Dimension Beta

Tom fought his way through the tunnels for several hours. Alongside the kobold pelts, he had collected a variety of unusual items like metal arrowheads, wooden figures, and leather strips. There was no telling which of these might be useful, so he took everything to ensure he didn't leave behind any potential treasure.

It was getting late, so he decided to make his way back to the surface. However, just as he started heading up, he heard noises from a nearby passage. These sounds were different from the usual kobold chatter, and Tom's curiosity got the better of him. One more kobold wouldn't hurt, he thought, as he followed the noise.

At the end of the passage, a lone kobold stood scratching strange symbols into the wall. Tom had never seen them behave this way before, but he had only observed them for a day. Perhaps this was normal for them?

Since there was only one, Tom carefully set down his sack and decided to attack. He sprinted forward, jumping into the air to deliver a flying kick to the kobold's back. The impact threw it against the wall, but instead of collapsing, it turned around and let out an ear-piercing roar.

"Fuck, a rare," Tom cursed under his breath as he immediately bolted. He couldn't be sure, but this kobold was clearly stronger than the uncommon ones he'd fought earlier. Grabbing his sack on the way, he sprinted for the exit, the pounding footsteps of the kobold echoing behind him.

Tom knew he had to make a decision: drop his sack and run faster or stand and fight. His loot from today was valuable, and leaving it behind felt like a loss he couldn't afford. Resolute, he stopped, turned around, and allocated his recently earned stat points. At level 20, he was confident he had a chance.

He planted his feet firmly and waited for the kobold. As soon as it got close, Tom lunged, tripping it with his legs and jumping onto its chest. He pinned its arms with his knees and unleashed a flurry of punches.

The kobold screamed, stunning Tom briefly, and used the moment to throw him off. Its sharp claws raked across his chest, leaving deep, bleeding gashes. Tom gritted his teeth, determined to fight through the pain. The kobold looked unscathed, but Tom was sure his hits had done some damage.

They clashed again, exchanging blows. Though Tom landed far more hits, the kobold's strikes were devastating. It was a battle of endurance, and both were nearing their limits. When Tom's health dropped to 20%, the kobold began to grow, its body glowing red.

Tom remembered seeing Pablo do something similar back at the tavern. The kobold was using a rage ability, and Tom knew he had to act fast. He turned and ran, leading the kobold into a narrow side tunnel. The enraged creature charged after him, but the confined space made it hard to maneuver.

When Tom reached the ideal spot, he slid under the kobold's legs and came up behind it. The kobold struggled to turn, and Tom took advantage of its position, delivering blow after blow. Its glowing form dimmed as the damage piled up. Finally, with a heavy thud, the kobold collapsed.

Tom staggered back, catching his breath. He had done it. He quickly checked the kobold's body, finding a small pouch tied to its waist. He attached it to his belt for later inspection and prepared to skin the creature. However, before he could begin, he heard distant cries and footsteps echoing through the tunnels.

"Shit," he muttered, realizing the fight had drawn other kobolds. Reluctantly, he grabbed his sack and ran. The kobold's pelt would have to be left behind. His life was more valuable.

Reaching the surface, Tom breathed in the fresh air and didn't waste any time. He used one of his remaining teleportation scrolls, reappearing safely outside the city. Only then did he allow himself to relax.

Tom made his way to Casper's leather workshop to sell all the kobold pelts he had gathered. Compared to wolf pelts, these were worth significantly more, earning Tom a quick 2000 gold in one go.

That left him with the other items he had collected, whose value remained uncertain. Suddenly, an idea struck him. There were universal skills like his skinning ability that anyone could learn, but there were also special skills accessible only through books or scrolls. Curious, Tom took his remaining items and headed to a magic shop.

The shop was stocked with various spells and skills, most of which were far out of Tom's budget. He approached the counter and asked an attendant, "Excuse me, do you sell skills for inspecting items?"

The attendant inspected Tom, surprised by his young age. A newcomer, he thought, though it didn't deter his interest. "Of course, we have such spells. How much can you spend, young man?"

"I have around 4000 gold coins," Tom replied.

The attendant shook his head. "I'm sorry, young man, but the cheapest inspection spells start at 10,000 gold coins."

Tom's face fell. He was about to thank the shopkeeper and leave when the man continued, "There is another way to inspect items, though."

Tom's ears perked up as the shopkeeper pulled out a magnifying glass. "This is a magical artifact that can determine the rarity of unidentified items. Hold it over an object, and you'll see a shimmer indicating its value: gray for normal, green for uncommon, blue for rare, and so on. The magnifying glass only needs to be recharged with magic occasionally and lasts several months per charge."

Tom was intrigued and wanted it immediately. "How much is it?" he asked.

"4000 gold coins," the shopkeeper replied.

Tom hesitated, skeptical. After being scammed by Pech, he wasn't sure if the price was fair, especially since it matched his exact budget. Deciding to shop around, he told the shopkeeper, "I'll think about it."

"Alright, young man. I see you're short on funds. 3000 gold coins, but not a coin less," the shopkeeper countered.

That confirmed Tom's suspicions, that the man was trying to cheat him. Tom quickly left the shop and explored others, asking about similar artifacts. In one shop, the magnifying glass was priced at 1000 gold coins. Pleased, Tom promised to return.

After confirming the fair price at multiple locations, Tom purchased the magnifying glass for 1000 gold coins. He also picked up a few teleportation scrolls from other merchants before heading to the tavern.

Once there, he greeted his friends and retreated to the back room to inspect the rest of his items. Brimming with excitement, he began to go through his haul. However, his enthusiasm quickly faded.

"Trash... more trash... oh look, surprise, more trash," he muttered as he identified item after item.

Most of what Tom had collected was crude, honestly worthless junk. A few small metal pieces shimmered green, signaling they were uncommon, but that was it. Then he remembered the kobold's pouch he had taken. Could there be something inside?

He detached it from his belt. The pouch felt surprisingly light. Was it really empty? Opening it, he was met with pitch-black darkness inside, which unsettled him. Even tipping it upside down produced nothing.

Tom held the magnifying glass over the pouch, and to his surprise, it shimmered green, marking it as an uncommon item. But what exactly was it?

Curious, Tom logged out briefly and searched the forums for clues about black pouches. The first post that caught his eye read, "Why are spatial pouches black inside?"

Tom clicked on the post and eagerly read through it. Afterward, he searched for more information about "spatial pouches," hopeful his findings were accurate. Pictures and descriptions matched his pouch perfectly, and the details were free to access.

"I hit gold!" Tom cheered, punching the air.

He logged back into the game to test his discovery. Slowly, he dipped his hand into the pouch, which disappeared into the bottomless blackness like a portal. Excitement surged through him as he fumbled around inside. Unfortunately, the pouch was empty.

Still, the spatial pouch was a treasure in itself. These storage artifacts, depending on their size, started at 20,000 gold coins per square meter. Tom estimated his pouch could hold about 2 square meters' worth of items, making it worth at least 40,000 gold.

Satisfied with his find, Tom decided to wear the pouch under his vest to keep it hidden. Equipment in Beta was character-bound and didn't drop upon death, but items like spatial pouches would be left behind unless tucked into pockets considered part of a player's gear.

"Tom, where are you?" a voice called from the tavern's main room.

"Coming!" Tom yelled back.

He placed the magnifying glass and green-shimmering items into the spatial pouch, leaving the rest of the junk in his sack. With everything secured, he left the back room. Tom wasn't worried about thieves taking the junk since honestly, they'd be doing him a favor.