Chapter Twenty-Four: The Little Magical Pet

At present, Wang Ling possessed a total of 60,000 currency points, 12 skill points, and 2 dream skill points. Upgrading E- and D-rated skills from level 2 to level 3 required 1,000 currency points and 1 skill point, but advancing from level 3 to level 4 would cost 2,000 currency points and 2 skill points.

After upgrading Accelerated Sprint, Iron Head, and Iron Legs all to level 4, he had used up all 12 skill points and spent 12,000 currency points. The data for the three skills now read as follows:

“Accelerated Sprint: When running at full speed, you can enter an acceleration state. Current level: LV4. In this state, your speed increases by 40%, consuming 1 point of mental energy per second. During acceleration, your jumping ability increases by 40%, but your agility decreases by 40%.

Learning and usage requirements: Basic Footwork LV2.

LV4 Accelerated Sprint, additional effect: your base speed permanently increases by 10%.

Skill type: Active. Skill rating: E.”

“Iron Head: You possess a head as hard as iron. Current level: LV4. Your head’s resistance to impact is greatly increased, making this area less prone to injury or abnormal status. Physical damage to this area is reduced by 40%.

Learning and usage requirements: Basic Parry LV2, Basic Endurance LV2.

LV4 Iron Head: Additional effect: reduces base physical damage to this part by 10 points; if damage is less than 10, you take no harm.

Skill type: Passive. Skill rating: D.”

“Iron Legs: You possess legs and feet as hard as iron. Current level: LV4. Resistance to impact for your legs and feet is greatly increased, making them less prone to injury or abnormal status. Physical damage to this area is reduced by 40%.

Learning and usage requirements: Basic Parry LV2, Basic Endurance LV2.

LV4 Iron Legs: Additional effect: reduces base physical damage to this part by 10 points; if damage is less than 10, you take no harm.

Skill type: Passive. Skill rating: D.”

With 48,000 currency points left, Wang Ling initially thought about strengthening the Heart of Peach several levels, but was surprised to find that upgrading Rainbow Dream equipment also required skill points, so he had to put the idea aside for now.

Now that he held a small fortune, Wang Ling naturally wanted to visit the free market for some shopping. After all, he lacked both a handy weapon and protective gear. To avoid being recognized by his previous attire, he made sure to change into a different set of clothes.

Upon arriving at the free market, he realized he was the subject of much lively discussion. Wang Ling smiled slightly, unconcerned, and began to browse the stalls one by one, searching for something to his liking. Unexpectedly, at one stall he found an E-rated crimson elite piece of equipment!

“White Iron Musket: Type: Firearm; Rating: E; Attribute: Crimson Equipment; Attack: 17–37; Ability: Auto reloads one round per minute; Ammo type: Lead bullet; Magazine capacity: One; Firing range: Optimal at 10 meters, effective up to 30 meters.”

“Skill: Flame Round. Infuses bullets with fire elemental damage, causing explosions on impact for triple damage, inflicting an additional 27 points of fire damage to targets within a 1-meter diameter, and an extra 7 points of splash fire damage within a 5-meter diameter. After firing a flame round, the musket must rest for one hour to allow the poor old barrel to cool down completely.”

“Equipment requirements: Strength 12, Agility 15, Basic Ranged Combat LV3.”

“Description: A short-barreled musket, very easy to maintain, beloved by Moogle gunners.”

This was a flintlock musket with a wooden handle, its barrel gleaming silver, and the grip engraved with intricate patterns, giving it a rustic charm. From the description, Wang Ling recognized it as a weapon from the world of Final Fantasy on the GBA, the starter gun for the Moogle gunner class. He eyed the stall owner curiously, wondering how someone had managed to acquire such a fine E-level weapon.

The stall owner was shrouded in mist, within which could be glimpsed a black robe. Judging by his short stature, he was probably a young boy.

Besides Wang Ling, several other dreamers stopped to examine the weapon. For newcomers, guns were far superior to swords, but while the musket’s power was impressive for low-level E equipment—boasting an initial attack value of 17–37 at LV1—its rate of fire was pitifully slow.

One bullet per minute was less practical than a standard pistol, and nowhere near as efficient as an automatic rifle or submachine gun. The built-in Flame Round skill was powerful, but after one shot, the weapon required a full hour to cool down—hardly tolerable.

More importantly, the weapon was outrageously priced at 35,000 currency points. Even for a crimson elite item, that was excessive; few in the public beginner area could afford it. And those who could might well prefer to spend that amount outfitting themselves completely in decent blue gear.

As spectators gradually dispersed, the stall owner’s trembling betrayed his anxiety. Seeing Wang Ling still lingering, he asked hopefully, “Do you want to buy it? This musket is really good. If I didn’t desperately need currency points, I would never sell it.”

Wang Ling was indeed tempted. As a newcomer, he had no fixed combat style—whether he’d become a melee fighter, ranged attacker, physical specialist, or spellcaster was still unknown. However, among his three skills, Accelerated Sprint could let him outrun most people. With such speed, keeping his distance and harassing with a high-powered musket would be extremely effective.

Guns were rare in the free market; Wang Ling had seen only two others, both ordinary white equipment. One was a D-rated birding rifle with higher base attack than the White Iron Musket, but it wasn’t self-replenishing.

Infinite ammunition was by far the most useful trait for a firearm! Additionally, the musket’s “Flame Round” was a potent skill. In Wang Ling’s eyes, the advantages of this weapon definitely outweighed its flaws.

Having decided to buy, he moved on to bargaining, immediately offering half price—17,500. To his surprise, the stall owner replied, “Sorry, I need exactly 35,000 currency points, so this musket won’t go for less, no matter what.”

Wang Ling couldn’t help laughing. Only yesterday, his life-boosting mushroom had also been firmly priced at 100,000, but that was to gauge the item’s real value and other dreamers’ purchasing power.

“Not even for 20,000?”

“Sorry…”

“21,000?”

He bid all the way up to 30,000, but the stall owner only kept apologizing. Seeing someone even more stubborn than himself, Wang Ling shook his head helplessly. “31,000. If you won’t sell for that, I’m leaving.”

To his astonishment, the stall owner dropped to his knees with a thud, voice trembling with tears, “Please, I know you want this gun and you can afford 35,000. Please, I beg you, buy it from me!”

Wang Ling’s jaw dropped in pure embarrassment. His expression probably matched Mario’s when Princess Peach dove headlong into his arms. In all his experience as a buyer, he’d never met a seller like this—was this begging?

“Are you Japanese?”

“No, I’m German.” The stall owner, head bowed to the ground, replied.

“That makes no sense. You’re not Japanese, so why are you so quick to kneel?” Wang Ling was completely baffled.

Though he didn’t understand, letting someone kneel before him felt wrong. With dreamers all around pointing and whispering, Wang Ling hurried to lift the boy to his feet.

“I can buy your White Iron Musket for 35,000, but I have one condition. I want to know why you need this many currency points so badly. If your reason doesn’t satisfy me, I may not help you. After all, that’s no small sum, and there are better bargains in the market.”

The stall owner agreed at once. “No problem.”

The two of them left the free market together. After some hesitation, the stall owner dispelled the mist concealing his appearance and said, “My name is Su.”

Wang Ling saw that the boy was about thirteen, with pale gold hair and dark green eyes—a delicate, androgynous beauty, giving off a gentle and vulnerable impression. In his mind, Wang Ling labeled him: a weak, submissive boy type highly favored by fujoshi.

“You can call me Ling,” Wang Ling replied, dispelling his own mist and greeting the boy.

Su hesitated, then said, “I’ve temporarily granted you access to my private room. Please accompany me for a teleport.”

Bathed in white light, they arrived together in Su’s room—Wang Ling’s first time in someone else’s private quarters. He looked around curiously. The room was decorated mainly in pink, cozy and homey, with a small bed in the corner, suggesting Su hadn’t spent extra currency expanding his bedroom.

A life-sized Pikachu plush occupied the bed, and the walls were plastered with giant posters of Mewtwo, Gardevoir, Scizor, and other popular Pokémon. With this, Wang Ling gave Su another mental label: a die-hard Pokémon fan.

The room’s most eye-catching feature was a small wooden table upon which lay three red-and-white Poké Balls.

“I need 35,000 currency points to revive these three Pokémon, who died fighting to protect me.”

Su displayed the Poké Balls via his Dream Badge. To Wang Ling’s surprise, one held a Pichu, another a Dratini, and the third an Abra. All three Pokémon were marked as “dead.”

“Pichu can evolve into Pikachu, the main mascot of Pokémon; Dratini’s ultimate form is Dragonite, the sky’s king and a pseudo-legendary; Abra’s ultimate form is Alakazam, a mighty psychic powerhouse! How did this young boy manage to obtain three Pokémon with such limitless potential?”