The village buzzed with music and laughter. After the fall of the Rampaging Agmorant, the people of Luis's hometown threw a raucous celebration—torches flickered, ale flowed, and the scent of roasting meat drifted through the air like a promise.
In the center of the square, Icon jerked rhythmically in something that could generously be called dancing. Its metal limbs twitched and flailed, mimicking the villagers with unsettling enthusiasm.
"MASTER," it declared, mid-spin. "DANCING IS ILLOGICAL BUT PLEASING."
It nearly tripped over its talons.
Zyx howled with laughter nearby. "Look at him go! Like a drunk scarecrow on stilts!"
Luis leaned against a wooden post, sipping water and letting the sound wash over him. He thumbed open his Soul Forge tab, eyes scanning his stats.
SOUL ESSENCE: 10,920
That fight gave me enough for something decent…
Zyx hovered at his shoulder. "Still rocking that junkyard hammer and starter boots? Pathetic. Even Pim's exploding potions are higher-tier."
Luis sighed. "I need better gear. Maybe armor."
Zyx gasped, mock-scandalized. "Armor? You mean you don't like nearly dying every fight?"
Luis ignored him, scrolling through the listings. One item caught his eye:
Feathered Leather Armor(Scrap Tier)Cost: 10,000 Souls+10 Armor+5 Magical Resistance+10% Movement SpeedSpecial: [Wind Dancer] – Attacks temporarily boost movement speed by 20%. (Decays over 1.5 seconds.)
Luis nodded. "This one. Light. Fast. Perfect."
Zyx squinted. "Feathers? Oh, I see. Gotta match your murder-bot's bird obsession."
Luis didn't answer, just confirmed the craft. A flash of light—then the armor materialized in his hands. Sleek leather reinforced with fine blue feathers along the shoulders. Lightweight. Elegant.
He slid it on. The fit was perfect.
"Damn," he muttered, flexing. "This feels good."
Zyx smirked. "Congrats. You now look slightly less like a homeless gladiator."
Luis turned to leave—only to have Rico stumble into him, half a mug of ale sloshing over his fingers. His cheeks were flushed and his grin was wide.
"Where you goin', city boy?" Rico slurred, throwing an arm around his shoulder. "Party's just gettin' good!"
Luis tried to step away. "Not much of a dancer."
Rico gasped. "Not a dancer?! You? The same Luis Mendoza who tripped over his own feet at the Harvest Festival and face-planted into Old Man Dazo's prize pig?"
Luis groaned. "That was one time."
"Oh, it was legendary," Rico cackled, nearly spilling his drink. "Pig squealin', you screamin'—man, the whole village nearly passed out from laughter."
"Okay, enough," Luis grumbled, shoving him gently aside. "I'm going for a walk."
Rico wiped a tear from his eye. "Suit yourself. But you're missin' out. Even your toaster's having more fun than you."
Luis glanced toward the square. Icon was attempting to teach robot dance moves to a group of laughing kids.
He smiled faintly. "Yeah. Save me a plate."
The forest outside was quiet. A soft wind rustled the trees. Luis stretched, adjusting his new armor. It felt almost like wearing nothing—except for the pulsing hum beneath his ribs.
"Alright," he murmured. "Let's see what this thing can do."
He broke into a sprint.
The shift was instant. His steps were lighter, faster—fluid. A few swings of his hammer triggered [Wind Dancer], and he surged forward, gliding across the ground.
Zyx whistled. "Okay, that's sexy. Not murder sexy, but close."
Luis grinned. "Think I could take on a Silver-class now?"
"Oh, absolutely not," Zyx replied sweetly. "But hey—you'll die faster now."
Luis rolled his eyes. He was about to respond when—
Rustling.
He froze. Hammer ready.
A small, furry shape burst from the bushes—a monster hare, teeth like serrated iron. It screeched and lunged.
Luis sighed. "Really? This is my test run?"
The hare came in fast.
[WIND DANCER ACTIVATED]
Luis sidestepped, a blur of motion. The hammer cracked through the hare's ribs—CRUNCH—and launched it into a tree with a sickening thud.
He stood still, breathing steady. The forest returned to silence.
Luis looked down at his armor.
"This… might actually work."
Zyx floated beside him, arms crossed smugly. "Guess you're not completely hopeless."