Deeply intrigued by the unique effects that Engines could produce, Andrew didn't hesitate to visit the toy store located next to the subway station on Sixth Street.
As the toy store's door opened, a girl with a black bob, a yellow beanie, and a pair of overalls styled like a Bangboo waved cheerfully at Andrew and said:
"Welcome! We've got new items in stock today! Come take a look, it doesn't hurt to look!"
After blurting out the reflexive welcome she gave all customers, the girl, Susie, got a clear look at Andrew, and her eyes instantly lit up. She clapped her hands together and said:
"Ah! You're the friend Wise said was coming to buy toys!"
Her previous beaming smile returned as she said:
"I can't believe you're the owner of that new Starlight Smithy, huh? I work at the toy store every day, so I haven't had a chance to formally meet you yet!"
The girl extended her hand, offering a handshake, while her mouth didn't stop for a second:
"Wise mentions you a lot when he comes to the toy store to play! I've been wanting to meet you for a while!"
'Such a familiar tone with Wise... and then there's Elfy, the video store owner who went to such great lengths to fix Wise's records...'
Looking at the energetic girl before him, Andrew waved back in greeting.
Seeing Susie's happy reaction at the mention of Wise, Andrew felt he had stumbled upon a critical piece of information.
'No way! Is my future brother-in-law the one who's really been hiding his game?!'
But as a good friend, he wouldn't be the one to expose this kind of thing.
If he was going to expose it, it had to be when he could watch the dramatic showdown unfold!
However, Susie had no idea what Andrew was thinking. She quickly lowered her voice and said conspiratorially:
"Since you're Wise's friend, I'll give you the employee discount! Don't tell anyone else, okay? This is the first time I've done this for anyone besides Wise!"
"Thanks so much for that."
"Hehe, don't mention it. You're Wise's friend, after all."
Then, as if remembering something, Susie turned her head and said:
"Andrew, what kind of toy are you looking to buy? I can give you some recommendations!"
In response to Susie's curiosity, Andrew replied naturally:
"I'm looking to buy some general-purpose model Engine toys."
"Huh? Not many people buy the Engine toys. Besides, the boss says they're only sold to specific enthusiasts! But since you're Wise's friend, the boss will definitely agree."
With that, Susie immediately scampered back into the toy store, and Andrew followed her in with a casual expression.
Soon, Susie returned to the front of the store with a large pile of various spherical machines, saying happily:
"The boss agreed, just as I thought! Here are all the models we have in the store. Take your pick based on what you like!"
Nodding, Andrew began to pick up the Engines one by one and read their instruction manuals.
Although there were many high-quality Engines, Andrew only wanted to buy them for experiments; he needed quantity, not quality.
So, he didn't even glance at the high-quality, A-rank Engines. Instead, he was extremely interested in the B-rank Engines that were clearly mass-produced from a template.
After all, template-based production implied universality and standardization.
For someone intending to study them, this was the most suitable option.
Soon, he had grabbed one of each: "Identity - Variant," "Electromagnetic Burst - Type II," "Reverberation - Industrial Model," and so on.
Seeing Andrew buy so many Engines, Susie scratched her head in confusion and said:
"The people who came to buy Engine toys before only ever bought one. This is the first time I've seen someone like you, Andrew, buying so many at once."
Having been reminded by Wise that Susie didn't know the true purpose of the Engines, Andrew just smiled lightly and said:
"Well, I'm a completionist-type collector. I'm just buying them to add to my collection."
Susie immediately nodded, showing she completely understood his reasoning.
After all, for a toy store employee, completionist collectors were the most common kind of customer. One more in Andrew was perfectly normal.
After Susie packed up all the Engines, and subtracted one that the boss said was a gift, Andrew's finances took another significant hit.
Looking at his rapidly thinning wallet, Andrew couldn't help but lament that money really does flow like water.
"Should I find some time to earn some extra cash from the Public Security Bureau again?"
After a moment of thought, Andrew abandoned the tempting idea.
Anyway, he would earn a good sum once the commission was over. Besides, living off bounties wasn't a long-term solution by any means.
The smithy existed to provide a place for experiments and for forging gear. As for making money...
Let's just say it was an extra, much like Belle and Wise's video store.
He built his smithy for armor and weapons, while the siblings opened their store because they love watching videotapes. Both were cases of turning a hobby into a public-facing main business to serve as a cover.
As for their real main business?
That would be Proxy and agent, of course.
Andrew lined up the Engines he bought from the toy store in front of him. Each type and color possessed its own unique effect.
With the sound of a rhythmic beat, the "Gray Ember - Cobalt" Engine in Andrew's hand activated.
From its triangular holes, a surge of Ether energy was converted by the rhythm into a quietly burning ball of cobalt blue flame.
The flame was dark and beautiful. The corresponding instruction manual specifically warned to keep a distance from it and not to touch it.
Another one, named "Identity - Standard," was completely different.
This one was somewhat similar to Caesar's Engine, which could grant people a shield. Its unique rhythm could enhance the user's defensive capabilities.
If the user didn't meet this Engine's screening criteria, then carrying it would be about as effective as trying to fight while struggling to hold up a giant shield.
And these so-called screening criteria, as Andrew discovered through his trials, were actually a requirement for one's combat rhythm.
Beyond the musical rhythm, this Engine even had unique requirements for the speed and tempo of combat.
If the user's rhythm didn't match the Engine's musical rhythm, the original buff would reverse and become a hindrance.
Every other Engine had its own unique characteristics.
Their very unique operating logic greatly piqued Andrew's interest.
This method of energy conversion was highly unusual, reminding Andrew of the different elemental attributes attached to Hunter weapons.
But he soon discovered that the two had many similarities.
Materials from monsters function by converting the energy they absorbed into different elemental energies for attacks, but Engines were different.
They convert Ether energy into common, ordinary forms of energy through music of different rhythms, and then use that converted ordinary energy to attack.
____
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