Rod

After breakfast, Sherry does her smithing.

“What is the next thing you should make?”

“A wooden walking stick, it needs two boards to make.”

“A walking stick like a cane? Is it different from my wand?”

I asked as I pa.s.sed her the boards.

“The wand type cane strengthens the power of magic. The walking stick type cane can be used to beat monsters, as well as strengthening the power of magic a bit. Roxanne said a while ago that priests and shrine maidens will use it if they are in a vanguard position.”

“Ah, so it’s useful for both.”

The price is about the same, so maybe the walking stick is weaker.

If the strength wasn’t related to price, then the wand would be weaker.

For my weapon, I think the wand is better?

In the future I might find a good candidate to use the walking stick type.

There’s n.o.body for it yet, but we will probably have a difficult time in the future as the demons get stronger.

Someone using magic, and then attacking a demon with a walking stick that has [MP absorption] might be a good fighting style.

I don’t think I’ll be able to absorb MP with a magic attack.

I don’t recover MP if I have Durandal out while using magic.

Even if I put [MP absorption] on my wand, or a walking stick, I don’t think either would recover MP while casting.

“I’ll make it.”

Sherry has the boards, and recites the incantation for the skill.

A dazzling light flows out, and then stops before long.

A walking stick is left in her hand.

“Oh, it’s a success.”

“Oh, there’s supposed to be a large chance of failure if you haven’t been training for a long time, this is kind of anti-climactic.”

“It’s because Sherry is excellent.”

Making a walking stick from two boards leaves me with a feeling of it being wrong.

To begin with, it’s strange that clubs and walking sticks are made using square boards.

I can understand a wooden s.h.i.+eld being made from a wooden board.

I can’t help but wonder about the magic that the skill uses though.

“Thank you. The wooden walking stick is a cane that also has physical attack power.”

“It looks like it would hurt a bit.”

“Aside from the walking stick, there is also a weapon called the sacred spear that strengthens magic. It’s quite valuable though, and can be hard to get outside the auctions.”

“Oh, there is?”

It might be a good weapon for someone in a recovery job to attack from the rear.

After smithing, I head to the merchants guild.

I buy the rabbit monster card from Luke.

I confirm it’s the real thing with [a.n.a.lyze].

“I’d like to use this with the kobold monster card. Is the price for one still around 5,200 nars?”

“Close. The last time was 5,300 nars and the time before that was 5,200 nars.”

“Well, it can’t be helped, if you can get it for up to 5,400 nars then I would like it.”

People are still paying 5,200 nars for the kobold monster card.

I want it.

I need to be tenacious.

I want to get one soon.

The last winning bid for the kobold monster card was 5,300 nars.

I have to pay even more if I want one.

“I’ll get it. You just want one?”

“…that’s right.”

Well, Sherry won’t fail, so I just need one.

But, Luke can’t understand that.

Is there a chance of failing when fusing it with the rabbit monster card as well?

One kobold monster card gets me one chance.

The person who bid 5,300 nars last time might not bid anymore.

Maybe I didn’t need to offer 5,400 nars?

There’s no choice if I want to be sure to get it.

People buy it for 5,200 nars as well.

People will also need to buy the same number of monster cards that fuse with the one they have.

If they miss out on the kobold monster card, they can always go hunting for it.

If I think about it, maybe I could have waited a bit?

I could have saved hundreds of nars.

The amount of other bidders will decrease at some stage.

“Ok, I’ll aim for a kobold monster card for up to 5,400 nars.”

“I’d also like a goat monster card.”

“The goat monster card? The last successful bid was 5,000 nars.The time before last was 5,100. It might cost a bit more to obtain it immediately. It often sells from 4,700-4,800 when it’s cheap, and up to 5,400-5,500 if it’s expensive.”

Luke gives a quick answer.

I’ll remember it.

Sherry is looking at the list of bid results in the waiting room.

“That’s rather high.”

“The wizard is the main fire power in a party. Increasing magic attack power is the first choice for a party if they have a wizard. Also, parents of wizards are normally quite wealthy. It’s easy to go to upper floors if you have a wizard, so the price of the goat monster card goes up compared to other cards.”

So it’s a card that rich people want?

“I see, so there’s no helping it, I’ll buy a goat monster card for up to 5,400 nars.”

“Ok.”

You’re not going to ask if I’m fine with just one?

It’s a necessary monster card for me.

I also need more cards for [Incantation interruption], and sacrificial misanga’s, but I only need one goat monster card.

Just one will be fine.

I can’t mention that one is enough though.

Luke doesn’t need to know that Sherry will succeed every time.

That means I should probably buy extras.

Eventually I will need it on multiple items, so they won’t be useless.

I need the goat monster card quickly though, since it increases magic attack power.

After ordering the kobold & goat monster cards, I leave Luke.

I leave the merchants guild by walking, instead of using the wall.

I go to a nearby weapons shop.

Spear: Steel spear: Skill slots – empty, empty, empty.

Is a steel spear a good item?

Three skills slots is probably it’s maximum.

There are two with three slots.

“Choose one of these.”

I pa.s.s the two to Sherry.

“Um, I’ll do my best.”

Sherry sounds like she’s straining a bit as she answers.

Even if you don’t choose well, I don’t think there is a difference.

“Um”

“If I fail at fusion with this, I won’t be able to remake it.”

She’s muttering in a quiet voice.

I see, she’s worrying about monster card fusion.

“It will probably be alright.”

I pat her on the shoulder, and then turn to the canes.

Cane: Rod: Skill slots – empty, empty, empty.

Is this rod alright?

It might be the best cane available in the weapons shop, unless there is something made from damascus steel in the back of the store.

There isn’t much chance of there being one with an empty skill slot though.

This is enough for now.

In the case of cheap items, displayed in ma.s.ses, it’s easy to find ones with empty skill slots.

The high quality items are displayed singly, so it doesn’t work out as well.

For an expensive, good item, the maximum number of skill slots will increase as well.

It’s hard to find one with large amounts of skill slots if they are just displayed one at a time.

The steel spear only had two available with three empty skill slots.

Weapons made from orichalc.u.m are bought and sold by auction. How can I selectively pick one with free skill slots?

I worry for a moment as I think about the future.

I go to the weapons and armour shops frequently, so I’ll need to keep in mind to check for good items with empty skill slots.

I’m selling off the items that Sherry makes, so there isn’t any problem coming regularly.

Are the rod and steel spear the best things I can get from ma.s.s produced goods?

There’s probably not much difference between them, but I pick a suitable rod.

Sherry gives me the spear she chose, and I buy them both.

I don’t buy a weapon for Roxanne this time.

It costs three gold coins for the rod and steel spear.

If I think about it, I’ve bought Roxanne the hard leather jacket, and the amber necklace recently.

“Sorry, this time we are just getting weapons for Sherry & myself.”

“Yes, I don’t mind.”

I comfort Roxanne as I leave the weapons shop.

I can’t buy things for Roxanne all the time.

“At the moment there are no problems with the scimitar.”

“Ok.”

I can’t favor her too much as a master.

Roxanne might start acting spoilt if I buy something for her every time.

Every now and then I need to show a firm att.i.tude.

“We’ll need to increase the amount of party members to strengthen our war potential. I can’t just invest money into equipment.”

“Yes. Certainly.”

I can’t be a sweet master all the time, this world doesn’t allow it.

I can’t spoil you.

I can’t pamper you.

“I need to think of our income, I don’t want to be a bad master.”

“You aren’t. Our meals and everything is luxurious.”

I strengthen my resolve.

Dignity, bravery, manliness, I need to put on that kind of appearance.

“A bad, annoying master, wouldn’t that cause someone to look for a new master?”

“Ah…yes.”

Um.

Maybe I’ve become too dignified.

“We’ll probably strengthen Roxanne’s weapon some time soon.”

“Thank you. My weapon is okay at the moment.”

“Was the one handed sword hanging in the weapons store an Estoc? It looked like a good weapon.”

“…I think that it was a good weapon.”

Did my strict att.i.tude work? Roxanne hesitated for a second.

I might have a strong resolve.

I think I was able to show off my dignity.

“Ok, we’ll think about it in the future.”

“Ah, yes.”

“If Roxannes weapon becomes stronger, the whole party will be helped.”

“Thank you.”

Roxanne will also have her own opinion.

I can’t be too arrogant.

We returned to the merchant guild, and used the wall there to travel to Haruba’s 11th floor.

We need to test our new weapons.

I hold the rod, and pa.s.s the steel spear to Sherry.

Sherry pa.s.ses me her club.

Kaga Michio|Male|17 years old.

Explorer Lv36|Hero Lv33|Wizard Lv36|Monk Lv34

Equipment: Rod|Leather Shoes|Leather Gloves|Leather Hat|Leather Armour|Sacrificial Misanga

Roxanne|Female|16 years old.

Beast Warrior Lv25

Equipment|Scimitar|Leather Shoes|Leather Gloves|Leather Hat|Hard Leather Jacket|Wooden s.h.i.+eld

Sherry|Female|16 years old.

Master Smith Lv23

Equipment:Steel Spear|Waterproof Leather Mittens|Leather Hat|Chain mail|Leather Shoes

As expected, the spear isn’t a weapon you can carry around town.

It’s length is over two meters.

Sherry said that it isn’t a weapon used by a vanguard.

“Since Sherry may need some time to get used to her new weapon, please guide us to somewhere with a small number of demons for now.”

“I understand.”

“Sherry, I know the spear isn’t easy to use as a vanguard, but please do your best.”

“Yes, I will.”

“Thinking about it again, it’s alright if there is a large number, since my cane has been upgraded as well and it should be an easier fight than before, so I’ll leave it to Roxanne’s judgement.”

First Roxanne guides us to a place with one ant.

NT ant Lv11 is defeated with three [Water ball]’s.

It became smoke before Sherry got to it with her spear.

Three.

It was four with the wand, so it’s an improvement.

Next, Roxane leads us to a place with one mino.

[Fire ball] is used.

I was not able to defeat it before it made it to us.

Roxanne stands in the way of the demon.

Sherry thrusts the spear from the side, and I throw a [Fire ball].

Roxanne easily evades the cow.

I used a total of five [Fire ball]’s.

The Lv11 was defeated.

It’s five? The mino doesn’t have a weakness to any kind of magic.

It was seven shots with the wand, and five with the rod.

So far so good.

So if demons on the 12th floor are 1.5 – 2x stronger, then the amount of spells needed would be 8-10.

It should be a reasonably tough fight on the upper floors.