NOVEL WEB Chapter 40: Everything Here is a Fair Price
As Victor gazed at his newly-acquired treasures, excitement bubbling up inside him. These magic tools would undoubtedly prove invaluable in the challenges ahead. Even the other magic items, while of little use to him, could find purpose in the hands of players. However, he wasn’t done yet; one more lootbox remained to be opened — the Elemental Adept lootbox.
Filled with anticipation and hope, he shifted his attention back to the holographic screen and initiated the final draw. The familiar process began once more, and this time, an even more vibrant and opulent lootbox materialized from the Nexus Beacon and gently landed on Victor’s hands.
His hands trembled with anticipation as he prepared to open it. A radiant beam of light erupted from within, temporarily blinding him. When the light finally subsided, it revealed the lootbox’s content: a purplish-black spherical crystal orb, roughly the size of a clenched fist, encased in a crystalline shell of ice and glass.
Voidborn Orb
A magic orb forged by the gifted hands of a genius Artificer from the remnants of a fallen star. This enigmatic orb is shrouded in secrets as deep as the cosmos itself, and it can only be refined by a worthy wielder — one with a high affinity for the Cosmo element.
Rank: Superior-grade magic tool
“Sweet mother of Jesus! S-Superior-grade magic tool!” Victor’s jaw hung so wide open that a fairy could fly in and get chewed up.
“Ooh! You got something good there.” Even the ever-mischievous Lizbeth was unable to hide her surprise.
Victor gently cradled the Voidborn Orb, channeling his infused mana into its midnight-dark surface. Within seconds, the ethereal orb began to hover effortlessly above his palm as swirling patterns reminiscent of distant galaxies surfaced on it. When he withdrew his hand, it remained suspended nearby, as obedient as a loyal pet. Truly a practical and convenient magic weapon.
Magi didn’t limit themselves to magic staffs and wands; they had a wide range of magic weapons at their disposal. Some specialized in close combat and wielded magic swords, axes, spears, and various unconventional weapons. Others chose to use magic crossbows, bows, and even siege weapons. Magic guns were also an option that existed in this world…
This floating orb, however, offered distinct advantages over the typical magic staff. For instance, it freed the wielder’s hands, granting greater flexibility and potentially providing a split-second advantage in combat. You shouldn't underestimate this one-second advantage since it could mean the difference between life and death for a Magus. Yet, crafting such a magic tool required rare materials and specialized knowledge, making it a truly exceptional find.
And a rare find it was indeed.
Victor felt as though this weapon had a special connection to him. Normally, a typical third-stage Initiate Attunement acolyte would require at least a whole day to attune their infused mana and refine a superior-grade magic tool, but it only took him almost an instant for this one. How peculiar.
Great! With this, my combat prowess has easily increased by 50 percent— No, at least double since it perfectly matches my elemental affinity. Victor clenched his fist as confidence boiled up in his chest.
It was no joking matter. Coupled with the defensive magic tool, he could now face an official Magus for an extended period of time. Winning was still a distant dream, but having the capability to escape such a formidable opponent was akin to having an extra life.
Still, this round of gacha pull had strangely showered him with magic tools; it was as if the System had an uncanny knowledge of his needs and prepared them beforehand. Whatever the reason, as long as it helped him, Victor had no complaints. Asking one-sided questions wouldn’t get him anywhere and only make his head ache.
“Hmm, if the content of the Elemental Adept lootbox is this good, what about Nexus Temporal and above lootboxes? Is it possible to get magic artifacts from them?” Victor pondered in anticipation.
Even the lowest kind of magic artifact was worth countless times more than magic tools. This was because of a key thing that differentiated them — the fact that magic artifacts could directly tap into the power of the Primordial Nexus, making them incomparable to even the finest magic tools. It was no wonder that his former comrades had turned on him when there was a chance of obtaining even a broken one…
Lizbeth simply smirked at Victor’s inquiry and looked at him like she was looking at a fool. “Well, obviously. But don’t get ahead of yourself and take a look at their price tags.”
Curiosity got the best of him, so he glanced at the price tags: [Nexus Temporal Lootbox (4,000 AP)], [Sigil Conversion Lootbox (160,000 AP)], and the numbers kept multiplying by forty for the subsequent lootboxes.
“This… Is the System trying to rob me?!” Given his current rate of earning academy points, it would take ages to afford even a single Nexus Temporal lootbox. Currently, Victor was only left with one hundred academy points under his belt.
“To put it plainly, Elemental Adept and lower lootboxes are subsidies from the System,” Lizbeth explained matter-of-factly. “You didn’t expect to get them cheaply without a reason, did you?”
Victor let out a resigned sigh. “You’re absolutely right.”
Magi always prioritized equal trade above all else. If the designer of the System was indeed the previous headmaster — a Magus — then it made a lot of sense. That was to say, it would only be right for him to earn his worth to get the things he wanted, lest he was killed by another Magus for being egoistic.
“Anyway, let’s head back to the upper floor.”
With the other features sorted out, there was only one remaining task at hand: preparing the virtual shop. However, with the puzzle remaining unsolved at the moment, he couldn’t sell any spell models except the ones he had mastered or by purchasing from the System. In the former case, Victor had no physical books, and as such, the Shadowlink Marks couldn’t copy the content. The best he could do was meticulously write down everything he knew about the spells, including their spell models, and sell them. But… this process would undoubtedly be time-consuming and what better time than now to start this task?
With that in mind, Victor returned to his office and began his work. At least he had a fairy who could assist him in filling in the small but crucial details. Luckily, the memories of acolytes were much better than ordinary people.
***
In the auditorium, an inspiring voice echoed with a stirring cadence.
“The woods stir with unease, the very earth trembles beneath our feet, and before us stands an unprecedented crisis that tests the very essence of what it means to be a Magus. The arachnid invasion looms ominously over us, a shadow that threatens to engulf our world. These creatures, born from the darkest recesses of the world, possess an insatiable hunger for magic, and they will soon descend upon our academy. From this moment forward, every minute — no — every second counts! We must be prepared to face this looming threat with our weapons and spells!”
The players were looking high-spirited as they clenched their fists, listening to every word uttered by the headmaster on the podium. The recent update displayed on the official website had undeniably etched a profound impression upon their hearts, and now, his words kindled their determination.
At this moment, it wasn’t just the fresh batch of players who were gathered in the auditorium; even the thirty-five players from the previous batches had answered the headmaster’s summons. After the headmaster gave his daily speech to the fresh batch, he called upon these seasoned players through their Shadowlink Marks to join the assembly. Among them, Alfred and his four friends listened with rapt attention.
“In preparation for the impending invasion, I have opened the virtual shop accessible through your Shadowlink Marks. You’ll find spell models, magic knowledge, or even one-on-one tutoring sessions available for purchase using your merit points. This virtual shop will continually evolve as more offerings are added over time.”
Spell models! Magic knowledge!
All the players clearly yearned to become true Magi who could control storms and lightning. Even Alfred, who was level-headed in most situations, couldn’t help but feel a surge of enthusiasm.
“Furthermore, the mission list has been thoughtfully expanded, featuring essential tasks, facilities that need completion, and the corresponding rewards. Remember, we shall stand together, employing every resource at our disposal to defend our academy. We shall adapt, improvise, and overcome, for that is the essence of the Magus spirit. The invasion is coming; this is our test of fate!”
The impassioned speech more or less mirrored the official update. This meant that the prologue of the game’s first event — the “Arachnid Invasion” — had begun. With this new chapter opening before them, the players embraced a fresh sense of pride and attachment, much like the prevailing atmosphere on the game’s official website.
“Man, so the event has finally begun…” Prominence remarked as he gazed at the podium. “The headmaster’s speech is so inspiring… It’s giving me literal chills. Is he really an NPC?”
“Yup! Luckily, I got it all captured thanks to the new recording feature.” Storm grinned. “More importantly, have you guys checked the virtual shop?”
“Not yet,” replied Alfred.
The others also nodded, sharing their curiosity. That said, Alfred promptly opened the virtual shop, and his gaze fixated on the array of spell models and magic knowledge available for purchase.
Welcome to the virtual shop!
Where everything here is a fair price.
Spell Model
{Slicing Wind}
Projects several sharp blades of compressed air toward the target, slicing through opponents with cutting force.
Spell Tier: Aleph
Elemental Type: Anemo
Price: 1,000 merit points
{Flame Dart}
Conjures a small fiery projectile that shoots toward the target, causing minor burns upon impact.
Spell Tier: Aleph
Elemental Type: Pyro
Price: 1,000 merit points
…
Magic Knowledge
Study of Elemental Manipulation (Basic)
A basic course to understand elemental manipulation. It is essential to learn this if you want to perfectly cast magic without killing yourself in the process.
Price: 100 merit points
…
Special Offer
One-on-one private session
You can have a private session with the headmaster for one hour to answer all the questions you may have. No refund.
Price: 1,000 merit points
There were some other bits of magic knowledge priced around fifty to a hundred merit points, but nothing particularly caught Alfred’s eye… However, what impressed him the most about the game was the sheer volume of knowledge available. How many hours had it taken the developers to write all this and make it seem so plausible?
Welp, they could be using AI to generate the content nowadays, so there’s that, Alfred thought, dismissing his doubts.
“A thousand merit points for a single spell model?! Fu—!” someone in the auditorium blurted out.
“Everything here is a fair price? The developer who wrote this must have been lying through their teeth,” another player remarked.
Their frustration was understandable. A thousand merit points equated to more than ten days of dedicated work in the game, not even accounting for the recent requirement to pay for meals. Though given the current rate of Myriad Elements Method progression, it would take him closer to twenty days to advance and become a true acolyte anyway.
“Let’s stop lollygagging; it’s time to get down to business! If we want to harness that incredible magic as soon as possible, then accumulating merit points should be our top priority,” Prominence suggested.
“Damn right,” Mike chimed in. “There are numerous new missions available, like building fortifications to the north of the academy. I have a feeling this invasion is going to be epic!”
“Mm-hmm!” SuperNova added with enthusiasm. “I’m hoping I’ll become a group leader like you four soon.”
With everyone on the same page, they wasted no time and immediately set out to tackle their respective tasks.
