Chapter 87
Chapter 87
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Fallen Hunter (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A silent war.
Not only those who first discovered the vendor, but soon others caught wind of the information as well, sparking absolute chaos.
The guild pooled all its funds and instructed one person to buy equipment with them all to avoid drawing attention from regular users—but that wasn't what Rokan wanted.
Purchase limit per person: one item.
By altering the vendor's settings, he forced multiple users to show up.
He even restricted some items to specific races. If a high-level goblin user didn't appear, it would be a problem.
Because of that, the initial arrivals could only buy up to two items each, and soon the guild's elites gathered in front of the vendor, pooling even their personal loans.
"Hello."
Rokan appeared before them.
"Fuck."
"Why the hell is that bastard here?"
The gathered users spat curses in unison.
Even so, they hurriedly manipulated the shop window to buy the items they wanted.
"Berserk!"
Rokan wasn't about to let that happen.
He targeted the goblins first.
There was no way they could block Rokan's meticulously calculated attack paths.
Some gave up resisting entirely to focus on purchases, so the dozens of gathered users were slaughtered without getting any benefit from their leveled-up states.
[Acquired goblin blood.]
[Acquired orc blood.]
[Acquired troll blood.]
[Acquired undead blood.]
Undead blood might cause misunderstandings, but users weren't in 'skeleton' form yet.
They would later evolve into death knights for warriors or liches for mages upon leveling and promoting, but for now, they were more like zombies or ghouls.
So, even rotten blood could be obtained.
'Nice.'
Users didn't always drop 100% monster blood, but luck was on his side this time.
He had braced for repeating this several times, but he got all the blood in one massacre.
Plus, their dropped items were like bonus pay, and the unlucky ones dropped items right after buying from the vendor—profit all around.
"Deactivate vendor."
And cruelly, he even eliminated the vendor. It was like throwing away money spent on it raw, but he couldn't do a favor for others, could he?
He had already tossed out the bait anyway, so Black Dragon Legion users would think the time limit expired or Rokan killed him and the vendor vanished.
Thus, the special merchant NPC became the stuff of legends.
"Search all you want; good luck finding it."
Unaware Black Dragon Legion users believed the special merchant NPC had moved somewhere else and scoured everywhere fruitlessly.
Some belatedly brought up fairness with Crossroad and threatened to complain to the devs, but their response was obvious without checking.
They'd just repeat, "Unable to confirm."
Revealing it was a player-placed vendor would mean interfering with normal play for that player.
Knowing the countless inquiries, complaints, and responses from his past life, Rokan headed to Harban without worry.
"You're incredible, my friend! Thanks to you, my standing in the Kensington Council has soared!"
Collecting blood from 44 monster types was normally a task feasible around level 190.
Some even took it leisurely from 190 up to 198, it was so difficult and convoluted.
Completing it this quickly meant Harban, who issued it, could now speak up in the Kensington Council.
'No way this guy's heading central too, is he?'
Racking up achievements like this might free him from his demotion to the third-tier city.
Their relations had improved nicely from quick racial quest completions, but having this guy follow him to the center wasn't welcome.
"Here, take this. It's a letter of appreciation from the Kensington Council."
[You leveled up.]
While worrying about such things, Harban pulled out the council's letter of appreciation.
Objectively, it was worthless paper that didn't boost a single stat, but weren't high-and-mighty types always like that? They pocketed the gains and brushed it off with words and honors.
It irked him, but it had its uses later.
For now, he was satisfied with the massive EXP reward bumping him a level.
"If you ever head central, lend your strength to the Kensington Council once more. For the glory of us humans!"
"Understood. I will."
This wrapped up all racial quests in the third-tier city.
"A bit awkward."
Rokan's current level: 189.
It was a tad low to head to the "central," also known as the fourth-tier city.
One task remained, but even completing it would barely push past 190, making a blind jump risky.
"Just go?"
Unlike the third-tier city, there was no level restriction to enter "central."
You could go under 199, and central had plenty of 190-level monsters to grind to 199 without issue.
But one problem: the crossing itself.
"Alone... can I manage?"
He had to take the ferry from the port seen en route to hunt steel-shelled turtles, but aquatic monsters attacked during the voyage.
With extreme luck, you could pass safely, but 98% chance of monster assaults.
Even Rokan lacked confidence handling them solo.
They were all 190s, some attacked without surfacing, and bad luck brought a level 230 'kraken' to sink the ship.
That's why he aimed close to 199 before challenging.
"First things first, then decide."
After pondering, realizing odds weren't great, Rokan prepared his final Crossroad challenge.
"Purchase items."
He scoured shops and auction house, buying consumables and supplies generously.
Beyond combat gear, tents, safety guards, and camping items aplenty.
Luck might end it quick, or it could drag days, so thorough prep.
"I'd like to hire mercenaries."
Next: mercenary guild.
Here, you could hire or take jobs as one; Rokan hired the highest-level mercs possible.
"Level 180 mercenary wall warrior Goki."
"Level 180 mercenary guide Miyuki."
A whopping level 180 mercs.
Hirable merc levels scaled with the hirer's, so only Rokan could snag 180s now.
'Damn, pricey as hell.'
Matching their high cost: 1 gold per hour.
Pick right hunting spots, grind nonstop, and you earn it—but factoring travel, not cheap.
Hiring two doubled it, no end date—who knew the bill.
Extravagance only Rokan could afford.
"Let's go."
Worse: couldn't use rune books with mercs. Meant walking, money bleeding audibly.
Silver lining: destination an hour's walk.
Dumping 2 gold en route, a certain ruin appeared.
"Inside."
Many had visited, but none sought it now.
No treasure or dungeon entrance—just nothing.
Special conditions opened the door, and even then, not what expected, so explorers quit after a few tries.
But Rokan knew its secret.
"Left first."
Ruins interior: utterly mundane. Decor smashed here and there, dim atmosphere.
And the inevitable fork.
At first fork, left; at a spot, he turned to the mercs.
"Goki, stand here. Do not move a step, no matter what."
"Understood."
AI NPC mercs: trustworthy. No guilt either.
"Miyuki, you here too."
Backtracked, took opposite path this time. Placed her on identical plate.
Rumble.
The entire ruin shook.
"Stay put. No matter what."
"Understood."
As if anticipating, Miyuki gripped weapon, scanned surroundings without budging.
Meanwhile, Rokan returned to fork.
"Whew, let's start."
One change back there: a sculpture like someone's face slightly protruded.
Eagle eyes might miss it, but Rokan, knowing, spotted it.
Raised battle axe, smashed the head in one blow.
Boom.
Shrieeeeeek!
Ear-piercing wail echoed through ruins simultaneously. Green smoke rose from shattered statue; surrounding walls shuddered.
[Gatekeeper Golem][Lv 163]
Emerging everywhere: 2-meter mini stone golems.
With red, yellow, green, blue orbs embedded in chests, they moved—Rokan sprang into action.
"Strike!"
Hitting stone golems with edged weapons was foolish. Blade dulls, poor damage.
But general rules were for normals.
Crack!
Each strike crumbled bodies, orbs flashed. Regenerated while unleashing attribute magic at Rokan.
Not mere mini golems—magic golems.
"Where?!"
Narrow space, but Rokan dodged fluidly like silk.
Bombed to halt, leaf-attacked close, hammered with battle axe.
[Acquired the Thunder Orb.]
Ripping out the core whole finally stopped it.
Same for rest: wrecked beyond resistance, tore out orbs.
"Hope they're holding."
With all four orbs, Rokan moved to smashed statue, belatedly fretting.
Monsters pouring in their rooms too.
Just 170s, but numbers might overwhelm.
No intent to help.
Stepping off plates reset everything; just slotted four orbs into statue's empty head holes quick.
Groooowl.
Change again: wall split, entrance revealed.
"Come back."
Rokan impassively hit [Recall] in merc management, stepped in first.
Now the real thing began.