Black Online-Chapter 74: No Safe Zone

"...What to choose."

Machary bit his nails.

Everyone was waiting for him to make his decision, and they had been waiting for three minutes already.

"Can you hurry up?"

Fang Raon asked.

"Shut up, I am thinking!"

Machary snapped, and at that moment, he turned to Fang Raon, and with a sly smile, he asked.

"What are the attributes on your sword?"

"...Why?"

Fang Raon asked with a frown.

"It will help me make my decision."

Machary said.

"Uh... I think it’s 20 attack and 9 critical."

Fang Raon said.

With a smile, Machary took out the Cracked Fang Longsword and looked at its carved blade with a big smile.

"And that’s all I had to know. I now have a better sword than you do, so good luck trying to beat me now.

Fang Raon rolled his eyes.

In that moment, Machary checked the stats of the weapons, and when he looked down at the [Special Effect] section, his eyes rounded up.

He didn’t say a word, but his heartbeat quickened, and he silently stored the sword inside his inventory.

’So lucky...’

Machary’s lips almost curled into a smile, but he stopped himself and took a deep breath.

He was now pretty happy that he chose this weapon and not the money because he doubted he could purchase this sword with a measly 10,000 square coins!

"I’ll take this."

Poppy took out the Threaded Moss Robe with a smile on her face and immediately put it on, as she only had a basic healer robe before.

"Your choice now, Fang Raon. You can choose two items now, as you can choose the 5th and 6th items."

Machary said.

It made some of them jealous because there was still some good stuff in the pile, and Fang Raon was in a good spot to take the best ones.

’Scuffed Raider Boots... Tarnished Iron Ring... Pouch of the Fallen Knight’s Savings... Great Tank’s Armor Ring... Scarred Raider Coin... Fallen Knight’s Toy Doll...’

Fang Raon rubbed his chin.

There were only a couple of items that he immediately decided to ignore—the Tarnished Iron Ring and the Fallen Knight’s Toy Doll.

’Tarnished Iron Ring is alright, but it only gives +2 attack, and I don’t need mana currently, so that +5 mana is useless to me. There is better stuff for me to get.’

Fang Raon thought.

And Fallen Knight’s Toy Doll was absolutely useless to him, as it was just a stupid souvenir that he didn’t want.

There was something that he definitely wanted, and it was the Pouch of the Fallen Knight’s Savings.

He picked it up and stored the money inside his inventory.

[+10,000 Coins]

[Coins: 10,521]

Everyone expected him to take the money, so they weren’t surprised, but most of them still had items they wanted and hoped that he wouldn’t take them.

"...One more."

Machary said with a serious look on his face.

’...Scuffed Raider Boots is alright, but I am more interested in the one item...’

In that moment, Fang Raon reached out his hand to the treasure chest—nearing the Great Tank’s Armor Ring—it made Machary and Ragnar tense up.

To them, Great Tank’s Armor Ring was easily the best item left in the chest, and despite it being an item for Tanks mostly, it would still work with other classes.

Some magical artifacts didn’t have class restrictions, such as this ring.

However, Fang Raon didn’t take it and instead took the coin from the pile—the Scarred Raider Coin—and stored it inside his inventory.

"Ah...?"

"What?"

"...That’s the one you want to take?"

Everyone looked surprised, and Fang Raon nodded.

"Alright... Poppy, your turn."

Machary said.

With a conflicted look, Poppy picked up the Tarnished Iron Ring and slid it onto her finger.

"Whew..."

Machary, with a smile on his face, took the Great Tank’s Armor Ring and put it onto his finger, feeling it fit perfectly.

"...I guess I will take this."

Abigail took the Scuffed Raider Boots and put them on. She didn’t mind having some extra speed.

And when she tried walking with them, her footsteps were quite quiet, so these boots would be very good for someone like Assassin.

’I am sure some Assassins would want to pay a nice amount for these. I’ll sell these if I find better enhanced boots.’

Abigail thought to herself.

And lastly, Ragnar picked up the Fallen Knight’s Toy Doll and tossed it inside his inventory.

He didn’t mind that he couldn’t get a good second item, as his first item was already extremely good—easily the best item in the treasure chest.

CRACK!

In that moment, the ground cracked, and stairs rose up, leading to the ceiling, where there was a door, waiting to be opened.

[7th Floor]

Was carved on the door.

"Good job, everyone. Let’s go!"

Machary shouted, ran up the stairs with everyone following behind him, and then, they stepped through the door.

...

The scorching wheel of fire hung high in the blue sky. It was cloudless. It was low humidity, and it wasn’t windy at all.

Down below, the ground was cracked and dry—as if it was suffering from drought—and there wasn’t a single plant in sight.

Some thin, dead-looking trees were scattered every now and then. Some cacti and tumbleweeds rolling by.

"...It’s so hot." 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"...Ah..."

Suffering from the heat, Machary covered his head with his shirt, but it offered little relief against the blistering sun.

They were all sweating profusely.

"...Desert Floor."

Fang Raon whispered with a wry smile, stumbling about as they made their way down a road that they happened to find.

They were hoping it would take them to some civilization at least.

"...Am I seeing things, or is that a city ahead?"

Abigail asked, squinting her eyes, as her vision was quite hazy, so she couldn’t quite tell.

Everyone looked ahead, and all of their expressions brightened. It really was a city with clay buildings!

"Finally!"

...

With a wide-brimmed hat on his head, a dirty-looking man played a violin on the street, staying under the shade of a fallen stall.

Four-wheeled wagons were being pulled up and down the dried-up streets, pulled by donkeys.

Women in colorful dresses were selling fruits on stalls, and tan-skinned men were repairing shoes and selling handmade jewelry to tourists passing through the market.

"...Hey, that player stole from me!"

In that moment, several barrels were kicked over as a grinning player—who was of the Assassin class—ran from a screaming local.

In another alleyway, two players were fighting, shedding blood, while nearby players were watching and cheering them on.

On the walls all around the clay buildings, there was a lot of graffiti and warnings placed by other players.

[No Safe Zone In Here!]

[This Place Is Not Safe!]

[Watch out, newcomers!]