Chapter 31: The Heart of the Shop
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The morning sun streamed through the window of Shadowstring Archery.
Ren stood behind the counter, polishing a bundle of ironwood arrows. The shop was warm, quiet, peaceful. Lena was arranging the display case. Kite was sweeping the floor. Mica was updating the ledger. Finn was dusting the shelves.
This is what normal feels like.
He had not trained in three days. Had not visited the Shadow Plane. Had not hunted any monsters.
He had simply... lived.
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The first customer arrived at noon.
An old woman, hunched over a wooden cane. Her clothes were worn, patched, clean. Her eyes were bright.
"You're the one who killed the Thorn Walker," she said.
"Yes."
"I lost my son to that beast. Ten years ago." She reached into her pocket, pulled out a small leather pouch. "I want to buy something. Anything. To remember him by."
Ren looked at Lena. Lena nodded.
"We have a display of monster parts," Lena said gently. "The Thorn Walker's spine is sold, but we have a scale from the Sun Serpent. It's gold. Beautiful."
The old woman looked at the scale. Her eyes filled with tears.
"How much?"
"Eight hundred JC."
She opened her pouch. Counted. "I have four hundred."
Ren walked to the display case. Pulled out the scale. Handed it to her.
"It's yours."
"But I can't—"
"It's a gift. For your son."
The old woman clutched the scale to her chest. "Thank you. Thank you."
She walked out of the shop, her shoulders straighter than when she had entered.
Lena looked at Ren. "That was kind."
"He died for nothing. The least I can do is give his mother something to hold."
---
The second customer arrived an hour later.
A young man, barely eighteen, wearing cheap leather armor and carrying a worn bow. His hands were shaking.
"I need arrows," he said. "Cheap ones."
Lena pointed to the budget bin. "Ironwood shafts, steel tips. Fifty JC each."
The young man flinched. "That's... that's a lot."
Ren leaned against the counter. "What's your name?"
"Cole."
"How long have you been hunting?"
"Two months."
"Any kills?"
"Root Serpents. A few Vine Spiders."
Ren pulled a bundle of arrows from under the counter. Twenty shafts, good quality, not perfect. "These are seconds. Slightly crooked, but they'll fly straight enough for Root Serpents. Two hundred JC for the bundle."
Cole's eyes widened. "Two hundred?"
"Take them. Come back when you need more."
Cole paid with shaking hands. He clutched the arrows to his chest like they were made of gold.
"Thank you," he whispered. "I won't forget this."
Ren nodded. "Stay safe out there. The jungle doesn't care about your level."
---
The third customer was a merchant.
Fat, well-dressed, with rings on every finger. He walked into the shop like he owned it.
"I need monster parts. Rare ones. I'm willing to pay top coin."
Ren gestured to the display case. "Vine King's heart-wood. Five hundred JC. Sun Serpent's scale—wait, that one's gone. Bloom Mother's petal. One thousand."
The merchant examined the petal. "This is real?"
"It's real."
"I'll give you eight hundred."
Ren crossed his arms. "One thousand. Firm."
The merchant frowned. "Nine hundred."
"One thousand."
"You're stubborn."
"I'm a hunter. We're all stubborn."
The merchant sighed. Pulled out a stack of coins. "One thousand."
Ren placed the petal in a velvet-lined box. Handed it to the merchant.
"Pleasure doing business."
The merchant grunted. Walked out.
Lena counted the coins. "We just made a thousand JC in five minutes."
"We just sold a piece of a Crown Beast. That's not going to happen every day."
"Still. A thousand JC."
Ren almost smiled. "Put it in the register."
---
The fourth customer was a child.
No older than ten, with dirty feet and a torn shirt. He stood in the doorway, staring at the bows on the wall.
"Can I help you?" Lena asked.
The child pointed at a small bow—a beginner's model, cheap wood, simple string. "How much?"
"Fifty JC."
The child reached into his pocket. Pulled out a handful of green shards. Counted. "I have twenty."
Ren walked to the wall. Took down the bow. "It's yours."
The child's eyes went wide. "Really?"
"Really. But you have to promise me something."
"Anything."
"Practice every day. Don't give up. And when you're old enough, register with the guild."
The child nodded vigorously. "I promise."
He ran out of the shop, clutching the bow to his chest.
Lena watched him go. "You're going to go broke giving things away."
"I'm going to go rich by having loyal customers. That child will remember this shop for the rest of his life."
---
The fifth customer was a hunter.
A woman in her thirties, with a scar across her cheek and a bow made of ironwood. Her quiver was full of arrows—high quality, expensive.
"You're Ren," she said.
"Yes."
"I've heard about you. Five Crown Beasts. Solo kills."
Ren nodded.
"I need advice. I'm planning to hunt a Thorn Walker. What's the best approach?"
Ren leaned against the counter. "Don't."
The woman frowned. "Excuse me?"
"Thorn Walkers sense sound. Your heartbeat. Your breathing. Your footsteps. Unless you can silence all of them, you'll die."
"How did you kill yours?"
Ren touched his chest, where the scar from the Thorn Walker's claw still marked his skin. "I almost died. I woke up a bloodline. I got lucky."
The woman was silent for a moment. "Then what should I hunt instead?"
"Root Serpents. Razor-Wings. Work your way up. Don't rush."
She nodded. "Thank you."
She bought a bundle of arrows and left.
---
The sixth customer was a messenger.
A young man in guild colors, carrying a sealed letter.
"Ren? From Commander Vex."
Ren took the letter. Broke the seal.
"Ren —
The Root Dragon has been sighted near the Deep Earth entrance. It seems agitated. Moving more than usual.
I'm not asking you to hunt it yet. But be aware.
— Vex"
Ren folded the letter. Put it in his pocket.
"What is it?" Lena asked.
"The Root Dragon is moving."
"Is that bad?"
"It's not good."
---
The seventh customer was an old friend.
Rin walked through the door, leaning on her staff. Her missing fingers were wrapped in fresh bandages.
"You look comfortable," she said.
"I'm learning to relax."
"Good. You need it." Rin sat down on a stool by the counter. "The shop looks nice. You've done well."
"We've done well. Lena, Kite, Mica, Finn. They've been working hard."
Rin nodded. "How's the training?"
"I haven't trained in three days."
"Good. Rest is important."
"I've been thinking about the Shadow Plane."
Rin's expression darkened. "Don't."
"I need to understand it."
"You need to survive it. The keeper warned you. The shrine will take your soul."
"I know."
"Then stay away."
Ren was silent.
---
The eighth customer was a family.
A mother, a father, and two children. They were not hunters—their clothes were clean, their hands were soft. They were from the Central Ring.
"We're looking for a gift," the mother said. "For our son. He wants to be a hunter."
Ren looked at the children. The boy was staring at the bows on the wall, his eyes wide.
"How old is he?"
"Twelve."
"Too young to register. But not too young to practice." Ren walked to the wall. Took down a beginner's bow—similar to the one he had given the child earlier. "This is a training bow. Light draw. Easy to use."
"How much?"
"Fifty JC."
The father paid. The boy held the bow like it was made of gold.
"Thank you, sir," the boy said. "I'm going to be a great hunter someday. Like you."
Ren knelt down to the boy's level. "Don't try to be great. Try to be alive. The jungle doesn't care about greatness."
The boy nodded seriously. "I'll remember."
---
The ninth customer was a priest.
A woman in white robes, with kind eyes and steady hands. She was the same priest who had healed Lena.
"I came to thank you," she said. "For saving Lena. For employing her. For giving her hope."
Ren shook his head. "She saved herself. I just gave her a chance."
"You gave her more than a chance. You gave her a future." The priest placed a small wooden box on the counter. "A gift. From the temple."
Ren opened the box. Inside was a pendant—a silver arrow on a leather cord.
"It's blessed," the priest said. "For protection."
Ren touched the pendant. It was warm.
"Thank you."
"No. Thank you."
---
The sun was setting when the last customer left.
Lena closed the register. Kite put away the broom. Mica closed the ledger. Finn locked the display case.
"Fifteen hundred JC today," Lena said. "Another good week."
Ren leaned against the counter. "We're doing well."
"We're doing more than well. We're building something."
Ren looked around the shop. At the shelves of arrows. At the display case. At the counter where Lena stood. At the walls where Kite had hung the bows.
This is what Old Sol wanted. Not revenge. This.
"Go home," Ren said. "Your mother is waiting."
Lena smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow."
She walked out of the shop, into the twilight.
---
Ren climbed the stairs to his room.
He stood on the balcony, looking at the stars. The jungle breathed in the distance.
He opened his system screen.
Level: 44. XP: 95/740.
Jungle Coins: 37,403 + 1,500 = 38,903.
Lifespan remaining: 349 years.
Next target: Root Dragon (level 480).
He closed the screen.
Not yet. I need more time.
He went inside. Lay down on his bed. The roof didn't leak.
The jungle breathed.
Ren closed his eyes.
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End of Chapter 31
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