The streets of the Imperial City pulsed with late afternoon energy as Kiara and Zion walked side by side through the crowd.
Passersby couldn't help glancing twice at this good-looking pair, whispering behind their sleeves as the pair passed.
Their destination loomed ahead.
The Everlasting Store.
One of the Big Three weapon shops in the Imperial City, backed by the Swordmasters Guild and partnered with the prestigious Iron Vanguardians dwarven blacksmith guild. For twenty years, its main branch had never once run out of stock.
Kiara wasn't here to buy.
She was hunting.
Not for weapons.
For luck.
In her mind, those blessed with wealth, talent, or status were likely favored by the heavens. If she could temporarily steal a sliver of their fortune, perhaps her own path would smooth out. Even if they lost a little destiny for five minutes, it wouldn't kill them.
With that pragmatic thought settled firmly in her mind, Kiara stepped into the store.
The ground floor buzzed with customers inspecting racks of polished weapons. Staff moved efficiently between buyers, explaining specs and prices with practiced ease. The air carried the rich scent of metal, oil, and coin.
For a brief moment, Kiara felt a flicker of envy.
She exhaled slowly.
"Don't get overwhelmed," she told herself. "Nexus will look like this one day."
Her gaze swept across the weapons. After a quick inspection, she noticed most blades and spears here were ungraded—high quality for common steel, but still ungraded.
Her interest faded immediately.
"The most expensive ungraded weapon here costs two gold coins. In my store, the cheapest pistol costs five."
The difference in value was obvious to her, even if customers didn't understand it yet.
"Big Sister, look over there," Zion said quietly, resting a hand lightly on her shoulder.
Kiara followed his gesture.
Near the entrance stood a large notice board she had missed earlier. She stepped closer to read it carefully.
Ground Floor: Ungraded weapons (4 silver – 2 gold)
1st Floor: Copper grade (4 – 20 gold)
2nd Floor: Silver grade (40 – 200 gold)
3rd Floor: Gold grade (400 – 2000 gold)
4th Floor: Gold grade Custom (3000 gold)
5th Floor: VIP only
6th Floor: Restricted
Below that were ten rules governing transactions, purchase limits, discounts, guarantors, blacklisting policies, and disciplinary rights reserved by the store.
Kiara let out a soft whistle of appreciation.
"These are solid business policies," she murmured thoughtfully. "Structured, firm, and profitable."
She mentally noted several ideas she might implement at Nexus in the future.
With renewed focus, she and Zion entered again and headed toward the stairs.
The staircase was narrow, allowing barely three adults to pass side by side. The upward flow slowed progress considerably, and it took nearly two minutes just to reach the first floor. Commoners browsed copper-grade weapons there, but Kiara did not linger.
She continued climbing.
Second floor.
Silver grade.
Still not enough.
Finally, she reached the third floor.
Gold grade weapons.
The atmosphere here was noticeably quieter. Fewer customers, more staff attention, and far more refined equipment displayed behind polished glass or mounted with deliberate spacing.
Kiara counted roughly eight customers.
A richly dressed couple who resembled Arceus Silver in wealth and bearing.
Three solitary buyers are studying weapons carefully.
And a trio dressed in matching gear with visible battle scars along their hands and necks.
Knights or adventurers.
Kiara observed the texture of their palms, the way their boots bore dirt patterns inconsistent with ceremonial duty. Adventurers, most likely.
Her deduction was confirmed moments later.
The tall, broad-shouldered man in the center clapped the shoulders of the two beside him.
"Chester, Phanuel, do not hesitate over price," he said confidently. "Your captain is not that poor. Both of you earned this after we took down that six-star rank- Lynic. Choose any two gold-grade weapons you desire."
Six-star rank.
Kiara felt her pulse quicken.
Such strength existed in this world as casually as merchants haggled over coin.
"One day," she thought, clenching her fist subtly, "I will stand there without envy."
"Welcome to Everlasting," a staff member greeted as he approached her and Zion. He was the only one currently unoccupied.
Kiara gave a polite nod while Zion remained silent behind her.
She stepped forward and spoke with calm composure.
"I am looking for a suitable weapon for my brother."
She gestured toward Zion.
The staff member turned to Zion with professional courtesy. "May I know what type of weapon you prefer, sir?"
Kiara answered before Zion could. "My brother here has relied solely on his fists until now, so we are unsure which weapon suits him best. Our budget is one thousand gold coins. Please do not show us anything above that range."
The staff member's smile widened slightly at the mention of their budget.
"Of course," he replied smoothly. "With that amount, we can certainly find something worthy."
Kiara's expression remained neutral, but beneath it, her mind calculated.
She didn't have such money with her. It was just a bait she needed.
In most cases, customers who stepped into the Everlasting Store followed a predictable rhythm.
They would first admire the weapons, let their fingers hover near polished hilts or engraved shafts, and only after their eyes were satisfied would they cautiously inquire about the price. If the cost exceeded their budget, they would politely move on to something more affordable, all while maintaining their dignity in front of the surrounding crowd.
Announcing one's budget before even glancing at the merchandise was uncommon.
It either suggested ostentatious wealth or a carefully measured limit.
More often than not, it meant the latter.
No one wished to expose financial constraints in a place where nobles, adventurers, and merchants mingled beneath the same roof.
Thus, when Kiara calmly stated that their budget was one thousand gold coins before inspecting anything, subtle ripples spread across the third floor.
The richly dressed couple cast a faintly dismissive glance in her direction. The broad-shouldered adventurer smirked slightly. One of the individual customers, whose purse likely held no more than five hundred gold, shifted uncomfortably as though reminded of his own limitations.
The staff exchanged brief looks.
Only the floor supervisor behind the billing counter narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
In his experience, only two types of people declared a budget so directly: seasoned warriors and Nobles. And both of those types deserve respect.
While the staff member guiding Kiara was momentarily surprised, he maintained his professional composure.
"These are all our display models on this floor," he said, gesturing toward a polished rack mounted against the wall. "Please follow me."
He led them toward a saber displayed in a glass case and carefully removed it from its sheath.
Kiara's eyes flickered briefly as she inspected it.
*
Warp Steel Saber
Grade: Gold
Forged by Master Blacksmith Philip using Freiten steel. War Bee blood is used as a catalyst to infuse minor spatial properties. Capable of storing Ether up to six star realm.
Note: Users with Space Attribute may manipulate minor spatial distortions to deflect attacks.
*
The staff member held it out with pride.
"This saber costs eight hundred gold coins. Its name is..."
"No," Kiara interrupted calmly. "It does not suit my brother. Show something else."
Her tone was polite yet firm, revealing no interest in theatrics.
In truth, she had no intention of purchasing anything here.
Her true objective stood only a few meters away in the form of a heavily equipped adventurer whose armor gleamed with recent polishing.
She needed proximity.
Three meters or less.
And then...
A mocking voice cut across the floor.
"Look at those two backing away the moment they heard the price. You must work harder, or one day you will hesitate like these paupers."
The voice was loud enough for everyone to hear.
No rule was technically broken.
No staff member intervened.
Kiara slowly turned her head.
It was the same muscular adventurer who had boasted moments earlier. Gold-grade armor adorned him from shoulders to boots, and his sword alone likely cost more than most families' annual income.
Zion also turned, expression unreadable.
Kiara folded her hands behind her back and met the man's gaze steadily.
The adventurer stared back for several seconds before scoffing.
"What are you looking at?"
Behind Kiara, the staff member noticed something faint.
The copper ring on her left index finger emitted a subtle glow.
A translucent interface appeared before her eyes.
[Target locked. Target has 4 Luck points. Proceed to absorb]?
"Yes," she murmured aloud, barely audible.
[Select an amount. Each Luck point requires 30 seconds. Target must remain within 3 meters.]
"Two."
[Transferring 2 Luck points. Maintain range for 60 seconds.]
She continued staring silently at the adventurer.
The man frowned.
"What did he just mumble?" he asked irritably, assuming she had insulted him.
He turned to the staff member behind her.
"You. What did he say?"
Before the staff could answer, Kiara smiled faintly.
"Do you know the most powerful force in this world?" she asked in a mild tone.
The adventurer blinked.
"What?"