Chief's Special Hammer

The atmosphere in the Dwarves lair was a sharp contrast to the open world outside. Logan felt the weight of the underground world lift from his shoulders as the cool wind ruffled his hair. The custom quest markers given by the system for beginners in his HUD pointed him in multiple directions, glowing faintly, with some marked as 'urgent' and others as 'routine.'

Checking his inventory display, he sighed. Multiple rows of items filled the translucent screen: rusty swords, worn-out shields, low-tier armours, and a bag full of common herbs. There was a distinct weight in his steps due to the sheer amount of junk he had collected. The efficiency stats displayed that his current load was affecting his agility by a staggering 27%.

Suddenly, a muffled cry echoed, "Hey... hey..."

Logan swivelled around, his hair dancing in the movement, to see a stout figure frantically sprinting towards him. His avatar's facial animation couldn't help but smirk slightly. The scene was almost comical – a female dwarf, her cheeks red from the exertion, ran with short, quick steps, looking somewhat like a sprinting potato.

"I've been running after you for a while now! Can't you hear?" She huffed, catching her breath.

Logan checked his settings. His game audio was set at 70%, ambient sounds at 30%. No wonder he missed her soft calls. Adjusting the sliders, he responded, "I'm sorry, I was quite immersed in my thoughts."

"Hmmhh… whatever, my father asked me to hand you this."

She handed over a small but weighty hammer. Its design was intricate, the metalwork glistening even in the dim light of the game world. The tool radiated a faint glow, hinting at its superior quality.

Logan's interface popped up a notification:

> **[Item Received]**

> **Dwarf Chief's Special Hammer** (Don't think dirty)

> *Tier: ???*

> *Details: ???*

Before he could inspect it further, the girl turned, her short legs picking up pace as she disappeared back into the lair's entrance.

His thoughts racing, Logan placed the hammer into his inventory, the weight counter decreasing significantly. This hammer, he thought, must have unique attributes to counteract its physical weight.

Pulling up the city map, Logan set a waypoint to the City of Nobles' marketplace. His stride was more purposeful now, not just due to the urgency of real-world time ticking away in the corner of his screen, but also from the recent events that had shaped his journey. The vibrant, bustling market with rows of stalls, NPCs, and other players trading, haggling, and showcasing their goods awaited him. But that was a scene for another part.

As he moved, a system notification popped up, reminding him:

You have played the game for more than 5 hours. Consider taking a break before resuming your journey. Than You.

> **[System]**

> *Real-time: 10:00 PM*

> *Remember, the world awaits you outside as well.*

It was a gentle prod for players to balance their in-game adventures with their real-world responsibilities. With a sigh, Logan knew he had to log off soon. But the game world, with its mysteries, adventures, and now a special hammer, beckoned him to stay a little longer.

Logan's footsteps echoed crisply as he traversed the cobblestone paths, occasionally halting to dispatch low-level creatures that dared to cross his path. The telltale ping of experience points and the soft chiming as items were added to his inventory punctuated his journey.

> **[System Notification]:**

> *+15 EXP for defeating Lvl 3 Marsh Rat*

> **[Item Acquired]:**

> *Common Herb (x3)*

Reaching the bustling marketplace of "Realm of Legends," Logan could see a myriad of stalls, each with their own holographic banners showcasing the specialties. Several players haggled, their chat bubbles revealing negotiations, emoticons, and the occasional outburst of joy or frustration.

Directly in front of him was the market's central kiosk, manned by an NPC dressed in colourful garb. Logan approached and promptly paid his ten copper. Immediately, a shimmering barrier surrounding a prime stall spot dissolved, signalling its new occupancy.

> **[System Notification]:**

> *Deducted 10 copper coins. Stall #07 activated for 2 hours.*

> **[Stall Setup]:** Premium**

> *Please organise your wares.*

Within moments of Logan beginning to lay out his items, exclamations erupted from nearby players. Their avatars turned, eyes wide with shock, and chat bubbles quickly populated with comments.

RavenEye: "Bronze gear? Seriously? Who sells that this early in the game?"

Starshine: "I'm still stuck with my wooden gear. Where did he even find those?"

Logan's user interface blinked with suggestions, tooltips popping up with each item he hovered over, showcasing average market rates, item durability, and potential buyers in the vicinity. But he trusted his own intuition and experience more than the game's algorithms.

Price table:

*Trash rank: 5 copper.*

*Normal rank: 50 copper.*

*Iron rank: 1 silver.*

*Bronze rank: 5 silver.*

His pricing strategy, albeit bold, was not entirely baseless. The game's economy was still young, and inflation was rampant. Prices now would be laughable in a month's time.

But the murmurs grew louder. A nearby group, their avatars adorned with matching blue sashes, seemed particularly vocal.

BladeMaster: These prices are ludicrous! Does he think silver coins are dropping from the sky?

MoonDancer: Who'd have silver? Even our guild leader's purse hasn't seen one.

NightWhisper: What guild? Without the Guild Establishment Token, we're just... grouped.

BladeMaster: Keep your voice down, Moon. And remember, we're Hydra. Once we establish, we'll rule "Realm of Legends."

The name 'Hydra' echoed strangely in Logan's ears, triggering memories of a past life, of deception and betrayal. The game's surround audio, picking up on his heightened heartbeat (a feature enabled for added realism), tweaked the ambient music to a suspenseful undertone.

Yet, Logan didn't miss a beat outwardly. His avatar's animation remained calm, fingers deftly placing price tags. He knew the prices seemed outrageous now, but only to those unaware of the rare attributes and buffs that higher-tier equipment provided.

Pulling up a megaphone feature from his interface, Logan started announcing.

"Bronze longswords! Rare herb concoctions! Armor sets with passive buffs! Get them before they're gone!"

Despite the initial shock and skepticism, it wasn't long before potential buyers, lured by the allure of superior gear, began to approach, their avatars' hand icons hovering over items, inspecting stats, and occasionally glancing Logan's way, ready to negotiate.

_

THANK YOU FOR READING GUYS...

_PeterPan_