It was Monday again.
A full week had passed since the demon invasion at Oakhaven Academy. The school remained closed. Its damaged structures were still undergoing repair. Its staff and students were still reeling from the unexpected assault.
Jester spent almost the entire day practicing. He focused on his Rogue movements. Perfecting evasive maneuvers and striking techniques. Against imaginary foes in his backyard.
He ran through a series of exercises. Ones designed to build endurance and agility. His body responded with newfound precision. Thanks to his Soulheart Awakening and Glitch Empowerment.
He also practiced with his two weapons. [Thunder Nunchaku] and [Lightning Spear]. Improving his control and accuracy over the two forms of his single weapon.
During the break, he finally used his desktop computer again. It had been untouched since the invasion. The events of that day truly carved a deep scar into his usual easygoing demeanor.
The reason for its current use was purely practical. To transfer the video data file Cammy had collected this week.
The small, semi-sentient camera had been diligently recording all of Nightclown's Toonworld adventures. Including his recent, relentless grinding in the North Dungeon.
He connected Cammy. And simply watched the progress bar fill. He knew he should edit his footages. Throwing away unnecessary recordings. The recording files took too much space in his current computer's hard disk.
He didn't do that though. It would take too much time. Time he could use to strengthen himself.
...
Later that evening, exactly an hour before midnight, Jester entered Toonworld again.
He stood once more as Nightclown. This time, he was in his tree stump house. The simple yet cozy and cartoonish interior was a stark contrast to his mundane room in Sherra.
He looked out of the window. Sunlight spilled through the leafy canopy outside. Rendered in vibrant, flat colors. It was already mid morning in Toon Forest Village.
He went out of the house. Cammy was hovering silently beside his head. Its lens was glinting.
The village was bustling. Toons, anthropomorphic animals of all shapes and sizes, went about their daily routines. With exaggerated movements and sound effects that were completely natural here.
A chubby pig baker in white apron flung a fresh loaf of bread high into the air. Where it stretched comically before landing perfectly in a customer's basket.
A lean, lanky giraffe mailman zipped past on his bike. Leaving a trail of cartoon dust clouds. Letters magically appearing in mailboxes as he passed.
Two squirrel kids engaged in a frantic chase up a tree. Their legs were blurring into spirals.
A beaver carpenter hammered a nail with a mallet. One that grew ridiculously large with each swing. Shrinking back to normal size only after the nail was embedded. With a satisfying BONK.
The air was filled with a harmony of cheerful greetings. And exaggerated laughter. And the distinctive boing-boing-boing of a spring-legged kangaroo bouncing down the main path.
Everything was slightly absurd, relentlessly upbeat, and profoundly animated.
Cammy's red eye blinked rhythmically. Recording every ridiculous detail.
Nightclown watched it all. A small, knowing smirk playing on his muzzle. This world, for all its silliness, was now a vital part of his power.
He walked past a few shops. Noting the bright signs and the unique architecture. First, he went to Mr. Gorhammer's Smithy. The building was dark and silent. It was still closed. An unusual occurrence given the morning hour. He made a mental note to return later.
So, he checked Mr. Croaker's Spell Store instead. This one was open. The mushroom-like building beckoned him. With its glowing windows and swirling magical aura.
He pushed open the door. Emitting a DOINGG! sound.
Inside, Mr. Croaker, the green and portly anthropomorphic frog, was behind a counter. One cluttered with scrolls, potions in bubbling vials, and arcane trinkets.
He was still wearing his flowing, deep-purple robe. Adorned with silver moon and star designs. And the tall, conical wizard hat.
"Ribbit!" Mr. Croaker croaked. He adjusted his conical wizard hat. His large eyes blinking slowly. "Ah, Young Hare! Back so soon? Or should I say, still so soon? Time in Toonworld can be a tricky business, eh?"
Nightclown hopped onto a stool. Cammy was hovering patiently.
"Good morning, Mr. Croaker. I hope business is good." He got straight to the point. "I was wondering if you had any skill tomes that could be used by someone with glitch energy, like me."
Mr. Croaker stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Glitch, you say? Eldritch power, eh? Not really my specialty. Most of my tomes, indeed, are calibrated for the more common mana." He gestured vaguely at a shelf filled with glowing books.
"But..." He paused. Croaking with a conspiratorial grin. "I do keep a small, specialized collection for those who dabble in the... unusual."
He reached under his counter and pulled out a different scroll. He rolled it open. Showing a short list of tomes. The text flickered slightly, accompanied by faint static.
"Here it is, Young Hare." Mr. Croaker announced. Tapping the ethereal list with a clawed finger.
The list floated clearly before Nightclown's eyes...
o Angel Summoning Tome: Ultimate spell for summoning magic. Price: 2,000,000 coins.
o Town Gate Tome: Useful magic book for advanced spatial spell. Price: 500,000 coins.
o Blink Tome: Useful magic book for medium spatial spell. Price: 30,000 coins.
o Camouflage Tome: Decent magic book for basic invisibility spell. Price: 5,000 coins.
Nightclown quickly scanned the options.
Angel Summoning was clearly out of his price range. Town Gate was also too expensive. And while powerful, it wasn't immediately necessary for his current goals. He hadn't even leave the first Toon Village.
Blink would be incredibly useful for a Rogue. Allowing for quick evasions or initiations. But 30,000 coins was still a significant investment.
Then there was Camouflage. The price, 5,000 coins, was manageable. And an invisibility spell, even a basic one, was perfectly aligned with his chosen Power Class. Rogues thrived on stealth and surprise.
"I'll take the Camouflage Tome." Nightclown stated decisively. Pulling out a pouch of coins he had accumulated from his dungeon delves. A few clinks later, the exact amount was counted out onto the counter.
Mr. Croaker's eyes twinkled. "Excellent choice, Young Hare! A staple for the cunning. A boon for the unseen."
He took the coins. And waved a hand over the glowing list. The entry for Camouflage Tome dissolved into sparkling pixels. A small, slightly glitching tome, materialized on the counter.
Nightclown picked up the tome. It felt cool and heavy in his paw. He didn't hesitate. He immediately used it. The tome dissolved into a shower of purple and green pixels. One that swirled around him before being absorbed into his very being.
A system notification flashed brightly in his vision...
[Spell Learned!]
[Spell Acquired: Hide!]
He immediately opened his status panel to check the details of his new acquisition.
[Spell: Hide!]
[Energy Type: Mana or Glitch]
[Spell Type: Toggleable Spell]
[Effect: Use 5% of Glitch Energy to visually camouflage the user. Broken when detected by hostile creatures.]
[Note: Fast movement, sound, or smell could make the user detectable.]
Just as expected. A solid, practical utility spell for a Rogue. The 'visual camouflage' part implied it wasn't true invisibility. But rather a blending effect. Making him difficult to discern.
The breaking condition made sense. Preventing it from being an overpowered ability for stealth. The note about movement, sound, and smell added further layers of realism. Or rather, Toonworld realism.
He could easily manage these limitations. A grin spread across his face. This would be invaluable in the dungeons.
Nightclown thanked Mr. Croaker. And left the Spell Store. The DOINGG! sound echoing behind him.
He looked towards Mr. Gorhammer's Smithy. This time, a thick plume of smoke billowed from its chimney. And the rhythmic CLANG-CLANG-CLANG of a hammer on metal emanated from within. It was already opened.
He entered the smithy. The air was thick with the smell of hot metal and charcoal. Mr. Gorhammer, the muscled gorilla blacksmith, was at his anvil. Sparks were flying as he hammered a glowing piece of steel.
"Bunny Boy! Back again, eh?" Mr. Gorhammer's voice was deep. He set aside his hammer. Wiping his brow with a forearm the size of Nightclown's torso. "What do you need today?"
"Good morning, Mr. Gorhammer." Nightclown replied. "I have a material I found recently. A [Webstone]. I was wondering if you could build anything with it." He presented the shimmering, sticky-looking stone.
Mr. Gorhammer took the [Webstone] in his huge, calloused hand. Turning it over. He sniffed at it. Poked it. Even touched it to his tongue for a moment. He then grimaced slightly.
"Hmph. Interesting material, this." He said. "Strong, stretchy, certainly has... character. I could definitely work with something like this. But, building something useful from a raw material isn't just about the smithy work. It requires a blueprint, a schematic to follow. I have no confidence making such blueprint for a new material like this."
He handed the [Webstone] back. "I think only a mechanic or an engineer could make such a blueprint. And, sadly, none of those specialized Toons are in our village at the moment. Perhaps you'll find one on your travels?"
Nightclown nodded, understanding. It was a reasonable limitation. He'd keep an eye out for such a Toon.
"Understood, Mr. Gorhammer. Then, I have another question. I'm looking into expanding my combat options. Do you have any ranged weapons available?"