After asking a few more questions, I paid the fees and left the store.
Walking around the city, I did the same thing with a few more jewelry stores. And all of them said the same thing.
I found a café to sit down and think about this matter.
Sitting down and drinking the coffee, I was thinking about the information I just discovered and its implications.
'This gold is real, there is no doubt about it. The Box can actually make real gold.'
Usually, that would have made me ecstatic or on cloud nine, but right now, I can only think that it is convenient.
Yes convenient, after all, I don't plan to stay in this world forever, nor do I want to.
My perspective about this is the same as anyone's perspective when looking at their game account, when you have used the cheat code for resources.
It is game resources, it doesn't mean anything other than that.
'Playing the game like this is easy, and some would even think it is boring, but when you are kidnapped or locked up, and the only way out for you is to finish the game, you will be happy to have any help.'
'As for whether I can have this cheat code after finishing the game, that's a whole different matter. But I have learned over the years not to get my hopes high, as this has never ended well.'
So for me, when I see that I have such a cheat code to help me get back home—not to mention it is the only hope I have to get back—I can only think that it is convenient.
'With this, I don't need to worry much about the expenses of the journey.'
Going around and traveling all over the seas will require a lot of money, not to mention the expenses I will need for food, clothes, and lodging, which are essential.
And that reminded me…
'I am feeling hungry.'
Running around the city to make the custom requests made me feel hungry, so I should find a place to eat something.
But all of the requests I made took almost all the money I have, especially when I asked for it to be made faster, which cost me more.
Like this, almost all the money that I got from the pirates was spent.
'Maybe I should sell some gold from the Box to a bank?'
I could sell gold I have to the banks too, as the local banks also work as exchange centers for visitors, but they only pay the premium price, or that's what I got to know from one of the stores.
When you have something that you think is more valuable, you go either to its specific stores or to the auction house to sell it.
'My current need is some cash, so I will go to a bank for the exchange.'
Using some of the gold cast from the Box should be enough, they are just gold, so the premium price should be fair.
And that's exactly what I just did.
The whole process didn't take even 10 minutes, and four gold casts were exchanged for 1 million Berri. The appraiser checked simply and approved of the exchange, they even asked if I wanted to open an account, which I refused.
Just like that, my emptied reserve of money was full again and even increased.
Walking on the street, I began to think.
'The Box is sure convenient, but I can just be so dependent on it like that.'
And easy and effortless money is always welcomed, but my case is a bit tricky.
If it had a limit of a max number of uses and I was just wasting them like that, it would be very bad too.
'Even if it is only a hypothesis and me being just paranoid, even if I knew it was most likely not true, I still don't want to gamble on my only way home like that.'
So I have to get another source of income. The question is what?
'A normal profession is a no, as it would need a lot of time to learn, and also it would need its own set of logistics.'
A cook would need a kitchen, a carpenter would need a workshop, and so on. Moreover, I don't think they would make me that much money.
Merchant is a good choice though, but with pirates roaming the seas, it would be just as troublesome.
That only leaves me with unusual choices to choose from, but what would it be?
Bounty Hunter is the first thing that comes to my mind, as the amount of money the pirates have was tempting.
'No, it is too dangerous.'
Quickly, I refuse the idea, only an idiot who has nothing to lose would think of such a thing. Being a Bounty Hunter is the same as someone asking for an early death.
However, I need something that will give me a lot of money to help me travel around.
'Pirate is also no, it is basically the same as being a Bounty Hunter. So something more tame like a Treasure Hunter?'
For a moment, I want to refuse and say no way, but when I consider my current goal, it is the best choice.
However…
'Hello, my name is Hikigaya Hachiman, and I work as a Treasure Hunter.'
Blood rushed to my face when I imagined the cringeworthy thing.
Nevertheless, this is a world where pirates roam around the world all the time, so I don't need to be embarrassed.
'Yes, there is no need to be embarrassed about this, there are more embarrassing people who want to be Pirate Kings and Hokage and the likes.'
A-Anyway, even if I want to be a Treasure Hunter, I need a way to find treasures.
'I could learn the craft like anybody else, but I also…'
Looking at my covered Barbossa Sword, I had an idea in my mind.
'I also could cheat my way and take a magical shortcut.'
Yet that would need to be confirmed first, for now, I should quell my hunger first.
With money in my hand, I passed by a restaurant and got a good meal.
The poor waiter was flabbergasted at the amount I ate, and I couldn't blame him, as I would be the same if I saw a person eat half of his weight worth of food.
Looks like my time on the island affected me more than I thought, which made me remember something.
'My unnatural strength…'
During my fight with the pirates, my strength was unnatural, like it felt like the pirates were a bit weaker, or more like very weak, but that was not the case.
'I was unnaturally strong, not only that, I was also faster and could fight for a way longer time.'
At that time, I blamed it on the Hamon, but maybe it is not the case.
"Sigh…"
'Great, more questions.'
For now, I should just focus on my next step. Which is the gun shop in front of me.
Yes, it is a gun shop, Wilder's Weaponry is the name, and it is quite on the edge of the city.
The shop was neat looking and small from the outside, and when I entered, I could see it had quite the space all the way to the back. With rows of projectile instruments of all kinds like rifles, pistols, heck, even some hand cannons like ones are put high in the honor? shelf.
'Do they have ammunition for these things? Crap, this store alone could sponsor a small army!'
"Welcome, customer!" At the sound of the front doorbell, a man in his mid-twenties in the middle of the shop, who was maintaining a rifle, greeted me. He hastily wiped his hands and came over to my side, wearing a professional smile.
"How can I help you, sir? Looking for anything for personal safety, or do you prefer something tactical?" the guy said with a smile.
"Ah…What is the difference?" The question surprised me. I was about to answer with personal safety, but I took it back. After all, I didn't come to buy a gun, I came here mainly to learn about them.
"…"
"…"
Both of us looked at each other in silence, a questioning look was hanging on our faces. Looks like he didn't expect this question.
'Mmm, this is a bit embarrassing.' The awkward silence was a bit suffocating.
"Haha, sorry, sorry! I wasn't expecting the question because you looked like a bounty hunter. Now, looking closely, you are a bit young. Are you perhaps new to the profession?" Noticing I was embarrassed by his silence, he tried to smooth things over.
"Yeah…something like that…but I know how to shoot with a gun, so I thought of buying something." Making use of the opportunity, I tried to make this conversation go.
"I see, I see! I don't mind answering your question, but let me get the examples."
Nodding with an easy smile, he swiftly moved around the armory and came back hugging a pile of pistols and rifles. He then arranged them in order with a trained movement, like he had done this many times.
"Here we go, this one here is for personal safety. It is small, light, and safe to carry around, handy in sudden situations." He put a small pistol in front of me, it was the size of a palm and had a simple, artistic design.
"And this one here is a compact rifle, it has a long, accurate range, way more power, and a high fire rate! This can be used for attacking and assaulting operations." A rifle that looked way older than World War I but was somehow brand new was presented. It looked like a flintlock rifle, but was a bit more bulky and simple decoration all over it.
"This one here is also a compact rifle, but this one has a shorter range than the one before it…" One by one, he began explaining the speciation and purpose of every gun in a row.
It turned out that every gun was made for a specific goal to be used for and situations where it would perform better. Like securing a place, assassinating from a very far place like a sniper, or even bombarding a whole building like a bazooka.
"Well, that is actually just a normal standard, but no one is using them as anything but a reference, because the gun-making technology is upgrading now at a very fast pace, so the gunsmiths nowadays just make something according to the customer's requests."
"But for people in your craft, they mostly prefer these two types unless they are using something custom-made." The clearly gun-enthusiastic clerk said with a smile, taking out a pistol and a rifle.
They are what he called the all-rounders before. And from what he said, they have the best capacity, range, power, and fire rate. Being balanced and trustworthy in many situations.
As I will not be using rifles, my choice is clear.
"Okay, then I will be taking the pistol and some ammo. But I want you to teach me how it works and how to maintain it."
"No problem!" The bright smile on his face made me sure that this was his hobby, not just his job.
Nevertheless, I will not complain as he was doing me a favor here, I wanted to know more about the strange firearms in this world, to the point I was ready to pay extra money for the lesson he was giving me for free.
Next, he taught me how to take it apart while explaining what every part was for, how to clean it, and how to reload the pistol.
"So the gunpowder and the bullets are stored separately, but won't it be dangerous for the gunpowder to be stored like this?" I asked for this was the biggest difference point I saw that is different from modern firearms.
'And it was dangerous too, no one wants to have the gun explode in their hand when something goes wrong.'
"That's a fair point, but don't worry. There is a safety paint on the interior of the container to stop the combustion, moreover, the magazine is always sealed, so nothing will happen to it unless the gun is really old." He replied, showing me the safety paint in the interior of the magazine.
'I see, there is such a thing. However,…'
"…I also need to buy this paint with the cleaning kit, don't I?"
"Haha, Yes! But you won't need to apply it often if you are not using the gun regularly, only twice a year. I you are using it regularly, then it will be once every few months." With a got you smirk, he responded to my question, pushing the cleaning kit next to the ammo.
'Knew it! But I am not lacking money anyway.'
"Fine, I will also need a holster for the gun," I said, my voice filled with resignation.
"No problem, that will be a total of 60,000 Berri!"
Paying the money, hanging the new gun in its new holster, I left the store.
However, walking a little, the sword and the pistol on my belt were swaying more than my liking.
'Looks like I need a new belt, and maybe a new set of clothes too.'
…
A/N: Well, That's it for now.
Thank you all for reading! Hope you enjoyed this one!
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