Goblin Dependency
Chapter 69 - 69 49 Selection

69: Chapter 49: Selection 69: Chapter 49: Selection Xia Nan was somewhat surprised by the craftsman’s reaction before him.

With his current “battle tested” leather armor appearance, not to mention buying it back at a discount, even a roadside general store wouldn’t take a look at it.

Originally thought it could only be disposed of as scrap, yet he didn’t expect it to fetch a price at “Rock Hammer,” known for high-end products.

Naturally, refusal wasn’t an option.

He immediately took it off and handed it to Barn in front of him.

Speaking of which, this leather armor lived up to its high price of 10 gold.

Faced with the impact from the Petrified Lizard, although it was shattered on the spot, without a doubt, it helped Xia Nan mitigate considerable damage.

If the former self had been stingy and bought some cheaply made shoddy goods,

he might not have even lasted until the Half Elf and others arrived, directly crushed by the Petrified Lizard.

3 silver coins were pocketed.

Barn Steelbeard, with his brown-red beard braided down to his chest, grinned as he stored the leather armor behind the counter.

Out of the corner of his eye, a cold glint of iron gray flashed by.

He couldn’t help but look up, glancing at the Beheading Longsword behind Xia Nan, and tentatively asked:

“How is this sword…?”

In response, Xia Nan didn’t shy away and said bluntly:

“It’s excellent, sharp and at the same time durable, much better than the weapon I used before.”

As he spoke, he observed the other’s expression, trying to avoid revealing his Golden Finger, hinting slightly:

“I wonder if it’s because of the Gray Steel mixed in; I even feel this sword is tougher than other weapons.”

“If you remember the details of the forging, maybe you could develop a good product.”

Upon hearing this, Barn’s deep and straightforward laughter echoed in the blacksmith shop once more.

His large palm slapped Xia Nan’s shoulder with force.

“Hahaha, you’re too kind!

But still, be careful not to suffer in combat because of this weapon.”

Obviously not understanding the meaning implied in Xia Nan’s words.

“Our blacksmith shop only makes fine products!

This kind of equipment with uncertain quality details is impossible to mass-produce.”

“Moreover, even if I inadvertently made a fairly decent piece,” Barn’s eyes glazed slightly, seeming to recall the scene of forging the Beheading Longsword, “it would just be an unexpected small probability event, not replicable.”

With the words having reached this point, Xia Nan had nothing more to say.

He nodded.

Drew the Green Pine Wooden Sword from his back and handed it to the other party.

“I need you to customize a sword sheath for me, price is negotiable.”

Barn accepted it with both hands, his gaze scrutinizing the blade, but didn’t ask why someone would want to customize a sword sheath for a wooden sword.

Merely flipping through and muttering to himself:

“Hmm… black-brown wooden material, its toughness doesn’t seem like ordinary wood, is it Iron Oak from Ivlius or Sparrow Willow by Velvetgreen Lake?

No, the color shouldn’t be this dark…”

Speaking, he took out measuring tools from the storage cabinet behind the counter, asking without lifting his head:

“Any specific requirements?”

Xia Nan pondered carefully for a moment.

“More durable, not too conspicuous in color, and with a slightly simple and low-key design.”

While the sword sheath itself may not be noticeable as a tool for holding the weapon during combat,

an appropriate sword sheath is extremely important for adventurers.

Beyond the widely recognized functions of protecting the blade, preventing rust and moisture, it can also somewhat affect the speed at which adventurers draw their sword and maintain balance in daily activities and combat.

In a tavern, Xia Nan heard some drunks bragging that those high-level professionals with astonishing wealth would even spend a fortune hiring professional spellcasters to enchant their sword sheaths, granting them automatic maintenance, enhanced drawing speed, and other effects.

Of course, that’s still too far away for him right now, no need to think so much.

Barn came from a Dwarf Clan, his skill level being one of the best in all of River Valley Town.

In about ten minutes, he finished measuring all sorts of data.

Returning the wooden sword to Xia Nan, he said solemnly:

“Even though the blade style is a bit unusual, making just a sheath isn’t difficult.”

“I plan to use Rock Carbon Steel; its color is close to the blade and won’t be too conspicuous.

Its moisture resistance is also good, suitable for this wooden material weapon.”

“You can come pick it up in three days; with labor and material costs… you know, customization is slightly more expensive.”

“10 gold.”

“Deal.”

Xia Nan nodded.

It was the same price as his previous leather armor and a necessary expense.

Saving money on this would be compromising his own safety.

Placing the wooden sword back on his back, Xia Nan’s gaze moved to the various armors displayed on a nearby rack.

Having completed the customization of the Green Pine sword sheath, he now needed to purchase a new set of armor for himself.

Feeling the heavy weight of the money pouch at his waist, he secretly made up his mind, prepared for a considerable expense.

The previous battle with the Petrified Lizard, and the extreme pressure of Mist Forest’s environment, made him acutely aware.

To survive missions repeatedly, long-term, and safely as an adventurer,

the margin for error must be increased!

High offense and low defense might be an option for those professionals with sufficiently high “killing power,”

but for low-level adventurers who haven’t mastered several basic Battle Skills, excessively sacrificing defensive abilities to enhance their combat power is undoubtedly a trap that significantly increases the probability of death.

Therefore, Xia Nan plans to purchase a set of armor that wouldn’t drastically affect his agility while having a certain level of defensive strength.

With regards to this, he had already made up his mind before his first visit to “Rock Hammer” where he bought the leather armor worth 10 gold.

His gaze passed over the “Light Armor” which was light enough but offered insufficient defense, through the “Heavy Armor” which had strong defense but limited agility.

And arrived at the middle of the shelf.

“Chain Armor,” medium armor, composed of metal rings intricately woven throughout a leather fabric, covered with a layer of soft fabric as decoration.

“Scale Armor,” medium armor, similarly uses leather as the foundation, with fish scale-like metal plates overlapping each other, also accompanying two leg guards.

Both priced at 50 gold.

The former has stronger defense against slashing attacks, requires less maintenance, and produces less noise when moving, but its uneven weight distribution needs enough muscle strength to support, and its defense against blunt damage is weak;

The latter offers better puncture resistance and a good performance against weapons like arrows and spears, has a larger coverage area but higher maintenance costs and is notably heavier overall.

Clearly, while both sets of armor share the same price, they each have their pros and cons.

For Xia Nan to select a set more suitable to him, he will need to consider his specific circumstances and proceed from practicality.