With Marcus leading the way, the ladies quickly began choosing their equipment. Unfortunately, they approached the process less like seasoned adventurers preparing for battle and more like they were browsing a fashion boutique. Stats, bonuses, and combat effectiveness were all secondary concerns. The first thing they looked for was whether an item looked good on them.

"Marcus, what do you think? Does this armor suit me?"

Willow Moran held the Light Stone Chainmail against her body and turned slightly so he could get a better look. The fitted armor highlighted her tall, athletic figure surprisingly well.

Before Marcus could answer, Lily had already found something she liked.

"Marcus, look at this one. Isn’t it pretty?"

She had discovered a Level 30 Cleric robe. It was only Blue-grade equipment, but the elegant white design immediately caught her attention. She equipped it on the spot and spun around with a bright smile.

Marcus had to admit it suited her perfectly.

Nearby, Talia was studying a piece of Mist-Tear light armor.

"The patterns on this one are beautiful," she said. "I bet the complete set looks amazing. Can you help me collect the rest?"

Not far away, Jade was already waving both hands in the air.

"Marcus! Come help me! I need a good-looking set!"

As expected, the little troublemaker had set one simple condition for any piece of equipment. If it wasn’t pretty, she didn’t want it.

Marcus stood there for a moment, completely speechless. He had painstakingly gathered a mountain of rare equipment, much of it valuable enough to make veteran players fight over it, and not one of them was talking about combat stats.

Then again, as he watched the girls moving around the courtyard, comparing equipment and showing off different outfits, he found it surprisingly hard to complain. The courtyard felt livelier than it had in days.

"Willow, try this knight armor instead. The design is a lot more distinctive."

"Lily, that robe looks great on you. Later I’ll find a gemstone necklace that matches it."

"Talia, the armor you’re holding came from a special quest monster. Completing that set might take a while. What about this Wraith set? It’s only Blue-grade, but it’s elegant and already complete."

"And Jade..."

Marcus picked up another set and held it out.

"Try this one."

Jade’s eyes immediately lit up.

Marcus found himself moving constantly between the girls, offering opinions and helping them compare different equipment. It wasn’t exactly efficient, but he enjoyed every minute of it. Seeing each of them excited over their new gear was rewarding in a way that piles of treasure never were.

Eventually everyone settled on equipment they liked. Or more accurately, equipment they liked and Marcus approved of.

Once they reached Level 40, each of them would be able to equip their new sets and finally put them to use.

After distributing everything, Marcus set aside three items for himself.

The first was the Red Artifact, Boundary Stone Needle. The second was the Mythic Artifact, Mist-Tear Spear of Purity. The third was the Blazing Explosive Arrow.

The Boundary Stone Needle had once been powerful enough to maintain the seal over Mist Veil Palace. Anything capable of suppressing a location like that for years couldn’t possibly be ordinary. Marcus intended to keep it until he understood its full capabilities.

As for the Mist-Tear Spear of Purity, he planned to use it as his future Level 50 weapon. He had spent most of his time fighting with a sword and shield, but the thought of charging into battle with a massive two-handed spear sounded appealing.

Then there was the Blazing Explosive Arrow. Even now, the item’s absurd stats made him grin.

Earlier, he had been frustrated because he lacked the ability to use it properly. Then he had met Liam Windrunner, King of the Mountains, and unexpectedly gained access to an Archer type class. The problem had solved itself.

The best part was remembering where the arrow originally came from. SavageWolf_Wind.

Marcus couldn’t help chuckling. The poor guy had probably never imagined his prized Mythic Artifact would end up in someone else’s hands. If they met again someday and Marcus happened to demonstrate its power personally, the expression on SavageWolf_Wind’s face would probably be unforgettable.

The only thing missing was a proper bow. At the time, Marcus had been so focused on everything happening around Liam Windrunner that he never thought to ask about one.

A missed opportunity.

Still, equipment earned through his own efforts always felt more satisfying. He would find one eventually.

After everything was sorted, Marcus packed the remaining equipment back into his inventory. The leftovers would be perfect for the Nightmare Auction House.

Players enjoyed watching exciting battle footage, but entertainment only went so far. What they truly wanted was equipment, weapons, and skill books. Those were the things people were willing to spend money on.

Marcus smiled to himself. Once this batch hit the market, the reputation of the Nightmare Auction House would climb even higher.

But before any of that, there was another task to handle. He needed to visit the Appraiser.

"Ladies, everyone rested? Let’s head out. I need to get a few items identified."

"Identify items?" Amber immediately perked up. "Big bro, what else are you hiding?"

Marcus only grinned. Then he reached into his backpack and pulled out two items.

The reaction was instant.

"Those are Mythic Artifacts!"

Amber’s eyes widened.

In Marcus’s hands were the two Mythic Artifacts obtained from the Mystic Turtle’s Tomb: the Ice-Fire Twin Dragon Hoe and the Wraith Cloak.

His own Identify skill was still at the Basic level. Against Mythic-grade equipment, his success rate might as well have been zero. If he wanted reliable results, he needed professional help.

A few minutes later, Marcus and the ladies left the mansion and headed toward the Appraiser’s shop.

Even with masks concealing most of their faces, the group attracted attention everywhere they went. People stared. Some looked curious. Some looked jealous. A few looked downright murderous.

Marcus could practically feel the envy coming from every direction. He didn’t blame them. Traveling through town surrounded by a group of beautiful women tended to attract attention.

The moment he entered the shop, a familiar voice greeted him.

"Stonehaven! It’s been a while."

The old Appraiser hurried over. "How are things? Has the Dark Violet Sky Dragon hatched yet?"

Marcus almost laughed. The old man was still obsessed with that dragon. Every time they met, the dragon somehow became the first topic of conversation.

Fortunately, Marcus had already prepared an answer.

"Grandpa Appraiser, I’ve been chasing clues related to Dark Relics nonstop. I’ve made some progress already. My next destination is deep inside Demon Clan territory. If everything goes well, I should have results soon."

The lie came out smoothly enough that even Marcus almost believed it himself. The old Appraiser’s eyes immediately brightened.

"Really?"

Marcus nodded confidently. "Of course."

The old man looked genuinely pleased. "Good. Very good."

He stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Stonehaven, if you’re here for identification services, I’ll give you a thirty percent discount."

Marcus nearly laughed. Amazing. A little hope really did go a long way.

"Thank you, Grandpa Appraiser."

Without wasting any time, Marcus handed over the Ice-Fire Twin Dragon Hoe and the Wraith Cloak.

The old man’s expression changed immediately. "Excellent items."

He carefully examined both artifacts before nodding in approval. "These are high-grade Mythic Artifacts. Very powerful ones, too. Under normal circumstances, identifying both would cost at least five hundred thousand gold coins. With the discount, it’ll be three hundred and fifty thousand."

Marcus blinked. That expensive?

Then again, if the identification fee was this high, the equipment itself was probably worth a fortune.

Without hesitation, he paid the gold.

The old Appraiser accepted the payment and immediately began the process. Ancient runes appeared around his hands as he quietly recited a series of incantations. Unlike Marcus’s clumsy attempts at identification, the old man worked effortlessly.

Moments later, both artifacts began shining with brilliant light. The identification was complete.

"Here."

The old Appraiser handed them back.

Marcus’s heartbeat quickened. He grabbed both items immediately and opened their status windows, eager to see exactly what kind of treasures he had obtained.