Stepping Up the Game

After a few days of training in the mountains, Akira knew it was time to get back to business.

"I sold the magic stones from that E-rank dungeon to Hiroshi-san and he compesanted me really well"

"I earned around 12,360,445.14 Won ( 8200 Euro )

"I can't afford to go to meet Dungeons offices making exhanges by myself because i can't afford to be exposed"

"He is really helping me out to much , I owe him too much now"

The money that he had gotten from Hiroshi for the magic stones he had sent was enough to get by for now.

He needed to be reassured that he could continue his existence of supporting himself, especially after what happened with Eri.

"Fortune stolen."

The notion itself made Akira clench his jaw.

The inheritance his father left him, gone.

Gone because Eri betrayed him.

He shook off the thoughts once he stepped out of the house, making his way to the small, isolated road time led to Seoul.

The city was still five hours away away on foot, but for Akira barely a hour the boy had reached a physical level where he could travel really fast.

The busy streets of Seoul were a far cry from the solitude he had been living in.

Cars driving, the constant sounds of vendors shouting, and people haggling-in the crowded marketplace-filled the air.

Akira kept his eyes straight ahead, not minding the racket, but focusing rather on the task at hand.

"The first stop i need to make is at a weapon store to buy a weapon"

As he pushed open the door of the shop, a bell above jingled.

Inside, the shelves were lined with weapons of many kinds-all forged especially for the STARS.

The dull light glinted off swords and daggers and axes, some more unusual, and the air was heavy with the smell of polished metal and leather.

The shopkeeper nodded at him, an older man with graying hair and a stern appearance.

"Welcome"

"You're a STAR, aren't you?"

He asked, his voice gravelly though not unfriendly.

Akira nodded.

"That's right."

"I'm looking for something...reliable."

"A sword."

The shopkeeper's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Akira's posture.

He could tell the boy wasn't just any normal customer-there was a strength behind those eyes, the kind that didn't come from any ordinary person.

"Reliable, eh?"

"You got good reasonable taste for your build."

"We've got blades for every kind of STAR here, but you're gonna want something that complements your style."

"What kind of fight are you looking for?"

Akira raises an eyebrow. "

"I like that he is not selling me on anything… just asking the right questions."

"I need something quick and powerful."

"I have speed, but I need something that can handle my speed and not losing force when hitting the monsters."

The shopkeeper smiled a little.

"Alright, I have just the thing for you."

He walked over to a section near the back, pulling out a sleek black sword.

The blade shimmered with a subtle blue hue, and the hilt was wrapped in leather that looked worn but sturdy.

"This is a Pantho Blade," - He said to Akira

"Exclusively designed to be slick and agile."

"It's meant for quick movements, which is ideal for what you asked me."

"It's not weighted to heavily, yet it can cut through the most skins."

And with that, he handed it over to Akira, who immediately felt its balance.

It was perfect in his hands.

He tilted his head, inspecting the blade. "Let's see what you've got."

Before he could finish the thought, the translucent window materialized before him.

[System Notification]

[If the user desires to see the stats of something he has his eyes upon, simply command it.]

[The system will scan and display with details.]

Akira raised a brow.

"Huh… I can scan things now?" - His curiosity got the better of him.

He smirked and said to his mind,  "I approve scan the Pantho Sword."

The window shimmered before solidifying into a detailed status screen:

[Pantho Blade]

[Type: Sword]

[Tier: C]

[Weight: 1.8 kg]

[Material: Rare black alloy with enchanted runes]

[Durability: 71/71]

[Enhancements:Lightweight (Passive): The blade is designed for extreme agility, reducing weight to achieve much better speed and precision.]

[Cursed Edge (Passive): When in combat with monsters, the blade saps the target's stamina through each successful strike. It drains 2% of the enemy's stamina per hit for 30 seconds.]

Akira's eyes went down the abilities, processing them mentally.

A slight grin curled his lips as he digested this information.

"Not bad,"

He grumbled to himself,

"This will definitely make things easier."

"Yeah, this is it,"

Akira said, his face suddenly beaming with a wide grin.

As he watched the price tag...it costed around 2,321,351.89 Won (1540 Euro )

"Expensive."

"But it'll be worth it."

"I'll take it."

The exchange was quick and after a short transaction, Akira stepped out of the shop with the sword strapped to his back.

He then went to a clothes shop only a few streets away.

It was a very small shop, wedged between other larger houses, but sold clothes for STARS.

He entered, and the owner of the shop-a rather older woman with a sharp gaze-looked up from her work.

"Welcome, young man."

"Anything particular you are looking for?" she asked, her tone light but professional.

"Yeah."

"Something tough, but comfortable."

"Oh, and I prefer the color black."

She nodded thoughtfully before pulling out a sleek, black sports costume. It featured a fitted shirt with a lightweight hood and reinforced stitching along the shoulders for extra durability.

"You've got the build for these," she said with approval, handing the set to Akira.

He stepped into the dressing room and put on the outfit. The material hugged his frame perfectly, providing excellent flexibility without feeling restrictive. It was light yet firm, the kind of fabric that promised endurance during intense training or combat.

As Akira looked at the fitted outfit in the mirror, a thought crossed his mind.

"System, scan this outfit."

A soft chime sounded in his mind, and a translucent status window popped up before him, displaying the details:

[Black Sports Costume]

[Type: Lightweight Combat Apparel]

[Material: Reinforced fiber-weave with mana-responsive stitching]

[Durability: 85/85]

[Weight: 1.2 kg]

[Enhancements:]

[Flex-Frame (Passive): Adapts to the wearer's movements, ensuring maximum flexibility without tearing.]

[Impact Guard (Passive): Reduces physical damage by 3% during combat.]

[Breathable Design: Maintains comfort and prevents overheating during prolonged use.]

Akira's lips curled into a small grin as he read the details. The durability was solid, and the weight was almost unnoticeable—a perfect match for his needs.

"Not bad," - He muttered.

"This is just what I need," - He said, stepping out to show the shopkeeper.

She raised an eyebrow, a satisfied smile on her face.

"You look like you mean business."

"I do."

"But i want five costumes like this," - Akira added.

"Five that would be around 6,783,171.11 Won (4500 Euro) sir is that alright with you?"

He nodded first then spoke.

"That's is okay just get them ready"

As Akira thought to himself after

"I'll be spending most of my time training and fighting in dungeons."

"It's better to have reserves."

"My only goals are to get stronger for revenge that's all i don't care about how much i spend"

"Right away, dear customer," - She replied with a chuckle, already taking his measurements again for consistency.

Akira reached into his pocket, took out the money, and handed the amount to her.

Akira left the shop, satisfied.

The outfit wasn't just gear—it was a step toward preparing himself for the challenges ahead.

With a sword on his back and the new clothes fitting just right, Akira was ready.

"I've got all I need for the time being"

"Time for more leveling up."

A week passed.

A week has gone by since I got the Pantho Blade, and every cent was well worth it.

Compared with fighting barehanded, this sword made clearing dungeons easy. The agility and power of this sword made me dispatch monsters as if I were just cutting through the air, and that passive trait Cursed Edge...it has come really at handly because it has destroyed them way faster.

I'd raided every E-rank dungeon I could find in the StarNet app, booked and cleared them out one by one.

Akira opened his Status Window, and that familiar rush came in as his stats came into view:

[Level: 14]

[Strength: 24]

[Agility: 24]

[Endurance: 24]

[Stamina: 24]

[Intelligence (Magic) : 24]

I have gained quite a few levels from those E-rank dungeons but it's getting obvious that I have reached a wall.

Every E-rank dungeon felt easier than the last , the experience gain has started to taper off and even monsters barely put up a fight anymore.

"If I go on like this, then I'll stagnate."

"The next step that the fake id that Hiroshi has given allows me to raid D-rank dungeons too."

Pulling out his phone he opened the app "StarNet" and scrolled through the list of available dungeons.

There were legions of E-ranks, but he scrolled past them, tapping on the D-rank section.

D-rank meant tougher monsters, better loot, and more experience.

That made everything more riskier, of course.

But that was just what he needed.

"Time to step it up"

He said to himself, choosing the nearest D-rank from the ones available, reserving it.

A notification chimed, confirming the booking.

Two hours later he would be in his first D-rank dungeon.

"Let's do this" - He muttered