Chapter 80. Purchase
【Pururu】─If it hasn’t been nerfed, does that mean it’s currently S-rank?
【Yumi】─You’re casually assuming it’s S-rank.
【Pururu】─Well, at the very least, its minimum danger level is S-rank.
【Yumi】─Why do you keep setting it as the minimum? It could be ranked higher, contrary to its appearance.
【Pururu】─No way.
【Bubble Bubble】─But why hasn’t that thing been nerfed? No matter how weak something is, it usually gets nerfed, right?
【Rizenova】─I believe it’s because it’s a neutral monster.
【Bubble Bubble】─But isn’t the Medical Mushroom also a neutral monster?
【Rizenova】─Mushroom Ball is just gentle in nature, but it’s not a neutral monster.
【Mysticism】─How did Geon-oppa figure out that the croc hadn’t been nerfed?
【Pururu】─Isn’t it obvious?
【Mysticism】─Not at all.
【Dr. Pururu】─In that case, should I explain it? Uhoo!
【Mysticism】─Yes. Please explain.
【Yumi】─Ugh. It’s popped out again.
【Rizenova】─I warned you never to come out again.
【Dr. Pururu】─Geon probably found it strange that the danger level of that croc was assessed as S-rank! No matter how you look at it, it didn’t seem like its actual danger level was SSS-rank! So, naturally, he wondered if the croc hadn’t been nerfed! Does that make sense, student Missibalum?
【Mysticism】─😮
【Mysticism】─Pururu is smart!
【Dr. Pururu】─Hmph.
The Assistants kept talking about how weak the crocodile seemed.
I lowered my voice and revealed the truth to them—that the croc’s danger level was SSS-rank.
【Dr. Pururu】─?
【Yumi】─What? SSS-rank?
【Bubble Bubble】─That thing???
【Pururu】─Wait a minute, it’s SSS-rank and hasn’t even been nerfed? How is that possible?
【Yumi】─Looks like your nickname’s back.
【Yumi】─Anyway, I told you, you can’t judge just by appearances.
【Mysticism】─No way! 😠
【Rizenova】─Why would Gauntlet lie about that?
【Mysticism】─That’s true. 😐
【Bubble Bubble】─Now that I look at it again, it does seem strong… There’s a certain air of ease about it. If it’s that relaxed in such a brutal world, it must be a strong one for sure. Hmm.
【Pururu】─To be honest, I always thought that croc looked really strong.
【Mysticism】─Pururu, you’re an idiot.
【Yumi】─Looks like Dr. Pururu was just a know-it-all fool.
The Assistants quickly changed their perspective on the croc.
As always, they were quick to switch their stance.
While reading through the Assistants’ chat, the croc tilted its head and asked.
［Aren’t you going to check the items?］
“Oh, I was just about to.”
I looked away from the chat window.
Then, I lowered my head and started examining the items laid out on the cloth one by one.
Hmm.
I didn’t know what most of them were for.
Each item had a price tag next to it, but there were no product descriptions explaining what they were or how to use them.
“Is there any product manual or something like that?”
［There isn’t. If you’re drawn to a particular item, point it out, and I’ll personally explain what it’s for.］
“What’s this?”
I pointed at one item with my finger.
It was a cylindrical plastic container with a pink tint.
［That’s an item called an onahole.］
“What?”
［It seems you don’t know what an onahole is. To put it simply, it’s an item used by those whose genitalia protrude outside their bodies for self-pleasure.］
“······.”
【Yumi】─Gasp?!
【Bubble Bubble】─Oh, wow.
【Pururu】─Why the hell are you selling something like that, you crazy croc?
【Mysticism】─😱
【Rizenova】─It seems like a rather useless item.
［Would you like to try it?］
“No, I’m good.”
There was no need to think twice.
Buying something like that would be a waste of coins.
I obviously had no intention of using it, either.
［The more you use it, the more it enhances your stamina, though…］
【Bubble Bubble】─Oh! Let’s buy it!
【Pururu】─It might be worth buying!
【Yumi】─Shouldn’t we just buy it?
［Are you really not going to buy it?］
“Yes. I don’t need it. Even if my stamina improves, I have no use for it right now.”
【Bubble Bubble】─You should buy it for the future…
【Mysticism】─Bubble, quiet. 😠
［That’s a shame. If you had purchased it, I was going to throw in a free dildo as a bonus.］
Why on earth would you give that as a set, you crazy croc?
I felt an insult rise to my throat, but I barely held it back.
It’s an SSS-rank monster, so I need to watch what I say.
The croc held up the large dildo it had called a freebie and waved it as it spoke.
［How about buying this separately at least?］
What in the world is this croc thinking?
【Rizenova】─Ugh. How grotesque.
【Mysticism】─Is this an adult store?
【Yumi】─Looks like it?
【Pururu】─An adult store in the Labyrinth. ㄷㄷ
【Bubble Bubble】─Wow.
【Bubble Bubble】─Gauntlet, ask what effect it has. It might be something useful, you never know.
It’s probably just some worthless junk.
I couldn’t imagine it being useful at all.
Still, just in case, I asked.
“How exactly do you use it?”
［It’s edible. Although the taste isn’t great, consuming it will bring about some positive changes.］
【Pururu】─Why would you eat that? Seriously.
“Positive changes?”
［Yes. If you don’t have genitalia, eating this will cause one just like this dildo to grow.］
“Uh, and if you already have one, will it double?”
［No. If you already have one, it will make it the same size as this dildo.］
That wasn’t a particularly appealing effect.
Someone else might be interested, but…
For me, it would be more of a reduction than an enlargement.
‘I have sometimes thought that getting a reduction surgery would be convenient… but if it really got smaller, I’d probably regret it.’
So, I decided not to buy that either.
I briefly considered holding onto it for later, but I knew that if I did, I might use it impulsively someday, so I gave up on the idea.
【Mysticism】─Geon-oppa doesn’t need it. Geon-oppa is already bigger than that!
【Yumi】─?
【Bubble Bubble】─?
【Pururu】─How would you know that?
【Mysticism】─Ah.
【Mysticism】─I just guessed!
【Rizenova】─Hmm. Suspicious.
［So, you’re not buying this either?］
“No. I don’t need strange items like that.”
I bowed my head again, examining the other items.
I guess I’ll have to ask about each item one by one.
***
The items Crocodile was selling were all bizarre.
I sorted through them, selecting only what seemed useful.
In the end, I purchased a total of three items.
The first was a map generator.
It cost 350 coins.
It automatically recorded the paths an explorer traveled and created a map, without needing to draw one by hand.
However, only explorers could use it.
Once it left the explorer’s hand, it stopped recording.
The second item was a drifter tracker.
It cost 300 coins.
It could track the location of drifters who had wandered into the Ancient Labyrinth, and, like the wandering merchant tracker, it gave voice guidance to their location.
And, of course, it could be used permanently, not just once.
Lastly, I bought a thick notebook.
It boasted durability, claiming that it wouldn’t tear unless attacked by a monster on Crocodile’s level or higher.
It cost 100 coins.
I purchased it for use as a monster guidebook.
Paying for the items was incredibly simple.
Just like purchasing a ticket from a vending machine, I only had to hold hands with the croc and think of the number of coins to transfer in my mind.
［Is there anything else you’d like to buy?］
“No. Everything else is trash… I mean, I don’t need anything else.”
［Understood. I’ll make sure to have better items the next time we meet.］
“I certainly hope so.”
With that, the shopping was done.
It was almost time to part ways.
‘But I wonder if I’ll be able to find Crocodile again… without a tracker, it might be difficult.’
Unfortunately.
Just like the Explorer’s Journal left by the mother of the Centaurides mentioned, taming a neutral monster like Crocodile was impossible.
No matter how much I examined it, I couldn’t find a weak point.
So, on a whim, I asked if it would join us, but it refused flatly. Even my suggestion to have one of our monsters accompany it was rejected.
［I cannot travel with an explorer. I’m neutral, and I don’t take sides.］
Once the croc’s role as a merchant was fulfilled.
Its principle was to part ways with the explorer and leave.
It felt a bit sad to part ways after coming this far.
So, I decided to ask the croc a few more questions.
It said it could answer simple ones.
But,
“Are there monsters in this Ancient Labyrinth that are stronger than… no, stronger than you, Crocodile?”
［I’m not sure.］
“You can’t tell me how to become a Dominant One, can you?”
［Correct. You’ll have to figure that out yourself.］
“Is proxy purchasing possible?”
［No, it is not.］
I didn’t get all the answers I wanted.
As I was contemplating my next question,
The form of the Crocodile Merchant began to fade.
［Well then, I hope to see you again.］
With a farewell, Crocodile vanished in an instant.
“…It’s gone.”
【Pururu】─It’s gone!
【Yumi】─?
【Mysticism】─Pururu, you’re disgusting.
“Guys, let’s head back to our base.”
I turned to the monsters and spoke.
And just as I was about to start walking back to the hideout,
『Drifters have appeared!』
『7 mortals have crossed dimensions and set foot in the Ancient Labyrinth.』
『Drifter Count: 7』
“Huh?”
A notification appeared before my eyes.
【Bubble Bubble】─What’s up?
“Some drifters have arrived after a long time.”
【Rizenova】─Oh! My successors have arrived!
【Pururu】─How many this time??
“Seven…”
『Drifters have appeared!』
『3 mortals have crossed dimensions and set foot in the Ancient Labyrinth.』
『Drifter Count: 10』
“No, ten…”
『Drifters have appeared!』
『1 mortal has crossed dimensions and set foot in the Ancient Labyrinth.』
『Drifter Count: 11』
“……”
『Drifters have appeared!』
『35 mortals have crossed dimensions and set foot in the Ancient Labyrinth.』
『Drifter Count: 46』
“Forty-six.”
【Pururu】─?
【Yumi】─What?
【Mysticism】─🤔
What the hell?
Why are so many suddenly showing up?