Ch 370: Lungmen.

"So, why do you think of Lungmen?" asked Exusiai as Texas drove the battered car through the section's streets. They were attracting attention, with the absent windshield, dented ironwork, and the car was making an ominous, grinding noise whenever they turned right.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think I am back in one of my world's major cities." nodded Noah. "It's very different from the cities of the forgotten continent, where they live in stone houses and have no electricity."

Noticing Exusiai's slight disappointment at his lack of wonder, he chuckled.

"You should ask Xi Ling."

Exusiai switched her attention to Xi Ling, who was watching the city with wide eyes. Little Grey, too, was watching with interest. He had climbed on Noah's lap to be at the correct height to look at the streets, and Noah used the opportunity to pet him endlessly.

"The buildings there are so big? Do you really live in those?"

"We do." nodded Exusiai. "Texas and I live on the eighteenth floor of one of a middle-sized building. It's the top floor, and the view is nice!"

"Oh? Are you neighbors, or do you perhaps live together?" asked Noah.

In the game, Texas and Exusiai were colleagues and friends. But he also had read a few doujinshis where they were a couple, with Texas being the top and Exusiai the bottom.

"We're neighbors." shrugged Texas. "Penguin Logistics owns the building. The boss rented most of it to other companies but kept the top floor to offer lodging to his employees."

"Our garage is next to our building. That's where we're going right now." nodded Exusiai. "Then, if you still want to hire us as guides, we can go see the Boss and negotiate a proper contract."

"I want to." nodded Noah. "This city may look familiar, but without guides, I'm almost certain to put my foot in my mouth at the wrong time."

Of course, what Noah truly wanted was to spend more time in their company and nurture their relationship. He was pretty sure that Texas and Exusiai were artificial intelligences and he was looking forward to providing them with physical bodies.

Besides, if the Northern Continent was this strange blend of Arknights and whatever fiction Lilith used for Mystic Moon, he was probably expected to do just that, and who was he to go against divine providence?

Hopefully, he would get to meet Aurora, the white-haired, Ursus girl with polar bear features. And if he couldn't, he could always 'revive' her later.

The car turned right to enter a side street, then slowed down and took a downward ramp, going down a level to enter an underground parking. Texas drove the car two more levels down, and Exusiai opened a large metal door with a remote.

Beyond the door was a small garage. Noah could see two more cars similar to the one they were in, as well as an armored, heavy six-wheeler that seemed to be some kind of military troop carrier.

Texas parked her car in the service spot and they left the vehicle.

"How large is Penguin Logistics, Exusiai?" asked Noah as they walked away.

"We're a small outfit. There's the Boss, one person who takes care of the logistics, and five operators."

Noah nodded and entered the elevator cabin, and Exusiai led them to the elevator. She pressed the button, and the cabin opened.

"I hope you won't get flak about the state of the car." said Noah as they entered, and Exusiai pressed the button to ground level.

"We will, but we're used to it. Usually, it's bullet holes." nodded Texas.

They left the elevator on the surface, and Noah followed Texas and Exusiai into the nearby building, and they took another elevator to the seventeenth floor. The elevator led to a short hall with four doors, and one of them bore the logo and name of Penguin Logistics.

Texas opened the door without knocking and gestured for Noah and Xi Ling to enter.

As soon as the door opened, Noah heard Hip-hop music.

Noah entered and took a good look at the company's office. To his right was a pair of black sofas facing a large television and a game console. To his left, in a corner of the building with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a great view of nomadic city, were five large office desks, each furnished with computers and the type of furniture one would expect of a real-life office, pens, stacks of papers, coffee cups, and so on.

Further back were two fenced sections. One contained was a rack holding two dozen firearms of various sizes as well as a few blades similar to the one Texas carried, as well as a work area Noah assumed was for their maintenance. The other contained robust shelves, storing a number of packages and containers.

The rap music came from the door between the two fenced sections.

"It seems every operator is on a job right now." nodded Exusiai. She was about to open the door to what Noah assumed was the Boss's office when another song started, and she suddenly froze.

"Let's wait until that song is over. He wrote it himself, and he won't be in a good mood if he's interrupted." said Exusiai with a low voice, and Texas nodded.

"…alright." chuckled Noah.

He exchanged a shrug with Xi Ling as Texas and Exusiai put their weapons in the armory and listened to the lyrics. Hip-hop wasn't really his style, but this one had a catchy tune.

(AN: There is a sound track of this song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h55_cW5Xjvw&t=9s )

Yeah, It's the Emperor y'all. (Uh.)Don't start with me I'll bring an end to all.Uh, (uh-huh,) yeah, listen.They better kneel to the Boss.(Uh-huh.)

I ain't come to play, I just come to slay.Best believe today's your lucky day, once I touch the stage. (Uh-huh.)Top spot forever, bruh, these number never fluctuates.Hottest thing alive when I shine I set the sun ablaze,make the Winter season feel like Summer days.Forward, 'cause there ain't no other way, no matter what awaits. (Uh-huh.)I am unafraid, I'll never run away.Best to do it, done it, did it, flipped it 'bout a hundred ways.I'm just saying,

Right?! I'm the winner, bruh, you never equipped to win the fight.Against the Emperor, listen up are you men or mice?I'm the pinnacle, quite formidable. Never seen the likesof originals, making miracles, Y'all don't see the light?!Y'all got your eyes closed. Off into my zone,fly like a meteor, I'm in the media, they want to be up in my throne.Ride in the whip, yall gotta quit, got all of this on my own.

Tryin' to hit me up on my phone, all that they get is the dial tone.Take it all 'til there's nothing's left, that's just how you get it right.Yeah, they dying to be me, it's no wonder that they can't get a life.Every time that they see me trying to eat off me like parasites.No surprise. Only room at the top for one, so step aside.This is Big E, get me, these posers are merely lowercase.Out of this world, at a loss for words, you don't clearly know your place.I put it down plain, I'm in the fast lane moving at a tortoise's pace.So unbothered I got a permanent poker face, enjoy the race. (Yeah!)

I ain't come to play, I just come to slay.Best believe today's your lucky day, once I touch the stage. (Uh-huh.)Still number one, bruh these numbers never fluctuate.Put your drive to the test, see me, better pump your breaks.Crew got more runners than the Summer games.Forward, 'cause there ain't no other way, no matter what it takes. (Uh-huh.)I am unafraid, I'll never run away.Best to do it, done it, did it, flipped it 'bout a hundred ways.I'm just saying,

Though! Yo! You dealing with a pro! (Oh!)Had to let'em know (oh!) They get ate like Ocho! (Uh-huh.)Don't make me embarrass you, keep that on the low, low.PL crew up in this piece and your crew is a no show.Loco, testing me and li'l homie solo.Legend in the streets, on the mic a virtuoso.They say that they're ready, for their sake, I really hope so.Out here making history you better snap a photo.Fakers out here hating on me they don't want this work.Trying to knock me off the throne but your boy been known to swerve.Wanna off me just get on but these peons are absurd.Ambitions of ascension, but I keep their dreams deferred.Wanna knock me off the top, but I'm laughing while they're reaching.I will never stop shining down on them like beacons.Grinding thru the weekend and I don't need a reason."Full throttle" is my motto 'til I'm riding off the deep end!

Doubt you want a problem, but keep on talking then, it's bout to be.They said the sky's the limit but they lied 'cause ain't no topping me.(Yeah!) You ain't as live as me. How can there be a rivalry?Loneliest at the top, you see, I'm enjoying my privacy.I am feeling so fresh, (yeah!) worked to be the best. (Yeah!)Workin hard and playing hard, and I don't need no rest. (Yeah!)Livin' like a King, nothing but winners on my team. (yeah!)Going hard I know the cost, just blowing off some steam. (Ooh!)This is how I get it done, just trying to have a little fun.I walk through fire, make rivers run, I been the one, not two. (Oh!)So listen up, my dude, (yeah!) every member of my crew.Since little ones, weren't putting up with simpletons or fools.No giving up, can't lose, (yeah!) won't take what I can't use. (Yeah!)Spread my wing and stretching out cuz' I'm about to get loose. (Yeah!)The Emperor will get on with anyone you choose. (Yeah!)Let 'em tell it on the news. (Yeah!) When it's said and done I'm through! (Ooh!)

It's the Emperor, y'all.You better kneel to the Boss!(Uh-huh!)

"If he asks if you like it, say yes." muttered Exusiai when the song ended.

She opened the door.

"Boss! We're back! And we bought a customer!" exclaimed Exusiai as they entered.

If Noah hadn't played Arknights before, he would have been very surprised. Sitting on a padded leather chair behind a large desk was the founder and CEO of Penguin Logistics, Emperor.

And he was a penguin. A particularly tall emperor penguin, aside from the ends of his two flippers ending in black, flexible fingers. Had he kept his fingers straight, they would have seemingly merged together to form the flippers' tips all penguins possessed.

Emperor, as was his name, was a Beast Lord. In Arknights's Lore, they were different from people infected by Oripathy. They weren't humans with some animal features. They were animals with human-like intelligence and the ability to speak, a possibly unlimited lifespan, and were said to have already been there when humans came and colonized the land.

Noah used Scan on him.

[Emperor]: Type: Beast Lord. Grade: Celestial. Class: Heavyshooter. Level:54. HP: 2 589 400. A popular Hip-hop artist and CEO of Penguin Logistics. Has been killed many times, but always comes back.

Emperor wore a white t-shirt with a '2Pac' logo, three gold chains around his neck, narrow black sunglasses, and a white beret.

The office desk was cluttered, but Noah saw a silver Desert Eagle on it, in easy reach of the Beast Lord.

"Boss, those are Noah, Xi Ling, and Little Gray. Noah, Xi Ling, this is our Boss, Emperor. They saved our bacon!"

"Yo... Noah? The same Noah who just killed the White Terror?" asked Emperor, sitting a bit straighter.

"That's me. A pleasure to meet you, Emperor." said Noah with a respectful nod.

"Boss, Noah saved us." said Texas.

"He did? What happened?" asked Emperor.

"We did the job and killed the Ice-Treading Spiders that had been harassing the Stohem village." shrugged Exusiai. "But then Nethrys appeared, and we couldn't escape her. She bit us in the back, and next thing I knew, I was all wrapped up in sticky silk at the base of the Dragonspine mountain range, and there was that huge dome of ice on the mountain's flank."

"About ten minutes later, there was that system notification, and the ice dome shattered."

"I see." nodded Emperor wit ha smile. At least, Noah thought Emperor was smiling. It was hard to say with someone having a beak. "Thanks for saving my crew. PL owes you one."

"I just happened to be at the right time and place." shrugged Noah. "And I wish to hire Exusiai and Texas for a little while."

"Oh?"

"As you probably already know because of that notification, I'm a complete stranger in these lands. I need a guide or two for a little while to get my feet under me and avoid potential misunderstandings with people from Lungmen."

"That's smart thinking." nodded Emperor. "And I guess you guys don't have any LMDs if you're new around these lands."

"We don't." nodded Noah. "The forgotten Continent uses gold coins as currency. They still should hold some value here, if only for the material they are made of, and Exusiai suggested alternative forms of payment by helping them increase their levels."

Emperor looked at Exusiai, who nodded empathically.

"Gold isn't that valuable around here, with monsters dropping significant amounts of it each time they're killed, but Exusiai's idea isn't a bad one. Do you intend to hunt a lot?"

"Yes." nodded Noah. "There's a continental ranking among us players, and I happen to currently occupy the top rank. I'd like for things to remain that way, and that means hunting a lot, and the stronger the monster, the better."

"What class are you?"

"Bladedancer." said Noah. He shrugged as he saw Exusiai and Texas's blank expressions. "A class focused on using two swords and agility. But since I found that high-purity Originium, I am thinking about using it."

"That's a mistake." frowned Texas. "We told you it is dangerous, and if you become an Afflicted, you will suffer prejudice."

"I remember." nodded Noah. "But I also think finding it is fate, and this body isn't my real one. So I am not too concerned about adverse effects. As for prejudices, I can deal with it."

"When you consume Originium, you can choose a new class. Which one do you intend to take?" asked Emperor.

"I'm not sure yet." shrugged Noah. "Something that will still let me do a lot of damage, but maybe with a greater focus on resilience, and it would be great if I had a way to attack from a distance."

Noah had originally wanted to get as a third class something that would let him exploit his immense MP pool and cover his lack of ranged attacks. But when he was sitting on the car on the way to Lungmen, he had thought about the Piercing Ice, the ice-based bow he had gained from Nethrys's loot, and his inability to properly use it, Noah realized that it would be a mistake.

If Noah took a third class that was based on Magical Attack power, his stats would be diluted across the board. He would become a jack of all trades, master of none, and his overall dps would actually be lower than if he specialized fully in melee combat. What he really needed, if possible, was a class that possessed some means to attack from a distance, but would still be based on Physical Attack Power.

And one that would use one or two swords as weapons, in order to still benefit from his sword proficiency passive skill.

"There are a few class evolutions that would allow you to deliver ranged attacks while still being focused on melee, if that is your style." nodded Emperor. "Texas and Exusiai can tell you about them. So let's negotiate a contract."

"I'll assign two of my crew to act as guides and bodyguards in Lungmen. It won't be just Exusiai and Texas. I will rotate them. In return, they will form a party with you. As for the loot distribution, you will have priority, but the girls will stay in your party until you provide them with at minimum a Lvl 50 fairy-grade equipment, each."

"Fairy-grade equipment? And you have five operators, right?" asked Noah with a raised eyebrow.

"It's the starting point for negotiations." smugly replied Emperor. "Of course I have to start from a high point." smugly said Emperor.

Noah thought about the terms. They weren't inconveniencing him nearly as much as they would a normal player. Even if he didn't find fairy-grade monsters, he would be able to forge fairy-grade weapons, although the material cost would be steep. And he wasn't opposed to having more girls in his party for a while.

The only significant drawbacks, from his point of view, were having to share his XP, as well as needing to maintain secrecy about the Lunar Scourge.

After thinking for a few seconds, Noah decided the inconveniences were worth it to nurture a relationship with Texas and Exusiai.

"I'm actually inclined to accept, but I have two conditions." said Noah. "First, I reserve the right to refuse to party with someone if we do not get along. I will still provide them with a fairy-grade equipment, but they will be replaced with someone from PL I have no issues with."

"That's acceptable. What's the other condition?" asked Emperor.

"As a player, there will be at least several hours per day when I leave this world and return suddenly, and I will make a few trips back to the Forgotten Continent as well. That will be troublesome for those who will accompany me, but I can't do much about that."

"When you go to the Forgotten Continent, can we follow you?" asked Exusiai. "It sounds interesting."

"Yes, I won't mind." nodded Noah. "Although I might ask you to wear a mask and a different outfit, or you'll stand out instantly... on second thought, with the halo and the wings, there's no point."

"Yeah, I can't really disguise myself." shrugged Exusiai with a grin.

"Texas, are you fine with it?" asked Emperor.

"Yes. I'd be happy to get a few more levels." nodded Texas. "And I can't say no to the perspective of gaining some fairy-grade stuff."

"Then you have a deal, Noah." nodded Emperor. "And I'll give you some LMDs right now. You may want to buy yourself a new wardrobe if you're going to be around Lungmen."

"Yes, that would be much appreciated." smiled Noah. "Where do I sign?"

"No need for a signature." shrugged Emperor as he turned to a safe and started opening it. "Our word is enough. And those who violate their word meet me and my li'l homie there."

Emperor waved toward the Desert Eagle on his desk without looking, then took from the safe two stacks of bank notes.

"There, 20k LMDs." nodded Emperor.

"Thank you very much." nodded Noah as he took them.

"I'm investing in you." nodded Emperor. "I think…"

His words trailed off as the landline phone on his desk rang.

"It's Wei Yenwu, Lungmen's Chief Executive." said Emperor with a surprised tone. "Hang around for a bit. Considering the timing, this is probably about you."

Noah frowned as Emperor took the call.

"Hello, Emperor speaking… yes, nice to hear from you… he's right there in my office. I see the rumor mill is even faster than usual…  Rhodes Island? I know them. We delivered a few packages for them in the past… No, Noah hired us just now for an escort job, since he doesn't know the land or the city… I will transmit your invitation… Yes, have a good day."

"An invitation?" asked Noah with a raised eyebrow when Emperor hung up.

"Yes." nodded Emperor. "Apparently, when a banged-up car from PL entered Lungmen's main section with some white webbing still visible on the side, some sharp-witted fellow put two and two together and guessed the one who offed Nethrys was entering the city, and they called the higher ups. Wei Yenwu was meeting with some guys from Rhode Island when he received the news, and both Wei Yenwu and those guys want to meet you. You're invited to dinner at 20:00. They'll probably ask you a ton of question about where you come from."

"I see. Since if I have been invited, it would be very rude of me to decline." shrugged Noah. "Since I have about three hours until then, I'll get a proper outfit, then try to find a forge. Killing Nethrys has given me a few levels, and I'd like to update some of my stuff."

"There's a small forge you can use in our garage." nodded Emperor. "Texas and Exusiai can show you a few clothing stores. So if there's nothing else…"

"We'll make ourselves scare." chuckled Noah. "It was nice meeting you, Emperor. Hopefully, we will have a long and mutually profitable relationship. Goodbye."

Emperor nodded to him, and Noah left the office, followed by Little Grey and the three girls.

"Please wait a bit, Noah." asked Exusiai. "We got to change our damaged clothes before going out."

"Sure. Can you tell me about the professions, Exusiai?" replied Noah.

"Here in these lands, there are eight starting professions or classes." explained Exusiai as she removed her jacked and stared again at the holes left by Nethrys's fangs. "Caster, Defender, Guard, Medic, Sniper, Specialist, Supporter, Vanguard. Those classes will give you a baseline in your attributes, like more HP and higher defense for Defenders, and more Physical Attack Power for Guards. And each of those starting professions have between five and thirteen specializations."

"When we reach Lvl 50 or Lvl 75, we have the choice to take one of those sub-specializations, or to keep to the base class and reinforce it."

"We call the specializations advanced classes, but that is only a naming convention, not an indication of superiority. You may have one person with a starting class that is every bit as strong as someone who chose a specialization."

"I understand." nodded Noah. "It's a choice between perfecting the starting class's fundamentals or branching out to more niche applications."

"Exactly." grinned Exusiai. "So, let's start with Casters."

"Core Casters, as we call those who stick to the starting class, are able to launch various attacks based on Magical Attack Power. But they have little to no area of effect spells."

"Splash casters specialize in magic projectiles that will explode and damage everyone within range."

"Blast Casters have narrow attacks that can hit several targets as long as they are lined up."

"Single target, AoE, and Piercing beam." nodded Noah. "Simple enough so far."

"Yes." nodded Exusiai. "But the rest is a bit more complex. Chain Casters are a bit like Blast Casters, but their attacks tend to home in and jump from one target to another, like chain lightning. That gives them more precision and polyvalence, but their attacks are significantly weaker than those of the previous three classes."

"Then you have Mech-Accord Casters who can use a drone to assist them."

"Phalanx Casters have like a switch. They have a huge defense but can't attack unless they drop it completely. When they do, they attack everything around them, and they can do a lot of damage."

"Mystic Casters are like slightly weaker Core Casters, but they are able to store up to three of their attacks on their weapon to unleash them later in quick succession."

"Primal Casters imbue their attacks with elemental damage over time, like burning or poison."

"Finally, Shaper Casters are a bit weak by themselves, but they can create summons from defeated enemies, a bit like necromancers creating specters."

"I see." nodded Noah. "This seems both very diverse in archetypes, but the specializations themselves are very narrow in focus, are they not?"

"Yes." nodded Exusiai as she opened a locker. From it, she took a new jacket, identical to the previous one, and tried it on.

"Defenders are tough, shield-bearing front-line warriors. Protectors are the refined version of the base class."

"Guardians have some skills to heal themselves and others. They are really versatile, and a party with one of them can function even without a proper medic."

"Juggernauts cannot really heal others, but they can heal themselves, often by draining vitality of the enemies they hit."

"Arts Protectors are like normal Defenders, except that they can cause damage based on Magical Attack power, and often have greater elemental resistances."

"Duelists can only taunt one enemy at a time, but they recover MPs very fast."

"The Fortress Class is a hybrid between a Defender and an Artilleryman. They lug a huge weapon around like a mortar or a missile launcher, and as long as the enemy doesn't get close, they can attack it with those weapons."

"Sentry Protectors are Defenders who are a bit less good at taking hits, but can also attack from a short distance away."

"Finally, Primal Protectors are Defenders with particularly high elemental resistances."

"So far, The Sentry Protector spec is the only one I can see myself using." frowned Noah as Exusiai paused. "Does the class restrict what weapons you can use?"

"Not really." shrugged Exusiai. "Of course, you won't get far as a Sniper if you don't use a ranged weapon, but you could use a shield and a submachine gun if you wanted. Wouldn't be all that effective, though. A Sniper with a high defense but a low dps is kinda useless in a party."

"You could probably get away with using weapons that are completely unfit for your given class, as long as those weapons have attributes that run contrary to their normal uses, like a sword with adding Magical Attack Power rather than Physical Attack Power." shrugged Texas. "But those weapons rarely drop from monsters, and Blacksmiths won't make them unless it's a very expensive custom order. And what's the point of having a sharp sword if you attack from a distance?"

"Yes, I understand the logic." nodded Noah.

"Yes. Next is the Guard class. Guards tend to have a lot of HP, high Attack and average Defenses, but are weak to elemental attacks. Dreadnoughts are the refined basic class."

"Centurions are Guards who can attack two or even three enemies with a single strike."

"Lords have an extended range similar to Sentry Protectors. They tend to have more reach and more offensive power, but less defenses, obviously."

"Arts fighters are melee combatants who specialize in inflicting damage based on Magical Attack power and ignore part or even all of the enemy's Defense attribute.

"Instructors are Guards with more reach."

"Fighters are slow, but very powerful. They tend to do well against heavily armored opponents."

"Swordmasters are the opposite. They can inflict two wounds per attack, but their Physical Attack power tends to be lower to compensate, so heavily armored opponents are their nemesis."

"Soloblades carry a curse that prevents allies from healing them, but they can drain some HP from every successful hit they inflict."

"Liberators may be the strangest and most unpractical class around. They only have one single attack skill, and they must spend something like 40 seconds charging up their Physical Attack Power to triple its normal value before they can use it. Then they channel a huge attack for several seconds that will cause a lot of damage to their surroundings."

"Reapers are basically Soloblades who don't hit as hard, but cleave the whole area in front of them up to several meters of distance."

"Crushers are extreme glass cannons. Their attacks are slow and they have absolutely no defense, but their attacks are probably the most powerful of all classes."

"Earthshakers create shockwaves with their attacks that deal half of their damage to the surrounding targets."

"Primal guards imbue their attacks with one element and deal damage over time."

"And finally, Mercenaries can boost the damage of their attacks by consuming extra MP… I think I haven't forgotten any of the guard specs."

"That's a lot already." chuckled Noah.

"Is there any who caught your interest?" asked Exusiai.

"Yes. The Lord class would be invaluable for its added range, even if it was just two or three meters, and the Swordmaster's ability to hit twice would be great as well. I have a rather high Piercing Rate, so I would do well even against monsters that severely out-level me."

"Do you want me to talk about the other classes, or have you decided already?"

"Maybe later? I'm not about to consume that Originium immediately. But I'd like to know the specifics about your own class, as well as Texas's. I need to know if we're going to team up."

"Of course." nodded Exusiai. "I'm a Marksman. This is the refined Sniper class, and I do slightly more damage against aerial targets, but that's about it."

"I am a Pioneer, the refined version of the Vanguard class." shrugged Texas. "Vanguards have increased movement and attack speed, but the rest of their attributes are average, and Pioneers have no particular perks, but we are a little bit faster than the other specializations."

"I see. Movement speed is invaluable when fighting strong monsters." nodded Noah.

"Yes. Let's go back to the garage. How much time will you need at the forge?" asked Texas.

"Ten minutes should be enough." shrugged Noah. "I won't update everything, only my weapons for now."

The girls nodded, and they left the building.

They returned to the underground garage, and Exusiai led Noah to a recess at the back when a small forge had been installed.

"Croissant, one of our colleagues, is a Defender but also do blacksmithing as a side-job. She fixes what doesn't need to be completely replaced with the cars and crafted most of our weapons." explained Exusiai. "She saved us quiet a bit of cash. This is an electric furnace, and here is the anvil. The tools are there."

"Yes, I have everything I need. Thank you, Exusiai, Texas." smiled Noah.

He took from his game inventory a blacksmith's hammer and walked to the anvil. The game's interface appeared, listing the recipes he could use.

But something had changed.

Each recipe originally contained a small picture of the weapon or armor piece he could create. But there were now two pictures per recipe, the usual fantasy one, and two that looked a lot more modern.

As an example, the standard Lvl 45 gold-grade chest armor he currently wore now had two different skins. A fairly ornate chest plate armor made of naked steel with a few gold trims, and a black ballistic vest with a half-dozen pockets for ammo clips.

Noah wouldn't be able to use the Ice-Treading Spider Shell or Nethrys's Monster Core, as those required him to be Lvl 60 and 65, respectively. He was eager to try forging his first Fairy-grade equipment, but decided to wait. His Blacksmithing skill was currently at Lvl 50, and he didn't have time to bring it up to Lvl 55 right now.

It would be a waste to create a Lvl 50 Fairy-grade sword now, when he could simply wait a little and make a better one.

Noah selected the Lvl 50, Gold-grade, one-handed sword, and the materials left his inventory to materialize on the anvil in the from of a crude sword, its blade yellow-hot from fake heat.

Noah gave the required hundred hammer strikes on it, and the item suddenly cooled down, turning into a perfectly sharp, double-edge sword with a straight blade. A gold trim ran along the blade, and the guard was a mix of interwoven gold and black, just like the hilt.

[Vanguard Officer's Sword]: Type: Sword. Grade: Gold. Requirements: Lvl 50. A black sword infused with the essence of Nethrys. Attributes: Physical Attack Power +175, Strength +24, Agility +36, Attack speed +10%, Hit Chance +20%.

Noah considered it as he scratched his skin. It didn't even begin to compare with the Lvl 65 Celestial-grade Nethrys's Touch, of course, but this one-handed sword actually hit harder than the two-handed Imperial Warblades he had been using so far.

"Hum, it seems about as good as Texas's own sword." smiled Exusiai in approval as she examined the sword on the anvil.

"Yes, I rather like it." nodded Noah as he took the sword, and started creating a second one.

"Alright, thanks for waiting and letting me use this forge." nodded Noah once he was done.

"It's fine, we're getting paid to be with you anyway." shrugged Texas. "Let's go buy you some clothes. I don't think Wei Yenwu would berate you for coming clad in plate armor, but you probably wouldn't like standing out so much. And if you want to take a shower, you can borrow my bathroom."

"You're right about me not wanting to stand out." nodded Noah. "But do I smell?"

"No, you don't smell bad. You don't smell like anything. It's a bit strange, actually." frowned Texas. "I only offered because usually, people want to groom themselves before meeting important people."

"Yes, I noticed that I do not sweat, even after a hard fight. We players were granted special bodies when we came to this world. Anyway, let's go shopping. I will trust your sense of fashion, Exusiai, Texas."

"Yes, leave it to us!" grinned Exusiai.