Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle

Manager Ash stepped closer after hearing Shane's question. He showed a smile to Shane and reported. "He's one of the most expensive ones here… Kain is capable of switching between his human and werewolf forms seamlessly. You probably know this already, but in his werewolf form, he gains heightened strength, speed, and durability, along with deadly claws and fangs. He is priced at 8,200 Zombie Cores and 3,500 Experience Points."

Shane studied Kain for a moment and asked once more.

"What's the problem with him?"

Well, Shane could already tell the pattern after knowing a few of them. After all, Manager Ash suggested Kaelira, the Vulpian one, instead of this person, so there must be a problem with him, similar to the other ones.

The manager seemed to have expected this question and replied immediately. "There's a condition he needed to meet in order to transform. So, while he was not in his werewolf form, you can just consider him a decently strong Survivor… He would be nothing too special aside from his regenerative powers."

"Ugh… Can he only transform during the full moon?" Shane asked. It would be a pity if that was the case since he felt that a werewolf was definitely a decent vanguard.

Thankfully, that wasn't the case.

"No… But he can only transform during the night… If it's a full moon, however, he gets a lot stronger and would become a Crimson Werewolf."

Shane finally understood why he wasn't suggested at first. Now that he thinks about it, Kaelira, who was a scout and assassin, was certainly a good choice… The next one would be Mirai since the others could just take the last hit if she didn't want to kill anyone.

Kain smirked as he heard their conversation... "I'm still skillful even during the day… I'm originally a hunter… and if you want a training partner, I don't break easily."

Shane ignored his words for now and continued his tour of the mysterious shop…

During this time, there were no other customers coming in. It was relatively silent, and Shane could only hear his steps echoing softly on the polished stone floor.

Anyway, after being introduced to remarkable and pricey individuals like Kain and Mirai, he now found himself in another section.

This area seemed less grand, with cages and pods that lacked the lavish decorations of the others. The beings within still carried unique traits, but their auras were less overwhelming…

"These slaves are... more affordable…" Manager Ash explained and his tone seemed uncharacteristically casual. "They still offer value, of course, but they weren't as strong as the first one… Furthermore, each has notable drawbacks that prospective buyers must weigh carefully."

Shane raised an eyebrow. "Drawbacks… That's not new.""

"Indeed," Ash replied smoothly. "But allow me to elaborate."

The first cage housed a humanoid figure whose skin glowed faintly with a metallic sheen. The slave appeared fragile, with an almost translucent quality to their silver skin. He had a slender frame, and despite being called affordable, he was wearing lavish clothes that were probably meant to attract buyers.

"This is Jafal, an Etherial Construct. His kind are known for their telepathic abilities and their gift for detecting hidden dangers with their incredible senses." Ash paused for a moment to see Shane react.

Seeing that he seemed to be impressed by its telepathic abilities, he continued, "Jafal is adept at sensing traps, concealed enemies, and ambushes. However, Jafal's drawback is that his energy reserves are extremely limited. Prolonged use of his abilities renders him almost like an unresponsive machine… There were cases that required him days to recover. In combat, he might be more a liability than an asset."

Jafal's glowing eyes flicked up briefly, but he said nothing. Shane wasn't sure, but his shoulders seemed to slump further.

"His price is 1,500 Zombie Cores and 500 Experience Points. A fair deal, given his abilities," Ash concluded.

He had the same price as Epic Grade items in terms of Zombies Cores.

Shane nodded but moved on, finding another cage nearby. Inside was a fox-eared woman who paced restlessly within her cage while her tail flickered back and forth. Her bright orange hair was wild, and her green eyes focused on Shane as he approached.

"This is Nyssa, a Vulpan Tracker. Her kind are renowned for their exceptional tracking skills and heightened senses," Ash explained. "Nyssa can locate anything—or anyone—over vast distances, even through magical obfuscation."

Nyssa's lips curled into a sly grin. "I'm fast, reliable, and I don't ask questions. Try me…"

Shane crossed his arms. "What's the catch?"

Ash chuckled softly. "Ah, Nyssa is... impulsive. Her temperament makes her difficult to control. While her loyalty can be assured through binding, she often acts on instinct, which could jeopardize delicate missions. She is not suited for teamwork. It seemed to be in her nature…"

Nyssa huffed, crossing her arms. "Teamwork's overrated," she muttered.

"Her price is 1,800 Zombie Cores and 1,200 Experience Points. A bit higher due to her unique skills," Ash said.

Anyway, even though Shane wasn't finding someone he wanted to spend money on, he found it interesting to learn more about these slaves.

Furthermore, there was no one else in the store, so he could just ask the Manager if he had questions about their products.

Shane continued to see a few more slaves, and they were all indeed cheaper. Perhaps, if he was still starting his journey, he would consider them. However, with the strong recruits by his side, he no longer needed average combatants in his team.

He was simply having a fun moment learning about other species just in case he'd encounter them somewhere else.

Shane moved to the next cage, where a tired-looking man with broad shoulders sat slumped against the bars.

'Craftsman? Blacksmith?' Shane mused.

He wasn't too sure, but the man seemed to be wearing a blacksmith's apron to show his identity. Furthermore, his hands seemed to be scarred from years of labor.

"This is Borek. He is a skilled craftsman, capable of forging weapons and armor of exceptional quality. His creations often carry unique elemental properties."

Borek looked up and shook his head.

"If you want weapons that'll outlast you, I'm your man." He said confidently. Shane was certainly curious about the man's abilities. After all, he may not have some strong recruits, but supporters like Borek weren't easy to come by.

Shane arched an eyebrow and turned to the manager. "And his drawback?"

Ash nodded... "Borek's health is failing. His draconic bloodline is diluted, and without regular access to rare alchemical supplements, his strength diminishes rapidly. He can still craft, but his work pace has slowed significantly."

Borek snorted. "Still faster than most amateurs," he muttered.

"His price reflects his condition: 1,600 Zombie Cores and 800 Experience Points. A reasonable investment if you value craftsmanship over speed…" Ash said.

Shane rubbed his chin, weighing his options.

He could probably take Kaelira as his freebie and then purchase this man, as he also needed a Craftsman. Furthermore, he could get pure Dragon Blood from Raze, or perhaps he could negotiate with Travis, who literally had a Legendary Dragon Blood talent…

With these resources from Dragons, he might be able to assist Borek in getting his full health back.

Shane smiled at this thought. After some time, he confirmed that the others were undoubtedly skilled, but their drawbacks made them far less appealing than the elites he'd seen earlier.

Still, the affordability tempted him.

Before he could decide, Ash's voice interrupted his thoughts. "If none of these appeal to you, I do have something... rarer to show. But it will come at a much higher price. I'm only doing this to you since you have reached the Top Ranking in the Challenge Leaderboard…"

Shane turned to face the masked man. Without a doubt, curiosity flickered in his eyes. "What do you mean by 'rarer'?"

Ash's silver mask glinted as he gestured toward the hidden door at the back of the room. "Follow me. There are a few more you must meet."

Shane found this interesting. Without any more hesitation, he followed Ash to see what awaited behind the door.

As the door slid open, Shane felt a strong aura surrounding the room. Under the manager's lead, Shane stepped into the next room.

There were three figures inside…

The one at the center was the one that immediately caught his eye.

It was a young girl with snow-white hair and blue eyes.

"Mhmm?" Shane was in awe seeing chains of light binding her wrists and ankles…

This figure was definitely special because of how she was being treated. Nonetheless, she was standing still, and her expression was calm.

The other two were also quite interesting… One of them had golden skin, while the other seemed to be just a normal middle-aged man. Indeed, the impression he got from that man was very normal.

However, there was no way that he would be put here if that was the case.

Shane wasn't sure what abilities they had, but they were definitely a lot more expensive and useful. He was also hoping that their drawbacks or problems weren't too big of a deal.