Chapter 14: The Ring of Greed

Purified Sacred Spring Water: The miraculous spring water from the Spring of Polaris, one of the five great Sacred Springs on the Dreamland Continent. Drinking one jar permanently adds 10 to all basic attributes, increases Fire Resistance by 10%, and increases Water Resistance by 10%. Can be consumed directly.

The water had transformed dramatically. The addition of 10% Fire Resistance and 10% Water Resistance was clearly the work of the Orb of Fiery Essence and the Orb of Chilling Mist. That such a brief immersion could impart permanent enhancements spoke volumes about the Orbs’ incredible power.

“Village Chief, this Purified Sacred Spring Water… it’s really for me? Then… I’ll gladly accept it!”

With no hesitation, Marcus gulped down the water. Immediately, a sweet, cool, and refreshing sensation spread through his body. The water was not only invigorating but astonishingly flavorful. Even in the virtual world of Dominion, the simulation was so vivid that he could taste every nuance as if it were real.

Ding! Player Stonehaven has consumed ’Purified Sacred Spring Water.’ Your four basic attributes: Strength, Constitution, Agility, and Focus, have each increased by 10. Fire Resistance has increased by 10%. Water Resistance has increased by 10%.

Ding! Player Stonehaven has completed the Hidden Quest ’Sacred Spring Water.’ Reward: 200 Reputation, 50 Gold Coins.

Marcus laughed aloud, a mix of joy and disbelief. He was now a powerhouse, an outrageously strong player, and the thrill of his growth coursed through him.

With his business in the Newbie Village complete, Marcus knew it was time to move on. He had surpassed Level 10, and the city awaited for his class advancement, a whole larger world was now within reach. As the saying went: The sky is the limit for the bird to fly; the ocean is too vast for the fish to swim.

Yet before leaving, he remembered the equipment he had looted from the Boss. With his favorable relationship with the Village Chief, perhaps he could get them identified at a discount. Sorting through his inventory, he set aside the trash and focused on four pieces of notable gear:

Wolf’s Edge: Gold-tier Weapon. Effects unknown. Cannot be used.

War Bear Armor: Gold-tier Equipment. Requirement: Level 20. Effects unknown. Cannot be used.

Ring of Greed: Red Artifact. Effects unknown. Cannot be used.

Adamant Shield: Purple Divine Item. Requirement: 100 Strength. Effects unknown. Cannot be used.

“Village Chief, I have a few pieces of equipment here. Could you help me with the appraisal? And maybe, if it’s not too much, offer me a small discount?”

“Of course, Stonehaven. For you, I’ll do the appraisals at half price.”

“Really? Thank you so much, Village Chief!”

The Village Chief was a man of his word, generous and straightforward. Marcus quickly pulled out the four pieces of gear he wanted appraised.

“Remarkable, Stonehaven! You’ve managed to acquire so many high-level items,” the Chief said, his eyes widening. “Oh! And a Divine Item, no less!”

Though he was clearly a man of great experience, even the Village Chief couldn’t hide his surprise. He turned the Adamant Shield over in his hands, examining its surface with genuine awe.

“Stonehaven, you’ve obtained a Divine Item so soon, and along with all these other treasures too. You truly are exceptional.”

“Heh, you flatter me, Village Chief.”

“You must understand,” the Chief continued, still studying the equipment, “over a hundred million players have already entered Dominion, yet only around thirty pieces of Gold-tier equipment or higher have been found. For you to possess so many items above that level… it’s truly impressive.”

’What?’

Marcus froze. A hundred million players? Dominion had only been in open beta for less than a day, and already that many people had joined? That number was staggering.

It was becoming obvious that Dominion wasn’t just another game, it was going to reshape human life, becoming a second world of its own. Getting in early had definitely been the right move.

Because the Village Chief was an advanced NPC within Dominion’s AI system, he had access to real-time game statistics. If he said there were a hundred million players, Marcus knew the number was accurate.

“The appraisal for the Wolf’s Edge will be seventy gold coins, the War Bear Armor eighty gold coins, the Ring of Greed one hundred gold coins, and the Adamant Shield one thousand five hundred gold coins.” After finishing his inspection, the Chief looked up and quoted the prices matter-of-factly.

“Wait, what? Are you sure those prices are right, Village Chief?”

’Holy cow, that’s insane!’

Marcus nearly lost his balance. Those prices were outrageous, far beyond what he could afford.

“That is the correct price,” the Village Chief said, giving the items another quick glance. “It’s based on their quality, and that’s already with your fifty percent discount.”

Ugh. Dragonfly Corp was merciless. This was daylight robbery.

Marcus checked his balance: 153 gold coins, the sum of a full day’s hard work and careful saving. It wasn’t even close. The game’s economy was clearly designed to be tight and unforgiving.

He thought about his situation. If he skipped the appraisals for now, his earnings would be enough to cover normal expenses. Dominion wasn’t meant to be punishing or tedious, it wanted players to enjoy themselves, not burn out.

But still, why was appraisal so expensive? Especially for Divine Items?

Then it clicked. It was a balance mechanic. If players wanted better equipment, greater strength, or to stand out from the crowd, they’d have to pay for it, literally. And once in-game gold could be exchanged for real-world currency, the whole thing would stabilize into its own economy.

Frustrated, Marcus sighed and made his decision. He’d have to prioritize.

The Adamant Shield was by far the most powerful and useful item, especially since he intended to become a Knight. Shields were one of the biggest advantages that class had over others. But he simply didn’t have enough gold yet, so he’d have to postpone that one.

The Wolf’s Edge was meant for Archers, so it was out. The War Bear Armor required Level 20, which he hadn’t reached yet. That left only one practical choice: the red-tier artifact, the Ring of Greed.

“Village Chief, I’m a bit short on gold,” Marcus said reluctantly. “Could we just appraise the Ring of Greed for now?”

“Very well. That’s a fine item.”

A faint red light flared in the Village Chief’s hand as he began the process. The Ring of Greed pulsed in response, then settled, and the Chief handed it back to Marcus with a knowing smile.

Marcus quickly grabbed the ring and examined its attributes.

Ring of Greed: Artifact. Originally a simple platinum band, it was transformed into the Ring of Greed after spending years buried among dark creatures consumed by avarice. No requirements to equip. Increases inventory capacity by 5×. Health regeneration +1 (recovers 1 Health per second). Mana regeneration +1. Gold drop rate ×2.

Excellent. It was an incredible find. He slipped it onto his finger immediately, and his inventory capacity shot up to 250 slots.

That alone was a huge relief. With this artifact, he no longer had to worry about running out of space, and travel would be far easier from now on.

“Village Chief, I’ve reached Level 10,” Marcus said, feeling a hint of excitement. “It’s time for me to head to the city and begin my class advancement.”

His time in the Newbie Village was finally over. The real journey was about to begin.

“Stonehaven,” the Village Chief said gravely, “I am proud that you’ve chosen the path of a Fighter. The invasion by the Demons grows fiercer by the day. Their armies of dark creatures threaten to bring about the greatest catastrophe the Dreamland Continent has ever faced. But as long as we have passionate young heroes like you, devoted to justice, peace, and faith, hope will not fade. May the Goddess of Dreams guide you and grant you her divine strength.”

’Ugh’, Marcus thought, suppressing a sigh. ’Here comes the speech again.’

The Chief’s serious tone and heavy expression made the moment feel like a royal ceremony instead of a simple class transfer.

“Stonehaven,” the old man continued, “reaching Level 10 means you’ve survived your first baptism of battle. But the road to defeating the Demons will be long and perilous. You must continue to train, grow stronger, and seek out legendary Divine Items, skills, and powers. Only then can you become the new hero of Dreamland.”

’Please stop talking.’ Marcus rubbed his temples. ’Just teleport me already before I fall asleep standing here.’

“Very well, Stonehaven,” the Chief finally said, smiling faintly as if he’d read Marcus’s mind. “I will now send you to the city on the Dreamland Continent, where your true journey will begin. But before you go, I’ll impart a few basic skills that may help you along the way.”

“Ding! Stonehaven, the Newbie Village Chief is about to teach you some basic skills. Do you accept?”

Seriously? They need a prompt for this? Marcus thought. ’Obviously I accept.’

“Ding! Player Stonehaven has received guidance from the Newbie Village Chief and learned the skill ’Taming’.”

“Ding! Player Stonehaven has received guidance from the Newbie Village Chief and learned the skill ’Gathering’.”

“Ding! Player Stonehaven has already learned ’Gathering’. Due to overlapping experience, the ’Gathering’ skill level has increased.”

’Haha, nice!’ Marcus grinned. That was an unexpected bonus. Since the Chief’s skills were system-level and carried top priority, his existing Gathering skill had stacked and instantly leveled up. A pleasant surprise, indeed.

He opened his skill menu to take a look.

Taming: Auxiliary Skill. Beginner 0/50,000.

Gathering: Auxiliary Skill. Advanced 0/200,000.

Oof. Taming was going to be brutal to level. It required fifty thousand experience just to reach Intermediate. And Gathering needed two hundred thousand to max out Advanced. That was such an absurd number he doubted he’d finish it even by Level 100.

Still, he wasn’t complaining. Free skill upgrades were free skill upgrades.

“That’s all I can offer you, Stonehaven,” the Village Chief said kindly. “Now, I will send you on your way.”

At last, the old man began to chant. A radiant light enveloped Marcus, filling his vision with white. The next instant, the world shifted, and he found himself standing in the middle of a grand city square.

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