Chapter 40
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: The Price of the Gift
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"One-Strike Block?"
-I've tried it out, and I think I've got a feel for it. It feels like wrapping a protective barrier around my body.
Is that good?
For someone like me who had secretly hoped for something ridiculous like infinite bullets, I couldn't quite grasp it.
At the point where I couldn't decide whether to be pleased or disappointed, the Golden King spoke with a serious expression.
-We'll have to run some experiments to know exactly what it does. I'll contact you again once they're done.
[1:1 video call has ended.]
"......"
The Golden King ended the video call with almost frantic speed.
'Well... he got an ability, so it's natural he'd want to test it right away.'
With that thought, I checked the android that had entered my inventory.
'It looked pretty in the video call too, but yeah, it's pretty.'
What if it doesn't communicate with Yu Hyun-min from 7-channel?
"Castaway. That android thing. Mind if I take a look?"
"Looking is fine."
I took the android out of my inventory.
The android lay asleep inside a transparent box.
"They said it's a humanoid robot, but... it looks exactly like a human on the outside."
"If you look closely, there should be some differences."
This was just my guess, but they probably designed some distinguishing features between humans and androids.
"Castaway. We can't take it out, right?"
"Probably not."
In a way, this android was practically a gift.
I didn't think it was right to unwrap and inspect a gift first, so I contacted Yu Hyun-min from 7-channel right away.
[The other party has accepted the 1:1 trade.]
No way, an android?
(By the way, I'd added 7-channel Yu Hyun-min as a friend yesterday when I delivered his dinner.)
'But he's asking about the android instead of lunch.'
He had good instincts.
Anyway, I decided to meet his expectations.
Yes, that's right. An android.
Ooh! I had a feeling it was an android! So, what did you pay as the price?
It's the Intermediate Awakening Stone that drops from zombies in 3-channel. Don't worry about it.
How could I not worry? Anyway, I'll put up what I gathered all night.
All night? As I looked at the items he put up in the trade window, there were five in total.
'Two look like ores similar to Raistal.'
The other three were a round orb, a liquid in a glass cup, and a root that resembled wild ginseng.
Plus, they were all new items I'd never seen, and he even added a hefty amount of points.
[Points: 124,061]
Whoa, bro. Why are you giving so much?
I can't use this stuff anyway. Points are useless too. Oh, and please send 10 pizzas and 10 colas for lunch.
You sure you can eat all that?
I've been moving all night, so I think I can. If I can't finish, I'll eat the rest for dinner.
He had a point.
Anyway, I put up the android along with the pizzas and colas, then took the items Yu Hyun-min offered.
So, what are all these items you put up?
I'm hungry right now. I'll tell you after the trade.
......Okay.
[Trade completed.]
I confirmed the trade, handed over the android and pizza, then requested another 1:1 chat.
How do I make this android move?
Didn't you say you were hungry?
I'm eating while chatting.
Pizza makes sense for that.
There's a button on the box. Press and hold it, and it should open. But there might be an issue.
Issue?
Yeah. Since the android is from another world, it might not understand our language.
It needs a conversation partner, but doesn't understand the language? That doesn't make sense.
It's an android, so maybe it'll pick up the language quickly?
Tch. Maybe.
It might sound harsh, but there was no other way besides teaching the android to speak.
Besides, he hated being alone and wanted the android, so he probably wouldn't give up just because of a language barrier.
Anyway, she's super pretty. Oh, I opened the lid.
There should be a button. Press that. If not, let me know. I'll ask around.
Button... it's above the solar plexus. This one?
Yes.
I'd meant to ask about the items he sent, but somehow I ended up explaining how to activate the android.
It's activating! It is... activating, but...
What's wrong?
I can't understand what it's saying.
"......"
As expected, the worlds being different meant no communication.
'I figured, but it turned out exactly like that.'
The only option left was for Yu Hyun-min to teach it words until the android learned.
Bringing it back here for me to teach was an option, but my words would probably sound like 4-channel language to the android.
'If that's the case, teaching it language would be tough for me.'
Oh. Looks like there's potential.
What potential?
I kept pointing at the window and shouting 'window,' and it repeated 'window' back.
Good thing it has learning ability.
If needed, I planned to contact the Quick Fix Doctor☆ again to ask how to proceed.
It felt like I relied on him every time something came up, but there was no helping it.
'He's the only friend I have in 4-channel.'
The Golden King was an option now, but our closeness would depend on how amazing his new ability turned out to be.
At least I won't be bored for a while. Oh, right. You asked about the items I gave you?
Fortunately, Yu Hyun-min explained the items this time too.
The bluish stone is a Coldea heart, from a monster. Eating it should boost cold resistance a ton.
Cold resistance?
Yeah, you'll feel cold less. I just saw it and killed it for the heart.
Unlike Raistal, it didn't seem to boost physical abilities.
So eating it myself would just make me more cold-resistant, which felt a bit lackluster as an elixir.
The black stone is a Urus heart. Eating it might boost stamina.
Huh?
You don't know either, bro?
There aren't many that are well-known among civilians. Unless it's as effective as Raistal, I don't know much. Of course, I know what happens if a hunter eats it.
Yu Hyun-min was originally Korea's rank 1 hunter.
So he knew what happened when hunters ate them, but not for civilians.
The next round orb is a Gornos core. Good for fire effects. For civilians, it might improve heat tolerance.
Yu Hyun-min continued explaining the rest of the elixirs.
The one in the glass cup is ghost jellyfish essence. I think it boosts regeneration. The last root is Saengmyeolcho root. Good for stamina, they say.
'Huh? Stamina?'
If each one had elixir-like effects, the last one felt a bit off.
So the last one is just an aphrodisiac?
Why? Don't need it?
I didn't say I don't need it.
Still, since it was from 7-channel, I figured its effect would be top-notch.
If it was that good, I could sell it in other channels, so I decided to keep the Saengmyeolcho root safe.
Right. You've got four beautiful ladies around. You might need it someday.
Yu Hyun-min had definitely been outraged before about the entire Hero Party being women.
But now that he had the android, he was even making jokes about it.
'Good things are good things, I guess.'
Oh, and stick to eating the Raistal I give you, as much as possible.
You mean don't eat other elixirs?
We don't know what happens if a civilian eats random stuff like this.
Yu Hyun-min advised sticking to proven Raistal since we didn't know what might happen.
Honestly, no other elixir matched Raistal's effects anyway, so it wasn't hard to follow his advice.
Got it. I'll do that.
Oh, and the Saengmyeolcho root is fine to eat.
Even setting aside the Saengmyeolcho root, I pondered what to do with the other four elixirs.
What about the other four elixirs then?
Didn't you say you wanted to help the Hero Party? Discuss and share them.
From this response, it was clear Yu Hyun-min had little interest in the Hero Party.
I could understand since there was nothing the Hero Party could do for him.
Anyway, I'll focus on the android. See you at dinner.
Take care.
[1:1 chat has ended.]
I ended the 1:1 chat with Yu Hyun-min, let out a small sigh, and looked up.
Elisicia must have guessed from my actions that the conversation was over, as she asked about it.
"Is the chat done?"
"Yeah. I gave them the android and got... four elixirs."
I answered excluding the useless aphrodisiac for the Hero Party.
"Four elixirs?"
"Since they come from monsters, they must be relatively easy to obtain."
In truth, Yu Hyun-min had hunted all night, so it wasn't that easy.
Plus, with 120k points from all-night gathering, he probably didn't kill every monster he saw.
'He probably hunted only monsters that drop elixirs.'
Considering I'd earned 4k points from one monster before, it was a plausible guess.
"Castaway. What elixirs did you get?"
"Well."
I relayed exactly what Yu Hyun-min had told me.
[Coldea Heart], [Urus Heart], [Gornos Core], [Ghost Jellyfish Essence].
I gave the approximate names and effects of these four elixirs, and everyone fell into thoughtful expressions.
"Then should you take the Urus Heart and the jellyfish essence, Castaway?"
"Ah. He said to stick to Raistal hearts if possible and avoid others."
"Huh? Why?"
"Something about not knowing what happens if you consume multiple elixirs."
Rubyel thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Come to think of it, the elixir you ate before moved on its own like it had a will. Different elixirs might clash."
"Clash?"
"Like a turf war. 'I got here first, so get out.' Something like that."
"......"
Elixirs aren't cats.
"Since it's advice from someone in 7-channel, it's not bad to be cautious."
Thanks to that, everyone became wary about approaching the elixirs.
Suddenly, amid the elixir talk, I remembered the mana potion for Rubyel from 5-channel.
'Speaking of which, no news from 5-channel.'
Did something happen?