Ark Volume 2

by Japtem

  "Magic Restoration!"

  When the skill was used, the tattered armor went back to its original condition.

  At the sight, the Merpeople couldn't hide their astonishment. Granted, since it was still a beginner skill, it didn't completely return to original. 10% penalty was applied and durability only recovered by 90%.

  A player would refuse the services even if they were paid. But this alone was a shock to the Merpeople. Since one equip was over 1,000P, replacing one was a big deal.

  "You are truly incredible! Even a Magician wouldn't be able to do something like this!"

  Ark spoke while gasping, pretending to be tired, "Huff huff huff, it's very difficult when I use this technique."

  "No wonder, since you did something remarkable. This isn't much, but take it."

  The guard readily pulled out 50P.

  It was better than selling 20 special cooking!

  Ark's pupils flashed with golden light again.

  'Nice. I was getting worried since there's a limit to the ingredients.'

  "It's too regretful to simply throw away the great equipment of the Merpeople when they are broken. It's difficult for me, but if you have something broken, please bring it to me any time. If it's a normal item, I will repair it for a cheap price."

  When the rumors spread, all the Merpeople brought their equipment and swarmed around Ark.

  'Hahaha this is truly a cinch.'

  He was so happy, he might turn insane.

  He used ingredients he couldn't sell in the store to earn Pearls. Was that all? Every time he cooked, he raised his Survival Cooking skill. As he used Magic Restoration while earning Pearls, he was also able to raise its skill proficiency. As a result, the proficiency rose insanely and he raised the Magic Restoration level in three days.

  Magic Restoration has risen to Intermediate through a great deal of experience.

  The usual penalty you received when repairing normal items is gone. It is now possible to repair Magical Items. However, each time you repair a magic item, its maximum durability will decrease by 10%.

  Mana Consumption: 20

  * Since both the Nursing and Magic Restoration skill have become Intermediate, you have learned Purification Restoration as an effect of set skills. With Purification Restoration, you can purify curses on any kind of item.

  'Set skill effect!'

  In the past, he learned Sword-Hand Combat as a set effect of Sword Mastery and Hand-to-Hand Combat. When a couple related skills grow to a certain level, a set effect is given. But seeing it was a skill to lift curses, with Nursing and Magic Restoration being uncommon skills, this set effect was rare kind. Now he could release the curse of items without paying money to the Cathedral.

  'Lancel's Sword!'

  Lancel's Sword immediately came to mind.

  Until now, it was maddening to wonder what kind of sword it was.

  "Alright, Purification Restoration!"

  Once the Sword's curse was lifted, a message window popped up with a new sound effect.

  - Once the curse was released, the Sword's original appearance has materialized.

  Lancel's Sword (Magic Sword)

  Weapon Type

  One-Handed Sword

  Attack

  20~30

  Durability

  50/50

  Weight

  25

  Usage Restriction

  Dark Attribute, Level 50

  A Sword used by the Mercenary Lancel, who was famed in the past. The reason why Lancel became notorious was due to the magic sword he wielded corrupting his mind. Lancel realized this and didn't utilize the sword for a long time, but he took up the Sword again to exterminate Kundalini, where he then drew his last breath and died.

  'It's.. it's the jackpot!' Ark's mouth was wide open with surprise.

  Ark was still using the Sharply Shining Sword he had earned from defeating the Black Bear Mouse. The sword's attack is 8-12, whereas Lancel's Sword was 20-30.

  Just by looking at the attack power, it was a perfect sword to use at level 50. Unfortunately, there was a restriction of Dark Attribute.

  The players Ark knew with the Dark Attribute were so few that he could count them on one hand. Despite it being a rare-class item, it would be difficult to a get a high price at the auction. However, there was no reason to be disappointed.

  'Lancel's Sword would immediately raise collective attack power by at least 30 percent.'

  That alone gave it plenty of value.

  Just then, another new message window popped up.

  The Magic Tool's ability was drawn out by the Dark Walker's job characteristic.

  Netherworld residents who are at least Intermediate class all possess their own artifact, which they call Magic Tools. Players can activate Magic Tool once a day. You can summon the host of the Magic Sword, who hides in the Netherworld. No kinds of environmental penalties apply to the entity summoned as the Magic Sword's host.

  However, the Magic Sword's host is not friendly to players.

  Job Special : If the player who owns the sword has the ability to summon creatures of the Netherworld, you are qualified to make the Familiar and the host of the Magic Sword duel. If the Familiar wins, you can combine the two entities to evolve into a stronger Familiar.

  If the player attacks and uses hostile magic to side with the Familiar during the duel, the duel will automatically end in a defeat. In the cases the Familiar loses, it will be forcefully recalled and the appropriate penalty will apply.

  Lancel's Sword's (Magic Sword)

  Special Effect: Once a day, you can summon the low-class Vampire Dunphil.

  'What is this?' Ark had a puzzled expression when he saw the never before seen message.

  After reading it a couple of times, without being mindful of his surroundings he exclaimed.

  'A Familiar's growth!'

  They were words that made his eyes pop. Truthfully, Ark was feeling slightly doubtful about developing his Familiars, since the condition to develop Familiars was too peculiar.

  Newly made dishes with Survival Cooking. However even if the cooking succeeded, if the added effects were negative, the Familiars wouldn't grow. So although he had created about 80 new dishes, his Familiars' stats had only risen about thirty times. And since Skull and Bat split the consumption, it was only fifteen times.

  If the risen stats were converted to levels, they were only about level 15, even though Ark had leveled up over 30 times while cooking ceaselessly. Moreover, no matter how many kinds of ingredients there were in New World, there was a limit.

  In conclusion, the amount of new dishes Ark can make is limited. Eventually, the Familiar's growth would stop.

  Right now they were overcoming the level difference against monsters with tactics, but it would also reach its limit one day.

  When it happens, he might have to give up on his Familiars. But before it happens, he has to develop them a little more. The Familiars, who had no thoughts of rushing up to level, trembled uncontrollably at the mere sight of food...

  Anyway, it was regrettable for Ark, who had special affection for his Familiars.

  'But now there was another method!'

  After ending his sale in the evening, Ark went outside Nodelesse.

  The reason being: combat cannot be done inside the city.

  "Magic Sword summon!"

  Once Ark released the seal, a monster was summoned with hazy light. It had the appearance of a middle-aged man in a suit.

  Dunphil glanced around, studied Ark, and smirked. "You summoned me? What is your business?"

  Its expression and manner of speech were incomparably arrogant.

  It was when Ark was about to say something.

  "DU-DUNPHIL!" While staring blankly at Dunphil, Bat screamed.

  But Dunphil's response was apathetic.

  "Who the hell are you?"

  "Y-you don't know me?"

  "You are a strange one, I wouldn't know the likes of a bat without even a name."
>
  "WH-WHAT? THIS BASTARD!"

  Without even a chance to interfere, Bat charged at Dunphil.

  It seemed it was decided Dunphil would be Bat's opponent.

  Once the fight between the Familiars began, a message came up and all Ark could do was watch. He couldn't even use Nursing or recall his summon.

  Ark took a step back together with Skull and used Eyes of the Cat to watch the fight. Dunphil's level was 25. On the other hand, when looking at Bat with its level 15 stats, the level difference was apparent throughout the fight.

  Whenever Dunphil's attack hit, Bat's heath fell by 10%. Even so, Bat blindly pushed forward.

  As if Bat forgot all the fighting experience it had gained with Ark, it recklessly charged at Dunphil.

  "Bat, carefully lengthen the fight!"

  They were underwater. Dunphil doesn't get environment penalty. He wasn't at a disadvantage of not being able to breath underwater and experienced any movement hindrance. He can move naturally even underwater. While on the other hand, Bat received underwater penalty and couldn't display the greatest advantage of a winged beast --- mobility. The difference was very large.

  It was a disadvantageous fight from the beginning.

  If Bat had a slight chance of winning, it was to use its experience of underwater battle and drag the fight on. But since Bat was only thinking about charging in and dealing damage, he couldn't have a proper fight.

  Bat didn't even pretended to have heard Ark's advice.

  "I'll kill you! I WILL KILL YOU!"

  "Kekeke, you dare to come at me with your level of skill, how laughable!"

  "KUAAAAAK!"

  In the end, Bat's Health hit rock bottom after Dunphil's claw attack. Bat faded away while gnawing at Dunphil's shoulder.

  "How insignificant. The business is settled now, yeah?"

  "Yes. F---k off."

  "If you're going to make me fight, it would be better to bring someone more commendable."

  Dunphil disappeared while speaking with an arrogant expression. In the end, the first fight ended in vain.

  'That Bat!'

  Ark exploded in rage. Dunphil's scumbag attitude was bad too, but what made him even angrier was Bat. Thoughtlessly rushing in and tear? The fight was so absurd, it made Ark's face go hot. What the hell had Bat learned while fighting alongside Ark until now?

  Ark had returned to the city and spent 24 hours doing business.

  "Hey, Bat! The hell was THAT?" After resummoning, Ark castigated Bat with a stormy expression.

  But he couldn't keep speaking.

  Once it was summoned, Bat bawled as it ground its teeth.

  "WAAAAAH, DAMMIT, DAMMIT!"

  "Huh? What? Are you putting on a show because I'm angry?"

  "Master, I beg you! Call that bastard again! I have to fight with him!"

  "What the hell are you saying? Explain so I can understand!"

  "That bastard... that bastard is the one who harassed me for over 10 years in the Netherworld."

  "What?"

  Bat ground its teeth as it spoke.

  Dunphil was a low-ranking noble in the Netherworld. The arrogant and ill-tempered Dunphil harassed weak monsters as a hobby, and for the most part, its target was Bat.

  Bat, who was born as a relative of the Vampire race, was constantly harassed by Dunphil. In addition, he was ostracized by the other bats as per Dunphil's instructions. In the end he was exiled from the race.

  'Now that I think about it, this guy...'

  Bat's original name was 'Hatred-bearing Bat.'

  An explanation how Bat came to bear hatred and rage towards the world because it suffered harassment in the Netherworld; had been attached in its description.

  'In such a setting, it can't be helped for this rascal to fight Dunphil.'

  After thinking for a while, a wicked smile blossomed on Ark's lips.

  'It's a chance.'

  "I understand the situation, however I can't let you immediately fight Dunphil."

  "Ma-Master!"

  "If you fight like the way you did the day before, no matter how much you fight, you can't win against him. You will lose. And if you don't want to lose again listen to me. First, you need to get stronger."

  Bat was startled. Getting stronger; in other words, it meant he had to eat food.

  However Bat grit its teeth and nodded. "I understand, if I can win against him I will do anything."

  "Alright, and another thing, you can't fight like you did before. He's stronger than you. But not enough for you not to win. From today onwards, I'll train you."

  Ark did business during the day and started training Bat at night. And when a new recipe came up, he immediately shoved it into Bat's mouth.

  Food made with ocean ingredients had a high chance of having a good effect. Whenever it happened, Bat's stats went up.

  Bat's training was sparring with Ark.

  "Do it right! If you fight that way you can't win against Dunphil! Do you want to be beaten up again?"

  "N-NO! I won't lose!"

  *Pow pow pow!*

  The days of gruesome training continued.

  Unlike usual, although Bat got beaten up by Ark countless times, its fighting spirit burned. After finishing intense training for a few days, Ark called Dunphil out again and had them duel.

  Though Bat's stats had risen a few times, it alone wasn't enough to oppose Dunphil yet. But since Bat's skills had greatly improved over the last few days, a battle far more stable than before unfolded.

  "Huff huff huff, this, this much is far from it."

  In the end it ended with Dunphil's victory again, but there wasn't as large of a margin as last time. Ark smiled coldly at Dunphil, who swaggered in a way unfitting for his appearance.

  "It'll be harder next time."

  "Hmph, even so, a bat is a bat."

  Dunphil disappeared to the Netherworld as if it was running away.

  'Damn, the problem is I have to wait 24 hours once it dies. Next time I'll allow him to fight when I am more confident he can win. Until I can resummon, I should make up the training schedule.'

  Ark was busy doing business, raising his Familiar, and doing miscellaneous things.

  Ark accumulated Pearls while steadily doing business.

  But when there is a high tide there is also low tide.

  As time passed, even his lucrative business slowly died down. His land ingredients ran out so he squeezed out dishes with seaweed as its main ingredient, but since it was an ingredient the Merpeople were familiar with, it didn't hold their interest for very long.

  The business of Magic Restoration also didn't gather customers easily after he repaired all the Guards' equipment. Since there wasn't a big war going on, there was no reason for the durability to drop quickly.

  'For a business, it is more important to know when to stop than knowing when to start. Well, it wasn't something I could do for long anyway.'

  In the end, Ark ended his business in ten days.

  It was a business which earned him Pearls without a capital. It wasn't without regret, but he couldn't pick a spot and live in Nodelesse. Also, no matter how many Pearls he had, if he didn't change them into gold then there was no meaning. It was a business he had to stop eventually.

  More than anything the reason Ark was able to leave the business without regret was because he already reached his initial goal. Ark was already a celebrity among the Merpeople.

  Wherever he went, Merpeople recognized Ark and pretended to know him.

  When he was doing business, there were huge fans who came to the restaurant without missing a single day. Finding out a piece of information wasn't even a problem.

  "Do you happen to know someone by the name of Christin?"

  "Christin you say..."

  In the past there would've been immediate swearing first, but this time the circumstances were different.

  The elderly Merman earnestly pondered and spoke, "There's nothing I can't tell if it's you, but actually, I don't know
very much about a person named Christin either. It's not just me. There probably isn't a Merperson in Nodelesse who knows the details about him. It's a name everyone knows, but nobody knows who exactly he was."

  "I don't understand. But then why does everyone get upset when I asked about him?"

  "It's because we learned to act as such. I only heard from prideful Merpeople during my grandfather's grandfather's time that you had to hate him. But after listening to your words and thinking back on it, I didn't hear why we have to hate him."

  He understood, why else would they be fish?

  "Isn't there a way to find out?"

  "Hmm...."

  The old Merman contemplated for a while and answered as if he suddenly remembered something.

  "Now that I think about it, there's a Crystal Pillar that records the history of the Merpeople in front of the Palace. I think I've heard something about him being recorded there too, though we don't know what it says because it's written in a language forgotten long ago. You who have many talents may be able to find a clue. Go there and try."

  "Thank you."

  "But are you closing down the restaurant now?"

  "Yes, I don't have any ingredients left."

  "How unfortunate. It was my sole pleasure..." The elderly Merman murmured while smacking his mouth.

  Ark left the regular customer and headed directly to the Palace.

  "Hey, Ark. What are you doing here?"

  "I came after hearing there was a marvelous Crystal Pillar in front of the Palace."

  "There is. It's quite a marvelous decoration."

  "Could I come in and see it once?"

  "Hm, that's a bit difficult..."

  "I wish to learn more about the Merpeople whom I admire deep within my heart. I'll just glance at it and come out so please let me."

  "Well, since it's your request and not someone else's, it can't be helped. I understand, but you have to come out quick."

  Since the intimacy was at maximum, everything was progressing at lightning speed.