Chapter 45: Buying Equipment After viewing several houses and apartments scattered across different districts, Moon settled on a cosy one-bedroom flat located in a popular residential building in the city’s safer quarter. He didn’t cheap out. This was where he’d be living, even if only temporarily, and he needed somewhere secure and comfortable. The security was excellent. The building employed first sanctuary awakeners as guards, cameras covered every entrance and corridor, and most importantly, a second sanctuary awakener resided on the top floor. That presence alone would deter most threats, at least until Moon grew strong enough to handle problems himself. Moon signed the documents and agreed to the monthly rate of twenty thousand dollars. It wasn’t cheap, not at all. A standard awakener’s monthly allowance only amounted to ten thousand, though most supplemented that income through hunting and selling materials. Still, twenty thousand per month was steep enough that many awakeners simply couldn’t afford it. But with the one point five million he’d just earned, paying the twenty thousand rent plus the twenty thousand security deposit barely registered. Forty thousand dollars transferred without hesitation. The agent handed him the keys with a professional smile. "Welcome to Silverpoint Residences, Mr. Outlaw." The apartment itself was on the eighth floor. Clean lines, modern fixtures, and floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a view of the city skyline. The bedroom was modest but comfortable in size, the kitchen was filled with appliances, and the bathroom was updated. Furniture came included, of course. A bed, couch, table, basic necessities. Nothing luxurious, but everything he needed. Moon set his few belongings down and allowed himself a moment to simply stand in his new space, taking it in. Then he locked the door and headed back out. Moon made his way back to the Trading Centre. He’d decided to purchase equipment here rather than waiting to buy in the First Sanctuary. Although the Trading Centre maintained branches within the sanctuary itself, Moon wanted to handle it now. He had time, money, and no pressing obligations. Better to be properly equipped before his next trip rather than scrambling to gear up. The golden VIP card granted him access to all first sanctuary floors, and an elevator carried him upward into the restricted sections where premium goods were sold. ♢♢♢♢ Inside, Moon began exploring the floors, his VIP card granting him access to increasingly exclusive merchandise. The rarity and effectiveness of the items increased dramatically as he ascended—what started as decent equipment on the first floor evolved into exceptional gear by the fifth. Moon made it to the fifth floor before the prices shot into the late hundreds of thousands per item. A single sword costs six hundred thousand. A piece of armour, four hundred thousand. The quality was undeniable, but spending that kind of money on individual pieces would drain his resources too quickly. He decided to stop there and focus on strategic purchases rather than chasing the absolute best. After careful consideration, Moon selected four items: [Spatial Storage Ring] [Order: First] [Rank: B] [Details: An enchanted ring containing a dimensional pocket with 5x5x5 meters of internal space. Items stored within are preserved in stasis, preventing decay or degradation. Approximately ten times larger than standard-issue storage rings.] [Price: $150,000] His current storage ring has been emptied, but that doesn’t mean it won’t get full in the future. This upgrade would give him room for materials, equipment, emergency supplies, and anything else he might acquire. The B-rank classification among first-order items marked it as high quality; most awakeners made do with D-rank storage rings. [Cloak of the Two Extremes] [Order: First] [Rank: B+] [Details: A weatherproof cloak woven with enchanted fibres that regulate temperature. Protects the wearer from extreme heat and extreme cold, maintaining comfortable body temperature in hostile environments. Minor physical damage resistance. Self-repairing enchantment from the user’s mana when not in combat. +5 Constitution] [Price: $220,000] After three months in a frozen hell, Moon wasn’t taking chances with environmental hazards again; this cloak would protect him well. [Shadowsteel Dagger] [Order: First] [Rank: C] [Details: A combat dagger forged from shadowsteel alloy. Exceptionally sharp, highly durable, edge maintains sharpness indefinitely through self-regenerating enchantment. Balanced for both throwing and close-quarters combat. +2 Strength] [Price: $70,000] Moon was primarily a ranged fighter due to the nature of his class, but the Winter Beast had taught him the danger of being caught without options. A reliable melee weapon could save his life if enemies closed the distance. [Staff of Elemental Resonance] [Order: First] [Rank: B+] [Details: A reinforced combat staff crafted from mystic wood and C-rank elemental cores. Reduces spell cooldowns by 10%. Enhances elemental channelling efficiency, allowing for smoother mana flow and more stable spell formation. Reinforced construction permits use as a polearm in melee combat. Attunes to wielder’s primary elements over time. +5 Mana] [Price: $350,000] This was his most expensive purchase. The cooldown reduction alone made it valuable, but the improved channelling would make his already formidable elemental attacks even more deadly. And if something tried to get close, he could use it to keep them at bay. Moon gathered the four items and made his way to the checkout counter. A saleswoman looked up from her terminal as he approached. She was in her mid-thirties, wearing a white shirt, a tight long skirt that highlighted her mature curves, and black stockings. "Good afternoon, sir. Will these be all your purchases today?" The saleswoman said, a soft smile on her face. Moon set the items on the counter. "Yes." She began scanning each piece, her eye evaluating them with approval. "Excellent selections. The Spatial Ring and the Staff of Elemental Resonance are particularly popular among powerful mages." She glanced at his VIP card as she processed the transaction. "You have very good taste for equipment synergy." "Thanks," Moon replied. She tallied the total. "That comes to seven hundred and ninety thousand dollars. With your discount of 5%, the total will come down to seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars." She looked up. "How would you like to pay?" "Bank." "Of course." Her fingers flew across the keyboard. "Please authorise the transaction on your device." Moon pulled out his phone, confirmed the transfer, and watched as the amount was deducted from his account. Remaining Balance: $718,000 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶 After the forty thousand for the apartment and now the for equipment, he was well under a million dollars. It was still enough to live comfortably for years without working again if he was careful, or enough to fund better items. Moon didn’t do that. Those items were more than sufficient for him in the first sanctuary; he still needed to save up some more money for his possible ascension to the second sanctuary at some point. Moon slipped the new spatial ring onto his finger, feeling the dimensional pocket connect to his consciousness. The space was vast compared to his old ring; it was almost five times the size. "Thank you for your business, Mr Outlaw. Please don’t hesitate to return when you need additional equipment." She smiled professionally.. Moon simply nodded and headed for the exit. The guards stationed on the floor nodded in respect towards him; not many could afford to do what Moon was doing.