The Frugal Mage

Rayven approached the wooden crate as he studied the small darts more closely.

Each one was simple in design. There were only thin shafts of treated wood, and they were all tipped with a dull gray metal point. They were easily recognizable.

Still, Rayven had the faintest whiff of something pungent clinging to them… It was definitely the poison or medicine that was already applied.

The vendor, noticing his interest, immediately tried to sell the item.

"Ah, young master, you have a keen eye! Those are no ordinary darts. They're all coated with an essence extracted from the glands of the Willow Serpent, a Lesser Beast! They're creatures known for paralyzing their prey before devouring it whole. Very effective against Feral Beasts—one prick and they'll be snoring before they hit the ground!"

Rayven gently nodded after hearing this.

From the origin of the essence, being a Lesser Beast, he could already guess its effectiveness against the Feral Beast, Lesser Beast, and Greater Beast.

Still, he was curious about another thing. After looking around, he continued to ask.

"And against people?"

The man gave a nervous chuckle as he also lowered his voice.

"Well, officially, they're sold as hunting tools for beasts, of course. But… let's say a drunkard or a thief finds himself jabbed with one—he won't be staying on his feet for long."

He then continued to explain in case his customer also wanted to know more.

"Now, against Lesser Beasts, they still work, though the effect is weaker. You'll need two or three hits to slow them properly. But once you get above that, to the Greater Beasts? Ha! Forget it. Their bodies burn poison faster than you can blink."

"Feral, Lesser, Greater…" Rayven muttered. "So their limit is clear."

"Exactly so," the vendor said eagerly. "That's why I sell them cheap—four silver coins apiece. Hunters love to stock up. A single dart can save your life when some Feral Beast comes sniffing around your camp. And if you're clever…" He trailed off. Then, his smile widened as if to say the rest didn't need to be spoken aloud.

Rayven could understand.

For beasts, yes. But against a human opponent—especially a mage like Cedric—the dart would need something extra.

He looked at Thyruz, who had been silently observing.

The old enchanter's eyes lit up as though he already guessed what Rayven was plotting.

The two of them moved a little and talked in a low voice.

"You're thinking of using them in your duel, aren't you?" Thyruz asked bluntly.

Rayven didn't deny it. "Cedric will expect fire for fire, spell for spell. He'll never imagine being struck by something so… mundane. With Telekinesis, I could release a dart at the exact moment he lowers his guard. And if I hit him with something to stun him first, just enough to disrupt his concentration for a heartbeat, it could slip right through."

The old man stroked his beard slowly, then let out a thoughtful grunt…

"Hmmm… It's risky… but clever. Still, those darts won't be enough as they are. As you know, an Adept's constitution, even without potions, will shrug off half the venom before it can take effect. But if I reinforce them…"

Rayven smiled as he already considered this as well. "Enchantments… Can you do it? I'll pay, of course."

Thyruz grinned.

"Not a bad plan. I may be only a Third-Class Enchanter, but with the right materials, I can make the poison bite deeper. I could enhance the metal tips with a Piercing property—nothing too flashy, just enough to slip past simple mana shields. And perhaps a Retention property, to keep the venom active longer once it enters the bloodstream."

Rayven was now getting excited.

An enchanted dart. Something small, subtle, and deadly, capable of turning Cedric's arrogance against him, was definitely a good plan.

"How many would you need to work with?" Rayven asked.

Thyruz tapped his chin. "The more the better, since enchanting consumables carries risk. Some may fail, some may take. But even one successful dart could tip the scales. Buy six or seven at least, and I'll see what I can do."

Without hesitation, Rayven turned back to the vendor. "Seven darts."

The man's grin nearly split his face.

"Ahh, a wise choice, young master! That will be twenty-eight Silver coins!"

"That's a large purchase. Can you just make it twenty-five?" Rayven asked.

"Fine… Let's make it twenty-six." The vendor said as he started packing the darts.

"If this is really effective… I'll purchase here again, sir… Just let me have it for twenty-five." Rayven said.

The vendor then felt that Rayven was also planning to leave if he didn't get the price he was asking for.

"Alright, I'll accept the loss today. You can take it for twenty-five." The vendor said. Although his profit got smaller, it was still a profit.

Just like that, Rayven paid the agreed price and pocketed the slim case of darts and put it against his coat.

The two then continued looking around the market to find anything that might catch their eye…

However, after some time of not finding anything, the two had decided to just leave for now.

Thyrus then asked Rayven.

"Are you sure about this plan to defeat Cedric? Adept Mages are all proud of themselves... Cedric will be humiliated beyond repair, especially if he gets defeated by an Initiate Mage… You must have the resolve to—wait, have you ever killed a mage before?"

Rayven helplessly smiled at this.

"I don't have the experience yet… In any case, you're right… If he's that difficult, maybe I'll have to make sure he doesn't get the chance for revenge."

Thyruz then chuckled at his reply... "Heh… you're more ruthless than you look. Then I don't have to worry… I'll start working on the darts tonight. Come to my quarters tomorrow, and I'll show you the results."

Rayven nodded. Although he didn't find any hidden treasure today, he at least found a way to win against Cedric.

However, that was only his Plan A…

Although he felt really confident with his plan… He needed a Plan B, just in case it failed.