Chapter 23: Never listen to a Gold Digger (Part 2)

“Look at all these magnificent creatures!” exclaimed Brittany in awe, twirling and gazing at the creatures on display. The beasts, programmed to be docile while waiting for purchase, each displayed unique quirks to attract customers. The feline mounts purred gently while licking their paws, and the canine ones wagged their tails, with the feral-looking wolves proving most popular. The group, however, bypassed this aisle in search of something more exotic.

I can’t wait to see what this jerk picks out in the end, Marissa thought, feigning captivation by an adorable giant mouse sniffing its surroundings.

“Is that what you really want?” Jason approached, sneering. “It doesn’t even fly.”

“There’s something alluring about ground mounts too, daddy,” she replied, leaning against the display glass. “If you forget to plant your feet on the ground every once in a while, you might lose your way back home.”

“Is that such a bad thing?” Jason scoffed before walking away.

The girl sprinted and playfully caught his arm. “What do you do for a living that you can spare so much gold? Are you a Death Bringer?”

“I thought you approached me because you knew that.”

“Not everyone at that bar is part of the Guild, you know? There was a high-end potion merchant there too. Very wealthy.”

“And why did you choose me? I already had company. What made you think you had a chance?”

“You’re more handsome than the merchant, and I like a challenge.”

Jason chuckled, adjusting his glasses. “Flattering to hear from a pretty lady like you, even though you’re just a gold digger.”

“Is that such a bad thing?” she asked softly. “Would you rather pay an NPC to meet your needs? It’d be cheaper.”

“Nope, NPC prostitutes can’t hold a long conversation. They end up saying things like, ‘Service time is over, if you would like to keep talking, it will cost extra’. Blah, blah.”

Of course you know, you pig.

“I could sneak away without a word by tomorrow morning, you know.”

“But you’d miss my excellent french toast.”

She giggled. “Buy me a good mount and I might stay a bit longer.”

“There you are,” Jason called out to Joana, who couldn’t take her eyes off a purple hippogriff. Its head resembled a crow, and its feathers shimmered glossily. “Excellent choice! It suits you perfectly. You’ll look magnificent riding it!”

“Can I have it?” she asked softly.

Jason signaled the NPC vendor to approach. “Sold!”

“Right away, sir,” the NPC responded, making a system screen appear in front of Jason, who tapped it absently without looking at the price.

The display cage opened with a buzzing sound, and the beast emerged, allowing Joana to caress its beak. “It truly is beautiful,” she remarked as the mount dissolved into a spectacle of glimmering pixels and transformed into a jewel, hovering for a moment before she snatched it. She then turned and rushed to kiss Jason.

Eww… What should I do now? Even if I have to pretend I want one of these, none of them appeal to me. I really love my lynx.

She could recall the day Astrid bought them in bulk. ‘We need to choose something that says: Here they come, they are Shooting Stars! …So, who likes cats?!’

Amelia was really ecstatic after getting hers.

Marissa looked around until a glowing mount at the far end of the storage room caught her eye. She walked towards it, captivated by its luminescent red feathers, eternally fluttering to display its enormous size. It gazed into the distance, making any onlooker fantasize about riding it into the horizon.

“Truly splendid,” Jason whispered over Brittany’s shoulder.

What, is he implying he’s going to buy me this one? This must be the most expensive of the bunch. Well, that’s what I’m here for.

“Yeah, truly unique and gorgeous. Is it a phoenix?” she asked the NPC.

“That is correct, ma’am. He is ‘The Emperor’s Messenger’.”

Even if he’s thinking of getting it for himself, I should convince him.

“You should definitely buy it,” Brittany said, hugging his arm. “Anyone riding this would turn heads. It’s the mount of a leader, an emperor!”

“How much?” Jason asked dryly.

Oh, so you asked for the price this time.

“That would be 8 million gold, sir.”

Jason exhaled and took a couple of steps forward, watched by his two companions. Brittany nodded at Joana, who half-smiled and hugged him by the neck.

“What is it, J? Can’t afford it?”

“That’s not the issue,” he said, his expression serious. “I’m considering if it really would make a suitable gift.”

“What better gift than this?” Brittany whispered into his ear. “The recipient will be very pleased with you.”

Jason held his breath before glancing at the NPC. “The ladies have spoken.”

“Very good, sir. You are now the proud owner of a Legendary Grade Mount,” the NPC announced, handing him the virtual window to pay.

“I could never dare to use something like this in public,” Jason remarked, pointing to a corner. “I’ll take the Eagle Hippogriff too, the blue one.”

I’m lost. Is he going to give the phoenix to me, then?

Brittany waited for Jason to grab the red gem containing the legendary bird while she licked her lips.

He looked at her and smirked. “Here.” He tossed it towards Joana. “The perfect present for Kathleen Maher. Tell her this is a gift from every ex-Shooting Star now under her command.”

“Understood, J,” Joana said, locking eyes with Brittany.

Oh…

A glass cracking sound was heard from above. She looked up just in time to see a skylight shatter into a thousand sharp pieces. She dodged most of them, receiving only a slight cut on her left arm as a tall man landed in front of her.

William, The Stoic!

She watched in horror as the man, clad in full plate armor with a shield almost as large as himself and a hammer resting on his shoulder, smirked. “I told you we would see each other again, beautiful.”

If he’s here, that means my cover was blown a while ago!

Brittany glanced at Joana, who stood beside a mocking Jason. She’s not a gold digger, she’s a Death Bringer! That’s why she was keeping her distance from the other women fawning over Jason at the bar. Joana wasn’t waiting her turn to seduce him; she was keeping an eye on him.

“Have you figured out what’s happening, Shooting Star?” Joana sneered, turning to Jason. “Can I keep my Grimmory, J?”

“Did you already name it?” Jason chuckled. “Of course, sweetheart. Consider it a thank-you for warning me about this little troublemaker. There are only a handful of Shooting Stars crazy enough to try something like this, so drop the disguise already, it’s not fooling anyone, Helen!”

“Fine,” Marissa said, removing her mask. Her figure slimmed, and her dress shrunk to fit her original slender form.

Jason gasped. “M-Marissa?!”

William The Stoic snickered. “I told you that Helen would never use a disguise. She has her own way of doing things.”

“W-Whatever!” Jason shouted, tapping his menu window. “There, you won!”

“Thank you,” William said after confirming the transfer of 200,000 gold from Jason.

This is bad, Marissa thought as she unsheathed her twin daggers. I could take Jason down in a blink of an eye, but I don’t know what that Joana gal has up her sleeve. I bet she’s hiding her high level. And then there’s this guy…

She stared at him. Despite his relaxed posture, there was no visible weak spot in his posture.

Even Astrid would need at least three hits to take him down.

The NPC initiated a lockdown, causing all the mounts in the shop to turn into jewels and teleport to their owners’ inventories. “This is private property, any damage to this facility will be–”

“Shut up!” William smashed him with his hammer, reducing him to pixels. “I don’t see how you’ll escape from this, little bitch,” he said, nodding to Jason.

“Mid Wind Charm, Swift and Furious!”

Jason cast the spell on the knight, who felt a surge in his speed. “There you have it, big guy! Hey, Marissa! Remember what Astrid used to say? Not even the sharpest of blades can do anything against the sturdiest of shields! So, good luck fighting him!”

Meanwhile, Marissa cast a spell of her own. “Mid Wind Boost, Haste… Does this mean you’ve renounced our deal?!” she asked Joana.

“Did you really expect me to believe such a lie?!” Joana sneered.

“What is she talking about?” Jason asked.

“Forget it, it’s unimportant.”

“I’ve been looking forward to this!” William shouted, charging at her. “Show me what you’ve got, you little scoundrel!”

William’s hammer cracked the establishment’s floor and a part of the wall in front of him. Marissa dodged and threw a dagger in Jason’s direction, who panicked.

“No, no!”

Joana extended her hand and quick-cast: “Wallrus!” The instantaneous shield shattered after receiving an explosive impact. “What was that? Does she use bombs?” she grunted, shaking her hand. Quick-casting had drained her mana pool and strained her hand.

“Ah, sorry, Joana,” Jason, covering his face with both arms, said apologetically. “Since I thought this was Helen, I didn’t tell you about Marissa’s Unique Skill. She can throw weapons or objects and make them explode.”

“So?” Joana shrugged, watching the aforementioned assassin dodging William’s attacks. “That alone shouldn’t have been able to destroy my defenses.”

“It’s related to how the explosive damage is calculated,” Jason explained, adjusting his glasses and sighing. “I don’t know the exact details, but the more valuable the item, the greater the damage. That may sound obvious, but it’s more complicated than that.”

“What a waste. Cast a defensive charm on your friend…” Joana said, casting a spell. “I’m going to make it rain… Greater Ice Crafting!”

Dark clouds began forming inside the building.

“R-Right away!” Jason nodded. “Earth Charm…”

“That won’t be necessary!” William shouted, shielding himself from another exploding dagger. “Time Debuff, now!”

“A-Alright!” Jason altered the element of his already cast magic circle. “Greater Time Conjuring, Before I Am Late!” He cast the spell, causing everything within a 300-foot radius to move at a quarter of its normal speed.

“Ha-il-so-ng!” Joana spoke slowly, finishing her casting, making ice shards unaffected by the time manipulation, rain upon the battlefield. The shattered pieces of ice then created a chilly fog that obscured everything inside the shop. “We-ha-ve-her!” Joana chanted victoriously, raising a hand in slow motion, but her smile faded at the sight of something glimmering in mid-air, traveling towards her chest.

The dagger exploded on contact, reducing 70% of her HP and 20% of Jason’s.

“Lo-ok-o-ut!” Jason cried out to William.

“It-s-o-ka-y! I have her!”

The time conjure and ice spell expired as Marissa struggled to break free from the knight’s grip, who was holding her by the neck.

“Hey, I’m thinking of getting something nice for your sister,” he said. “Any ideas?”

“S-She-w-woul-d-ne-v-ver–a-asshole!”

“Too bad.” Before William could attempt to break her neck, he felt his gauntlets growing warmer. Within seconds, the heat became unbearable, forcing him to release his grip. “You little–!”

Marissa broke free as the gauntlet exploded.

Only five percent damage, damn it. I’ve fantasized about kicking William’s ass so many times, but reality is harsher!

“Now that Lord Marco is with Kathleen, I might have a chance with Amelia, don’t you think?!” William shouted, trying to crush her under his foot. “You could be my sister-in-law!”

“It pains me to say it, but you’re right. She has always had poor taste in men! Mid Shadow Crafting, Three Shades of Me!”

Marissa split into three right before William’s eyes.

“Damn it, when did she have time to channel this?” he muttered as he picked up his hammer from the ground.

One clone charged at Jason but was impaled by a stalagmite of ice that sprouted from the ground.

“Ice Crafting…” A bloodied Joana cast, glaring at the clone. “Don’t underestimate us, brat.”

“Never,” the clone said, smirking before her entire body glowed, exploding and engulfing Joana and Jason in fire.

After the dust settled, Jason crouched to check on his partner. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, you were right about casting an Earth Charm on us. This bitch is a pain to deal with,” Joana remarked, noting that only 10% of her remaining HP had been affected this time.

“You know,” Jason began, watching William fight the two remaining clones. “We should leave. She already knows she can’t win. She’ll only get more desperate.”

“If you’re fine with leaving your partner, let’s go then. We can’t let her have the Phoenix Mount.”

That’s the sign that this has come to an end, the real Marissa thought, watching them rush to the exit.

“Hey, William, let’s end this!” the two remaining Marissa clones said in unison, dashing towards him.

“Agreed! Let me put you down for good!” He smashed the first clone with his hammer and bashed the other with his shield. “So much for the self-proclaimed best PVP killer. I didn’t even need to use any special techniques.”

“Rogues aren’t meant for direct confrontations,” the Marissa under William’s hammer said, glowing.

He backtracked, tossing his weapon aside, expecting it to explode, but only the clone beneath it did.

“Was that not the real one?” he muttered, scanning his surroundings until he noticed a glow from his shield.

Marissa had been clinging to the shield since she was struck with it. “Are you all brawn and no brains? Didn’t you notice the extra weight, or am I just that light?”

“Go to hell!” William shouted, throwing the shield upwards.

“Unique Skill, Rushed Durability…” she muttered before kicking the shield toward the fleeing couple. “Hey, Jason! Catch this!”

Jason glanced at the glowing shield heading towards him and groaned. “You little…”

The entire building exploded, taking the lives of Jason and Marissa.

William, who was still standing with 50% of his HP remaining, spat to the side. “How I hate that bitch.”

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Outside, Joana, who had been blasted into one of Londorus many rivers, resurfaced from the water, coughing. The ice covering her body had started to melt.

I could barely cast Frozen Heart in time, she thought begrudgingly while swimming to shore. I couldn’t let a brat like that take away the gold I’ve saved for so long. I hate people who waste their virtual lives like that.

“Next time I see her…”

“Are you okay, miss?” a man’s voice offered, reaching out a hand to her. “Let me help you.”

“Thanks,” Joana said, accepting the stranger’s help.

“No, thank you…” The voice shifted from masculine to feminine in an instant. “Shadow Style, What’s Yours is Mine.”

“Wait!” Joana cried out, but a piercing pain stopped her before she could defend herself. She then looked down at the blade piercing her belly.

“So this is what little Marissa convinced Jason to buy,” the thief said, holding aloft the legendary jewel. “Thanks, sweetheart.” The voice, now clearly feminine, belonged to a dark-haired girl who removed her mask, kissed Joana on the forehead, and threw her body back into the river.

That must be the Shooting Star, Helen, Joana thought as she lost consciousness. Never thought that Brittany, I mean, Marissa, could ask for help… She closed her eyes. I wonder if she really knows Miss Cosmica’s manager…

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20 hours later, when Joana finally respawned, she noticed a new message notification on her Incogme App. She opened it and received a new photo of what seemed to be Marissa disguised as a very convincing Miss Cosmica, flipping her off. A message followed:

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From:153597G: ‘It would have been funny if you had really fallen for it!’

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“Huh…” Joana muttered to herself, sitting beside the Death Bringer’s checkpoint monument. “Now that I see her closer, this disguise has some major mistakes…”

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