The System Mall sprawled across the Hub's central district, three levels of polished stone and brass fixtures. Shops lined both sides of wide corridors, their windows displaying everything from basic consumables to SSS-Rank artifacts behind barrier glass.
Players moved through the space in clusters, browsing inventory, comparing prices, arguing over build optimization. The noise level was constant—voices, footsteps, the chime of System notifications, the occasional burst of laughter.
Riri stepped through the entrance with Samael beside her, Loki padding at her left, Kirin at her right. Vesper rode her shoulder. Vermillion circled overhead.
The rose-gold [BONDED] tags above their heads drew immediate attention. Level 23 markers drew more. Players noticed, glanced, assessed the Combat Power displays that read 17,103 and 24,856 respectively.
Some looked away quickly. Others stared longer than was polite.
Samael's hand found Riri's lower back. Not possessive. Just present. A statement of territory that anyone with working eyes could read clearly.
She's with me.
They moved deeper into the Mall. The companion gear shops clustered near the eastern wing, specializing in equipment for tamed creatures, summoned entities, and permanent bonds.
[Eternal Fang Outfitters] had a window display featuring drake armor in graduated sizes. Perfect.
Riri pushed through the door, bell chiming overhead. The shop was smaller than it looked from outside, walls lined with armor sets organized by creature type. A shopkeeper NPC stood behind the counter, middle-aged woman with sharp eyes and the patient expression of someone who'd dealt with indecisive customers for years.
"Welcome to Eternal Fang. Looking for something specific?" Her gaze tracked to Kirin, who'd followed them inside. "Drake armor, I'm guessing."
"Defense-focused," Riri said. "He's hit Level 18. Current armor is C-Grade."
The shopkeeper nodded and moved to the drake section. She pulled three sets from the display. "These are all B-Grade minimum. Scaled plating, enchanted for elemental resistance. This one here—" she tapped the middle set— "has built-in Stamina regeneration. Good for sustained flight."
[Drake Scale Armor - B-Grade]
[Defense: +180]
[Stamina Regen: +15%]
[Special: Lightning Resistance +25%]
[Cost: 87,000 Credits]
Expensive. But Kirin spent most of combat airborne, using lightning strikes. The Stamina regen would extend his deployment time before exhaustion forced him to land.
"I'll take it," Riri said.
The shopkeeper pulled the armor set and moved to the counter. "Fitting takes about ten minutes. Your drake will need to stay still while the System adjusts the sizing."
Kirin made a grinding sound that might have been agreement.
While the NPC worked on fitting Kirin's new armor, Samael moved to the wolf section. He pulled a set of reinforced plating designed for large canines, examining the stats with clinical focus.
[Alpha's Aegis - A-Grade]
[Defense: +240]
[HP: +200]
[Special: Damage Reflection 10%]
[Cost: 145,000 Credits]
Loki padded over to investigate. The wolf's massive frame made even A-Grade armor look almost delicate by comparison.
Samael crouched to Loki's eye level. "This fits your build. More HP means you can hold aggro longer."
Loki's tail swung once. Approval.
"Done." Samael straightened and moved to the counter.
The shopkeeper had finished with Kirin's fitting. The drake's new armor gleamed dark silver, scales overlapping in patterns that allowed full range of motion. He stretched his wings experimentally. The armor moved with him.
"Looks good," Riri said.
Kirin's satisfaction pulsed through the Bond. He looked more formidable now. Less juvenile, more combat-ready.
Samael placed the Alpha's Aegis on the counter. "Add this."
The shopkeeper rang up both purchases. "Total comes to 232,000 Credits."
Samael pulled up his interface and confirmed payment without hesitation. Their shared credit pool absorbed the cost.
[Shared Credits: 1,334,963 → 1,102,963]
Over a million credits remaining. Two perfect clears of C-Rank Mandatory Missions had paid well. The triple multiplier from both their Systems had turned decent rewards into excessive wealth.
They left Eternal Fang with two companions wearing upgraded armor. Kirin tested his new mobility by doing a vertical spiral in the Mall's high ceiling. Loki's reinforced plating made him look even more intimidating than usual.
"Consumables next," Samael said, hand still resting against Riri's back as they moved through the crowd. "We're low on Mana Potions."
They turned toward the alchemy district.
A Player stepped into their path.
Male, early twenties, wearing guild insignia on his shoulder. Combat Power: 12,473. His gaze locked on Riri with the specific quality of someone who'd made a decision and was about to act on it.
"Excuse me," he started. "I couldn't help but notice—"
Samael moved. One step to the side, positioning himself directly between Riri and the guild Player. His expression didn't change. His hand moved from Riri's back to her hip, grip firm.
The temperature in the immediate area seemed to drop five degrees.
"You're in our way," Samael said. His tone was flat, but the threat underneath it was clear enough that the guild Player went pale.
"I just wanted to ask—"
"No." Samael's grip on Riri's hip tightened fractionally. "Move."
The guild Player looked at Samael's Combat Power display. 24,856. Looked at the absolute zero warmth in his expression. Looked at the way his hand was positioned on Riri like a claim he had no intention of releasing.
Smart decision: he moved.
Samael guided Riri around him without another word, hand never leaving her hip.
"That was unnecessary," Riri said once they were past.
"He was looking at you." Not a question. Statement of fact that explained everything.
"People look at people in public spaces."
"Not like that." His thumb traced a small circle against her hip through the fabric of her shirt. "Not at you."
Through the Bond she felt his territorial instinct like a physical presence. Sharp-edged and absolute. Other Players existed as background. Other Players approaching her with clear intent triggered response patterns that had nothing to do with logic.
"You can't threaten everyone who talks to me," she said.
"Watch me."
They reached the alchemy shop. [Crystal Vial Emporium] sold consumables in bulk—potions, elixirs, temporary buff items. The inventory was extensive and well-organized.
Samael released Riri's hip only when they were inside, door closed, the space suddenly feeling more private despite being a public shop.
An NPC alchemist greeted them from behind rows of glowing bottles. "Welcome. Restocking after missions?"
"Mana Potions," Samael said. "Greater quality, twenty count."
"Health Potions," Riri added. "Also Greater, fifteen count."
The alchemist pulled the requested items and set them on the counter. "Anything else? We've got new stock on Stamina Elixirs. Very popular with the Mandatory Mission crowd."
"Ten," Samael said.
The total came to 45,000 Credits. Samael paid without discussion.
They left with full inventory, consumables distributed between both their storage spaces. Efficient. Practical. The kind of shopping that happened when two people had been coordinating resource management for weeks.
"Food next," Riri said as they exited into the Mall's main corridor. "I want to try that new restaurant on the third level."
"The one with the waitlist?"
"System #2 got us a reservation."
His mouth curved. "Of course it did."