Reincarnation Of The Strongest Sword God Chapter 5 - Black Market Challenge

Chapter 5 - Black Market Challenge

A brilliant explosion of iridescent light erupted from the Luxurious Ornament Box as it was slowly pried open.

Shi Feng was fortunate to be positioned in a shadowy, secluded alley where no other players wandered. Had anyone witnessed such a display, their avarice would have surely been sparked, resulting in Shi Feng being hunted down and looted of his treasures.

As the radiant glow subsided, the contents of the Luxurious Ornament Box were revealed: a simple silver necklace and a ring crafted from purple-gold. The ring's band was etched with characters resembling the ancient Elven tongue, and it pulsed with a massive internal magical resonance.

“Thank goodness, it’s still the Ring of Gravity.” Shi Feng exhaled in relief upon seeing the item. He carefully lifted the ring from its container to examine its properties.

[Ring of Gravity] (Mysterious-Iron Rank) Equipment Level: 0 Strength +2, Agility +1, Endurance +1 Additional Skill: ‘Gravity Liberation’. Significantly diminishes the effects of gravity on the wearer. Duration: 30 seconds. Cooldown: 5 minutes.

“Excellent! It’s better than Bronze rank.” Shi Feng’s excitement surged after scanning the item's description. The outcome was far superior to his initial anticipations.

In the world of God’s Domain, equipment is ranked as follows: Trash, Common, Bronze, Mysterious-Iron, Secret-Silver, Fine-Gold, Dark-Gold, and Epic.

Upon starting the game, the System only provides players with Trash Equipment, which carries no value. At this early stage, Common Equipment is still a rarity among the player base. Although it can be purchased in major cities, the cost is prohibitive. Bronze gear is even more elusive and provides stat bonuses. Mysterious-Iron items, however, are typically only dropped by Bosses, making them incredibly precious.

During Shi Feng’s previous life, the player who first acquired the Ring of Gravity received only a Bronze version. That version provided a mere 1 point of Strength, and the ‘Gravity Liberation’ skill lasted only 15 seconds. Shi Feng was pleasantly shocked that finishing the quest at Level 0 had rewarded him with a Mysterious-Iron variant.

The silver necklace, meanwhile, was a Gray Item. These were highly sought after by NPC merchants, who were prepared to pay a premium for them.

After equipping the Ring of Gravity, Shi Feng allocated the 4 Free Ability Points gained from his level-up entirely into Agility.

This brought Shi Feng’s Agility to 12 points, his Attack Speed to 5, and his Movement Speed to 6. His stats now nearly matched those of a pure-Agility Assassin of the same level.

“Once I hit Level 3, my Agility will reach 20. At that point, I can unlock the Hidden Basic Skill for the Agility attribute.” Shi Feng viewed his Attribute Panel with high hopes.

Testing his movements, Shi Feng felt his body become significantly more responsive. If he had to fight Town Mayor Cross again now, he wouldn't be in such a desperate state. If he could reach twenty Agility points and activate the Basic Skill [Fast And Nimble], his physical capabilities would soar, allowing him to match the legendary Wulin Experts found in Wuxia stories.

Next, Shi Feng invested 15 of his Free Mastery Points into One-Handed Sword Mastery, reserving the final 5 for later. With his One-Handed Sword Mastery hitting 20 points, his status rose from Apprentice to Basic Swordsman, granting him a 10% damage bonus when using one-handed blades. He required another 30 Mastery Points to reach the rank of Intermediate Swordsman.

Standard strikes were merely the foundation for a Swordsman. To truly excel, Skills were essential. A wide repertoire of skills provided the versatility needed to dominate in combat and maximize damage output.

As a reincarnated sword expert, Shi Feng knew that with a tool like the Ring of Gravity, he needed a variety of Swordsman Skills to unlock his full potential. This was the only way to ensure rapid leveling; relying solely on basic attacks would make monster grinding far too slow.

“If I remember correctly, there is a Black Market Challenge in the Trade Area of Red Leaf Town. The first player to beat it gets a Swordsman skill book.” Most skill books were rare drops from monsters between Levels 3 and 5, and currently, no players were strong enough to farm them. Shi Feng didn't have the time to waste hunting for drops. The Black Market Challenge was his fastest route to a new skill in town.

Red Leaf Town Trade Area

The streets here were lined with various establishments, including pharmacies, smithies, and taverns; it resembled a bustling mini-market. However, the area was currently quiet. Since God’s Domain had just launched, the majority of players were focused on leveling up rather than exploration. Only a few Lifestyle players remained, busy learning professions like Forger, Enchanter, Alchemist, or Chef.

“Paying high prices for herbs! Message me directly!” “Buying ores; no scammers allowed.” “Buying high-rank gear for Credits. Prices are negotiable.”

Various representatives from Guilds and Workshops had set up stalls along the road, primarily looking to stockpile resources and equipment.

Without pausing, Shi Feng walked toward a two-story building. It was guarded by high-level Gnomes and bore a sign labeled ‘Black Market’. This was the shady underbelly of Red Leaf Town, a den of entertainment established by the avaricious Gnomes.

The Gnome’s Auction House was located just past the entrance. Descending the stairs into the basement led to two large open spaces: the Battle Arena and the Challenge Race field.

A handful of players stood near the field, attempting the Gnomes' trial.

“Go for it! You’ve got it this time!” “Don't let those Gnomes win! Keep going!”

Several players were shouting encouragement at an Assassin currently on the field. Their bloodshot eyes made them look like desperate gamblers.

The Challenge Race served as a test of a player’s raw skill. Upon entering, all attributes were normalized to 10 points, skills were locked, and equipment effects were nullified. Across a field 30 yards long and 10 yards wide, participants had to dodge or block projectiles from Gnome muskets. Reaching the finish line meant victory.

The Gnomes offered three tiers of difficulty: Copper, Silver, and Gold. After an attempt, there was a three-day cooldown. The entry fees were 5 Coppers, 5 Silvers, and 5 Gold, respectively. Naturally, harder challenges yielded better rewards, even including Dark-Gold Equipment.

Furthermore, the reward for the First Clear of a challenge in Red Leaf Town was significantly boosted; a Copper Prize First Clear could rival a standard Silver Prize.

In his past life, the First Clear was achieved by a Swordsman named Fierce Gale, who won a rare skill book.

Suddenly, the Assassin on the field was hit. He collapsed at the 20-yard mark, still ten yards short of the goal.

“Damn it, I was so close. Do any of you have more cash? I’ll definitely get it next time,” the Assassin muttered after respawning.

A male Cleric sighed and shook his head. “Boss Stabbing Heart, the five of us are broke. We gave you everything we had.”

Nearby, Shi Feng’s attention snapped to the Assassin. The name ‘Stabbing Heart’ surprised him.

The man was dressed in black and had a lean, wiry frame that reminded Shi Feng of a monkey. It was hard to believe this ‘monkey’ would eventually become the 10th-ranked Assassin in the Star-Moon Kingdom.

Stabbing Heart noticed Shi Feng and eyed him like a predator spotting a mark. With a grin, he approached and said, “Hey there, friend. I’m Stabbing Heart, the Assassin Squad Leader for the [Assassin’s Alliance]. If you lend me 5 Coppers now, I’ll pay you back 20 Coppers tomorrow. What do you say?”

Stabbing Heart was only ten yards away from winning and couldn't stand losing now. He believed he had memorized the patterns and could win on his next try. He used his Guild's reputation, hoping to intimidate or impress Shi Feng into giving him the money.

The Assassin’s Alliance was a famous powerhouse in the gaming world. Most veterans would jump at the chance to do a favor for one of their leaders. Usually, a player would just give the money away to earn some goodwill.

“5 Coppers?” Shi Feng considered it briefly before replying, “I can lend it to you, but you’ll owe me 50 Coppers tomorrow.”

Stabbing Heart was stunned. As a famous leader in a top Guild, he expected a much different reaction. He wondered if Shi Feng was simply a clueless newbie.

When Stabbing Heart didn't respond immediately, Shi Feng asked, “Do you want it or not?”

“I’ll take it,” Stabbing Heart said, feeling a bit miserable. Usually, people treated him like a celebrity, but Shi Feng was completely indifferent. Still, for the sake of the challenge reward, even 50 Coppers was a price he was willing to pay.

“Here is the 5 Coppers. Let’s add each other as friends. Don’t forget, I expect 50 Coppers tomorrow,” Shi Feng said, handing over the money from the 60 Coppers he’d made selling the necklace.

Stabbing Heart took the coins with a pained expression. “Fine. I won’t forget.”

Ignoring the Assassin’s internal turmoil, Shi Feng walked toward the green-skinned Gnome managing the race.

“Sir, time is money. What can I do for you?” the Gnome administrator asked haughtily.

“I’m entering the Copper Prize Challenge,” Shi Feng stated, paying the 5 Copper fee.

The Gnome inspected the coins, nodded, and opened the gate to the trial grounds.

“Attention everyone! We have a new contender. Let’s see what this brave Swordsman can do!” the Gnome shouted to the crowd.

“Boss Stabbing Heart, look! That kid who lent you the money is trying the race,” the Cleric noted.

Stabbing Heart laughed as he rested. “He’s clearly a novice. Does he think this is easy? The Gnomes change their firing patterns after 15 yards and the speed picks up. Even I struggled with it.”

“Exactly! If an expert like you only made it to 20 yards, that kid will probably get knocked out in the first five,” the Cleric agreed with a smirk.

On the field, three Gnomes at the far end raised their muskets and took aim at Shi Feng.

The timer appeared in the air, counting down.

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Start!