Chapter 129: Market Ventura

"Status," Ned said after he woke up and took time for his daily workouts.

[Mana Points: 3, 500/3,500]

[Energy: 100%]

He has been doing workouts; which made his body, at the very least, increased in muscle mass, with proper food ( more food) he could gain more. And having to increase in muscle mass, his body was able to store extra mana.

Ned had been careful, and if possible, try not to conjure spell—unless necessary. Since his body only absorbs pure mana. Which made him slower from the rest of magic capable. Although slow, his spell was (compared to his peers) far stronger and devastating than the others—thanks to his unique ability to absorb pure mana.

Currently, his display shows what was important to him. That also includes the Prime Evolution status.

[Level 0: 251/1,000]

[749 Cores are needed to evolve to the next level.]

"Cores, huh," Ned said. He closed his eyes and went into his Core. Darkness veiled the surrounding. The core floated in the air, wasn't sure if it was in the middle or the edges. Aside from the crystal core, the rest was in complete darkness.

Ned reached for the core, it was glossy. Black clouds hovering and filled the core half empty.

"What is your game, Rassus?" Ned said inside the space. Naked. His voice echoed until it went dimming in the far distance. His hand gripped the core, but no matter how he tried to move it. The core was like being chained a thousand times, it won't move.

His thoughts were then redirected into his dimensional pocket. A standard Sskatian ring for explorers customized by Kamma. Due to its spatial properties, the ring's capacity couldn't be measured.

One hundred eighty-seven gold floated inside his pocket (although floating, the golds were stacked neatly). Aside from gold; silver counting one thousand and three hundred floats. Tokens and Cube tagged along. The cloak Lady Darcey has given to him, and the mechanical bow was ready to be equipped.

Even with complete control over his system, Ned wondered about the mysterious packages floating randomly inside his pocket. The cube packages felt ethereal. They were there, but, unable to grasp. Aside from the Starter package (which according to Calahir, a surprise) and a necessary after he unlocked the Becoming Legend protocol, the rest were sealed. And opening them was a mystery to Ned.

Ned let go of the thought.

Still clad in black, Ned went outside his gold valued room. Bag slung behind and the pouch clinking against his waist.

The clock strikes six, the wind blew from the rising sun, and the Forgotten Pint was crowded with random hunters. The couches were half full, the rounded tables were going there, Ned took his chance to sit at the nearest table. Perhaps he was thin, or a kid, almost none have noticed him. Aside from the two waitresses, Master Claire, and his always smiling wife: Lady Githa.

One of the waitresses introduced herself as Su'aya took Ned's order(this time Ned took the cheapest food the tavern had, a porridge chipped with meat.) Aside from the size of their front, both wore yellow dyed hair, big rounded eyes, and white linen aprons, and a moderate length green dress, Ned assumed that the two were twins.

Ned's party will leave by dawn, exactly a day after he took the quest. Which gave him enough time to buy necessary things: like swords, and rations.

After his nanites were defunct, Ned wandered to buy healing potions: an alchemically produce, concocted from different herbs mixed with mana.

Yes, that I am. Ned thought. After he remembered Master Will who treated him like his real son.

I am a clone, a bioengineered, nanites, technology was stuffed inside me, a product of different mixtures lacks the right emotional response to things. Aside from Kamma who taught me things, it was my Master who gave me emotions. Emotions a normal fourteen-year-old kid have should have. Thanks to my old memories, I could survive as a fourteen-year-old kid. If I didn't snap being a clone, I could be subjugating planets by now.

[But. Be careful, Ned.]

ICE chimed in response to Ned's doubts.

[You may have your memories from your old body. But you now. Will not respond a hundred percent to what you desire.]

Currently. Ned answered. Currently, my body is too weak to perform complex attacks.

[Precisely.]

[You may see an arrow. But catching is completely a different thing.]

Heck, without the Mark of Knight and Overclock, I am nothing.

[I am here.]

ICE's voice was smooth with an alien accent of a faraway land and the warmth resounding inside his thoughts Ned couldn't ignore.

Sometimes I wished I'm back as a fourteen-year-old kid. Just, no memories of my past. I could be with Master now. Fishing, perhaps hunting Rabbis in the wild. Ned thought sighing.

Ned woke up from his realization when the lady served him food. It wasn't Su'aya. It was her twin Su'ayun.

"Your food, Ned," Su'ayun said. A thread of yellow hair hangs between her eyes.

Ned let go a smile. It was almost genuine but different from the usual smile.

[You have all the choices, Ned.]

[Act like a fourteen-year-old kid. Let go of the thought. It was one thing you didn't have. No. You couldn't have. Freedom. Act free. Perhaps. Try not to be so cold with the people around you.]

Like that smile? Ned said pondering things. I couldn't, not now. Smiling is... Hard for me. Not until I see my Master again.

[As you wish, Ned.]

The twins: Su'aya and Su'ayun were born a local of Sudden Plate City. With their knowledge of the place, they (mostly it was Su'aya who talked to Ned) recommend him the nearest and cheapest market Sudden Plate have.

Ned left for the Ventura Market. As the name suggests. The Ventura Market was owned by the House Ventura: a lesser House closely aligned to the Great House of Soak. This alignment to the Great House made their market known as the only market where hunters were able to trade with their goods rather than the common currency: bronze, silver, gold.

Ned reached the market and he wasn't surprised by the crowd entering the only entrance to the market.

It was a building, a three storey circular building, the inside was hollow. The walls were faded white, although old it looked neat, windows in each room.

The blue sky lighted the different stalls and shops that were randomly aligned in the center. Goods were set on the ground along with their owner (who, for the most part, were hunters), shops at the edges of the elevated platforms.

It was crowded for the most part, but enough for Ned to maintain distancing by almost a meter apart. He could at least avoid the reeking smell of the busy hunters along with their hungry shouts.