· The Rich Woman Will Give Me a Better Sword

"Welcome, adventurer!"

The moment Lu Qiming stepped through the entrance, two cat-eared girls rushed up to greet him, flanking his sides with bright, welcoming smiles.

"Greetings. I need to purchase some weapons here."

"Adventurer, do you have any specific requirements for your weapons?"

The silver-haired cat-eared girl on the left leaned in slightly, closing the distance between them as she gazed up at him with wide, sparkling eyes.

"Dual swords!"

"Dual swords?"

The cat-eared girl blinked in surprise at his request before asking, "Adventurer, are you a dual-wielder?"

"No, I am an assassin!"

"..."

The cat-eared girl scrutinized Lu Qiming, ensuring he wasn't pulling her leg.

"Customer, what are your requirements for these dual swords?"

"The total length should not exceed one meter. Preferably all black, sturdy, and sharp."

"Understood, please wait a moment."

The other girl, who had orange hair, turned and headed into the depths of the shop. She didn't keep Lu Qiming waiting long before returning.

In her arms, she cradled a pair of pitch-black dual swords.

"Adventurer, these are the only dual swords we currently have that meet your criteria. Since few adventurers use this type of weapon, we only have this pair of Divine Judgment in stock."

"Hmm."

Lu Qiming took the dual swords from the girl and began to inspect them closely.

The blades were 0.7 meters long, forged from an unknown black metal. Mysterious golden runes were etched along the surface, emitting a faint, chilling light, while wisps of black energy coiled from the hilt to the tip.

As Lu Qiming gripped the swords, the blades hummed softly, and the runes began to glow.

It seems you like me too!

Lu Qiming's fingers brushed lightly over the hilts. The two swords danced fluidly in his hands, executing various sword techniques with ease. As he swung them, flashes of sharp, lethal light flickered through the air.

The blades, once foreign, began to feel intimate, as if they had merged with his flesh and soul—as if they were a natural extension of his own body.

The temperament Lu Qiming exuded shifted from gentle to dangerous. The two cat-eared girls standing nearby turned pale, watching him with growing dread.

The sensation of death looming over them—the feeling that their hearts would be pierced or their heads severed in the next second—made their bodies tremble.

"Ad-adventurer, please be careful! This isn't the Dungeon; there are no monsters here to kill."

As Lu Qiming's killing intent flared, the silver-haired girl couldn't help but speak up, terrified that if she didn't warn him, she might die right there.

"Ah... my apologies! Sorry about that. I got a little too carried away."

Lu Qiming flicked his wrists, and the dual swords slid perfectly into the sheaths at his waist. Instantly, his killing intent and sharp aura vanished, and he returned to his gentle demeanor.

Seeing this, the two shop assistants finally dared to approach him again.

"Adventurer, are you satisfied with Divine Judgment?"

"Satisfied! More than satisfied! These two swords were practically forged just for me!"

As Lu Qiming spoke, he couldn't help but stroke the Divine Judgment at his waist. Sensing his mood, the blades vibrated gently, emitting a soft chime in response.

The silver-haired girl smiled. As a member of the Hephaestus Familia, she was happy to see a weapon forged by her kin find a worthy master, especially since Divine Judgment was a divine artifact crafted by their own deity.

However, she wouldn't be giving any discounts on the price!

"In that case, adventurer, the total comes to one hundred million Valis."

"What? How much did you say?"

Lu Qiming stared at the smiling girl in disbelief. Was she trying to fleece him?

"One hundred million Valis. And that is the discounted price for you, sir."

The cat-eared girl gestured toward Divine Judgment, looking at Lu Qiming with an expression that suggested he was getting the deal of a lifetime.

"This is a divine artifact crafted by our deity, Hephaestus. Selling it for a mere one hundred million Valis was the price set by the goddess herself after she finished forging it. If not for her, even ten times that amount wouldn't be excessive."

"Forged by Hephaestus!"

Once he heard that, the price no longer seemed so strange. In the original story, the weapon Bell used was also forged by Hephaestus, though that was only because Hestia had begged her for it.

In the end, Hephaestus had forged the Hestia Knife for Bell out of respect for Hestia's determination and their eons-long friendship.

Thinking of this, Lu Qiming hesitated no longer. Even though his 'Soul Blade' would grow stronger as he did, starting with a divine artifact meant it would surely become even more powerful under the nourishment of his soul!

"Here, one hundred million Valis!"

Lu Qiming painfully produced a black card. Tia had given it to him last night after hearing he was going to buy weapons today. He hadn't wanted it, but she insisted it was a loan he would have to pay back, and that having a better weapon would increase his chances of completing his missions.

In the end, Lu Qiming promised to pay Tia back within three months before accepting the card.

Sure enough, women only slow down my sword-drawing speed, but a rich woman? She'll just give you a better sword!

"Mhm."

The silver-haired cat-eared girl stared at the black card in Lu Qiming's hand, taking it in a daze. She had originally intended to introduce him to the installment plan recently launched by her Familia, never expecting him to pull out a black card with a face value of one hundred million Valis.

After the cat-eared girl took the black card, Lu Qiming left this place that made his heart ache. He had originally thought that with so much Valis, he would surely be able to scrape together a full set of armor and weapons.

He hadn't expected that poverty would still limit his imagination; a single Divine Judgment had sent him straight back to square one.

Adventurer Guild.

Lu Qiming pushed open the doors and walked inside. Today, he planned to head to the middle floors of the Dungeon, and he had come primarily to ask Eina about information regarding the middle floors.

"Eina, good morning!"

As soon as he entered, Lu Qiming saw Eina dazing by the counter and greeted her with a smile.

"Morning, Qiming. You're late today."

"I went to Babel Tower this morning to buy a weapon, and then I rushed over."

Lu Qiming lifted the Divine Judgment at his waist and waved it in front of Eina.

"Eina, have you prepared the things I asked for?"

"Here you go, but are you sure you want to go to the middle floors of the Dungeon today?"

"Yeah, the monsters on the upper floors no longer provide much help for improving my strength."

Lu Qiming took the information on the middle floors of the Dungeon that Eina handed over and walked straight to a corner to read it.