The Blacksmith could almost be said to be the weakest Tyrant Rapture; new players in the early stages relied on it to get rich.
(Of course, there was also Chatterbox.)
In the original story, Rapi and Anis dealt with it, making it the ‘out-of-the-novice-village’ boss.
Kai thought that this particular Blacksmith must not have fully matured yet, which was why it needed to capture a large number of Nikkes to facilitate its growth.
However, to ensure nothing went wrong, he had to strengthen Rapi and the others; he couldn’t allow them to suffer any casualties!
Otherwise, if he hadn’t transmigrated, Marian would have met a tragic end, and if he transmigrated and Marian still met a tragic end, wouldn’t his transmigration have been in vain?!
That couldn’t be allowed!
[Training]Interface.
Rapi (Level 20): Combat Power 1200
Stamina: 40000
Attack: 1100
Defense: 350
Equipment: None
Breaking through Level 20 requires 40 Core Dust, 5700 Combat Data, and 600 credit points.
Anis (Level 15): Combat Power 1050
Stamina: 35000
Attack: 900
Defense: 300
Equipment: None
Leveling up to Level 16 requires 2280 Combat Data and 600 credit points.
(This is to show you the training panel; it won’t appear again in the future.
Combat power will be directly added.)
Currently, Kai had 8 Core Dust and 2000 Combat Data, and the combat victory reward from the previous chapter had not yet been claimed.
Kai clicked to claim it and received 35 Core Dust and 7000 Combat Data, but no credit points.
The previous battle probably eliminated about 35 ordinary Raptures.
Now Kai had a total of 43 Core Dust and 9000 Combat Data.
Among these materials, Core Dust was Rapture combat experience extracted by System Doro from defeated Raptures.
Combat Data was Doro’s record of Nikkes’ combat logs, which could help Nikkes grow when used.
“It seems I can’t even level up by 1!
How do I get credit points if I don’t have any?”
Kai was distressed.
Although it was perfectly reasonable that Doro didn’t drop money but only materials when fighting monsters, it was very unreasonable that it copied game rules but didn’t copy them completely!
[The Commander can collect other useful materials from Raptures and sell them in the Ark to obtain a large amount of credit points.]
To System Doro, the Ark’s credit points were just a number, but due to the rules, Doro couldn’t break the law, so using energy to obtain numbers was useless.
In this world, it was very troublesome for Doro to replenish her energy.
By the way, Doro didn’t consume her own energy to collect Nikkes’ Combat Data and Raptures’ Core Dust for Kai.
During the process of transforming materials, she even’slightly’ extracted a portion of materials to replenish her own energy, and even made a profit—there was no other way, it seemed he could only use his charm!
They were now in a location not far from the rendezvous point, because there was a small dispute between Rapi and Kai about whether to fight the Blacksmith.
Rapi wanted to return to the Ark as soon as possible.
She had a good relationship with Ingrid, the CEO of Elysion, a pillar enterprise of the Ark.
If there was anyone in the Ark Rapi could trust, Ingrid was her only choice now.
As the CEO of Elysion, Ingrid should be able to protect Kai and Marian, provided, of course, that the news of Kai’s ability to remove corrosion was not leaked.
Kai, however, was determined to defeat the Blacksmith.
Firstly, if it was allowed to continue growing, not only would more Nikkes be captured and corroded, but it would also be more troublesome to deal with once it grew stronger!
Secondly, that guy had harmed Marian, and he had to strike hard!
Although the Blacksmith hadn’t acted yet, it had only harmed Marian in the original story.
“Rapi, the Blacksmith constantly lures and captures Nikkes.
If it grows, many more Nikkes will be harmed!
So I cannot let it leave this area alive.”
“But you are the main force in combat, so I’m asking for your opinion.
What are your thoughts?”
Previous Commanders would only give orders and wait for results, completely disregarding how many Nikkes would sacrifice themselves.
“My opinion won’t change.
But you are the Commander, I will listen to you.”
Rapi agreed.
Anis was still quite scared; that was a Tyrant-level Rapture!
But there was no choice, it was now 3 to 1, and Marian naturally agreed with Kai without question.
Finally, with the team’s opinions unified, Kai secretly walked over to Marian.
He whispered, “Marian, do you have any credit points on you?
Lend me some, I need them.
When we return to the Ark, I’ll find a way to earn money to pay you back, or I can work for you then!”
His voice was very low, after all, borrowing money was easy to do but hard to say.
Marian finally managed to hear him clearly; the Commander was too close!
She blushed and fumbled on herself: “Yes, Commander!
I’ve never used my money, I’ve saved it all up, hundreds of thousands of credit points.
Anyway, it’s not much use to me, so I’ll just give it all to you!
No need to repay—”
No way!
Wouldn’t I be a freeloader then?
He said righteously (with a painful sacrifice): “You must be repaid!
Then I’ll work for you!
When we get back, I’ll cook for you to pay off the debt.
When we return to the Ark—”
Holy crap!
Kai quickly shut up.
What a cursed mouth he had, setting up a flag here.
Bad luck!
In short, it definitely had to be repaid, and with interest!
“Com-Commander, I think I was corroded when I left, and I didn’t bring my credit card—”
Marian’s voice was like a mosquito’s, her face already red as a peach.
Sigh~, Kai found it a bit amusing.
Silly Marian, if someone else tricked her, she’d even help count the money!
He couldn’t let Marian manage money in the future.
There was no other way; he had to be direct and lay out his cards.
After all, training Nikkes couldn’t be hidden from them anyway.
So what if he lost face?
“Anis, Rapi, and Marian, I have a big secret to tell you.”
Hearing Kai’s words, the three Nikkes all listened attentively, waiting for what he would say next.
“I originally planned to get along with you as an ordinary person, but what I got in return was, well, trust, hahaha—” Kai couldn’t help but laugh, but the three Nikkes were completely bewildered.
They didn’t know what was funny.
“No more pretending!
I’m a researcher, I’m coming clean!”
Being forced into research by the system still made him a researcher!
“Through research, I have gained the ability to remove corrosion!
Thanks to my hard work and sweat, I have also developed a way to make Nikkes stronger!”
“For just 600 credit points!
You can experience the joy of becoming stronger!
For 600 bucks, you won’t lose out, you won’t be fooled!”
Kai spouted a string of sales pitches, sounding like a pyramid scheme seller.
In short, his message was: lend me 600 bucks!
“First come, first served!
My resources are only enough to upgrade one Nikke.”
Kai wasn’t lying; upgrading Nikkes really was a pure loss for him.
Anis wanted to see what Kai was up to and directly lent him 600 bucks.
“Excellent, Anis, your trust delights me!
The all-knowing, all-powerful Lord Kai will reward you!” This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
Anis trembled all over.
This line, it felt so familiar!
Then Kai turned to Rapi and said, “Rapi, then I’ll upgrade you first.”
Anis: — Nikkes become speechless when extremely speechless, so Anis was extremely speechless.
Didn’t he say he would reward her?
Of course, it wasn’t that Kai was too much of a scoundrel, but upgrading Rapi would have the most obvious effect.
He hoped Anis wouldn’t mind.
Kai asked in his mind: Doro, how do I upgrade a Nikke?
[Just give the Core Dust and Combat Data to the Nikke, and then I will deduct the currency of the current world.
In this world, of course, it’s credit points.]
Kai: So the money goes to you!
Doro, we have such a good relationship, aren’t you willing to let me owe you?
[—]
[That is the smallest price I can think of.
Equivalent exchange is a common law in all worlds.]
Kai: —, then I’ll just pay.
Kai reached into his backpack, concealing the act of taking out materials from Doro.
He first pulled out a white, spherical object from his ‘backpack,’ with a red glow emanating from its center, about the size of a Poké Ball.
This Core Dust contained 40 units of Rapture experience.
Then he pulled out a blue USB drive from his ‘backpack,’ containing enough Combat Data for an upgrade.
“Commander, what is that white ball?
I feel like I kind of want it—” Marian couldn’t help but say.
After handing the materials to Rapi, Kai heard Marian’s words, so he pulled out another Core Dust, but it only had 3 units of Rapture experience left.
Anyway, keeping it wouldn’t earn interest, so he might as well give it to Marian if she wanted it.
Kai: Doro, let me see your limits, deduct the credit points, upgrade!
[Okay, already upgraded.]
Rapi (Level 21): Combat Power 1260
Rapi was still holding the items Kai gave her in a daze, when suddenly everything transformed into data and experience transmitted to her body.
“Commander!
I really feel stronger!
It increased by about 5%!”
Nikkes could grow stronger through continuous combat, but Rapi had long felt she had reached a limit!
She never expected the Commander to actually make her stronger; even when she studied with her master, a 5% increase would take at least several months!
Kai smiled: “Good, I didn’t lie to you, did I?”
Anis stared at Kai with a deadpan expression.
And I’m the one who paid for it!
“Commander, I feel so dizzy~~”
Marian lost her balance and fell onto Kai.
“Marian!
Are you alright!” Kai worriedly supported Marian, then noticed something different about her.
“Marian, your hair—”
Marian’s hair had turned grayish-white!
[Successfully bound Marian (Codename Modernia, Level 10, Combat Power 1300), current Affection Level 10, Affection has reached maximum level, you have become her only one.
(Affection Level cap increase still requires Nikke to break through physical limits)]
Huh?
What!
Kai was very confused.
Marian had become the Pilgrim, Modernia, just like that?
Kai suddenly didn’t want to work hard anymore.
Blacksmith, oh Blacksmith, you’re definitely not going to have a good time now!!
(Known information: Nikke + Rapture experience + mysterious substance (someone’s blood) = Evolution)