Kenji browsed the shelves with intense focus, careful not to touch anything he couldn't immediately identify. The kitsune shopkeeper watched him from behind the counter, a faintly amused expression on her youthful face, her three silver tails flickering lazily behind her like banners in a breeze. Her eyes, golden and glinting with Mischief and appraisal, followed his movements silently as if weighing his worth and evaluating his potential.
The shop was packed with items from different eras, each humming softly with dormant power. Old scrolls tied in silk strings, books bound in dragonhide, and strange trinkets floated lazily in protected bubbles of magic. Crystals pulsed softly on high shelves, their gentle light dancing across polished wood and ancient stone. Enchanted relics vibrated faintly inside glass cases, some singing in a language only mana could hear. The atmosphere was intoxicating and overwhelming, and Kenji had to remind himself to stay focused on why he had come here in the first place. It would be easy to get lost among treasures like this.
Soon, Kenji gathered a modest but meaningful pile of books: ones on foundational combat techniques that detailed stances, others on mana control theories, discussing meditation, visualization, natural mana currents, and even breathing techniques to harmonize with mana rich environments, a thicker book covering enchanting basics, explaining the theory behind embedding mana into objects and amplifying their qualities and most importantly a rare crafting manual.
These last books outlined the fundamentals of creating potions, weapons, armor, and magical accessories, these were books on Alchemy, blacksmithing, hunting, and others similar, everything a self-reliant warrior mage crafter might need to turn knowledge into survival, into influence, into power.
Additionally, he gathered a few non-skill-related books, a tome on the history of supernatural Kyoto, heavy with annotated records of wars, alliances, betrayals, and miracles; a detailed guide to magical flora and fauna, identifying ingredients precious for alchemy and potion making, complete with cultural etiquettes and known dangerous territories, and a handwritten journal theorizing about unknown mana phenomena, mysteries that seemed to defy the world or so the book says.
'If I'm going to survive long-term, I need to be self-sufficient' Kenji thought, feeling the weight of responsibility settle comfortably against his shoulders.
'I can't rely on just buying potions or gear. If I can craft, I can provide for myself, my friends, and even my family in the future. Maybe even create opportunities for others—build a sanctuary, a foundation for something greater than just survival.'
One of the greatest strengths of the Gamer's system is its crafting capabilities, and he sure as hell was not going to forget about that.
He brought his selections to the counter, where the kitsune greeted him with a slight nod of approval.
"A good spread," she said, her voice low and smooth.
Kenji smiled faintly, appreciating the rare compliment from a being who had clearly seen many others walk through her doors, most of whom, no doubt, lacked the foresight to value preparation over brute force.
He then reached into his inventory, reminding her of their earlier conversation. "As I mentioned before, I brought some materials I hoped to trade." With a flick of his wrist, he manifested the bundled ogre claws, fangs, and mana crystals, revealing the bundled ogre claws, fangs, and mana crystals he'd shown earlier. Their surfaces gleamed under the soft ambient light, raw energy radiating faintly from them.
The kitsune examined them closely, her delicate fingers glowing faintly as she assessed the magic lingering in the materials. Her brows furrowed slightly in thought as she ran her fingertips over each piece with expert precision, occasionally murmuring spells under her breath to gauge hidden qualities.
"Good quality," she said finally, a note of surprise coloring her tone. "These," she tapped the claws lightly, "are useful for reinforcements. The mana crystals are always in demand and particularly potent."
She took her time to check out the items before giving her price. It was a hefty some but clearly not the items were truly worth it.
Kenji, glad for the new info, didn't jump to accept her offer. He tilted his head slightly, then spoke with calm confidence. "I was hoping they'd fetch a decent value. They're hard to come by, and cleanly extracted."
The kitsune's eyes narrowed slightly, her curiosity piqued.
"Especially given I'm purchasing a considerable number of books," Kenji continued smoothly. "A little flexibility might go a long way in securing a recurring customer."
He gestured to the stack of books he'd picked out, making it clear that he expected the value of the trade to contribute meaningfully toward his purchases.
There was a moment of stillness before the kitsune chuckled, tails flicking lazily behind her. "Clever," she said. "Very well... I'll sweeten the deal slightly."
She revised the offer, adding a few more shop credits to the stack and increasing the currency amount by a noticeable margin. "This should be enough to cover your book purchases and leave you with a little extra."
Kenji offered a respectful nod. "Deal."
[Skill Update: Negotiation has leveled up!]
"Thank you," Kenji said, bowing his head slightly.
As he packed the books carefully into his inventory, the kitsune leaned over slightly, her eyes gazing deep into him as she spoke.
"Pleasure doing business with you," she said, her golden eyes gleaming. "Best of luck with your.....studies and do come again if you gather more materials. I always have room for quality goods."
With that he left, he roamed around for a little while before he found a small shop selling food, he found a corner, ordered his food, and started his checking out the skills he got.
[Skill Acquired: Basic Crafting (LV1)]
[Skill Acquired: Basic Alchemy (LV1)]
[Skill Acquired: Material Analysis (LV1)]
[Skill Acquired: Elemental Affinity (Wind) (LV1)]
[Skill Update: Enchantment Magic has leveled up!] This he got from the enchanting book.
Kenji blinked as the familiar system notifications appeared before him, cascading one after another across his vision. It wasn't just crafting skills, he had also gained a basic elemental affinity with Wind, and his Enchantment Magic had merged and strengthened from the absorbed knowledge.
These additions filled him with even greater excitement, knowing they would make his crafting, his combat readiness, and his strategic capabilities far more effective. His mind raced with possibilities, run armor for defense, personalized potions for specific ailments, custom enchanted weapons suited to his fighting style.
Gods above, His mind just couldn't settle down.
'This... this is massive' Kenji thought, excitement crackling in his veins.
'Not only can I fight and defend myself, but now I can build. I can support. I can create.'
As Kenji stepped out of the shop and back into the Kyoto night. The sky above glittered with stars like scattered jewels. Spirit lights bobbed faintly in the distance, weaving through alleyways and narrow roads. The cold wind carried scents of roasted sweet potatoes, ancient incense, and the faint iron tang of dormant magic.
The city hummed with life, old and new. It was welcoming.
Kenji inhaled deeply, feeling strange. Tonight, he had taken a true step forward.
And the world for the first time felt just a little smaller, a little more manageable, in the palm of his hand.
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