Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Black Bread Bliss
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He placed his hand on the status window to distribute his bonus points. But his hand wouldn't move easily.
"How should I raise them?"
He had no intention of becoming the strongest in the game. His goal was purely food and scenery, after all.
Still, higher stats would make it easier to get what he wanted. There was no downside to getting stronger.
But he didn't agonize over it for long.
"Strategy Guide. How should I allocate these?"
【The player's primary weapon is a gun. Typical Gunners who use guns invest heavily in Dexterity, which affects accuracy. You should also pay attention to Agility, which influences speed and reflexes. Additionally, due to the recoil setting for guns, the required Strength to wield the weapon is considerable.】
"So, invest the bonus points in Strength, Dexterity, and Agility?"
【You should invest a little in basic HP as well. Above all, for a Gunner who uses guns, I recommend learning Alchemy to craft guns and bullets with special effects. That will require investing points in Intelligence and MP.】
"What? That means investing in most stats, doesn't it? Bonus points aren't enough... No, wait."
He shook his head.
"That's why there are things like 'First to Discover a Dungeon.'"
Collecting those would allow him to raise his stats quite a bit.
"What's this designated stat thing?"
【You can add 30 points to the stat you designate. As described, it can be changed once per day.】
"Alright. Taking your advice, how should I raise my stats right now?"
【I recommend investing 2 in Strength, 12 in Agility, and 7 in Vitality. Based on the evaluation of your mock battle performance, your current stats are sufficient for combat, so for the designated stat, I suggest adding it to Luck for now to increase the drop rate of money and items. Alchemy isn't necessary yet, so raise it later.】
"Didn't you say I need to raise Dexterity a lot?"
【Given your current skill level, there's no need to raise Dexterity for the time being.】
He distributed the points according to the Strategy Guide's advice.
Lv 3 (Exp 6 / 30)
HP - 34 / MP - 0
Strength - 12
Vitality - 17
Agility - 22
Dexterity ? 10
Intelligence - 10
Magic Power - 0
Luck ? 10(+30)
Bonus Points ? 0
※ Traits
Savior's Blessing: Designated stat +30 (changeable once per day)
He could see the stats had changed. Closing the status window, he picked up his gun.
"Alright, time to start hunting."
It was time to take action for the joy of his taste buds.
* * *
The dungeon was cave-like.
Squeak!
After walking a bit, he heard a sharp sound. A Giant Sewer Rat, like the ones he'd hunted in the tutorial, appeared.
"Not a Red-Eyed Giant Sewer Rat."
He felt a little disappointed.
Squeeeak!
Was that its battle cry? The Giant Sewer Rat charged at him surprisingly fast for its kind. But his response to the charge was the indifferently aimed gun barrel.
Bang!
A loud report echoed as the Giant Sewer Rat collapsed with a thud. A neat hole was punched right between its eyes.
[Critical hit!]
The system announced the info in a flat voice.
He glanced at the gun barrel.
"Feels like my aiming is subtly faster. Is this the effect of raising Agility?"
It seemed to be the benefit of the stat increase.
Reloading his bullets, he approached the dead Giant Sewer Rat sprawled on the ground. He nudged the corpse with his toe. It twitched, then vanished, leaving two small bundles in its place.
"These are the drop items, huh."
The moment he picked them up, the bundles disappeared.
[Obtained 1 gold.]
[Obtained 'Giant Sewer Rat's Incisor.']
One was money, the other an item. Opening his inventory, he saw his currency had increased, and a tooth-shaped icon had appeared in one slot.
He tapped the tooth icon to take it out.
[Giant Sewer Rat's Incisor]
The incisor a Giant Sewer Rat typically uses to attack enemies. It's hard and sharp.
The description was so plain it was almost pathetic. With a disinterested look, he put the tooth back in his inventory.
It didn't look valuable at all. This must be what gaming magazines called "junk items."
Above all...
"Doesn't look edible."
If it was going to drop something, at least drop meat. Grumbling inwardly, he resumed moving.
After taking down a few more Giant Sewer Rats, he counted his remaining bullets.
"Combat's easy, but bullets are the issue."
Moreover, the money from the rats barely covered one bullet. The items from two so far were just some junk and 2 gold.
Even selling the junk, he wouldn't know the exact profit yet, but just looking at the cash drops, it was tight—not enough for black bread, let alone bullets.
"What should I do?"
He immediately consulted the Strategy Guide.
【To improve hunting efficiency, you need to face slightly stronger monsters. Hunt sewer rats with colored eyes, including the 'Red-Eyed Giant Sewer Rat.' It's possible with your current skill.】
"Guess that's the way."
Gripping his gun, he prowled the dungeon again. Rounding a corner in one passage, his eyes lit up.
"Found it!"
A large rat with blood-red glowing eyes squeaked menacingly. The Red-Eyed Giant Sewer Rat he encountered was indeed different from the regular ones.
The blood-red eyes were most striking, but it was much bulkier too. Its fur had a reddish tint, and its incisors looked even more threatening.
He heightened his tension. Carefully aiming his gun at the Red-Eyed Giant Sewer Rat.
"Killing this guy drops the hairpin, right?"
【Yes. However, compared to other items, the hairpin drop rate is low. The rare item drop chance depends on your Luck stat.】
"I see."
Squeak!
Right as the Strategy Guide finished explaining, the Red-Eyed Giant Sewer Rat charged at perfect timing.
"Definitely faster than a regular Giant Sewer Rat."
The aimed barrel slowly tracked the Red-Eyed Giant Sewer Rat.
Bang!
The barrel spat fire. The bullet slammed into its forehead as if sucked in.
Squeeeeak!
A harsh death cry echoed. The Red-Eyed Giant Sewer Rat staggered and crashed to the ground.
[Critical hit!]
[Level up!]
"One shot, huh."
Lowering his gun, the corpse vanished, leaving three bundles. He picked them up.
[Obtained 'Red Eyeball.']
[Obtained 3 gold.]
[Obtained 'Bread Shop Granny's Hairpin.']
"It dropped."
He opened his inventory. A new hairpin occupied one slot.
"You said the rate was low. Got it easier than expected."
Thanks to the +30 Luck? Or the increased drop rate from first discovering the dungeon?
"Could be both."
But his thoughts stopped there.
Without hesitation, he turned back. He'd gotten what he wanted; no reason to stay.
"Hurry and get that black bread!"
Right now, that was the only thing on his mind.
* * *
"Ahh, yes, this is it! This is the hairpin he left behind!"
The bread shop granny teared up as she took the hairpin. She placed the old pin in her wrinkled hand and gently stroked it.
It was just an NPC acting per the scripted system, but the scene was touching enough to move a person.
But he watched blankly, utterly unmoved. No, he was a bit anxious. His incessantly twitching index finger was proof.
"I'm truly grateful! You've done me a great favor! Ah, I must repay you!"
The granny opened a box beside her chair. A small bundle was inside.
"Here, take this!"
[Experience gained.]
[Received 30 gold.]
[Received 10 Black Breads.]
As he took the bundle, the system voice rang out and it vanished.
"Truly, thank you!"
With those words, the granny returned to her usual self. The quest was complete.
He hurriedly opened his inventory.
"It's there!"
Seeing the black breads neatly placed in one corner, his face brightened. He reached to take one out but stopped abruptly.
"Just a bit longer. I decided to go on a picnic."
Sitting on blue grass under a clear sky, fresh breeze blowing, eating delicious black bread.
Gulp!
Just imagining it made his mouth water. He rushed out of the bread shop.
* * *
Plop!
The ankle-high blue grass cushioned him softly. The fresh scent of grass tickled his nose, and he inhaled deeply without thinking. A stream's murmur came from afar.
With his spot set, it was time for the long-awaited black bread. He took one out of his inventory and took a big bite.
"!!!"
As expected, no words could describe the taste. His tongue welcomed the bread in his mouth with flashy dances. It didn't go down easily.
He chewed thoroughly, determined not to leave a single crumb.
Gulp!
The black bread slid down his throat like it was oiled.
Chomp!
He immediately stuffed another piece in.
The motion repeated for a while. Eyes on the green plain, ears catching the rustle of grass, nose filled with grass and black bread scents. And his tongue savoring the black bread.
"Luxury. Yeah, this must be what luxury is."
It was the most luxurious moment since he was born.
After finishing the black bread, he lay back on the plain. A deep regret returned when it was gone, but not as intense as before. The experience of obtaining it again somehow gave him leeway.
Lying comfortably, legs kicking idly, he gazed at the blue sky. Then something occurred to him.
"Oh yeah, I leveled up."
To get black bread fast, he'd ignored the level-up notice and left the dungeon.
"Status window."
Lv 4 (Exp 6 / 40)
HP - 30 / MP - 0
Strength - 12
Vitality - 21
Agility - 28
Dexterity ? 10
Intelligence - 10
Magic Power - 0
Luck ? 10(+30)
Bonus Points ? 0
※ Traits
Savior's Blessing: Designated stat +30 (changeable once per day)
This time too, he followed the Strategy Guide's advice and distributed his bonus points: 6 to Agility, 4 to Vitality.
"Hey, Strategy Guide. What quest should I do next?"
【For now, I recommend repeating the 'Bread Shop Granny's Melancholy' quest as you have been.】
His lips curved into a smile unwittingly. Keep doing the quest that gives black bread? Nothing could please him more.
But he was curious why repeat an already-cleared quest.
"What's the reason?"
【The linked quest hasn't generated yet. 'Bread Shop Granny's Melancholy' has value because of its linked quests. To activate the linked quests, you need to complete it a total of 50 times.】
"I see."
Even without a reason, he'd want to do it again. With one, no hesitation.
"Let's go right now."
Without delay, he headed to town.
* * *
- Hey, you hear? There's some weirdo in 'Green Plain Village.'
- Oh, the guy who just scarfs down the starter black bread nonstop?
- Lol, black bread? That nasty-tasting crap?
- Fr, it's so bad you'd rather die once for HP recovery than eat it, right? And he's eating that nonstop?
- Not just eating, devouring it like it's delicious AF.
- Piss off! You expect us to believe that? Unless you get shot in the tongue, who'd eat that like it's good!
- Maybe he's from a starving country.
- Someone from a starving country playing VR games? Logic sent to Andromeda?
- But he does eat it like it's delicious. Made me wanna try, so I bought one.
- Was it good?
- *#%$&*%@*&*!!!
- LMAOOOOOOOO!
- LMAOOOOOOOOO soul's scream!
- LMAO auto-translate wtf!
- Anyway, seems like the guy's real.
- Should we drag him to a mental hospital?
- Humans are hilarious!
- Eh, tastes vary.
* * *
Today too, he was happily eating the black bread from the quest. This time, at the fountain. Watching the clear water spray into the air, he crammed bread into his mouth. The black bread still bestowed heavenly flavor.
Having devoured all he held, he took out a new one. It wasn't black bread. A golden-brown crust, baked to perfection. Split it, and soft white insides revealed.
White bread.
Until now, he'd gotten black bread only from quests and spent money on bullets and gear. With some spare cash now, he'd finally bought food.
"Heh, white bread, said to be tastier than black bread!"
With his meager food experience, he couldn't even imagine. But the far nuttier aroma and the softness that tore with a gentle pull made his heart race.
Like a devout believer in ritual, he carefully took a bite of the white bread.
Boom!
A shockwave ripped through his mind. Neurons screamed wildly, cells rejoicing down to atomic levels.
Explosive ultimate nuttiness in his mouth. Salty thrill shaking his tongue. Softness rendering teeth obsolete.
Like a robot with dead batteries, he froze, unable even to chew.
Finally moving his jaw. He wanted to chew madly, but summoning all willpower, he chewed as slowly as possible. His stomach signaled for quick delivery, but his tongue demanded the bread stay longer.
Fierce war between body parts. Caught in the middle, he just blankly chewed.
Eyes watched him. Curious gazes from those around.
Some pointed and whispered, others stared in wonder. His eating sparked appetites; one hurried to the nearby bread shop.
But whatever the surrounding 'NPCs' did, he reverently chewed and swallowed. All his nerves focused on the white bread's heavenly taste.
That's why.
【Drawing sufficient attention from surroundings. Notoriety unlocked.】
He didn't hear the Strategy Guide's new info.