Chapter 222 Chapter221-So, The Thief Was You! (1st update, Cheer me with Power Stones!)
Of course, while the effects of the Soaring Glide skill are outstanding, it's not without its shortcomings.
The foremost drawback is the stringent learning requirement.
A movement speed above 300 is a near-astronomical figure for most players at present.
Besides the classes of assassins and rogues, who chase after the ultimate speed, few players invest deeply in agility as their primary attribute.
After all, no matter how fast one might run, it can never substitute for supreme offense or defense.
By John's estimation, Emma's current movement speed barely reaches around 150 at best.
To acquire this skill, she'd likely need to wait until she surpassed level 100 or so.
However, to John, this wasn't a significant impediment.
Even if her fundamental movement speed was on the lower side, it could be substantially boosted with the aid of equipment and items.
This would allow her to meet the prerequisites for the legendary skill, Soaring Glide.
Another downside to this skill was its brief duration.
John found no mention of progression in the skill's description, implying it was a static skill with no potential for level advancement.
This seemed typical for skills of gold-tier and above; many were fixed, with no capacity for growth.
Most of the Divine Skills that John mastered were of this kind.
Their innate attributes were already transcendentally potent, negating the need for further enhancement.
John rubbed his chin in deep contemplation.
While a thirty-minute duration might be adequate given the current combat capabilities of players, it would become less impactful as the game progressed into its later stages.
Players in those advanced stages would have honed their skills to such an extent that they could easily outlast the thirty-minute mark, potentially turning the tide of battle in their favor.
Still, after careful deliberation, John decided to trade for the skill scroll.
Despite its shortcomings, in the short term, it could significantly augment Emma's capabilities.
John was acutely aware of how entwined their destinies had become.
The naive girl had entrusted her everything to him.
The two had become inseparable, merging into a singular entity.
He felt an imperative need to act in Emma's best interest, bolstering her strength rapidly, in anticipation of the impending invasion from the otherworldly forces.
"For my second transaction, I opt for this skill scroll," John murmured, his finger lingering over the golden Soaring Glide scroll, addressing the Treasure Thief Rat with an air of nonchalance.
The Treasure Thief Rat's round eyes whirled curiously, deep in thought.
After a brief pause, with a mischievous twinkle, he quipped, "This is a legendary skill, second only to Divine Skills in prestige. Are you certain you wish to trade for such a valuable item?"
John shot him a fleeting, impassive glance, nodding subtly.
The Rat chuckled, "To trade for this skill scroll, mere equipment and items of the same grade won't suffice."
John furrowed his brow, responding calmly, "Then spell out your terms."
The Treasure Thief Rat spread his hands out, greed evident in his stance.
"To be frank, ordinary treasures don't catch my eye. If you aim to acquire this scroll, you would need to offer up those two primeval blood samples from earlier."
John paused, regarding the rat with a mixture of bemusement and suspicion.
It was clear the creature was deliberately setting a stringent condition, aiming to put John in a tight spot.
But since all this fell within the realm of their trade agreement, John couldn't complain.
Strictly speaking, their first transaction was already concluded.
All subsequent dealings stemmed from John's creation of the Abyssal Prison, a situation he forced upon the Treasure Thief Rat.
Now, he simply had to abide by the rat's stipulations.
The Treasure Thief Rat reveled in John's silence, feeling a rush of triumph course through him.
"So, you think you can force me into a trade? Taste the bitter fruit of your actions now!" he thought smugly.
He knew he couldn't best John in a fight, but he was confident he could set terms so onerous that John would inevitably back off.
In the rat's estimation, the two vials of Undead serpent essence blood John had previously offered were treasures of profound rarity.
To procure such substances was nigh impossible.
Essence blood, being the very life source of a creature, could only be extracted while the creature was alive – a task far more daunting than simply slaying it.
Yet, the next moment, the triumphant smirk on the Treasure Thief Rat's face froze.
John, with a gentle flick of his right hand, held aloft another two shimmering vials of the very same essence blood.
"You... you have more of this precious life source?"
The rat's mouth gaped, a look of incredulous shock plastered on his face.
It was unfathomable to him that what he regarded as a priceless treasure appeared so frequently in this human's possession.
As if John could simply produce it on demand.
A sly grin crept onto John's face.
"Your words, not mine. You asked for two of the same essence bloods in exchange for your skill scroll. You should honor what you promised..."
Hugging his head in anguish, the rat murmured to himself, "Oh heavens, you're a devil... What have you done to those two terrifying lords? The amount you've shown is staggering – over ten liters of essence blood in total. Did you skin and bone them alive?"
He'd intended to corner John, forcing him to forgo further transactions.
Yet, he hadn't expected to trap himself.
John had promptly met his explicit demand, leaving the rat no room to backtrack.
John's gaze, calm and inscrutable, rested on the Treasure Thief Rat, his smile unwavering.
During their first transaction, the two types of essence blood in his bag amounted to just over three liters.
The surplus essence blood he had was more than enough for John to make two more trades.
With no way out, the Treasure Thief Rat had no choice but to continue with the trade.
[System Notification: You have acquired the golden skill scroll (Soaring Glide).]
John contentedly stashed the skill scroll into his bag.
Meanwhile, the Treasure Thief Rat, his face reflecting sheer wonder, caressed the newly acquired essence bloods as if they were his beloveds.
The sight was so sickeningly affectionate that it almost made John nauseous.
Not wanting to witness the rat's unsettling display of affection any longer, John chose to continue browsing the various treasure attribute details.
Suddenly, a peculiar grin stretched across his face.
Among the plethora of dazzling item descriptions, one particular treasure stood out like a sore thumb.
[Son of the Storm (Divine Equipment): Forged by the deity who holds dominion over storms. This equipment embodies the power of ORDER. Upon use, it creates an entire storm domain, allowing the user to directly alter the foundational elements of wind and thunder within that realm. Specific attribute effects are unknown... This item was once solemnly kept in the main residence of the Storm City, serving as the anchor connecting the human world to the storm god. Due to a guard's negligence, it was stolen by the Treasure Hunter Merchant and has since been part of his personal collection... Value: 20 million gold coins or equivalent equipment and items. Stock: 1.]
Lifting his gaze to meet the seemingly innocent eyes of the Treasure Thief Rat, John's expression became somewhat eerie.
He finally understood why the City Guards of Storm City had been on such high alert earlier.
The thief they'd been searching for so fervently throughout the city, mobilizing countless resources, was none other than the chubby, unassuming Treasure Thief Rat standing before him.
This guy actually managed to steal a Divine item from the heavily guarded main residence...
John shook his head in slight disbelief.
If they encountered the Treasure Thief Rat here, it meant that the thousands of City Guards from Storm City had been chasing shadows. The thief had already sauntered out of Storm City with ease. What was the point of a city-wide manhunt then?
Perhaps unnerved by John's intense gaze, the Treasure Thief Rat, sounding a bit defensive, asked, "Why are you looking at me like that? Just pick your third trade item already..."
After a moment's contemplation, John casually pointed at the Son of the Storm, the Divine equipment, and inquired, "What price would I need to pay if I wanted to trade for this item?"
With a mere glance, the Treasure Thief Rat sprang up like a mouse confronted by a cat, yelling, "How did this end up here? Not for sale! It's an absolute non-negotiable!"
Judging by the Treasure Thief Rat's reaction, he had inadvertently included the Son of the Storm in the list of trade items.
As the Treasure Thief Rat attempted to retract the equipment, John swiftly intervened, blocking his move.
"Since you've presented it, it's up for trade. Don't try to back out by labeling it 'not for sale'... You're quite daring, to steal from a deity. Aren't you afraid the storm god might come knocking one day?"
John's smile remained, but his tone was chilling.
Unfazed, the Treasure Thief Rat retorted, "What of the deity's possession? Once it's in my hands, it's mine... And if a deity were to confront me, I'd simply return it..."
While he spoke confidently, there was an underlying hint of hesitance in his words.
John, stroking his chin thoughtfully, said calmly, "You better think this through. If you're not willing to trade, you'd be breaking your own rules..."
"How about it? How great a reward do you think I'd receive if I were to hand you over to the lord of Storm City?"
The Treasure Thief Rat's breath caught sharply in his throat.
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