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After judging that he was trustworthy, I decided to allow the Merchant to enter my territory. I conjured a special invisible barrier made of spiritual energy around his body too, so if he ever tried anything funny, this barrier would stop him from harming others. He was very weak, so I doubted he could do much himself, but you never know.
I cannot completely trust him, but some of my friends have already logged in inside the city, I want them to exchange some items at least, before he leaves somewhere else beforehand.
"Ooh, such a beautiful place, filled with life and colors! A very rare sight compared to the darkness of our world." The Merchant sighed in disbelief. "Ah, my manners are quite terrible today, aren't they? My name is Julius Skeletridge, when I was alive I used to be a rather hardworking merchant! Until a band of malefic thieves took away everything I had and burned me alive, ahahaha!"
"I-I see…" I smiled forcefully. "That sounds so tragic though… Are you alright?"
"I am as fine as you can see me to be!" He laughed. "We Undead are not always born from someone's death within the Underworld, only those that possess strong desires become Undead, born from the cold soil and the necrotic miasma pools. All of us members of the Merchant Union are very passionate about our job! Enough to walk out of our graves to earn a coin!"
"Hahaha, well, if that's what you say. For being an undead you're very cheerful, Julius." I smiled.
"Indeed I am! Instead of my friends that are quite negative, I prefer to take things differently and be more positive." He laughed. "Anyways, you shouldn't be drinking the potions so fast, won't your soul hurt, Lady Planta?"
"Gulp, gulp, gulp… Huh? Nah." I shrugged, as I drank the last A Grade Soul Potion.
Ding!
[You've consumed [Lesser Phantasmal Soul Potion (B Grade)] x10 and [Phantasmal Soul Potion (A Grade)] x1!]
[You have gained a large quantity of Soul Energy! Your Soul is beginning to grow much stronger as a result!]
[The power of your Soul is slowly beginning to overflow from your body, strengthening both your physical strength and your magical power.]
[All Stats have permanently increased by +200!]
[Once your Soul grows strong enough, it might Evolve, or forge itself into a Psyche…]
[You acquired he [Soul Forger] Title!]
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[Soul Forger]
Acquisition Conditions: Be one of the first ten players to Forge their Soul through the absorption of Soul Energy.
Equip Bonus: Increases Soul Forging Speed by +50%, Soul Strength and Soul Stamina by +30%. Soul Stat +100.
A Title bestowed to the ten first Players to ever begin forging their own souls. A new path is slowly unfolding before your eyes, the power of forging one's soul is completely different than just Leveling Up or Gaining Skills, it includes comprehending things beyond the physical realm and creating a bond with your own Soul.
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[The new SOUL Stat has been unlocked!]
[SOUL]: [A Special Stat that only appears once you begin Forging your Soul. It enhances all parameters that your Soul possess, such as Soul Strength, Soul Stamina, and Ethereal Power.]
[The higher this stat becomes, the stronger your soul will become, which can enhance all your abilities through [Soul Aura] or [Soul Materialization] Techniques.]
[Both improving physical might, physical fitness, magical power, and magical control. Materializing one soul will also grant new abilities and open new horizons to how some can grow and develop.]
[You permanently gained +100 SOUL Stat.]
Oh wow, that was a huge wall of text! It seems that the SOUL Stat is quite important! Glad I got it! And it feels like my real soul was indeed enhanced as well… I wonder if this is intended for everyone, or only those that Awakened?
"Hey, Planta! Oh?" Rita suddenly appeared, rushing to my side. "Who's this guy? One of Erdrich's summons?"
"Oh no, he's Julius, a merchant that sells things in exchange for Nether Coins." I presented the lil' skeleton.
"It is a pleasure to meet one of Lady Planta's friends." Julius politely bowed his head.
"Oooh, he must be those guys the event info talked about!" Rita was excited. "Okay, I've got a few coins, what do you have?!"
"You should buy the soul potions!" I immediately stopped her. "So you can get your soul stronger."
"Eh? But I wanted to check out what I can get first!" Rita complained, crossing her arms.
"If you drink them you get additional stats and the Soul Stat though also your IRL soul will become stronger too." I explained to her.
Rita still didn't get it too well though, she got angry.
"Hmm, and so? I don't care about extra stats; I'll buy whatever I want!" She said reluctantly.
My friend has always hated when people told her what to do, even if it was actually good for her, she would go out of he way to do the opposite… Oh well, it's up to her.
"Hmm, I see, I see~" She was looking at everything. "I'll buy this one instead!"
"Very well." Julius nodded, as five black potions were materialized, and Rita coins quickly went close to zero. "Five Lesser Necrotic Power Potions for Lady Planta's friend!"
"Why did you buy those?!" I facepalmed.
"It said I could get Necrotic Powers… And I am a dark sorceress and stuff, so why not?" She laughed. "I can already kind of summon some darker things, and even a Gate of the Underworld Skill, so this fits with me~" She started drinking one potion and immediately began to cough.
"Cough, bleeh… What is this thing?! So disgusting! Uargh…" She almost vomited.
"Well, they're made of necrotic miasma." Sighed Julius. "It is not something the living can… consume too well. It must have a bitter taste, I assume. We Undead don't have taste buds, so we can eat anything."
"Uuuggh… This is the worst." Rita lamented. "Agh, fine, I should had gotten the soul potions… But I'll chug these out anyways! I bought them so I'll take responsibility!"
Rita then started drinking the disgusting potions, constantly gagging and about to vomit several times. Once Mark and Lily logged-in and joined us, we decided to move to the Dwarven Country and pick up Brisingra with us, before finally meeting with Angelina's group and departing to the Luminous Kingdom without easting any more time.
Mark, Lily, and everyone else got themselves some items from Julius too, Mark got Soul Potions and Lily too, but Angelina's group weren't feeling like caring about a new Stat, and just got themselves equipment or other things… Erdrich drank Necrotic Potions too and was just like Rita, almost vomiting constantly, even as a Necromancer himself!
Nonetheless, the trip towards the Luminous Kingdom wasn't slow at all, as we decided to go through flight, sitting above my Flying Familiars such as Belle and Silver, Julius wanted to go to the city too, so we hitched him a ride with us.
The beautiful blue skies and the bountiful green grasslands across the endless landscape were truly awe inspiring, making the trip really enjoyable. The huge Luminous Kingdom emerged at the distance, it was a gigantic capital, almost as big as the Nexus City where Players gather the most.
It had beautifully paved streets, large houses, and an enormous noble district with huge and colorful manors, with the enormous white castle at the center, and of course, the Magician's Tower to the left of the city, holding a titanic-sized magic crystal on its top, floating silently.
It was really the fantasy city of dreams!
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