After examining Kazuma and Aqua's Adventurer cards, Fang Li couldn't help but feel that getting these two to Level 30 would be far from just a B-Rank Side Quest.
"One's stuck with the weakest class, and the other's an Arch Priest. How am I supposed to manage that?"
The Adventurer Class, being the most basic, was for those who had little to offer. It was a class for those whose stats were all at rock-bottom levels. Even if they managed to level up, their stats would barely improve, making it incredibly difficult to hunt monsters. They were always a tier below the others, a constant struggle to stay relevant.
Given that, unless they were raised by grinding experience through crafting or cooking, it would be nearly impossible for them to level up by hunting monsters alone.
On the other hand, the Arch Priest class was a top-tier class, but leveling up in it was notoriously difficult.
While Arch Priests could wield a variety of support and healing Magic, including even resurrection Magic, they had no offensive skills and couldn't hunt monsters directly.
Fortunately, the world was home to Undead and Devil System monsters, like Zombies, Liches, Vampires, and Demons from the Abyss, who were vulnerable to Holy power. Even the most basic healing spells could purify them.
That was how Arch Priests leveled up: either by purifying Undead and Devils or by gaining experience from cooking. This made Arch Priests one of the hardest classes to level up in the entire system.
"With these two, one with a hard-to-level-up base class and the other a support class with even harder leveling conditions, how much effort am I going to have to invest just to get them to Level 30?"
That rank was considered high-level for an Adventurer, capable of taking on missions in the Royal Capital. Globally, they would be considered elite Adventurers. To get these two to that level? And me, to a level equivalent to a super-first-rate Adventurer at Level 50? Not to mention still being expected to complete quests?
"…Maybe I should just abandon this Side Quest."
As Fang Li couldn't help but contemplate this, Kazuma's voice suddenly broke through his thoughts.
"I've made my choice!" Fang Li looked up, only to see Kazuma staggering toward him in a suit of clumsy armor, the sound of metal ringing with each step.
"Clang, Clang, Clang, Clang!"
The armored figure struggled to lift its arm, eventually pulling off its helmet to reveal Kazuma's smug face.
"Look at my armor!" Kazuma shouted proudly. "With this, I won't have to worry about getting hurt!"
"Is that so?" Fang Li replied, deadpan. "Then you can pay for it yourself."
"Eh?!" Kazuma's eyes widened in shock. "Why?!"
"Isn't it obvious?" Fang Li said bluntly. "How scared of death are you to pick such heavy armor? How long do you think it'll take you to even get outside the city with that thing on? Are we going to have to drag you out of town for every quest?"
Fang Li didn't even have to think. Even if Kazuma was presented with a monster that was one hit away from defeat, in that armor, he wouldn't have the strength to land the finishing blow. How would Kazuma level up?
"Just go buy something light," Fang Li continued, "Leather armor or something that doesn't hinder your movement or agility. If not, I won't pay for it."
Kazuma sulked, walking away dejectedly at the harsh reality of his poor choice.
Just then, Aqua's voice rang out.
"I've made my choice too!"
Fang Li turned his gaze toward Aqua.
There she was, confidently spinning a cane with one hand, her other hand resting on her hip. Her movements were graceful, the white robes of her Hagoromo fluttering around her like the wings of a fairy. Despite her antics, there was a certain charm to her, she certainly looked the part of a divine being.
Seeing this scene, Fang Li finally grasped the reality of Aqua being a Goddess.
"No matter how ridiculous she acts, she's still a Goddess, huh?"
Looking at Aqua's graceful movements, he couldn't help but wonder: was her cane truly a Strike System wand, or was it a Magic-type staff?
The Strike System was known for its ability to channel Magic into offensive attacks. A Magic-type staff, on the other hand, was designed to amplify the user's Magic Power.
From the way Aqua wielded the cane so effortlessly, it seemed like it could serve a dual purpose, both as a weapon for physical strikes, or as a magical conduit, boosting her already impressive magical abilities.
As Fang Li considered this, Aqua suddenly flicked her wrist.
"Hey!" she called out.
She pressed a button on the cane, and immediately, water sprayed out from the end of it.
To Fang Li's surprise, the cane wasn't a Strike System wand nor a Magic staff; it was simply a performance prop designed for banquets.
"Smack!"
A crisp sound rang out as Aqua was smacked on the back of her head by the cane. She let out a yelp of pain and collapsed to the ground, clutching her head and rolling around in agony.
Fang Li retracted his hand, which he hadn't realized he swung, and sighed deeply as he looked up at the sky.
"Who will come to save me…"
By the time Kazuma and Aqua returned with their new Equipment, the evening was setting in.
Kazuma had opted for a set of Another World-style clothing that had protective enchantments designed to reduce damage from physical strikes. Along with it, he bought a short sword with an enhancement to sharpness.
The short sword set him back 200,000 Eris, while the clothes cost 300,000 Eris, making the total cost 500,000 Eris.
Aqua, on the other hand, had chosen a staff that amplified her Magic abilities, priced at 300,000 Eris.
When it came to armor, Aqua didn't buy any.
"I already have a super-strong Artifact, so I don't need any armor!" Aqua declared, referring to the Hagoromo she wore.
Indeed, the Hagoromo was an Artifact. As a Goddess, it wasn't surprising that Aqua would possess such a powerful item.
The Hagoromo's abilities included protection from various status effects, along with formidable defensive power, endurance, and a variety of magical enhancements. It was considered a rare, top-tier Artifact.
Fang Li, despite himself, was tempted to snatch the Hagoromo for himself.
"In the Main God's Dimension, this would at least be a third-rank Artifact, right?"
However, it seemed that Aqua had been using the Hagoromo carelessly. She'd been wiping off trash in the weapon and armor shop with it, making it look more like a rag than an invaluable treasure.
"Forget it," Fang Li sighed. "Since we can't take on a Quest today, let's head back and rest."
Even Fang Li, usually unruffled, felt exhausted after all that.
(End of This Chapter)
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