The Place Where Everything Begins

'Now that all my priorities are complete... I should proceed to another important matter, advancement.'

Having thought so, Jeremy replied to Mercury,

"I want to buy a mystic shell with mana energy within. You tell me the price first before I decide whether to buy it or not."

❰ The current price of a mystic shell with mana... The price has fluctuated lately as it looked like some guys were hoarding the mana shells, and there is also a separate delivery fee. Are you sure you want to buy that? ❱

"Aren't you supposed to be a salesman here? Why are you even asking me that anyway? Just tell me the price, and I will decide.."

❰ Alright! Alright! It's one level-5 mystic shell with 34% of condensed mana fluid for one black star, and you still need to add one more black star as the transferring fee ❱

"Isn't that too expensive?"

❰ I told you! ❱

"Usually, it's supposed to be 80 to 90% full..." Jeremy mumbled to himself after hearing the price.

But Mercury was taken aback after hearing Jeremy's mumbling,

❰ You even know the price of items sold in Pantheon... ❱

Within Mercury's mind should be having some confusing thoughts like, 'How could someone, who was still in the Tutorial, knew about the matters within Pantheon? Let alone a human...'

After all, the number of humans in the Pantheon could be counted with one's hand. Furthermore, all of them were old fogies who had lived for dozens of eras.

Also, Mercury knew all too well that Jeremy was still in the Tutorial as the connection had been established here.

Thus, it was completely justifiable that the Great Merchant, Mercury, would be perplexed at the unfolding events right now.

However, Jeremy didn't keep Mercury thinking to himself for long as the former suddenly spoke up,

"I will buy one mystic shell..."

❰ Sigh... ❱

At last, Mercury sighed for the second time today...

❰ Transaction accepted ❱

...

『 Transaction has been accepted 』

『 A total of 1x★ have been deducted from your star account for the trade 』

『 A total of 1x★ has been deducted from your star account for the delivery fee 』

『 You have 25x★ and 5x✰ remaining in your star account 』

『 Commencing the spatial breaching process... 』

『 ... 』

『 You have acquired a level-5 mystic shell 』

『 Transaction is concluded 』

...

With the last notification popping up, strange enough, the dark space before Jeremy suddenly distorted. Simultaneously, a small crystal-like item was pushed out from the small distorting space.

Upon seeing so, Jeremy promptly reached his hand out to grab it.

The object within Jeremy's hand was similar to the one he had used in the ritual, with two noticeable differences between them.

The first difference was the size, the one in Jeremy's hand was clearly several times bigger, and another difference was the dark-blue fluid undulating left and right within the supposed empty crystal.

❰ Do you want anything else? ❱

After hearing Mercury's question, Jeremy, who had just finished inspecting the shell, thought inwardly,

'It's too bad that buying items in this situation will only result in me losing too much money because of the abominable delivery fees.'

'If I have to pay one black star after buying every single item like this, I will go bankrupt in no time as it is akin to having to pay double the price for an item.'

'It couldn't be helped then... let's upgrade two more skills before proceeding with the white stars...'

In fact, Jeremy wanted to upgrade every skill and make it have roughly the same level to one another, but if he did that, he would also lose many black stars as the delivery fees. He didn't want to make a loss from the trade after all.

Thus, it was better and more efficient for Jeremy to upgrade only two skills to peak level instead of upgrading all of them altogether.

Upon finishing his thoughts, Jeremy shook his head slightly before saying into the dark space,

"I want to upgrade two more skills to the maximum level. The skills are Heightened Senses and Eagles Eyes."

❰ The first skill will cost you eleven black stars, while the second skill will cost you twelve black stars. Confirm? ❱

"Confirm."

❰ Transactions accepted ❱

...

『 Transactions have been accepted 』

『 A total of 11x★ have been deducted from your star account for the trade 』

『 A total of 1x★ has been deducted from your star account for the delivery fee 』

『 A total of 12x★ have been deducted from your star account for the trade 』

『 A total of 1x★ has been deducted from your star account for the delivery fee 』

『 You have 0x★ and 5x✰ remaining in your star account 』

『 Commencing the skills upgrading process... 』

『 ... 』

『 Your skill [Heightened Senses] has been upgraded to High Advance level, and the skill name changes to [Sixth Sense] 』

『 Your skill [Eagles Eyes] has been upgraded to High Advance level, and the skill name changes to [Third Eye] 』

『 Transaction is concluded 』

...

'My hard-earned black stars are all gone just like that...'

Jeremy thought a bit depressed after seeing he had no black star remaining in the account anymore.

❰ I know that you don't have the star anymore. I will disconnect now ❱

"Wait! What's the hurry?"

❰ Hm? You have to know that I will only receive black stars and white stars... Wait... Don't tell me! ❱

"Of course, I know that you receive only stars for the trade. Also, I still have some white stars left in my account."

❰ How do you even... Ahem! Alright, it means you have received the white stars even in the Tutorial... So, you are the legendary irregular. ❱

It appeared that Mercury was afraid that he would lose money if he decided to use any interrogative sentences with Jeremy. Thus, the former chose to use affirmative sentences while speaking instead.

When Jeremy had heard so, he could only shake his head in amusement before saying,

"Legendary, huh. Come to think about it; there are also those two monsters in Pantheon..."

❰ Those two mons... Damn you! Don't you dare use those cheap tricks with me again, or else our business ends here! ❱

"Tsk..."

Upon seeing that Mercury didn't fall for his trick, Jeremy clicked his tongue audibly before saying to soothe the fuming merchant,

"Alright, I apologize for trying to scam you."

In the end, Mercury, the Great Merchant, was such an existence that deserved respect from everyone. So, it couldn't be helped that even the former sage had to show some degree of respect to him.

❰ Hn! Now, state the thing you desire to buy. I don't have time all day to waste with you! ❱

'What is this type of people called again? Tsundere?'

Jeremy thought chucklingly before saying into the dark space,

"I want to..."