Golden bluish light washed over Loid's face, letters shifting as Loid scrolled carefully down the endless catalog of weapons and passives. The silence was filled with the faint hum of the interface and the occasional creak of wood from the inn settling in the night.
Loid's eyes darted across the items, his brows furrowing deeper with each line. He muttered half to himself. "Too heavy… too situational… too expensive…"
Angela sighed from her spot against the wall, arms crossed, greatsword leaned at her side. "I'll die out of boredom."
Loid shot her a look, tired but firm. "Boredom won't kill you, Angela. An orc cleaving your chest in two will. And unless I pick right, that's what's going to happen next time."
That silenced her, if only for a moment. Selvara sat on the bed, posture straight as always, her pale silver eyes following the window's scrolling text. Her expression was unreadable, but Loid noticed the slight tension in her shoulders.
He stopped suddenly, finger hovering over one entry. He exhaled, then turned to Selvara. "Selvara… can I ask you something directly?"
She tilted her head, the faintest hint of curiosity in her tone. "Of course."
Loid's voice hardened, as if every word mattered. "When you're fighting armored enemies like hobgoblins with plated hides, or orks... how much trouble are you having? Be honest. You move fast, your strikes are precise, but with your strength that low…"
Selvara's lips pressed together, and for a moment she didn't speak. Then she lowered her gaze slightly, as if conceding. "You are correct. Against lighter foes, my speed is enough. But when I strike something plated, I feel the blade bite shallow. If I do not aim for the throat, the eyes, the gaps… my attacks waste energy."
Angela barked a short laugh. "She's been dancing around like a strong wasp instead of cutting like a blade."
Selvara glanced at her without anger, only calm acknowledgment. "Efficiency requires adapting to what one lacks."
Loid nodded, rubbing his chin. "Exactly what I thought." He flicked open three weapon options, their glowing descriptions hovering in the air like floating parchments. "I think I might have found three possible blades for you. Each of them changes how you'd fight."
Selvara leaned forward slightly, eyes narrowing in interest. Angela leaned over as well, pretending not to care but clearly intrigued.
Loid narrate at the first window. "Whisperfang Rapier. A moon-silver thrusting blade, razor thin, practically weightless. Its first effect is Velocity Edge, damage scales with attack speed instead of strength. The faster you move, the harder it hits. And second, Critical Flow: thirty percent crit chance if you attack within a second after dodging or parrying."
Angela let out a low whistle. "So, dodge, stab, kill. That's made for her."
Selvara's eyes flickered faintly, but she didn't comment yet.
Loid moved to the second. "Gale Edge Sabre. A curved single-edged sword. Every slash generates slicing pressure, extending reach a little beyond the blade. Ability: Momentum Cut. Consecutive slashes ignore more and more armor, up to forty percent. Basically, if you chain attacks, even a knight in steel will feel it."
Selvara's clearly interested on that one, but still she stayed silent.
Finally, Loid opened the last. His voice carried more weight now. "Needlefang Estoc."
Loid moved to the third. "The weapon is a A long, needle-straight thrusting sword forged from midnight steel. Its surface reflected like a black mirror, broken only by a faint blood-red vein running down its center, pulsing with light. The tip seemed to vanish when angled."
Loid's voice lowered. "Its first effect: Needlefang Drive. The faster you move before thrusting, the deeper it penetrates. Charges and dashes turn into near-unstoppable stabs. And its second: Unerring Lunge. If you sidestep and then thrust, the attack ignores shields completely."
He looked at Selvara now, eyes serious. "This one is built for you. You never stop moving. With this, you could weave in and out, constantly charging and stabbing without pause. Armor and shields wouldn't matter. Your speed and precision would finally cut through anything."
The silence was heavy. Selvara stood, gliding toward the projection. Her hand hovered just over the spectral blade. Her voice was quiet but certain. "This one."
Angela arched a brow. "No hesitation, huh?"
Selvara's eyes shone faintly with a rare spark of excitement. "It matches me. To strike where they are blind, to pierce what they believe safe… yes. This will serve me best."
Loid let out a breath, almost relieved. "Then Needlefang Estoc it is."
He tapped the purchase. The cost burned across the UI, 375 reputation coins deducted.
The blade dissolved, then reformed in the air before Selvara, solid and real this time. It hovered weightlessly, humming with restrained power.
Selvara grasped the hilt. The moment she did, the blood-red vein down its center pulsed brightly, then dimmed, as though syncing with her heartbeat. She drew the weapon into a stance, testing the balance. With a single thrust, the blade tore the air, leaving behind a crimson distortion that snapped shut with a sound like breaking glass.
Selvara's lips curved ever so slightly. "Perfect."
Loid almost smiled. "Then it's settled."
---
He turned next to Angela, who was waiting impatiently, tapping her fingers on her bicep. "Your turn."
"Finally," she muttered.
Loid scrolled again, flipping through passives. "You're already strong, four points in strength and agility both. What you need is something that makes the most of your swings, or gives you sustain when your endurance runs low."
Angela raised a brow. "So? What've you got?"
Loid brought up one option. "Iron Tempest. When you do wide sweeps, you deal twenty percent more damage for each enemy caught in the arc, up to sixty percent. And if you hit three or more, your attack speed goes up by fifteen percent for four seconds."
Angela's grin was immediate. "That sounds like a massacre waiting to happen."
Loid frowned. "Yeah, but it loses effectiveness if you're fighting one strong opponent. If you're up against another ork brute, or worse, you'll only get half the benefit."
Angela's grin dimmed a little. "Fair point."
Loid scrolled further, then stopped. "Here. Juggernaut's Rush. After you dash, your next heavy attack deals fifty percent more damage and forty percent more knockback. If the strike kills, you instantly restore ten percent stamina."
Angela's eyes widened. She pushed off the wall, stepping closer. "That's… that's perfect. I burn through stamina fast, and if I can crush someone in one hit and keep moving, I'll never slow down."
Loid nodded. "Exactly. It works with your strength and agility, and it covers your weak endurance. You'll become a real unstoppable force."
Angela grinned, sharp and eager. "Juggernaut's Rush is it then."
Loid tapped the purchase. The cost blinked across the window, 425 reputation coins deducted.
Angela stiffened as a faint red glow wrapped around her body, sinking into her skin. She exhaled sharply, eyes closing for a moment. "I can feel it. Like… the ground itself is waiting for me to push off and crush whatever's in front of me."
Selvara lowered her new blade, watching her companion. "Then you will be even more dangerous."
Angela smirked. "Damn right."
---
Both women now stood with their upgrades, Selvara twirling the impossibly sharp estoc, Angela flexing her shoulders as if itching to test her strength. The air between them practically hummed with anticipation.
Angela broke the silence first, her crimson eyes alight. "Loid. We'll head back to the cave. I want to split something in half and see how hard it flies."
Selvara's tone was quieter but no less eager. "Yes. I must test this blade."
Loid hesitated, staring at them both. He saw not just warriors but weapons growing sharper by the day. He exhaled, shoulders slumping. "…Alright. Just… don't push too far this time. We can't afford reckless mistakes."
Angela smirked. "Relax. We'll be fine."
Selvara inclined her head. "We will return."
And just like that, they left the room, Angela striding out with her usual heavy steps, Selvara slipping after her like a shadow.
Loid stood there alone, the UI still hovering before him. He stared at the faint reflection of his own face in its golden glow.
He sighed, heavier than before, the kind that dragged from somewhere deep in his chest. His voice was quiet, bitter. "When will I also get powerful?"
He flicked open his status, the numbers staring back at him.
[ Reputation Coins: 30.40 ]
[ Reputation Points: 29 ]
[ Units Owned: 2 ]
[ System Level: 2 ]
Loid leaned back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. "Angela gets stronger with each swing. Selvara cuts faster with every step. And me… I'm just the guy pressing buttons."
He considered buying Angela a skill, but dismissed the thought with a shake of his head. "Her Spirit... is just too low. Any skill would just drain her dry... I guess what she needs next is a weapon worthy of her strength."
The words hung in the quiet room. Outside, the faint murmur of villagers and the creak of the night wind drifted through.
Loid closed the window at last, the golden light fading. Alone in the dark, his hands clenched. He could only hope the next time his mercenaries fought, they'd come back alive because until then, he was still powerless.