The chime of danger

Ranz asked about the price because there's no price tag on it, unlike the other displayed items.

He noticed the vendor smiled faintly before replying to his question. "Just as little as 20,000 crownies, sir Traveler."

Ranz almost had his jaw drop on the ground when he heard it.

'Little my ass!' He exclaimed in mind before looking with deadpan eyes at the vendor. Then he said, "Isn't that way too overpriced for a common-tier item? Look, that knife and bow are of the same tier, but they only range to 7,000 - 10,000 crownies," Ranz said as he pointed to the other weapons on display. Some of them were probably second-hand items.

However, although their prices were still above the normal-tier items, none of them reached 20,000 crownies. No, just forget about 20,000 because none of them even reach 11,000.

"Fufufu. Yes. Normally that is the price."

"What do you mean... Normally?" Ranz frowned.

"Check the upper-right corner of that card, sir Traveler."

When he followed what he said, at the upper-right corner of the item, Ranz saw something.

"An earth element?" Ranz asked almost instinctively upon seeing the logo of a lump of brown soil in there.

"Yes. It is an earth elemental sword. That's the reason for the price."

"Ah, I see… So that's why…" Ranz said in realization. His voice was almost as if it was descending while he said those words.

Elemental Weapons were very OP, so it was natural that they cost high.

He pretty much needed this item! All the materials needed to craft it were already in his possession. So, if he had this card, he could craft this Peculiar Bone Sword. But, for now, he could only sigh deeply while slowly placing the item back in its original place.

He looked at the other items, but none of them were affordable for his current budget. The normal-tier Healing Elixirs even cost 5,000 each.

Hah~

He sighed again.

"Sorry for being a bother, but may I ask how to get these Soul Cards?"

"You're a bother indeed," the vendor said without hiding his displeasure.

A bead of sweat trailed down at the back of Ranz's head as he forced a smile. Anyway, if the vendor wouldn't tell him, he could just search it on the internet later. He believed there were Infos there regarding it.

Unexpectedly, the vendor told him, "They are drops from Mini-Boss and Boss-tier monsters."

Ranz then mumbled, "Aren't boss-tier rarely—", but he was interrupted by the loud familiar sounds.

Bong! Bong! Bong!

Ranz's words came to a sudden halt because of a sudden chime coming from a bell. The sound echoed in the whole village. With this as the signal, everyone in the village, players or NPC, especially those who weren't aware of the approaching danger, were all wondering what that sound was about.

Somewhere in the village, "T-that sound—" A middle-aged man, wearing normal clothing, stuttered upon hearing it.

"Isn't that a warning... just now?" Another man asked.

"Wait, look!" One NPC man shouted, pointing to the sky.

When they looked at the sky, everyone widened their eyes, and their faces started to change color and the expression on their faces immediately turned anxious.

The beautiful blue, yellow, and orange sky a while ago had disappeared almost instantly. The sky above the village was now covered in dark swirling clouds and there were occasional streaks of lightning trailed from those clouds.

Below it, inside the village.

"Nooo! A disaster is coming!" One villager shouted in panic as she clinched her head between her hands.

Some players who were gathering at the center of the village also started to feel frightened. "I heard there's a group of monsters that is approaching to attack this village!"

"What? Is that a joke?!"

"Do you think I'm joking?!" He responded with a seriously angry face.

"I-if that is true… isn't it better to leave this place as soon as possible?"

"No way, where will we go?!"

"Somewhere far from here!"

"Idiot! Do you think you'll survive outside with your current power?"

"….."

"Nevermind! It's better than waiting here and dying!"

"Those who have no guts to cross to another village or city will kiss their accounts to say goodbye!"

"Let's leave this place! Who wants to come with me!?" A player shouted.

"Me!"

"Me too!"

"Please take me too!"

One after another, they shouted in agreement. But some remained undecided.

At that moment, a player clad in iron armor stepped to the front. At his back, everyone saw a shield and a sword hanging.

"Everyone! Please listen to me!" His voice, albeit not as loud as the chime of the bell, it was enough to get the attention of everyone there.

All the gathering players in the area immediately turned towards him.

Noticing their eyes on him, he unhurriedly opened his mouth.

"My name is Vince, my current level is 25!"

Upon hearing his introduction, everyone started murmuring.

"Wow, a level 25 player."

"Let's ask him what is happening."

"Right."

"Hey, Vince, what's happening!?"

"Is it true that a group of monsters is approaching this village?!"

"Please tell us!"

"Please!"

One after another, the players started to question him.

Vince raised his hand in the air to quiet the noisy crowd.

"Alright, listen up. That's the reason why I am here right now… Erm!" Vince paused for a moment to clear his throat.

Then he continued saying, "As you may already know, there's indeed a group of monsters approaching this place. Their total number is estimated to be one hundred or higher. So—!"

*Boom!!!*

As he was announcing, the sky had started to thunder, halting him briefly. Rumbling noises reach their ears, sending a chill on their spines.

However, the players that gathered around were not thunderstruck by the thunder itself, they were thunderstruck by Vince's news.

"I-I knew it!" A player exclaimed in an anxious voice.

"Now, everyone! You heard him! There's indeed a group of monsters approaching this place! Come with me! Let's leave this place right away!"

"R-right… let's leave here!"

"I agree!"

"B-but…"

"Hey! What are you hesitating about?! Didn't you hear Mister Vince's announcement? A hundred or more monsters are approaching this place!"

"B-but we will die if we leave this place!"

"Fool! Are you out of your mind? You're still going to die even if you stay here!"

Vince sighed at the anxious crowd in front of him.

"Everyone! Forget that plan of leaving this place!"

"Wha—! What do you mean?!"

With an exasperated face, Vince looked at them. Then, he opened his mouth and help them realize the danger outside the village.

"There's also no way for you to survive outside! We can only replenish our stamina and health points inside a village.

There are lots of hostile monsters outside. They will attack anyone who is in their sight. So, you, who are going to roam outside will only get tired of battling them. Our HP will not recover outside without the help of healing elixirs. Sooner or later, you guys will only get exhausted and die."

"What?!" Everyone looked stunned on their feet when they heard it.

They realized that it was indeed the most possible outcome for those who would leave the village.

"What should we do now?"

A player gripped his head between his arms.

"Don't worry about that, we have level 25 players here. Right, Mister Vince? You're going to help us leave this place?" The same person who was urging everyone to leave told this.

From that question, everyone looked at Vince. Their eyes showed a light of hope.

Vince sighed.

"Forget it. I could only arrive here scathe-free because of my flying pet. But that pet was already exhausted. It needs a day of rest to use again. In short, I am as doomed as you."

It seemed like a glass shattered when everyone's hope broke to pieces from Vince's revelation.

"What? No way…"

As the light of hope disappeared in everyone's eyes, Vince on the other hand, looked at them with resolve in his eyes.

Although he knew of another way to escape this situation unscathed, he was certain it wasn't the most desirable choice either. That's why Vince didn't mention it.

Instead, he looked at them and announced, "Everyone, don't give up just yet! Let's fight it through! If we luckily survive this predicament, we can even receive bountiful rewards. This might also be a good chance for you to boost your level!" He shouted.

"Wasn't this what we came here for? To find battle excitement that you can only find here? So what's the point of running away? This is it! This is what we are looking for! Let's fight together and die together like real brothers-in-arms!"

Although the light of hope disappeared in everyone's eyes, his speech welled with determination to survive was affecting everyone and embedding new determination in their eyes.

"I don't want to die here without a fight, so I will fight along with Mister Vince!" One player announced his agreement and it seemed the trigger to most of the players around to start to agreeing as well.

"Yeah! Let's fight!"

However, not all agreed with Vince's plan.

"Tsk! These idiots! You can die here then. I don't care with you all!"

The guy who was urging everyone to leave a while ago still followed his plan. Taking four other players with him, they ambled towards the east, to where the other entrance of the village was.

Vince just let them because it seemed like he could no longer change their minds.

After the five players left at the village center, a few village guards arrived.

"Noble Traveler, sir, the monsters have already arrived at the exact range!" They reported.

Vince's eyes lit up.

"Alright, everyone! Follow me!"

"OOH!!!" They shouted as they pumped their fists in the air.