There were three main sources of skill books that most divine warriors in Fantasia could generally obtain. The first was through skill bookstores, though these establishnts typically only offered general skills—abilities that could be learned through practice and persistence rather than anything extraordinary. The second was through scenario rewards, granted upon completion of said scenario. The last, and often most rewarding, was by discovering them within dungeons or scenarios as hidden loot.
The latter two were the only reliable thods of acquiring rare and extraordinary skills. However, the drawback was their randomness; the skill you obtained might not align with your combat style at all. Because of this, divine warriors often sold their unwanted skill books to others or to rchants who specialized in trading them. This created a thriving secondary market for rare skills, where fortune favored those who could pay the right price.
That said, epic-grade skill books were in an entirely different league. They were exceedingly rare, treasures beyond the reach of most divine warriors. I suspected that only after completing the tenth scenario and beyond would one begin to encounter such rewards. And even then, anyone fortunate enough to acquire one would never part with it. They would use it for themselves without hesitation.
Soon, I arrived before the skill bookstore in District D. Compared to the one in District E, this store was a little bit bigger and more furnished, with polished wooden panels and clear glass windows that reflected the late-afternoon light. A simple hanging sign swayed gently in the breeze with a book symbol carved neatly into its surface.
As soon as I pushed open the door, a small bell chid above . Shelves filled the room from wall to wall, each stacked with books of varying sizes—so thick and worn, others thin and freshly bound. The quiet atmosphere reminded of a library more than a shop.
Behind the counter stood the clerk—a fox therianthrope, judging by her upright ears and the reddish-orange bushy tail swaying lazily behind her. Her sharp amber eyes studied with the kind of focus only seasoned rchants had as she was tending a divine warrior buying a skill book before her.
“Oh! Well, if it isn’t another custor!” she exclaid when she noticed with a smooth and sweetly lodic voice while clasping her hands. Her smile carried the kind of charm that could disarm even the most cautious buyer. “Please wait a mont, dear. I’ll be right with you after I finish helping this fine young warrior secure the deal of a lifeti.”
Fox therianthropes were known to be shrewd rchants and tricksters. It wasn’t surprising to see one running a shop that dealt with rare and expensive skill tos.
I gave a nod and stepped aside, pretending to browse through the shelves while observing the exchange out of the corner of my eye.
The fox rchant leaned forward slightly toward her current custor—a nervous-looking divine warrior clutching a pouch filled with soul coins—her tone slipping into a practiced, persuasive rhythm. “Ah, yes, the Rapid Casting skill book. Normally, this treasure would cost ten thousand soul coins, but since you seem like soone with a discerning eye… I could part with it for a re eight thousand.”
“Eight thousand?!” the divine warrior blurted out in disbelief.
Even I, who was only eavesdropping, nearly choked. Rapid Casting, if my mories served right, was a unique-rank magic skill. For sothing of that rank, even five thousand soul coins was already above its fair value. Its usual market price shouldn’t have exceeded three thousand at most. This fox therianthrope was downright cunning.
Her tail flicked behind her, as though she was shocked by her custor’s reaction. “Oh, you wound , dear custor! This isn’t just a skill book; it’s an investnt in your future! Imagine—your spells, twice as fast! Twice as deadly! Why, your enemies wouldn’t even have ti to blink before they’re ash on the ground!”
“I… suppose that would help in combat.”
“Precisely!” she clapped her hands, eyes sparkling with feigned excitent. “You understand! Every great warrior knows that fortune favors those who act without hesitation. Besides…” She leaned closer, dropping to a whisper that I could barely hear. “If you wait too long, soone else might snatch it right off the shelf. And then, oh—what regret you’d feel! You can’t put a price on regret, can you?”
The poor divine warrior hesitated for only a heartbeat longer before sighing and setting his coins on the counter. “Ngh… I’ll buy it.”
The fox woman’s grin widened, her tone turning honey-sweet. “A wise decision, my dear. Truly, wisdom and courage in one buyer. Such a rare combination in this age.”
I couldn’t help but think that I’d walked into a den of predators instead of a bookstore. She was every bit the shrewd rchant I had imagined—a silver tongue wrapped in fur.
As the hapless divine warrior left the store, the fox rchant rubbed the pouch of soul coins against her cheek. Then she turned her attention toward with a dazzling smile that could’ve belonged to an angel, if I hadn’t known better. “Dear custor, I apologize for the wait! I’m Mira Vulpox, the owner of this fine establishnt and a humble rchant. Please, do co closer. I can already tell that you’re soone powerful with impeccable taste.”
Damn, now I can’t get away. Well, whatever, I might as well see what she has in stock. Besides, I would know if she’s trying to trick , I thought as I approached the counter.
My gaze swept over the glass display case behind her. Dozens of skill books were displayed inside, their covers in various colors. Surprisingly, near the center sat one with a crimson sheen that seed to shimr like living fire. It felt like the book had been intentionally placed there for people to see.
The fox rchant noticed exactly where my eyes had landed and tilted her head with a knowing grin. “Ahh… I see you’ve found that one. A discerning eye, as expected. That’s no ordinary to—it’s an epic-grade skill book called ‘Hell Fla.’ Only one exists in all of Fantasia.”
Hell Fla? The na alone sounded like sothing straight out of a chuunibyou’s delusion.
“Epic-grade, huh?” I murmured, leaning slightly closer to inspect it. The aura radiating from the book was tangible, faintly humming with power. She wasn’t lying that it was an epic-grade skill book, and if she could procure one, then she might be able to find what I was looking for.
“How much?” I asked, more curious to see how far she’d go than expecting an honest answer.
Her tail swayed like a pendulum behind her. “For ordinary buyers, it would be eighty thousand soul coins…” She paused dramatically, letting the silence stretch before flashing a confident smile. “But for soone with your presence, I could offer a five-thousand cut. And since this is your first visit, I’ll even add a special 10 percent discount. So that brings it down to just… 67,500. A generous offer, wouldn’t you agree?”
Generous, my ass. An epic-grade skill like this would only be worth ten to fifteen thousand soul coins at most. She must have lost her mind if she thought I’d pay that much. Or maybe she was expecting to haggle and was playing the long con, making feel guilty for driving the price down. What a cunning little fox.
“How can you call that a generous offer?” I said flatly. “Didn’t you just scam the divine warrior before ? You sold a three-thousand-coin skill book for eight thousand.”
“S-Scam?” Her ears twitched, and she blinked at multiple tis. “What are you talking about, dear custor? I am the most honest rchant you’ll find in all of Fantasia!”
The most honest rchant? Yeah, right. If foxes were known for honesty, I’d be the goddess of charity.
“Besides, having a bit of profit is the basis of all business,” she added with a sly smile.
“Do you want to tell that to the divine warrior you just scamd?” I shot back.
You have used Negotiation.
“Tch.”
Did she just click her tongue at ?
“Fine, fine, fine! You win!” she said, throwing her hands up dramatically. “Twenty thousand! I won’t go a single coin lower than that!”
I shook my head, unimpressed. “I’m not looking to buy that skill book. Instead, do you have an epic-grade clone summoning skill book?”
Her ears perked, and her eyes glead with interest. “My, oh my… now that’s quite the specific request. Clone summoning skills aren’t exactly easy to co by at that level. Aside from Hell Fla, I don’t have any other epic-grade skill books in stock. Most divine warriors in Fantasia aren’t strong enough to even encounter epic-grade skill books, after all.”
“But worry not…” She crouched behind the counter, rummaging through a locked compartnt. After a mont, she rose again, holding a thick ledger bound in faded blue leather. She flipped through its pages, looking across lines of text while her tail swayed rhythmically behind her.
“It just so happens that I keep a record of all the skill books currently available in Fantasia for private purchase. Let’s see, let’s see… Aether Step, Mana Conversion, Void Rend… aha!” Her grin widened as she tapped a claw against the page. “There’s sothing that might pique your interest. ‘Echo Construct.’ A one-of-a-kind skill, even among epic-grade skill books. It allows the user to create a semi-real duplicate of themselves—or an ally—that mimics basic movents, skills, and spells for a short duration. It can even move, fight, and bleed like the real thing.”
She then paused, her voice dropping into a whisper. “But… to acquire it, you may need to pay a little more than usual, I’m afraid.”
Although it wasn’t exactly the skill I’d been searching for, it was close enough. With this, I could accomplish things I previously couldn’t, since it wasn’t an illusion-type skill like Phantom Mirage. It would surely help a lot down the road. Furthermore, it might serve well enough as a baiting skill that I might not even need to possess Selene.
I narrowed my eyes slightly. “And what amount are we speaking here?”
Despite the pressure I’d put on her earlier, her smile of greed hadn’t disappeared. “Hmm, I’ll have to pull so strings to get that skill book. It’s from the higher district, after all. Don’t worry, I won’t rip you off. Let’s say… thirty thousand soul coins. That’s completely fair, don’t you think?”
Even now, she was trying to wring every last coin out of . Truly, this fox knew no sha. She was good—far too good. But I wasn’t the sa naive buyer she’d just fleeced. If she wanted to play dirty, then I’d play even dirtier to lower the price down.
“Are you sure you want to tell every divine warrior in Fantasia that there’s a dishonest fox rchant hiking up prices and tricking custors into overpaying?” I said with a smirk.
You have used Negotiation.
“Grr…” She hissed softly, then placed a hand over her chest, feigning innocence. “How can you sar my good na like that? Twenty-five thousand, then.”
“Ten thousand.”
“No, no, no! I’d lose my entire store if I sold it for that!” she protested, shaking her head vehently. “Twenty-two thousand. Final.”
“Nine thousand.”
“What?! How can you go lower than before?! Are you trying to rob blind, dear custor?!” she cried, clutching her tail dramatically like it was a wounded treasure. “At this rate, I’ll have to sell my own fur just to break even!”
Despite her exaggerated performance, I pressed the haggling further until she glared at with barely restrained frustration. Her tail lashed once, twice, before she exhaled sharply and threw up her hands. “Ugh! I’ve just been swindled! Fine! Fifteen thousand. But!” Her eyes narrowed dangerously, that sly grin curling back onto her lips. “You owe a favor. Sothing only a strong divine warrior like you can handle.”
I frowned slightly. “A favor, huh?”
Her grin widened, teeth flashing. “Oh, don’t look so worried, dear custor. I’m sure it’ll be mutually beneficial. I just want you to procure so items, and I’ll even pay you for them. Of course, if you don’t like my terms, you can always forget about this little deal.”
Fifteen thousand soul coins and a future favor owed to a fox rchant… I wasn’t sure which would end up costing more. Still, I didn’t have much more soul coins left to spare, and this skill could very well be worth the risk. Besides, judging by her attitude, Mira wasn’t just so random shopkeeper; she clearly had connections. My gut told there was more to her than t the eye.
“Deal,” I said at last.
Negotiation has leveled up.
Figures. It only takes a single transaction with her for this skill to improve.
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