Lexel offered his hand to Cresty, his lips curling into an effortlessly charming smile. The dim light of the chamber caught the sharp lines of his face as he looked down at her. "You alright?"
"I... yes," she murmured. She reached out, her palm rough against his, and allowed him to pull her to her feet. The lingering scent of ozone and damp stone hung heavy in the air.
"Journ, are you alright?" Anthierin's voice broke the silence, thick with concern.
"I'll live," Journ wheezed, wiping a streak of grime from his forehead. He gripped an empty glass vial tightly. "I've drunk my health potion. Can't believe we're still alive. The air in here... it tasted like death just a minute ago."
Lexel turned away, his boots clicking softly against the cold floor as he approached the ornate treasure chest resting beside the vacant throne. With a low groan of heavy hinges, he threw it open. Inside lay a single piece of parchment—old, yellowish, and smelling of dried vanilla and ancient dust.
As his fingers brushed the brittle surface, a translucent blue interface flickered into existence.
[Skill Scroll: Fire Marbles][Cost: 5 AP per fire marble][Description: Project concentrated spheres of flame from your fingertips.]
"It's yours, Lexel," Cresty said, her voice steady now.
Lexel turned around, the golden scroll-light reflecting in his eyes. "Are you sure?"
"I'm not a person without gratitude, and neither is Journ," Cresty replied firmly.
"That's right." Journ stood slowly, leaning heavily on Anthierin's shoulder. "You are more than deserving of the treasure. Without you, we're already ghosts. I won't forget this favor."
"Alright, fine," Lexel conceded. Even as he spoke, the ink on the parchment began to glow and dissolve, swirling into his chest like embers in the wind.
[Skill Acquired!]
He tossed the now-blank paper back into the chest. "Time to get out of this place. This tomb is starting to feel a bit too cramped." He offered a casual wave. "I'll see you all later. Let's go, Rin."
Anthierin hesitated, her gaze darting back and forth between the battered party and Lexel, before she scurried to his side.
"What's the matter?" Lexel asked as they reached the echoing hallway.
"Nothing, it's just that... we can expect some weird glances from now on," Anthierin said with a heavy sigh.
"Why's that?"
"Because they won't keep their mouths shut," she grumbled. "And your gauntlets? They're off the menu. Look at them."
Lexel glanced down at the mangled metal. "Is it beyond repair?"
"Not even the strongest adhesive could put those back together," Anthierin said with a shrug, though her eyes brightened. "But hey, the Mythril Nodule we found... that's going to provide significant experience for my Blacksmith class."
"Ah, right," Lexel said, a thought occurring to him. "Can you make me a Mythril-grade weapon then?"
"In due time, I suppose," she began, but her voice cut off as a small, chitinous monster lunged from the shadows, screeching.
Without breaking his stride, Lexel swiped his hand through the air, slapping the creature against the stone wall with a wet thwack—like swatting a giant mosquito.
[Level up! Lv 11][Quest Completed: Predators of the Village][Exp Acquired x2][Level up! Lv 15][SP: 10]
Huh? Quest completed? The Dark Mantis? Lexel paused for a fraction of a second. Oh right... I guess it finally bled out. Talk about a delayed payoff.
The Crossroad Inn
They didn't waste time, trekking back through the forest until the familiar wooden sign of the Crossroad Inn swung in the breeze. As they approached, the usual quiet was replaced by a localized frenzy. People were swarming the entrance.
"Damn, that merchant must be lying for sure!" one adventurer barked, pushing past them.
"Clearly it's a scam! But I've heard some guys scored big earlier!"
"Well, you can't win if you stop at the first fail," another countered.
Lexel leaned toward Anthierin. "What are they talking about? Sounds like a riot's brewing."
"It must be the Nodule Gamble," Anthierin said, swallowing hard.
"Gamble? As in?"
"Let's get inside first."
The interior of the inn was stifling. A crowd had formed a tight ring around a large round table covered in soft, white cotton fabric. Resting atop the cloth were dozens of dull, gray stone nodules.
A swordsman, his face flushed with desperation, pointed to a stone in the corner. The merchant, a man with a smile as sharp as a razor, nodded. "May the goddess of luck bless you."
The swordsman squeezed. The nodule cracked with a dry pop, crumbling into nothing but gray dust and grit—like bite-sized cereal bits.
"Too bad," the merchant sighed, though his eyes remained cold. "Perhaps others want to try? Only 10G a turn."
Lexel leaned down, his breath tickling Anthierin's ear. "So... a gamble? Or a scam?"
"It feels like a scam, but it isn't," she whispered back. "The merchant truly doesn't know what's inside. The shells are naturally formed."
"Are you kidding me? It's a blind bet for everyone?"
"Exactly, it's—"
"It's a fucking gacha," Lexel interrupted.
"What?" Anthierin blinked, the word foreign on her tongue.
"I want to try." Lexel nodded at her. "Pay the man, Rin."
"Ah, the fine gentleman! Welcome!" the merchant called out, spotting them.
"But I just... fine." Anthierin grumbled, digging 10G from her pouch and slapping it onto the table.
"Ten to the brim," the merchant chirped. "Good luck to you, sir."
Whispers erupted from the crowd. "Hey... isn't that the guy who was with Cresty? From Emperor's Eye?""Shh! Not so loud! That guy didn't even flinch standing in front of Journ. He'll throw you in the trash if he hears you."
Lexel ignored them. He reached for the center of the table, picking up the largest nodule—a stone so massive it seemed the table had been built specifically to hold its weight.
"Are you sure?" the merchant asked, his voice oily. "As long as you don't break it, you may switch."
Lexel didn't answer. He applied pressure. The nodule spider-webbed with cracks before shattering completely. His hand was empty. Nothing but dust.
"Ah, another miss. Would you like to try again?"
"I think that's enough," Anthierin said, grabbing Lexel's wrist.
"Wait, Rin. Let me do it once more."
"You're addicted! You've been in the city for ten minutes!"
"Just this once." Lexel put his palms together, giving her a mock-pleading bow.
"I... fine! But this is the last time!" She handed over another 10G.
This is the moment, Lexel thought. He opened his skill menu.
[Skill: Pig Nose] [Cost: 10 SP] [Allocate?]
Confirm.
[SP: 0]
Activate!
[Insufficient AP!]
Fuck me! I'm tapped out.
Lexel cleared his throat, covering his frustration with a fake cough. "Merchant, can I pick my nodule tomorrow instead?"
The merchant tilted his head. "Tomorrow?" He looked for a trick, but there was no logic in waiting. "I'll be here until tomorrow afternoon before heading to Bevil."
"That's fine," Lexel said, turning on his heel. "We'll do it in the morning. Perhaps the goddess of luck is a morning person... I mean, deity."
The night was long. While Lexel slept, listening to his AP slowly tick upward, the wall between their rooms hummed with effort. Anthierin was huddled over her workbench, her hammer falling in a rhythmic clink-clink-clink as she worked the Mythril Nodule, her experience bar crawling forward with every strike.
Morning light broke through the shutters. Lexel stood, stretched, and knocked on the opposite door. "Oi, Rin. Wakey wakey."
The door creaked open.
Lexel recoiled. Anthierin looked like she'd been dragged through a dungeon backwards. Her hair was a bird's nest, her clothes were rumpled, and the dark circles under her eyes looked like bruises. She was still clutching her hammer.
"Are you okay?"
She gave a trembling thumbs-up. "I... leveled up."
"Congrats, but you look dead. Need sleep?"
"No... coffee. Receptionist has coffee." She swayed on her feet. "Go on. I'll catch up."
Lexel descended to the common room. The merchant was already there, his table reset. The morning crowd was thinner, but the tension was higher.
"I have been expecting you," the merchant grinned.
"And I've been expecting this," Lexel replied.
Pig Nose, activate!
The world suddenly changed. Lexel took a deep, theatrical breath. To the onlookers, it looked like he was just smelling the air, but to Lexel, a pungent, golden aroma began to waft from the table. It smelled like rich, savory food—the scent of pure value.
His hand hovered, guided by the fragrance. He bypassed the center stone and reached for a nodule just to the left. It was modest, barely larger than his palm.
"Are you sure?" the merchant asked.
Lexel crushed it.
The shell fell away. For a second, the crowd went silent.
"Another failure," someone groaned.
Anthierin stumbled down the stairs, clutching a steaming latte. She took a long, desperate sip, watching Lexel through bleary eyes.
Lexel didn't look disappointed. He smirked.
Anthierin froze. That smirk...
Lexel took a deep breath and blew the dust off his palm.
Suddenly, a blinding, golden shimmer erupted from his hand, illuminating the dim tavern like a miniature sun.
*BRUUU!! Anthierin sprayed her coffee across the floor.
"Impossible!" "Holy shit! Look at the radiance!" "That pattern... half red, half gold!"
"A V-tier Core!" Anthierin screamed, her exhaustion vanishing instantly as the shimmer of the monster core reflected in her wide, shocked eyes.