the general admission area. Heedless of Randidly, she rushed out, leaving him frowning.