138 THE MAGIC STONE
Vanessa sighed. "Fine. It's done."
A new tab appeared in the corner of his interface, and Leo tapped it. The marketplace opened before him, displaying a rotating selection of goods on shimmering plates, each labeled with its price in Lust counters.
Leo frowned. He didn't have many counters left.
"This marketplace is fucking trash," Leo complained, his frustration returning.
"Told you it wasn't worth your time," Vanessa said with a shrug, clearly enjoying his annoyance.
"Shouldn't Systems give good insane Op items to help players. What a crap system are you?" Leo retorted.
"Well, our System is not meant to make you into superheroes in this world. It is meant to train you for things to come. The other older Systems are far less helpful than us. Ask your girlfriend with the dice", Vanessa replied.
"What things to come", Leo asked.
"Oops, I said too much", Vanessa replied her fingers crossing her mouth and remained silent.
Leo couldn't get more from her, so he scrolled through the items. Most of the offerings were mundane—potions, trinkets, and other odds and ends.
Only the map extensions seemed worthwhile.
As Leo examined his mini-map, a cluster of blinking dots caught his attention. "What are these blinking dots?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at his translucent map screen.
"They're players," Petunia explained.
Leo's gaze sharpened. "Looks like there's a group gathering about a hundred meters from here," he said, reading the mini-map's display.
Petunia's eyes lit up with curiosity. "We should check it out," she suggested, her tone carrying a mix of excitement and caution.
-----
They quickly arrived at the gathering spot, a clearing amid the rubble of broken buildings. The center of the clearing was dominated by a large stone slab etched with intricate writings and ancient drawings.
It glowed faintly, exuding an aura of mystery.
Players crowded around the stone, studying it intently, their murmurs filling the air.
"What's that stone? Why's everyone so focused on it?" Petunia asked, her curiosity piqued.
Yun-Yun observed the stone closely, her gaze narrowing. "This is a sacred relic. If I'm not mistaken, it's a fragment of the Giga Codex."
"The Giga Codex?" Leo repeated, his interest sparked.
"It's essentially a tome of knowledge," Yun-Yun explained. "It contains the fundamental patterns and runes of this realm—a dictionary of magic."
Leo considered her words, a spark of understanding forming. "So, it's like the programming language for magic?"
"What language?" Petunia asked, confused.
"Think of it as the foundation for all magic in this world," Yun-Yun clarified.
Excited, Leo opened his control panel to try copying the codex's inscriptions, but he frowned when he realized something was missing.
"There aren't any magical codes here I can copy, it's just a big stone with carvings on it, there's nothing magical here," he said, frustrated.
"Maybe the knowledge isn't in the code but the carvings themselves," Petunia suggested.
"Possibly," Yun-Yun said, carefully studying the symbols. She began memorizing the runes, her mind racing with their potential meaning.
The tense atmosphere shifted abruptly when a rowdy group of men entered the clearing.
"All of you, clear out!" bellowed a burly guard at the front. "Our young master wishes to study the holy writings in peace."
The gathered players hesitated, muttering among themselves, but most eventually backed away, unwilling to provoke trouble.
Only Leo and his companions held their ground.
"Didn't you hear me? Get out!" the guard shouted, stepping forward with a threatening glare towards Leo who ignored him.
As his hand reached for Leo, a sudden blur cut through the air. The guard flew backward, landing with a heavy thud, his face swollen before he even registered the pain.
"Ouch!" he groaned, clutching his cheek.
Another guard charged forward, but before he could get close, he was blasted away by a volley of magic missiles. The force sent him tumbling into the debris.
The remaining guards froze, their bravado faltering.
Their leader, a haughty young man in ornate robes, stepped forward, glaring at Leo's group. "Who are you people, and why did you attack my guards?"
"Fuck off," Petunia snapped, turning back to the stone.
Leo shrugged, making a snapshot of the stone's runes with his control panel. "I'm too lazy to deal with these clowns. Let's go. We can study this later."
"Wait," Yun-Yun interjected, her eyes glued to the stone. "This isn't just any relic. These symbols are ancient runes—long lost. Give me a moment. There may be something here that is not found in the writings itself."
Before Leo could respond, the young man's voice rang out again. "Well, if it isn't Petunia, the President of the Association at my old school, my love," he sneered.
Petunia turned sharply, recognition dawning on her face. "Love your own ass, Bogarth? What the hell are you doing here?"
Bogarth smirked. "Exploring the ruins. And taking you as my concubine for my harem. Your mother is considering our marriage have you forgotten."
"What the fuck? I don't have time for your shit," Petunia's voice was icy, but Bogarth's guards chuckled among themselves.
"Yeah, our young master fancies you," one of the guards said. "You might've been a snob in Sodom City, refusing his offer of marriage many times but here in the ruins, strength rules."
"Go grab her. Make her warm my stool," Bogarth ordered casually.
Bogarth when he was in Sodom City was already eyeing Petunia, but his advances were rejected at every turn. Here in the ruins was a different thing altogether.
Might was the law of this place. He might actually get what he wants here.
The powerful players who came into the ruins saw themselves as untouchable, their strength making them feel invincible. The lawless nature of the ruins only fueled their arrogance, granting them the freedom to act without fear of consequences.
Bogarth's guards moved toward Petunia, their power evident in their confident strides. These weren't ordinary thugs—they were beginner-tier Svad mages, much stronger than even some heirs of the families of Sodom City.
Leo's eyes narrowed. "Who's this fucker?"