Path of the Demonic Villain

On the counter, Dante could see a slender, long-barreled revolver, a black pendant, a massive gunblade combining a broadsword with an integrated trigger mechanism, a rapier with a golden basket hilt and intricate floral engravings along the blade, a single-edged axe fitted to a slightly elongated wooden handle, and a massive chainsaw.

’One of the weapons for high priests is a gun because they can engrave curses into bullets.’ Dante mused as he brought the appraisal lens to his eye.

[Name: The Stern One]

[Tier & Grade: Unspecified (Purple)]

[Description: This weapon grants the user a 15% increase to speed and focus. The last round is called the Stern One. When the last bullet is fired, there is a 95% guaranteed hit as the bullet is known to curve and chase down the target.]

[Cost / Drawback: Although there is a 95% guaranteed hit shot on the last bullet, it might not be a kill shot.]

[Compatibility: Most suitable for Rogues and High Priests.]

’Hm...’

After reading the description, Dante felt that this was okay.

’Since the tier is unspecified, it can be used by any tier,’ he thought as he shifted his gaze to the price.

[400 Crowns, 10 Francs.]

Raising his head, Dante turned to the female guide who stood beside him and asked, "Can I have some ammunition with this?"

The lady nodded. "Of course, please wait a minute."

She turned and moved quickly toward a neighboring counter to retrieve a compact black box. When she returned, she opened it to reveal twelve dark silver cartridges etched with subtle rune channels.

Dante studied them for a few seconds before nodding in approval.

The guide offered a warm smile and picked up the revolver to wrap it, while Dante turned his attention to the next artifact, which was the pendant.

[Name: The Hunter’s Garb]

[Tier & Grade: Tier 1 (Red)]

[Description: Upon activation, this pendant grants the wearer a 35% increase to physical, mental, and magical defense, along with an 85% resistance to fire-based attacks. The shield deploys automatically upon detecting a sudden high-impact threat.]

[It can also trigger a subtle mental warning a few seconds before an incoming surprise attack. The artifact slowly repairs its own structure over time when damaged.]

[Cost / Drawback: If the Garb absorbs a certain level of damage, it could get permanently destroyed.]

[ - The Hunter’s Garb slowly amplifies the wearer’s negative emotions, stoking underlying rage and compelling them toward extreme brutality in combat. This effect cannot be combated by items as it nullifies any attempt to cancel out the effect.]

[Compatibility: Most suitable for Rogues, Warriors and High Priests.]

’This is great! It offers some kind of passive danger sense for surprise attacks, it repairs itself overtime and it has an almost perfect immunity against fire attacks of this tier or slightly higher. I need it!’

"I’ll take this too," Dante muttered before even shifting his gaze to the price.

[775 Crowns]

’The drawback seems troublesome, though, considering that my Lucid Braid won’t be able to combat this effect. But if I think about it, I don’t mind being brutal in combat. Heh.’

As he continued to contemplate the trade-offs, the female guide picked up the pendant to have it carefully boxed.

Without further delay, Dante moved on to the remaining artifacts. He didn’t linger on the gun-blade; that was an artifact most suited for warriors, and he wouldn’t even be able to wield it properly. He passed over the rapier and axe after inspecting their description.

As for the chainsaw? Well, Dante might be crazy, but he wasn’t sure that he was unhinged enough to use a chainsaw as a weapon.

There was nothing classy about it!

’I’ve only secured one weapon and one defensive artifact. While the revolver gives me long-range lethal power, I still need something for close quarters. But nothing else here catches my eye,’ Dante thought before finally going to the utility counters.

He was prepared for his wallet to hurt a bit, considering utility were more expensive than weapons or armor due to the fact that one could buy an utility artifact many tiers above their current tier.

After looking through some random utility items, he finally came to a stop in front of a wide-brimmed leather hat.

[Name: The Crow-Feather Fedora]

[Tier & Grade: Tier 2 (Purple)]

[Description: Fogs the memory of any passing onlooker, making the wearer’s facial features a bit hard to recall after a casual encounter. Upon activation, the brim manifests a crow mask over the wearer’s face, fully concealing their identity while sharpening visual acuity and granting a 30% increase to low-light sight.]

[Cost / Drawback: Prolonged reliance on the mask gradually erodes the wearer’s sense of self, leaving them detached and unnaturally cold toward others. This effect slowly dissipates over several hours once the mask is removed.]

’Hm...’

Dante smiled the longer he stared at the mask. Then his eyes darted to the price.

[850 Crowns, 15 Francs.]

’Elio left earlier to deposit that check into my account, so I have more than enough funds to cover this as well,’ Dante thought. He turned to the guide following behind him and pointed at the leather hat.

The woman nodded, carefully lifting the Fedora from its glass stand to add it to his growing collection.

Dante then moved on. A few paces away, he noticed a man in his forties with neatly groomed brown hair and a thick, silver-streaked brown beard staring intently at a particular display.

The object of his attention was a golden pocket watch. Instead of traditional hands, its face contained a series of concentric, shifting brass rings. Though it still had tiny markers along the inner rim that aligned with the rings to tell the time.

The man rubbed his beard, clearly torn over whether to commit to the purchase.

As Dante stepped beside him, he offered a subtle nod in greeting, then raised his appraisal lens to inspect the watch’s details.

When the runes materialized before his eyes, he nearly gasped.

[Name: Pocket Watch of the Jester’s Reality]

[Tier & Grade: Tier 5 (Gold)]

[Description: This artifact can trap all targets within a fifty meter radius in a false reality for three minutes. Those ensnared perceive time and events moving normally, completely unaware of the shift. Deaths suffered within this domain manifest in reality upon release, while the wielder, along with up to three designated allies, remains immune to all forms of fatal damage until the timer expires.]

[It works by manifesting a duplicate projection of the wielder within the false reality to act in their stead, allowing the true wielder to remain completely outside the zone.]

[Cost / Drawback: The first time the wielder falls asleep after activating the watch, they enter a deep, comatose slumber lasting exactly seven days.]

[ - This artifact can only be used three times before it becomes a regular watch.]

[6,500 Crowns]

’Woah... what the hell sort of broken artifact is this?!’

Dante blinked a few times.

Well, looking at the fact that it was a Gold-Grade artifact, that was not surprising.

Gold-Grade artifacts were exceptionally rare in the world, and coming across one was usually regarded as a once-in-a-lifetime encounter.

When Dante saw the price, though, his heart sank.

’So this is what it feels like to be broke. Ah... I’m suddenly having flashbacks to my time on Earth.’

It had been a long time since Dante came across something he genuinely lusted after, yet couldn’t personally afford.

Just then, Edward’s voice echoed in his head. ’Are you sad, Master?’

’Yes,’ Dante replied mentally, raising a hand to lightly stroke his chest. ’Yes, I am deeply saddened.’

If not for the fact that black market exchanges like this didn’t issue credit invoices, he would have written this bill directly to his mother.

The man beside him saw Dante’s face of contemplation. Maybe he assumed that Dante was on the verge of making a bid, and the prospect of losing the artifact forced his hand. He turned sharply toward his guide and before Dante could even attempt to bluff or negotiate, the man spoke up. "I’ll take it."

Dante turned to stare at him, but the gentleman merely offered a polite, apologetic bow before turning to leave with the aid of his walking cane. His male appraiser stepped forward, carefully lifting the golden pocket watch from its velvet display.

Dante sighed and turned away, watching his missed opportunity walk down the hall.