Lucian Negotiation: 40 - 27 Negotiation = 13
Saito listened to Lucian present his case, or just plain and simple ask for help. He seemed to scratch his chin for a few moments, thinking of something apparently as he wasn't flat out rejecting Lucian after he finished speaking. After a few moments he sighed, looking at them as he opened his eyes. "Look, i'd love to help, but I have a 'no getting involved' policy in the affairs of others. I remain unaffiliated with people and whatever enemies they have don't come after me as even if the Auction is helping me out by keeping people off of my back, I doubt that protection can remain perfect all the time." Despite how bleak the prospect of him helping them looked he suddenly began to speak again by adding a simple "But...", adding to the hope that he was helping them.
"If you guys are my customers, then that doesn't count as me being allied with you." He nodded, thinking this was a good plan. "I know what its like being a newbie in this supernatural underworld, so I am not gonna leave you to die out there, but you have to understand that I also have to watch my own back so I can only help you to this extent as letting you guys shop here, but if its info you want, I can give that for free." He suddenly walked over to the counter where the register, and computer, was, turning it on and typing a few things.
"If you're wondering who's after you right now, be thankful that its no one big. Trust me, before the auction started helping me out I was in your shoes as well. You'll probably just have the scumbag Hunters to worry about right now. You may have potential, but not enough to cause the bigger fish in the sea to notice you." He seemed to pause now looking at the screen, reading over something for a few moments. "Yep, info is selling on you guys on the Auction's site, but most of the purchasers are small fry... still..." He walked out from behind the counter, standing in front of it and across from them for now.
"They aren't pushovers on our standards, so don't think you'll get out easily. Hunters are tough, sadistic bastards who generally go after weaker, unaffiliated Ability Users like yourselves and either sell them as slaves on the Auction or take them to places called Mana Factories... and once your there..." Saito stopped, his expression growing ominous and a small shudder going up his spine for a moment. "You'll wish that they just killed you..." He shook his head though, taking a moment to calm down as clearly the mention of a mana factory made him remember something, but it probably was best not to ask about what it was.
"Anyway, that's all the info I can offer you about who could be after you. Now then, enough on that." He looked to the two of them now, looking them over for a few moments before checking his ring, and then back at them. "You got some fight in ya, but you're probably about... very low E rank in terms of strength, maybe. Its hard to say. So naturally you will need weapons to defend yourself. I recommend checking out the Auction for that, look up..." He stopped, writing a few things on a piece of paper before handing it to Lucian. "This guy's weapons on there. Whenever I need a nicely crafted vessel for an enchantment I turn to this guy as he sells good stuff for a fair price and keeps it secret. Of course, you'll still need alot of money. I recommend checking out the Job Boards. Usually you can get money or goods from doing things for people, Services being quite a common currency in the Abyss unlike in the normal world. With that said, if you guys have anything you can do for me as well I am willing to let you do that instead of having you pay me, after all it is business. So... what exactly is your power anyway?"
Ren decided to speak up here. He figured as the one who has had the most experience among them with this Gamer power he should speak up here to explain to Saito just what it was, scratching his head for a few moments as he began to try and find a proper explanation, but just sighing as he gave up on that. "To put it bluntly..." chimed in Reno, in his usual slightly chilled tone of voice that was there as a habit, "our power makes us real life game characters, MMORPG Characters specifically."
Saito raised an eyebrow at this, but let the youngest among them keep talking. He looked very skeptical and Ren knew this, so he was going to make this brief. Ren knew that if they wanted Saito on their side it wouldn't be wise to hide anything. He seemed incredibly perceptive and already doubtful about helping them even if it was as customers so Ren figured by just disclosing everything bluntly he would be more inclined to believe them about their power. Plus maybe Saito knew more about what their power could be than they did, so it was worth a shot.
"We can see someone's name, Class, title, and numerical level above their head, get EXP whenever we defeat monsters and Level Up when we get enough to raise our Stats, and learn special abilities called Skills and use them by just saying their names by either doing special things or just by touching a book. We also have an Inventory and various other windows that tell us or show us things. But most importantly..." He knew that as an Artificer, Saito may like this and even offer to make trades with things like these. "When we kill monsters, they drop things like these..."
From mid-air appeared an Imp Claw, an Imp Horn, and what appeared to be a rotting tooth. These appeared in Ren's hands and he gently set them on a table near them. Saito looked a little interested, and surprised, when Ren pulled something from mid-air.
"Looks like some kind of dimension magic... but I didn't detect any magical energy... so I guess that's your Inventory then if you really are like a game character... that's actually incredibly useful, lets have a look at these though." Saito walked over to the items that Ren placed on the table, looking at them intently for a moment, eyes widening a bit as he held his ring to each of them before looking at it, quite surprised. "You... said that you got these from monsters... in the Pseudospace right?"
Ren gave a nod.
"Well...wow... ok. For starters this is some pretty good stuff. Even if the demonic essence on this horn and claw is weak, its incredibly stable and contained, as is the black aura in this... tooth. Usually you'd have to be a really strong necromancer or warlock to get stable demonic essence or essence of death like this... but also... I have to say if you got these from just killing the monsters...then your power is fucking broken..."
It was Ren's turn to raise an eyebrow now.
"The monsters in those spaces don't exist. The Imps or other demons are demonic entities comprised of just demonic energy from another world given physical shape. The Zombies or other undead are the spirits of the dead given physical shape. Needless to say, the monsters in the Pseudospaces don't physically exist. Therefore, they shouldn't be dropping parts that can take a physical shape like this. Your power is literally... creating things from nothing...heh... no wonder why the Messengers of Gaia sought you guys out actively according to the info on the auction. Your power must literally have the assistance of gaia backing it up to make things like this" he gestured to the items "happen."
Ren's eyes widened. Did this mean that their power was literally being assisted by the very world itself? That is special. Still, there was business to discuss. "So, how much would you give me for them. Either for books, magical items, or anything else that is useful."
Ren was beginning to haggle now, hoping that he could trade with Saito here, who began to think.
Ren Negotiation: 57 - 31 Negotiation = 26
"To be honest, I don't really have much of a use for these. However, I know an alchemist, good friend of mine who is paranoid to the point where no one knows his name, that would find them useful. I'd say that these value at probably... 8,000 yen a piece, so i'd give you... 4,000 yen a piece, since I also need to make a little profit. It would normally be less because they are weak, but these are really stable and easy to use. Still, 12,000 yen isn't really all that muc--"
Suddenly Ren pulled out a bunch of them. 24 Imp Claws total, 17 Imp Horns total, and 8 Zombie Teeth total. He put them all on the table, much to Saito's eyes widening and a 'Dear God' escaping from him.
"I thought you might be getting one or two... not... a shit ton..." He looked at all of the various creature pieces for a moment, sighing heavily. "You should consider Alchemy or Black Magic. You said you can learn things from books? Like... if you read them you can learn things really quickly?"
Ren just nodded, a book suddenly appearing in his hand. It was the Skill Book for Eldritch Flame. Ren was skeptical of learning it before, but the thought of being a warlock, witch, dark mage, or necromancer was... somewhat intriguing for Ren. "This was found on a very large and powerful Imp, who also dropped Healing Potions and alot of money as well...it teaches something called Eldritch Flame."
Now this was something Saito was taken aback by. He could understand the parts that contain essence, but money? Books? Recovery potions? That was something else entirely. "Eldritch Flame? If I am correct... that is something demons and warlocks use... yet you say you can learn it just from reading that book or whatever?" Saito was very intrigued now as he was skeptical of their power when Ren explained it, but the items helped to clear a bit of his doubt, but if this person could learn something from a book just from reading it like game characters can, as Saito played his fair share of RPGs back in the day to help pass the time, then that would probably sell him on it.
Ren just nodded. Any nervousness that he had about learning a demonic power gone now. He touched the book, looking at the window that appeared, Saito looking at Ren quizzically as he seemed to touch the air.
"Im guessing you have windows too that no one else can see?" Saito said this in a joking tone, but a serious nod and a slightly cold glare from Ren made Saito quit his chuckle and just mutter a 'sheesh' beneath his breath. He was a nice guy, the reason for him being rude or cold to them at first being that he didn't want them getting involved in this dangerous world, but already it was too late for that.
After Ren seemed to touch another button and the book seemed to glow in a yellow light for a few moments before slowly fading, yellow lights that look like shards of paper coming from the book and floating towards Ren, his body glowing softly for a moment as his eyes closed. After that he opened them, taking a small breath before exhaling. "I feel like... I can use it now..." Ren held out his hand, but Saito quickly stopped him.
"Whoa Whoa Whoa, I don't care if you can use it or not from that, but not in my store alright. Still, my sensors in the store did detect a... change in you when you... did whatever with that book, a slight demonic presence... I believe that you really did learn that demonic skill, but you should be careful when using it as even if you have some special power, humans wielding the powers of demons can be quite dangerous...still, if you really do want to learn black magic or even demonic magic such a power can be useful. I'm more of an arcane magic guy myself, but I have studied a bit into the darker arts just to learn ritual stuff for enchantments."
Ren just put his hand down, indeed feeling a new power within him, a dangerous one, but if it would help protect him, or them in this case, from any new threats then he was fine with it. He then looked to the claws, horns, and teeth on the table before looking around the store. "So... is there anything you are willing to trade for any of these?"
Ren Negotiation: 5 - 31 Negotiation = -26
Saito thought about this for a few moments, looking at the various creature pieces on the table. "Ill tell you what. Give me 16 claws and 8 horns and ill let you pick out three books since you seem to be able to just... absorb them or whatever.... Basic ones of course, as they are quite expensive, but it'll still be a better deal than what you get at the Auction. This is a one time offer, so take advantage of it now as it'll be the last time I am making it."
Ren was surprised that Saito was willing to make such a discounted transaction, but guessed that he might as well not ask questions and take advantage of it. "How about... a book on dark or black or warlock magic or whatever and... a book on fire magic, if you have one."
Saito thought for a few moments. "You guys probably don't know any magic, so you will need to learn ritual magics first before you can get any real complex battle spells. So a book on fire magic is a no, but the first one I have something that could interest you. Any other requests?"
Ren thought for a moment. If right now the basics was all they could learn, then Ren decided tp get something else as he figured healing was out as well. "Well...what do you suggest?"
"I think a book on the basics of Demonology might suit you... its a step into becoming a warlock as its the basics in setting up rituals to commune with demons if... that's what you really want. Its a basic book on it, but its a bit hard, don't know if you'll be able to learn it with your power even... but i guess you can hang onto it or whatever until you can."
Ren just nodded and then looked at Lucian. "You go ahead and pick something out. I don't need three books for myself right now..."
