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overlord_ Welcome the Birth of the King_chapter_0026
Chapter 26
Chapter 26: Conjecture – Four Magic Scrolls, an Unexpected Ambush
It seemed Tang Zheng had been browsing for too long.
The mage named Valar had already snapped out of it, an impatient expression on his face as he looked at Tang Zheng. "Have you decided yet?"
Hearing the question, Tang Zheng finally shifted his gaze from the manual and looked up. "I've chosen. There's one more question I'd like to ask."
"Go on."
Valar's expression softened slightly. He reached for the manual and spoke indifferently.
"I noticed there are two types of magic scrolls for 'Papermaking.' I'm curious what the difference is," Tang Zheng asked.
As he flipped through the manual, Tang Zheng discovered that this magic unique to the other world, 'Papermaking,' came not only as zero-tier magic scrolls but also as first-tier ones.
Since zero-tier magic was unique to this world, seeing the same spell exist at different tiers was a first for Tang Zheng, and it piqued his curiosity.
Could people from this world actually develop life magic to the first tier?
One had to know!
In the game YGGDRASIL, the tiers of magic were fixed.
Whether you were Level 100 or Level 20, using a first-tier spell made no difference. Of course, its power would vary based on the 'Magic Attack' attribute, but its essence remained unchanged.
There were some special spells, such as the third-tier 'Fireball'!
This spell's power and attack range could be increased based on how much mana the caster consumed!
But third-tier magic was third-tier magic; this fact couldn't be changed.
Skills like 'Low-Tier Magic Invalidation,' possessed by the Bone King and other Floor Guardians in the Great Tomb of Nazarick, could completely nullify 'Fireball.'
Therefore, in YGGDRASIL, to hunt Level 100 players, one would need to use at least eighth-tier magic.
"There isn't much difference."
"If I had to say, the paper produced by a first-tier 'Papermaking' magic scroll is whiter, finer, and generally better—perfectly suitable for writing."
Valar spoke lazily, seemingly uninterested in discussing the matter further. At the same time, his gaze shifted over, as if to say it was time to make a purchase.
Hearing this, a thought that shocked even him suddenly popped into Tang Zheng's mind.
Suppressing the idea, Tang Zheng pondered for a moment before saying, "Give me one zero-tier 'Papermaking' magic scroll and one 'Heating' magic scroll."
"And also one first-tier 'Scentless' magic scroll and one 'Magic Arrow' magic scroll."
Hearing the magic scrolls Tang Zheng intended to purchase, Valar nodded, then stood up and walked toward the back.
Behind the counter was a wall adorned with several murals. Valar walked straight toward the wall as if he were going to crash right into it.
Under Tang Zheng's watchful eye, Valar simply passed through the wall and vanished.
"A magic barrier? It's completely undetectable," Tang Zheng muttered, astonished.
Before long, Valar returned, holding four magic scrolls.
"Two zero-tier magic scrolls, two gold coins."
"The first-tier 'Scentless' magic scroll is one gold coin and ten silver coins. The 'Magic Arrow' magic scroll is three gold coins and ten silver coins."
"That's a total of seven gold coins and seven silver coins."
Valar laid the magic scrolls on the counter before Tang Zheng.
*Hiss!*
Hearing the price, Tang Zheng's eye twitched. After a brief hesitation, he pulled eight gold coins from his pocket and placed them on the table.
Even though both were first-tier magic scrolls, the price of an attack spell like 'Magic Arrow' was nearly three times that of 'Scentless.'
Valar gave Tang Zheng a somewhat surprised look but said nothing more. He reached out, collected the gold coins, and counted out six silver coins in change.
Currently, Tang Zheng had 14 gold, 7 silver, and 4 copper coins left. Though not a large sum, it should be enough to purchase the necessary supplies.
After putting away the magic scrolls and coins, Tang Zheng turned and left.
Stepping out of the Mage Guild's main entrance, a thought occurred to Tang Zheng. He swiftly stored all the magic scrolls in his Item Box and quickened his pace back to the inn.
He needed to return and test his earlier conjecture.
The sun had already set.
The sky had completely darkened. Although there were lit streetlights in the plaza, they were far apart, providing just enough light to make out the road.
Perhaps because it was a border city, there was hardly anyone on the streets at this hour.
*Thump!*
*Thump!*
Suddenly, a figure emerged from an alleyway not far ahead. The person was toying with a dagger and deliberately making his footsteps heavy.
Tang Zheng furrowed his brow and slowed his pace.
Not only had someone appeared in front of him, but a figure had also emerged behind him.
"Hey kid, how about you treat us to a drink?"
The figure in front stepped out of the shadows. It was a man in black, wearing a mask and holding a dagger.
The figure behind him also stopped, standing in the middle of the road and blocking Tang Zheng's retreat.
Tang Zheng glanced out of the corner of his eye.
Like Tang Zheng, this person wore a black robe with the hood pulled up, their face completely hidden in the night.
"It seems I'm being mugged," Tang Zheng said, his mind racing for a countermeasure.
"No, no."
The dagger-wielding thief spread his arms and shrugged. "We just want you to treat us to a drink, and maybe lend us some money while you're at it."
The figure behind remained silent, which gave Tang Zheng an even greater sense of danger.
"How did you know I have money?"
Tang Zheng's eyes narrowed. Using the cover of his black robe, he drew his shortsword and continued, "The Mage Guild? No, that's not right!"
"People from the Mage Guild wouldn't need to do this. Besides, I just left. Given the pride of those in the Mage Guild, even if they were short on cash, they wouldn't stoop to coveting my paltry sum."
"And I only arrived in E-Rantel today, so..."
Tang Zheng paused, having already figured it out. He let out a cold laugh. "You've been watching me since I entered the city, haven't you?"
If his guess was correct, these two must have spotted him when Dosali, the captain of the Rock Squad, handed him the coin pouch.
In fact, these two probably make a habit of targeting outsiders traveling to and from E-Rantel, preying on those who are alone.
"Oh, what a clever boy."
"In that case, we won't waste any more time. Hand over all the magic scrolls you bought and all your money, and we might spare your life."
"Otherwise!"
The dagger-wielding thief gave a chilling chuckle, his voice turning cold. "I wouldn't mind chopping off your legs, you black-haired whelp, and selling you as a slave."
"I'm sure a black-haired, faith-based magic caster who can use 'Low-Tier Healing' would be a very popular slave."
Upon hearing this, Tang Zheng's expression changed instantly.
Had his information been leaked?
The only people who knew he could use healing magic were the members of the Rock Squad and the Bareiare grandmother and grandson.
However, neither party seemed to have a reason to betray him.
He could rule out the Bareiare grandmother and grandson first. As for the Rock Squad, not only had he saved their captain's life, but they had also been eager for him to join them.
They shouldn't have leaked his information.
Could it have been revealed by accident? Unlikely. The Rock Squad was a silver-ranked adventurer team, after all. They had professional integrity; how could information be so easily pried from them?
Thinking it over, it seemed like the Rock Squad was the only possibility... Wait.
To be precise, they weren't the only ones who knew he could use healing magic. When he'd cast healing magic at the Adventurer's Guild in the Royal Capital, plenty of people had seen it!
The dagger-wielding thief's words didn't just indicate he wanted money—he wanted to make him a slave. Such a modus operandi...
"Eight Fingers!" Tang Zheng suddenly uttered the two words.
The thief toying with his dagger froze.
(end of chapter)
It seemed Tang Zheng had been browsing for too long.
The mage named Valar had already snapped out of it, an impatient expression on his face as he looked at Tang Zheng. "Have you decided yet?"
Hearing the question, Tang Zheng finally shifted his gaze from the manual and looked up. "I've chosen. There's one more question I'd like to ask."
"Go on."
Valar's expression softened slightly. He reached for the manual and spoke indifferently.
"I noticed there are two types of magic scrolls for 'Papermaking.' I'm curious what the difference is," Tang Zheng asked.
As he flipped through the manual, Tang Zheng discovered that this magic unique to the other world, 'Papermaking,' came not only as zero-tier magic scrolls but also as first-tier ones.
Since zero-tier magic was unique to this world, seeing the same spell exist at different tiers was a first for Tang Zheng, and it piqued his curiosity.
Could people from this world actually develop life magic to the first tier?
One had to know!
In the game YGGDRASIL, the tiers of magic were fixed.
Whether you were Level 100 or Level 20, using a first-tier spell made no difference. Of course, its power would vary based on the 'Magic Attack' attribute, but its essence remained unchanged.
There were some special spells, such as the third-tier 'Fireball'!
This spell's power and attack range could be increased based on how much mana the caster consumed!
But third-tier magic was third-tier magic; this fact couldn't be changed.
Skills like 'Low-Tier Magic Invalidation,' possessed by the Bone King and other Floor Guardians in the Great Tomb of Nazarick, could completely nullify 'Fireball.'
Therefore, in YGGDRASIL, to hunt Level 100 players, one would need to use at least eighth-tier magic.
"There isn't much difference."
"If I had to say, the paper produced by a first-tier 'Papermaking' magic scroll is whiter, finer, and generally better—perfectly suitable for writing."
Valar spoke lazily, seemingly uninterested in discussing the matter further. At the same time, his gaze shifted over, as if to say it was time to make a purchase.
Hearing this, a thought that shocked even him suddenly popped into Tang Zheng's mind.
Suppressing the idea, Tang Zheng pondered for a moment before saying, "Give me one zero-tier 'Papermaking' magic scroll and one 'Heating' magic scroll."
"And also one first-tier 'Scentless' magic scroll and one 'Magic Arrow' magic scroll."
Hearing the magic scrolls Tang Zheng intended to purchase, Valar nodded, then stood up and walked toward the back.
Behind the counter was a wall adorned with several murals. Valar walked straight toward the wall as if he were going to crash right into it.
Under Tang Zheng's watchful eye, Valar simply passed through the wall and vanished.
"A magic barrier? It's completely undetectable," Tang Zheng muttered, astonished.
Before long, Valar returned, holding four magic scrolls.
"Two zero-tier magic scrolls, two gold coins."
"The first-tier 'Scentless' magic scroll is one gold coin and ten silver coins. The 'Magic Arrow' magic scroll is three gold coins and ten silver coins."
"That's a total of seven gold coins and seven silver coins."
Valar laid the magic scrolls on the counter before Tang Zheng.
*Hiss!*
Hearing the price, Tang Zheng's eye twitched. After a brief hesitation, he pulled eight gold coins from his pocket and placed them on the table.
Even though both were first-tier magic scrolls, the price of an attack spell like 'Magic Arrow' was nearly three times that of 'Scentless.'
Valar gave Tang Zheng a somewhat surprised look but said nothing more. He reached out, collected the gold coins, and counted out six silver coins in change.
Currently, Tang Zheng had 14 gold, 7 silver, and 4 copper coins left. Though not a large sum, it should be enough to purchase the necessary supplies.
After putting away the magic scrolls and coins, Tang Zheng turned and left.
Stepping out of the Mage Guild's main entrance, a thought occurred to Tang Zheng. He swiftly stored all the magic scrolls in his Item Box and quickened his pace back to the inn.
He needed to return and test his earlier conjecture.
The sun had already set.
The sky had completely darkened. Although there were lit streetlights in the plaza, they were far apart, providing just enough light to make out the road.
Perhaps because it was a border city, there was hardly anyone on the streets at this hour.
*Thump!*
*Thump!*
Suddenly, a figure emerged from an alleyway not far ahead. The person was toying with a dagger and deliberately making his footsteps heavy.
Tang Zheng furrowed his brow and slowed his pace.
Not only had someone appeared in front of him, but a figure had also emerged behind him.
"Hey kid, how about you treat us to a drink?"
The figure in front stepped out of the shadows. It was a man in black, wearing a mask and holding a dagger.
The figure behind him also stopped, standing in the middle of the road and blocking Tang Zheng's retreat.
Tang Zheng glanced out of the corner of his eye.
Like Tang Zheng, this person wore a black robe with the hood pulled up, their face completely hidden in the night.
"It seems I'm being mugged," Tang Zheng said, his mind racing for a countermeasure.
"No, no."
The dagger-wielding thief spread his arms and shrugged. "We just want you to treat us to a drink, and maybe lend us some money while you're at it."
The figure behind remained silent, which gave Tang Zheng an even greater sense of danger.
"How did you know I have money?"
Tang Zheng's eyes narrowed. Using the cover of his black robe, he drew his shortsword and continued, "The Mage Guild? No, that's not right!"
"People from the Mage Guild wouldn't need to do this. Besides, I just left. Given the pride of those in the Mage Guild, even if they were short on cash, they wouldn't stoop to coveting my paltry sum."
"And I only arrived in E-Rantel today, so..."
Tang Zheng paused, having already figured it out. He let out a cold laugh. "You've been watching me since I entered the city, haven't you?"
If his guess was correct, these two must have spotted him when Dosali, the captain of the Rock Squad, handed him the coin pouch.
In fact, these two probably make a habit of targeting outsiders traveling to and from E-Rantel, preying on those who are alone.
"Oh, what a clever boy."
"In that case, we won't waste any more time. Hand over all the magic scrolls you bought and all your money, and we might spare your life."
"Otherwise!"
The dagger-wielding thief gave a chilling chuckle, his voice turning cold. "I wouldn't mind chopping off your legs, you black-haired whelp, and selling you as a slave."
"I'm sure a black-haired, faith-based magic caster who can use 'Low-Tier Healing' would be a very popular slave."
Upon hearing this, Tang Zheng's expression changed instantly.
Had his information been leaked?
The only people who knew he could use healing magic were the members of the Rock Squad and the Bareiare grandmother and grandson.
However, neither party seemed to have a reason to betray him.
He could rule out the Bareiare grandmother and grandson first. As for the Rock Squad, not only had he saved their captain's life, but they had also been eager for him to join them.
They shouldn't have leaked his information.
Could it have been revealed by accident? Unlikely. The Rock Squad was a silver-ranked adventurer team, after all. They had professional integrity; how could information be so easily pried from them?
Thinking it over, it seemed like the Rock Squad was the only possibility... Wait.
To be precise, they weren't the only ones who knew he could use healing magic. When he'd cast healing magic at the Adventurer's Guild in the Royal Capital, plenty of people had seen it!
The dagger-wielding thief's words didn't just indicate he wanted money—he wanted to make him a slave. Such a modus operandi...
"Eight Fingers!" Tang Zheng suddenly uttered the two words.
The thief toying with his dagger froze.
(end of chapter)
