Everything else is the same.
Bai Ye's Frost Condensation Sword had noticeable nicks on its blade from being struck, which would eventually lead to its breakage if it continued to be used.
Similarly, every shot from the Pulse Double Guns caused wear on the barrels, and they would be scrapped after prolonged use.
However, these issues were not insurmountable.
The Black Order uniforms could be patched up and worn for another year.
The Frost Condensation Sword could be repaired by a blacksmith, provided one had matching quality ores.
The Pulse Double Guns could have their barrels replaced by visiting the Future Technology Zone.
Of course, it was a hassle.
Beyond the inconvenience, Bai Ye didn't believe these items would accompany him forever. As he grew stronger, he would eventually find better equipment, so he never paid much attention to these matters.
Jin Sha continued, "Steel Slime possesses the characteristic of a slime, so no matter what form it takes, it will revert to its original state, with no wear and tear. This means that after using Steel Slime to consume those items, you can use them permanently without any worries, as they will never break from wear."
Bai Ye pondered for a moment and said, "That is quite convenient."
As Bai Ye spoke, he shrugged his shoulders.
It was merely a matter of convenience.
Jin Sha said, "There's another point, though it's my conjecture."
Bai Ye asked, "Conjecture?"
Jin Sha explained, "Steel Slime's initial quality is White. However, the description states that its quality can be improved by consuming items. This means that as it consumes more things, its quality will increase. So, when Steel Slime becomes Green, Blue, Black, Red, and Gold quality, could it possibly gain effects? For instance, enhancing the power of consumed items, or giving these items new abilities?"
"That's an interesting conjecture," Bai Ye said with a flicker of interest. "And it seems quite plausible. Items that can improve quality are rare, and they usually turn out to be good. However, there are issues, such as the upgrade cap. If the cap is reached when White quality becomes Green quality, then it wouldn't be very meaningful, and there wouldn't be any significant effects from quality improvement."
Jin Sha replied, "We'll only know by trying."
"Exactly," Bai Ye explained. "But the reason I'm not overly concerned is that this item originates from the Glory Arena. People don't die there, so there are almost no good items. Usually, rewards are proportional to risk. If you don't want to take risks but want good things, how is that possible? Unless you spend a huge amount of time in the Glory Arena and exchange it for Glory Points. In that case, time is also a form of investment. However, you mentioned you wouldn't be staying there for long, which means Steel Slime isn't an item obtained through point exchange, but a competitive reward."
Bai Ye spread his hands. What good could competitive rewards bring?
Jin Sha said, "What if this competition isn't a regular one?"
Bai Ye asked curiously, "Oh?"
Jin Sha elaborated, "All competitive events within the Glory Arena have no entry restrictions. But this one is different; it requires a ticket to enter. I acquired my first ticket through purchase, and it took me six days to complete a hidden quest for the second one, even losing two Beast Companions in the process. Furthermore, there are other strict participation conditions. It's only open for seven days, and only two days remain. There's also a participant limit; even with a ticket, one person alone isn't enough."
"The difficulty of obtaining tickets is not low, there's a time limit, and a participant limit. In that case, it's indeed possible that it might be a good item," Bai Ye said. "What is the event?"
Jin Sha replied, "Football."
"Ah!"
Bai Ye wiped a bead of sweat. Asking him to play football? That didn't sound right.
In his home country, football was a barren land. The biggest skill of their football players wasn't kicking the ball but juggling it, and when their kidneys gave out, they'd eat some sea cucumber.
Jin Sha's tone grew somewhat anxious. "Bai Ye, I genuinely believe this item is worth obtaining. And after tonight, there are only two days left. This is a golden opportunity that won't come again. If you don't have anything particularly important to do, like being inside the forbidden zone, I think we should really give it a try."
Bai Ye considered it. Although he had a hidden quest, it was a chain quest, and the content involved finding clues, not combat. Mu Lan needed to write a letter to Chang'an to inquire about mechanical beings, which wouldn't yield an answer anytime soon. Therefore, there was no immediate rush.
Bai Ye looked at the ticket and said, "Alright, let's give it a try then."
Jin Sha smiled and said, "If you use your Glory Arena ticket, you can come over directly."
Bai Ye nodded and replied, "Okay!"
Bai Ye picked up the ticket and selected "use" from his inventory.
Soon, a white light enveloped Bai Ye's body, and after a moment, he vanished from within the tent.
The white light lasted for about half a minute before gradually dissipating, and the surrounding scenery became clear again.
It was a vast white hall. The walls, ceiling, and floor were all white, made of a material resembling resin, possessing both a magical and futuristic technological style.
"Bai Ye!"
At this moment, Jin Sha's voice sounded from behind Bai Ye.
Bai Ye turned around and saw Jin Sha sitting on a chair on the side of the hall.
Bai Ye walked over and asked, "Is this the Glory Arena of the Beast Companion Zone?"
"Yes, a Beast Companion Zone filled with digital Beast Companions," Jin Sha said with a smile. "If I weren't aiming to get Steel Slime, my current target would be a Beast Companion called WarGreymon."
"WarGreymon?" Bai Ye nodded. "I know that guy. He's quite strong, a Black quality Beast Companion, and he has an ultimate form to evolve into."
Jin Sha asked curiously, "Have you been here before?"
"No!"
Bai Ye added mentally: But I've gotten it from a gashapon machine.
"I've seen someone use it," Bai Ye replied. "And there's MetalGarurumon and the like, right?"
Jin Sha was surprised. "That one is also hard to get, Black quality with an ultimate form. Someone actually managed to get it?"
Bai Ye nodded, recalling his fight with Adam. "He's indeed a tough opponent, but you don't need to worry about falling behind."
Jin Sha asked, "Why?"
Bai Ye said, "I killed him."
Jin Sha: "..."
That was a statement that couldn't be refuted.
"Let's go, we have business to discuss," Jin Sha said speechlessly, then pointed to a row of counters on the side. "I'll explain the rules of Death Football to you first."
...