Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: Over a Million Eyes
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Cooking Day looked toward the western garden.
"I'm truly grateful that you came without hesitation, even though you must have lost a lot of time."
"What are you talking about? I've been in your debt in all sorts of ways."
[She's so kind.]
[Pretty face and a great personality too.]
The warm atmosphere between the two softened the chat window as well.
"That's how Seohwa's arrival got us out of the crisis. Honestly, it wasn't even something she needed to step in for—just the patterns alone. Even if I'm not a combat specialist, I'm still a ranker. I wouldn't lose to some rising star who's only just being treated like a prospect. Plus, the mercenaries that guy brought to check on Meteor ended up getting swept away by Meteor instead. But then Python showed up on top of that."
[Even for Cooking Day, Python's a tough one.]
"Fortunately, thanks to Seohwa, nothing happened, but I'm still curious. Why the hell did that guy come here? No matter how impressive Meteor is, it doesn't warrant sending a prospect and a ranker. It didn't seem like they had any personal curiosity about him like I do."
[Maybe they're plotting something?]
[Could be.]
"Was the real target the person who came with Python?"
"Hmm. That's possible."
[The person who came with him?]
"There was some player next to Python. Since I didn't recognize them, they weren't a C.O.T.S ranker, at least."
Cooking Day exchanged opinions with the viewers about that player's identity for a moment but soon shook his head.
"If they're plotting something, we'll see some action eventually. We can think about it then."
[Yeah, nothing's coming to mind anyway.]
[Not enough info.]
"So, shall we just chat for a bit now?"
And so the three spent some time conversing with the viewers about this and that.
* * *
Meteor logged out of the virtual reality device. Was it because he'd spent such an intensely concentrated time in Arc since starting it, one of the few times he'd done so? It felt like he'd played far longer than the actual login time.
After finishing up with the viewers, Cooking Day and West Garden decided to return to where they'd come from.
They'd spent quite a bit of time in Silareremit, so they needed to head back as quickly as possible.
But Meteor stayed behind. The areas they operated in were still too much for him to handle.
He had joined the guild, but to adventure alongside its free-spirited members, he needed to level up some more. Besides, Freestyle emphasized individual activities by its very nature.
'They said they do help each other out, but it's extremely minimal compared to other guilds.'
Of course, seeing how West Garden had rushed over immediately at Cooking Day's call for help, they didn't seem stingy about it.
'Or maybe those two are special.'
Either way, what Meteor needed was Freestyle's reputation itself, so he had no complaints about their focus on solo play. In fact, he preferred it.
"Wait here just a bit longer. The moment I get back, I'll craft the item and send it right over."
Cooking Day made the promise boldly before leaving. It was a vow from Arc's top alchemist. It was worth looking forward to.
"See you next time."
West Garden bowed her head.
Unlike Cooking Day, her greeting carried a clear sense of distance.
It was only natural, since they'd met less than a day ago. It was actually strange that Meteor and Cooking Day had grown so close in just three days.
As Meteor recalled the moment those two departed, the corners of his mouth suddenly shot up.
"Heh, hehehe...."
He let out a low chuckle. Considering he rarely changed expression outside of eating or laughing normally, this was definitely unusual.
But it was more than justified.
Before logging out of Arc, Meteor had opened his status window.
To check his attention level.
He had joined Freestyle, a famous guild comparable to top-class C.O.T.S. And the moment he joined, he clashed with another famous guild, C.O.T.S.
That alone would have boosted his attention, but Cooking Day had even introduced him on his stream. And not just that—a fellow ranker, West Garden, had joined in.
Seeing the viewer count on Cooking Day's stream, Meteor couldn't help but let his imagination run wild with joy. All those people now knew who he was.
Of course, many already knew him, so it might not have risen as much as expected. But plenty didn't. It was enough to warrant some optimism.
Opening his status window with anticipation, Meteor unwittingly let out a scream-like cheer.
If Cooking Day hadn't insisted he stay as long as he wanted and prepaid a month's rent on the house they'd streamed from before leaving, everyone around him would have stared.
1,000,103
His attention had crossed into the millions. That meant the next tier of the shop window was unlocked.
'I didn't expect this much.'
He had joined a famous guild expecting an attention boost, but he hadn't anticipated such a dramatic and immediate effect.
As he recalled, it had been around 200,000 last time he checked. After joining Freestyle, it had jumped to over a million—a fivefold increase.
Confirming that, Meteor logged out immediately, leading to the current situation.
Meteor opened the shop window right away.
As expected, new items had appeared.
Clenching his fist tight, he checked them out.
The first thing to catch his eye was Other World 3 Hours.
'Just as I thought. The higher my attention, the longer I can stay in the other world.'
He was glad his prediction was correct. But even more thrilling was the growing hope that raising attention like this could let him fully cross over to that world.
However, the moment he saw the price, his excitement plummeted.
500,000G
Five times the cost of Other World 1 Hour.
'No, if the stay time triples, shouldn't the price only triple?'
But no amount of griping from Meteor would change it. Even if the entity that granted this mysterious power heard him, it seemed unlikely to adjust.
'Still, being able to stay longer in that world is definitely good news.'
He comforted himself that way.
There were more other world-related items.
[Other World Travel Cooldown Reduction (24 hours)]
An item that shaved a full day off the cooldown. It was perfect for Meteor.
But it was absurdly expensive.
10,000,000G
Stunned by the number, Meteor blinked in shock for a while. It was a third of the compensation from Hers Guild.
'...Buying this would probably apply to all future other world travels.'
Otherwise, no way it'd cost this much.
'Strategy Guide.'
【The player's guess is correct.】
As expected.
But even so, the price was outrageous.
'Still, I can't not buy it.'
It cut a whole day off the cooldown. He had the money. For Meteor, who thirsted to visit that world anytime, passing it up wasn't an option.
There were more world travel items.
Other World Travel: Include Carried Items (100kg) and Other World Travel Point Setting.
Meteor asked the Strategy Guide for details.
Other World Travel: Include Carried Items (100kg) meant exactly that—you could bring items you were carrying when traveling to the other world.
He had tried before to take a gun and exoskeleton there, or bring food from that world back here, but all failed.
With this, he could transport desired items between worlds.
Of course, the 100kg limit meant not everything. Like his exoskeleton, for example.
But 100kg was still something.
'I can bring food from that world!'
That thrilled him most.
Plus, though it started at 100kg, raising attention would likely increase the limit.
Other World Travel Point Setting let him designate the arrival point when crossing over.
Currently, Meteor always woke up in the same spot in the other world: a second-floor room in a remote house.
It was beautiful, but he was starting to want to leave it. He yearned to experience that world more broadly and deeply.
To see different nature, even if less advanced than his pre-apocalypse world; to witness vibrant civilization; to see real people, not his Arc avatar.
Even with longer stays—now up to three hours—wasting time traveling each trip would cut into his effective time.
'Better to set up a base and travel there instead.'
Of course, he didn't have one yet. But having the option was better than nothing.
If he made a base somehow, this would let him see new scenery.
By now, the prices didn't faze him anymore: 500,000G for Include Carried Items (100kg) and 200,000G for Travel Point Setting.
He'd given up on them.
Having checked the other world items, Meteor turned to the rest.
Next to grab his attention was the exoskeleton.
'Yes!'
He was thrilled. His current one was worn to hell.
The joints screeched horrifically at any intense movement, as if protesting overuse, and beast claw marks scarred it everywhere.
Declining output, capacity, efficiency, and a battery at rock bottom were bonuses.
He had been hoping for a new one, and now it appeared in the purchase window.
'I'll buy it now!'
But it was expensive. Top-tier even among the pricey purchase window items.
5,000,000G.
His finger trembled as he hovered over it.
But truly, he desperately needed a new exoskeleton. And he still had funds from Hers Guild.
'Next time I see Hers, I should at least say thanks.'
Meteor meant it sincerely. Whether Hers would be pleased was doubtful, though.
Vmmm!
Light shimmered and faded. And before him stood the new exoskeleton, proudly displaying its presence.