The Buffet of the Apocalypse

I felt an infinite sense of gratitude toward Aila, who was always so thoughtful. I began preparing to harvest the dragon cores. First, I needed to receive the high-capacity magic ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bag that had been emptied out via the auction house. If I gorged myself on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠these cores here like a madman and my energy backfired like last time, I could end up dying from a qi deviation. Furthermore, Sataniel wasn't around to regulate my energy this time. So, I decided to eat a few and pack the rest neatly into the bags. Yes, I had become that obnoxious customer who brought Tupperware to an all-you-can-eat buffet. I was risking my life, so I was entitled to take some home, right? Once I’d finished harvesting everything worth taking, I could just enter the Infinite Hell and escape there. No matter how I looked at it, the Infinite Hell seemed much better than the central plaza of the Black Market, where dragons and transcendents were currently tearing each other apart.

'First, I need to get that Tupperware...'

I hurriedly wrote a reply in blood to the letter Mer had sent me. It was a message saying I was safe for the moment, that I intended to scavenge the dragons' cores and parts, and that she should send me some magic bags. I had made Kekere carry the large magic bag I usually wore and sent it to Cheshire’s hideout, so I currently had nothing but my Ghost-Cry Blade.

As soon as I registered the letter in the auction house, Mer immediately slammed down 10,000 coins to prevent anyone else from buying it. There was no way Mer had that kind of money, so she probably extorted it from the clown. Or perhaps the wealthy Aila had lent it to her.

I immediately bid 50,000 coins. The auction closed shortly after, and the bags, along with various items that would be useful in my current situation, were sent over. There were items and several bottles of Hellers' potions. It seemed Mer had been receiving supplies in real-time from my colleagues at the girls' school and stockpiling them. That must be why she could send them so quickly.

'Let's see...'

I checked the items I had received through the auction.

A scent remover that could disrupt the olfactory senses of beast-type creatures. This was an item I had obtained back when I entered the Forest of the Missing... and a full bottle was included. It was brand new.

'If dragons are beasts, then they are beasts...'

I immediately sprayed the scent remover on the crown of my head. With this, it wouldn't be easy for them to find me by scent. Of course, if they were something like the children of the Dragon King, they would probably ignore such petty effects and sniff me out, but fortunately, everyone was currently too distracted by the fighting.

The high-capacity magic bag was just a backpack. But the two new ones were a side bag that could be worn on the waist or chest, and a double bag that could be slung over the shoulder. With this, I could carry a whopping 3.2 tons of goods.

'I could even pack a dragon's head... Hellers would faint...'

This was a god-given opportunity. Even if a core was heavy, it wouldn't exceed 20kg... I could harvest an absurd amount of cores. After tearing everything apart, I could just share them with my harem members.

'Yes... I've always gotten as much as I've worked for. The more I struggle, the greater the rewards... I actually like it.'

I checked the next items. They were armor polluted with chaos created in the Abyss, and the potions Hellers had sent. There were seven potions in total, ranging from wound healing to smoke screens and cognitive impairment effects. I could use them in the right places.

-Gurgle...

I decided to wear the tentacle-equipped obsession armor a bit later... and checked the last two items.

This was also an item I had purchased when entering the Forest of the Missing. I could just put it on one of the dragons sprawled out there and ride it around.

"She actually sent this..."

This was an item Yewon had received after achieving the 'Dragon Nanny' achievement. At the time, one of the other options must have been the Dragon King's Amulet... If I had chosen that back then, would I not have been attacked by the dragons?

'Or not... Even if I had the Dragon King's Amulet, I ate the Dragon King's child... Would it have meant anything?'

Anyway, this seemed useful, so I hung it around my neck immediately. If I turned into a dragon, the damage from their breath would probably be halved.

'Done. With this, I have all the necessary items.'

Now all that was left was to pick my skills and receive the achievement rewards.

'Thanks to Aila, I'm leveling up just sitting here... I'll have to give her some "special service" when I get back...'

'This is driving me crazy...'

Clearly, last time, Profane Resonance and Mutation Factor Extraction looked fun, so I had intended to pick them next. But now, I wasn't in a state where I could pick skills just for fun.

'Magic-Decomposing Demon Eye... Can this decompose breath too...?'

That was the key. If it could even decompose a dragon's breath, I had to pick this, no matter what. It would mean I had a way to nullify breath attacks.

"Ah..!"

Sataniel's voice suddenly rang in my ears. I thought she said it was hard to communicate like this outside of the Abyss...

"Ah.. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠yes..!"

I wondered why such a skill appeared at such a perfect time, and it seemed Sataniel had lent a hand. I was truly being cared for by the Evil Gods...

"Ah.. three times..."

"Aha."

She meant I could just use Surging Flesh to repair my eyes whenever they burst.

"Oh.. that's also quite..."

Couldn't I just pluck out a dragon's eyeballs and use them? I could just catch the ones that polymorphed into human form and pluck their eyes out. Honestly, the Dragon King's children were tough, but I felt I could kill the dragons brought in just to fill the numbers.

'Zieg said we should hunt in the Dragon Lair together when I reached level 20... Now that I'm really around level 20, I feel like I have the guts to take on normal dragons...'

Of course, it was only possible because my skills were unlocked, but regardless, I could handle a dragon if I fought it 1-on-1. I just had to avoid fighting multiple at once. I had become quite strong now.

Sataniel returned to her business, and I chose the Magic-Decomposing Demon Eye.

There probably weren't many players among the others who had as flashy a status as mine.

'I just need to get the rewards...'

I had achieved two achievements. 'Level 20 Breakthrough' and 'Survival Expert'. Both were achievements given to signify that I had reached the level cap set by the operators.

First, I checked the reward for Survival Expert.

Reward selection always drove me crazy. All three were items I desperately needed right now.