With the sword in hand, Yanga wondered if there was anything else he needed. He brought the sword to the manager, set it on the counter, and went back to browse.
Heading to the dagger section, he knew he needed some throwing daggers. After the fierce fight with the Alpha of the Howling Wind wolf, Yanga realized that every weapon has its own value, ideal for certain targets, saving effort, and sometimes serving as the trump card to defeat tough opponents.
The dagger section of the shop was filled with all sorts of shapes and sizes. Yanga browsed through them, finding many intriguing, but none quite fit his needs.
He was looking for simple throwing daggers sharp, with a bit more weight than usual. Since they'd be coated in poison, there was no need for anything ornate or finely crafted.
All he wanted was a well-balanced blade that wouldn't break the bank. In the end, he settled on a seven-piece set, the sharpest available in its price range.
They were all low-tier human-grade treasures, but more than enough to get the job done.
Next came the bow and arrow. Yanga didn't have much experience with them, but they seemed like the perfect choice for long-range targets.
Since his fighting style was modeled after assassins, he needed something that could strike from a distance, and the bow and arrow fit the role perfectly.
After a long search, I finally found a bow that suited him well. It was large, about 1.5 meters tall, and incredibly strong.
At his current strength, Yanga couldn't even draw it. The bow was named the Black Bull, crafted from the horns of the creature it was named after.
The Black Bull bow was the supreme tier human-grade treasure, and Yanga was confident it would serve him well for a long time before needing a replacement.
Knowing a great bow needs great arrows, he stocked up on 100 human-grade arrows, 10,000 ordinary arrows, and most importantly, 3 low-tier Earth-grade arrows, the strongest ones the Black Bull could fire.
With his throwing daggers and bow in hand, Yanga returned to the shop manager to settle the bill.
Yanga left the shop and headed straight for a clothing store unlike any other it specialized in apparel with defensive properties.
Upon arrival, Yanga greeted the shop manager and saw that there were other customers present, but Yanga ignored them, focused on the task at hand.
The top priority was finding soft armor. Soft armor came in various shapes and sizes with some made of metal but Yanga wasn't interested in anything metallic.
After trying on several types, Yanga finally found one that matched his needs. It was perfect, and he couldn't tell what animal it was made from, but one thing was certain it was crafted from quality materials.
As defensive properties were off the charts for a simple soft armor, Yanga was happy with it. After getting his hands on the soft armor, Yanga went off to look for boots.
Yanga needed new boots, not just any boots, but boots that could assist mobility. Since most boots were made specifically to aid in maneuverability, it wasn't hard to find a pair.
He could choose one from the cheaper ones and make sure that it was black.
Yanga headed to the pants section and picked out a pair of black pants. Next, he moved on to the most important item he needed a jacket.
After searching for a while, he found a sleek black jacket that reached down to his knees.
Among all the jackets in the shop, the one that truly caught his eye was a stunning, futuristic-looking leather coat with an elegant blend of black and white.
The best part of the clothes was their amazing temperature control function. It could control the temperature, meaning that when it's hot, it would cool Yanga down, and when it's cold, it would warm Yanga up. This was the best part. Yanga loved it.
With this shopping done, Yanga went to the manager and settled the bill before leaving the shop. With the shopping done, Yanga didn't have much to do, so he went to the first floor to see if there were any vendors with something good.
Yanga wandered from one vendor to the next, scanning the stalls for anything that caught his eye.
Whenever he spotted a spirit herb missing from his collection, he bought it and sent it off to the seedling world for the Woodland Rabbit to tend.
In the past, Yanga had never been fond of shopping. The thought alone usually irritated him, as he preferred to spend his time on things he enjoyed. Most of his purchases were made through apps and online orders.
At that moment, strolling through the stores, some would say shopping helped him unwind.
The sense of calm didn't come from just browsing, but from purchasing something he knew would be useful later and help boost his strength.
By the time Yanga left the market, the sun was setting, and by chance, he bumped into an old friend just as they were walking out.
"My good brother, are you here for me? Want to grab a drink tonight?" Frank Pina called out as soon as he spotted Yanga, a broad smile on his face. He looked like he had just finished work. "I need a good drink to unwind and get ready for sleep."
"No, I wasn't here for you. I was just out shopping for a few things, but since I ran into you, I'm suddenly in the mood for a couple of drinks with you. I could really use your advice on something. Come on, it's my treat this time," Yanga said, as he led Frank out.
Yanga bought some wine, poured a cup for Frank Pina and one for himself, then invited Frank to sit down. Having shared drinks many times before, Frank didn't need to stand on ceremony with Yanga.
After finishing his first cup, he poured another, drank it, and only after finishing the third did he look at Yanga and say, "You wanted my advice. Tell me what you need, and if I can help, I'll give you the best advice I can."
Not wanting to be left behind by Frank Pina, Yanga downed three cups of wine before setting the cup aside and fixing Frank with a serious look. "I'm planning to head out in the next couple of months. You know about my issue with age. I need to establish my foundation soon, or I'll be stuck in mediocrity forever. I need to find a place that can give me the resources to cultivate, and I have to get them fast."
Yanga paused to pour himself another cup of wine, downing it in one swift gulp. Two more followed just as fast.
Then he said, "I'm not worried about the danger. I need somewhere I can gather as many resources as possible. Can you recommend a place? It could save my life."
"I see," Frank Pina said, noticing Yanga's serious expression. He nodded with a smile, as if he understood, then went on. "Yes, that's a pretty big problem, but I have a solution. Why not head to the World's End? It's a solid place where you can gather plenty of resources quickly."
Frank Pina went on to tell Yanga that the world's end was actually a place created by the collision of two Realms.
In the endless void, countless Realms exist, each isolated from the others. Some live and perish without ever encountering another, but sometimes their paths cross, leading to collisions whether by nature or by design.
When that happens, fragments from both realms break away, and a new entity, known as the World's End, is born, becoming a battlefield.
Frank explained that while realms are vast planetary bodies, they are also living beings of sorts, striving to grow stronger.
When two realms meet, the clash begins, marking the start of the war of many shields. It all starts at the World's End, the first battleground where the realms fight to determine which Realm will dominate and which will be consumed
They battle until one side loses. The winning side then gets the chance to invade the other realm.
As more people from their realm keep invading, it gives their home realm even more power to push forward in conquering the other. That's how realms grow bigger and become stronger.
Since it was a place with constant war, it held most of the resources from both Realms. Frank told Yanga that he had been there, and the only reason he returned to Mhlaga village was that he got into trouble in the World's End.
Offending certain people, he came back home to lay low. Frank Pina advised Yanga to go there