Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Blood Mark (1)
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The reason half-elves were the first to advance to the third city was simple. They had all the stats and skills that made it easiest to take on level 100 monsters.
That was why, for a while after players started pushing into the third city in his previous life, there was chatter that the half-elf race was way too overpowered. Their stats were evenly exceptional, and their skills packed a powerful all-weather punch.
‘Ridiculous.’
But that was clueless talk. Every race had its own traits and strengths.
Gnomes shone with dexterity and intelligence, perfect for mages, while dwarves dominated with strength and stamina, born warriors. Humans...
‘They talk about potential, but...’
It was kinda iffy. Aside from fewer class restrictions and more cities compared to other races, they didn’t have standout advantages.
Sure, a day would come when that could be leveraged big-time...
‘But that’s too far off. Hmm, if anything, there’s the training grounds.’
Powering up through regular and advanced training grounds without burning spare stats. That could be one of humanity’s edges, since other races had super limited options for stat gains like that.
But whatever. What mattered was that the frontrunner right now was none other than Rokan himself.
“No, come on, don’t do that. I’ll give you a better price...”
“Tch tch! Greenhorns full of flash and no substance. Get lost!”
Oblivious to Rokan watching, they tried haggling with the merchant NPC and got royally booted. They didn’t face human-level disdain, but without ‘recognition,’ they were just clueless newbies, nothing more.
Crossroads merchants weren’t warm or patient enough to sell to or teach these fearless fledglings.
If the second city felt like a cozy provincial town, this place was a cold urban hub.
“What the hell’s their problem? Did we piss off some villagers or something?”
“You know we beelined here right after hitting Crossroads without detouring anywhere else.”
“Damn it. Then why the fuck are they like this?!”
“Calm down. This shop might just be weird. Let’s try somewhere else.”
“Shit, you know how many times this has happened?”
“I know. So let’s check other places first.”
Without knowing about recognition quests, all they could do was curse. Plus, they hadn’t even met the conditions to get one, so wandering the city aimlessly could get them dragged off by the guards or kicked out entirely.
Next up, they’d have to grind rep by hunting low-level monsters around the outskirts.
‘Oh yeah, come to think of it...’
Tsking at the sight, Rokan suddenly remembered something he’d forgotten.
‘I’m in the guard too.’
He’d skipped guard quests before and forgotten, but he was officially part of the Crossroads Guard. That meant he could wield the same authority, right?
Grinning meaningfully at the thought, Rokan activated his skill.
“Disguise.”
With his identity fully swapped, he tailed them at a leisurely pace. Then, right as they got chased out of another shop empty-handed, he stepped in front of them.
“Who’s causing a ruckus here!”
Disguise changed his name and looks, but not his guard status.
The Crossroads Guard mark naturally showed on his shoulder, and the half-elves’ faces went pale as they spotted it. They’d heard plenty about the guard while eating shit from NPCs.
With a guard glaring right at them, how could they not freak out?
Holding their breath, bracing to get booted from the city, Rokan’s theatrical line squeezed them tighter.
“Eek!”
“N-no, sir. We didn’t mean...”
“Quiet! Keep making noise, and I’ll boot you from the city right now!”
[As a Crossroads Guard, do you wish to expel these targets from the city?]
He’d just bluffed, but a legit prompt popped up. Guard powers really let him kick them out.
Of course, it was limited until recognition quests, and even if expelled, they could grind rep and return without direct trouble until they stirred shit again.
‘Nah, that won’t do.’
But Rokan had never planned to actually boot them.
“No, sir! We’ll behave!”
“We’ll keep our mouths shut!”
Terrified by his glare, they bowed their heads fast. Desperate not to get exiled from the city.
‘That’s enough.’
Taking pity on their scared faces, Rokan tossed in one more line.
“Tch! You reek of newbie. Want any respect here? Earn it! Yeah, Gyrofol’s about your speed. Word is, the shop in the bustling district center’s short-staffed and taking junk from greenhorns like you. Head there. Eh, 500 should do it.”
“Wha—500, 500 of them?!”
“Can’t handle that much? Typical newbies...”
“No, sir. We’ll do it. We will.”
They bought Rokan’s method acting hook, line, and sinker. Then scurried off before he could say more.
Straight to that bustling shop Rokan mentioned—or out to hunt Gyrofol on the outskirts.
‘Yeah, grind your asses off for me! Heh heh heh.’
Grinning wickedly at their backs, Rokan savored it.
Gyrofol were monsters like armadillos, with ‘physical resistance’ traits. Without magic-damage skills, you had to chip away with heavily reduced physical hits—tough work.
The kicker? Magic users wouldn’t flood the third city anytime soon.
Third-job quests favored melee so much that magic or ranged classes needed more monster research and strats to advance.
Sure, freak outliers broke that mold, but they were rare as hell.
‘Wonder if 500’s even doable.’
Rokan dropped the Gyrofol name like a quest for a simple reason: it’d slow their Crossroads activity big-time.
Tricky to kill but non-aggressive, so rep-grinding with them would take forever.
Plus, their XP was the lowest around—not great for leveling either.
‘Half that’d still be decent cash.’
But the real hook was money. Gyrofol dropped ‘Gyrofol Leather’ that sold big.
Craft armor from it, and high physical resistance options attached often—50 silver per piece at shops.
Rokan’s ‘vending machine’ bought them for 5 silver. Tenfold markup? Whatever. Players didn’t know the owner, or if it was player or NPC.
No other shops would deal with them anyway, so unless crafting themselves, they had to use it. Even for potion cash.
‘Can’t tap warehouses or integrated auctions for bulk buys from other cities either.’
Either would open exploits, but both were off-limits now.
Sure, stuff inventory with consumables, but not sustainable.
‘This is gold.’
Then a killer idea hit. They wouldn’t spread hard-won info freely. But he could.
And if everyone chased low-XP, low-rep, high-cash monsters like quests?
‘Cash in and widen the gap.’
Decision made, Rokan hit the general store for pen and paper. Then started scribbling a ‘Guide for Visitors.’
No need for length—copyists meant shorter was better.
“Done.”
Rokan’s fake guide read:
1. Hunt a few monster types Rokan specified, and ‘rumors’ spread in the city.
2. Keep grinding, and rep rises—townies start offering quests.
3. Clear those, earn recognition, become a city member.
4. Essential for using major city buildings properly.
Technically true.
Just that Rokan’s monsters were cash cows with shit rep and XP, and normal quests didn’t grant ‘recognition.’
Of course, race leaders were Crossroads members too—not totally wrong.
Done, Rokan commissioned copies pronto.
The guard’s copyist handled posters and bounties, so mass production was quick.
“Set for sale.”
Rokan listed stacks of ‘Guide for Visitors’ in the vending machine. Hire a vendor, and they’d hawk rocks if you set it.
Then he grabbed printed flyers and headed out.
“Covering the whole city’ll take ages.”
Advertising flyers—simple promos for village boards and blank walls.
‘Item trades with visitors’ and ‘Guide for Visitors on sale’ alone would draw players like flies.
Slap them anywhere and risk forced removal or guard trouble, but Rokan paid legit.
10 gold a month—not cheap, but worth it for the profits.
Once word spread, no more promo needed for new waves.
‘Boards would be easier, but...’
That’d raise suspicions. Wall posters in-game? No one’d suspect a player shop.
That tiny misunderstanding would make Rokan’s moves way smoother ahead.
Till nightfall, Rokan hustled, soles sweating, plastering promos all over Crossroads.
Finally, as night hit, he dragged his tired body to Baron Trüel’s villa.