Weapon store

As the group turned around, their gaze fell upon a young boy who stood before them with a look of curiosity in his eyes. "Is there anything we can assist you with?" one of them asked, noticing the boy seated nearby, leisurely enjoying a sandwich. Bowing slightly, Ezra flashed a friendly smile before speaking, "I couldn't help but overhear your discussion about a potential treasure hidden in the Pine Forest. I'm quite curious to know more about it." While waiting for his meal, Ezra had discreetly tuned in to the group's conversation.

Taking another bite of his sandwich, Ezra patiently waited for one of the people in the group to reply. The man turned around, looked at the others, then nodded and turned back to Ezra. "What is your name, little fella?" Ezra gulped down the food that was in his mouth before speaking. "My name is Ezra Sati," he said before he went back to focusing on eating completely, avoiding their looks.

The others were bewildered by his action. Wasn't he just curious about what they had been talking about just a few moments ago? Why did it now seem that he was more interested in that sandwich he was eating? Stealing a final glance at his companions, he began to speak. "As you may have overheard, there is a belief circulating amongst us about a potential treasure hidden in the Pine Forest. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me take you back to the beginning. Approximately a week ago, a radiant object descended from the sky, landing deep within the pine forest. Initially, the event faded from memory. However, a few days ago, the Spirit Wind Clan and two other prominent clans dispatched numerous elite disciples on a quest to seek out something or someone."

The words "the top three clans" sent a shiver down Ezra's spine as he thought of the immense power held by each clan. The Mountain River Clan, the Sky Breeze Clan, and the Spirit Wind Clan reigned supreme over the town of Sylvaria and its neighboring towns. Each clan had at least four members at the peak spirit Master stage of cultivation, while their leaders were at the early spirit grandmaster stage. Notably, the leader of the Spirit Wind Clan was an astonishing peak spirit grandmaster stage cultivator, further solidifying their dominance.

Despite the pervasive fear of the top three clans, it was common knowledge that the Spirit Wind clan reigned supreme. Even the Mountain River Clan and Sky Breeze Clan wouldn't dare openly attack the Spirit Wind Clan. Now, it appeared that the power dynamic among the three clans might soon undergo a transformation. Contemplating this, Ezra savored the final bite of his meal before expressing his gratitude to the man. "Thank you so much, sir. Your help means a lot," Ezra said, rising to his feet. He reached into his bag and withdrew 2 copper coins, which he then handed to the man.

The man's eyes lit up with as he eagerly accepted the coins, not expecting Ezra to give him 2 copper coins. As Ezra turned around and was about to leave, the man hurriedly stopped him. "Wait," Ezra turned around, puzzled at what the man wanted. "What does he want? Did I not give him enough coins?" he thought. Reluctantly, he was about to hand over a few more coins when the man spoke. "I forgot to mention, apparently they are also looking for someone named Ezra. I don't know if that's a coincidence, but I would watch out since your name is also Ezra."

Kin na'atik. Ezra said before leaving. The man was left speechless as he looked at Ezra's back, not understanding what the kid had just said. As Ezra left, he felt confused and a little worried as to why the top clans would be looking for someone with the same name as him. That's why he responded in the language he did. It was the language he would use with his mother or when he was scared or worried, or he just didn't want anyone to know what he was saying.

In the late afternoon, as the sun cast a warm golden glow across the sky, Ezra made his way through the bustling town center. The air was filled with the melodic calls of street vendors vying for the attention of passersby, their colorful wares on display. As he weaved through the crowd, a young girl emerged from behind a stall, her bright eyes locking onto Ezra. With a friendly smile, she remarked, "Young sir, you look like you could use a storage ring," observing the absence of one on Ezra's finger, replaced instead by a small pouch on his waist. "Sorry, no thanks. I don't need a storage ring right now," Ezra politely declined. Despite his desire for a storage ring, he could discern that the one the girl offered wasn't genuine. A standard storage ring would typically fetch at least one silver, and even the most affordable ones would cost a minimum of 70 copper coins, far more than the 20 copper coins she was asking for. Furthermore, he didn't even have 20 coins to spare.

"Excuse me, sir, but I can assure you that you won't find a storage ring this cheap anywhere else," she said, trying to persuade him. She thought that because of his young appearance, she would be able to convince him. When Ezra refused again, the girl got mad and tried to reach for the pouch on his waist. He quickly moved out of the way, preventing the girl from taking the pouch. She tried one more time to grab his pouch, but this time, Ezra was ready. He dodged her and landed a blow on her back, causing her to fall face-first onto the ground."

Ezra emitted a soft chuckle as he strolled past the girl, who lay sprawled on the ground. He made his way to a small weapon refining shop nestled between two other establishments near the heart of the town. Upon entering, he was greeted by a dazzling array of weapons on display, some encased and others hanging on the walls. His eyes settled on a small, gleaming black dagger suspended on the wall. Approaching it, he couldn't help but admire its sleek and elegant design. As he delicately lifted the dagger, he marveled at its feather-light weight in his hand. Swinging it back and forth, he sensed an immediate affinity with the weapon, feeling as if it was made for him. He wanted to test it out further when a voice boomed out from behind him.

PUT IT DOWN BOY!

 As soon as the words were spoken, a mysterious hand swiftly reached over and snatched the gleaming dagger out of Ezra's grasp. Startled, Ezra stumbled backward, catching himself just in time to gaze up at the imposing figure now holding the dagger. "Did you not bother to read the rules, young man?" the stern voice demanded, as the man pointed to a weathered sign near the entrance. As Ezra read the sign, he couldn't help but swallow a small mouthful of saliva after realizing that the sign clearly stated: "All the weapons in this store are valuable; you can only test the weapon you desire after obtaining permission. As for the ones in the cases, you must first show that you have the means to purchase the weapon."

At that moment, Ezra became aware of the prices of the weapons on the wall. He took a deep breath, realizing that the dagger he had been holding was worth 50 silver. Avoiding eye contact, he examined the weapons in the glass cases and noticed that the most expensive one on display was worth a staggering 100 silver. "I apologize for not seeing the sign," Ezra said, bowing his head to the man in front of him. The man studied Ezra for a moment before letting out a sigh. "It seems you genuinely didn't know. I'll let it go this time, but please refrain from handling items whose value you're not aware of in the future."

Ezra gave a small nod as he made his way to leave, but then, a thought occurred to him, and he turned back. Despite knowing that it was well beyond his budget, he found himself intrigued by the black dagger and desired to gain further information about it. "Excuse me, sir, would you mind providing me with more information about this particular dagger? I am interested in learning more about it," he inquired.

The man's gaze lingered on him for a few moments, his expression betraying his confusion at the boy's interest in the dagger. It was clear to him that Ezra couldn't possibly afford it, judging by his reaction to the price. After a brief pause, the man shook his head and declined to share any information. Disheartened, Ezra left, his disappointment palpable. As he made his way out, he accidentally collided with someone at the entrance; muttering a quick apology, he left without looking at the person. Little did he know that the person he bumped into was someone that he knew all too well.

As evening fell and the streets grew quiet, Ezra took a leisurely walk through the peaceful surroundings, deep in thought. He reflected on his recent visit to the store that he used to frequent with a friend in years past. Memories came rushing back of the thrilling moments spent trying out various weapons on display while the shopkeeper overlooked their antics. Perhaps he had been seeking to rediscover that same joy. However, he shook his head to clear away realizing that those days were in the past.