Chapter Three: A Display of Skill

To be perfectly honest, the man’s tone was abrasive, and his sudden intrusion was quite disagreeable. Even if the final pricing did not match the product’s efficacy, rudely interrupting a bit of banter and boasting among friends was simply poor manners.

Ember was slightly displeased, contemplating whether he should respond with an equally impolite order for the stranger to leave.

However, sensing Ember’s scrutinizing gaze, the new player smiled calmly. "Pardon my lack of introduction. My name is Boundless Fallen Wood, a member of the Nine Divinations. I have long heard of your reputation, Ember. Seeing you today, it is clear that your fame is well-deserved."

"A member of the Nine Divinations?" Ember realized. "That explains it!"

Upon learning the man’s background, Ember was no longer surprised by his hostility. His conflict with the Nine Divinations had already spiraled out of control due to the game’s live streaming. Whether this fellow, Boundless Fallen Wood, had been plotting this for a long time or had simply stumbled upon this opportunity, he was clearly here to stir up trouble.

After a moment’s thought, Ember decided against using his shopkeeper authority to forcibly eject him. Instead, he rubbed the shaft of his Copying Brush and asked, "Are you close with Water-Dweller? How much do you know about her anomaly tools? I’m quite curious about the production cost of that dizziness concoction."

"Sister Water is a celebrity in the guild. We are acquainted, though perhaps she wouldn't say the same of me. Regardless, I’ve heard that the cost of a dizziness concoction exceeds three thousand credits, and it is very easy to fail the formulation process." Boundless Fallen Wood looked at Ember with a mocking glint in his eyes. "Since a concoction with the same effect only sells for five thousand credits at the official store, I don’t quite understand where your confidence in doubling the price comes from."

"Easy to fail the formulation process?" Ember ignored the sarcasm and seized on the key point.

"The effect of a concoction depends not only on the quality of the materials and the proficiency in using the tools, but also on the formulation technique and the timing. It’s not as if obtaining a recipe allows one to mass-produce items at will. It took Sister Water quite a while to master the tricks. It seems you just acquired your anomaly tool; before you actually start, I advise you to be a bit more grounded."

Boundless Fallen Wood continued to use his "taunt" skill, unaware that Ember had already fished out the vital information he was looking for.

*It seems all anomaly tools have extremely high requirements for manual dexterity. If the skill cards produced by the Copying Brush are primarily judged by the quality of the artwork, then setting a double price isn’t such a big problem...*

Ember’s heart stirred, and he began to move, wielding the brush with strokes dictated by the nature of [Continuous Leap].

A master shows his worth the moment he acts. Once Ember entered his work state, he immediately felt different to Not a Pro and Lu Renjia.

Though they hadn't known each other for many days, they understood that Ember was a simple man—fond of thinking, brave in combat, willing to go through fire and water for friends in critical moments, and occasionally a bit irreverent. In short, his personality wasn't particularly overbearing, but he was reliable when it mattered most; he was peaceful, friendly, and easy to get along with.

Yet, as Ember sat down and took up his brush, his entire being exuded an eye-catching aura of confidence. It was as if by picking up the brush, he had taken hold of the entire world. Every time the Copying Brush fell, the world seemed to shift along with it. Despite having no reference model, he painted with such speed it was as if he were acting without a second thought. With just a few strokes, a majestic mantis appeared on the paper; anyone who had seen the Mantis Leader could recognize it at a glance.

Although the watching players did not know exactly what painting technique Ember was using, they could immediately see that he had precisely captured the characteristics of the Mantis Leader and, with an incredibly confident stroke, displayed those features one by one, swiftly sketching the creature’s likeness.

Seeing this, Not a Pro and Lu Renjia suddenly realized that Ember really had a knack for painting. At the very least, by their aesthetic standards, they couldn't find a single flaw.

As for the Nine Divinations player, Boundless Fallen Wood, he lost his initial mocking attitude. He could tell that Ember had a genuine mastery of painting—at least far better than Water-Dweller was at mixing concoctions. However, he still didn't believe the final product was worth double the price. The official store’s existence set the pricing standard; few players had enough money to deliberately choose the more expensive option, especially if the effect wasn't necessarily better than the official store's equivalent.

If Ember was trying to use his fan base to inflate the price, it was truly laughable. He felt Ember was overestimating his own popularity.

But the longer he watched, the more Boundless Fallen Wood began to doubt himself. As Ember continued his work, the previously static and lifeless Mantis Leader suddenly gained a bit of vitality, as if it had come alive on the paper. It displayed a dynamic posture mid-leap, no longer static, its glowing eyes fixed forward. Though he couldn't see what was beyond the paper, he could imagine that there was definitely prey waiting at the end of its gaze.

*Hiss...*

Feeling the agility and the palpable killing intent of the Mantis Leader, Not a Pro and Lu Renjia could not help but exchange glances. The painting prowess Ember displayed wasn't just "having a knack"—he had talent in spades. Though they still didn't know exactly what Ember was planning, they were now convinced that his desire to double the price was backed by genuine substance, not just some idle boasting among friends.

Thinking of this, the two suddenly recalled that Ember had repeatedly claimed his profession was that of an artist. At the time, they had only taken it as a joke, but now it seemed...

It truly lived up to the old saying: one cannot judge a book by its cover!

Not a Pro and Lu Renjia were both somewhat amused as they watched Ember put down his final stroke just as the pigment ran out, completing his first creation in the game.

[Prompt: You have used the anomaly tool "Copying Brush" to successfully create the skill card "Continuous Leap." Due to the excellent quality of the artwork, the card's effect has been slightly enhanced!]

[Prompt: This use of the tool has received a "Perfect" rating, granting bonus proficiency in the anomaly tool "Copying Brush."]

*Shing!*

The moment the prompt appeared, the special paper accompanying the brush began to shrink and harden, eventually forming a skill card the size of a playing card. Ember glanced at the skill attributes, quite satisfied, and immediately shared them with the stirred-up onlookers.

...

[Continuous Leap] (Skill Card)
Type: Consumable
Function: Significantly enhances jumping effects. Effective uses (10/10)
Description: A skill card modeled after a mantis-type juvenile Shadow-Eating Insect. Upon use, it grants the "Continuous Leap" ability, greatly enhancing mobility.
Creator: Foundation Official Employee "Ember"

[Prompt: Affix this card to your legs to complete the skill attachment. Once attached, performing a crouching action will allow you to instantly leap toward a target location within a maximum distance of eight meters.]

[Prompt: This item has an effective duration of three days. Please use it as soon as possible!]

...

"An eight-meter leap, ten uses, valid for three days... this is much better than what the official store sells!"

The player who had been chatting with Not a Pro earlier said in surprise, "The official store is right over there; you can go check for yourselves if you don't believe me. The 'Reinforced Jump Booster' with a similar effect can only be used eight times, its maximum distance is only seven meters, and its effective duration is even a day shorter than this card. Even then, they sell it for three thousand five hundred! Personally, I don't think pricing this card at four thousand makes him a profiteer."

The player emphasized the word "profiteer," and everyone could hear who he was digging at.

Boundless Fallen Wood snorted, though he didn't continue to insist. Once the painting transformed into a card, the game automatically simulated a dynamic effect, making the imagery even more exquisite. Even he couldn't help but take a few extra looks, unwilling to make a dishonest judgment.

"Admirable, truly admirable. You must have a great deal of experience with painting in real life, right?"

"Ahem, he is an artist," Not a Pro suddenly interjected.

"So that's how it is!"

Having witnessed the creation process firsthand, Boundless Fallen Wood immediately held Ember in higher regard. Knowing his presence was unwelcome, he took his leave, intending to report his unexpected discovery to the guild’s leadership.

"Ember, are you really an artist?"

Although he had already guessed the answer, Lu Renjia still wanted to hear the truth from him.

"No."

"Huh?"

"My teacher said I need to hone my skills for a few more years before I can call myself one. So, strictly speaking, I was just bragging before."

"..."

"Of course, if you insist on thinking that way, I don't mind."

"..."

"In the future, if anyone asks, you’d better help me introduce myself. If I call myself an artist, the credibility is too low—others will think I’m just bragging, and it lacks class."

"..."

"Alright, the shop tour is done, and the anomaly tool has been tested. If business is good in the future, I feel like I could set up an art studio. I can earn some extra cash while grinding out proficiency!"

The final effect of the Copying Brush surprised even Ember. He was particularly pleased with the setting that automatically simulated an animated effect once the artwork became a card. However, even a "Perfect" production rating only increased his proficiency by ten percent, meaning he would still need to produce a large volume of cards to level up his skill. Thus, the existence of the player shop provided him with a great channel to move his goods.

Considering that the vast majority of players were not yet at the stage where they needed skill cards, Ember didn't linger. He closed the shop and headed toward the professional district. He had arranged with his friends to use the "Shadow-Eating Insect Head" to start the Nightmare difficulty of an unknown dungeon, so he needed to finish his anomaly accessories and prepare for battle as soon as possible.