A Deal with the Swordmaster
Aside from the Dragon Breath Crystals and the Luck points, the five Skill Points Ethan received from the first kill reward were also extremely valuable.
Skill Points were used to upgrade abilities.
And Ethan already knew exactly where he planned to spend them.
Soon he would obtain a powerful high tier sword technique.
Flying Immortal.
The moment he learned it, those points would push the skill to a much higher level.
After organizing his inventory, Ethan searched the cave one last time to make sure nothing had been left behind.
Satisfied, he left the cavern and began running toward Beginner Village.
Ten minutes later he arrived.
The village looked completely different from when he had left.
It was now packed with players.
Voices filled the air everywhere.
"Does anyone know when the slimes respawn? All the monsters are gone!"
"Help! I'm new and I can't find the quest NPCs. Can someone guide me?"
"I'm a Priest. Good healing build. Looking for a guild with salary. Message me if interested!"
"I'm a tank. Anyone selling beginner gear cheap? The shop prices are insane!"
Ethan glanced at the crowd.
Guild recruiters had already set up small booths in the square, trying to attract new players.
The game was exploding in popularity.
It would not take long before millions of new players flooded the server.
When that happened, early resources would become even more valuable.
But none of that mattered to Ethan.
He was already far ahead of everyone here.
Just the Dragon Slayer Blade alone was something these players could not even imagine obtaining.
After a brief pause, Ethan headed toward the home of the legendary swordsman.
Master Aldric Vayne.
He had barely reached the door when the old man's voice echoed from inside.
"If you did not bring enough whetstones, do not bother opening that door."
Ethan smiled faintly.
He pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Click.
He placed a heavy bag on the floor.
One hundred whetstones.
Aldric Vayne glanced down at the bag. A pleased smile slowly formed on his face.
"You did well, young man."
"This is your reward."
He pulled a small wooden box from a pile of straw behind him and tossed it toward Ethan.
System notifications appeared.
Hidden Quest Completed.
Aldric's Whetstones.
Rewards received.
Skill Book
Flying Immortal
Special Equipment
Aldric's Scabbard
200 Silver Coins
10,000 Experience
Ethan did not open the wooden box.
He simply placed it inside his inventory.
Ethan did not leave after collecting his reward.
Instead he dragged a wooden stool across the floor and sat down.
The scraping sound echoed through the quiet room.
Aldric Vayne slowly opened one eye.
"I have already given you your reward," the old swordsman said coldly.
"Why are you still here?"
His gaze sharpened.
"Or do you expect me to teach you personally?"
Ethan leaned back slightly.
A faint smile crossed his face.
He had expected this reaction.
Aldric Vayne was famous for his terrible temper. Even in Ethan's previous life, players rarely dared to speak with him more than necessary.
"Master Aldric," Ethan said calmly. "I want to make a trade."
The old swordsman scoffed.
"You?"
"You want to trade with me?"
His voice carried open ridicule.
"Young man, before you speak such words, you should measure your own worth."
"To trade with me, you would need something truly valuable."
Ethan did not argue.
Instead he slowly reached into his inventory.
Then he placed a small crimson crystal onto the table.
The moment it touched the wood, the room fell silent.
Aldric froze.
His eyes widened.
The old man shot to his feet so quickly the stool behind him tipped over.
"This…"
His voice trembled slightly.
"Where did you get this?"
The red crystal shimmered faintly under the candlelight.
Dragon Breath Crystal.
Even among legendary crafting materials, it was extraordinarily rare.
Aldric's expression changed instantly.
The arrogance from earlier vanished.
"Young man," he said quickly, stepping closer to the table.
"What do you want?"
"If you give me this crystal, I will agree to any condition."
Ethan watched him quietly.
Inside, he felt a small sense of satisfaction.
Just as he remembered.
In his previous life, a player had discovered Aldric Vayne had a deep obsession with Dragon Breath Crystals. They could be used to forge extremely powerful weapons.
Ethan tapped the table lightly.
"I want swords."
"How many?" Aldric asked immediately.
Ethan shrugged.
"That depends on what you think the crystal is worth."
The old swordsman stared at the crystal for several seconds.
Finally he nodded.
"You are right."
"You clearly understand its value."
He walked to the back of the room and lifted a thick bundle of straw.
Then he dragged out a collection of weapons and dropped them onto the floor.
Thirty swords clattered across the wood.
Different shapes.
Different designs.
Each blade carried the mark of a skilled craftsman.
Every single one was at least Bronze rank.
Ten of them were Gold rank weapons.
Even experienced players would struggle to gather such a collection.
"These are blades I collected over many years," Aldric said.
"I cannot give you the swords I personally use."
"But these are still excellent weapons."
He pushed them toward Ethan.
"Take them."
"Take all of them."
His eyes never left the crystal.
Ethan examined the pile.
Exactly what he wanted.
Thirty high quality weapons this early in the game would give him a massive advantage later.
Without hesitation he picked up the crystal.
For a moment Aldric looked nervous, as if Ethan might change his mind.
Then Ethan placed it in the old swordsman's hand.
The old man grabbed it immediately.
His face lit up with excitement.
Ethan stored the swords in his inventory.
Then he stood.
"Pleasure doing business with you, Master Aldric."
Aldric barely heard him.
He was already studying the crystal like a man who had found buried treasure.
Ethan walked out of the house.
The moment the door closed behind him, a small smile appeared on his face.
Thirty swords.
The next stage of his plan could finally begin.