Chapter 143: Champ Goes Shopping

Words : 1033 Updated : Sep 21st, 2025

Chapter 143: Champ Goes ShoppingHal’s eyes glimmered as he arrived on the street full of open-front shops. Hundreds, if not thousands, of Manatech Motorcycles in various brands, colors, and designs were on display, beckoning those with the means to buy their own. Hal, ever the enthusiast, found himself nearly losing his mind at the sight. He wandered deeper into the abyss of Third Street. As he looked around, he noticed hoverboards for sale as well and, upon regaining a bit of his composure, briefly considered buying one instead. They were cheaper than motorcycles, after all. ’Damn it, calm down!’ Hal reprimanded himself, taking another deep breath to control his urges. He would be swindled if he continued with his dumb and overexcited look. ’Thirty gold coins, not one copper coin more...’ he reminded himself. Hal could only spend half on transportation, as the other twenty-eight gold coins were already reserved for his mom’s rent and necessities. He could either rent her a small house for four gold coins per month in Aeloria or a room in a decent hotel for two, though Hal leaned more to the latter, despite it being double the price. His mother would have more peace with a house of her own, after all. He also believed she preferred the first choice. In any case, he planned to ask her first. "W-Wakasaki..." Hal muttered upon spotting the "W" insignia of one of the four famous brands for entry-level Manatech Motorcycles, cursing shortly after: "What the hell... why does it look like a butt? Whoever designed that abhorrent thing should be fired, no?" Hal still entered the shop, though, feigning composure. He did a pretty good job this time. One of the staff members eyed him due to his age, but upon seeing his nonchalant expression and nice outfit, which he had spent thirty silver coins on and carefully prepared for this very moment, the salesman concluded that he was probably from a prominent wizardry clan. The way he occasionally shook his head in apparent disappointment only reinforced that assumption. They hated serving such brats. What’s more, those types despised recommendations, always insisting that the salespeople were treating them like idiots. This was how Hal gained the freedom to look around. Unbeknownst to the staff members, he was shaking his head at the darned prices. The cheapest he had seen so far was twenty-eight gold coins, and the design wasn’t even close to his taste. ’No rush, no rush...’ Hal continued looking around. He spotted a few cool-looking ones, but they cost thirty-five gold coins and up, and that was without insurance. ’Aihh... and I still need one gold coin for a decent-looking helmet...’ Two, if he wanted one with a killer design. In the end, Hal could only leave the Wakasaki Shop for now and check out the others. He also entered the shops of the three other prominent brands—Hando, Suzoke, and Mahaya. Unfortunately, the prices were more or less the same, since the top four brands were competing fiercely in the entry-level category. The cheapest one he found that suited his taste was thirty-three gold and fifty silver coins. ’Damn it...’ Unwilling to give up, Hal entered the shops of the lesser-known brands. Unfortunately, while their designs were impressive, the Manatech parts left much to be desired. They were significantly slower compared to the models sold by the top four brands. Hal exited another shop and took a deep breath. ’Should I do it?’ He had already checked the hoverboards, and one that was large enough, with enough power and space to carry him, his mother, and Loki, would cost even more than the motorcycles he wanted. ’Argh... but I also need the easy-detach sidecar if I want to bring both Mother and Loki on one trip...’ That would cost him an additional five gold coins should he choose a motorcycle. ’Damn it, in the end, I still don’t have enough money?’ he cursed in frustration, walking along the vast sidewalks of Third Street with a slightly dejected look. It was then he overheard something: "Brother, is there a twelve-month installment plan for this bad boy?" asked a rather muscular middle-aged man, accompanied by a voluptuous young woman. "Hello, sir!" greeted the approaching salesman, rubbing his hands together in barely concealed excitement. "Of course! Quite a few, in fact. Please come inside so I can explain them to you." These commoners who couldn’t pay in full were his favorite customers. Meanwhile, Hal’s ears twitched slightly, and his eyes narrowed. ’Installment plan?’ He didn’t have the cash now. However, with his bright future, paying off a loan wouldn’t be a problem. Probably... He walked closer, pretending to browse the motorcycles while actually listening in on the conversation. According to the salesman, there were four options—two of which had minimal interest rates. Three percent per month, to be exact. But only if payments were made on time. ’Hoh, a six- and nine-month payment plan sounds good, but a one-year plan would be easier to manage...’ Hal did some quick calculations. The interest rates on the one- and two-year plans were horrendous. Furthermore, there was a catch. Unlike the six- and nine-month plans, those options didn’t allow the borrower to pay everything off early, even if they suddenly got the cash. Hal was so invested that he kept up the act until the end of the transaction, when the middle-aged man rubbed his hands together as his brand-new Wakasaki Ironhog III was brought out from the back and the keys were handed to him. The staff also took a commemorative photo with the customer who had signed up for a juicy two-year installment plan. Truly, one of the best customers they’d had that month. Ten minutes later, the man drove off with the voluptuous woman riding at the back, leaving Hal envious. "Aihh... what am I doing..." Hal sighed inwardly. There was no need to rush into buying a motorcycle if he still couldn’t afford it... At most, he’d just have to wait a few more months. He could then pay in full. ’Yes... let’s go with the wiser decision...’

Chapter 143: Champ Goes Shopping

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