He looked at the crowd flowing around the plaza, but in his heart, he understood even more clearly.
The royal capital was not without rules. Rather, the rules were hidden deeper.
In the county seat, the rules were simpler: who lived in the inner city, who lived in the outer city, who was a noble, and who was a commoner was clearly distinguished by a separating wall.
The royal capital was different.
It seemed like a chaotic mix here, but in reality, every street, every building, every carriage, and every insignia was silently dividing people into tiers.
Someone who couldn't read these signs would easily get into trouble in the royal capital.
Matthew led Aidan and continued walking forward.
As they passed the edge of the plaza, a few nearby stall owners were whispering among themselves. They didn't deliberately keep their voices too low, and their words drifted into Matthew's ears in fragments.
“Did you hear? Something happened in the Theater District to the south again last night.”
“What happened this time?”
“They say there's some bloodthirsty monster biting people on sight. It almost bit a Night Patroller to death.”
“Biting people on sight? A mad dog?”
“Not a mad dog, but something humanoid. Its face was as pale as a corpse, and its mouth was covered in blood. I heard when it was found, it was still hunched over some unlucky bastard's neck, gnawing on him.”
“Really? What about the patrol guards?”
“They showed up. As soon as they arrived, they cut the monster down.”
“That fast?”
“It was incredibly weak. Two patrol guards went up and felled it in just a few sword strikes. It was just terrifying to look at. Even after it died, it was still twitching, and its mouth kept crying out that it was hungry.”
“That's good. I thought it was some major event.”
“Heh, does a day go by in the royal capital without something strange happening? The Theater District is already chaotic. The noble lords love to play at night, so what doesn't exist over there?”
The men laughed in low voices.
The laughter carried the levity of street gossip, along with a touch of indifferent apathy.
Aidan's expression shifted slightly as he listened, and he couldn't help but look at Matthew.
“Brother Matthew, the bloodthirsty monster they mentioned...”
Matthew did not stop his pace.
“There are many people in the royal capital, and many strange occurrences.”
Aidan lowered his voice.
“Should we ask around about it?”
Matthew said calmly, “If it were truly dangerous, the streets wouldn't be this peaceful.”
Aidan was startled, then quickly realized.
Indeed.
The streets were still bustling, the stall owners were still doing business, and the patrol squads had not set up any large-scale blockades. This meant that, at least in the eyes of ordinary people, the matter had already been dealt with.
On the surface, Matthew didn't seem to care, but in his mind, he noted down a few keywords.
Theater District.
Bloodthirsty.
Pale face.
Biting people on sight.
Slain by guards.
Very weak.
Taken individually, these words all sounded like typical urban rumors.
Madness, potion contamination, low-level monsters, or out-of-control Class holders could all be referred to as monsters by ordinary people.
The royal capital was densely populated with all kinds of people, so it was not surprising for a few crazed individuals who bit people to appear.
Matthew would not actively pursue this just because of a few pieces of gossip.
He had just arrived in the royal capital.
The most important things were to familiarize himself with the environment, figure out his channels, and increase his strength. It was not to rush in and get embroiled in trouble the moment he heard of some anomaly.
However, the fact that information traveled so quickly made him realize something else.
There was a vast amount of news in the royal capital.
An event that occurred overnight had already spread among stall owners and carriage drivers by noon.
Most of these street-level fragments of gossip were useless. But occasionally, they might hide clues.
Matthew suppressed this matter in his heart and thought no more of it.
He had come out today for another, more practical purpose.
A weapon.
The sword he currently wore was of Blue quality.
When he was in the county seat, Blue quality was already considered quite good, at least much stronger than the weapons held by most ordinary Class holders.
But after arriving in the royal capital, Matthew's horizons naturally had to expand.
There were more experts here, more resources, and more hidden forces. In the future, the enemies he encountered could not always be bandits, ordinary guards, and low-level Class holders.
The Blue-quality sword was still usable. But it was no longer enough to satisfy him.
If he had the chance to change to a higher-quality weapon, he had no reason to continue making do.
Magic stones had to be used to increase his Spirit. His equipment couldn't lag behind either.
Anything that could increase his chances of survival was never a waste.
Matthew led Aidan into a weapon shop not far from the plaza.
This shop was not small, with a wooden sign showing two crossed longswords hanging at the entrance. Inside, longswords, short blades, shields, and several crossbows were displayed on the walls, and rows of daggers hung behind the counter.
The shop owner was a stout, middle-aged man with thick arms and heavily calloused hands. He didn't look like a simple merchant, but rather like someone who had once been a blacksmith or a guard.
Seeing Matthew and Aidan enter, he first scanned their clothing, then looked at the short sword at Aidan's waist, and a practiced smile immediately appeared on his face.
“What would you two guests like to see? Protective short swords, knight longswords, or fine iron swords? The goods in our shop aren't those cheap showpieces from street stalls; they all come from legitimate workshops.”
As soon as Aidan entered, his gaze was drawn to a short sword on the wall. He was a Black Iron Rank Class holder, so he was naturally interested in weapons.
Matthew was in no hurry to speak. He simply walked to the wall and casually took down a fine iron longsword.
The panel immediately emerged.
【Fine Iron Longsword】
【Quality: White】
【Traits: None】
【Evaluation: A common standard weapon, suitable for ordinary guards.】
There was not a single ripple in Matthew's heart. White quality was too ordinary.
He set down the longsword and picked up a shortsword.
【Refined Shortsword】
【Quality: Green】
【Traits: Lightweight】
【Evaluation: Decent craftsmanship, suitable for Black Iron Rank Class holders.】
This one was decent enough for Aidan, but it was meaningless to him.
Matthew continued looking.
The third was a cold-colored knight sword. The blade was relatively long, and the hilt was wrapped in black leather, making it look significantly more refined than the first two.
The panel emerged.
【Cold Steel Knight Sword】
【Quality: Blue】
【Traits: Sturdy, slight Armor Penetration】
【Evaluation: Stable manufacturing craftsmanship, suitable for Class holders below the Brass Rank.】
When he saw the Blue quality, Matthew finally paused.
The shop owner immediately caught his movement, and his smile became warmer.
“You have a good eye, guest. This Cold Steel Knight Sword is excellent stuff. The blade is sturdy, and it won't easily chip even when clashing against ordinary iron swords. Many Class holders below the Brass Rank favor this one.”
Matthew held the sword and tested its weight. It was indeed good.
If it were in the county seat, this sword could already sell for a high price.
But the problem was, he already had a Blue-quality sword in his hand. If he was just replacing it with a similar Blue sword, it was pointless.
Changing swords required re-adapting to the feel, and it also cost money. Without a qualitative leap, it wasn't worth it.
Matthew put the sword back.
The smile on the shop owner's face froze slightly. “Are you not satisfied, guest?”
Matthew's tone was flat. “Do you have anything better?”
The shop owner sized him up once more.
Initially, he thought Matthew was just bringing a follower to browse casually or to buy a weapon for the young Class holder beside him. But now, it seemed this guest's standards were much higher than he had anticipated.
The shop owner smiled. “These in the front hall are already very popular items among ordinary adventurers.”
Matthew looked at him. “So, you do have better ones?”
The shop owner's eyes flickered. “There are indeed, but the price is not low.”
Matthew said, “Let me see the items first.”
The smile on the shop owner's face became more genuine. These words indicated that the other party wasn't lacking money; he simply looked down on the goods in the front hall.
“This way, please, guest.”
He led Matthew and Aidan toward the back of the shop.
The back room was much quieter than the front hall.
It was not crowded with weapons here; only a few swords were displayed on the wall, alongside several sealed long wooden cases. Light fell through a small window onto the scabbards of the swords, making them look more understated and far more expensive than the goods in the front hall.
Matthew looked through them one by one.
【Silver-Patterned Rapier】
【Quality: Blue】
【Traits: Lightweight, Piercing Enhancement】
【Evaluation: Suitable for speed-type Class holders.】
Not bad, but it didn't suit him.
【Black Iron Heavy Sword】
【Quality: Blue】
【Traits: Heavy, Armor Penetration】
【Evaluation: Difficult to use for those with insufficient Strength.】
Matthew merely glanced at it before setting it down. It was too heavy.
He wasn't on a pure Knight path and had no need for a heavy sword that sacrificed agility.
The third was a longsword. The blade was slightly thin, with faint wind patterns on the spine, and it felt lighter in the hand than an ordinary longsword.
【Wind-Patterned Longsword】
【Quality: Upper-quality Blue】
【Traits: Lightweight, slightly increases striking speed】
【Evaluation: Crafted from Wind-Patterned Steel, suitable for agile combat.】
Matthew looked at this one for a bit longer.
The shop owner was delighted and immediately said, “This Wind-Patterned Longsword is an excellent piece we recently acquired. It's light, fast, and exceptionally sharp. If you are accustomed to an agile fighting style, guest, this one is very suitable.”
Matthew did not reply immediately.
This sword was indeed stronger than his current Blue sword, but it was still only Blue quality. The improvement was there, but it was limited.
If there were no better options, this one could be considered. But Matthew still felt it wasn't enough.
The royal capital was so large, and there were so many resources. Since he had already arrived here, he didn't want to just replace his weapon with a "slightly better" sword.
He wanted a clear improvement. Ideally, a qualitative leap.
Matthew put the Wind-Patterned Longsword back in its place.
The smile on the shop owner's face finally began to falter. “Are you still unsatisfied with this one, guest?”
Matthew said flatly, “It's decent.”
“It's decent.” These words caused the corner of the shop owner's eye to twitch slightly. An Upper-quality Blue Wind-Patterned Longsword was merely “decent” in this young man's mouth.
He fell silent for a moment, as if finally making up his mind.
“If you truly wish to see something exceptional, guest, there is one more sword.”
Matthew raised his eyes.
The shop owner lowered his voice. “However, that sword's price is not low, and... it's a bit special.”
Matthew looked at him. “Bring it out.”
The shop owner didn't move immediately. He glanced at Aidan, then at Matthew, seemingly judging whether the two before him were qualified to look at that sword.
After a moment, he turned and walked to the deepest part of the back room, pulling out a black long case from beneath a cabinet.
The surface of the wooden case was somewhat old, but it was well-maintained. The corners were wrapped in dark bronze, and the latches were polished to a shine.
The shop owner placed the wooden case on the table, deliberately wiping his hands with a cloth before opening it.
This action made Aidan grow serious as well. He could sense that the item being brought out this time was different from the previous ones.
Click.
The latch opened.
The lid of the case slowly lifted.
Lying inside was a slender sword.
The blade was silver-grey, and when light fell upon it, faint dark-red patterns could be seen deep within. Those patterns were very fine, like bloodlines hidden inside the metal, flickering in and out of view. The hilt was wrapped in dark leather, and though the guard was not wide, it was carved with a very small half-face mask motif.
The entire sword was not exaggeratedly ornate. Yet the moment it appeared, the temperature in the back room seemed to drop slightly.
Aidan subconsciously frowned. “Brother Matthew, this sword... feels a bit cold.”
Matthew did not answer. Because before his eyes, the panel had already emerged.
【Blood-Veined Rapier】
【Quality: Purple】
【Traits: Sharpness, Lightness, Weak Lifesteal】
【Abnormal Residue: Unknown blood energy infusion】
【Risk Warning: Long-term close-body wear may trigger bloodthirsty dreams and mental agitation.】
【Evaluation: Crafted from special Blood-Veined Steel, having once come into contact with a vampire aura. Low risk for short-term use, caution is required for long-term use.】
Purple.
The instant he saw that word, Matthew's breath almost caught.
It wasn't an outward loss of composure. His expression did not change, nor did his hand rush to reach out.
But his heart gave a heavy thud at that moment.
Purple quality. It was actually of Purple quality.
From the time he obtained the panel until now, Matthew had seen White, Green, and Blue. Blue equipment was already enough to make many Class holders turn green with envy.
In the county seat, a Blue-quality weapon was definitely not common goods. The weapons held by many Brass Rank Class holders might not necessarily surpass Blue.
But Purple was different. Purple meant truly stepping into a whole new tier.
Something like this would likely be difficult to find in the ordinary markets of the county seat. Even if some noble family possessed one, they wouldn't easily put it up for sale.
Matthew had originally just wanted to try his luck.
He thought that since the royal capital had more resources than the county seat, perhaps he could find an Upper-quality Blue or even a near-Purple sword.
He hadn't expected that on his very first day in the royal capital, casually entering a weapon shop, he would actually lay eyes on a Purple-quality longsword.
To find it so easily without any effort.
When this phrase flashed through his mind, Matthew even felt a brief sense of unreality.
This feeling rarely occurred. He was always cautious and restrained, rarely letting his emotions show on his face.
But at this moment, there was indeed a pleasant surprise in his heart. A powerful, pleasant surprise.
A Purple-quality weapon, to his current self, was not a decoration or a mere collectible. This was concrete combat strength.
It was something that could save his life at a critical moment.
No matter how useful his Energy Missile was, it couldn't resolve every close-combat crisis.
Encountering a sudden attack, having his spells interrupted, or facing a cramped environment unsuitable for casting wizardry—a sword sharp and light enough would be a second life.
The fingers within Matthew's sleeves tightened slightly.
However, in the next moment, he forcibly suppressed that emotion.
Because the warnings on the panel were equally clear.
Unknown blood energy infusion.
Bloodthirsty dreams.
Mental agitation.
Vampire aura.
There was a problem with this sword.
But a problem did not equate to being unusable.
Matthew's gaze quickly cooled down.
An ordinary Class holder seeing such side effects might feel fear or hesitation, because they wouldn't know what impact this blood energy would have, nor would they know if they could resist it.
But Matthew was different.
He was a wizard apprentice. He had Spirit.
More importantly, he had the panel's warnings.
Danger was most terrifying when it was completely unknown.
And now, the panel had laid the risks right before him.
Long-term close-body wear may trigger bloodthirsty dreams and mental agitation.
Low risk for short-term use.
Caution is required for long-term use.
Rate on N.U.
