Chapter 32: Salamander's Fang

Salamander's Fang.

An item made by processing the fang of a Salamander, a demonic beast with the fire attribute, just as its name suggests, and like most items containing the fire attribute, it was an incredibly useful item.

Especially in a place like Winter Castle, its applications were truly endless.

Not only could one start a fire much more easily and quickly than with a flint, but simply possessing the Salamander's Fang allowed one to resist the northern cold wave to some extent.

In addition to that, it could be used as a fire-attribute weapon in an emergency, so it was a waste of breath to even speak of its usefulness.

‘Well… it's as expensive as it is useful.’

In fact, compared to its usefulness, the Salamander's Fang was not an incredibly rare item like the ones I had considered before, objectively speaking.

Indeed, I could easily find the Salamander's Fang being traded at the auction house here.

A moderate supply and a moderate demand.

The price of 210 Gold, by no means a low number, was the appropriate market price for the Salamander's Fang created by the market economy.

‘Then…….’

I immediately bid on the Salamander's Fang.

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[Ongoing Auction List]

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[Auction Number]

◆No.321

[Auction Item]

◆Salamander's Fang

[Minimum Bid Amount]

◆210 Gold

[Current Bid List]

◆210 Gold

◆-

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There was no need to worry about the bid failing.

Since there was more than one Salamander's Fang registered at the auction house.

Even if the bid failed, I could just win another one, so there was no need to worry in the first place.

All that was left was to wait.

‘Now that I've placed my bid… shall I get to it.’

Even if no one was watching, I couldn't just blankly stare at the Anonymous Bulletin Board during this time.

While obtaining information was certainly important, what was more important was getting even a little bit stronger.

For that, there was no need to go outside and make a fuss.

Because I had a way to activate my metabolism without needing to move my body violently.

[‘Haima's Curse’ is active.]

[The wearer's blood runs rampant due to ‘Haima's Curse’.]

[Metabolism is greatly enhanced by the effect of ‘Haima's Curse’.]

Power surged from my entire body.

I didn't stop there and exerted the authority of the Orb of Water.

[The authority of the ‘Orb of Water’ is partially activated.]

[The authority is weakened as the ‘Orb of Water’s power is currently incomplete.]

[Controls the fluids within the body.]

[Blood volume and blood flow speed increase dramatically!]

The reason I usually almost never used the authority of Haima's Pendant and the Orb of Water at the same time was simple.

Because if I activated both Haima's Curse and the authority of the Orb of Water while moving my body violently, I could really die.

As proof, heat was rising from my body due to the blood flow exceeding its limits.

Sizzzle...!

It meant that not only was power simply surging, but my entire body's blood, as well as the flesh itself, was literally boiling.

The fact that this sight was not something to be shown to others was also one of the reasons I hadn't used this method until now.

Even if I was known as a mage, openly showing such a sight was not a good thing.

‘But not now.’

I was all alone in this spacious barracks, and there was no one to be horrified at the sight of some heat emanating from my body.

It meant I could freely use the curse and authority of Haima's Pendant and the Orb of Water.

“Hoo…….”

Just by sitting and breathing, it felt as if every muscle in my body would tear.

No, it probably wasn't just a feeling.

Crack, creak─

Because the sound of something snapping and twisting was actually coming from all over my body.

The resulting pain also far surpassed a normal level, but the spirit of the Postponer of Ruin did not break even in that pain.

If the healing authority of the Orb of Water hadn't supported me, my blood vessels would have burst and twisted long ago, leading to death, but the authority of the Orb of Water did not allow it.

[The ‘Orb of Water’ heals the wearer.]

Torn, burst, and recovered.

As that process repeated, every part of my body naturally grew stronger.

Not just the muscles, but every part the blood reached, like blood vessels and organs.

‘I'm getting stronger.’

To somehow survive in this godforsaken world.

And, to find out what secret this world is hiding.

***

A few days passed.

[The auction has ended.]

[You have won the ‘Salamander's Fang’.]

[The bid item, ‘Salamander's Fang’, will be transferred.]

As expected, the auction ended without a hitch, and I won the Salamander's Fang for 210 Gold.

Since it was a solo bid, I won it at the minimum bid price.

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[Salamander's Fang]

Classification: Weapon

Grade: Rare

A dagger made by processing the fang of a Salamander.

It contains the energy of flames.

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I could feel it.

Just by holding the Salamander's Fang in my hand, the harsh northern cold that had been lingering around was gradually subsiding.

‘That's not all.’

The fact that the temperature around the Salamander's Fang had changed meant that the cold that had been suppressing the Orb of Water had also faded, even if just a little.

[The ‘Orb of Water’ protects the wearer.]

[The ‘Orb of Water’ is healing the wearer.]

As if to prove that fact, I could feel the power of the Orb of Water grow slightly stronger.

This was the reason I had spent a large sum of money to acquire the Salamander's Fang first.

Fire-attribute weapons themselves were already very useful, but since the place I was staying at was Winter Castle, the Salamander's Fang was practically an essential item.

In fact, in the World of Justice, most users who visited Winter Castle had at least one fire-attribute tool like the Salamander's Fang.

‘In the first place, it's strange to come all the way to Winter Castle without a single fire-attribute tool.’

And sadly, until now, one of those strange people had been me.

‘Well, not anymore.’

When I first fell into this world, everything was bleak, but I was gradually getting used to life in this world.

The biggest help in that regard was undoubtedly the existence of the Anonymous Bulletin Board and the auction house.

The Anonymous Bulletin Board constantly reminded me that I was not alone in this world, and the auction house allowed me to obtain food that I could only taste in reality and various other useful tools with relative ease.

‘For now, I've only eaten foods that aren't too out of place in this world… but when I can afford it later, other things might be fine too.’

Of course, a lot of time would have to pass before that day came.

The modern foods posted on the auction house were generally very expensive, and in addition to that, they were quite foreign to this world, making them stand out quite a bit.

In other words, unless one had a completely private space, showing oneself eating such things to an unspecified number of people was a risk in itself.

After all, among the users, there seemed to be ominous rumors of newbie hunters who were after the Ascension Stone Fragments.

It was then.

“Hmm?”

Not long after a strange sense of déjà vu brushed my senses, a familiar face visited the 4th Special Task Force's barracks.

“It's been a while.”

It was Alicia.

Whether it was because her injuries were relatively light or because her recovery was good, Alicia appeared at the 4th Special Task Force barracks looking perfectly fine.

No, she wasn't just fine; she was incredibly clean and neat, unlike her usual self.

Golden hair that cascaded down like sunlight and eyes that seemed to hold the blue sea.

I had already guessed that she was a considerable beauty, but after she washed off the grime and polished it up, she was just as I had expected.

‘By the way…….’

I never thought Alicia would greet me first, but it seemed that getting a little closer while sharing beef jerky in front of the bonfire before had been effective.

“What about Conlan and Albino?”

“The military doctor's opinion was that they would need a little more time.”

“Is that so?”

Conlan was one thing, but seeing as Albino's return was particularly delayed, the aftereffects of his magic seemed to be quite severe.

‘This might be the end for him.’

In this world, a mage's end often came without warning, and there was a high probability that it would be the same for Albino.

‘Well, it has nothing to do with me.’

My feelings towards Albino right now were just so-so.

Neither antipathy nor favor.

In other words, no matter what happened to Albino, I wouldn't feel particularly sad or sorry.

‘Anyway… he's here.’

While I was lost in thought for a moment, another presence was felt in the web of my senses.

It seemed that the peaceful days of staying alone in the barracks would end today.

Alicia's return meant another fact.

Sure enough.

“So you're all here.”

As soon as Alicia returned, Edric appeared at the 4th Special Task Force's barracks for the first time in a very long while.

“So you're alive too, Commander.”

“It doesn't sound like a joke when you say it like that. I've actually crossed the brink of death a few times in the meantime, so don't you worry too much.”

Edric said it as if it were nothing, but for a skilled person like him to mention the brink of death, it seemed he had undertaken a difficult mission recently.

“I figured you would be, so I wasn't particularly worried.”

“That's just like you. Haha. That's why I like you.”

Edric chuckled heartily as always.

“By the way… did you eat something good while I was gone? You seem different somehow.”

It was somewhat natural for Edric to feel that way.

Although there had been no direct stat increase or trait acquisition in the meantime, in the World of Justice, there were plenty of invisible stats as well.

The area I had been training in for the past few days was precisely that area.

Among users, it was what they called constitution; when specific conditions were met in a specific situation, the character's growth rate increased.

Of course, since it wasn't a directly visible number, it had been treated as a kind of superstition until now, but if Edric could feel it, it seemed it wasn't just a simple superstition.

“I always eat well.”

“Hmm, is that so? That's true too. Now that I stand still, I think I smell something delicious.”

Edric bantered as always.

“A mission?”

“I like that you're quick-witted. I suppose that's what a mage's intuition is.”

“What kind of mission is it? Demonic beast subjugation?”

“It is subjugation, but not of demonic beasts.”

Edric said.

“We will be subjugating a mage.”