Special Mana

"So Gauss, what brings you here?"

"Could it be you're looking to buy a wand?"

Andini noticed that not long after he entered, Gauss had been staring at her wands with a look of longing.

"Senior, may I ask the price?" Gauss asked cautiously.

He called her "Senior" naturally because he believed Andini, a Halfling with a room full of treasures, was no ordinary person, but likely a Professional herself.

"The second one from the left, that short one, is the cheapest at 20 Gold Coins."

"Hiss, that's so expensive."

So expensive.

Andini had casually stated a price that made Gauss gasp.

20 Gold Coins meant he'd have to complete at least 280 missions like the one he just finished to afford it, and that didn't even account for his daily living expenses.

Mages, truly noble.

Even their weapons were frighteningly expensive.

"Expensive? That's just the cost price. In fact, I wouldn't sell it even if you offered 20 Gold Coins. I use these myself; they're not for sale."

Andini smiled brightly and revealed the truth.

"Is there anything else you'd like to buy? Or perhaps something you want to sell me? I can help you appraise it too."

Gauss hesitated for a moment.

He took the Life Magic Stone out from under his shirt.

"Senior, could you tell me how much this Life Magic Stone is worth?"

"Come closer, I can't see clearly," Andini sat up from her rattan chair and beckoned Gauss over.

Gauss walked closer, clutching the stone.

Andini leaned in and gently tapped the stone with a fair finger.

Gauss felt an unusual fluctuation in the air.

Before he could sense it further, the fluctuation came and went quickly, vanishing without a trace.

"A Life Magic Stone of ordinary quality, with a slight energy loss. My buyback price is 2 Gold Coins and 40 Silver Coins," Andini stated the repurchase price crisply.

2 Gold Coins and 40 Silver Coins, it was about the same price Daphne had mentioned.

"Senior, if I wanted to custom-order a wand with this Life Magic Stone as the base, how much more money would I need?"

"Do you have a Base Material Staff prepared in advance?"

"No."

"Then, including testing and customization fees, with this Life Magic Stone, you'll need at least 1 Gold Coin more."

"I said at least. The exact amount depends on the price of the Base Material Staff that suits you."

1 Gold Coin.

Compared to the shocking 20 Gold Coins, it seemed more acceptable.

About the price of a house.

His current savings were around 19 Silver Coins.

Assuming each mission yielded 7 Silver Coins, after deducting about 2 Silver Coins for living expenses per mission cycle, he could save about 5 Silver Coins per cycle.

That would be about 16 missions.

But that was assuming no unexpected gains. In reality, adventuring sometimes yielded higher profits.

Hiss, still, it felt like a long time.

Money is so hard to earn.

Andini leaned back in her chair, propping her chin with her hand. She watched Gauss count on his fingers, his face eventually showing a bitter expression, and she smiled even more happily.

Perhaps Gauss's embarrassed appearance reminded her of herself many years ago when she first started adventuring, looking just as poor.

Most new Adventurers were like this.

Adventuring sounded fun, but when it truly became a job, it slowly became a headache.

Purchasing and upgrading weapons and armor, repair costs, daily food, healing potions, essential survival tools...

The countless expenses made many Adventurers wish they could split their Silver and Copper Coins in half.

Sometimes, after a hard-earned mission, they would find that the quest reward wasn't even enough to repair their armor and weapons.

That bitter taste was something even she now didn't want to experience a second time.

Fortunately, she had saved enough money to retire.

After calculating, Gauss looked back at Andini.

"Senior, I'd like to sell this Life Magic Stone and purchase a Base Material Staff suitable for my Mana circulation."

After thinking it over, he realized the Life Magic Stone on him was just gathering dust. It would be better to exchange it for money first and buy a Base Material for a Wand.

Firstly, he could get accustomed to the Base Material for the Wand in advance. Later, when he saved enough money to upgrade and craft it into a Wand, it would also save time.

Secondly, after getting accustomed to the Base Material for the Wand, it could also increase casting efficiency. Although the effect wouldn't be as good as a Wand, it was still more than ten percent better than casting spells with empty hands.

Getting the Base Material for the Wand in advance would allow him to improve his current combat power in the shortest possible time, and his practice speed for Magic Missile would also be faster.

"Of course, you can," Andeni agreed, nodding.

"Follow me."

She hopped off the rattan chair, barefoot, and turned towards a room.

Gauss followed closely.

He pushed open a wooden door.

The room Andeni led Gauss into was similar to a storage space.

Various materials were displayed on the shelves around them.

She searched through them.

She grabbed several pieces of wood of varying lengths and held them to her chest.

"These are the most common Base Material Staffs."

"See which one suits you best?"

Andeni led Gauss out of the storage room and back into the main hall.

Then, she placed the wooden staffs on the table one by one.

"How should I test them?"

"It's simple. Just grab one and try to channel your Mana through it. If you feel any blockage, it means it's not suitable for you."

"If it flows smoothly, it means the Staff matches you. The smoother it is, the more suitable it is."

Gauss nodded upon hearing this. The test was indeed not complicated.

He crouched down, reached out, and randomly grabbed the closest dark brown wooden staff on the low table.

The wooden staff was crooked and about half a meter long.

After a brief heft, he closed his eyes, focusing his mind.

After a moment of meditation, he began to channel the Mana within his body, slowly seeping it into the wooden staff in his hand.

The moment the Mana left his body and touched the wooden staff.

A repulsive force was immediately transmitted from the wooden staff.

He tried to "push harder." This time, he managed to overcome the staff's repulsion, and the Mana successfully penetrated it.

However, it didn't circulate smoothly, as if countless tiny figures were fighting his Mana within the wooden staff.

Gauss withdrew his Mana and placed the wooden staff back on the table.

"How was it?"

"Not very suitable," Gauss shook his head.

"Then try the next one."

Andeni wasn't surprised. The chance of successfully finding a suitable item on the first try was indeed quite small.

However, the ones she had chosen this time were all made of the most common materials.

Based on her experience, the vast majority of Mages could find a suitable Base Material among them.

Gauss nodded and picked up the next one.

After a while, he put it down again and shook his head.

"Try the next one."

He repeated this action five or six times.

When he put down the last wooden staff, a look of disappointment appeared on his face.

"None of them are suitable?" Andeni pinched her chin, lost in thought.

"This is quite a rare situation. It seems your Mana is very special, Gauss."

"What should we do now?"

"Let me think," Andeni closed her eyes and pondered.

After a long while, she opened her eyes.

"I remember now, I have a few very special treasures!"

"Are they expensive?" Gauss worried that even selling the Life Magic Stone wouldn't be enough to afford them, and he asked cautiously.

"Not expensive, cheaper than these. It's just that these unconventional staffs are usually not needed, so I put them away," Andeni said and started walking. "Wait here for me, I'll be right back."