Chương 11: Getting Geared Up

Item Created: Wolf Leather Boots Resources used: Rough Wolf Leather x3, Wolf Leather x1 I used the wolf leathers because I had a feeling that the ones from the boar hide would give bonuses to defense, while these would boost my agility if I was lucky, however, the result was just common boots. Wolf Leather Boots Common Level 3 Defense: 8 Medium armor Restriction: none I was still happy as I had no boots other than my ordinary ones I'd started the game with.

It boosted my defense to 25 as well, which was pretty nice. Completing the boots also unlocked the skill Armor Crafting, in which I had one point so far. Now for the good stuff, I thought, thinking about the Exquisite Boar Leathers. What'll it be? The recipe for the leather breastplate required 6 leathers, so I chose the exquisite boar leather and the five boar leathers, and put them on the workstation. I was nervous since I didn't want to lose the exquisite material.

The system had an option for me to add additional materials to the crafting process, and after a brief thought, I took out the boar fangs that I had and looked at the artisan.

"Do you think this breastplate could benefit from these?" I asked. He looked at them, checked the recipe, hummed a bit, and answered.

"You know, at worst they will be decorative pieces, but sure, we could use these as well. Throw them in and let's see what the result'll be!" I added the 8 fangs as "additional materials". I set to work, treating the hides carefully, my movements slower this time. I wanted each cut to be perfect, every stitch tight. The NPC hovered nearby, occasionally offering tips but mostly letting me figure it out on my own. When I finished, the breastplate came out even better than I expected.

The system notification was almost as satisfying as the sight: Item Created: Tuskhide Breastplate Resources used: Boar Leather x5, Exquisite Boar Leather x1, Boar Fangs x8 Tuskhide Breastplate Rare Level 5 Defense 25 10% chance to reflect 25% of the damage taken. Restriction: Art of Might, Art of Finesse The armor looked fantastic. The set of boar fangs hung at the waist, almost like a belt, and the material was sturdy enough to give a significant amount of defense.

I used four of my rough boar leathers to make the last item. The cloak was simple but elegant, the dark fur providing a rugged look. Item Created: Hunter's Cloak Resources used: Rough Boar Leather x4 Hunter's Cloak Common Level 3 Defense: 4 Restriction: none The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. My armor crafting skill also rose to 4. As I packed up my new gear, the artisan patted me on the back.

"You've got potential, Ranger. Keep at it, and you'll be crafting legendary gear before long." I smiled, glancing at the bustling festival around me.

"Thanks," I said, slinging the Hunter's Cloak over my shoulders.

"Maybe I'll be back soon." With my new gear in tow and my leatherworking skill a little sharper, I stepped out into the sunlight, ready for whatever challenge came next. I didn't realize before, but it looked like crafting all those leathers and armor granted me experience points as well, and it wasn't even at a bad rate. I was almost all the way through level six, which meant that the hour I spent crafting items was almost as valuable as an hour hunting in the wilds.

It looked like playing a full crafter build was viable in this game. I spent a little more time checking out the scenery and got surprised once again just how fast the festival was growing by each passing minute. It was almost like a living organism. Brightly colored banners and lanterns stretched between the wooden rooftops. Flowers of every color were decorating both the doorways and the fences. The faint sound of laughter, music, crafting stations, festivities, and chatter filled the air.

The heart of the festival was, of course, the marketplace in the village square. Stalls overflowed with wares, some more practical than others. NPC vendors shouted out their goods, waving their items in the air.

"Freshly baked honey cakes! Perfect for your next adventure!" Sheila called out, her apron dusted with flour. Nearby, a blacksmith displayed an array of gleaming weapons and armor, although a lot of them looked like beginners like us could not afford them. One stall offered bouquets of rare flowers, each with a slight magical shimmer. I quickly checked, but there were no Flamewing tulips for sale, which reminded me I needed to sell them as soon as possible.

Another shop featured handcrafted trinkets: amulets, rings, and charms, some for aesthetics, others imbued with minor effects. I bought a ring for 20 silver coins that gave me +1 strength, +1 agility and +1 dexterity. 3 stat points for 20 silver was a solid deal. Copper Ring Common Level 1 Strength: 1 Agility: Dexterity: 1 1 Restriction: none Players mingled with NPCs, haggling over prices or debating the usefulness of a new item.

One particularly crowded stall was run by a quirky alchemist, whose potions bubbled ominously in colorful vials.

"Try my new Spring Elixir! The perfume of Spring, caught in a bottle!" he boasted, though his customers looked skeptical. The reason for the crowd was not the perfume, but that he was selling small HP potions for 5 silver coins; half the price of the ones bought in the apothecary. My purse was getting a bit too light, and I had plenty of potions, so I held off on purchasing them. Beyond the marketplace, rows of tents offered games, crafting stations, and skill challenges for participants of all kinds.

A group of adventurers cheered wildly as one of their party landed a bullseye in the archery competition, while a paladin struggled to catch a nimble chicken in the livestock chase. At the leatherworking station just behind me, players sat hunched over their crafting tables, stitching hides and furs into useful gear. Nearby, a black-and-white striped tent housed a "Test Your Strength" game, where players swung oversized mallets to send weights soaring up to ringing bells.

The Fishing Derby by the riverbank was equally popular, with players vying to catch the rarest fish of the day. NPCs waded through the crowd, announcing the current leaders and offering tips. At the far end of the square stood the Feast Pavilion, a massive wooden structure draped in garlands of greenery. It was getting more popular by the minute. Long tables were filled with steaming dishes of roasted meats, spiced vegetables, and other delicacies.

Cooks were running back and forth, refilling platters and offering samples to hungry adventurers. Players could also try cooking in one corner. One particularly long table was dedicated to desserts, its surface covered in fruits, honey-glazed pastries, a hundred different chocolates and frosted cakes shaped like animals. A cheerful bard played a lively tune on a lute, encouraging festival-goers to grab a drink and join in the dancing. One could pay an entry fee and eat as much as they wanted for a period.

I was still full from the stew I ate earlier, so I checked out the shooting range instead. Currently, there was an ongoing competition, but I quickly went to sign up for the next round. The villager overseeing the archery range was called Nolan, the village hunter. From a glimpse of an eye, I could tell he was decent with the bow, which was to be expected, since it was how he made a living for himself.

"I would like to partake in the next event, sir!" I said when I was next in line.

"Great to hear, young adventurer! May I have your name?" the hunter asked.

"I'm Orion, nice to meet you."

"Welcome to Carpa, Orion! I'm Nolan, and I will be your judge for the competition. Sixteen people can partake in one round, and you're number 15, so you can take position at the fifteenth table once the current round is over. My apprentice, Jackar, is currently judging the event, but as soon as he clears the field, you'll be set to start. I will then explain the rules for all participants. The entry fee is 10 silver coins." After paying for the event, I only had 9 silver left.

Hopefully, I can win some of it back, I thought. As I was waiting for the round to be over, I checked out all the other participants. From a quick count, there were 11 players and 5 NPCs waiting. All the players were rangers, obviously, and three of the NPCs looked like villagers from Carpa; they didn't look particularly skilled in archery. The remaining two looked a bit more interesting.

One of them was a tall man in his thirties, with a leather hat and jacket, holding a well-designed longbow; a weapon of much higher quality than mine. The other was a younger man wearing chain mail and a kettle helmet. His bow looked more ordinary, but him likely being an official soldier, he definitely had some training behind him. Among the players, there were three who had caught my eye. The first one was a girl, no more than sixteen, with her brown hair up in a ponytail and blue eyes.

She was wearing a breastplate similar to mine, which meant that she had probably crafted it at the leatherworking tent. It didn't have any fangs, but it was still rare to see crafted armor. She also had a bow that I had already seen a couple of at the carpenter's workshop; another crafted piece. Then there was a young man with a bushy beard. He had a serious expression and a build that resembled berserkers more than rangers, but he had his bow equipped too, and to my surprise, it was the same one I had.

This meant that he too had cleared at least the goblin camp with the archer leader. It was my hardest fight to date, so he definitely had some talent as well. The third player who had caught my eye was a man in his late twenties. His face looked like a hawk, and his eyes could almost pierce through the targets even without a bow and arrow. He was still using his beginner's bow and had no other equipment than a pair of bracers, but still I felt like he was someone I couldn't underestimate.

A couple of minutes later, the previous competition ended. The sixteen new participants lined up in front of the targets. Nolan stood before us and started explaining the rules.

"Welcome, competitors! Sixteen of you will compete, and three of our top scorers will get rewarded. The rewards are as follows." He then raised a wooden tablet for all of us to see. First place: 60 silver coins and a special reward. Second place: 40 silver coins. Third place: 30 silver coins.

"The competition will consist of three rounds. You will have to hit three targets in all of them," he pointed at the targets behind him.

"With each round, the targets get further and further away from you, but even within one round, the targets will be at different distances." He pointed at the round, wooden structures in the distance.

"Hitting a target on the outer ring grants you one point. Hitting it on the inner ring grants you two points. A bull's eye nets you three points. Every round, the maximum number of points is 9." He gazed at all of us quickly, then continued.

"If there are ties for the top three places, players will keep shooting at the furthest target until one of them gets a lead. Any questions? No? We will start soon, so get ready!"