Chapter31-Mysterious Merchant

Inside the guild's base, Sebastian stood steadfastly before the group, his eyes unwavering and his tone deeply sincere. 

Those around exchanged uncertain glances, eyes tinged with a hint of hesitation. 

Raiding a major dungeon was no trivial matter, especially when they had already faced defeat once. 

Another failure would entail severe losses. 

Considering the WindSong Guild had just been established, it could ill afford such a setback.

"I've discovered the reason behind the Boss's ability to resurrect." Recognizing the doubts amongst his peers, Sebastian continued.

Upon hearing this, the expressions of those present shifted dramatically, all revealing looks of astonishment.

"Really? Sebastian, where did you get such intelligence?" Jason, unable to contain his curiosity, inquired, leaning forward. 

The others too were equally intrigued. 

If they truly could address the Boss's resurrection issue, their chances of successfully raiding the dungeon would increase manifold—an exceptional opportunity!

Sebastian nodded, "I'm certain of its authenticity. As for the source of the intelligence, it's better left unasked."

Mia's eyes sparkled at his words, "If our guild leader can address this issue, then I support another attempt at the dungeon." 

She had unwavering faith in Sebastian's intelligence acquisition. 

After all, no one had initially thought to bring a child from the jungle to the village chief. 

Back then, she had deduced that Sebastian must've acquired some invaluable intelligence to act so decisively. 

Therefore, she chose to trust him now.

The others pondered for a moment before collectively voicing their support.

Seeing this, a faint smile graced Sebastian's lips, "Rest assured, this dungeon raid will be the golden opportunity for WindSong Guild to make its mark."

"Guild leader, we trust you," Jason immediately echoed.

At this point, Mia added, "Guild leader, considering WindSong Guild has just been established and there's a myriad of affairs to address, the dungeon raid will have to be postponed a bit."

"You handle the arrangements," Sebastian nodded, signaling that such details weren't his concern.

Concluding their discussion, Sebastian exited the base, resuming his leveling up journey.

Having completed the assessment of the white intelligence slip he'd drawn, Sebastian ventured alone into the wilderness. 

For the subsequent days, he dedicated his time to leveling up in the wilds. 

Meanwhile, under Mia's orchestration, news of WindSong Guild's impending challenge to the [Valley of Death] spread like wildfire. 

The report contained a pivotal piece of information: the WindSong Guild had figured out a solution to the Boss! 

The previous dungeon raid's failure had underscored the supreme might of the ultimate Boss, leaving many players feeling a profound sense of helplessness for a long time. 

In such times, the announcement from the WindSong Guild served as a shot in the arm, elevating the guild's reputation yet again and attracting a surge of players to join.

Time sped by, and the day the intelligence hinted at the Mysterious Merchant's appearance was upon them. 

That day, Sebastian left Darkstone early, heading westward to the Toxic Fog Swamp. 

After navigating through a dense forest, he came upon the marshland shrouded in venomous mist. 

Summoning Breeze, Sebastian began to search and wait in the vicinity. 

Over the past days, he had sold off any sellable items he possessed, and now his inventory boasted over two thousand gold coins, not to mention the additional silver and copper coins. 

It was undeniable; the journey into the secret realm had been tremendously beneficial to him.

Suddenly, a wolf's howl interrupted his thoughts, sending him on high alert. 

He swiftly made his way towards Breeze and soon spotted, beneath a towering tree, an NPC dressed as a merchant looking around— it was the Mysterious Merchant. 

With only half a minute to spare, Sebastian hurriedly approached.

"Tsk tsk, I hadn't expected to find a customer in such a place," the Mysterious Merchant remarked with surprise upon seeing Sebastian.

[Mysterious Merchant]

[Level: ???]

[HP: ???]

...

Sebastian looked back intently at the merchant, immediately inquiring, "May I see your wares?"

"Certainly! My goods are of impeccable quality at a fair price. Since you're my first customer of the day, I might even offer you a slight discount," the Mysterious Merchant replied with a twinkling smile.

"Alright," Sebastian nodded in agreement.

The Mysterious Merchant then raised his right hand, giving it a quick flourish before Sebastian. 

The next moment, a store interface materialized before Sebastian's eyes, presenting an array of dazzling goods that left one utterly mesmerized.

[Archangel Wand (Gold-tier): A powerful equipment forged by one of the kingdom's top craftsmen.]

[Attributes: lv50 player equipment, strength +600, MP +5000, spirit +800]

...

[Sword of the Sovereign Gold King (Gold-tier): The secondary blade once wielded by the kingdom's foremost greatsword master.]

[Attributes: lv50 player equipment, strength +700, agility +800, HP +6000]

...

[Death Stare: S-level magus skill.]

[Description: Cast a penetrating gaze upon your enemy. Those ensnared by your gaze will experience a 20% reduction in speed, a 50% chance of being immobilized, a 30% chance of losing half their HP, and a 10% chance of perishing on the spot. Cooldown: 30 minutes.]

...

[Demon Scroll]

[Quality: Legendary-grade]

[Description: After a 3-second channeling, summon a demon to assault your foes. This demon possesses the power of continuous resurrection and will persist for ten minutes.]

[Note: Single-use consumable]

...

The sight of exclusively Legendary-grade items, along with the S-level skill book, rendered an expression of utter shock on Sebastian's face, swiftly followed by a surge of ecstasy. 

With such top-tier items in his possession, he could potentially dominate the entirety of the [Original Realm].

However, his jubilation was short-lived. 

As his gaze met the prices attached to these prized items, his face fell. 

Just the [Archangel Wand] alone bore a price tag of 10,000 gold coins. 

Even with a half-price discount, Sebastian would still have to part with 5,000 gold coins. 

The prices of the subsequent top-tier items weren't any less daunting, all hovering between the range of 5,000 to 10,000 gold coins – sums utterly beyond Sebastian's reach.

With a sense of resignation, Sebastian shifted his attention to the epic-grade items column. 

In contrast to the Legendary-grade artifacts, the epic-grade items were notably more affordable.

[Ashen Boots (Epic-tier): Boots forged from the Ashen Stone.]

[Attributes: lv20 player equipment, strength +200, agility +400, HP +1000]

[Special enhancement: When under control effects, duration is reduced by 10%.]

...

[Ashen Robe (Epic-tier): A robe meticulously crafted from the Ashen Stone.]

[Attributes: lv20 player equipment, strength +200, wisdom +210, HP +2300]

[Special enhancement: Upon receiving any type of damage, the inflicted damage is reduced by 5%.]

...

[Ashen Necklace (Epic-tier): A necklace shaped from the Ashen Stone.]

[Attributes: lv20 player equipment, spirit +350, MP +3000, wisdom +500]

[Special enhancement 1: While equipped, MP recovery rate is boosted by 10%.]

[Special enhancement 2: Upon receiving mental-based attacks, the inflicted damage is halved by 50%.]

...