Bottom Tier 24

Test

Seeking Swiftness Is Synonymous With Seeking Firepower

"If you have this flexible hand, you can use weapons that are only usable in other jobs, right?"

Hm, hmm, Ao-chan confirmed with me again.

"Yes. The Sky Axe may be difficult to swing, but a lightweight and easy-to-handle Rapier would be perfect for sensei."

"Then I can take down enemies with my weapon while using my skills, right?"

"...That's right."

I nodded with a sense of unease, and Ao-chan suddenly said with a bright smile.

"So I can do it by myself!"

"Huh? What, huh?"

"I have money, and if I buy a Rapier as advised in the shop, I'll be just fine without Minato-kun!"

"Uh, yeah..."

"Thank you for everything so far. Well then, take care!"

Waving her hand, Ao-chan left from under me.

"I had a dream like that."

"What's that?"

My serious expression must have been quite funny because Ao-chan was giggling.

"But, it's true... If you tell me that, I can't stop myself."

"Oh, really? Are you seriously upset?"

Of course, I am.

Ao-chan promised me not to disappear on her own.

And yet, once she found out I had a powerful item, she turned her back on me.

"It was a shock, seriously..."

In a cafe near our regular inn, Ao-chan and I were drinking the famous pineapple juice.

Our one-week adventure break was coming to an end tomorrow.

"I wouldn't do something so heartless, you know? Minato-kun has been so kind to me, and I've been helped by you all along, so I want to be able to help you."

"Sensei..."

"Do you think so highly of me, Minato-kun...?"

Just when I thought she grinned, Ao-chan's face gradually turned red, with the "Su" still on her lips.

"Su... What?"

"I think highly of you."

She likes me, huh? 

I thought she was teasing me with a smirk, but it seemed different.

"Winning with good weapons and defending with good armor is also the essence of the game, so I think it's fun to try out various weapons."

Rather than detailed discussions about job-specific strategies or stats, enjoying the game by hitting with good weapons and protecting with good armor is the simple way to enjoy it.

"It makes me happy if the equipment I came up with turns out to be quite effective against the enemies."

Is that how it is? Ao-chan nodded vaguely.

As we left the shop, we headed to the equipment store.

"We need to prepare for the adventure. We'll be playing all day tomorrow."

"Let's do that."

Ao-chan's motivation for the adventure didn't seem to have dropped as much as I had feared.

When we entered the equipment store, I immediately showed the shopkeeper at the counter the materials.

"I'd like to request Fairy Wings, Wicked Robe, Tattered Feathers, and Fairy Cloak, please."

"Okay, leave it to me."

The shopkeeper took the materials, and we had to wait for a while.

Ao-chan, who was standing behind me, was gripping a weapon with a serious expression and lightly swinging it.

"In the High Angel Revenge battle, I relied on you, but I still want sensei to support from the rear."

"You don't want to put me in a dangerous situation, right? I appreciate your kindness, but I don't want to be a burden to you either. I won't interfere, so don't worry."

Ao-chan quickly waved her hand, blushing and smiling shyly.

"Just in case, I want Minato-kun to have a trump card."

"Sensei..."

She's thinking so much about our battles.

I love her so much I want to marry her.

"Oh, right. It's more than enough!"

Ao-chan peered into her wallet and then raised her voice as she reached for the armor on the shelf. 

Blushing, she tiptoed, stretched out her hand, and excitedly shivered. 

Her belly button was peeking out from under her clothes.

"..."

"Minato-kun, what are you looking at?"

"Uh, w-what's going on?"

"Can you get this for me?"

"Which one?"

"The Fairy Gloves."

The price was 15,000 Lin.

"I'll buy it."

"It's quite expensive. Are you sure you can afford it?"

"We can earn more, right?"

"Sensei, you're a respectable adventurer."

I gave a wry smile and handed Ao-chan the armor from the shelf.

――――――――――

Fairy Gloves

Defense +5, Magic Defense +8, Poison Resistance B

Equipment for rear support roles

High magical resistance and the ability to resist poison are its features

――――――――――

"Hey, it's done!"

The shopkeeper brought the ordered items from the back.

――――――――――

Fairy Cloak

Defense +4, Magic Defense +10, SP +10

Equipment for rear support roles.

It's characterized by high magical resistance and an increased SP limit

――――――――――

"I'll pay for both of these."

Ao-chan said as she settled the payment and immediately put on the cloak and gloves. 

The clean white gloves had intricate patterns like magic circles floating on them, and the same pattern was depicted on the cloak. 

The suit jacket was entrusted to me. 

I shivered as I realized I was holding something warm and hers.

"Now, there are 3 more to go, right?"

"Yes, a staff, a robe, and a hat."

"All right, let's do our best!"

For now, she decided to stick with the staff as her weapon, putting the weapon choice on hold.

Next was my equipment. 

I decided to continue using the poison dagger. 

The Poison Assassin style was perfect for Thief, and I needed to stay away from enemies with immunity or the ability to heal.

"And in that case..."

If I had learned [Sharp Strike], I would have focused on increasing my Agility. 

I glanced at the lightweight equipment for agile classes on the display shelf.

But nothing seemed particularly appealing. 

I've become somewhat selective about my gear.

I couldn't bring myself to buy something that felt like a compromise.

"I don't need this anymore, so please dismantle it."

"Are you sure, kid? This is pretty rare, you know?"

As I hesitated, I overheard a conversation between Ao-chan and the shopkeeper.

"What are you going to dismantle?"

"Axe."

"Huh...? Uh?"

"Oh. Was it a bad idea?"

"I have no use for it. Sensei is free to do as she pleases."

"Minato-kun said it would turn into good materials if we dismantle it."

I vaguely remember saying something like that.

"I'm done."

The quick-working shopkeeper immediately dismantled the Sky Axe into several materials.

"I see. With this, I can do that."

I picked up the blue crystalline material.

――――――――――

Rune Core Magic Crystal

A rare material.

――――――――――

"Hey, sir, with the Rune Core and that and this—"

With just that much said, the perceptive shopkeeper immediately understood.

"Oh, I see. Yeah, sure."

"Please, thank you."

"Wait a moment."

The shopkeeper disappeared into the back again with the materials.

"What can you make?"

"For lightly-armored classes like thieves, there are leg protection items similar to the robes for spellcasters. So, I just asked for a pair of those shoes."

After chatting with Ao-chan for a while, the shopkeeper returned with a single pair of shoes in hand.

"Is this correct?"

The black-based gladiator-style sandals were exactly what I had been looking for.

――――――――――

Sky Gear

Defense -4, Agility +17

Armor known as "Sky Stepper" that's said to even step on the air. It's known for its Agility-boosting power

――――――――――

This is it, this is it. I exclaimed with excitement and shook hands with the shopkeeper without thinking.

"Is it such an amazing item?"

"Rune Cores are rare, and at this level, they're almost impossible to obtain. For a Thief like me, it's more like a weapon, really..."

"Even though it's armor? Hehe. If it makes you so happy, then it was worth dismantling it." 

Ao-chan smiled too.

I immediately equipped it, and we left the equipment shop. 

With [Hayabusa] to increase my Agility and [Sharp Strike] for bypassing defense.

The Sky Gear allowed me to deal even more damage.