Chương 32: A Month of Preparation

Ch 32 - A Month of Preparation Zeph had spent nearly an hour or two wandering around this massive multi-story shopping center, nearly getting lost more than once and still failing to find what he had come for. At first, he had planned to come here with the other two to shop for everything he needed, but since they ended up dealing with something else, he decided to come on his own instead. And he had just realized that it probably wasn't the best decision.

This was seriously his first time stepping into a shopping center with twenty floors.

The place was completely absurd. It had everything, from family entertainment and everyday necessities for Awakeners to specialized equipment for Hunters. Though honestly... Why did Hunters even shop in the same place as ordinary people? Then again, the higher Hunters climbed through the ranks, the more they became part of the elite thanks to the wealth they earned.

Naturally, they would end up enjoying the luxuries sold in places like this, from designer clothing and fine dining to premium gear and exclusive services. It was a lifestyle that ordinary people could never hope to attain. And for the highest-ranked Hunters, even greater levels of wealth and privilege existed beyond that. That was the kind of influence and status reserved for those who stood at the top. In the end, Zeph picked out several pieces of clothing from one of the brands Lena had recommended.

He chose a few casual outfits along with several more formal sets. Besides that, he bought a number of hunting supplies as well, including better combat clothing and various survival essentials. Zeph swallowed hard as he realized just how underprepared he had been during the last expedition. It had been pure recklessness. He couldn't even tell whether it was because of the Undying Core, or if he had always been the kind of person who jumped into danger without thinking things through.

That day, Zeph had spent more money than he had probably spent throughout his entire life combined. For the first time, he truly understood how good it felt to have a lot of money. Better yet, he still had more than enough left to save... or spend on even more things later. Once he finished shopping, Zeph headed down to the main entrance, where Madou was already waiting for him. He climbed into the car, and Madou greeted him with the same annoying grin that somehow never seemed to leave his face.

"Well, look at you, rich boy. I hope you didn't empty your entire account there."

"I mostly bought everything you guys recommended."

"No way." Madou chuckled as the car pulled away from the curb.

"So you're actually enjoying your new life now, huh?"

"New life?" Zeph repeated, feeling the irony behind those words the moment they reached him. Because... he always ended up with a new life whenever the previous one was taken away. Kind of hilarious, really.

"I like my newest life. Every time," he said. A faint grin appeared on his otherwise flat expression.

"What about your new... half-life?"

"Half-life? That sounds pretty lame." Madou clicked his tongue.

"I thought people would call me half-dead instead. That would've sounded way cooler, considering I can barely feel anything anymore compared to before." Zeph gave a small nod, understanding the curse that lingered inside Madou's body. It had left him with a body far more resistant to damage and capable of recovering at an incredible speed. But… The pain receptors across most of his upper body, especially around his chest and abdomen, were almost completely gone.

Madou could still feel things normally elsewhere, enjoy good food and drinks, and go about everyday life without much difference. In combat, however, it made him terrifying. He could practically fight on the front line, endure wounds that would cripple anyone else, and keep pushing forward without slowing down. The longer the battle dragged on, the stronger he became.

"You're really a monster, Madou," Zeph murmured.

"You were practically born to fight on the front line as a walking meat shield."

"Well, that's one compliment I'm happy to take." Madou answered with a faint smile.

"Besides, I think all three of us are monsters, not just me."

"I'm pretty sure Lena wouldn't appreciate being called a monster." The boy laughed.

"She's like my little sister, so it's only natural that I notice the monster inside her first. Maybe it'd be different for you." He shot Zeph a teasing grin.

"So, what do you think? Has Lena caught your attention yet?"

"You really know how to change the subject, don't you?" Madou only laughed harder.

"You have no idea how crushed I was when Lena chose to sacrifice herself for you instead of me. I was already lying there in the corner of the cave, you know. I was thinking, 'Surely she'll come save me first.' Then she ran straight past me. My heart still hasn't recovered from that betrayal." A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"That's not my fault." Zeph replied in a flat tone.

"You were useless from the start."

"I'd say I was still useful even without Lena sacrificing herself for me."

"And that's exactly what made you get back up, wasn't it?" Zeph replied.

"Because you were jealous of me." Madou burst into laughter again.

"I'm glad you're actually playing along with my jokes, Zeph. You've grown." The conversation continued as they drove toward their next destination. It was the Central Plaza, a place packed with merchants whose businesses focused almost entirely on the direct needs of Awakeners. The two of them got out of the car after stopping in front of a smithy, a workshop that specialized in forging mana-based weapons crafted exclusively for Awakeners.

"You brought the materials?" Madou asked.

"Yeah. I made sure to keep a few monster cores for this." Zeph activated his dimensional storage ring, and a small metal case appeared in his right hand. He handed it over to Madou. The two of them walked inside. Racks lined the walls, displaying swords, spears, and countless other weapons, while several mannequins stood nearby, each fitted with different sets of armor.

"Well, well. If it isn't Madou." A rough voice called out.

"Been a while since you showed your face. I heard you finally made Rank 2 Guardian." The speaker was an incredibly skinny man with long black hair and an equally long beard, sitting behind the workshop's front counter.

"No way I'm dying before you, old man. I've still got to see you buried first," Madou shot back with a laugh as he walked over. He placed the metal case on the counter before opening it, revealing the monster cores inside.

"This is my friend, Zeph. He needs a new sword. Tier 3, if possible."

"Tier 3?" The old man looked at Zeph.

"What's your rank, kid?"

"Rank 1 Apprentice, sir."

"Apprentice?" The old man slowly turned back toward Madou, staring at him like he'd lost his mind.

"And you're asking me to forge a Tier 3 weapon for him? Do you even know the risks of using equipment far above your actual rank? Have you lost your damn mind? He's not even a Rank 2 Guardian."

"No need to worry." Madou waved him off.

"He won't be Rank 1 for much longer. Besides, the guy's practically suicidal. He keeps coming back like a cockroach, so a little extra strain isn't going to kill him."

"Tch. Kids these days." The old man clicked his tongue.

"Your mana core wasn't meant to handle that much power. If you insist on using a weapon that far above your rank, the strain on your body won't be small."

"There you go again, looking down on people." Madou pushed the case closer.

"You've got the order, the materials, and the payment. That's all you need. Just do the job." Still looking unconvinced, the old man inspected the contents one by one.

"... Wait." His hand froze the moment he picked up one of the monster cores. Unlike the others, it shimmered with an unusually brilliant flow of mana.

"What kind of monster core is this?"

"An Epic-grade from a Tier 2 wolf monster."

"Epic-grade?" The old man's eyes widened.

"No way. How the hell did you get your hands on something like this?" His gaze shifted back toward Zeph.

"I killed the beast myself." It wasn't exactly a lie. Zeph had delivered the final blow himself, even if an army of undead had done most of the work wearing the monster down.

"Yeah, right." The old man snorted.

"That's one hell of a story." Clearly, he didn't believe a single word of it. Honestly, Zeph couldn't blame him. The story sounded ridiculous. The old man looked down at the glowing core once more before letting out a long sigh.

"... Fine. Only because this core is valuable enough to make it worth my time." After that, they spent some time discussing the kind of sword that would suit Zeph best, along with a few other pieces of equipment he might need. Zeph already had a sword he could summon through his Sigil. But… A physical sword and a weapon summoned through a Sigil were two completely different things.

There was no way he could go around fighting weaker monsters, training, or handling everyday situations with an oversized summoned blade every single time. Activating his Sigil for every minor task would be a complete waste. Having a reliable physical sword for ordinary combat simply made far more sense. Beyond that, they also talked about a few other necessities.

A combat dagger for close-quarters emergencies, a mana-conductive scabbard that could reduce mana leakage while carrying enchanted weapons, a reinforced backpack for expeditions, a lightweight set of protective gear, and a handful of utility items such as mana flares, emergency healing kits, and portable survival equipment. Some of those items were already in stock and could be purchased immediately. Others, especially the custom equipment, would have to be forged from scratch.

"Well," the old man finally said, closing the metal case, "I'll have everything ready in a month."

"A month?" Madou raised an eyebrow.

"That's surprisingly generous coming from you. You're usually a lot slower."

"You need it before the Hunter Academy entrance selection, don't you?" the old man replied with a snort.

"So quit complaining."

"Thanks, old man. Love you. I'll be back in a month," Madou said with a grin.

"Get lost before I charge you extra," the old man grumbled, waving them away. Madou only laughed as he turned around. The two of them left the workshop soon after, wrapping up everything they had come there to do before getting back into the car. With that, all of Zeph's shopping was finally out of the way. The less important items were already in hand, while the more important ones, including his new sword, had been commissioned. Better yet, he had paid for every bit of it with his own money.

The satisfaction that came with it was hard to describe. The forging process would take about a month, but that gave them plenty of time to focus on everything else they needed to do. Over the next few days, they spent most of their time training while helping Koka with work whenever they could. Well, mostly Lena. She handled the majority of the work, while Madou and Zeph usually wandered over only when they were actually needed... or whenever there were fresh cakes to sample.

The rest of their time was spent training at the nearest training center and cultivating their mana cores, even though none of them expected any significant progress within just a few weeks. Only after officially joining the Hunter Association, gaining admission to the Hunter Academy, and eventually obtaining their Hunter Licenses would they have access to far more advanced facilities that could truly accelerate their growth. During that time, Zeph also tested the limits of his dimensional storage.

It wasn't just the storage capacity that interested him. He wanted to understand how the space itself actually worked. Objects stored inside seemed to exist in a strange state where time barely mattered. Food remained perfectly fresh no matter how long it stayed inside. Yet mechanical items, such as a wristwatch, continued ticking as though nothing had changed. He couldn't make sense of the logic behind it. One thing was certain. Living creatures couldn't be stored inside.

As for its capacity, he estimated it to be around five cubic meters. An incredible amount of space. More than enough to carry a large haul from any expedition. And so, after a month that somehow felt both slow and incredibly productive, the day Zeph had been waiting for finally arrived. His new sword was finally finished.