NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 15: Strange Usernames
Adam leaned against a wooden stall, his sharp eyes scanning the various supplies laid out before him.
The town was alive with activity, adventurers moving between shops, merchants shouting deals, and the faint clang of blacksmiths hammering away at new gear.
Before making any purchases, he mentally pulled up his system interface.
[Gold: 21]
It wasn't much...
But for a first dive into the tower, it was a solid amount.
Most first-timers barely walked away with 2 gold... Let alone 21 gold.
Still, he needed to be careful.
Lesser orcs weren't like goblins.
If they pushed themselves too hard, running out of mana or stamina in the middle of a fight could be fatal.
His first priority was ensuring they had what they needed to keep going.
At a nearby alchemist's shop, he picked up several vials of Stamina Recovery Elixir
A cheap but effective potion that could keep them moving in prolonged fights.
He also bought a few Lesser Mana Restoration Potions, which wouldn't fully replenish their reserves but would give them enough energy to cast a few more spells when needed.
The alchemist, a short, wiry man with ink-stained fingers, smirked as he packed the bottles.
"Stocking up for another round in the tower? That's good. Most newbies run themselves dry and end up getting carried back half-dead."
Adam simply nodded, handing over the gold without a word.
Next, he made his way to the general store, where he grabbed Scent-Masking Powder.
A fine gray dust that could suppress their natural scent, making it harder for orcs to track them.
It wasn't foolproof, but combined with careful movement, it would buy them time before being detected.
After securing those, he stopped by an armorer's stall, eyeing a set of light reinforced bracers.
They were made from a mix of treated leather and iron plating, offering just enough protection without adding too much weight.
Elara needed something like this...
Her fighting style relied on speed, but she also needed a way to deflect attacks if she couldn't dodge in time.
He tested the flexibility, then nodded at the blacksmith.
Adam adjusted the strap of his pack, glancing around the bustling market.
With most of the essentials taken care of, he weighed his remaining options.
The stalls were filled with adventurers bartering, merchants shouting deals, and blacksmiths hammering away at fresh equipment.
The air smelled of metal, leather, and faint traces of alchemical ingredients.
His gaze settled on a small, well-kept shop nestled between a weapon smithy and a general goods store...
The magic supply shop.
If there was one thing that could turn a bad situation around, it was a single-use Barrier Scroll.
An emergency defense could mean the difference between life and death, especially against unpredictable orc ambushes.
He stepped inside.
The scent of parchment and old magic filled the air.
Shelves were lined with enchanted trinkets, spell-infused gems, and aged tomes.
Behind the counter, a tired-looking man in deep-blue robes flicked through a ledger, barely looking up.
"Need something?"
The shopkeeper muttered, not bothering with formalities.
Adam walked up to the counter, his fingers drumming lightly against the wood.
"How much for a Barrier Scroll?"
The shopkeeper sighed and turned the ledger toward Adam, pointing at a neatly written price tag.
15 Gold.
Adam exhaled sharply. "
That's... a lot."
The price was reasonable though.
Magic-infused items weren't cheap, especially defensive ones.
But he had just spent the last of his gold...
He glanced at the empty spot in his system's balance.
[Gold: 0]
Well, that was unfortunate.
As he considered his options, a notification popped up in the corner of his vision.
[TheIsekaiKing: 15 gold? I don't have much right now... but here, have this.]
[TheIsekaiKing has donated 5 gold.]
[NLE_immortal is observing your actions.]
Adam blinked.
He had nearly forgotten the livestream was still running.
He tapped open the chat window briefly, watching as comments scrolled past.
'For someone with the title King of Reincarnation, you sure have little gold reserves...'
He chuckled at the thought but sent a quick message back.
[Streamer, The Chosen Conduit, appreciates the donation]
Still, even with the donation, he was short...
He needed ten more gold.
His gaze shifted to the other notification— NLE_immortal is observing your actions.
He frowned slightly.
The Isekai King and this NLe_immortal's usernames were quite odd...
Adam scrolled back through the chat logs.
He hadn't noticed before, but when TheIsekaiKing and NLE_immortal joined, the system mentioned something peculiar.
[Viewer "TheIsekaiKing" has joined from a very distant universe.]
[Viewer "NLE_immortal" has joined from a very distant universe.]
That was strange.
Normally, when a viewer joined, the system would list a specific universe.
For example, one of his frequent viewers, FrogEater, always appeared with a tag:
[FrogEater has joined from the Green Swamp Universe.]
But these two?
No universe was named.
Just a vague description...
'First a king of reincarnation... now an immortal.'
Adam found himself rubbing his chin, thinking it over.
And what was with the way their usernames were placed in?
NLE_immortal... Underscores, no spaces.
That wasn't a common format...
He'd never seen that before, not even in his past life.
Most usernames in the system had normal spacing... Like [Knight of Rose], or [Inheritor of Dust]...
But underscores?
That was new...
Not to mention, NLE—what did that even mean?
Some kind of abbreviation?
A small shiver ran down his spine.
He wasn't sure why, but something about this felt... off.
Still, he had much more important things to do right now...
Adam exhaled, his gaze drifting back to the barrier Scroll resting on the merchant's display stand.
He was still short on gold...
A single-use spell of that caliber could be a lifesaver, but the price was steep.
He checked his system balance again, as if hoping the numbers would miraculously change.
[Gold Balance: 5]
No luck. He was still short.
Just as he was considering giving up on it, a notification flashed across his vision.
[NLE_immortal pities you.]
[NLE_immortal has donated 15 gold coins.]
Adam's lips twitched at the wording.
'Pities?'
The donation was generous, sure, but did they really have to phrase it like that?
A message quickly followed in the livestream chat.
[Frog Eater: What's with your title... a-are you actually an immortal?]
[NLE_immortal ignores Frog Eater.]
[TheIsekaiKing: I personally think it's better to be a normal human being than to be an immortal...]
[TheIsekaiKing: At the very least, I won't have to worry about constantly making new identification cards while living.]
Adam blinked.
One strange viewer didn't like talking, while the other rambled too much about so many things...
These odd usernamed viewers sure had personality...
He tapped his fingers against his arm, debating whether or not to use his [Permanent Copy] ability on them.
It was a rare skill, one that could permanently replicate an ability from a viewer, but only if he chose carefully.
The idea was tempting.
If NLE_immortal was truly immortal...
And if TheIsekaiKing was truly a king of reincarnation, these kinds of power could be invaluable...
But he quickly shook the thought away.
'I don't know anything about them or their abilities…'
He reminded himself.
'Plus, I already have some target viewers in mind. I know they're still here on the first floor...'
He wasn't about to waste an ability on someone he barely understood.
Even in his past life, reckless decisions had never led to good outcomes.
With a sigh, he reached forward and picked up the Barrier Scroll, handing over the gold.
Whatever the case, at least he had what he came for.
And if those two strange viewers kept watching...
He might just figure out what they really were.