This back-and-forth banter with Old Ed served an excellent purpose.
It significantly relieved the anxiety and trembling deep in Elias's heart after facing that unknown entity.
The white glimmer from the simple Sanctuary slowly dissipated into the air.
By the dim light of the gas lamp, Elias looked again at the limp elemental revolver.
Though it looked like a sea cucumber, Elias couldn't help but marvel at his own luck.
He had stumbled into success...
Who would have thought that absorbing the deadly high-level pollution of an evil god would give this broken gun the terrifying ability to drive back an evil god's projection?
This was a massive windfall.
In the end, even if that nuclear-level ultimate move called the chaos energy bullet had a ridiculous cooldown of half a month, this deal was already incredibly profitable.
As far as trump cards went, having one that could flip the table was enough to feel secure.
However, the bad news was equally fatal.
He still had to spend a fortune at the black market today to buy some handy conventional equipment.
Otherwise, during these fifteen days while the elemental revolver was a piece of scrap metal...
What would he use to fight for his life if he encountered danger?
He couldn't exactly talk his way out of it, could he?
Once this gun was out of commission, he would be too.
"It really is a shame..."
Elias rested his head on his hands, letting out a regretful sigh typical of the poor.
"I won't be able to buy the Scale Two potion to advance immediately."
"What's the rush?"
Old Ed suddenly interjected with a question.
"I've been holding this in for a long time, and I wanted to say it before."
Old Ed continued.
"Does a kid like you have some kind of misunderstanding about transcendent advancement?"
"What is the most important thing you should think about every day when you open your eyes?"
"It is whether the potion has been digested!"
"If the potion isn't fully digested, why the hell are you trying to advance?"
"Forcefully drinking the next stage's potion will only result in two types of spirituality fighting in your veins, eventually exploding your entire body into a pile of indescribable meat!"
Elias was stunned by what he heard.
Then, he rolled his eyes in his mind and retorted unceremoniously:
"Old Ed, you have the nerve to say that?"
"When I asked you for the potion formula before, why didn't you ask if I had digested the potion then?"
"Now you're playing Monday morning quarterback?"
Old Ed was choked up, his voice pausing for a few seconds.
Then, the old man shouted with a hint of exasperation:
"You should be able to feel it yourself, shouldn't you?!"
"Is there any sense of blockage in your spiritual output?" Old Ed questioned.
"No," Elias answered very bluntly.
"When you cast spells, is there any sluggishness in your Rational Circuit?"
"None at all."
Not only was there none, but it was also incredibly smooth.
A dead silence fell over his mind.
A full half-minute passed.
Only then did Old Ed sound like a deflated balloon, his voice carrying a deep sense of frustration and helplessness.
"Fine..."
"To be honest, I noticed it long ago."
"When you first finished that Scale One potion, you basically digested it completely on the spot."
"But I didn't want to say it. I didn't want to discourage myself!"
Old Ed's voice sounded like he was about to cry.
"You're a freak! An outlier!"
Elias's lips curled up wildly after hearing this.
This stubborn old geezer!
"I'm what you call a genius!" Elias said, feeling quite annoyed.
"And you're blaming me for it?"
"You don't know anything!" Old Ed cursed.
"For us ordinary transcendents, the progress of potion digestion is often directly linked to how certain a person is about the authority of the god they believe in!"
"The more devout the faith and the deeper the understanding of the authority, the faster the digestion."
"But you're different!"
"Right from the start, you clearly told me that you believe in that... God of Hammer and Sickle or whatever!"
"You couldn't even be bothered to say the Moon Lord's full divine name!"
"But what about the Moon Lord?"
"That entity doesn't seem to treat you like a rebellious heretic at all!"
"To you... it can even be said... that it's somewhat favoring you!"
Old Ed sounded more and more aggrieved as he spoke.
"I have served the Moon Lord for fifty years!"
"Fifty years!"
"I pray to it day and night, following its teachings!"
"Yet I have never received such ridiculous pity as you!"
"Your Dream Prayer Ritual got an instant response!"
"On what basis?!"
"To be honest, I just can't figure it out."
Listening to Old Ed's bitter complaint, Elias spoke in a serious tone:
"Old Ed..."
"Is there a possibility that your certainty regarding the Moon Lord's authority isn't as strong as you think?"
"Your work attitude isn't right, and you haven't grasped the leader's core pain points?"
"Bullshit!!!"
Old Ed let out a mental roar that made Elias's eardrums ache.
"See, you don't like hearing the truth."
"If you don't like it, then don't disturb my sleep."
"I have to go spend money tomorrow."
...
The next morning.
Elias woke up early.
Since the elemental revolver was unusable, he had to dig out the old, ordinary revolver from his suitcase and hide it at his waist.
Then, he tucked the carapace husk hand-axe into his lower back.
He had no choice; there was really nothing else to use.
To be safe, Elias activated the Moonlight Veil as soon as he stepped out.
He didn't walk directly onto the main road but instead moved quietly, taking a large detour through the dark alleys of Ash Street.
Sure enough.
Behind a discarded mailbox at the corner of his street.
He saw Charlotte's suspicious figure.
She was wearing a gray hooded cloak today, wrapping herself tightly.
She was peeking around, staring at the closed door of Elias's house with a furrowed brow, her eyes full of clumsy alertness.
Elias remained hidden under the protection of the Moonlight Veil, standing against a wall less than ten meters away from her, watching coldly.
Seeing Charlotte's comical look of confusion as she lost her target, Elias suppressed his laughter.
He didn't disturb his sister, who was trying to play detective.
Turning around, he silently merged into the morning crowd.
First stop: the train station post office.
Ten minutes later.
Elias stood at the post office counter and accepted an unsigned kraft paper envelope.
He tore it open.
Inside lay a bank check with the royal anti-counterfeiting watermark of the Kingdom of Velen.
The numbers on it clearly read: 3,000 gold crowns.
This thin piece of paper felt as heavy as a thousand pounds in his hand.
That was hard-earned money paid for with his life.
Elias didn't hesitate. After leaving the post office, he hired a carriage and headed straight for the Union Bank in the center of Hope County.
Verification, signing, withdrawal.
When he stepped out of the heavy revolving glass doors of the bank, the inner pocket of his wide trench coat was stuffed with heavy promissory notes.
With money in hand, his confidence instantly soared.
Elias lowered the brim of his hat and stepped into the territory of the Arcane Black Market once again.
Today, he had a very specific goal.
—The Hand of Hrafn Craftsman Shop.
That was the reliable place Blaine had recommended.
He quickly found his destination at the most bustling intersection of the Arcane Black Market.
But when he actually stood before that door...
His footsteps stopped involuntarily, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.
"What the..."
"This is called a 'shop'?"
Elias looked up at the imposing building in front of him.
This shouldn't be called a 'shop' at all. This was definitely a 'store,' or even a 'flagship store'!
This building stood completely independent from the low, crowded, illegal structures of the black market.
It was located right in the center of the intersection.
Large floor-to-ceiling glass windows were polished spotless, revealing a warm but not blinding light inside.
Above the door hung a massive sign: Hand of Hrafn.
Elias swallowed and walked through the door.
A crisp and pleasant chime rang from the magical wind chimes on the doorframe.
The moment he stepped inside, a luxurious scent mixed with high-end incense greeted him.
Elias's first reaction wasn't amazement.
Instead, he subconsciously clutched the pocket containing his money.
He began to worry seriously whether the three thousand gold crowns he had just gotten would be enough in a place like this.
The decor here was quite elegant, even possessing a sense of high-class prestige.
The floor was covered with a thick, handmade wool carpet, making his footsteps completely silent.
Soft light emanated from the illumination crystals embedded in the surrounding walls.
The space was huge, filled with a dazzling array of goods.
Various transcendent items with subtle spiritual fluctuations were neatly displayed on the shelves.
The interior was professionally divided into four main areas.
To the left was an antique section for records, piled high with parchment scrolls and thick leather-bound books.
To the right was the potion area, where colorful potions were displayed in crystal counters, some even bubbling.
Further in were the areas for throwables and equipment.
But what shocked and terrified Elias the most were the 'staff' here.
This was a completely automated magical shop!
In the center of the hall, two brooms with no one holding them were sweeping the carpet in a very regular, automatic pattern.
Around the bookshelves and scroll racks, several feather dusters were automatically dusting the high shelves.
There were also several Arcane Hands glowing with a deep blue light floating in various places, waiting for orders.
And guarding the door were two constructs over two meters tall.
The one on the left was made entirely of earth.
The one on the right was composed entirely of flowing water.
In his Spirit Vision, the spirituality within these two constructs soared into the sky.
Elias tried to stay calm as he looked toward the checkout counter in the center of the hall.
The one standing there as a cashier wasn't human at all.
It was a humanoid phantom emitting a soft white light.
It was composed entirely of pure spirituality.
Elias's gaze swept across the entire first-floor hall.
Aside from a human clerk dozing off at a desk in a remote corner of the record area, not a single other living person could be seen in the entire hall.
Fully automated, arcane technology, zero labor costs.
This was the prestige of high-level mysticism.
Elias stood on the soft carpet, looking at the price tags that were frequently three or four-digit gold crowns.
He took a deep breath, his palms covered in cold sweat.
"Well, I'm screwed."
"This place doesn't look like somewhere I can haggle over the price."
Rate on N.U.
