NOVEL NEXT Countdown
Hearing me sigh, Ritta looked concerned. "You've made your choices, senior?"
"I don't know, but I want to try these fellows here," I said, sliding the album in my hand towards her. Ritta reached for it, and I glanced again at her beautiful arm shield. "Ah, I forgot... Crysta, that's right. I completely forgot about it."
Crysta, rare drop items from monsters and bosses, are items that possess inherited abilities or skills and various useful (or sometimes useless) attributes that can be embedded into specific weapons, armor, or accessories.
"If it's about that, no need to worry, senior. Here," Ritta handed me the album, showing several Crysta options. "I've sorted them... um, seeing how involved you are in choosing, I believe these are a few recommendations I can make for your class."
"Sorry for making you do that."
"Don't worry about me, I have more time than we need."
Speaking of time, I hadn't been keeping track of it at all. "By the way, how long have we been here?" I asked.
Ritta looked out the window and pursed her lips. "Umm... maybe about 45 minutes, I didn't really pay attention to it."
That's quite a long time, you know.
"You seem really focused, senior, and I like it, so it's no problem," Ritta continued, smiling in a different yet beautiful way than usual.
"You... as a man, I have to be careful not to fall under your feet."
Ritta was startled, her chair shook. "Uh-uh..." She seemed to be trying to gather her strength to say something, but I couldn't comprehend it. "You shouldn’t be wary about that," she continued, her voice too faint for me to grasp what she was trying to convey.
"What you say?"
"No, nothing. Let's continue with this set," she hurriedly avoided me.
We had decided on several sets, including the ones with embedded crysta. Ritta raised her hand to call the waiter, who immediately approached us. "We'll order this," she said, handing the album to the waiter.
"Understood. What type of package would you like?" the waiter asked.
Before I could ask what they meant, the album on our table displayed several options.
Trial Package (per set)
5 Sets, 50,000R
10 Sets, 90,000R
...see more.
Trial Package (per minute)
30 minutes, 250,000R
60 minutes, 450,000R
...see more.
"What do you think, Ritta?" I asked.
"Hmm, as a start, I think one hour is good, and we can add on later. And also, senior, I know you're the type of person who pays close attention to statistics and doesn't want to lose out even by a single number. We can do that, but each change will have its own cost," Ritta explained.
As payment for the freedom to customize their desired equipment, the store offered a reasonably fair price, it seemed.
"So... how much R do you have now?" Ritta asked.
"About half a billion," I replied directly.
"W-wait, let me make sure... half a billion, you mean five hundred thousand?" she stammered.
"Five hundred million," I clarified.
"Ugh... typical wealthy veteran player." Ritta said it as if mocking me, but it sounded like a compliment.
I chose the one-hour package, and both of us were teleported to the training ground. As the name suggests, it was a place where players could do various things (test their equipment), and to my surprise, it was crowded with people.
"I forgot to mention this, but this is how the training ground is. Senior can pay extra to get the private privilege and not be seen by others," Ritta explained.
As Ritta explained, many players immediately looked in my direction and halted their activities. In fact, they seemed to be openly trying to watch us.
"Decided, let's go into private mode!" I announced to Ritta.
"I think that's a waste, two million R just for—"
"I'll pay in cash!"
And just like that, I no longer felt the gaze of dozens of eyes watching us as we were protected by private mode.
"Haah, well, luckily senior chose the one-hour package so we have enough time," Ritta commented, looking disappointed with my actions. "When this package runs out, the private mode will also end. Senior will need to pay another two million in the next opportunity. It's quite extravagant."
"Sorry, please don't scold me like a husband caught coming home late," I said.
"If that happens, I wouldn't even open the door for him," she declared.
"Please spare me, lady."
As known, in the training ground, players are given almost admin-like freedom to customize. A god, you may say, a fake one but. Players can add or remove stats on equipment, monsters, choose the type of battle arena, and much more.
Since it was too troublesome, I chose the most common and simple one and entrusted the operation of this dimension entirely to Ritta, the grumpy woman.
Firing range. There were rows and columns like a race track, and I stood ready at the starting line. In front of me was a target shaped like a human head and upper body, completely ordinary. Meanwhile, Ritta sat behind me.
"Listen, senior. The targets there will disappear when they receive certain damage, and then reappear in increasing numbers, distances, and difficulties, like a shooting challenge. Understand?" she explained.
"Easy to understand," I answered.
"Countdown in five..." Ritta started.
I readied myself, imitating a true Archer, even though I am a mage myself. "[Release: Chained Versatile's!], [Call: Versatile!]" I exclaimed, immediately pulling the bowstring formed in my grasp.
"...One!"