Swoosh!
Feeling their bodies be enveloped by a unique energy as they zoomed through space for a bit, Valyr and Zeik soon appeared on an elevated stone platform, allowing them to get a better view of what was ahead of them.
"We're here." Taking a look around their surroundings to get an idea of where they were, Zeik made his way down the elevated stone platform before looking back at Valyr. "So… are we going to depart for the battlefield? Or do you need to prepare a couple of things before we do that?"
"I need to stock up on some potions, actually." Briefly responding to Zeik's question, the gears in Valyr's mind began to turn as he took a look at his surroundings, trying to recall as much as he could regarding the Akashic Battlefields he frequently visited.
From what he could recall, though it seemed like the Akashic Battlefields were a secluded place in the real world that one could only head to through a rift, these places were actually barren realms lingering within the fabric of space that were separate from the real world… which one could only head to through a rift.
As to how these barren realms were found and modified to become a space where people could gain great amounts of XP alongside combat experience, Valyr did not know too much about it, even after frequenting the Myriad Archives and similar large libraries in the past. As far as he knew, spatial mages at the peak of Rank 5 and beings at Rank 6 and higher were the ones that procured these realms and turned them into Akashic Battlefields.
In fact, the Akashic Battlefield they were in right now, which was one of the Akashic Battlefields Valyr often frequented in the past, was procured by the founder of Algerie Kingdom himself. It was because of this sole reason that the first entrance of the kingdom's Akashic Battlefield was named in honor of the founder, being named Point Alhazar.
"Ah, found a potions shop." After standing on the elevated stone platform for a while to get a better sense of where they were, Valyr eventually made his way down after getting an idea of where he had to go, with Zeik being left with no choice but to follow the young man from behind.
Similar to every other entrance to the Akashic Battlefield, Point Caelion was situated in the middle of a decently sized outpost that had more or less everything a person might possibly need in preparation for the battlefield beyond the outpost's walls, being the elevated stone platform people would appear on top on after entering the corresponding rift.
Of course, as the facilities within the outpost were made to be of great convenience to those heading to the battlefield, the merchants managing these facilities priced their services and goods at a marginally higher price compared to the same services and goods outside. Though this had already been accepted as a norm by those who frequent the Akashic Battlefield, it would still catch some of those who entered the Akashic Battlefield for the first time by surprise, which sometimes led to a small fight.
"10 Lesser Health Rejuvenation Potions and 20 Lesser Mana Rejuvenation Potions. Is that correct?" After making his way to the potions shop he found, Valyr listed down the potions he needed to the attendant, who swiftly grabbed the items within a couple of minutes. "In total, that would be 30 gold coins."
"Mind bringing it down to 25?" Placing the potions he had ordered from the attendant into his spatial bracelet, Valyr proceeded to haggle with the attendant, knowing that its true price within the outpost was lower than what the latter said.
"You know how difficult it is to bring these items into the Akashic Battlefield, sir." Hearing Valyr's words, the attendant flashed an apologetic smile. "You also have to take in consideration the material cost, the labor cost to concoct and store the potions safely, as well as a quality assessment cost to ensure that the potions are deserving of the Lesser quality prefix."
"So, I take that you won't go down to 23?" Rather than be swayed by the attendant's words, Valyr kept up a composed smile as he offered another price to the man.
"Would you be willing to part with 28 gold coins, sir?" Realizing at that point that his normal excuses wouldn't work, the attendant inwardly let out a sigh as he gave a counteroffer.
"24 gold coins."
"27?"
"25."
"26 gold coins, sir?"
"25 gold coins and not one gold coin more."
"Alright, alright." Letting out a slightly disappointed sigh, the attendant finally relented, prompting Valyr to give the man 25 gold coins with a smile on his face.
After making sure that all of the potions he had asked for were in his spatial bracelet, Valyr then left the potions shop with Zeik, but not before promising the attendant as he left that he would frequent their potions shop more often. Leaving the attendant that now had a slightly grateful smile on his face, the two then began to make their way to the area beyond the outpost.
"Say, why'd you choose Point Caelion, Valyr?" While making their way to one of the official exits out of the outpost, Zeik looked at the young man beside him as the thought popped up into his mind.
"Didn't you say earlier that the entrances have varying monster levels and strengths?" In response, Valyr looked back at him, his expression containing a trace hint of confusion.
"I did."
"Specifically, these entrances are arranged by increasing monster levels and strengths, right?"
"Yeah?"
"Then, it only makes sense for me to enter Point Caelion with my level of strength," said Valyr at the end of it, causing Zeik to become silent.
"But Point Caelion's strongest monsters are only around Level 55, though?"
"What do you mean by that?" From their conversation so far, Valyr thought that his escort was telling him that he had chosen a point that would need a level of strength far higher than his. But from the question he had just received, it seemed like that wasn't the case.
"You have a Mythic class, right?"
"Yeah?"
"And you're at the peak of Rank 2, right?"
"Then… with your combat capabilities, wouldn't it make more sense for you to be in Point Devann or Point Exiem?" At this point, the pieces that appeared in Valyr's mind finally clicked together, causing the young man to stop in his tracks as he looked at Zeik at a slight loss for words.
"…You do know those points are filled with Rank 4 monsters, right? In fact, doesn't Point Exiem have monsters that have Intents?"
"Yeah? Shouldn't you be able to fight against them no problem?"
"…Sure, my current strength allows me to fight against foes of a higher level."
"But do you really think I'm that strong?"
