Nightmare Paradise : Starting as a Doctor

As Lynn glanced at the clock, he couldn't believe how quickly time had flown by. It had already been almost a week since his return from the trial dungeon.

However, Lynn's attention quickly shifted to the mission section, where a countdown timer prominently displayed the remaining time before the critical dungeon selection. With just a few hours left.

"Can't believe it's been almost a week already," Lynn muttered aloud to himself. Much had changed in that short period.

Lynn navigated to the trading section and listed the Zombie Slaying Sword for sale. He carefully set the price at 1,600 nightmare coins, taking into account its limited effectiveness

"This served me well, but it's time to move on," he said to himself.

It was pretty cheap for an uncommon grade sword, but considering the effectiveness was only against zombies, this price would ensure the weapon sold swiftly.

Ensuring a rapid sale was more important than maximizing profits at this point.

After that, Lynn quickly put back all his other items into his inventory, except for the Bloody Reaper which remained hidden in his body, ready to be drawn at any threat.

"Now then, best stock up on essential supplies before the dungeon selection," Lynn said to himself. He was going outside to purchase some canned food and bottles of water to stash securely away in his inventory.

Hunger and thirst could quickly become distracting and detrimental to his progress, so he wanted to eliminate those concerns by ensuring a sufficient supply of food and water.

As Lynn exited his small rental house and locked the door, preparing to make the shopping trip, he encountered his elderly landlord shuffling down the street.

Her name was Mary and she had lived in this neighborhood her entire life, raised her family in the house next door before they all moved away, leaving her one of the few last residents in the area.

"Ah, good morning!" Mary called out in her quivering voice, spotting Lynn locking up. She shuffled over as quickly as her joints allowed, leaning heavily on her wooden cane.

Lynn had a special fondness for this elderly woman. While he typically kept to himself, having grown up in a nearby orphanage, Mary would often visit the children. She would read to them, bake cookies, and dote on them with motherly affection.  As a result, Lynn developed a deep bond with her, considering her to be like family.

"Lovely day, isn't it? Just doing a bit of shopping myself. Care to walk with an old woman and keep her company?"

"Certainly, Aunt Mary," Lynn replied with a warm smile. "I was going shopping as well. Please, allow me to carry your parcels for you."

The elderly woman beamed and handed over her cloth shopping basket, verbalizing her thanks.

As they made their way down the quiet residential streets at a leisurely pace suited to Aunt Mary’s speed, Lynn listened as she reminisced aloud about bygone days and the changes she had witnessed over her long life in the neighborhood.

"This area used to be so lively when I was just a girl," Mary said wistfully. "Kids running up and down the streets, parties and get-togethers every weekend. Now it's become so quiet."

She shook her head sadly. "So many folks moved away for better opportunities in the big cities.”

Eventually, they arrived at the small corner market. Lynn assisted Aunt Mary in selecting her modest provisions before making his own purchases with the federation dollars obtained from the work in the abandoned district.

As they walked through the aisles of the corner market, Lynn chatted with her about the latest news and gossip around the neighborhood.

"There was quite a commotion a few nights back. It did wake me up in the middle of the night, with all sorts of banging and booming sounds."

Lynn's interest was piqued, though he kept his expression neutral. "Really? How strange. I didn’t hear anything, did anything come of it?" he asked, prodding for more details.

Mary nodded eagerly, always thrilled to share a juicy bit of gossip. "The police were swarming the place the next morning. Seems there was some kind of confrontation in those old abandoned houses they've been meaning to tear down."

"They claimed that a notorious criminal, believed to be behind the recent murders, was hiding in that area. According to their account, there was a confrontation, and as a result, some gas pipes allegedly exploded or something along those lines...Though between you and me..." Mary dropped her voice to a whisper. "I heard one lady that lived nearby claim it sounded more like wild animals on the loose!"

Lynn had to suppress a smile at how close to the truth the old woman's rumors were. He nodded along, feigning wide-eyed astonishment.

Mary continued enthusiastically before launching into more speculation about mysterious government agents and coverups. Lynn made sure to nod and gasp at the appropriate moments, allowing the old woman to prattle on happily.

By the time they finished shopping and Lynn escorted Mary safely back home, his mind was swirling with new insights into the recent strange occurrences around the neighborhood.

He glanced at his panel which had just chimed with a notification.

[Zombie Slaying Sword sold for 1,600 nightmare coins]

"That was quick, it sold even faster than I expected," Lynn muttered to himself. Arriving back home, Lynn swiftly stored away the supplies he had just purchased.

Once everything was neatly organized in his inventory, he focused his attention on selecting a new sword.

With over 3,000 nightmare coins now available, Lynn wanted to be prudent but also invest in a quality weapon that would aid his progression. Browsing the trading section, he narrowed down the criteria for what he was looking for.

"Let's see...I'd like an uncommon grade sword or higher, with no major limitations or restrictions," Lynn murmured as he filtered through the pages of listings.

After nearly an hour of searching, Lynn finally stumbled across a sword that caught his interest:

[Flame Edge]
[Grade: Uncommon]
[Evaluation: This blade was exposed to an unknown flame during crafting, awakening hidden properties. The steel now crackles with fiery energy along its edge. It cuts through flesh and armor with supernatural sharpness, leaving a burning sensation in its wake.]

The asking price was 2,500 nightmare coins. Using [Evaluation], Lynn verified that the sword possessed no major flaws or restrictions. Satisfied, he swiftly purchased the Flame Edge.

As soon as Lynn confirmed the purchase, the sword appeared in his inventory.