Chapter 24
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"May I enter?"
A sweet voice came from outside of Lee's camp. The voice was not unfamiliar as Jake heard recognize it.
Not wanting to disturb Lee's rest, Jake walked out of the camp to meet the speaker.
"Yes, Is there something wrong?"
Lexi felt a bit strange talking to the man who saved her life. The strength Jake displayed before was enough to send her shivering. However, she could not imagine that Jake possessed that strength if she encountered him normally.
She bowed towards Jake.
"I want to formally express my gratitude for saving my life."
Jake nodded, accepting the thanks. However, he was not convinced that it was Lexi's actual goal.
"Is there anything else?"
"Yes. Ehem. We wish to ask for your help."
"If it's about getting out of this dungeon, there's no need to ask. I also want to get out."
Jake turned his body to re-enter the camp. However, Lexi's desperate voice stopped him.
"Wait! That's not it. We wish for you to assure our safety for the upcoming battle."
"Hoo? It seems that you know something."
Lexi made a bitter smile but her feelings didn't sway. Her small face grew resolute as she spoke once again.
"Yes. I will tell you everything I know in exchange for our safety."
"Is it about the final boss of this dungeon?"
"Wha— How… did you know!!?"
Jake gave out a mysterious smile. The fact that he knew about the Groglods meant that he understood their lifestyle. As mentioned before, Groglods were similar to Goblins in regard to lifestyles. Their structure was in fact, very similar to humans.
There are groups meant for hunts, reproduction, fishing, cooking, etc. It was also a given that there is something that rules them and preventing chaos to occur. That absolute being ruled them using the iron-clad rule of the world, strength. The being usually called itself the <Groglod King>.
Lexi's face grew pale. She lost her card in bargaining as she grew desperate.
"But… I can tell you more! I know where they are, how they operate, and other things too!"
"…"
Jake didn't respond. He still had a nonchalant expression, devoid of any interest. However, his head is currently thinking about how Lexi managed to gather that much information. Not that Jake himself need it though.
"I ref—"
It was the moment Jake decided to refuse Lexi's offer. A sweet and light voice echoed in his head, followed by a mechanical voice.
"Master, please accept the request."
[A mission has been generated]
[Receive and complete your first official guild mission]
[Current Progress: 0/1]
[A mission has been generated]
=The King=
Kill the Groglod King
Reward: 10 AP, 3 SP, (Recipe) Deadly Scimitar
"I ref— agree!"
Lexi's current was a sight to behold. It was a mixture of confusion and delight. At first, she was sure that Jake was about to refuse her request but changed his answer midway. It was not a disappointing answer.
Jake's face was devoid of any embarrassment as he changed the content of his sentence midway. Fortunately, Lexi didn't comment any further.
"Really!? Thank you very much!"
Once again, Lexi bowed towards Jake. However, she was stopped before making a 90-degree angle with her body.
"Don't thank me just yet. I said that I will accept but I didn't say that I will do so for free."
Jake accidentally lets out a dark smile. He unconsciously mimics the smile of a merchant who once sold him a defective product in Aestes.
Lexi's face twitches as she took a step back. Her hands were tightly placed in front of her body to prevent any unwanted or unexpected movement from Jake.
"W-w-what do you want…?"
Jake didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It was a total misunderstanding. He could only shrug and try to salvage the situation.
"Hahaha… it's not like that. Actually, I own a guild near the Tokyo Station. So, I was referring for you to make an official request to the guild for our help."
"I-is that so…?"
Lexi's returned to her previous stance. Her face turned bright red, near the color of a tomato. She agreed with Jake's offer and discussed the terms for the request. However, she could not look at Jake's face during the entire process.
"Thank you, our guild will definitely protect you with our lives."
Jake returned inside the camp right after the negotiations. He was surprised to see Lee, sitting on his bed. There are also surprise in Lee's eyes as he discovers Jake.
"Don't move around too much. You lost a lot of blood. Just rest for a bit longer."
"Jake… thank you. You saved me again."
"Nah, don't mind it."
It was one of the rare occasion where Lee didn't joke around. He was sincerely thankful to Jake for saving him once again.
"I'll call the others first. You just rest here."
"Okay"
Soon after Jake exited the camp, rushed footsteps approached the camp. Lee chuckled, thinking Roger's big body and worried expression. The footsteps gave away his worry after all. Lee thought that it will be a priceless expression.
"Haha yo, I never thought you were tha—"
"Lee!"
In contrast to Lee's expectation, Kana was the one who entered the camp. The one with a priceless expression was actually Lee. He couldn't believe his eyes and was shocked by Kana's appearance.
'Why is Kana here?'
That question was the only thing repeated inside his head for a while.
"I was really worried!"
Kana jumped straight at Lee to hug him. There are hints of tears in her eyes. Every man would be happy to receive a hug from her, but definitely not Lee.
"Kana?!? Ouch, that hurts!"
Lee struggled to get out of Kana's embrace. His injured back seemed to reopen as he felt a sharp pain.
Jake's laughter came right after Lee screamed for pain. Beside him is the smiling Roger, it seems that he too, was amused by the scene in front of him.
"Jake! What the hell is going on? Why is Kana here?"
"*Sigh* It's my sister. She asked her to tag along to help us."
Lee cupped his hands in understanding. It seems that the fact that Ethel asked Kana for help didn't register as a surprise event in Lee's head. The only thing that bothered him is the fact that Kana is now trapped inside the dungeon with them.
"You shouldn't have come"
"Hmph! I can take care of myself. Besides, I'm here due to a request to protect YOU. You should be more careful instead."
"Huh? What did you say? Who needs any protection from the likes of you!"
The interaction between the two proceeds in a similar fashion. The two observers just smiled and enjoyed the amusing scene.
"Now now, don't move around too much. Your wounds are going to reopen. Instead, I have an announcement to make."
The three pairs of eyes turned towards Jake. An announcement at this point in time should be an important one.
"We have finally received our first official guild mission! Our goal is to safely deliver three-person out of this dungeon. They're Lexi, Cole, and Samuel. The reward is 1000 dollars for each surviving member."
1000 dollars!
It is not a small sum of money. 3 person safely delivered meant 3000 dollars. Although it would be split into 4 parts, it is still quite a sum. As expected, Roger's eyes glowed in expectation.
"Huh? Why would they request it? Those guys are quite strong and should be able to protect themselves right?"
Kana was skeptical. The situation was indeed just as she described. Her made-for-business brain just couldn't find any good reason for the sudden request.
"It is like this. They are afraid of this dungeon's last boss. Ms. Lexi seemed to have encountered it before. Do you have any idea, Lee?"
"Huh? No…? I don't think we met anything that resembled a boss. Wait, We encountered a large fortress inside earlier. Maybe that's where the boss is?"
"Un… That's probably it. The boss of this dungeon should be smart enough to construct a fortress. I'm afraid that we may be dealing with a fourth-grade monster."
"WHAT!?"
All three of them exclaimed at Jake's words. A grade four monster was the realm of monster that could only be killed by a fourth-grade hunter in a one on one fight.
Don't mention a grade 4 hunter. Kana, a grade 3 hunter, should be the strongest hunter inside the dungeon at this moment. Of course, it is only in regards to <Level>.
"Are you sure, Jake?"
"Yes. At the very least, it should be an upper grade 3 monster. Maybe even half-step to grade 4."
The three's face turned pale. Kana was no exception. A grade four monster held that much of significance to her. She may have the firepower to kill one, but definitely not the agility or any other aspect.
The only method that she thought of that could work is asking the others to stall for time for her to find an opening. However, it is not a fool-proof method. Kana was worried that something bad would happen in the meantime.
"Don't worry about it too much. We should be okay."
Kana glared at him for saying such nonsense.
"What!? Are you saying that you can fight it on your own?"
"Yep"
Kana glared at him even harder. The answer was somehow expected for her. She felt the changes in Jake and thought that way too. However, she couldn't help but worry that Jake might have overestimated his own ability.
"Right! Jake has that ability, right?"
Lee seemed to remember something as he voiced out his opinion.
"Huh? What ability?"
"Hoho, don't be surprised. Jake has the ability of a portable <Gathering Formation>! I think!"
" 'I think' !? Are you joking right now?"
"Urgh, I'm not! Show it to them, Jake!"
The <Gathering Formation> that Lee spoke of is one of the methods of getting stronger. It is a formation which is powered by monster cores to increase a hunter's attribute.
The increase in attribute seems to depend on one's talent. A person with great talent might get an increase of 5 points or maybe more while someone with no talent might not even gain an increase. The general type of a <Gathering Formation> would need a fixed amount of 10 monster cores.
Jake helplessly lets out a sigh. He knew that he would show this ability in front of them and didn't mind it. He took 10 monster cores from his <Storage> and placed it in his palm before commanding the system for the conversion.
The monster cores soon let out a blinding light before turning into a glossy powder and blown away by Jake.
[Monster core conversion successful. Rate 1:10]
[+1 AP]
The party was shocked at the sight. The scene was extremely similar to when a monster core was used in the <Gathering Formation>.
"How did you do that?"
"It's an ability of mine"
Kana was pleasantly surprised by Jake's ability. She did a rough calculation of the monster cores they had. From her calculation, Jake could probably reach the upper tier of grade 3 hunter after the upgrade.
"Jake, can you use it on someone else?"
Roger was the one who asked the question. The question surprised even Jake, who didn't actually know the answer. It was Sylphy who helped him clarify the problem.
"Master, you cannot use the conversion ability for another person. It is an exclusive feature for the system's host. However, Master may learn the production method of <Gathering Formation> when you reached a certain level."
The revelation made him feel shocked. As far as Jake knew, the production of a <Formation> should naturally be made by a <Formation Master> that are equipped with their respective skills. The statement from Sylphy implies that he could learn those skills if he continued on his journey as a <Shopmaster>. It was natural for him to be surprised.
Jake relayed the message towards Roger, who then looked a bit sad at the answer. The monster core was soon absorbed by Jake to increase his strength. The party didn't feel bad or mad at the fact that Jake monopolized their loots. It is necessary for them to survive.
Jake's status should now look a little like this.
==
Sylvester Atkins
Age: 20
Job: Shopmaster
Level: 25
Strength: 69
Dexterity: 75
Constitution: 70
Perception: 70
Magic: 86
Free Attributes Point: 0
==
The party rested until Lee completely healed. The <Basic Elixir> worked extremely well as Lee was ready for their next fight. Fortunately, no Groglods were spotted during their rest.
After a quick meal, all of the remaining hunters assembled at the center of the camp to listen to a plan for their next action. Please go to https://www.novelupdates.cc/The-Strongest-Shopmaster/ to read the latest chapters for free
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
"May I enter?"
A sweet voice came from outside of Lee's camp. The voice was not unfamiliar as Jake heard recognize it.
Not wanting to disturb Lee's rest, Jake walked out of the camp to meet the speaker.
"Yes, Is there something wrong?"
Lexi felt a bit strange talking to the man who saved her life. The strength Jake displayed before was enough to send her shivering. However, she could not imagine that Jake possessed that strength if she encountered him normally.
She bowed towards Jake.
"I want to formally express my gratitude for saving my life."
Jake nodded, accepting the thanks. However, he was not convinced that it was Lexi's actual goal.
"Is there anything else?"
"Yes. Ehem. We wish to ask for your help."
"If it's about getting out of this dungeon, there's no need to ask. I also want to get out."
Jake turned his body to re-enter the camp. However, Lexi's desperate voice stopped him.
"Wait! That's not it. We wish for you to assure our safety for the upcoming battle."
"Hoo? It seems that you know something."
Lexi made a bitter smile but her feelings didn't sway. Her small face grew resolute as she spoke once again.
"Yes. I will tell you everything I know in exchange for our safety."
"Is it about the final boss of this dungeon?"
"Wha— How… did you know!!?"
Jake gave out a mysterious smile. The fact that he knew about the Groglods meant that he understood their lifestyle. As mentioned before, Groglods were similar to Goblins in regard to lifestyles. Their structure was in fact, very similar to humans.
There are groups meant for hunts, reproduction, fishing, cooking, etc. It was also a given that there is something that rules them and preventing chaos to occur. That absolute being ruled them using the iron-clad rule of the world, strength. The being usually called itself the <Groglod King>.
Lexi's face grew pale. She lost her card in bargaining as she grew desperate.
"But… I can tell you more! I know where they are, how they operate, and other things too!"
"…"
Jake didn't respond. He still had a nonchalant expression, devoid of any interest. However, his head is currently thinking about how Lexi managed to gather that much information. Not that Jake himself need it though.
"I ref—"
It was the moment Jake decided to refuse Lexi's offer. A sweet and light voice echoed in his head, followed by a mechanical voice.
"Master, please accept the request."
[A mission has been generated]
[Receive and complete your first official guild mission]
[Current Progress: 0/1]
[A mission has been generated]
=The King=
Kill the Groglod King
Reward: 10 AP, 3 SP, (Recipe) Deadly Scimitar
"I ref— agree!"
Lexi's current was a sight to behold. It was a mixture of confusion and delight. At first, she was sure that Jake was about to refuse her request but changed his answer midway. It was not a disappointing answer.
Jake's face was devoid of any embarrassment as he changed the content of his sentence midway. Fortunately, Lexi didn't comment any further.
"Really!? Thank you very much!"
Once again, Lexi bowed towards Jake. However, she was stopped before making a 90-degree angle with her body.
"Don't thank me just yet. I said that I will accept but I didn't say that I will do so for free."
Jake accidentally lets out a dark smile. He unconsciously mimics the smile of a merchant who once sold him a defective product in Aestes.
Lexi's face twitches as she took a step back. Her hands were tightly placed in front of her body to prevent any unwanted or unexpected movement from Jake.
"W-w-what do you want…?"
Jake didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It was a total misunderstanding. He could only shrug and try to salvage the situation.
"Hahaha… it's not like that. Actually, I own a guild near the Tokyo Station. So, I was referring for you to make an official request to the guild for our help."
"I-is that so…?"
Lexi's returned to her previous stance. Her face turned bright red, near the color of a tomato. She agreed with Jake's offer and discussed the terms for the request. However, she could not look at Jake's face during the entire process.
"Thank you, our guild will definitely protect you with our lives."
Jake returned inside the camp right after the negotiations. He was surprised to see Lee, sitting on his bed. There are also surprise in Lee's eyes as he discovers Jake.
"Don't move around too much. You lost a lot of blood. Just rest for a bit longer."
"Jake… thank you. You saved me again."
"Nah, don't mind it."
It was one of the rare occasion where Lee didn't joke around. He was sincerely thankful to Jake for saving him once again.
"I'll call the others first. You just rest here."
"Okay"
Soon after Jake exited the camp, rushed footsteps approached the camp. Lee chuckled, thinking Roger's big body and worried expression. The footsteps gave away his worry after all. Lee thought that it will be a priceless expression.
"Haha yo, I never thought you were tha—"
"Lee!"
In contrast to Lee's expectation, Kana was the one who entered the camp. The one with a priceless expression was actually Lee. He couldn't believe his eyes and was shocked by Kana's appearance.
'Why is Kana here?'
That question was the only thing repeated inside his head for a while.
"I was really worried!"
Kana jumped straight at Lee to hug him. There are hints of tears in her eyes. Every man would be happy to receive a hug from her, but definitely not Lee.
"Kana?!? Ouch, that hurts!"
Lee struggled to get out of Kana's embrace. His injured back seemed to reopen as he felt a sharp pain.
Jake's laughter came right after Lee screamed for pain. Beside him is the smiling Roger, it seems that he too, was amused by the scene in front of him.
"Jake! What the hell is going on? Why is Kana here?"
"*Sigh* It's my sister. She asked her to tag along to help us."
Lee cupped his hands in understanding. It seems that the fact that Ethel asked Kana for help didn't register as a surprise event in Lee's head. The only thing that bothered him is the fact that Kana is now trapped inside the dungeon with them.
"You shouldn't have come"
"Hmph! I can take care of myself. Besides, I'm here due to a request to protect YOU. You should be more careful instead."
"Huh? What did you say? Who needs any protection from the likes of you!"
The interaction between the two proceeds in a similar fashion. The two observers just smiled and enjoyed the amusing scene.
"Now now, don't move around too much. Your wounds are going to reopen. Instead, I have an announcement to make."
The three pairs of eyes turned towards Jake. An announcement at this point in time should be an important one.
"We have finally received our first official guild mission! Our goal is to safely deliver three-person out of this dungeon. They're Lexi, Cole, and Samuel. The reward is 1000 dollars for each surviving member."
1000 dollars!
It is not a small sum of money. 3 person safely delivered meant 3000 dollars. Although it would be split into 4 parts, it is still quite a sum. As expected, Roger's eyes glowed in expectation.
"Huh? Why would they request it? Those guys are quite strong and should be able to protect themselves right?"
Kana was skeptical. The situation was indeed just as she described. Her made-for-business brain just couldn't find any good reason for the sudden request.
"It is like this. They are afraid of this dungeon's last boss. Ms. Lexi seemed to have encountered it before. Do you have any idea, Lee?"
"Huh? No…? I don't think we met anything that resembled a boss. Wait, We encountered a large fortress inside earlier. Maybe that's where the boss is?"
"Un… That's probably it. The boss of this dungeon should be smart enough to construct a fortress. I'm afraid that we may be dealing with a fourth-grade monster."
"WHAT!?"
All three of them exclaimed at Jake's words. A grade four monster was the realm of monster that could only be killed by a fourth-grade hunter in a one on one fight.
Don't mention a grade 4 hunter. Kana, a grade 3 hunter, should be the strongest hunter inside the dungeon at this moment. Of course, it is only in regards to <Level>.
"Are you sure, Jake?"
"Yes. At the very least, it should be an upper grade 3 monster. Maybe even half-step to grade 4."
The three's face turned pale. Kana was no exception. A grade four monster held that much of significance to her. She may have the firepower to kill one, but definitely not the agility or any other aspect.
The only method that she thought of that could work is asking the others to stall for time for her to find an opening. However, it is not a fool-proof method. Kana was worried that something bad would happen in the meantime.
"Don't worry about it too much. We should be okay."
Kana glared at him for saying such nonsense.
"What!? Are you saying that you can fight it on your own?"
"Yep"
Kana glared at him even harder. The answer was somehow expected for her. She felt the changes in Jake and thought that way too. However, she couldn't help but worry that Jake might have overestimated his own ability.
"Right! Jake has that ability, right?"
Lee seemed to remember something as he voiced out his opinion.
"Huh? What ability?"
"Hoho, don't be surprised. Jake has the ability of a portable <Gathering Formation>! I think!"
" 'I think' !? Are you joking right now?"
"Urgh, I'm not! Show it to them, Jake!"
The <Gathering Formation> that Lee spoke of is one of the methods of getting stronger. It is a formation which is powered by monster cores to increase a hunter's attribute.
The increase in attribute seems to depend on one's talent. A person with great talent might get an increase of 5 points or maybe more while someone with no talent might not even gain an increase. The general type of a <Gathering Formation> would need a fixed amount of 10 monster cores.
Jake helplessly lets out a sigh. He knew that he would show this ability in front of them and didn't mind it. He took 10 monster cores from his <Storage> and placed it in his palm before commanding the system for the conversion.
The monster cores soon let out a blinding light before turning into a glossy powder and blown away by Jake.
[Monster core conversion successful. Rate 1:10]
[+1 AP]
The party was shocked at the sight. The scene was extremely similar to when a monster core was used in the <Gathering Formation>.
"How did you do that?"
"It's an ability of mine"
Kana was pleasantly surprised by Jake's ability. She did a rough calculation of the monster cores they had. From her calculation, Jake could probably reach the upper tier of grade 3 hunter after the upgrade.
"Jake, can you use it on someone else?"
Roger was the one who asked the question. The question surprised even Jake, who didn't actually know the answer. It was Sylphy who helped him clarify the problem.
"Master, you cannot use the conversion ability for another person. It is an exclusive feature for the system's host. However, Master may learn the production method of <Gathering Formation> when you reached a certain level."
The revelation made him feel shocked. As far as Jake knew, the production of a <Formation> should naturally be made by a <Formation Master> that are equipped with their respective skills. The statement from Sylphy implies that he could learn those skills if he continued on his journey as a <Shopmaster>. It was natural for him to be surprised.
Jake relayed the message towards Roger, who then looked a bit sad at the answer. The monster core was soon absorbed by Jake to increase his strength. The party didn't feel bad or mad at the fact that Jake monopolized their loots. It is necessary for them to survive.
Jake's status should now look a little like this.
==
Sylvester Atkins
Age: 20
Job: Shopmaster
Level: 25
Strength: 69
Dexterity: 75
Constitution: 70
Perception: 70
Magic: 86
Free Attributes Point: 0
==
The party rested until Lee completely healed. The <Basic Elixir> worked extremely well as Lee was ready for their next fight. Fortunately, no Groglods were spotted during their rest.
After a quick meal, all of the remaining hunters assembled at the center of the camp to listen to a plan for their next action. Please go to https://www.novelupdates.cc/The-Strongest-Shopmaster/ to read the latest chapters for free
"May I enter?"A sweet voice came from outside of Lee's camp. The voice was not unfamiliar as Jake heard recognize it.Not wanting to disturb Lee's rest, Jake walked out of the camp to meet the speaker."Yes, Is there something wrong?"Lexi felt a bit strange talking to the man who saved her life. The strength Jake displayed before was enough to send her shivering. However, she could not imagine that Jake possessed that strength if she encountered him normally.She bowed towards Jake."I want to formally express my gratitude for saving my life."Jake nodded, accepting the thanks. However, he was not convinced that it was Lexi's actual goal."Is there anything else?""Yes. Ehem. We wish to ask for your help.""If it's about getting out of this dungeon, there's no need to ask. I also want to get out."Jake turned his body to re-enter the camp. However, Lexi's desperate voice stopped him."Wait! That's not it. We wish for you to assure our safety for the upcoming battle.""Hoo? It seems that you know something."Lexi made a bitter smile but her feelings didn't sway. Her small face grew resolute as she spoke once again."Yes. I will tell you everything I know in exchange for our safety.""Is it about the final boss of this dungeon?""Wha How did you know!!?"Jake gave out a mysterious smile. The fact that he knew about the Groglods meant that he understood their lifestyle. As mentioned before, Groglods were similar to Goblins in regard to lifestyles. Their structure was in fact, very similar to humans.There are groups meant for hunts, reproduction, fishing, cooking, etc. It was also a given that there is something that rules them and preventing chaos to occur. That absolute being ruled them using the iron-clad rule of the world, strength. The being usually called itself the Groglod King.Lexi's face grew pale. She lost her card in bargaining as she grew desperate."But I can tell you more! I know where they are, how they operate, and other things too!"""Jake didn't respond. He still had a nonchalant expression, devoid of any interest. However, his head is currently thinking about how Lexi managed to gather that much information. Not that Jake himself need it though."I ref"It was the moment Jake decided to refuse Lexi's offer. A sweet and light voice echoed in his head, followed by a mechanical voice."Master, please accept the request."A mission has been generatedReceive and complete your first official guild missionCurrent Progress: 0/1A mission has been generated=The King=Kill the Groglod KingReward: 10 AP, 3 SP, Recipe Deadly Scimitar"I ref agree!"Lexi's current was a sight to behold. It was a mixture of confusion and delight. At first, she was sure that Jake was about to refuse her request but changed his answer midway. It was not a disappointing answer.Jake's face was devoid of any embarrassment as he changed the content of his sentence midway. Fortunately, Lexi didn't comment any further."Really!? Thank you very much!"Once again, Lexi bowed towards Jake. However, she was stopped before making a 90-degree angle with her body."Don't thank me just yet. I said that I will accept but I didn't say that I will do so for free."Jake accidentally lets out a dark smile. He unconsciously mimics the smile of a merchant who once sold him a defective product in Aestes.Lexi's face twitches as she took a step back. Her hands were tightly placed in front of her body to prevent any unwanted or unexpected movement from Jake."W-w-what do you want?"Jake didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It was a total misunderstanding. He could only shrug and try to salvage the situation."Hahaha it's not like that. Actually, I own a guild near the Tokyo Station. So, I was referring for you to make an official request to the guild for our help.""I-is that so?"Lexi's returned to her previous stance. Her face turned bright red, near the color of a tomato. She agreed with Jake's offer and discussed the terms for the request. However, she could not look at Jake's face during the entire process."Thank you, our guild will definitely protect you with our lives."Jake returned inside the camp right after the negotiations. He was surprised to see Lee, sitting on his bed. There are also surprise in Lee's eyes as he discovers Jake."Don't move around too much. You lost a lot of blood. Just rest for a bit longer.""Jake thank you. You saved me again.""Nah, don't mind it."It was one of the rare occasion where Lee didn't joke around. He was sincerely thankful to Jake for saving him once again."I'll call the others first. You just rest here.""Okay"Soon after Jake exited the camp, rushed footsteps approached the camp. Lee chuckled, thinking Roger's big body and worried expression. The footsteps gave away his worry after all. Lee thought that it will be a priceless expression."Haha yo, I never thought you were tha""Lee!"In contrast to Lee's expectation, Kana was the one who entered the camp. The one with a priceless expression was actually Lee. He couldn't believe his eyes and was shocked by Kana's appearance.'Why is Kana here?'That question was the only thing repeated inside his head for a while."I was really worried!"Kana jumped straight at Lee to hug him. There are hints of tears in her eyes. Every man would be happy to receive a hug from her, but definitely not Lee."Kana?!? Ouch, that hurts!"Lee struggled to get out of Kana's embrace. His injured back seemed to reopen as he felt a sharp pain.Jake's laughter came right after Lee screamed for pain. Beside him is the smiling Roger, it seems that he too, was amused by the scene in front of him."Jake! What the hell is going on? Why is Kana here?""*Sigh* It's my sister. She asked her to tag along to help us."Lee cupped his hands in understanding. It seems that the fact that Ethel asked Kana for help didn't register as a surprise event in Lee's head. The only thing that bothered him is the fact that Kana is now trapped inside the dungeon with them."You shouldn't have come""Hmph! I can take care of myself. Besides, I'm here due to a request to protect YOU. You should be more careful instead.""Huh? What did you say? Who needs any protection from the likes of you!"The interaction between the two proceeds in a similar fashion. The two observers just smiled and enjoyed the amusing scene."Now now, don't move around too much. Your wounds are going to reopen. Instead, I have an announcement to make."The three pairs of eyes turned towards Jake. An announcement at this point in time should be an important one."We have finally received our first official guild mission! Our goal is to safely deliver three-person out of this dungeon. They're Lexi, Cole, and Samuel. The reward is 1000 dollars for each surviving member."1000 dollars!It is not a small sum of money. 3 person safely delivered meant 3000 dollars. Although it would be split into 4 parts, it is still quite a sum. As expected, Roger's eyes glowed in expectation."Huh? Why would they request it? Those guys are quite strong and should be able to protect themselves right?"Kana was skeptical. The situation was indeed just as she described. Her made-for-business brain just couldn't find any good reason for the sudden request."It is like this. They are afraid of this dungeon's last boss. Ms. Lexi seemed to have encountered it before. Do you have any idea, Lee?""Huh? No? I don't think we met anything that resembled a boss. Wait, We encountered a large fortress inside earlier. Maybe that's where the boss is?""Un That's probably it. The boss of this dungeon should be smart enough to construct a fortress. I'm afraid that we may be dealing with a fourth-grade monster.""WHAT!?"All three of them exclaimed at Jake's words. A grade four monster was the realm of monster that could only be killed by a fourth-grade hunter in a one on one fight.Don't mention a grade 4 hunter. Kana, a grade 3 hunter, should be the strongest hunter inside the dungeon at this moment. Of course, it is only in regards to Level."Are you sure, Jake?""Yes. At the very least, it should be an upper grade 3 monster. Maybe even half-step to grade 4."The three's face turned pale. Kana was no exception. A grade four monster held that much of significance to her. She may have the firepower to kill one, but definitely not the agility or any other aspect.The only method that she thought of that could work is asking the others to stall for time for her to find an opening. However, it is not a fool-proof method. Kana was worried that something bad would happen in the meantime."Don't worry about it too much. We should be okay."Kana glared at him for saying such nonsense."What!? Are you saying that you can fight it on your own?""Yep"Kana glared at him even harder. The answer was somehow expected for her. She felt the changes in Jake and thought that way too. However, she couldn't help but worry that Jake might have overestimated his own ability."Right! Jake has that ability, right?"Lee seemed to remember something as he voiced out his opinion."Huh? What ability?""Hoho, don't be surprised. Jake has the ability of a portable Gathering Formation! I think!"" 'I think' !? Are you joking right now?""Urgh, I'm not! Show it to them, Jake!"The Gathering Formation that Lee spoke of is one of the methods of getting stronger. It is a formation which is powered by monster cores to increase a hunter's attribute.The increase in attribute seems to depend on one's talent. A person with great talent might get an increase of 5 points or maybe more while someone with no talent might not even gain an increase. The general type of a Gathering Formation would need a fixed amount of 10 monster cores.Jake helplessly lets out a sigh. He knew that he would show this ability in front of them and didn't mind it. He took 10 monster cores from his Storage and placed it in his palm before commanding the system for the conversion.The monster cores soon let out a blinding light before turning into a glossy powder and blown away by Jake.Monster core conversion successful. Rate 1:10+1 APThe party was shocked at the sight. The scene was extremely similar to when a monster core was used in the Gathering Formation."How did you do that?""It's an ability of mine"Kana was pleasantly surprised by Jake's ability. She did a rough calculation of the monster cores they had. From her calculation, Jake could probably reach the upper tier of grade 3 hunter after the upgrade."Jake, can you use it on someone else?"Roger was the one who asked the question. The question surprised even Jake, who didn't actually know the answer. It was Sylphy who helped him clarify the problem."Master, you cannot use the conversion ability for another person. It is an exclusive feature for the system's host. However, Master may learn the production method of Gathering Formation when you reached a certain level."The revelation made him feel shocked. As far as Jake knew, the production of a Formation should naturally be made by a Formation Master that are equipped with their respective skills. The statement from Sylphy implies that he could learn those skills if he continued on his journey as a Shopmaster. It was natural for him to be surprised.Jake relayed the message towards Roger, who then looked a bit sad at the answer. The monster core was soon absorbed by Jake to increase his strength. The party didn't feel bad or mad at the fact that Jake monopolized their loots. It is necessary for them to survive.Jake's status should now look a little like this.==Sylvester AtkinsAge: 20Job: ShopmasterLevel: 25Strength: 69Dexterity: 75Constitution: 70Perception: 70Magic: 86Free Attributes Point: 0==The party rested until Lee completely healed. The Basic Elixir worked extremely well as Lee was ready for their next fight. Fortunately, no Groglods were spotted during their rest.After a quick meal, all of the remaining hunters assembled at the center of the camp to listen to a plan for their next action. Please go to https://www.novelupdates.cc/The-Strongest-Shopmaster/ to read the latest chapters for free
