First Performance [6]

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According to the constellations, it is a vast celestial system that links countless worlds to the trials known as the 'Fables'.

The interior of the Fate resembles the celestial equivalent of a neural network, leading many to debate whether the Pathway itself is alive. This system was not just a channel for 'Stories', but a complex web of connections. Each thread and pathway pulses through the multiple worldlines like a star connection, manipulating the fate and stories of countless worlds.

In the original novel, the origins of this star network remains a mystery. Some believed the network was created by the powerful old gods. Others thought it was a old sentient being. Another theory suggested it was the creation of the Buseau. The best answer people had come up with was that there was no way to know.

The true workings of the system remained unknown, however it is only known that they are are three main residents within the Fate Steam:

Players like myself, the Constellations; and the Administrators.

The Players (actors) will participate in the Fables which are specific events (Game Boards), the Constellations (Audience) will watch the actors perform, and give their support through donations, gifts or blessings like Divine Authorities, and lastly, the Administrators also known as the Moderators or Stage Directors will oversee the flow of the Fables.

[You have gained the Golden membership.]

[The starter pack has been gained as a VIP privilege.]

[As a privilege, the cost of all items in the shop will be reduced by 20%]

"This is good."

I could not help but smile. Not only did I get the golden membership for 20% of its original amount, I also got the starter pack as a bonus.

The Starter Pack was a coin package that could be used to raise all stats of the walker by level one. It also allowed you to learn Weapon Mastery, a useful skill in the beginning of the scenarios.

[Sob... I can't believe I got taken advantage of, by a mere human no less. I had to cover for the rest of the payment with my own money. It's all because of this bastard! Stupid, motherfucking eromancer....]

I turned my head and saw Aurora pouting and murmuring something at the corner.

She looked like she has been wronged and she was calling me all the names in the book.

Wait a minute, did she just call me an Eromancer? Was there such a character in the Song of Nightmares?

"Um... Aurora?"

Aurora looked at me with cat-like eyes. I wonder which character she is trying to portray as.

"Um, excuse me?"

[What?]

"What's up with that expression? Did someone steal your candy?"

She glared at me. If not for the penalty, I was sure she would have already punched me.

I was really thankful for the penalty. If she actually punched me with all her love then I could do nothing but die.

"Anyways, open the Exclusive shop."

[Tck.]

Aurora made an irritated sound and opened the shop.

[Welcome to the Exclusive Shop.]

There were two methods of using coins in Soul Link.

One of them was to raise the overall stats of the actors. The other was to use it as a common form of currency that could be used in the shop.

An endless catalogue appeared in front of me. There was nothing that wasn't sold in the shop. Artifacts, Skills and even other things like the Starter pack or 300% growth rate item.

[A few constellations are complaining about the long advertisements.]

[A few constellations are looking for the AD skip button.]

"There's also that."

The advertisement was a trick Aurora used to block the eyes and ears of the constellations. If they found out I payed only 20,000 coins for the VIP package, they will obviously throw a tantrum.

I didn't want the constellations to watch my business.

... Let's see now.

I started scrolling through the endless catalogue and looked at the items one by one. There were mostly useful items that can be bought for 200-500 coins. And items around 1000 coins and above were the real deal.

But those items were utterly useless compared to the ones around 100,000 to 10,000,000 coins. Those items were the real powerbusters.

If I wanted to defeat the Fourth Fable, then I would have to prepare in advance.

After scrolling for a while, I still couldn't find the items I was searching for. At this rate, it would take an eternity to locate them.

Wasn't there a search function?

"Hey?"

[What is it now?]

I was getting by this fairy's arrogant tone. Maybe I should punish her some more.

"If you continue talking to me with that tone, I will call the Bureau."

[Wh-What? That's not fair!]

"You won't do it?"

[Fine, I will do it. Happy now?]

"Not yet. Refer to me as boss from now on."

[Ugh...]

She made a disgusted face. Normally, there was no way she would call a lesser being like me boss. By that will be changing now.

"I see. You don't want to. Then..."

[Wait! Wait! I will... do it!]

"Aren't you missing something?"

[Tck.]

She made an irritated sound and continued.

[I will... do it... bo-boss.]

I laughed when I saw the embarrassed fairy who was struggling.

She was always the one teasing humans, but now the tables had turned, and she was the one being teased. If the others had witnessed this, I'm sure they would have laughed as well.

"Good. Now, where's the search button?"

[The search button is located in the top-right corner.]

"Thanks."

Ignoring the cheeky fairy's tone, I tapped the magnifying glass icon at the top-right corner of the window.

[Search function activated.]

I clearly stated the item I wanted.

"Search for Artemis' items."

[Three search results found.]

A small pop-up window appeared before me, displaying the results:

Artemis Bow (Item)

Rapid Recovery (Skill)

Beast King (Attribute)

It was an intriguing list, but one result stood out immediately.

Beast King.

This attribute granted the user the ability to control monsters they had tamed. It was exactly what I had been targeting, though I knew the price would be astronomical.

I picked Artemis' Bow from the list. Another opportunity to get the Beast King's attribute will appear.

[Item Information]

Name: Artemis Bow

Rating: S

Description: A divine bow belonging to the Goddess of Hunting Artemis. It increases the speed and damage of projectiles by 50%. It always has a bullseye function.

Price: 2,000,000 C

Artemis Bow. It was one of the strongest ranged weapons used by the goddess of hunting. In terms of power, it was just below the golden bow of Apollo.

It will go very well with the Eagle Eye skill. For someone like me that was terrible in close range combat, such a long ranged weapon suited me perfectly. But the problem was the price.

I furrowed my brows in frustration. My total coins amounted to roughly 100,000, yet the price for the item was a staggering 2 million coins. I couldn't afford it—not even close.

100,000 coins wasn't exactly a small amount, but it was far from being substantial. Even with a discount, the gap was insurmountable. It seemed I was aiming too high, too early.

Shaking off my disappointment, I shifted focus and voiced the next item on my mind.

"Search for the item Dragon King's Heart."

[Item found.]

[Item Information]

Name: Dragon King's Heart

Rating: SS

Description: A mana organ containing the magic power of the Flame King of Dragons, Igneel. If successfully transplanted, the innate skill Dragon Body Transformation will be acquired.

Price: 5,000,000 C

Dragonic Species

Known as one of the strongest species trapped within the Soul Link, the Dragonic possess unparalleled power. The innate skill Dragonification was a testament to this truth.

If I could get my hands on this item, reaching the pinnacle of strength—even without the aid of a constellation—would be entirely possible. But the price was astronomical, far beyond my reach.

I let out a heavy sigh. In the end, I was just a poor man chasing dreams far out of his league.

"Huh?"

I felt something was off. Turning my head, I saw Aurora staring at me, her mouth hanging open in shock.

[You… You… You! What are you?! How do you know about items that can only be found using the search function? Are you hacking the system or something? Tell me!]

I raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about? I just typed in some random names that sounded cool."

[Bullshit! Who do you think is going to fall for that blatant lie?]

I shrugged casually. "In any case, I'm ready to buy some items."

[Huh? Then why were you searching for those other items?]

"Just window shopping. I'll buy them later."

Ignoring her incredulous glare, I used the search function again and selected the items I needed.

[1,500 coins have been spent.]

[You have purchased the skill Magic Bullets.]

Aurora's confusion only deepened.

[Huh? Why that skill? Isn't it something only casters use? You don't look like you even have the caster attribute, so isn't it pointless?]

"You're right—I don't have the caster attribute."

[Then why—?]

"You don't need to know."

[Tch. You're so annoying.]

Aurora's cheeky attitude was as persistent as ever, but she wasn't completely wrong or irrational.

Magic Bullets was a skill typically used by Players with the caster attribute. In the hands of a caster, it was undeniably powerful. However, its true value depended on how it was used. If I utilized it properly, it wouldn't be a waste.

This skill was going to solve one of my biggest concerns: running out of ammunition.

Magic Bullets allowed the user to create projectiles from their mana, effectively giving me an infinite supply of ammunition as long as my mana held out.

Of course, owning the skill wasn't enough. It didn't necessarily mean I'd be able to use it effectively right away. There was still a long way to go.

I bought another item.

[16,000 coins have been consumed.]

[You have purchased the item Silver Magic Gun.]

A silver handgun materialized in my right hand.

This firearm, crafted entirely from magic-infused silver, was a staple weapon for players in the early stages of Fables. Despite its simplicity, it boasted exceptional magic conductivity. Its design incorporated intricate enchantments—one to absorb mana and another to amplify it as it passed through the barrel, enhancing the power of every shot.

The gun could only be wielded by someone with the Magic Bullets skill, which I had wisely purchased beforehand.

Having no talent or experience with swords, this weapon was my only reliable option for now. Though it felt like a significant milestone, there wasn't enough time to think of a name for my first true companion.

[2,400 coins has been consumed.]

[You have purchased the Item 'Iron-Severing Sword'.]

[1,200 coins have been consumed.]

[You have purchased the skill 'Aura Sword'.]

[40,000 coins has been consumed.]

[You have purchased the skill 'Synthesis'.]

[16,000 coins has been consumed.] .

[You have purchased the item 'Intermediate Dimensional Ring.']

Once the storage ring materialized, I slipped it onto my index finger, then stashed the remaining items into my personal storage.

It was a convenient skill since I didn't have to carry around unnecessary load, but it had limited storage.

[Is that all?]

"Yes."

[Okay, I'm going now. There's something interesting happening somewhere.]

Just like that, Aurora disappeared and the surroundings became silent. I was starting to miss the noisy fairy already.

[The advertisement has ended.]

[The constellations have entered the channel.]