Chapter 41: The Beginner's Store
"Everyone search the area for anything useful while Nicole and I check out the store," I said.
"Keep an eye out for any bronze coins. The Chosen probably kept a hidden stash somewhere and/or on their person. Check everywhere," Nicole added, looking toward Logan, who nodded and signaled everyone to follow him.
Everyone followed except Viktor, who was giving me puppy eyes.
"What?" I asked, confused.
Viktor twisted his body, acting coquettishly, which made me shiver in disgust.
"You want to look into the store?" Nicole said, trying not to smile at his actions. Viktor nodded, pursing his lips.
"If you stop doing whatever that is, then you can stay. We might need your input anyway," I said, turning away from him. I heard him cheer before walking up to the vending machine.
"Wait, shouldn't we be careful?" Nicole said, holding my arm and stopping me from going toward it. I looked at her with a questioning look.
"We know the Chosen were using this as their store, and we don't have a person to use as bait other than our own people to check if it's a trap. Might as well just check it myself," I said with a shrug.
Nicole looked at me, then at the machine before stepping in front of me. I looked at her, then at Viktor, who smiled and wiggled his eyebrows around. I rolled my eyes at him and followed Nicole, who was already standing in front of the machine, staring absentmindedly at it.
I appeared beside her, and a screen appeared before me.
[System Detected: Human Level 4. Access to Beginner's Store Interface granted.]
A glowing pane of text hovered midair in front of me, listing options:
[Welcome to the Beginner's Store
Weapons
Apparel
Potions
Scrolls
Books
Sell Inventory
View Goblin Maw Dungeon Leaderboard]
Level 4? I guess I haven't been paying attention to my status window.
Status Window
Status | Inventory | Skills | Quests | Party (Locked) | Factions (Locked)
Status:
Name: Jasmine West
Level: 4 (400/800)
Alignment: Neutral
Class: None
Title(s): Medusa
Health: 150/150
Stamina: 150/150
Mana: 0/0
MP Regen: N/A
Strength: 14
Dexterity: 18
Constitution: 15
Intelligence: 12
Perception: 18
Luck: 6
Charisma: 7
Willpower: 10
Instinct: 8
Free Attribute Points: 20
Skill Points: 4
I dumped five points into Constitution, two into both Perception and Dexterity and one into Strength.
With Constitution at twenty, my health and stamina now sat at two hundred. I hadn't taken any damage yet, probably thanks to my reflexes and awareness.
Now that Dexterity and Perception were maxed at twenty, I'd focus on Strength next. I wanted my physical stats balanced before we left this dungeon.
Status Window
Status | Inventory | Skills | Quests | Party (Locked) | Factions (Locked)
Status:
Name: Jasmine West
Level: 4 (400/800)
Alignment: Neutral
Class: None
Title(s): Medusa
Health: 200/200
Stamina: 200/200
Mana: 0/0
MP Regen: N/A
Strength: 15
Dexterity: 20
Constitution: 20
Intelligence: 12
Perception: 20
Luck: 6
Charisma: 7
Willpower: 10
Instinct: 8
Free Attribute Points: 10
Skill Points: 4
I needed to start using my skills more—to see if they were worth investing in or just filler. But I hadn't needed them yet. That wasn't a good thing. Comfort made people sloppy. I was getting too comfortable. I need to reach level 10 so that I can get a class. This pace was too slow. First, I had to share enemies. Second, everything we fought was too weak to be a real threat.
I looked at my watch—just past noon. Maybe I'd sneak off tonight and investigate the first floor alone.
"This stuff is too damn expensive, especially for beginner items," Viktor said frustratedly pulling me away from my thoughts. I focused back on the store in front of me and looked into weapons first.
[Weapons Inventory - Sorted by Price]
— 10x Wooden Arrows – 3 bronze (Common) Basic, short-flight arrows. No bonuses.
— 5x Throwing Knives – 5 bronze (Common) Balanced for silent ranged attacks. Retrievable.
— Rusty Dagger – 8 bronze (Common) Low durability. Slight bleed chance.
— Iron Dagger – 10 bronze (Common) Reliable short blade. No effects.
— Wooden Club – 10 bronze (Common) Simple blunt weapon. Slight knockback on the hit.
— Worn Hand Axe – 12 bronze (Common) One-handed axe. Slightly higher crit chance on unarmored foes.
— Iron Short Sword – 15 bronze (Common) Basic one-handed sword. Medium swing speed.
— Hunting Bow – 15 bronze (Common) No bonuses. Pairs with wood arrows.
— Crude Spear – 15 bronze (Common) Reach advantage. Two-handed. Weak parry.
— Tanto Blade – 18 bronze (Uncommon) Faster draw. Slightly increased crit rate in stealth.
— Reinforced Iron Sword – 20 bronze (Uncommon) +10% durability. Slight crit bonus.
— Crude Spiked Mace – 22 bronze (Uncommon) Heavy blunt weapon. +10% to armor penetration.
— Chakram – 25 bronze (Uncommon) Can be thrown or used melee. Returns if caught.
— Compact Crossbow – 25 bronze (Uncommon) Comes with 5 bolts. Slight reload delay.
— Dual Hatchets – 28 bronze (Uncommon) Fast, dual-wield weapons. Slight boost to attack speed.
— Iron War Hammer – 30 bronze (Uncommon) Heavy, two-handed. High knockback. Slower swing.
— Recurve Bow – 30 bronze (Uncommon) Increased range and accuracy. Uses standard arrows.
What the hell? No wonder the Chosen weren't fully equipped with items and only a few had skills and this was only the weapons section. I am scared to check the other sections luckily I don't think we need new weapons for now so let's move on to apparel.
[Apparel Inventory - Sorted by Price]
— Leather Work Gloves – 4 bronze (Common, Hands) Worn but flexible. Slight grip support.
— Basic Canvas Boots – 5 bronze (Common, Feet) Durable, laced mid-high. Designed for light movement.
— Padded Tunic (Neutral Gray) – 7 bronze (Common, Body) Thick cotton padding. Protects from rough terrain.
— Simple Headwrap – 7 bronze (Common, Head) Keeps sweat and hair out of the eyes. No defense.
— Woven Rope Necklace – 8 bronze (Common, Neck) Braided hemp. Worn by early scavengers.
— Plain Iron Ring – 9 bronze (Common, Fingers) Mismatched band. Slightly scratched but intact.
— Wooden Buckler – 10 bronze (Common, Left Hand) Basic shield. No bonuses. Reinforced center grip.
— Traveler's Cloth Hood – 12 bronze (Uncommon, Head) +5 Stealth. Helps with concealment in low light.
— Reinforced Padded Jacket – 15 bronze (Uncommon, Body) +10% damage resistance to blunt attacks.
— Sturdy Leather Boots – 15 bronze (Uncommon, Feet) +5 Dexterity. Better footwork and grip.
— Worn Steel Combat Gauntlets – 15 bronze (Uncommon, Hands) +5 Strength. Slight knuckle reinforcement.
— Iron Buckler – 18 bronze (Uncommon, Left Hand) +10% block chance.
— Steel Ring – 18 bronze (Uncommon, Fingers) +5 Constitution. Crafted with minor symmetry runes.
— Pendant of Clarity – 20 bronze (Uncommon, Neck) +5 Intelligence. Improves focus, and boosts learning speed.
Only the uncommon items interest me, but I don't think there is a big need for these items either since we raided the sports store. Potions seem more interesting since I have never seen a potion before. Maybe it's like medicine, I just hope that it won't be too bad in price.
[Potions Inventory - Sorted by Price]
— Minor Health Potion – 10 bronze (Common) Restores +25 HP instantly. Red-tinted liquid in a sealed glass vial. Fast-acting can be used in combat.
— Minor Mana Potion – 10 bronze (Common) Restores +25 MP. A viscous blue fluid used to replenish mental stamina for skill-based users.
— Minor Stamina Potion – 10 bronze (Common) Restores +25 Stamina. Refreshes the body after strenuous activity or prolonged movement.
— Minor Poison Vial – 12 bronze (Common) Applies +1 damage per second for 30 seconds when spread on blades or arrows. Can stack with normal damage.
— Minor Stealth Elixir – 15 bronze (Common) Mutes all sound from movement and breath for 60 seconds. Lowers enemy detection range unless spotted visually. Ideal for infiltration or evasion.
— Minor Antidote – 15 bronze (Common) Cures minor poison effects and neutralizes lesser toxins from monsters or traps.
The potions aren't bad, except I would only want the health potion since you can never know when you will get injured. I haven't noticed myself getting tired fast so I don't think my stamina has gone down. I wished I could see my stamina in combat—and suddenly, a green bar appeared in the corner of my vision. I jumped, startled. Since when could I do that and how come I am just finding this out?
"Viktor, do you know you can have you can see your stamina bar without being in the status window?" I asked him turning towards him and making the store disappear.
"Huh? What do you mean?" He asked genuinely confused.
"I just wished that I could see my stamina while in combat and it appeared," I said shrugging. He looked at me for a moment then broke out into a wide grin.
"Well damn, this will definitely be helpful to manage your health, stamina, and mana when we unlock it. I will make sure to tell everyone once they get back. How are we supposed to know that?" Viktor said shaking his head.
"It's probably in the beginner guide," Nicole said shrugging still looking into the store.
"Beginner guide?" Viktor and I asked at the same time.
Nicole didn't look up. "Books section."
Viktor quickly focused back on the store and I put my health and empty mana bar in my vision. Back to the store, now where was I? Next are Scrolls and Books.
[Scrolls Inventory - Sorted by Price]
— Scroll of Spark – 15 bronze (Common) Unleashes a small electric jolt. Deals minor shock damage and may briefly stun a target.
— Scroll of Minor Shield – 15 bronze (Common) Creates a temporary barrier that absorbs up to 30 damage or lasts 10 seconds.
— Scroll of Flame Thread – 18 bronze (Common) Shoots a narrow stream of flame in a straight line. Moderate fire damage.
— Scroll of Haste – 20 bronze (Common) Increases movement and attack speed by 10% for 30 seconds. Affects one target.
— Scroll of Lesser Healing – 20 bronze (Common) Restores +30 HP to a target. Can be used on self or others.
— Scroll of Echo Step – 22 bronze (Common) Allows the user to teleport 5 feet in any direction instantly.
— Scroll of Anchor – 25 bronze (Common) Roots a single target in place for 10 seconds or until damaged.
— Scroll of Muffle – 25 bronze (Common) Silences all noise generated by the user for 60 seconds.
— Scroll of Light – 28 bronze (Common) Creates a hovering orb of light that follows the caster for 5 minutes.
— Scroll of Friction Burst – 30 bronze (Common) Temporarily creates a high-friction field beneath enemies, slowing all movement by 50% in a small radius for 10 seconds.
[Books Inventory - Sorted by Price]
— Beginner's Guide to the System – 10 bronze (Common) Covers core mechanics including Stats, Skills, Classes, Inventory, Quests, Party System, Factions, and Base Management. Required reading for new ascenders. Auto-opens System Tips menu when read.
— Torn Journal Page: Survivor's Tale (Part I) – 12 bronze (Common) A scavenger's personal record of the first 24 hours after the System hit. Reading it provides insight into common early mistakes and a small XP boost to Survivalist skill.
— Recipe Book: Field Rations & Foraged Meals – 15 bronze (Common) Unlocks 5 basic crafting recipes using dungeon or Earth-based ingredients. Boosts success rate when using non-poisonous wild ingredients.
— Combat Notes: Target Weak Points – 18 bronze (Common) A handwritten guide from a retired bounty hunter. Grants +1 to Tracking skill and minor insight into humanoid enemy anatomy.
— Letter from a Fallen Guard – 20 bronze (Common) Triggers a side quest: "Deliver the Message." Includes partial coordinates to a military checkpoint one zone away. Offers moderate XP and a potential item reward.
— Worn Map: Edge of the Deadzone – 22 bronze (Common) Reveals a new location on the system map—marked as an inactive dungeon. Adds 'Deadzone Coordinates' to your world tracker. One-time unlock.
— Training Manual: Fundamentals of Stealth – 25 bronze (Common) Grants +1 to Stealth & Infiltration skill if under 20. Warns about overconfidence and noise generation in urban zones.
— Lore Fragment: The First Cycle – 25 bronze (Common) A translated document chronicling the last failed Ascension.
— Scout's Notebook: Hidden Paths and Bunkers – 28 bronze (Common) Unlock three hidden locations in your current dungeon region and may trigger a treasure hunt quest depending on faction alignment.
— Traveler's Chronicle (Volume I) – 30 bronze (Common) Provides cultural insight into System Agents, Ascension history, and the concept of Tiered Realms.
— Quick-Step – 15 bronze (Common) Grants a short burst of movement speed. Can be used for dodging or repositioning.
— Brute Force – 15 bronze (Common) Increases physical strength by 10% for 30 seconds. Ideal for overpowering enemies.
— Static Touch – 20 bronze (Common) Grants the ability to deliver a mild electrical shock through touch. Briefly stuns a target on contact.
— Restoration Pulse – 25 bronze (Common) Releases a healing wave that restores +25 HP to allies within 3 meters. Long cooldown.
— Flame Burst – 30 bronze (Common) Unleashes a short-range cone of fire. Deals moderate fire damage and may ignite enemies.
— Suggestion – 40 bronze (Common) Allows limited verbal influence over one humanoid target. Affects low-willpower individuals most effectively. Lasts 10 seconds.
— Meditation – 12 bronze (Common) Unlock the Mana stat and enable passive regeneration of MP when resting or meditating.
— Mana Pulse – 18 bronze (Common) Releases a wave of energy from the user. Deals light magic damage and can disrupt magical barriers.
— Telekinesis (Lesser) – 25 bronze (Common) Allows the user to lift or push small objects within 5 meters. Useful for traps, distractions, or retrieval.
— Basic Martial Arts – 20 bronze (Common) Improves hand-to-hand combat. Grants +1 to Combat Mastery and reduces stamina cost for unarmed strikes.
— Enhanced Awareness – 22 bronze (Common) Temporarily boosts Perception by +5 for 30 seconds. Useful for detecting enemies, traps, or hidden items.
— Cloak and Step – 30 bronze (Common) Grant a 5-second burst of partial invisibility. Breaks upon attack or skill use.
— Alchemical Theory (Intro) – 18 bronze (Common) Unlocks crafting recipes for beginner potions and salves. Required for future alchemist class options.
— Lockpicking Basics – 20 bronze (Common) Enables use of lockpicks. Required to open sealed chests or trapped doors. Provides +1 to Dexterity when using tools.
"These are the same powers the Chosen had," I muttered.
"Too expensive," Nicole said flatly. "Hopefully the others were able to find some bronze coins and the Chosen bought at least the beginner's guide so we can save money."
"I feel like before we buy anything, we should wait for everyone to come back," Viktor said stroking his beard.
"That's a good idea. Let's check the Leaderboard." I said, focusing on it.
[View Goblin Maw Dungeon Leaderboard]
Marcus Veil – Level 5Nadia Hightower – Level 5Jasmine West – Level 4Viktor Mikhailov – Level 4Nicole Riley – Level 4Kaito Ren – Level 4Mitch Carter – Level 4Sol West – Level 4Giselle Mack – Level 4Fiona Black – Level 4Logan Greene – Level 4Hirose Ren – Level 4Devan Schneider – Level 4Elena Cruz – Level 4Monroe Reyes – Level 3Michael Stone – Level 3Lillian Hart – Level 3Dorian Vale – Level 3Zara Lin – Level 3Laney McFarland – Level 3
"Nadia is at second. How strong is she?" I asked looking at Nicole with a slight frown on my face. Her face mimicked mine but with a hint of confusion.
"Honestly I don't know. She has always been more of an administrative officer, so it's a surprise that she is ranked that high. Maybe she does have some skill." Nicole said annoyed.
"It doesn't matter. We all just need to level up more. So the goal is for one of us to be number one and Jasmine I'm not just going to let you get it." Viktor said giving me a smirk. I chucked at his antics but he is right. It doesn't matter how she did it. I just need to level up more than her and kill her if she becomes a problem.
"Hey guys, we are back and you should see what we found." Giselle's happy voice said from behind us. We all turned around to see everyone returning.
Perfect timing.