A Veteran of Infinite Buffs - Chapter 71

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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A massive shadow emerged beyond the Dimensional Gate.
“Thank goodness, he’s intact….”
I quickly corrected myself.
“I’ve returned!”
Tuuram appeared in a grotesque form—a wolf’s body adorned with a scorpion’s pincers and eagle wings.
Only his head remained human.
In any case, he was alive, and that was a relief.
“Good. Now that you’re back safely, would you return to human form?”
“Understood!”
Tuuram transformed back into his human shape.
But his body now bore unfamiliar tattoos.
“What are all these markings on your body?”
“Ah! The Shaman inscribed them for me! Now I cannot die from poison!”
“Interesting.”
Tuuram had undergone a self-evolution and returned.
Beings from other dimensions typically inspire dread and uncertainty, but when they’re allies, they become remarkably dependable.
They even prepare countermeasures for their own weaknesses without being asked.
Most of the Ancient Ones, in my judgment, are valuable allies.
“In any case, I’m glad you survived. Your recovery seems swift as well.”
I resummoned Tuuram quickly to check whether his poisoned state had worsened.
Yet the fact that he returned with detoxification tattoos inscribed upon him far exceeded my expectations.
“Tuuram. Did several days pass beyond the Dimensional Gate?”
“The Shaman said I awakened after seven days.”
“I see.”
That makes sense.
I learned that time flows vastly faster in the Ancient Dimension where Tuuram dwells.
What amounted to mere hours here equated to roughly a week in the Ancient Dimension.
That meant the period during which Tuuram gathered his prey spanned several months.
“Don’t you age?”
“Contractors of Sumoq do not age. We perish alongside Sumoq.”
Not immortal, but rather ageless—that seemed to be the extent of it.
Envious as that was, this is a game after all, so I let it pass.
What mattered was that Tuuram proved to be a capable companion for endgame content.
Sumoq was classified as an indestructible item anyway.
“Forever together, then? That’s reassuring.”
I decided not to dwell on Tuuram’s age.
After all, we shared a summoner and summoned relationship.
“But Tuuram, you didn’t come back merely for treatment, did you? There must be a reason you arrived in that transformed state.”
“As expected, you discern much. Kael is remarkable.”
Tuuram answered not with words, but through transformation and action.
“I can fly now. I can swoop down and snatch prey with speed.”
“Exactly.”
Tuuram’s flight was something I’d wanted as well.
With this, we could track the Eccentric Merchant together from the skies.
“Warm up your body.”
“Are we hunting?”
“No. We’re tracking.”
“Good.”
While Tuuram limbered up, I reorganized the remaining members of the Thief Gang.
The method of reorganization wasn’t difficult.
I had sufficient capital at my disposal.
“From now on, you are merchants.”
“Pardon?”
“Dress yourselves properly and return to the village to complete merchant training.”
“Big Boss?”
“I’m not accepting objections. And this place… well, the location is good, so it would be best to remodel it into a Mountain Lodge.”
“Eh?”
“Any complaints? Those who bring merchant training certificates will receive 50 Silver per person. If you work well, I’ll pay proper wages.”
“We’ll prepare ourselves!”
“B-Big Boss. What about me?”
Unexpectedly, Chung-geom, the remaining player, also addressed me as Big Boss.
“Ah. So you were here, Chung-geom. Let’s consider the request fulfilled. Here’s your payment.”
“Thank you…”
Even after receiving the money, Chung-geom still hadn’t left his spot.
“Is there something else you wish to say?”
“If I complete merchant training too, do I get paid?”
“Aren’t you aiming to be a swordsman, Chung-geom?”
“It doesn’t seem to suit me… I don’t have the confidence to fight like you do, Unnamed Guest. I’m the type who’s fine as long as I earn money well.”
“Interesting.”
A merchant with a swordsman’s nickname.
It was rather an amusing character.
And if it’s a merchant company that can communicate in real-time, I see far more advantages than disadvantages.
“Very well. You can maintain consistent logins, correct?”
“Yes! I’m currently on a 30-hour continuous connection!”
People capable of long sessions were rarer than one might think.
Those with day jobs suffered from fatigue, and the unemployed struggled with stamina issues.
At this juncture, Chung-geom certainly qualified as talent.
“Excellent. Then Chung-geom, you’ll receive formal instruction at the Merchant Guild. I’ll give you an additional 1 Gold as well.”
“Gasp.”
“Even an aspiring merchant needs capital. Use this to outfit yourself properly.”
“K-Kael…”
Chung-geom’s eyes grew misty.
It wasn’t a particularly pleasant sight, given that I didn’t share his tastes.
“This isn’t charity—it’s an investment. All you need to do is prove yourself.”
“Th-thank you! I understand!”
“Yes. The Thief Gang is now disbanded.”
The race against time had already begun.
If the Eccentric Merchant returned to this place, there was a significant risk of losing the initiative.
Everything would unfold exactly as he desired otherwise.
I had no intention of turning the Mountain Stronghold into the Eccentric Merchant’s stage.
That’s why I decided to convert the stronghold into a trading post and pursue him.
The Unnamed Guest served as a decisive variable in this decision.
Even if the Six Heavens remained unknown, Heaven Beyond Heaven possessed something comparable to Seoguang.
“Well then, let’s meet again later.”
“Safe travels, benefactor!”
“Just call me Kael.”
“Yes!”
I left the Mountain Stronghold and transformed into an eagle, joining Tuuram, who was pecking at worms.
“Don’t eat anything strange.”
-I’m not eating. I was just curious and poked at it.
“Good. Follow closely. They couldn’t have gotten far.”
Flap! Flap!
I shifted into eagle form.
Then I leaped high into the air, beating my wings to catch the updraft.
-They’ve traveled farther than I expected. No wonder the thieves failed to escape.
-Should we pursue them?
-Yes.
The Eccentric Merchant’s group was moving with a lightness technique reminiscent of martial arts novels.
Normally, they would return with a sense of defeat.
Yet they were rushing desperately toward somewhere.
There had to be a reason.

* * *

The pursuit consumed nearly half a day.
The Eccentric Merchant’s party halted their flight at a renovated Mountain Lodge, situated well beyond the village’s outskirts.
Without any auditory enhancement, I couldn’t hear their voices, yet the Eccentric Merchant was clearly issuing orders to his subordinates with visible indignation.
‘Is this the Eccentric Merchant’s true nature? Completely different from what I’ve witnessed until now.’
The Eccentric Merchant’s reckless punch shattered what appeared to be a sturdy wagon in a single blow.
A side of him I’d never glimpsed before.
I realized the Eccentric Merchant himself possessed combat power at an elevated tier.
He was indeed an opponent who demanded constant vigilance.
‘It was wise not to suppress him through sheer force.’
His strength exceeded what should exist near the Beginner Village.
How had he cultivated his status in the first place?
Perhaps it was connected to the production of legendary items.
There were countless ways to grow through wealth, after all.
“Uuuaaaaaaah!”
The Eccentric Merchant’s cry echoed across the sky.
He was unmistakably furious.
Was his pride wounded, or was there another reason?
For now, I decided to maintain my flight, circling the Mountain Lodge.
Once their vigilance loosened, an opening would present itself.

* * *

-Kael.
-What is it.
-How much longer are we going to keep circling? It’s already nightfall.
-Right. I’m starting to feel the strain. I’ll descend soon, but you do know how to land, don’t you?
-Of course. I’ve practiced.
-Good. We’ll touch down near that pile of rocks over there.
-Understood.
After watching Tuuram land first, I mimicked his movements appropriately.
Thanks to that, I too achieved a stable landing.
-It’s a shame you can’t reduce your size. A rat would be ideal.
-A warrior does not transform into vermin.
-Right, right. Keep being a warrior then. Next is a scorpion.
*Crack.*
Leaving Tuuram’s complaints behind, I shifted into scorpion form this time.
It was a strategy that leveraged my natural camouflage.
Of course, with only four legs, it made for a rather grotesque-looking scorpion upon close inspection.
But there was no chance we’d be discovered.
*Tap-tap-tap.*
-This won’t do. You stay here and wait.
-Why are you doing this to me.
-Your footsteps are too loud. They’re not suited for stealth.
-Tsk. Fine, I’ll wait then. Come back soon. I’ll find you if you swing Sumoq around.
-Alright.
My footsteps, by contrast, made no sound at all.

[Master’s Gray Hide Walker (Masterpiece)]
[Defense: 36]
[Agility +10]
[Ashen Step]
[Ashen Step: Your footsteps are silenced.]
[A luxury walker crafted from the hide of the Gray Forest’s ruler. Exceptionally durable, flexible, and resilient.]
With the Master’s Gray Hide Walker’s properties fully at my disposal in such an environment, whether I ran or sprinted posed no problem whatsoever.

The sound of a twig snapping beneath my feet—a clichéd trope, but unmistakable nonetheless.
“What on earth happened? The Chairman seems furious.”
“I can’t say. A gag order was issued. If we stay silent, things will settle down like they always do.”
“Something serious must have occurred. I’d better stay vigilant to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.”
I’d obtained crucial information: the Chairman.
The Eccentric Merchant’s real-world occupation was a corporate chairman.
So his activities within the game were merely a hobby?
How substantial were the profits generated from this Mountain Lodge to sustain operations while employing players as security guards?
‘A position secure enough to reject the overtures of Six Heavens without consequence.’
That made him an even more formidable adversary.
In my current real-world form, I had nowhere to hide.
‘The scale is far larger than I anticipated.’
I assessed that a direct confrontation with the Eccentric Merchant would require the combined strength of both Heaven Beyond Heaven and Seoguang.
Though naturally, I harbored no intention of engaging in direct conflict.
Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Now came the exploration of the Mountain Lodge’s interior.
I had returned to my original Kael form, capable of executing far more complex movements.
‘That illuminated building must be the employee quarters. That windowless structure appears to be the critical one.’
There stood a remarkably large building with only a single small window on the second floor.
And I had witnessed a structure of this kind before.
It was the Crime Den.
‘Hmm?’
In that instant, a small candle flickered to life in the sole window.
Moments later, a faint silhouette appeared beyond the glass.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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