Kiriya immediately sent the Wasteland Armor stat sheet to the four members of CrimsonLotus. In an instant, blazing excitement flashed in CrimsonLotus_Lusk's and CrimsonLotus_Ragnar's eyes. A top-tier Bronze-grade armor like this was an invaluable treasure for both Knights and Berserkers, something rarely found even by chance.

  Lusk asked hurriedly, "Kiriya, did the boss drop only this piece of equipment?"

  Kiriya shook his head. "There's also a longbow."

  Lusk smiled, his voice laced with anticipation. "Then show us the bow's stats quickly! By the way, what class do you plan to choose?"

  Kiriya thought for a moment and replied frankly, "If this bow is powerful enough, I'll pick Archer. If it's just mediocre, I'll switch to Berserker."

  Lusk and Ragnar exchanged a glance, then both looked up and laughed bitterly. "Heaven help us, let this bow be an absolute god-tier item!"

  Kiriya couldn't help laughing out loud. Those two were really amusing. He knew full well that if he chose Archer, he would have no use for this heavy armor, and they could then make a legitimate offer to buy the Wasteland Armor from him.

  Still smiling, Kiriya took out the longbow. Its frame had a smooth, elegant curve, and a faint glow lingered around the bowstring. One look was enough to tell it was no ordinary item.

  Light flickered, and the bow's name and stats slowly appeared:

  Bow of Glory (Bronze Grade)

  Attack: 56-72

  Strength: +8

  Level Requirement: 14

  Unidentified

  Kiriya froze on the spot. It was Bronze-grade too! Even in its unidentified state, it had a maximum attack of 72. Once identified, its power would surely skyrocket even further.

  He immediately sent the stat sheet of the Bow of Glory to the four. For a moment, Lusk and CrimsonLotus_Elias could barely keep from drooling, and even Violet's clear eyes were filled with admiration.

  Ragnar grabbed Kiriya by the wrist. Blunt and straightforward, he made no effort to hide his eagerness. "Bro, let's go back to town and get these identified right now! Name your price for the armor, and we'll do everything we can to meet it!"

  Kiriya blinked in surprise. Ragnar's blunt urgency was plain to see, and it felt rather cute next to Lusk's subtlety.

  Truth be told, Lusk was also swallowing hard, but he forced down his craving and kept his composure.

  Several flashes of white light later, the five of them teleported back to the Starter Village and headed straight for the Identification House. Inside, a white-haired old man was casually arranging antiques, looking completely at peace with the world.

  Thud!

  Kiriya set the Wasteland Armor heavily on the identification counter, his voice crisp. "Hello, please identify this for me."

  The appraiser glanced back at the armor and spoke calmly. "Identification fee: 10 silver coins."

  "What? 10 silver coins?" Kiriya's heart ached, but he quickly pulled out 10 silver coins and handed them over.

  The appraiser stretched out a finger and gently brushed over the armor's surface. Brilliant golden light burst forth from the armor at once, shedding its faint haze. Its true stats were fully revealed to everyone:

  Wasteland Armor (Bronze Grade · Armor)

  Defense: 88

  Strength: +11

  Vitality: +6

  Level Requirement: 14

  Defense had jumped by a full 38 points, with an extra 11 Strength and 6 Vitality on top! Everyone froze in place, eyes wide with shock, and not a single person spoke for a long moment.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  After what felt like ages, Lusk finally snapped back to his senses, his voice filled with awe. "This gear is insane! Kiriya, check the bow next!"

  Kiriya nodded and placed the Bow of Glory on the counter. The appraiser, who had been indifferent moments earlier, focused immediately when his gaze fell on the bow. He studied it carefully for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, and spoke slowly. "To think such a treasure exists. Identification fee: 10 gold coins."

  Kiriya stared in disbelief, his voice stunned. "Sir, are you sure? The Wasteland Armor only costs 10 silver coins. Why 10 gold coins for this bow?"

  The appraiser glanced at him lazily, sounding slightly annoyed. "If you don't want it identified, you're free to leave."

  Lusk quickly pulled Kiriya aside and whispered, "Fool! The more expensive the identification, the better the gear! If you don't have the gold, I'll cover it!"

  Kiriya tensed up at once. If he let Lusk pay for the identification, the man would definitely lowball him on the Wasteland Armor. He wasn't about to make a losing deal like that.

  He immediately pulled out 10 gold coins and handed them to the appraiser. His heart secretly ached. Of the 13 gold coins the boss had dropped, 10 were gone in an instant. Thankfully, 3 remained, more than enough for the studio's tasks tomorrow.

  The appraiser took a deep breath, reached out solemnly, and gently stroked the Bow of Glory. A light even brighter than the armor's flashed. The bow shimmered, casting off its disguise completely and revealing its true form:

  Bow of Glory (Silver Grade)

  Attack: 82-128

  Strength: +16

  Agility: +13

  Bonus Effect: Sure Strike (Attacks cannot be dodged)

  Level Requirement: 15

  For a moment, everyone stood dumbfounded. The Bow of Glory had actually upgraded from Bronze Grade to Silver Grade during identification!

  Nearly five minutes passed before Lusk recovered from the shock, managing only two words. "Holy shit."

  Kiriya was just as stunned. The ache in his heart vanished instantly. Those 10 gold coins had been beyond worth it.

  A bow with 128 maximum attack usable at Level 15 was absolutely crushing power at this stage. What's more, Silver Grade was far higher than Bronze Grade. This bow could probably carry him all the way to Level 30, maybe even Level 50!

  Most importantly, the bow's Sure Strike effect gave Kiriya a bold idea. Normal Archer players usually split their stat points half into Strength and Agility to balance damage and accuracy, since Agility determined hit rate and Strength determined attack power.

  But with this Sure Strike bow, he didn't need to worry about accuracy at all. If he dumped every single stat point into Strength, leveling with this bow would leave every other player in the dust.

  At the thought, Kiriya laughed out loud, his eyes shining with excitement. A top-tier player starting from scratch was about to be born!

  Lusk and Ragnar were already growing anxious. They exchanged a look, then both stared at Kiriya, muttering quietly. "Has this guy lost his mind from happiness?"

  Kiriya stopped laughing and quickly stored the Bow of Glory in his inventory. He was only Level 12 and couldn't equip it yet, so he had to keep it safe.

  He then turned to Lusk, his voice direct. "If you want the Wasteland Armor, make me a fair offer."

  Lusk and Ragnar shared a smile. Lusk looked hesitant and spoke honestly. "Our guild's funds are tight. Right now, we can only offer 20 gold coins. That's all the savings we have from every member."

  Kiriya glanced at him and teased with a smile. "Don't be so cheap. You know full well a Bronze-grade armor is worth far more than that."

  Lusk looked embarrassed, unsure how to reply.

  Just then, Violet stepped forward, leaned close to Lusk's ear, and whispered something. She then handed him something.

  With Violet's support, Lusk's confidence surged. He stepped quickly toward Kiriya and said, "Kiriya, look at this. Plus 20 gold coins, will you trade the Wasteland Armor?"

  With that, Lusk opened a trade window with Kiriya. Light flickered, and a tattered old skill book appeared in the trade slot:

  Armor-Piercing Arrow: Ignores 50% of the target's Defense. Damage increases with skill level.

  Kiriya's eyes widened slightly. He knew very well that skill books in Eternal Art Online could only be obtained by killing monsters. NPC mentors only taught the most basic skills. Armor-Piercing Arrow was an absolute god-tier skill against high-Defense Knights or Berserkers!

  Without the slightest hesitation, Kiriya placed the Wasteland Armor into the trade window.

  Lusk immediately added 20 gold coins. Both sides confirmed the trade, and a win-win deal was sealed.

  Once the trade was complete, Lusk handed the Wasteland Armor straight to Ragnar.

  Ragnar didn't stand on ceremony and accepted it gladly. He wasn't high enough level to equip it yet, so he hurried off to the warehouse to store it safely.

  Kiriya also stored the Bow of Glory in the warehouse and turned back to Lusk.

  At that moment, Lusk spoke again, his voice sincere. "Kiriya, have you ever thought about joining a guild? CrimsonLotus isn't huge, but every member is a brother who'd fight life and death together. If you're willing to join, you'd be more than welcome."

  Kiriya's heart stirred slightly. The way Lusk had handed over the valuable Wasteland Armor to Ragnar without hesitation showed how loyal he was to his friends. Following a leader like him would never leave him shortchanged.

  But then he thought of Lina, who might create her own guild someday. He owed her far too much, and it wouldn't feel right not to stay by her side.

  After a moment's thought, Kiriya declined gently. "I don't plan to join a guild just yet. Give me some time to think, and I'll let you know first if I decide to."

  Lusk didn't push. He laughed loudly. "Very well! We need to keep leveling, so we won't take any more of your time. Farewell for now!"

  With that, the four core members of CrimsonLotus turned and left the Starter Village. Ragnar could barely hide his joy, chattering and grinning the whole way. Elias walked beside him, also smiling. Violet brought up the rear, glanced back deeply at Kiriya, a soft, gentle smile curving her lips, then quickened her pace to catch up.

  Kiriya thought to himself that Violet, a Priest, had reached Level 10 so quickly. She must have been leveling in a party with Lusk and the others all along.

  After watching the four leave, Kiriya organized his inventory and walked alone toward the Class Hall.