Secret Art: Whirlwind Slash
Type: Swordsmanship
Quality: E-Rank (Purple)
Level: LV1
Effect: Releases a spinning crescent wave of wind-attributed sword energy, dealing minor damage. Max range: 5 meters.
Description: A signature technique of the Wind Sword Saint, Haohmaru. Prerequisite for the [Ultimate Secret Art: Heavenly Tyrant's Sky-Cleaving Slash]. Requires his beloved sword, [Named Blade: Fugu Poison], to unleash its true power.
Secret Art: Steel-Severing Flash
Type: Swordsmanship
Quality: E-Rank (Purple)
Level: LV1
Effect: A powerful strike like a pouncing tiger. Attack Speed -100%. Deals massive wind-attributed slashing damage. Small chance to destroy struck objects.
Description: A signature technique of the Wind Sword Saint, Haohmaru. Prerequisite for the [Ultimate Secret Art: Heavenly Tyrant's Desolate Radiance Slash]. Requires his beloved sword, [Named Blade: Fugu Poison], to unleash its true power.
The surprise hit hard. Even Luo Jie's seasoned composure as a reincarnator wavered for a split second. Thankfully, the mask hid his expression, leaving the vendor none the wiser. "Where'd these come from?" Luo Jie asked casually, not expecting a real answer. The vendor obliged. "Eh, why not tell ya? A merchant buddy of mine picked 'em up from a second-rate Japanese player. Came outta the 'Samurai Shodown' instance on Mount Fuji. Guy was apparently a drunk in real life too – somehow buddy-buddied up with the main NPC, Haohmaru. Next thing ya know, he walks off with these skill books. Pure dumb luck." Luo Jie nodded. Instances where a player's personality perfectly synced with an NPC could trigger gift-giving events. That Japanese player had clearly rolled a natural 20 on fate's dice. Nothing to envy. "Price?" "Fifty thousand points each. Take both, I'll knock it down to ninety-five thousand total." The vendor beamed, radiating 'you're-stealing-this' vibes. Luo Jie paused. Then, a cold snort escaped him. He stood, turning to leave. Panic flashed in the vendor's eyes. He grabbed Luo Jie's sleeve. "Whoa, whoa, bro! Talk to me! What's the rush?" "Stick around so you can fleece me?" Luo Jie shot back, his voice icy. "Fleece you? How?" The vendor managed to sound genuinely wounded. "Then you got fleeced by whoever supplied you." "Huh? What d'you mean?" The vendor seemed genuinely confused. Luo Jie's tone softened fractionally. He sat back down. "If sword skills sell so well, why were these still sitting here? Doesn't that strike you as odd?" The vendor froze. He'd been too focused on his commission. Luo Jie's words hit like a splash of cold water – something was off. Seeing the dawning realization, Luo Jie pressed on. "Look closer. They're rated E-Purple, sure. But the actual effect bonuses? Barely better than a decent E-Blue. Nowhere near true Purple tier." "Holy shit! You're right!" The vendor scrutinized the books, swearing under his breath. He looked up, his expression suddenly obsequious. "Man… thanks for the heads-up. That asshole nearly screwed me… But the system rating's gotta be right, yeah? So what's the catch?" Luo Jie met his gaze, smiling silently. In the player market, information was a commodity. "Alright, alright. You're a sharp one." The vendor sighed, defeated. "Fine. Twenty percent off. Anything you buy today, twenty percent off. Deal?" Luo Jie gave a satisfied nod. He wasn't worried about fake markdowns. The Merchant Alliance's rules were ironclad. Any vendor caught scamming faced crippling fines. "Check the last line in the description," Luo Jie said, now that the deal was struck. "'Requires his beloved sword, [Named Blade: Fugu Poison], to unleash its true power.' That makes these Weapon-Exclusive skills. Meaning, you need that exact sword to get the full effect. Use anything else? You get a gimped version." "But… they're still E-Purple…" The vendor tried weakly, force of habit kicking in, but his voice lacked conviction. Luo Jie snorted again, ruthless. "Only if you have the [Named Blade: Fugu Poison]. Ever seen it on the market?" The vendor fell silent. Not only had he never seen it, he'd never even heard of it. Grabbing a main NPC's signature weapon? Near impossible. Sure, someone might get it eventually. But market value had a shelf life. By the time the average player hit Tier 3, who'd want these Tier 2 E-Rank skills, even at half price? Seeing the vendor's prolonged silence, Luo Jie knew the moment was right. He softened his tone, feigning casualness. "Tell you what… I could use skills like these. Forty thousand points for both?" The vendor shook his head vigorously, a bitter laugh escaping. "Bro, that's slaughter! Even gimped, they're better than Blues. You can't expect me to pay you to take 'em!" Bingo. Luo Jie had his bottom line. He paused, then pulled the F-Purple [Executioner's Ghost-Head Greatblade] from his storage – loot from the 'Dead Rising' instance – and dropped it onto the stall with a heavy clang. "What's this—?" The vendor's eyes lit up as he scanned the blade's stats. "Plus this blade. Final offer." Luo Jie laid it out, no room for negotiation. "It's a solid piece, sure, but it's just an F-Purple weapon…" the vendor started, hedging. Before he could finish, Luo Jie grabbed the greatblade and turned to leave. No hesitation. One step… two steps… three… Right on cue, the vendor cracked. He lunged forward, grabbing Luo Jie's arm, his voice thick with pleading. "Okay! Okay! You win! I'll sell! Just… please!" In a blur, the vendor produced the two skill books. The transaction was processed at lightning speed, as if terrified Luo Jie might change his mind.