After returning to Mount Noah, I must have slept for days straight.
Even though I had just fought a battle that danced on the edge of life and death, the fight with the Turncoat Rook that followed completely drained me.
["...Are you dead?"]
Sometimes, even in my sleep, I could feel Esther poking me cautiously, but I was too tired to respond.
["W-What do I do! If you die like this, I..."]
Of course, every time that happened, Esther would panic and make a fuss, and I would grudgingly show signs of life even while half-asleep.
["Phew, that scared me. If you're alive, at least let me know. I almost lost my heart."]
How am I supposed to say anything while sleeping?
["Aren't you going to eat? You still have to eat something."]
It was a strangely familiar kind of nagging.
Which just made it even more annoying.
["Chatter, chatter, chatter, chatter, chatter, chatter, chatter, chatter, chatter, chatter, chatter, chatter, chatter, chatter..."]
No joke, it really sounded like that.
"...Leave me alone."
Finally, unable to take it anymore, I grumbled out a response, and only then did Esther fall silent, looking oddly dejected.
["You don't even know how worried I was... How could you just shut me down like that? Honestly, I'm done worrying about you. Ugh, I'd rather die than care anymore..."]
Her muttering was oddly bothersome, but I didn't bother reacting and just continued sleeping.
And then...
At last, morning came.
[After taking proper rest following a fierce battle, your torn muscles have recovered!]
[Strength stat has increased.]
[16 → 18]
[Stamina stat has increased.]
[19 → 21]
As proof of the life-or-death struggle, my base stats had increased by 2 each.
Strength and Stamina were basic yet crucial stats, and increasing them impacted all aspects of combat.
'And finally... my Stamina stat broke past 20.'
The significance of that was clear.
Not always, but generally, when a stat's tens digit changes, there's a high chance of gaining a new trait.
In other words, I was about to receive a new trait.
[Your Stamina stat has surpassed 20!]
[You have acquired the trait: "Rapid Recovery."]
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[Rapid Recovery]
— Increases health recovery speed.
"View Details"
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'Just as I thought.'
As I always say, the shorter the trait description, the better the trait usually is.
It means that the trait functions without any special conditions, which makes it highly efficient.
Indeed, [Rapid Recovery] was one of the best traits obtainable when the Stamina stat reached 20.
Naturally, the conditions to obtain it were quite challenging, but it seemed I had finally met them this time.
'It just shows how intense that battle was.'
The multi-wave battle alone was already more than enough, but on top of that, fighting the Turncoat Rook...
With a battle like that, it wouldn't have been strange if I had acquired an even higher-tier trait.
The problem was that my Stamina stat wasn't high enough yet.
'Well, I guess the next trait will come when it reaches 30.'
As the name suggests, [Rapid Recovery] enhances health recovery speed.
And health here doesn't just mean healing wounds; it also includes stamina recovery related to endurance.
'A useful trait for both long and short battles.'
In short, it's simply a good trait.
'Now then...'
Since I'd rested enough, I felt the need to stop by Ark.
There were several reasons, but the biggest was to meet the quartermaster, Gedwin.
'With 450,000 contribution points, I should be able to get some blaster-type equipment.'
Of course, blaster-type weapons are expensive.
Not just expensive, but ridiculously so.
And that's not the only drawback.
They're expensive, Prone to malfunction, and, Most fatally, have terrible energy efficiency, making them unsuitable for prolonged use.
In a world constantly threatened by monsters and fiends, they aren't exactly practical, but despite that, there's a simple reason to use them.
Overwhelming firepower.
That one factor alone justifies the value of blaster-type weapons.
'Besides, their biggest drawback doesn't really matter to me.'
The most significant problem with blaster weapons is their horrific energy efficiency.
Their overwhelming power means that just a few shots can drain them completely.
For Ark, where endless waves of beasts and fiends are a constant threat, these weapons are practically useless.
However, I can overcome that drawback.
Even though they still have plenty of weaknesses, having at least one in my arsenal wouldn't hurt.
'Alright... Time to get moving.'
Having finally finished resting, I stood up.
It was time to head to Ark.
*
As I headed to Ark, I busily munched on Multi-Calorie Bars (chocolate flavor and vanilla flavor).
Since I had practically been fasting for days, my stomach felt like it was glued to my spine.
Moreover, given how much time had already passed, I needed to save as much time as possible, even during meals.
Chomp, chomp—
'Tastes good.'
Maybe it was because hunger made everything taste better, or maybe the bars were just that good, but eating the Multi-Calorie Bars after so long felt like enjoying a gourmet feast.
One bar wasn't enough, so I ended up eating three as I traveled.
I had also long since drained the canteen of water I brought with me.
["Wow... You ate three of them?"]
Multi-Calorie Bars were designed by Ark as nutrient-packed food that provided more than enough calories for a meal.
Normally, just one would be sufficient, but maybe I overate because it was my first meal in days.
'Might as well buy more Multi-Calorie Bars while I'm there.'
Of course, I couldn't survive solely on those bars forever, but they were undeniably convenient.
'By the way, I checked earlier, and it looks like the sprouts have grown...'
As expected, using the soil from the Great Forest allowed plants to grow even at Mount Noah.
This meant it was time to find the Sandstorm Caravan.
'I've got plenty of trade goods.'
But there was still one concern — the presence of the Daughter of the Sands.
Dealing with the caravan would inevitably involve that money-hungry demon.
'Well, I'll figure it out when I get there.'
For now, my priority was meeting Quartermaster Gedwin.
["We're almost there!"]
With Esther's announcement, the Red Line Gate came into view.
Red-1 Gate.
Though I could have gone to Gate-17, where familiar faces were stationed, I chose the closest gate to save time.
'And there's one more place I need to stop by here.'
["Identification complete."]
["Welcome, Carl Marcus."]
With the familiar mechanical voice, the gate of the Red Line slowly opened, while the soldiers continued their work of clearing out the corpses of beasts and fiends from the frontline.
Now that I was a legitimate honorary citizen of Ark, passing through the gate, even in times like this, wasn't much of a hassle.
After crossing the gate, I immediately approached a nearby soldier and asked him to summon Quartermaster Gedwin.
I could go find him myself, but it would be more convenient if he came to me.
"Understood. Please wait here for a moment."
Not long after, Quartermaster Gedwin appeared, almost running to greet me.
"You're here. I've been expecting you."
"Yeah."
I wasn't here for small talk, so I cut straight to the point.
"I want to make a trade."
"Understood. Then—"
Gedwin looked at me, activating his Demon Soul Eyes to read the ether swirling around me.
As usual, his gaze scanned me naturally, but his expression slowly transformed into one of sheer disbelief.
"Wh-What...? Wha-wha-wha...?"
Gedwin looked as if he'd seen a ghost.
More precisely, he was staring at the torrent of ether swirling around me.
"How... how is this possible...?"
A mix of awe, reverence, and fear flashed across Gedwin's face.
It was understandable.
This time, I had racked up a whopping 300,000 contribution points.
How many times in his life had Gedwin, as the quartermaster of the Red Line, seen numbers like that?
My achievements in this recent wave must have been truly astounding.
"Incredible..."
"This is unreal..."
"How can a human even accomplish something like that...?"
At first, I just let Gedwin be, but his reaction dragged on for so long that I couldn't help but intervene.
"...Enough. Just get to work."
"A-Ah!"
Finally coming to his senses, Gedwin gave a quick, apologetic bow.
"S-Sorry about that. I just... couldn't believe it..."
His voice was trembling.
It just showed how overwhelming the contribution points I earned this time truly were.
"...Although I can't speak on behalf of Ark, truly... thank you."
No need to get sentimental. Just do your job properly.
"Is there something specific you're looking for? I'll have it prepared right away!"
His attitude had noticeably shifted compared to before, but I could understand why.
Ark was in a dire situation, and as a quartermaster, Gedwin had the ability to assess how much each soldier and combatant had contributed.
In other words, he knew exactly who had been protecting Ark.
"I want a blaster weapon."
"A blaster weapon... sir?"
Blaster-type weapons were rare and dangerous.
Despite their undeniable power, they were risky due to their significant drawbacks.
"Yes."
"Which one would you like?"
Even so, Gedwin didn't hesitate.
Previously, no matter how many contribution points I had, purchasing a blaster would have been impossible.
But now that I was an honorary citizen of Ark, things were different.
As a legitimate citizen with ample contribution points, there was no reason I couldn't buy one.
"If it's something within my access, just let me know. I'll provide it right away."
I liked how decisively he responded.
"I want the BLT-47 Plasma Launcher."
"The BLT-47 Plasma Launcher... sir?"
Gedwin looked a bit surprised.
And for good reason — the BLT-47 wasn't exactly considered a top-tier blaster weapon.
Its firepower was undoubtedly among the best of plasma launchers, but it had significant drawbacks in terms of ammo capacity and energy efficiency.
'Its durability isn't that great, either.'
A weapon with extremely pronounced strengths and equally pronounced weaknesses.
But for me, it was just the right fit.
"Yes."
"Understood. Is there anything else you need?"
"These as well."
I handed him a list of items I had prepared beforehand.
Since living in Mount Noah required quite a few supplies, I had written down everything I might need earlier.
"Understood. Please wait here for a moment."
Just as Gedwin was about to turn away, I called out to him.
"Oh, and one more thing."
"Yes, sir?"
"I'd like to meet Lieutenant Colonel Maybell Pilgrim."