The world's gold coins were a third the size of past life one-yuan coins but similarly weighted. Carrying 300 left Sean's purse feeling heavily weighted.
It was 6 PM, the sun dipping low. Mercenaries and vendors began packing up, lowering prices. With no stall taxes, Black Iron cores cost just 0.8 gold each. Sean swept the market, buying every reasonable core without haggling, draining 260 gold in minutes.
Small as rice grains, the cores offered little physical weight, but Sean felt his wallet shrink—a novel, if painful, experience. 260 gold could buy a mansion in Yorn's commoner district.
Numerous eyes lingered on his coin purse, but his noble attire and Windsor's Bronze Rank aura deterred thieves. They could only watch as he loaded the cores and departed.
Back in the carriage, Sean sealed the doors, and the convoy moved toward their lodging. Windsor and Rem surrounded the carriage, vigilant.
Hand plunged into the core bag, Sean triggered absorption:
[Detected an absorbable energy source. Do you choose to absorb it?]
[YES]
Cores crumbled at his touch, energy surging into his chest. Arcane Dust skyrocketed:
28 → 233 → 655 → 1,314…
Finally, it stabilized at 2,002.
260 gold for one pack. Sean sighed—luxury he couldn't afford often. Yet absorbing 325 cores left his right arm tingling, element resistance subtly higher, spellcasting smoother. Later for experimentation—now, the card pack.
In the System interface:
Purchased Random Companion Card Pack (2,000 Arcane Dust).Activated Malfurion's Blessing (guaranteed golden card).Opened the pack.
A flash of light revealed five cards.
Card 1: Skeleton TricksterQuality: Epic Cost: 4 / ATK: 2 / HP: 2 Battlecry: Summon a 5/5 Skeleton. Deathrattle: Summon a 5/5 Skeleton for your opponent. Race: Undead Flavor Text: "Don't give up, skeleton!" Voice Line: "Trick or treat… with missiles if no sweets!"
Sean grinned—an epic right off the bat, though its quirky undead mechanics were situational.
Card 2: HellhoundQuality: Common Cost: 2 / ATK: 4 / HP: 3 Battlecry: Discard a random card. Race: Demon Crossed Flavor Text: "Warlocks' vacations are spicy." New Flavor Text: "This pup chews cards instead of shoes."
Sean frowned. Shouldn't this be Succubus? Did Blizzard recode succubus as a dog? A cold sweat broke out despite the heat—Why the succubus oppression? How will they survive?
Card 3: Guild RecruiterQuality: Common Cost: 5 / ATK: 2 / HP: 4 Battlecry: Recruit a minion costing ≤4 mana. Race: Draenei Flavor Text: "Ex-telemarketer turned guild recruiter." Voice Line: "Join our guild! We loot gear generously!"
A solid utility card, but not game-changing.
Card 4: Mechanical InquisitorQuality: Rare Cost: 4 / ATK: 3 / HP: 8 TauntBattlecry: Have your opponent summon a minion from their deck. Race: Mechanical Flavor Text: "I'll never talk… ow! Fine, I'll talk!" Voice Lines (19 total, 18 insults):"Come on, arrogant brute!""Face me, brainless fool!""Your code's buggier than Ubisoft's games!"
A "trash-talking robot," amusing but niche.