Chapter 18: Enough Gold

After realizing how poor he truly was, Arin turned to the shopkeeper and expressed his desire to sell a scroll. He conjured a scroll from his ring and presented it to the shopkeeper.

"Certainly, sir," the shopkeeper replied. "We need to go to the second floor. Please follow me."

Arin and the shopkeeper made their way to the second floor, which was filled with numerous writing desks, books, and scrolls locked in display cases. What also caught Arin's eye were the guards stationed around the room. These were not ordinary guards ,they appeared to be awakened individuals tasked with protecting the valuable items. Arin's attention was particularly drawn to one guard who stood apart, observing him intently. Arin sensed this guard was a powerful awakened, his dominant gaze seemingly measuring and examining Arin.

The shopkeeper led Arin to one of the many desks where an old scribe was meticulously writing on a parchment. As the scribe wrote, Arin could see him channelling mana into the scroll, indicating his expertise in creating powerful enchantments. The shopkeeper approached the scribe's desk and greeted him, "Master Scribe, we have someone here who wishes to have a scroll appraised and sold."

The scribe looked up from his work, his eyes sharp and discerning. He glanced at the scroll in Arin's hand and gestured for Arin to place it on the desk. The shopkeeper excused himself and left the room as the scribe reached out and took the scroll from Arin.

The scribe carefully studied the scroll, turning it over in his hands and inspecting it from different angles. After a moment, he placed his hand above the scroll and channelled mana into it. The scroll glowed and seemed to activate, changing colors as the scribe examined it further. The text on the scroll darkened, then turned red, and finally shifted to green, indicating the magical properties contained within.

"Interesting," the scribe muttered, his eyes narrowing in concentration. After a few moments of intense scrutiny, he looked up at Arin and spoke, "This scroll is indeed valuable. I can offer you three hundred gold coins for it, or you can exchange it for some of our scrolls or books worth up to four hundred and fifty gold."

Arin considered the offer. He realized that taking the exchange would be more beneficial since he needed to purchase at least one, preferably two, skills. The gold coins were less useful to him compared to acquiring skills that would make him stronger. "I'll take the exchange," he decided.

The scribe nodded and produced a receipt, handing it to Arin while taking the scroll. "Follow me," he said, leading Arin to a section filled with locked display cases. "The more advanced scrolls and books are kept here. The cheapest one is five hundred gold," the scribe said. After a few seconds of thinking, Arin said, "That's out of my budget." The scribe nodded and continued speaking, "You can still find some valuable items on the first floor. May I ask what occupation you are looking to buy for?"

"I'm a summoner," Arin mentioned as they walked back downstairs. The scribe raised an eyebrow in curiosity and asked, "Are you newly awakened?"

"Yes, only a few days ago," Arin replied. "I'm currently at level 2."

This revelation surprised the scribe even more. "At such a low level, there are several essential skills you should consider. Do you have any offensive spells?"

"No, I don't," Arin admitted. "I only have my familiar summoning spell."

The scribe nodded thoughtfully. "In that case, I would recommend starting with the Identification skill. This is crucial for understanding your enemies, other awakened individuals, and even the dungeons themselves. The basic Identification skill costs around one hundred and fifty gold. This skill will allow you to identify the level and basic information of monsters, which is invaluable."

Arin listened intently, realizing the importance of this advice. "What about offensive spells?" he asked. "What would you recommend?"

The scribe smiled. "Since you're a summoner, you can use all basic mage spells. There are many options depending on your mana capacity and fighting style. Here are a few basic offensive spells:"

Magic Missile: This spell shoots three to five magical projectiles that home in on targets, dealing significant damage based on the caster's intelligence. It's reliable and versatile, making it an excellent choice for summoners.

Fireball: A classic offensive spell that creates a massive explosion of fire upon impact, dealing substantial damage to all enemies within the blast radius. This spell is particularly effective against groups of weaker enemies.

Lightning Bolt: This spell unleashes a powerful bolt of lightning that travels in a straight line, damaging all enemies in its path. It's ideal for hitting multiple targets aligned in a row.

Ice Shard: Summons sharp shards of ice that pierce through enemies, causing both immediate and lingering frost damage. This spell also has a chance to slow down the movement of the targets.

Acid Arrow: Fires an arrow made of corrosive acid that continues to damage the target over time, reducing their armor and weakening their defenses.

"For a summoner like you, I would recommend starting with Magic Missile. It's a reliable and powerful spell that can deal consistent damage to a single enemy, giving you some much-needed offensive capability while your summons fight. Plus, it's quite affordable at 250 gold coins," the scribe explained.

Arin considered the options carefully. "Are there any spells that deal damage over time?" he asked.

The scribe nodded. "Yes, there are several effective damage over time spells you could use. Here are a few:"

Corrosive Touch: A spell that coats the target in a magical acid, causing ongoing damage and reducing their armor over time.

Inferno Chain: Magical flames wrap around the target, burning them continuously and making them more susceptible to fire-based attacks.

Venomous Fangs: Summons ethereal snakes that bite the target, injecting venom that causes continuous poison damage.

Cursed Mark: Places a dark mark on the target that drains their life force slowly, causing ongoing necrotic damage.

"These spells can be particularly useful for a summoner, as they allow your summons to capitalize on the ongoing damage inflicted on your enemies," the scribe explained.

Arin was thinking about his limited funds. Then, he asked, "Do you have any summoning magic spells available?"

The scribe nodded. "Yes, but summoning magic is one of the most expensive schools of magic. Apart from Summon Familiar, all other summoning spells are considered higher magic. Here are a few examples:"

Summon Elemental: Calls forth a powerful elemental being to fight for you.

Summon Undead: Raises undead minions to serve and protect.

Summon Beast: Summons a mighty beast from another realm to aid in battle.

Summon Guardian: Brings forth a protective guardian that defends you and your allies.

Summon Swarm: Unleashes a swarm of creatures that overwhelm and attack your enemies.

"These spells are quite costly and advanced," the scribe explained. "They require a significant amount of gold and magical ability to master."

Arin pondered over these options. "What about support spells? Are there any that could help me or my summons?"

The scribe smiled again. "There are also many support spells, but they tend to be more expensive. Some can enhance your abilities or provide protection. For instance, there are spells that boost your mana regeneration, increase your summons' strength, or provide magical shields. However, these scrolls and books can cost several thousand gold coins."

"For now, I would again recommend focusing on affordable yet effective spells. Magic Missile or Fireball, as I mentioned, is a good start. It's a basic but versatile and reliable spell for someone at your level."

Arin nodded, appreciating the scribe's advice. "Thank you for your help. I'll take the Magic Missile spell."

Arin had another thought. "Do you have any items that could enhance my attributes or boost my abilities?"

The scribe nodded and led Arin to another room on the first floor, where rings and necklaces were displayed. There were many combinations of attributes on the necklaces and rings. Arin's eyes caught sight of a necklace that increased willpower by 25 points. It was exactly what he needed, but it cost 120 gold coins.

After carefully considering his options, Arin decided to purchase the Identification skill book for 150 gold, the Magic Missile spell book for 250 gold, and the willpower-boosting necklace for 120 gold. With his total of 450 gold from the exchange and the 91 gold he had from selling the carcasses, Arin was left with just 21 gold coins after making his purchases.

Having gathered everything he bought, Arin thanked the scribe and bowed respectfully. When Arin stepped out of the shop, the streets were already growing dark and mostly empty. The day was fading, and the shadows were lengthening as twilight settled in.

He then made his way to the Broken Tooth, which was just two streets away. Arin arrived in a few minutes and, upon entering the Broken Tooth, experienced a familiar scene. This time, he was not as surprised when everyone turned to look at him, as he still appeared very young. He saw the waitress again, her warm smile and friendly demeanor making him feel welcome.

She approached him and asked if he was looking for Maloren. Arin smiled and nodded, saying yes. She pointed him to the second floor, where the rooms were. "Maloren is in room number 11," she said.

Arin thanked her and made his way to the second floor. He found room number 11 and knocked on the door.