Lacerbis

The bright red skill book in Stivi's hands caught Samar's attention. A golden motif of an arrow notched on a bow was embossed on the cover, making his grin widen and he checked the description window with impatience.

—

Power Shot (Tier 0)

Cooldown: 15 secs

~ Shoots an arrow with all of their power, dealing 130% to 180% damage. The farther the target, the lesser the damage.

~ Increases maximum attack range by 50%

—

It turned out to be the skill 'Power Shot,' the cornerstone of every Archer Class. This skill was the most potent single-target ability in the arsenal of ordinary archers, especially as they advanced through Tiers.

The forums buzzed with inquiries about the location of this elusive skill. Rich Tycoons, Corporate Guilds, and Professional Guilds; all had offered substantial rewards for information on Power Shot, but no one had answered their bounties.

Just from this one could tell how rare and valuable this skill book was. 

Now it was possibly going to be his second skill…. The mere thought brought a giddy smile to his face..

"Wipe your drool, Samar. This skill will cost you 400 GCP. Do you still want it?" Stivi asked, waving the book temptingly before his eyes. 

The price made Samar frown.

Guild Contribution Points (GCP) were not ordinary currency; they granted access to goods in the Guild's inventory and were crucial for climbing the Guild hierarchy. 

As a temporary member, earning GCP was no easy task. Despite killing two bosses, Samar had only earned 400 GCP, while others in the party had received nearly double that amount.

The purchasing power of GCP was also substantial. One could buy a piece of White-Wood Grade equipment for 100 GCP or a piece of Black-Stone Grade equipment for 200 GCP. 

Yet, the skillbook demanded 400 GCP, a price equivalent to two pieces of Lv10 Black-Stone grade equipment.

However, was the skillbook worth it? Absolutely! 

Unlike equipment, a skill would grow with Samar's levels and evolve with time. This was the reason that Samar agreed without hesitation.

Stivi swiftly deducted the GCP from Samar's account and handed over the skill book, sharing information about other loot—a couple of R-Grade food ingredients, Boar Meat, and a quest item, Corrupt Soul Extract.

Since no one in their party was a chef, the Boar Meat went into the Guild Inventory. HardBro and Zamir showed interest in the Corrupt Soul Extract as it was a quest item, but due to lacking information, they withdrew.

Samar won it for a mere 10 GCP in the end. He had no idea what it was but he knew a place where it might be useful. 

Now it was time to reveal the most valuable drop from the Boss.

Stivi grinned mischievously as she withdrew the last item from the inventory with tantalizingly slow movements. The very first thing everyone focused on was the bronze colored glow emanating from the item, stunning everyone. 

The beautiful longsword was broad at the hilt and tapered towards the tip. Its outer edge shined with deadly sharpness while the inner edge gave a dull calmth of stability. This made it a perfect weapon for any sword master who focused on not just attack but also defense.

"Stivi, share the stats," Zamir asked impatiently after he finished appreciating its beauty. Stivi obliged. 

—-

Lacerbis

Grade: Bronze-Copper

Equip Requirements: Lv 12, Intermediate Blade Mastery.

Attack: 32-39

Agility: +5

Attack Speed: +5%

—-

The stats window astounded the team. They had guessed that it might be a Bronze-Copper grade weapon but the confirmation dropped their jaws quite literally. 

As they looked at the sword, their gazes were filled with jealousy and envy for it was the very first Metallic Grade equipment in the entire Dreamverse VR!

Silence persisted for some time as the team recovered from their shock. At this moment, Samar broke the ice. 

"Congratulations Stivi, you have hit the jackpot!" 

Samar exclaimed with a wide smile.The team echoed his congratulations, some with genuine happiness, others with a hint of jealousy.

"Thank you for your wishes everyone." Stivi said, accepting their wishes with grace. She then showed a troubled look on her face and said, "I am actually facing a conundrum. I obviously want Lacerbis but I don't know what would be a fair price for this peerless weapon. Can you help me decide on it?"

Samar suppressed a smirk, seeing her act. After all, her performance was orchestrated by him.

There was no doubt that Lacerbis would belong to Stivi as no one in the team used swords other than her. Then why did he do this? 

It was because Lacerbis was not an ordinary sword. Considering it was the very first metallic grade weapon in the Dreamverse, its significance was huge!

Weapons and Equipment of such significance were usually reserved for those at the top of hierarchy in the Guild. If it was possible to transport Lacerbis to the Guild Master of Grandeur Guild, then the Sword would have already been shipped off!

This showed just how important the Sword was. Hence, its value could not be measured using the normal value for Bronze-Copper grade weapons determined by the Guild. 

If Stivi decided the price on her own, like she had for the other items, she might be accused of corruption; no matter how fair her price was; Especially by the other jealous R3 and R4 players. 

The R3 and R4 players of any Top Guild were the most active and skilled players of the Guild. They were the ones to slay the Bosses, raid the dungeons and obtain the first of new grades of equipment. Never had they been upstaged by a newly appointed R2 member twice in a row.

Therefore, they might intentionally find trouble with Stivi by luring one of the members of her team to their clique and then falsely accusing her of foul play. 

By involving all the other members in her team, Stivi's individual responsibility would become a collective responsibility. Then, none of the members present could accuse her of unfairness since they themselves were involved in deciding the price.

Despite the obvious threat, Samar had found it hard to convince Stivi. 

She had argued that his plan was too convoluted and she trusted the members of her Party. She called Samar paranoid and delusional but she couldn't change his mind. 

As someone who had not forgotten the betrayal suffered at the hands of one of his closest companions, Samar only believed in the fickleness of the human heart. 

Reminding her of their shared past, Samar managed to convince her that even if she trusted them, it was better to take precaution rather than floundering later for a solution. 

And this was the result. 

Zamir, the old fox, immediately sensed a problem with her proposal. He looked at Stivi with suspicious eyes but he did not voice his doubts.

HardBro and BigSoftie were oblivious to the underlying meaning of her current action and were just happy that their team leader was so considerate. 

Only MamaMia, the naive teenager, expressed her complete confidence in Stivi. "Sister Stivi, why don't you set the price yourself. I am sure you will pay the appropriate cost for the Sword."

The other party members also echoed her sentiments in succession but Stivi merely smiled and waited for Zamir's input. 

The Assassin was the oldest member of the group and had been part of the Grandeur Guild the longest. If not for his advancing age and deterioration that accompanied it, he would've been the leader of the Branch 89 and not Stivi. 

He was wise enough to see through the scheme but he could not keep his mouth shut when all 5 pairs of eyes were staring at him, seeking his opinion. 

"A normal Bronze-Copper weapon would be sold for 250 to 300 GCP. Since this is the very first Bronze-Copper Sword, its price should be higher than average."

Everyone knew this. Hence, Zamir had spoken without actually giving his opinion. 

This was why dealing with old foxes was frustrating. They always had two burrows.

Nonetheless, Stivi had achieved her goal. Everyone, including Zamir, had been given a chance to speak and they had squandered it. 

The last person to speak was Samar, the one who had decided to create this entire show. 

"I agree with Zamir. The Sword should be priced higher than an average Bronze-Copper Weapon. However, this is only an Lv12 weapon. It will be good for use until Lv15, maybe Lv20. So the price should not be too high as well. I think 400 GCP is okay…?"

Samar ended on a questioning note, giving Stivi a chance to jump in. 

"A premium worth only a White-Wood Grade equipment? No, I think I should pay at least 200 GCP more to show respect to this Sword. Is everyone okay with 500 GCP?"

Stivi asked and Samar shrugged his shoulders in response. Then they quietly observed the reactions of the other members. 

BigSoftie and HardBro nodded their consent as they agreed with my analysis. Their respect for Stivi only increased after she willingly paid an extra 100 GCP, even when she didn't have to. 

MamaMia was a diehard fan of Stivi's; So, there was no objection from her. 

The only one whose opinion mattered was Zamir, who was watching the spectacle with hawk-like eyes with his hands folded in front of his chest.

A tense few seconds passed but he still did not say anything. Only when Stivi and Samar focused their gazes on him did he show some movement. 

The Assassin stopped leaning against the tree and declared,"500 sounds like a fair price."

His verbal approval along with everyone else's was captured on video and it was all they needed to be safe. Stivi deducted 500 GCP from her total and put back the Sword in her inventory.

Stivi could not stop the smile from breaking out on her face. She was now the rightful owner of the very first Bronze-Copper Weapon in the Dreamverse!

Moreover, she had only paid half the price than what it could be sold for at an Auction with everyone's consent!