Chapter 645 - First wave

Some interesting potion choices. If I had to buy one… Probably the Fae concoction? Not only would that spread [Misfortune] further but I’m relatively certain that would help my mana vision see farther away too. One million flat mana is not bad either but it’s probably better suited to someone with very low base mana, since one million will likely not account for much anymore after this trial. Too bed the health one is already sold, this I could have used.

I guess I might buy the Stamina potion for Alith if I have points to spare at the end.

Or well, depending on how the trial is designed, could there be a chance I can buy them all?

Feels unlikely, people like Tartaros are likely to have utterly crushed the tournaments in their time too and even the first shop isn’t empy of uniques yet, so the number of points one can get has to be quite limited.

Well, either way I’m not buying any Unique item until the very end when I have the maximum possible discount.

Sofia closed the shop window.

“You… You’re not going to check the regular potions?” the shopkeeper asked, surprised to see Sofia already close the catalogue window.

“No thanks, I will likely come back to check everything in detail later, but we don’t have much time today, and I intend to check every single shop. Any idea what the most expensive thing on the Ark is? Can you tell me?”

“Ahah… The most expensive? Well. Everyone knows, and you really cannot miss them, but you will have to find that for yourself… I would not get my hopes up, though, even if you have a good track record, what with the announcement and all. The number of points you need for those things is truly ridiculous…” the shopkeeper answered, averting her eyes, her rabbit ears drooping a little.

Them? Those things? Is there more than one most expensive thing?

“Alright. Watch me be ridiculous, then. See you later, Poya.”

Sofia turned around and left the store, only to end up face to face with a familiar hero, with a silver star pinned on his chest.

“You again? You know we can’t fight now, right?” Sofia asked Ezerid, her eyes meeting his.

“I know,” he answered with a frown, “I came to apologize. I am sorry about my outburst earlier.”

“Really? You sure don’t look like you mean it…”

“I do!” Ezerid cut in, his frown deepening.

“Sure, whatever. I don’t hold it against you anyway. It’s a trial, we do what we have to do. Apology or not, though, I am not going to pull any punches!”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way!” Ezerid answered with confidence, “Let’s clash again in the next test, Saintess!” he continued, “The next gold start will be mine!” he finished, before tapping his staff against the ground and disappearing once again.

“Good luck,” Sofia concluded, though the andarian hero had already left.

“I don’t like him,” Bookie chimed in from behind Sofia.

“He certainly has a personality. I do not mind the competition, though. But enough time wasted, let’s check out the next shop!”

Sofia spent the entirety of the free time break to check every shop she could find on the Ark’s first two levels, as the levels below were all ‘temporarily closed’.

Not every shop contained interesting things or unique items, and a lot of those who did had very little stock, all in all, about 60% of all unique items were already gone. The unique items left were mostly the really expensive ones, or those with very niche utility. For example there was an entire collection of unique tools for craftsmen, and very few of those had been sold, only for the more popular crafts like smithing.

So far, there were three items which had really captured her attention.

The first she found was in a shop selling defensive artifacts, the item was the Liquidmana coating, its effects were not all that interesting, but the price tag alone meant it was a desirable piece of protection.

★★★★★U [Liquidmana coating]: 

A stable flask of liquid mana which can be used to envelop and protect your mana heart or a lich’s phylactery.

Price: 100 000 000 TP

Second was located in a rather well-hidden jewelry boutique that required at least a gold star pin to enter and with a silent old dwarf sitting behind the counter. This one item was rather cheap in comparison to the first one, but it had a good synergy with [False immortality] and in turn with [One with Suffering], allowing Sofia to revive a bit more safely in battle.

★★U [Ring of the thousand-lived]: 

This ring redirects the wearer’s lost energy upon death to create a strong magic barrier around their body. Must be primed before use.

Price: 1 000 000 TP

And lastly was an item that was very hard to miss as it was featured prominently in the very center of the second floor down, displayed for sale on a pedestal that wasn’t even in a shop. It was a shining pair of armored boots that required a whopping 9 gold star pins to even be available to buy, and was likely the most expensive item Poya had spoken of earlier.

★★★★★★★★★U [Tournament Master’s Greaves]: 

Carefully crafted from the rarest materials by a genius craftsman, the master greaves envelope your every step with illusion-dispelling magic light.

The wearer’s Speed is doubled.

The wearer’s Agility is doubled.

On first equip: Choose a system passive skill, its potency will be doubled at no additionnal cost.

Cannot be destroyed.

Must be primed before use.

Price: 1 000 000 000 TP

Someone put their hand on Sofia’s shoulder as she was staring blankly at the radiant boots.

“These are crazy. But you know what I’m thinking?” the person asked.

Sofia recognized Mornn’s voice, she looked back at Sun’s saintess with a smirk.

“That I’m going to get them?” Sofia answered, only half-jokingly.

“Ah! You’re too confident for your own good, and that’s not what I was thinking, no. As I look at these, really, I only have one thing in mind. ‘Tournament Master’s’ sounds like an equipment set’s name, doesn’t it? I just wonder… If there’s a Master’s sword somewhere out there. If there is… It’s mine.”

“If there is… Well I don’t need another weapon, and neither does Pareth, so I have nothing to say if you want it. Assuming there’s one and you even get enough points.”

“Hey I am no pushover, you know? I improved a lot since last time. I was fighting Phageid on the frontline while you were doing who knows what playing teacher and whatnot.”

“No slight to you, the price for the boots is just that high. I trust both you and Kuli for this trial, honestly, you both survived basically without injury against Tartaros in the last test, that by itself says everything I need to know. Are you ready for the next test?”

Mornn took a step back and looked around, everyone was already grouping up, grabbing their weapons, “Hmm… I’ll do like you and put on this ridiculous star pin. Of course I’m ready. Always ready! Any moment now!”

‘You have received a new quest’

[Tournament begins!]

[Catch the first wave: Individual trials]

[For the first wave of tournament events, you must choose to compete in one of four individual events. Tournament points and Star Pins will be awarded individually.]

[To successfully pass the trial, you will need to buy an awakening pill, available after the first wave for tournament points, and awaken your mana heart in the trial’s main event: The Ark Tournament!]

[Available first wave events:

• Hunting competition - Drake Invaders

• Dungeon Time Attack - Sea-lost adventure

• Commander Masters - Dwarves versus Elves

• Armed to the teeth - Craftsmen showdown]

Individual trials. So I’ll be with Pareth under the Twin ruleset. I need to take that into account.

Expand descriptions.

[EVENT: Hunting competition - Drake invaders]

[Compete for the most kills in a wide environment. All the monsters are elemental drakes. TvT enabled (Trialees may attack and kill each other).]

[EVENT: Dungeon Time Attack - Sea-lost adventure]

[You and other participants will be teleported to mirror copies of an underwater ruin full of traps, monsters, and featuring a strong final boss!  Be the fastest to solve the ruin’s secrets and kill the final boss for the win! Ranking established based on time to clear only.]

[EVENT: Commander Masters - Dwarves versus Elves]

[Compete against other Trialees as commanders of an army of either Dwarves or Elves with soldiers that you pick yourself out of a wide selection! You cannot fight yourself, and your army is not replenished between battles. Whose commanding ability will shine? Who will bring their army to the ultimate victory? May the best leader win!]

[Event: Armed to the teeth - Craftsmen showdown]

[Choose between a Soldier, a Golem or an Undead warrior, and equip them to the best of your ability! You cannot give your own items, but everything else from items crafted on the spot to summoned weapons and enchantments are fair game. Crafting materials and tools are provided for free! The chosen warriors will then compete against each other. Only one may stand!]