Chapter 32: The True Reward

Chapter 32: The True Reward

Gregor’s breathing quickened as he absorbed the surreal situation unfolding around him. It wasn’t just the sheer amount of gold that shocked him,though it certainly did.

What truly left him reeling was the realization that he had earned all of this in a single day. Just one day.

This sum was typically what a 3-Star Expert Knight like himself would accumulate over six months or more, enduring countless dangers and risks, only to be heavily exploited by the end of it all.

And he hadn’t even sold all the parts of the beast yet. He still had the blood essence left, which was second only to beast cores in value among magical beasts. The thought of selling it, especially to alchemists, made his mouth water as he swallowed hard.

If he could earn this much from just one mission, he couldn’t help but wonder how much more he would make if he tackled higher-rated missions. If this trend continued and he completed similar missions weekly, earning less than 10,000 Gold Coins seemed entirely possible.

The prospect took him aback. "Nah! From now on, I’m going full-time. I’m officially a full-time Adventurer and I’ll take this job seriously."

"Kid," Heph’s rumbling voice echoed in his mind, pulling him back from his thoughts. He looked up to see Heph smiling at him warmly.

"I think you should seize this opportunity. This Adventurer thing can change your life," Heph chuckled.

"I know that! I’m not stupid," Gregor replied with a grin.

"Now with this money, you can finally afford the potion to heal your sister," Heph said as he began putting everything back into sacks.

Gregor’s eyes lit up at Heph’s words, and a broad smile spread across his face. "Yes! I can finally buy the potion for my sister! This is amazing... really amazing."

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Gregor turned to Heph and added, "By the way, I want to buy some new equipment. My weapons are completely wrecked after fighting that Alpha Phantom Wind Wolf, especially my armor,and I want to upgrade everything to match my rank."

Heph nodded as he assessed Gregor’s battered armor and swords hanging at his waist. "Yeah, you definitely need an upgrade; your current gear is holding you back. If your equipment matched your rank, you probably would have taken down that Alpha Phantom Wind Wolf in just one or two strikes."

Gregor agreed eagerly. "Can I see what weapons are available?"

"Sure," Heph replied while pointing toward a specific section of the shop. "That area over there has Silver Grade Weapons, go ahead and choose whatever catches your eye."

Nodding enthusiastically, Gregor hurried over to examine the shelves lined with gleaming weapons flickering with faint magical light; their presence felt almost palpable.

Gregor’s gaze was instantly drawn to two long, slender swords, each thirty-five inches in length. Beautiful wind-like runes were intricately carved into their surfaces, interlocking like rings, and the grooves shimmered with a pale silver glow under the light.

The hilts were wrapped in grey leather patterned like waves, providing a perfect grip, while the crossguards resembled sleek black wings.

His heart raced at the sight of the identical swords before his attention shifted to the sleek armor nearby. Unlike bulky plate armor, this set was lean and sharp, designed for speed.

The chestplate was a smooth, form-fitted piece made of Silversteel, engraved with subtle wind patterns that caught the forge light like flowing water.

The cuisses and greaves layered elegantly along the legs, each plate overlapping precisely to allow full mobility. Slim vambraces and finely jointed gauntlets completed the arms, their polished edges crafted for swift, controlled strikes rather than sheer brute force.

The pauldrons were small and curved downward,feather-light and designed not to hinder sword swings,while the sabatons felt so light that Gregor wondered if they were truly made of metal at all.

This entire set exuded a quiet confidence; it wasn’t meant to intimidate but rather suited a warrior who fought with speed, discipline, and deadly precision. The engravings of wind-like runes flickered across its surface as he admired it.

Looking at this exquisite gear, Gregor sensed it was more than just protection,it was an extension of his fighting style.

"Heph," he declared confidently, "I’ve made up my mind. I want these twin swords and this armor."

Heph raised his head and approached him. After inspecting Gregor’s choices, he nodded approvingly.

"Good choice! These are among the finest here. The swords are called Gale Edge, and this armor set is known as the Windforged Argent Set. They’re perfect for you since you have a wind affinity."

"I’ll take them! How much do I owe you?" Gregor asked with anticipation.

"The Gale Edge is 150 Gold Coins and the Windforged Argent Set is 350 Gold Coins," Heph replied with a smile. "That brings your total to 500 Gold Coins."

Gregor’s lips twitched at hearing that amount; nearly half of his hard-earned money would be gone in an instant.

"No discount?" he grinned at Heph with mock pleading eyes.

"I already did you a favor by selling them for 500 Gold Coins! Do you know how much Silver Grade weapons cost?" Heph rolled his eyes playfully.

Gregor rubbed his nose and chuckled softly. "Alright then! Just wrap them up for me."

Although 500 Gold Coins was a staggering sum to him currently, enough to last commoners for years. But as he thought of his sister’s smile and the Alpha Phantom Wind Wolf claw, he knew it wasn’t an expense, it was an investment in his life and his future earnings.

Without wasting any time, Heph took down the weapons from their shelves, wrapped them in a large leather bag, and placed it on the counter before tossing Gregor a pouch jingling with gold coins.

Gregor caught the item with both hands, weighing it slightly as a grin spread across his face.

"Oh yeah, Heph! If you need something done, just head over to the Adventurer Guild and post a mission there." He pulled out a flyer and handed it to Heph.

Heph took the flyer and glanced through it for a moment before nodding. "Got it. Now hurry home; the sun is about to set. You have a sister to cure."

Gregor laughed, hoisting the leather bag that held his weapons over his shoulder. As he walked out of the smithy, he waved at Heph.

"See you later, Heph!"

Heph waved back, watching as Gregor faded into the distance. With a simple smile, he shook his head and murmured, "He’s finally grown up. What a relief."