WARNING: You are about to immerse yourself in an extremely epic chapter. Please read without disruption.

"There aren't that many things worth using."

"Even so, they are wares difficult to acquire in the area."

"That may be so, but..."

The shopkeeper scratched his head.

"Alright. Since you've steadily made use of our store all this time, I'll give you up to 5 gold and 40 silver."

"As I've said before, please give me 5 gold and 50 silver."

"Eh, since you don't want to lose out on even a single penny. Fine, let's do that."

"This is why I like you, mister."

Ark chuckled as he pocketed the money.

In New World, even if stores were from the same village, they each had a different sale and purchase price. The prices were always inconsistent and depended on the inventory or market price. This was the reason why users looked for stores that would pay them more each time. However, Ark had only used one place while hunting in the Jackson area.

Because of the experiences he had from living in Harun Village for half a month, he knew a bonus was added if he accumulated friendship with the shopkeeper for a long time.

In the beginning, there were times when it was disadvantageous, but at some point you'll receive 10% more money when you sell goods. When you buy goods, you also receive at least a 10% discount. In addition, if you first buy an item recommended by the shopkeeper, there were cases where they could give you up to the max 30% discount.

This piece of information was known to only a handful of Merchants and users.

"If you need money, rather than selling worthless wares, why don't you sell those Cat Gloves instead? I'll give you a good price for them."

If he was familiar with the shopkeeper, there were times when the shopkeeper sometimes asked for a particular item. Thanks to these situations, Ark was able to determine the generic value of items even if he didn't trade with other users.

"No, I'm fine. I'll come again next time."

Ark finished what he had to do and left the shop.

"I've saved up quite a lot."

Ark fiddled with his weighted pocket as he walked on the street.

He had approximately 60 gold when he left Harun Village, but before he knew it, he had already saved up 120 gold.

The most costly expenses in New World for users were food supplies and repair costs. On the other hand, it was possible for Ark to save this much because he didn't spend money for ingredients when he made food, and his repair costs were halved by the Lord's exclusive Smithy.

However, the time had come to end those privileges.

"So it's finally time to leave Jackson."

By hunting in the Shadow Forest, Ark had finally reached level 30. The Rotting Wolves and Zombies were no longer much help in increasing his experience. Although the experience the level 30 Ghoul's gave were still okay, they were low in numbers. Be as it may, he still couldn't hunt the level 50 Reapers. It seemed like he had to move his hunting ground soon and look for a new quest.

"Before that, there's a skill I've got to learn."

It was the repair skill.

There were only five Smithies in Jackson. Near one of those places, there was the sole master NPC who taught the repair skill.

However, he didn't know the exact location.

They didn't go around wearing name tags just because they were master NPCs, so users were forced to personally wander around as they conversed with other NPCs, one by one.

But who was Ark?

'When did I have time to waste like that?'

"Hey, Thomas. It's been awhile."

As Ark waved his hand, Soldiers who'd been passing by rejoiced and approached him.

"Ark, we haven't seen you in for few days. When did you return?"

"A little while ago. But do you happen to know a Blacksmith in the village who'll teach the repair skill?"

"Are you talking about Norton? I know him. Go that way and cross the bridge, it's the first Smithy you see. But what are you going to do by learning the repair method? If you go to the castle, old man Corn fixes them for you cheaply. And even if you learn the repair method, it's not like you can fix them well right away. It's better to leave them to old man Corn."

"I'm thinking of leaving to go on a journey for a few days in a faraway land. Since it'll be rough if I overlook it, I'm gonna learn it while I'm in the village."

"Faraway?"

Thomas nodded as he looked at him sadly.

"Well, you are an outsider. Then be sure to at least visit the Lord before you leave. Stop by at our barracks too, okay?"

"Alright."

Ark waved at the parting Soldiers and turned around.

At the sight, users in the area had perplexed expressions on their faces.

For the most part, Soldiers weren't that friendly toward a user. They considered the user an existence whose only purpose was to cause trouble in the village. There wasn't a single user who had heard a Soldier asking them to visit the barracks.

It was only possible for Ark, who was a friend to the young Lord.

In any case, Ark wasn't interested in the reactions of the users. Even if it was a small number, the only people Ark wanted to befriend were NPCs.

'Anyway, I've learned what I needed. Looks like my pocket will become much lighter.'

A sigh flowed out of Ark's mouth.

Understandably, it took money to learn a skill from a master NPC. After looking it up on the forums, it costs 20 gold to learn the repair skill. Repairing wasn't possible with just the skill. Each material exclusive repair skill tool set was 10 gold. In Ark's case, it would cost 30 gold since he needed the metal kit, leather kit, and cloth kit sets.

In total, he had to spend 50 gold to be able to use the repair skill.

This was the reason why the majority of users couldn't learn it in the beginning even though it was a useful skill.

'Although it's money I saved up...'

His insides soured since he had to use 50 gold of the money he'd scrounged up.

However, if he went on a journey, the repair skill was absolutely necessary for a user with a profession that required them to hunt.

If users had to look for a Smithy every time they needed to repair, it would result to spending more money. If they accidentally forgot to repair, there was danger of breaking their equipment. Something precious will still be precious. It seemed all the more precious because he'd wasted money every day on repair costs, whether it was in Harun or Jackson.

"Come on in. Is there something you need?"

When he arrived at the Smithy, a middle aged man with a long beard approached him.

"I've come here after hearing that the owner of this place is the appointed mentor of the repairing technique."

"Do you want to learn the repairing technique?"

"Yes."

"You've thought well. It's common sense that an adventurer needs the repairing technique. There's nothing more of a dilemma than having your equipment go bad while on a long journey. Let me see your hands."

Norton abruptly grabbed Ark's hands and quietly inspected them.

Shortly afterwards, he shook his head back and forth.

"Alas, though it's regretful, it doesn't look like you can learn the repairing technique."

"I can't learn it?"

"Looks like you don't know much about it. The repairing technique isn't something anyone can learn."

Norton gestured towards men who were swinging hammers in the Smithy. Unlike NPCs, looking at the random clothes they had on, there was no doubt they were users.

In the case the repair skill, it wasn't a skill possible enough to learn with just knowledge. There were also cases where one had to personally try using the skill under the tutelage of an NPC in order to get accustomed to it. It seemed those guys had paid money and were grinding in order to learn the skill.

"Like those those, in order to handle the tools proficiently, you need the right strength and experience. If you swing your hammer without knowing anything, you'll just break your equipment instead. That's why I teach an experienced Knight the technique to handle metal, and experienced Merchant or Alchemist the technique to handle leather and cloth. Even if other people tried learning it, they can't even use it properly."

'Does that mean there's a profession limit on the repair skill?'

His heart plummeted.

Ark's skills had all acquired automatically, or were learned through a quest. Therefore, he'd never considered the possibility of there being a profession limited skill until now.

Although he'd occasionally seen terms with it being an unsuitable skill on the forum, he'd thought that it was just referring to a profession specialty skill.

But for the repair skill, which he considered was absolutely necessary, to have a profession limit...

Ark suddenly thought of the users who had opened stalls within the village.

'Clothes, I will neatly mend your leather armor.'

'I'll make weapons of every kind and metal armor like new.'

They were people putting out signs of that sort and doing business.

Ark had snorted when he saw users receiving repairs from them.

Although the costs were a little less expensive than the Smithy, was there really a need to pay another person money to help them raise their skill? Also, if he saved some money, he'd learn it himself anyways... Those were his thoughts.

But now he understood the situation.

For users incapable of learning the repair skill, they didn't have the freedom of choice. Although he was about to like his Dark Walker profession regret pressed forward again.

'Dammit, I didn't think not being able to choose a combat-related profession was this fatal!'

"Then are you saying that if my equipment breaks in the hunting ground, there's no way for me to fix it?"

"By the looks of it, it seems you're a beginner. Come here," Norton said as he showed Ark the inside of the Smithy.

"If repairing was possible with just words, my Smithy would have been ruined long ago, since rascals who learned the repairing technique from me could open stands and repair cheaply."

"So it seems."

"The real revenue of the Smithy is actually this. If you just have this, anyone can repair equipment."

Norton gestured towards merchandises neatly arranged on one side. It was a case labeled with the words 'Tool Box' even beginners could use.

"As long as you have this Tool Box, it's possible to repair your equipment up to five times, no matter where you are. The General one is used for regular equipment, the Deluxe one for Magic equipment, and the Tool Box of Magic can repair anything above Rare. Of course, you can also repair regular equipment with the Tool Box of Magic, but it wouldn't make sense to do so. Ah, will you also try using this? They say this oil and whetstone have the effect of raising the performance of weapons and armor for a given period. Isn't that surprising?"

However, the price of the Tool Box was...

Even considering the point that the Tool Box could be used five times, it was a price 1.5 times more expensive than repairing at a Smithy. On top of that, Ark's equipment was also the so-called Magic equipment, and his mantle was Rare.

Even if he bought one to keep as a reserve, it would cost him a fortune, 35 gold.

If he had to spend that much money every time he had used up the five repairs, made his consciousness fade.

'Are you telling me I have to squander the money I saved by hunting like crazy all on repair fees?'

For the first time, he realized New World's outrageous prices.

You couldn't fight without getting hit as you played, so even hunting took money. If you accidentally died and your equipment's durability was completely drained, it would take several times the money. The better the item, the more money it would take.

Ark hadn't known about the hardship users had.

He'd always received a 30 percent discount in Harun Village, and in Jackson, he received repairs for half the price at the Lord's castle. He'd never had to squander a considerable sum on repair fees. For the first time, he could understand the feelings of the people who entrusted repairs to a user in order to save even one penny.

'If they go hunting and can't fish out an item, they'd be hard-pressed to buy even one wheat bread.'

Be as that may, he couldn't just break his equipment because he begrudged the repair fee. With tears in his eyes, Ark pulled out the money as he trembled. However, he couldn't bring himself to pass it over and stopped.

'This can't be. For me to so easily give up the money I saved like that...!'

In reality, there was no part-time job that Ark hadn't done before.

From general store to door-to-door sales, he was also knowledgeable in the business field. If there was one thing he'd learned from doing those jobs, it was that it was stupid to buy merchandise for the asked price.

Bargain, bargain, and bargain again. At the very least, when the shopkeeper said he'd suffered a loss, then you'd know you'd just barely bought it at the proper price.

"Can you perhaps make a discount for me?"

"Don't say something ridiculous. Because there's so many rascals repairing for half of our price in this area these days, I'm barely making a living by selling this. Are you telling me to starve and die?"

"But because I'm so poor right now..."

Ark tried putting on the most wretched expression.

It wasn't even worth trying.

"I can't consider the individual circumstances of travelers like you. Well maybe. If you were to purchase the merchandise in bulk, I could make a small discount..."

"In bulk? How many are you talking about?"

"I wonder? If you buy about 100 of them, I'll give you up to a 5 percent discount off the price. Sometimes there are merchants or travelers who save up money and buy like that. If you're short on money, why don't you try that as well."

Ark's eyes flashed. It was because the keen sense beaten into him by a destitute life had caught the scent of money.

"I see. I understand. I will come again."

Ark quickly left the Smithy.

Of course, he had no thoughts of gathering users. He didn't have the confidence to gather scores of users, and even if he managed to gather the users and receive the discount, with 5 percent on 30 gold, it'd only amount to just 1 gold and 50 silver. The discount was too small compared to the effort he'd put in. But for Ark, no, just for Ark, there was another method that he could use.

'It's possible. It has to be possible. I'm sure there wasn't something like a Tool Box in the Lord's exclusive Smithy. That means in the end, they probably buy the Tool Box from another place. Then there's no rule that says I can't be the intermediary dealer."

Ark shortly sought out the young Lord.

Then, with his most helpless and miserable expression, he cried out. "My Lord!"

"Why are you like this? I heard that you were going to leave to another area, but why do you have that sort of expression?"

"I was going to leave. However, a small problem came up. I couldn't cope with what I should do, so I sought the Lord out in order to at least consult with you."

"A problem? If it's something I can help with, tell me."

'Huhuhu, I've got him.'

Ark had a satisfied smile as he chattered rapidly.

"Actually, I was going to go on a faraway journey with people I know this time. Buying the necessary goods was entrusted to me. But I accidentally went and ordered too much of the wrong item. Later on, I tried to cancel the order because I knew I'd made a mistake, but the shopkeeper had already gone and made the order so I had to carry the responsibility. The teammates who heard the news all said it was my fault and just ran off... waah!"

"They betrayed their teammate and ran away just because of that? Aren't they men who don't even know of loyalty!"

As expected, the perfectly rigid young Lord was infuriated, like it was his own problem.

"You can't blame them. It was all my fault."

"It's because you are too kind. In the first place, for you to do such a chore... no, it's fine. It's useless to say something like that now. So tell me. What exactly did you order on accident?"

"It's the Portable Tool Box."

At Ark's reply, the young Lord soon put on a smooth smile.

"Aah, what a relief. If it's an item like that, I think I will be able to help."

"Huh? From the Lord?"

"That's right. There's a Smithy in the castle, but it can't make the Portable Tool Box. That's why every time an expedition goes out, it's an item we purchase separately. What good timing. Our stock has been falling, so I shall purchase them all. No, I may as well procure 100 each of the General and Deluxe. That way, your face will also stand out to the shopkeeper. The bill is of no consequence."

"If you do that, I would feel too sorry..."

"Think not of it. Didn't I say this? That I would help you anytime if you needed it."

"Thank you so much!"

The young Lord immediately pulled out a check worth 2500 gold.

A new stat he hadn't even imagined formed along with cheerful music.

A new stat has been formed.

The Art of Communication (+5): You are able to achieve what you want with an ornate way of speech. The higher the skill, the easier you can persuade your target, and you can drag out an even greater benefit.

Stat distribution is impossible, and will only increase when you have succeeded in a negotiation, a bargain, or a special deal.

Ark, who received the check, was smiling from ear to ear.

He'd thought it might be possible, but he hadn't even imagined that the problem would work itself out.

The discount he would receive at the Smithy was 5 percent. Simply buying the wares with 2500 gold and delivering them would yield 125 gold. It was like finding a pot of gold on a clear day.

However, being satisfied with the gains in front of your eyes was something beginners do. The greater a profit you earn, the more profit you need to rake in.

Ark found Norton and extended the check.

"General and Deluxe, 100 of each. How long will it take?"

"100 each? And the delivery is to the Lord's castle?"

"Yes. But if it's this much, don't you think you should give me a 10 percent cut?"

Ark slowly began to make the arrangements for bargaining.

"10 percent, you say! What nonsense! Then I'll acquire a loss when I sell it. However, if you're on familiar terms with the Lord, in consideration of the next deal, I can make up to a special 6 percent cut for you."

"Alright. 8 percent! If you sell 200 of them in one transaction, won't a fair amount be left?"

Ark suggested as he waved the check in front of Norton's eyes. Norton, whose eyes moved to follow the check, finally blew out a sigh.

"Alright. I'll give you a discount of 7 percent. In exchange, I have two requests."

"What are they?"

"One is that you have to take the discounted amount in merchandise rather than money, since the bill you're paying with is a check. Of course you have to give in that much."

"I understand. And the other one?"