Before learning magic, Yu Yu prepared to deal with the spoils of war first. Since setting up stalls was no longer allowed in the spawn plaza, Yu Yu had to go outside the city gate. Although only a few days had passed, the number of players in the city had noticeably increased, with new players in hemp clothing constantly appearing at the spawn point.
With more people came more commotion. The city gate area became bustling with players looking for teams, buying and selling items, and... guilds recruiting members...
In any game, as long as it wasn't single-player, people would immediately form groups. Yu Yu declined invitations from several guilds—both familiar and unfamiliar—and also refused team invitations while walking to the city gate to look at the notice board. She hadn't checked it for several days, and new entries had appeared.
[Outsiders, please exercise restraint. Without the blacksmith's permission, it is forbidden to remove the blacksmith's pants. Violators will be severely punished. —Town Hall] (crossed out)
[The carpenter's pants can't be removed either!!! Nobody's pants can be removed!!!] (crossed out)
[...Please, outsiders, have at least some shame and don't remove your pants in front of the Town Hall!] (crossed out)
[NO REMOVING PANTS ANYWHERE!!!!!!]
From what started as relatively calm notices, they gradually became hysterical, with force that seemed to penetrate the paper. Yu Yu couldn't stop laughing. It seemed the Town Hall had been tormented recently. When would NPCs learn the correct way to manage players?
"Outsider, farming is not permitted near the city gate."
"Your food tastes worse than pig slop, and we can't even grow our own? Are you deliberately trying to make life miserable for players?!"
Before the farming player could speak, onlookers began to protest angrily.
Some even threatened aggressively, "Sooner or later we'll smash that money-grabbing shop! I've thrown up several times after eating there!"
"We have such realistic sensory experiences in this game, and not only do they fail to utilize it properly, they deliberately make disgusting food to torment players! The devs have ulterior motives!"
The guard couldn't understand what they were saying, and his expression grew colder. "Farming is not permitted near the city gate."
Yu Yu, wearing a hood, nodded and said, "The food is indeed terrible. Life skills professions need to be developed."
The guard's expression was very unpleasant, but when he saw Yu Yu, his expression gradually turned to confusion.
"Outsiders are making a fuss about nothing. We've been eating Uncle Bagen's food since we were children. How is it terrible?"
The players were all stunned when they saw the guard's expression suddenly become friendly. Just a moment ago, he looked like he wanted to draw his sword and cut them down. Who was this player? Did she pay real money for special privileges?
Yu Yu wasn't paying attention and was pushed forward by the players around her. She had no choice but to say something. "Did Captain Keya say farming isn't allowed near the city gate?"
The guard nodded. "Farming really isn't allowed near the city gate."
Yu Yu glanced at the dejected little farming player. "Where do you usually farm?"
The guard was taken aback. "...There's a vegetable garden in the North City, but we're close to the dangerous zone here, and the soil is contaminated. Food is usually transported from Silver Moon City."
He added, "If you..." he looked at the surrounding players, his expression growing cold again, "really must farm, you can discuss it with Uncle Bagen. That vegetable garden belongs to him."
However, outsiders had been driving him crazy lately, constantly complaining about how disgusting and awful the food was, some even vomiting on the spot, showing no manners whatsoever... so his mood was extremely, extremely, extremely unpleasant.
"So he's a key NPC! Why didn't anyone say so earlier!"
"Is it too late to start building reputation with him?"
"What does the tavern owner like?"
Players began chatting among themselves. The little farming player walked up to Yu Yu to thank her. "Thank you, my name is BunnyKittyTail, you can call me Tail. I thought we were about to get into a fight..."
She patted her chest boldly. "When I harvest my crops, I'll treat you to a meal."
Yu Yu smiled and added her as a friend, then walked back to the city gate. Seeing that she wasn't insisting on farming anymore, the guard walked back to the city gate with Yu Yu, saying as they walked, "If you want to farm, there's some unused land behind the barracks where you can plant."
He couldn't help but ask, "Is it really that bad tasting?"
Yu Yu: "Actually, I haven't tried it yet, but since everyone says so, it's probably true."
"But we think it tastes very good."
They gradually walked away.
"Who is she? Why is the guard so friendly to her? Answering every question—is he really a guard?"
"And he even recommended land near the barracks? I'm so jealous..."
"When I just looked at them a bit longer, they acted like they wanted to cut me down!"
"Do these gate guards have some kind of reputation system?"
"Why does this game put so much detail into such random things?!"
"Boss Yu, you guys don't know? It's your first day in the game?"
"She's completed hidden quests. Now she can enter the barracks like it's her own home," a player said enviously. "This might be faction reputation, but we don't know how to build it."
"Boss Yu is selling equipment again, hurry up!"
Yu Yu soon packed up her stall and returned to the city. She had been mistaken earlier. Although players had acquired many spoils previously, new players were constantly entering the game, so items were still selling well. Six pieces of equipment brought Yu Yu a whopping 38 silver coins.
Combined with her quest rewards, she now had the enormous sum of 2 gold, 138 silver, and 140 copper coins. She could buy 16 first-circle spells with that!
This time, the person on duty wasn't Yunlun, but the cold beauty who had given her credit before.
"I want to buy first-circle spells," Yu Yu said.
The beauty brought up a light screen. "Which ones?"
Yu Yu: "Do you have any recommendations?"
The cold beauty raised her eyelids slightly. "I recommend purchasing Spell Identification, Spell Detection, Spell Alert, Stance Shield, Deflection Field, Stunning Spell, Grease Spell, Terror Spell, Wolf Summoning, Greased Feet, Lightweight Spell, Tree Skin Spell, and various elemental spells."
Her cold voice listed the spells at an even pace, and Yu Yu counted on her fingers. She broke into a cold sweat—thankfully, the woman had only listed 12 spells, so she could still buy 4 more elemental ones. Yu Yu was about to make a grand gesture, "I'll take all—"
"However," the woman continued evenly, "your remaining points are only enough to buy two."
Yu Yu: "?"
The cold beauty's gaze seemed to contain a hint of mockery. "You don't have enough points."
Yu Yu gradually froze. That's right, she remembered now...
When she completed the Magic Circle quest, she was rewarded with Magic Circle points, and purchasing their spells also required Magic Circle faction points...
She had been careless!
"But, you completed this mission very well. The City Guard has commended you, counting it as a first-circle task, rewarding you with 800 points, 50 silver coins, and one first-circle spell."
Almost as soon as she finished speaking, Yu Yu received the rewards, along with experience.
400 experience points gained.
Yu Yu looked at her pitifully. "Senior Fei, could you please say everything at once?"
"It's Felix."
"Yes, Senior Fei."
The woman seemed to have only mentioned it in passing and continued speaking at an even pace. "Which ones do you want to learn?"
Yu Yu glanced at her for a while. "How many spells can I learn with my points in total?"
Felix looked down. "You previously had 900 points, spent 300 on Lightning Arrow, 10 on library books, plus the 800 reward points, making your current total 1390."
~Edit and rewritten by Rikhi, Reiya_Alberich, ReiNyam~
"A first-circle spell costs 300 points, cantrips don't require points."
She could only buy four. Having money but unable to spend it, Yu Yu felt hurt inside.
"Zero-circle quests give 100 points each, and first-circle ones give 400 points, right?"
"But cantrips only cost 2 silver, while first-circle spells cost 20 silver, ten times as much. Why aren't the points also ten times more?!" Yu Yu lamented.
Felix's expression never changed. "I suggest learning Summon Night Raven, preparing a suitable envelope, and sending it to the following address with your suggestion..."
She gave Yu Yu an address. Yu Yu leaned back. This senior was too serious and didn't joke at all!
Nevertheless, she recorded the address, just in case she might need it in the future. Four spells were a drop in the bucket. Lightning Arrow was powerful but had only one attribute, making it easy to counter, so she definitely needed another offensive spell.
As a fragile spellcaster, Yu Yu also needed one or two spells for escape, defense, detection, or control. She was surprised to find that the list Felix had recited earlier basically matched her needs. She hurriedly tried to write them down while she still remembered. Then she discovered that the game didn't have a built-in notebook function...
"Senior Fei, do you sell paper and pen here?"
"Basic magical paper, basic magical quill, basic magical ink, 5 gold for a set."
Yu Yu: "..."
"Regular paper and pen."
Felix: "Free."
She produced paper and pen from somewhere, and Yu Yu immediately felt relieved. "Thank you, Senior."
She felt that every breath she took in the academy was expensive, too expensive. Other professions definitely weren't this expensive! If she couldn't make money, she would probably be ruined by the spellcaster profession. Yu Yu wrote quickly, recording everything from earlier.
"Senior Fei, what does the Greased Feet spell look like?"
Felix: "First-circle Transmutation spell, applied to legs and feet, lasts 30 seconds, consumes 30 mana, duration can be extended with proficiency."
She coldly added, "Can be used together with Lightweight Spell without interference."
Yu Yu took notes. "Are these the only two first-circle escape spells?"
After some consideration, she said, "I'll buy Greased Feet first."
Felix made a note. Yu Yu continued staring at the list. "I can only choose one between Spell Alert and Spell Detection, which does Senior think is better?"
Felix: "Spell Alert is passive, Spell Detection is active, it depends on your needs."
Yu Yu's need was to buy both. "...I'll take Spell Detection."
"Shield, Control, and a second attack spell—I can only choose two of them. Which does Senior think has higher priority?"
Felix paused for a moment. Yu Yu thought she had caused the NPC to freeze and became a bit nervous.
Felix: "You still have one free spell."
Yu Yu was stunned, and her eyes gradually brightened as she looked at the cold beauty. "Would you gift me Stance Missile?"
Felix remained expressionless, but Yu Yu immediately received a notification.
[Obtained spell 'Stance Missile']
Yu Yu nearly burst into laughter. So it wasn't completely random after all. She loved the adaptable NPCs in "Eternal Darkness"!
Seeing her radiant expression, Felix unconsciously pursed her lips. As if guessing what she would ask next, Felix continued evenly, "Stance Shield can block one hit from a same-level Wanderer, Deflection Field targets ranged attacks, such as Wanderers' poison darts, Rangers' arrows, and other professions' crossbows."
"Terror Spell works on multiple targets at close range, Stunning Spell works on a single target at long range, Grease Spell works on multiple targets at mid-range."
Yu Yu quickly made her decision. "How long does Deflection Field last? If it's only a few seconds, then it's not worth it..."
"Both beginners' duration is 5 minutes."
"I choose Deflection Field."
Yu Yu still didn't want to engage with melee fighters. With her pitiful health, if she was touched, she would likely be close to death.
"How long does Terror last? Do I need to wait until they're right next to me to use it? How long does Stunning Spell take to cast? Does it consume a lot? How long can it stun? What form does Grease Spell take?"
Felix was as patient as an NPC. "First-circle Terror Spell lasts 0-5 seconds, depending on the target's mental strength and willpower. Beginner casting distance is only three meters, can't be cast from afar."
"Stunning Spell has a 10-second casting time, stunning for 0-10 seconds. Generally, those with mental strength and willpower below 7 can be stunned for the full 10 seconds."
"Grease Spell applies oil to a fan-shaped area in front, slowing targets or even making them slip, depending on their agility and balance." She paused, "However, it requires casting materials, ordinary oil will do. You can buy it at the general store or at the academy once you reach level five and can access the Magic Circle shop."
Yu Yu: "I choose Grease Spell."
"The shops must all be very expensive," Yu Yu pouted, "and I don't have points."
Felix: "The shop doesn't require points."
"You've completed your spell selection."
Yu Yu: "Not yet, I'll buy all the remaining cantrips!"
Felix quickly helped her select them. "A total of 88 silver coins and 1200 points."
"Can I accept first-circle quests now?" Yu Yu blinked her eyes cutely at the NPC.
Felix frowned, her fingers rapidly swiping the screen, then her brow relaxed. "Theoretically, no."
"But I'm just two thousand experience points away from leveling up!"
Felix: "There's a quest, take a look at it yourself."
"I'll take it, I'll take it!"
"Senior Fei, you're so kind. Next time I'll bring you something delicious to eat."
Watching her leave happily, Felix left the counter and went upstairs.
"How is she?" asked a seemingly cultured lady with a smile. "Her talent is quite extraordinary."
Felix lowered her eyes and thought for a moment. "...Not bad."
"To get a 'not bad' from you is quite something," the lady smiled. "The Grand Archon intends to hold a competition to select useful talent among the outsiders. You will lead our Moon Crescent Town team."
"Understood."
Yu Yu's harvest was substantial. She still had 2 gold, 100 silver, and 140 copper coins left, with experience at level 4 (7871/10000).
Five first-circle spells: [Stance Missile][Deflection Field][Spell Detection][Grease Spell][Greased Feet], as well as four remaining cantrips: [Scorching Ray][Freezing Ray][On/Off Spell][Compass Spell].
The original patrol quest had ended. The bodies of the remaining four squad members were eventually found, and her mission was completed, giving her 1000 experience.
New mission: [Escort Supplies].
(This quarter's supplies from Moon Crescent Town need to be delivered to Silver Moon City. The Archon requests the academy to send novice spellcasters to assist with the escort. Please arrive at the North Gate before 8 am on the 8th of August, 321 AL. Mission fails if late.)