Silence the Hunger

313 Credits - Heated Cloak: Able to regulate your body temperature to a comfortable level within frigid inhospitable environments. Especially made for travelling to sub temperature planets. Made of high quality Fire Dire Beast fur, with an inner layer of Frosted Duck feathers for insulation.

It’s good but… How would I know if I need it? There’s no way to know what kind of mission you are going on. Alphonse continued looking. He wanted to find something to strengthen himself. A weapon, armour, or elixirs that class A were given to strengthen their bodies.

He flicked the pages until, finally, something grabbed his attention.

500 credits - Epic Grade Strength Enhancement Elixir: Made by a grandmaster alchemist. 73% purity, capable of up to 20 added stat points. Limited to 1 per customer.

It wasn’t just the strength elixir either, potions for every stat were there all together. His eyes rested on the intelligence elixir, although the price was 1000. He didn’t understand the details of it, but he could guess the materials for it were more rare, or something like that.

I’ll just buy all the elixirs. Can’t go wrong, I hope. With the thought, he opened up his currency tab on the personal device.

< 450 Credits received from - Noel Wilcox. >

It’s not even the cost of an elixir. Alphonse shook his head at the miserly gift. They risked their lives, many had died, just to receive a few points.

< You currently have: 5050 credits. >

He continued to look at the pages. His hand stopping on a certain page.

472 credits - Apocalypse Butcher’s Apron: Part of the Demon Butcher’s set. Infused with the blood of countless beasts, monsters, and humans alike.

| 15 Strength

| 10 Constitution

| 6 Dexterity

Set bonus 1/3 - 10% Increase quality of butchered meat.

Set bonus 2/3 - 20% Increase quality of butchered meat. Attacks with cleavers are stronger, sharper.

Set bonus 3/3 - 30% Increase quality of butchered meat. Skill - Butcher’s Blood Cleave: Gather and store the blood of your foes and release it as an attack.

Perfect! Alphonse’s eyes shone. Although he was quite concerned, he couldn’t imagine himself running around while wearing an apron.

I wonder if the 10% increase in meat quality will give me more stats? Will it synergise with [ Chef’s Kiss? ] I can’t wait to experiment, I need that Blood Cleave skill. Alphonse rubbed his hands together. He moved down one place, into the other description.

934 credits - Apocalypse Butcher’s Cleaver: Part of the Demon Butcher’s set. Infused with the blood of countless beasts, monsters, and humans alike.
| 20 Strength
| 10 Dexterity

Underneath the cleaver, another part was a chef’s hat. However, it had a small out of stock lettering by its side.

“Where’s the other item?” Alphonse said, his attention directed to the woman behind the counter. His finger pointed to the page.

The clerk looked at the two items. “Ah, I'll have a look at the database for you.” With her signature fake smile, the clerk moved over to the computer screen, her fingers tapping the touch panel. “So we had it, but it appears someone made the purchase a while ago.”

“I’m guessing there’s no chance you can tell me who bought it?” Alphonse inquired.

The clerk apologetically shook her head. “You’re right, sir. We can’t give away that information.”

Alphonse nodded. He guessed so. His hand rested on his chin as he started thinking. His eyes descended onto the paper, he tried adding them up, and miraculously his brain calculated the cost. Is this what being smart feels like? His added intelligence had obviously had an effect.

“I’m wanting those two set items, plus these elixirs—the expensive ones.” Alphonse showed her the book, but it looked like she had already memorised the contents.

The clerk nodded. Her hands rapidly tapped on the screen again as he felt his device vibrate. He looked down. It was a bill for the items, clearly breaking down what they were and how much it all added up together.

Apocalypse Butcher’s Cleaver - 472

Apocalypse Butcher’s Apron - 934

Intelligence Elixir - 1000
Dexterity Elixir - 500

Strength Elixir - 500
Constitution Elixir - 500

= 3906

Alphonse nodded. He bought everything plus some thin, protective armour made of some monster’s skin. It was lightweight and allowed him to move around. It wasn’t anything special, but it was the best he could get with what he had left. The clerk told him they would deliver it to his room, so he left the Merchants Guild with only a few credits to his name.

He was walking down the corridor when a mountain-like young man was crouched down on the floor. Mumbling to himself.

Markus? What the hell is he doing? Alphonse thought he knew that back anywhere, Markus had forced him to look at it for days on end after all.

Markus was looking at a white, fluffy cat. His large white finger wagged around in the air as the cat attempted to catch it.

Markus chuckled at the cat as it grabbed his finger. Its little fangs tried to break the skin, but it was too thick.

“Do you have an owner, little guy?” Markus flipped the cat over onto its back. “Ah, it’s a gal. Excuse me.” His rough hand combed through the gentle white fur.

“I’ll call you Mifflepuff. How’s that?” A silly grin sprouted on his face. The cat was enjoying the belly pats, it’s smaller than usual legs swayed back and forth, as if it was swimming.

Then, it jumped onto its feet; it ran down the corridor as Markus chased after the fluff ball. Alphonse curiously followed behind.

The moving white cloud was fast. Markus broke out into a jog, trying to keep up. “Mifflepuff!” The people passing by looked at him as if he was crazy, but no one messed with someone from class A. Especially someone the size of Markus.

The cat kept on running down into the service tunnels below. It surprised Alphonse that the cat wasn't afraid of the loud rattling of the pipes, or the steam being shot out from various holes around the passageways. Despite the dirtiness of the place, the cat remained spotless. Not a speck of dirt or dust lay on her fine coat.

Markus followed the swaying, puffy tail. The way her legs moved in unison made Markus smile.

“How cute… I miss Orange-tyre.” Markus sighed, his head moved to the side every time the cat swayed her tail..

Mifflepuff stopped in her tracks, not because she wanted to, but because there was someone in her way.

A man cast a shadow in the dark service tunnels. He was wearing a thick brown hat. It looked similar to that of a cowboy hat. Just made from a material that was close to scales. It masked his face, the shadow casting underneath like a visor. He was wearing a black trench coat that travelled all the way to his knees, making his body almost indistinguishable. Last of all was his oversized boots. Alphonse heard a clunking noise every time the man took a step.

Mifflepuff wanted to walk past, but so did the man. Neither of them had any intention of moving.

The man took a step forward. He was getting ready to send his heavy boot towards the cat. Markus was about to move, but then he watched in horror as the cat’s skull split wide open. Its head split into sections as razor-sharp teeth travelled all the way down her–its throat, a humongous tongue swayed in the air. The mouth expanded outwards, and, in a fraction of a second, the pure-white cat swallowed the mysterious man whole. Only two boots remained, white bones sticking out from them.

“M-Mifflepuff?” Markus staggered backwards. The cat looked back as its head returned to its cute, fluffy state. Her small prickly tongue licked away the blood from the side of her mouth. Mifflepuff walked over to the stunned, mountain-like man as her body coiled around his leg, the purring thrumming against his trembling bones.

“What the fuck?” Alphonse said, quickly placing his hand to his mouth. He remained vigilant as he watched the cat, but it had no intention of moving from Markus.

“A-Alphonse, help me, p-please.” Markus stuttered, his thick, large hands becoming clammy.

“Wh-what do you mean help you? There’s a fucking bomb attached to your ankles. What did you do for it to cling to you?” Alphonse said. “What did you feed… it?” His eyes remained on the boots.

“Alph-phonse, now ain’t the time for jokes, man!” Markus forced his tears back.

Markus slowly, but carefully, leaned down, his hand gently brushing her immaculate fur. “G-good kitty.” A nervous chuckle left his mouth.