Shit, I'm broke.
I stared at the fare price. 10000 Lien for a ferry ride to Vale!? This was practically a robbery! Things had been going so well too, avoiding Grimm skirmishes and making my way to a local port for about a week now.
I've even managed to get a handle on my prana, mostly. I can only still fire Gandrs and Finn Shots, but they won't backfire on me or have any major backlash anymore. Also I've been spending time just staring at the Kaleidoscope gems (gonna call them Kaleidogems from now on), trying to figure out how they work. As you can expect, nada. Absolutely nothing. These are filled with The Second Magic, after all. I need some hyperspecialised tools to even think about studying them.
"Uhh, sir? You're holding up the line…" Don't snap at the poor kid, he's just working here… Don't get mad…
"Let him on, brat. He's a Hunter. We'll need him for the journey ahead." Wait, could this be my lucky break!? Hell yeah! I brush past the kid and walk onto the ferry, muttering my thanks to the dude who vouched for me.
Wait, what did they need a Hunter for?
[Line break]
This was a horrible idea! I panic slightly as I fire off another Gandr. Turns out we were sailing through Grimm infested waters, and they just needed a bodyguard. Unfortunately, said bodyguard was not trained in combat, at all.
At best, the Gandr and Finn Shots I learned back home would stun any distracted magi back home, so I could escape. Even then, I didn't have much hope. The Clocktower Enforcers would steamroll me with ease, and that's talking about them without their mystic codes.
But here, shit was different. I had power here, but none of the knowledge or experience to use it. Basically, I was a very inaccurate and wasteful Anti Air cannon. Yes, I could take out those Leviathan Grimm or whatever they were called with a Finn Shot or a dozen Gandrs, but one hit and I'm done.
A bad idea in theory, and an even worse idea in practice.
So here I was, spamming Gandr and Finn Shots like the average Cookie Clicker player since my life, and a hundred or so others depended on it.
It was surprisingly effective.
"Damn, what are they feeding these Hunters nowadays…" Well, it would make my life easier if this guy and his pals could go below deck, like the rest of the passengers, but they need to be up here to steer and maintain the ferry. So now I have to watch over them. Fun.
[Line break]
"I feel like absolute shit." While the magical energy of this world was practically impossible to deplete, my Od was not granted the same luxury, nor my mind. Casting curses for the last 4 or so hours non stop wore down on myself quite quickly.
"Cheer up, lad! You've saved us quite a bit of time! We should be paying you extra!" Wait, I get paid for this? "Whatcha looking at me for, kid? It's only natural we compensate you for guarding our lives, and the ship. Here, this is yours. Don't spend it all in one place now!" Before I can say anything, he shoved a bundle of lien into my hands and scurried off to join his crew.
I looked back to the newfound wealth in my hands. Finally, I could get a bed to sleep in! No more camping by dirt trails or napping in the branches of stiff trees! I could finally have a shower!
Here I come, City of Vale! This day couldn't get any better!