Infinite Mana Exorcist

Heummer led the two deeper into the shop. Guessing what was put on display wasn't the main deal.

And since they were royals, the quality of goods they would receive was definitely higher than what was openly exhibited. That much was understandable.

First, Heummer guided them to an area filled with shelves, each one holding a different kind of rock.

These rocks looked like crystals, each taking on different colors and emitting a faint glow in the dimly lit space.

"Runes... What a great find. I can't believe we're getting runes." Asher could already feel excitement bubbling within him.

Heummer stepped aside, motioning toward the shelves.

"Now, on the shelves are runes. You can only pick one, as your current level allows you to make use of just a single rune," he explained before giving them space to choose.

So that was it. One slot for runes.

Asher couldn't help but compare it to a game. The limitation reminded him of single-slot mechanics in RPGs, where players had to earn their way to multiple slots through strength and experience.

Commonly, in the beginning stages of a game, rune slots were limited to two. This restriction would likely loosen with age and power.

The two moved toward separate shelves, Nimora deliberately keeping close to him but not interfering.

This was fine by Asher.

It gave him space to inspect the runes with his expertise.

As he reached the shelves, he noticed labels on each rune—protection runes, self-healing runes, buffs, and even offensive runes.

A smirk curled across his lips.

"What an easy choice."

Activating his [Eye of Insight] skill, Asher's vision sharpened. He could see beyond just the type of runes; he could analyze their grades as well.

The highest-grade runes here were Grade C—not bad, but certainly not the best.

For now, though, they were manageable.

He spent some time scanning the shelves, occasionally pausing on a few runes, before finally circling back to one he'd already examined.

A green rune.

It shimmered faintly in his palm as he picked it up and turned back toward Heummer.

The shopkeeper raised a brow in mild surprise.

"Oh, you already picked a rune? I expected that to take much more time than—" Heummer's voice trailed off as he recognized the rune in Asher's grasp.

"Isn't that a self-healing rune?"

Asher feigned a look of mild surprise, pretending to second-guess his choice before responding,

"Yeah. I just... don't really like getting hurt."

Heummer gave him a disoriented stare, his expression screaming, Is this boy insane?

But deep within Asher's mind, he was grinning.

"With this, I can avoid the ultimate enemy of all gamers—bleeding. Not to mention, I'll have some resistance to poison attacks and other lingering damage effects."

Nimora stepped forward next, her choice in hand—a rune of deep red.

Clearly an offensive rune.

It was the type that granted bursts of strength when the user was cornered—akin to the base, incomplete form of a berserk mode.

This seemed to please the old hag more than Asher's choice.

"Offense over healing," Heummer mused to himself. "The limits to training with a self-healing ability are almost ignorable. With that, one could train their physique endlessly and barely feel exhaustion for a long while... This was the brighter choice."

Heummer exhaled before speaking again.

"Before I bind you to your runes, let's move to the weapon section, and then to the charm section," he said, turning around and leading the way.

Fortunately, the next room wasn't far.

The moment they stepped into the weapons chamber, Asher felt his heart race.

The sheer variety of weapons on display made him shudder with excitement.

This...

This was why he loved the game in the first place.

Rows of swords, shields, halberds, flails, and maces lined the room, each one embedded with glowing exorcist inscriptions.

Just seeing them filled him with a deep sense of satisfaction.

"This reminds me of the time I robbed the Exorcist Kingdom to get a spirit blade... only to realize that only exorcists could wield it," Asher thought, a chuckle threatening to escape his lips. "Hahaha, I shouldn't have killed those NPCs."

Nimora, standing a short distance away, watched him closely.

Every area they entered, she noticed how his demeanor shifted.

He was... thrilled. Almost too thrilled.

And the way he selected his equipment? It irked her.

His choices disgusted her.

But his confidence...

His overwhelming confidence made her hesitate to judge him entirely.

As she mulled over it a bit longer, she decided to simply observe him for now.

Heummer's voice brought them back to the present.

"Now, please select a weapon."

The two of them immediately moved forward, heading toward separate weapon racks.

Without hesitation, Asher activated [Eye of Insight], scanning through the vast collection of swords.

It didn't take long before he found exactly what he was looking for.

[Nice pick]

[Blood Fang Blade]

[A sword that can inflict damage on spiritual entities. Against the living, it applies a bleeding effect.]

[Grade B Blade]

"This is it."

Excitement got the better of him, and he spoke his thoughts aloud.

Nimora, who had been silently watching, narrowed her gaze.

Asher quickly hurried back to Heummer, presenting his chosen blade.

The shopkeeper nodded in approval.

"A decent weapon," Heummer said, recognizing its ability to vanquish spirits. Though, he had no idea about its hidden bleeding effect.

A short while later, Nimora emerged from her section, her selection in hand.

A pair of double katanas, their deep black sheaths gleaming under the dim light.

The moment Heummer and Asher laid eyes on them, their expressions shifted.

Their eyes widened.

"Oh my... Lady Nimora."

[Grade A Blades]

[Name: Unknown]

[Ability: Increases user's precision and stats by twenty percent]

Asher clenched his teeth.

"If only I had spotted it first!" He bit his lip, jealousy crawling under his skin.

Heummer cleared his throat.

"That is a very fine choice, Lady Nimora. Shall we move on to the last area and—"

Before he could finish, Nimora's voice cut through the air.

"Between my choice and Asher's, which is superior?"

Silence.

The tension in the room thickened.

Heummer blinked, uncertain if he had misheard.

"Pardon me, Lady Nimora?"

"Which choice is greater—mine or Asher's?"

Now, it was clear.

She wasn't just asking out of curiosity.

She wanted to know who had chosen better.

Asher smirked internally.

He already knew the answer.

Nimora's weapons were undeniably superior.

But what would Heummer say?

Would he risk offending the son of the throne with the truth?

Or would he bend his words to avoid disrespect?

"Let's see."