Dew

Dew is the main currency, used in Afterimage.

There are several ways to get Dew:

Enemies will drop Dew (and the rate can be increased using specialized equipment)
There are certain crystals found throughout the map that drop Dew when destroyed
Selling items (ingredients, duplicate equipment and valuables).

What can Dew be used for:

Buying items from vendors (equipment, ingredients, potions, abilities or talent points)
Creating dishes (this will require also the ingredients necessary)

Spoilers ahead
The following article/section might contains spoilers about Dew.

Lore[]

The Dews are crystals of life-force, created by creatures known as Cloudworms. These creatures are Hemi-Goliaths created by Luca and are governed by the Anemo Goliath.