Hacking the Game Didn't Go as Intended [Part One]

CHAPTER 90: Shopping Spree

To add insult to injury, their stats were far from impressive. Yet, this revelation hardly surprised Daisuke. Typically, in the realm of MMOs and RPGs, items peddled by NPCs—weapons, armor, and accessories, often fell short, lacking any special effects or modifiers and commanding exorbitant prices.

It was like purchasing a brand-new car—expensive, with all parts standard-issue. If one sought fancy rims, spoilers, side skirts, or performance upgrades, aftermarket components were a must. In the world of video games, there were several ways to supply those aftermarket components, or items with rare and special attributes.

The most common method entailed hunting monsters. Four out of five times, it's likely that the items dropped by a mob not only had options, but its Base Attack, Defense, Critical Hit Rate, and other primary stats were higher in comparison to the same items sold by NPCs.

The second most popular method was to commission a skilled craftsman, such as a blacksmith, to forge weapons or equipment using special materials. These items are almost always guaranteed to boast special or unique modifiers, which made this option especially enticing to Daisuke.

After selecting all but a few of the two months' worth of irrelevant monster materials, weapons, and equipment he hadn't gotten the opportunity to sell before now, Daisuke took one final appraising look at a particular staff.

[Grimhorn Totemstaff (Bounded Item)]

[Rank: Unique

Type: Staff

Melee Attack Power: 4 | Magical Attack Power: 209~255 | Durability: 34/43 | Accuracy: 69

A relic of goblin legend, the Grimhorn Totemstaff is an ancient artifact that commands the power of transformation. At its peak, a menacing skull adorned with twisted horns gazes out with eyes ablaze, its eye sockets fitted with shimmering gems that pulsate with arcane energy.

▪︎ HP & MP Regen Speed +10%

▪︎ Unlocks the «Intrinsic Transformation» skill.

Conditions of Use: Lvl 20+ | Strength 3+ | Stamina 10+ | Intelligence 50]

[Intrinsic Transformation]

[Enables the wielder to shape-shift into various forms, from an innocent human child to a savage beast. Mastery of this ability requires a deep connection to the primordial forces of nature and the cunning intellect of the Goblin Shaman.]

Without hesitation, Daisuke attempted to add the staff to the list of items designated for sale. However, with each attempt to check the box or command the item to select, the menu window momentarily flickered and shifted from its customary blue hue to an ominous shade of red.

"Sorry, kid, but I won't be able to buy that item off your hands," the blacksmith paused his hammering to inform. "It's bound to its previous owner."

"Previous owner?" Daisuke murmured in surprise, his brow furrowing as he skimmed through the weapon's description. There, he took note of two annoying bits of information: [Grimhorn Totemstaff (Bound Item)] and [Mastery of this ability requires a deep connection to the primordial forces of nature and the cunning intellect of the Goblin Shaman.]

Are you freakin' kidding me right now?! Daisuke fumed inwardly. Even in death this damn goblin continues to be a headache!

His teeth ground together with a murderous frown, but as he confirmed the sale of all the other items and took note of the amount of gold he made, his expression transformed. Suddenly, he seemed to radiate an angelic glow.

3,874 gold! He beamed, the words ringing out like wind chimes in his mind. When I add that to my current funds, that's a whopping total of 7,532 gold! Holy Moly! Is this for real?!

"Ohh~" exclaimed the blacksmith, finally stepping away from the anvil as he assessed the edge of a pair of throwing axes Daisuke had just sold. "This is an impressive assortment of items. It looks like you've had your fair share of adventures."

"Some of which I'd much rather forget," admitted Daisuke with a hint of weariness.

The burly man nodded sympathetically, raking his large, calloused fingers through his thick beard. "I can understand that—once upon a time, I used to be an adventurer myself. Now, you mentioned that you were interested in buying something?"

"On second thought," Daisuke began, his tone thoughtful, "would it be possible for you to forge a custom item for me instead?"

Daisuke's expression hardened as memories flooded back of the arduous battles against Volturax and the stone golems. It was incredibly frustrating, and yet it was but a matter of time before he once again encountered such monsters. Before that moment arrived, he needed a more efficient way to defeat them.

"Of course!" the blacksmith agreed, his chest swelling with confidence. "What sort of item did you have in mind?"

Daisuke rubbed his chin contemplatively. "A weapon, preferably a pair of daggers. Would that be possible?"

"Consider it done!" the man boomed with laughter, giving Daisuke a hearty slap on the back that sent him flying. "Where do you think you are? This is the finest blacksmith in all of Wonderelle! My hammer and anvil will craft the perfect pair of daggers for you! Just you wait!"

Daisuke scratched his cheek with an awkward smile. "I'm glad to hear it. I'll leave everything in your capable hands then."

"If you're requesting a custom weapon, I'm guessing you've also brought the materials you want me to use?"

"Oh, right," Daisuke muttered, retrieving Volturax's fangs and tail, which he placed atop a nearby worktable.

It took but a single glance before the blacksmith pursed his lips and began breaking into a sweat, his once ruddy complexion turning white. His head slowly pivoted around like an old, creaking door. "I can't do it."

Daisuke's expression settled into a poker face, a cold draft drifting through the once hot workshop. Where did all that confidence go? "What do you mean you can't do it?"

"...I can tell that these are very high-quality materials," the blacksmith explained with a touch of regret in his voice. "And while it pains me to admit, I gotta say a blacksmith of my caliber wouldn't be able to do these materials any justice."

"Then—"

The man regarded the materials once more, his fingers tracing thoughtfully through his beard. "My recommendation is to visit the capital," he suggested. "There, you'll find blacksmiths with the expertise to handle materials of this caliber."

Daisuke crossed his arms and tiled his head in contemplation. Damn, this is pretty disappointing, but I guess it can't be helped. I was even thinking about upgrading my armor, but if the best blacksmith in town can't craft the weapons I need, then it's unlikely I'll find top-notch armor either.

He sighed inwardly, weighing his options. Considering all the equipment stores likely source from local blacksmiths, I doubt I'll find anything better elsewhere. It's frustrating to think everything will be just as expensive and subpar as the weapons being sold here.

You know what, this is fine, Daisuke reflected. I managed to snag the Swift Leather Boots as a monster drop in the dungeon. There were plenty of other drops later on, too, but since I was playing support and Gavric and the others were doing all the hunting, I let them keep the equipment they received.

Unfortunately, none of the gear I got was compatible with my build. But now that I'll be hunting solo, I should have a better chance of finding equipment that suits me. Plus, with winter approaching, it's probably a good idea to start saving as much gold as possible.

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