But it had clearly attracted Nola's attention.
Or perhaps, not just Nola's.
She noticed several others watching them to varying degrees as they spoke, Quentin Carter among them.
"It's a Crossbow."
With that, she took out the Crossbow and handed it to Nola. 'They'll see it sooner or later anyway, so I might as well be open about it.' Her impression of Nola was good; the woman wore her heart on her sleeve, which made her easy to deal with. 'If I can get on her good side, a tip or two during a hunt would be better than fumbling around on my own.'
Nola was taken aback. In a Hunting Party, weapons were considered private items. It was rare for someone to so casually show theirs to another person.
Still, the feeling of being trusted was nice, even if it came from a novice. Accepting the Crossbow, she gave Paige Summers a long, searching look.
As Nola stared, Paige keenly felt a subtle warmth flood into her chest.
Her hand paused for a fraction of a second before she pulled it back, her movement returning to normal. Only her smile deepened.
Nola didn't know much about weapons like Crossbows, but she could tell the one in her hands, though made of wood, was exquisitely crafted. It felt light and agile, perfect for a woman.
A thought struck her. "Who made this?"
"An elder who passed away..." 'I definitely can't let them know I can do Artifact Making myself.'
Nola looked disappointed. "What a shame. This looks like a fine piece of work."
The implication was clear: she wanted one too. Paige couldn't very well respond to that, so she just smiled.
Just then, a male voice cut in from the side. "Let me have a look. You don't mind, do you?"
The corner of Paige's mouth twitched. 'Mind? It's a bit late for that, isn't it? You already snatched it out of her hands...'
The man being glared at by a now-empty-handed Nola, who nonetheless remained silent, was none other than Jayden Yeats, the Fire Ability User Paige had seen the day before.
His actions and words bespoke his dominant nature; his status in the Hunting Party was clearly high. He examined the Crossbow meticulously, then passed it to Harold Finch, who was sitting across from them. The man's eyes were practically sparkling, his excitement over the Crossbow far greater than anyone else's.
'Is he in the same trade?' Paige wondered.
Harold Finch looked completely engrossed; it didn't seem like she would be getting it back anytime soon. Paige blinked, then took the opportunity to ask Nola and Jayden Yeats about weapons.
With the Crossbow as an icebreaker, their attitudes softened considerably. They patiently began explaining the basics to the rookie.
Nola did most of the talking.
For instance, even Superpower Users needed weapons for prolonged battles. After all, using a superpower wasn't without its limits. When their internal Source Power was depleted, they had to rely on weapons to keep fighting.
Firearms were regulated items and not easy to come by. Besides, a gun was useless without ammunition. And ammunition was a massive expenditure; you couldn't even dream of affording it without significant personal wealth.
Furthermore, firearms weren't suitable for every fight. Against things like mutant plants, melee weapons definitely had the upper hand.
For all these reasons, most people now preferred to carry melee weapons.
Places like The Three Great Bases and The Dead City all had factories dedicated to forging melee weapons. But at the mention of those mass-produced, assembly-line items, even the perpetually deadpan Jayden Yeats wore a look of contempt.
Returning the favor, Nola took out her own dagger for Paige to inspect, claiming it was already a rare find.
Paige examined it carefully.
But she was soon disappointed.
'The material is acceptable, if you aren't picky. High-carbon stainless steel, close to the quality of 420-grade steel from my world. But you can tell at a glance this blade was just wire-cut from a steel plate, with no further press-molding or forging. That means the blade is brittle and lacks resilience, not to mention the edge isn't hard enough. No matter how sharp you grind it, it probably won't last long against a Mutant Beast. If it hits something tough, it might just snap in two!'
No wonder they were so impressed by her Crossbow.
Paige looked up at Harold Finch. He smiled at her and handed the Crossbow back.
She noticed his eyes meet Jayden Yeats's for a moment, and she smiled too. 'I wouldn't say my work is one-of-a-kind, but without a solid foundation in the craft, it's incredibly difficult to replicate! Trying to steal my techniques after just a quick look... Heh heh...'
Feeling secretly smug, she put the Crossbow away.
She resumed her conversation with the now-chatty Nola.
Meanwhile, Jayden Yeats was rather disappointed after receiving Harold Finch's subtle signal.
Harold Finch was a Third Rank Metal Ability User who could use his superpower to reshape metal into various forms. He also had an inquisitive mind and a keen interest in making weapons. So, Jayden's first thought upon seeing the Crossbow was to have Harold Finch replicate it as a Metal Crossbow.
The killing power would be far beyond what a wooden version could achieve. Even he grew excited at the thought!
But alas...
'The craftsmanship is too complex...'
Just then, however, he caught a glimpse of Paige Summers's expression. It was subtle, but... was that a look of smugness?
'But what does she have to be smug about?'
'Because she owns the Crossbow?'
'No, that's not it!'
'Could it be...?' A sudden possibility struck Jayden Yeats, and his heart leaped.
'This woman might be more useful than I imagined!'
'I'll have to observe her more. Perhaps the plan needs to be altered...'
He straightened his back and gazed out the window. It was nearly noon. They were almost at their destination.
Paige, who had finished her questioning, also looked toward the front of the vehicle. The mountain peaks, once just hazy silhouettes, were now mostly in view. The dense forest at their base wasn't a vibrant, lively emerald but a dark, murky green. Within those deep, inky hues, she could almost see a man-eating beast, lying in wait for its prey.