NOVPUB
Chapter 43: Crossing The Witch (I)
That would be something for tomorrow.
Zayn sighed and retracted the golden tentacles.
They slithered back into his body smoothly, disappearing beneath his skin as if they had never been there to begin with.
He still felt the residual energy of them in his back, but at least his mana had stopped draining.
His entire body suddenly felt heavy.
He looked out the window.
The sky outside had long since gone dark, with the faint glow of the moon casting a pale light over the horizon.
With a final, tired sigh, Zayn let his body fall onto the bed, his muscles sinking into the soft mattress.
The exhaustion hit him all at once.
The soreness in his limbs.
The dull ache in his core from overloading his soul circuits. The mental fatigue of nearly dying.
It all came crashing down.
His eyes drifted shut.
...
Morning light streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow over the wooden dining table.
The scent of fresh bread and stew filled the air, yet Zayn barely paid attention to the food in front of him.
He idly pushed his spoon through his bowl.
Tobias sat across from him, arms crossed, a serious expression on his face. "You’re not going on any missions today."
Zayn raised an eyebrow. "I’m fine."
Tobias gave him a look that made it clear he wasn’t buying it. "You nearly died, Zayn. I don’t care how fine you think you are. You should take a day off the field."
Zayn sighed, leaning back in his chair. He hated this.
He hated sitting on the sidelines while everyone else went on with their lives.
But Tobias had a point.
Even now, Zayn felt the lingering effects of absorbing the soul energy from those monster cores. It wasn’t just physical exhaustion — his very essence felt drained.
"Fine," he muttered. "So what, I just sit here all day?"
"You can go out," Tobias said, tossing a small leather pouch onto the table. "Buy what you need. Get some rest. We’ll be back by sundown."
Zayn picked up the pouch and felt the weight of silver coins inside. He raised an eyebrow. "You sure you’re not bribing me?"
"If I was bribing you, I’d have handed you gold," Tobias said flatly.
Zayn smirked, but he didn’t argue.
Kara stood up, brushing off the sleeves of her robe. "We’ll talk later, Zayn. There are things we need to discuss."
Something about the way she said it made him pause.
"Alright," he said, watching as she grabbed her staff and headed for the door.
Bran, ever the easygoing one, clapped him on the back before handing him a bundle of clothing. "Here. They’re a bit big on you, but better than running around in torn-up robes."
Zayn unfolded the bundle. A simple linen shirt and dark trousers — nothing fancy, but definitely better than the tattered outfit he had been left with.
"Thanks," he said, stuffing them under his arm. 𝔫𝖔𝖛𝖕𝔲𝔟.𝔠𝖔𝖒
Elisse, however, was a different story.
She stood by the doorway, fidgeting with the hem of her habit, her face slightly red as she stole glances at him.
Every time their eyes met, she immediately looked away.
Zayn held back a chuckle. She was still flustered from last night.
Before he could say anything, she turned on her heel and practically bolted out the door.
He shook his head, sighing. "Guess that’s my cue."
After freshening up and changing into Bran’s slightly oversized clothes, Zayn made his way into town.
The streets were alive with activity — merchants shouting about their wares, adventurers bargaining for weapons, the scent of roasted meat and fresh bread hanging in the air.
The marketplace was always bustling, a mix of hardened warriors, excited travelers, and opportunistic traders.
As much as Zayn had complained about being left behind, he had to admit — this wasn’t a bad way to spend the day.
He needed new armor, new weapons, and supplies for the next mission as well as a new set of goddamn clothes.
His feet carried him to an armory nestled between a potion shop and a blacksmith’s forge.
The sign above the door read [Iron Armory – For Those Who Seek Strength.]
’Catchy though,’ He mused to himself.
He pushed open the door, a small bell jingling as he stepped inside.
Rows of armor and weapons lined the walls, the scent of polished metal and oiled leather filling the air.
Behind the counter, a burly man with a thick beard was sharpening a dagger, his eyes flicking up as Zayn entered.
"New face," the blacksmith grunted. "What’re you looking for?"
Zayn crossed his arms, scanning the rows of armor. "Something light. I need good mobility."
"You a rogue?"
"Something like that."
The blacksmith nodded and motioned for him to follow.
They stopped in front of a rack filled with light armor sets — reinforced leather, chainmail, and other flexible materials designed for speed and maneuverability.
"If you want protection, this reinforced leather set is a good choice," the blacksmith said, tapping the dark brown armor. "Layered with enchanted hide, resistant to most slashes and piercing attacks."
Zayn ran his fingers over the material. Sturdy, but not too heavy.
"What about speed?"
"If you’re looking for agility, this shadowweave set might be your style," the blacksmith said, gesturing to a sleek, black armor. "Not as much defense, but enchanted to reduce noise and increase movement speed."
Zayn hummed. Speed mattered.
He wasn’t a tank. He couldn’t just stand there and take hits. His new tentacles gave him an advantage, but they weren’t shields.
He needed to dodge, to move quickly, to stay ahead of the enemy.
And something light to not be too uncomfortable.
"I’ll take this one," he said, pointing to the shadowweave armor.
The blacksmith nodded and grabbed the set. "Good choice. Eight silver."
Zayn counted out the coins and handed them over.
As the blacksmith wrapped up the armor, Zayn’s eyes wandered to the weapons rack.
"Any good daggers?"
The blacksmith smirked. "Thinking of dual-wielding?"
Zayn shrugged. "Thinking ahead."
How could he forget? His former goblin sword had shattered completely after the slash.
’That’s what I get for overloading it with soul energy,’
The man walked over to a smaller section and picked up a curved dagger with a dark blade. "This one’s serrated, lightweight, and enchanted to stay sharp."
Zayn weighed it in his hand. Light, but deadly.
"I’ll take it."
’Hehe, then I’ll force Tobias to Refine it,’ He thought.
By the time he left the armory, the sun had risen higher in the sky.
His new armor and weapon were secured, and despite his earlier frustration about being left behind, he had to admit... this wasn’t a bad way to spend a day.
Now if he only had a big boobed girl spending it with him, it wouldn’t be so bad.
"Hey, we meet again," A familiar voice said and he turned his head to meet the eyes of the person.
