Chapter 470 - 470. Recruiting Another Member
Another important thing to note from yesterday's battle was that due to the exp points acquired from the first half of the undead invasion, Jack's Blade Dancer class level had increased. Since he stopped his Mage class from receiving exp, all the exp acquired during the defense had gone to his Blade Dancer class and caused it to level up directly to level 32.
Each level-up gave much more attribute points compared to his advanced class. One level-up of Blade Dancer class provided him with:
HP +100
Stamina +60
Strength +8
Dexterity +8
Intelligence +1
Endurance +4
Reflex +7
Wisdom +2
3 free attribute points
3 free skill points
Luck attribute was as expected didn't receive any increase.
He used all the 6 free attribute points and put them all into Endurance, bringing it to 186 combined with the boost from his equipment. He figured that his melee class now had the attributes heavily catered to melee offense, sort of like a glass cannon build. He was pretty sure his soon-to-be Archmage class would also provide not much Endurance, so he spent his free points on endurance to balance it up.
For the 6 free skill points, he spent them on Blitz Slash, bringing it to level 10. Each five-level increase gave him one extra slash. At level 10, all enemies on the path of this skill would receive five slashes that inflicted 145% damage each slash.
When Jack arrived before at the street where Ellie's restaurant and Amy's bakery were, it was very crowded, with players as the majority. As was predicted, this street had become the hub where many player guilds built their Guild Bases. The once empty street was now teemed with activities, not losing to the trade center of the business district.
Some guilds even bought plots of land and built shops to offer their services. Some build restaurants, trying to emulate Ellie's Restaurant's success. But looking at the current busyness of Ellie's restaurant, Jack did not worry. Ellie's restaurant had built up a good number of regular customers. Ellie and Bill's membership in the House of Culinary faction also ensured them a steady source of new recipes, keeping the menu fresh. Dylan's trade connection also provided Ellie with sufficient ingredients to continue utilizing these new recipes that other newly built restaurants didn't possess.
Coincidentally, today was the day this kid trader was visiting Ellie's restaurant to deliver his weekly stock. When Jack sent a message to Ellie informing him that he would come to visit, Ellie said that he was with Dylan. Jack asked her to keep the boy there until he arrived. He wanted to say hi.
When he entered the restaurant, he saw every table was taken. More native workers were working the tables now.
Jack went directly to the VIP room that Ellie and Dylan were meeting at. When he entered, he saw the two were sitting and chatting while enjoying refreshments. Ellie had prepared a set of refreshments for Jack as well after receiving the message that he was coming.
"Hiya! Just Dylan, it's good to see you again!" Jack called.
"That is getting old, you know?" Dylan said, giving him a side-eye.
"Okay, okay. I do admit it is no longer fun. I promise I will call you just… Dylan from now on."
Jack sat at the prepared chair.
"So, why are you here again?" Dylan asked, and then turned to Ellie, "I thought you have cut his service already since I didn't see him anymore all this time."
"Hahaha," Jack just laughed. Jack still didn't let Ellie tell the others about his ownership of the restaurant, so Dylan was still under the impression that Jack was hired by Ellie for mercenary works.
Ellie also didn't answer Dylan's question, she simply smiled.
Dylan didn't seem to push the issue, but he turned to Jack and asked again, "so, why are you here again?"
"I'm here to socialize with my pal. Is that wrong?" Jack answered.
"By pal, I hope you don't mean me? Let me tell you that although we businessmen indeed like to socialize, I myself only believe to socialize with people who bring me profits. I don't bother to waste my time socializing with nobodies."
"Look at you all serious-like. You might be saying that but I know you enjoy talking with me. Why waste your time to explain otherwise?"
Dylan gave Jack a sour expression and pretended to look away in an act of ignoring Jack. But not long after, he turned back. "Well, since you are here. I heard from Ellie that this small poison gland in the list was asked by you? I have said this to Ellie but I say it to you now. I've looked around everywhere. Nobody sells this bloody thing. Who will sell such an awful ingredient anyway? You must be planning to use it for nefarious means."
"Well, as a matter of fact, I did. I use it to kill monsters," Jack said. "Also, there is no need for you to look for that ingredient anymore. I've found a steady supply of it already."
"What?" Dylan was taking a sip of his tea, he couldn't help but spurt it out upon hearing Jack's words.
Jack was thankful that his reflex had increased. That spurt was completely unexpected, yet he still managed to bend his body away, evading it.
"Yo, man! That's gross," Jack uttered.
"You… where do you find that supply of small poison gland?" Dylan asked. He could not accept that someone else could find the wares that he failed to find. He believed that with the combination of his gaming and business skills, he should be ahead of other businessmen who were only good in real-life business.
"I got it from Larabar city," Jack answered.
"Larabar…?" Dylan said as he seemed to be trying to remember something.
Jack chuckled seeing him. He said, "You won't recognize the name. It is not a city in Themisphere, it is one from…"
"City from Verremor nation? The kingdom of the Orcs?!" Dylan uttered before Jack completed his sentence.
"Oh? You know?"
"Of course I know! The Trade Associations existed on all seven main kingdoms. And if your rank is high enough, there is information on the list of their main cities. My rank happens to be high enough. How did you gain access to that city anyway? I still have a problem reaching many other main cities within this kingdom."
"Hehe, you should spend more time leveling up then. Many players who reached level 30 are already venturing out making their way to other cities. If you continue to rely on that caravan of yours, you will instead be left behind," Jack ridiculed. When he entered, he used Inspect on Dylan and found him to be level 19 and was still a Ranger class. But then again, Dylan was still better than Ellie who was beside Jack. She was still a level 1 Ranger.
"Cut the crap. That still didn't explain how you get to Larabar. The regions separating countries have many level 50 monsters roaming it."
"Well, long story short. I am in a guild that managed to recruit an Orc player who somehow made his way into this country. I managed to persuade him to join my guild and he established a teleportation link with Larabar. So, now he can travel freely from his town to our Guild Headquarters."
"Guild Headquarters?"
"It's a large structure in the middle of wilderness owned by a guild. I don't think you follow guild matters, so don't worry about it. Thing is, the small poison gland issue is solved already, so you don't need to bother about it anymore."
"So, you can teleport between this Guild Headquarters of yours to Larabar?" Dylan asked.
"Uh… Yeah," Jack answered.
Dylan seemed to be pondering for a while before he exclaimed, "let me join your guild!"
Jack was slightly startled by the request. "Oh? Why?"
"I want to travel to Larabar!"
Jack laughed at him. "You don't know anything. You are a human. Themisphere and Verremor are not in a good political term. If you teleport there, you will be kicked around by the orcs."
"It's you who doesn't know anything," Peniel who was sitting at Jack's shoulder scolded. "He is a Trades Association member. This faction's members gained free pass to any kingdom without concern of the political situation, as long as they were not an official member of the enemy kingdom faction." Peniel turned to Dylan, "you have not yet joined Themisphere kingdom faction, have you?"
"Not yet. Hey, pal. She seemed to know a great deal. Where did you get this…"
"If you call me a pet, I will make you regret it!!" Peniel said before Dylan could finish his sentence.
"Uh… Um… Where did you get this extraordinary winged small lady?" Dylan completed his sentence.
Jack chuckled. Then he looked at Dylan seriously, "well, I don't mind you joining. But weren't you eager to join the Kingdom Faction before? You heard her, if you want to be able to travel to Larabar, you won't be able to join Themisphere faction then."
"I want to join because it allowed me access to the small towns of this kingdom. Between choosing to travel to another country against small towns, it's a no-brainer. The variety of wares in other countries will bring me even more profits.. The trade goods that I can sell cross-countries would reap incredible profits."