Chương 127: Chapter 132: Spending

I felt the skill settle inside me, somewhere. I should ask Rhea or someone else more knowledgeable about how all of this worked, skills, traits, and stuff. I didn't have the time, nor the inclination to delve into that yet, but I should, and soon. It felt strange though, one moment there was nothing, then I felt the System's hands on me, for just a heartbeat, and a new ability was available to me, like magic, except it wasn't only magic, there was something more for sure.

In any case, now I had a new addition to my status screen, a new toy to play with, one of many to come. It was long due, my skills sat at a low level, unevolved, I sat at a low level, my class was still Hexer, that didn't really represent me at all, but I was sure that my next evolution would rectify that too. I would evolve it after the snake, I couldn't go on like this forever, especially if the future threats would become that much harder to deal with, as Adrian said.

──────────── [Aura Tether Lv1] – 24, 000 TP Tether your aura to beings and objects, enabling interactions through the connection. [Piercing Gaze Lv1] – 4, 500 TP Sharpen your vision, granting deeper insight into what you see and don't. ──────────── I decided to buy these too. Now I filled half of my free skill slots, only five remaining… But I would keep them for the future, for the moment these would accompany me along for a bit, not to mention that I would gain more skills when I evolve my class too.

I chose these among the many, many options for a simple reason, the tether would allow me to hold enemies who wanted to escape me, other than being extremely versatile in other applications, and the other skill… there were honestly much better sounding skills in the shop. Analyzing Eyes, Eyes of the Predator, Broad Spectrum Vision, Cursed Gaze. Some related to gaining information, some to cursing through vision, there was a skill for petrifying with eyesight alone, like Medusa.

Some were meant for seeing aura, and many others. A skill that cost some millions was called Eyes of Eminence, I couldn't afford it, but at the same time I wasn't really interested in the other skills, this one, though basic, could go a long way in fulfilling all my necessities. I had a feeling I could evolve it into something really fit for me. I activated my new skill, and my vision sharpened instantly, it was like changing the quality of a video.

The difference was that my vision was already fantastic, but now, with this skill, I could see so much better. After a second of staring at the wooden counter, I could infer something. The grain of the wood was cut perfectly, I could tell that whoever was the crafter who made this used a tree from the nearby forest, and masterfully created planks from the same trunk, then assembled them with perfect precision, making it so that the seam would be hidden by the growth lines of the tree itself.

A small detail, but if I wanted to split it, hitting the seam would make for a good fault line. Interesting. I raised my gaze toward the merchant still grumbling on the other side of the counter, I had no idea why he even bothered to stay there, no one would ever get scammed by him again. I saw him in a new light, so to speak. The skill made me notice many little things, like the fact that he had crumbs on his pants, the cleanly shaved beard, if you can call the little hair that was regrowing on his face a beard.

Then I pressed deeper, I could see a faint something around him, like a distortion in the air. It was mana, and it was weak, very weak. I tried to push deeper, to see if I could gain something more, but there was a limit to the skill.

"What are you staring at, huh? You thinking of robbing me now? If you ever touch me with a finger, all the guards wou-" I infused my eyes with my aura. His words got strangled in his throat. Just a wheeze came out of him now, but while I registered his reaction, it wasn't what I was trying to achieve.

Within my monochromatic vision, the blue distortion of his mana diffusing into the ambience was extremely obvious now, this was the surplus that he generated and wasn't getting used, it was a trickle really, but pairing my new skill with the aura infusion of my eyes was working wonders to let me see. Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators! I pushed deeper, harder, I could feel a kind of strain, a burning.

But I kept going, peering under that mana, into his own being. I could see a glimpse, a murky brown and yellowish aura, just behind his own pupils. Before I could continue further, his eyes rolled back into his head, and he slumped down onto the floor with a thud. What the fuck happened? Did I kill him by mistake? Oh shit, that's not fucking good. I waited a second, a notification blinked into my vision, but it wasn't a kill.

──────────── Piercing Gaze – Level Up → Lv3 Arcane Sense – Level Up → Lv43 Achievement Earned: Dreadful Gaze Requirement: Cause a target of equal or higher level to faint through eye contact alone. Description: Your cursed aura seeps into your gaze, turning your eyes into a window of quiet terror. Even without intent, your gaze carries a suffocating pressure that weakens resolve and shakes the mind. You have learned that sight alone can become a conduit for power.

Rewards: • +10% chance to frighten a foe by looking at them • +10% potency to eye-related abilities and traits ──────────── I can't fucking believe it… he fainted from fear? Are my eyes really that terrible when I use my aura? Apparently yes. Well, good for me, another achievement under my belt, I should buy that book that Vix constantly said would help me a lot. Actually, before anyone comes and starts some trouble, it's better if I just finish quickly.

I went back into the shop, ignoring the drooling merchant on the floor. I bought two extra sets of cursed potions, the same ones I used in the past, then I got pills, tiny vials of colorful smoke, and eleven cursed fruits. I had no idea why fruits were the staple for stat enhancement, there was no cabbage of strength in the shop, but there was a thing similar to a pear that could grant between thirty to fifty points of charisma for some reason…

I got another set of clothes, elegant ones, then I bought shoes, a belt, a coat, an overcoat, all in the same style. It was something between medieval and modern, but it looked good and it was all cursed, and enchanted too. I got a ring that would clean me completely, as in a wash spell or something, for the days in the forest, I refused to feel that filthy again. Then I got some basic necessities, I was done with using leaves… My spending was nearly done.

I perused the shop a little bit more, then I started getting weapons, armor, and jewelry, all of it cursed as hell, some were pretty expensive and would be hard to come by. I was intent on reselling the items if it was possible, let's see if Quinn's unlimited money glitch would work or not, but if it didn't, all of it would be usable for my team, so it wasn't a real loss. I was more interested in the curses anyway, but some of the items I could use myself too.

──────────── [Noble Ensemble] (Cursed) – 8, 200 TP A full noble attire that subtly shifts in style to match the wearer's posture and intent. Effect: +5% to all base stats while worn, increased authority in all interactions, and passive aura amplification. Curse: Sovereign's Burden — Any display of weakness (hesitation, fear, retreat) causes a cascading debuff to all stats until dominance is reasserted. [Locking Boots] (Cursed) – 1, 350 TP High boots that make you harder to be moved against your will.

Effect: Channel mana into the boots to lock yourself in place, moving you would require more strength than usual, but it doesn't prevent damage. Curse: Absent Step — Occasionally phases your step slightly out of sync, causing you to partially "miss" the ground and stumble. [Grasp of the Hollow Belt] (Cursed) – 980 TP A leather belt that tightens faintly when danger is near. Effect: Enhances endurance and physical resistance. Curse: Hunger Coil — Increases caloric drain, causing frequent hunger pangs.

[Veilthread Coat] (Cursed) – 5, 200 TP A long coat with inner lining that seems deeper than it should be. Effect: Functions as a high-capacity spell absorber and reduces incoming damage by redirecting part of it into stored void-space. Curse: Magic Backlash — When casting magic, part of the energy causes a backlash on the user. [Ashen Mantle Overcoat] (Cursed) – 2, 650 TP A heavy grey overcoat that sheds faint ash when shaken.

Effect: Grants resistance to elemental and environmental damage and rapid regeneration in hostile environments. Curse: Lingering Decay — Healing effects are greatly reduced. [Purity Loop Ring] (Cursed) – 800 TP A flawless band of polished white metal, unnervingly so. Effect: Automatically removes dirt, grime, and minor toxins from the user. Curse: Sterile Touch — Reduces tolerance to natural environments, increasing discomfort over time outdoors.

[Thirsting Halo] (Cursed) – 11, 100 TP A dark silver band with a faintly pulsing yellow topaz. Effect: Stores excess life-force from healing and regeneration, will passively be released for rapid healing or actively for temporary physical stat boosts. Curse: Living Deficit — Gradually drains life-force. ──────────── These were for my personal use only, a change in attire. I wasn't a fan of armor, my own set was great, but I would probably change it after dealing with the snake.

I got the ring for substituting its function though, it was too good to pass on. The rest I would wear most of the time, as I touched every piece, the craftsmanship was sublime, and like anything else that came out of the System store, it was made for the user's size. Magical, really. But I wasn't done, not even a bit.