Lesser spirits sell the most basic items.
Here, “items” include even those without a physical form.
Water, food, and clothing were the first necessities that came to mind, but those weren’t the immediate priority.
Pinenes narrowed down the list to only what was necessary.
[Item: Bonus Stat +1]
- Can be purchased up to 10 times from a lesser spirit.
- Price increases by 100C with each purchase.
(Current price: 500C)
First, stats.
500 credits was by no means a small amount.
In fact, for early resources, it was quite substantial.
From memory, before reaching the first island, the base rewards obtainable from rifts amounted to around 10 credits.
Assuming achievement rewards were excluded, the maximum daily amount one could gather by searching rifts all day was about 50C.
At that rate, saving up 500 credits would take a full 10 days of rift grinding. But in reality, 10 days was not a short time.
There was no need to rush the decision to purchase stats. That could be done later, after reviewing other options.
[Item: Awakening (Stage 1)]
- Enhances one’s trait to a higher level.
(Price: 10,000C)
Next on the list was Awakening.
Simply put, it was an upgrade for a trait, and in many cases, it also increased its rank.
Of course, since the Iron Sovereign trait was already at S-rank, the chances of it rising further were slim.
The exact nature of the upgrade couldn’t be known until after Awakening.
It could result in a new colour beyond gold and crimson, allow the trait to be used at will, or even grant a completely new ability.
The biggest issue, however, was the price.
The moment Pinenes saw the figure of 10,000 credits, he moved on without hesitation.
Next, equipment.
The items recommended to So-hye were also equipment.
Magically imbued artifacts were out of the question, as each cost well over 1,000 credits.
For now, the only affordable options were standard equipment like [Steel Sword], [Adventurer’s Armor], [Apprentice’s Bow], and [Battle Hammer].
If chosen wisely, even the base 100 credits could be enough to obtain a full set.
Armor was crucial in the early stages.
If this were just a game played for fun, it wouldn’t matter. But in a place where death was final, a shield and armor were as valuable as extra lives.
The world’s rules ensured that items purchased with one’s own credits were exclusive to the buyer. That meant there was no risk of having equipment stolen by others.
This, too, can wait for now.
But even equipment wasn’t the highest priority.
From the moment Pinenes had obtained 1,000 credits, he had already decided what to buy first.
For now, acquiring a skill is the most important.
In the world of Sky Island, there were two ways to obtain skills.
The first was through self-discovery.
The old mage sleeping in the cabin was a prime example of this, but awakening something on one’s own was never easy.
Because of that, most people preferred the second method—using skill books.
Pinenes was no different.
He examined the skill books available for purchase.
[Enhanced Immunity], [Composure], [Windmill], [Heat Release], [Flickering Shield]…
Even though only basic magic skill books were available from lesser spirits, most of them were expensive.
Skills priced lower than 1,000 credits were useless, while those that seemed remotely useful were priced at 2,000–3,000 credits or more.
Skills only became truly useful in combat after reaching the first island.
For a player who had just finished the tutorial, obtaining one was nearly impossible.
So, was it better to avoid skills altogether in the early stages?
Not necessarily.
[Entry Ticket to the Eternal Library]
- Grants access to the library to read a single book.
- The entrance fee doubles with each purchase.
(Current price: 500C)
This is it.
A bitter smile formed on Pinenes’ lips.
In truth, this entry ticket was a trap.
The Eternal Library was exactly what its name suggested—a vast collection of books.
However, the chances of obtaining a proper skill book there were extremely low.
From experience, the odds were less than 5%.
Even when broadening the criteria to include “somewhat usable” skills, the probability remained dismal.
In terms of credit efficiency, the entry ticket was practically a waste.
Yet, Pinenes had only one reason for purchasing it.
Because he was confident he could overcome the 5% odds—or perhaps, even better—and pick the right book.
“Practice on your own for a bit.”
“Huh…?”
“I have somewhere to go.”
“Where?”
Pinenes didn’t answer So-hye’s question.
Crackle!
Instead, the space before him shattered.
A blue, web-like rift spread across the air.
It looked similar to the dimensional rift that had appeared at the start of the tutorial.
Before the startled So-hye could say anything, the rift swallowed Pinenes whole in an instant.
[You have entered the Eternal Library!]
[Select a single skill book within the time limit!]
[May fortune be with you.]
A forest of books.
Or perhaps, a labyrinth of books.
Pinenes looked up at the vast expanse of the library, so immense that it made his vision blur.
Nothing is glowing.
He had entertained the faint hope that golden light might guide him.
After all, the Iron Sovereign’s abilities had served as a compass for his decisions until now.
However, even after carefully scanning his surroundings, there was no golden glow to be found.
It seemed the ability didn’t activate at just any moment.
That was fine.
If this was purely a gamble relying on his eyes, he wouldn’t have dared to waste 500 credits on it.
Found it.
Pinenes abruptly stopped walking through the endless library.
A lone book lay atop an fancy desk.
He picked it up.
His decision wasn’t based on his sight but on his memory.
For some reason, he remembered the first playthrough with striking clarity, down to the smallest details.
No—if anything, it felt like memories he had completely forgotten were resurfacing over time.
He was absolutely certain his recollection was correct.
This is the one.
In terms of value, this skill book was worth at least 5,000 credits.
In special circumstances, it could even exceed 10,000 credits.
For a skill obtainable this early, its performance was overwhelming.
Used well, it would drastically increase his chances of survival.
[Time remaining: 63 seconds]
Pinenes prepared to open the book.
Once he acquired the skill, he would be forced to leave the library.
He had no memory of any other skill books worth noting, so there would be no reason to return.
And then—
“…?”
His nose twitched.
A strange scent lingered in the air.
It was too strong to be from old paper alone.
Book in hand, Pinenes followed the scent as if entranced.
Thud—
He slid aside a massive bookshelf drawer.
This…
His eyes widened.
A new colour appeared Infront of his eyes.
From an ordinary book nestled in the bookshelf, faint flames flickered.
But they weren’t the golden hue he had expected.
It was crimson—deep and vivid, like fresh blood.
…!
Surprised, his body moved instinctively.
Before he knew it, the crimson-glowing book was in his hands.
What kind of skill is this?
Temptation welled up inside him.
Moments ago, he had defined the colours as such:
Gold was opportunity. Red was danger.
But was that really true?
Wasn’t it all just speculation?
After all, Goblin Chief had also represented an opportunity.
Defeating it had unlocked an alternative way to clear the tutorial.
If crimson flames signified a different kind of opportunity…
[Time remaining: 10 seconds]
Tick- tick-.
The ticking of the second hand echoed through the library.
There was no time left to hesitate.
If he didn’t want to throw away 500 credits, he had to choose—one or the other.
In his left hand, an ordinary book. In his right, a book burning crimson.
Pinenes found himself unconsciously drawn to the right.
As if hypnotized, he was just about to open the red book—
What am I…
His surging curiosity cooled in an instant.
Curiosity, too, was a kind of emotion.
And he had a condition that prevented him from exceeding a certain threshold of emotions.
The moment his curiosity surpassed the limit, his mind immediately regained composure.
[Skill: ‘Enchant’ has been acquired!]
[Exiting the Eternal Library!]
Fwoosh!
As he opened the book in his left hand, his vision shifted in an instant.
Before him, a woman sat down in distress, completely at a loss.
“Ah, ah…!”
“Hm?”
“Where did you go? Without saying anything….”
Tears filled Han So-hye’s eyes.
It was only natural for her to be shaken after being left alone when the rift suddenly appeared.
Sighing briefly, Pinenes returned to the ship.
Had he made the right choice?
He needed to examine the effects of the Lord’s Eyes more closely.
Pinenes and Han So-hye trained until dawn.
Using his muscles frequently and taking hits often would naturally raise his strength and endurance stats—
No, that wasn’t it at all.
If this were a world where effort alone made one stronger, he wouldn’t have needed to die over a thousand times.
There were only two ways to increase stats:
Purchasing them from spirits with credits, or having them rise automatically during awakening.
Training was merely to sharpen their combat instincts.
When gripped by fear, the only thing a person could rely on was the primal instinct buried deep in their subconscious.
“…It suits you well.”
“Does it?”
“Yes. I was surprised.”
With the credits left after purchasing a skill book, they bought equipment—
The best quality available.
Among items without magical enhancements, these were the sturdiest.
Not only were they highly functional, but their design was exceptional.
Fully equipped, Pinenes looked like a king about to go to war.
So-hye couldn’t help but admire how well the dragon emblem on his armor suited him.
Then, morning arrived.
One by one, the sleeping people began to wake up.
As they blinked, they seemed to process their current situation.
This was no dream—this was reality.
The world they now had to live in.
Humans were creatures of adaptation.
Fear and confusion would gradually erode away with familiarity.
They gathered in the lounge for introductions, learning more about each other.
The thug’s name was Kim Taesung.
Age: 33. Class: Swordsman.
When he mentioned that he used to run a club, it made Pinenes wonder if he was an actual gangster rather than just a punk.
The male student’s name was Lee Seyoung.
Class: Shield Knight.
He introduced himself as a high school sophomore—meaning he was likely not normal either.
Especially considering he declared he would invest all his stats into endurance just because he hated pain.
That kind of mindset would make survival nearly impossible.
Han So-hye. 21 years old. Archer.
She had been an ordinary university student, with nothing particularly notable to add.
“I go by Raphel. A mage.”
The most suspicious one was the old man.
He neither revealed his age nor background, only identifying himself as a mage.
When the others mentioned that they came from a world where nobles and commoners were indistinguishable, he had shown considerable surprise.
Still, since he wasn’t forcing his own values onto others, he didn’t seem like a stubborn old man.
Or perhaps, he was simply being cautious until he fully grasped the structure of this new world.
“Pinenes.”
And with that, Pinenes concluded his introduction with just a single word.
Despite their curiosity, no one dared to ask more questions.
There was an aura around him that made it difficult to approach.
Since leading the tutorial battle, he had naturally become the group’s unspoken leader.
…
Pinenes had always struggled with communication.
He understood that he lacked the ability to empathize with others.
Like the previous night with Han So-hye—
Unless the other person took the lead in conversation, silence would inevitably settle.
Just like now.
But he was used to this awkwardness.
It didn’t bother him.
More importantly, he decided to test what he had realized about the ‘eyes’ the night before.
Observing his companions carefully, he posed a question to himself.
Are any of these people truly necessary to me?
Fwoosh!
The eyes immediately responded.
As expected, the only one bathed in golden radiance was Han So-hye.
The ship was bustling from the early morning.
The will to survive was strong in humans.
Even in unfamiliar environments, they instinctively knew what needed to be done to stay alive.
Everyone, like So-hye, had purchased their own weapons and armor, and the navigation route was reviewed once again.
Their destination was the ‘First Island.’
According to the sky map, its official name was the ‘Undercity.’
A city was generally a place where many people lived together.
Compared to the empty sky they were currently drifting through, it was bound to be better.
Hoping for time to pass quickly, they anxiously awaited the two-week journey to be over.
[Low fuel warning: Floating Stone reserves are critically low!]
[Warning! The Floating Stone is the ship’s fuel! If it runs out, the ship will plummet into the abyss!]
But the route to the island was not a smooth one.
[Harvest Floating Stones from dimensional rifts to replenish the ship’s fuel!]
[Scanning the map for nearby rifts!]
The navigation system automatically adjusted the ship’s course.
As soon as their brief preparations were complete, the ship carrying the party steadily approached the distorted web of light.
“…Damn it, we have to go into one of these hellholes again….”
Kim Taesung muttered bitterly.
The tutorial battle had left deep scars in everyone’s minds.
“We’ll see each other again! I mean it!”
With Lee Seyoung’s dramatic shout, the ship was sucked into the rift.
As the Ship’s structure warped, the group was once again plunged into an unknown dimension.
