Such a Chimi-thing to do, I mused. He had approached me to directly buy the items I sold in the auction house. It wasn’t about saving money—Chimi ended up paying me more, and I doubted he cared for penny-pinching—but preventing his money from going elsewhere he didn’t want, like auction house system fees.

Or middleman fees, in the case of SpartanDonkey.

Now that I think about it, this might be why Chimi overpaid for the Contracts hunting Mirdabons and Snowy Swinelings. He wanted to draw me away from SpartanDonkey.

“I’m going to be honest here,” I said. “SpartanDonkey did ask me to farm low-level loot.”

That wasn’t honest at all. SpartanDonkey pestered me about the Zoar Elab fight and Mehubanarath’s secrets, not farming materials. He did ask me if I had talked with Chimi, but nothing else after that. SpartanDonkey probably didn’t want to stretch his goodwill with me.

“I don’t know what it was or who it was for,” I continued, “because I immediately told him no.” Chimi nodded, hearing that. “Same reason that I gave you,” I said. “I want to level for the Great Hunt, which I can’t do if I stuck to farming weak monsters.”

“I get you, partner, I really do,” Chimi said. “But if the price is right… would you do it? Another question: is the price a Band of Loamy Renewal?”

“Moa Manot’s ring isn’t for the farming matter. SpartanDonkey also wants to Contract me to explore other paths in the early game. There was this—” I shook my head. “I shouldn’t tell you about it. I also shouldn’t have told you that he asked me to gather materials.”

“Don’t worry, partner. My lips are zipped. But my instincts tell me those materials are what I Contracted off of him.” Chimi snorted while shaking his head. “Middlemen, am I right? Anywho, I won’t bring it up anymore. We can’t buy levels with Artas. Well… we technically can with leeching.”

Right after saying he won’t bring it up anymore, I thought, trying not to smirk. “If I’ll use Contract earnings to pay for leeching, might as well level myself. Plus, quests aren’t going to do themselves even if I pay Artas—I have to invest time. Essentially, it’s buying time with Artas.”

“Time is gold,” Chimi said. “More than gold. We can get gold elsewhere, but no amount of gold can get back time.”

“Exactly. Since I was already doing quests, I figured I could try other routes SpartanDonkey wanted to test and get paid. A well-paying side hustle of sorts.”

“The ring was payment for whatever it is you’re doing?”

“I didn’t ask for payment yet. SpartanDonkey and I are still haggling about the Contract. Though he knows I’m looking for the ring. I think he probably wants to use it as a bargaining chip.”

“Everything’s clear now.” Chimi sighed, throwing his hands in the air. “No Mirdabon fur for me, I guess. If you find a new player, contact me. It’s hard to find someone who’ll stay as a Mardukryon.

“Often, new players are just tourists, visiting our mountain for vacation and switching to another character a few days later. Those who do want to play Mardukryons get discouraged when they find out about our, you know, not-so-good situation.”

“Especially if they meet Luds,” I said.

“That too.” Chimi had a knowing smirk. “We need new content to attract people—a new area, progress in the storyline, anything fresh. When my party and I discovered Rabisu Peak, veteran Mardukryons came back to see it—only a few, however. Most had moved on to other races.”

I raised a brow. Should I tell him about it?

“Good luck in your Contract with SpartanDonkey.” A Sigil Totem materialized in his hand. “See you around, partner!”

“Chimi, wait.” The cogs in my mind whirred, processing if this was the right move. “Your Dreamweaver Ocadule…”

“The Relic Quality one?” he asked. “What about it?

“Increasing its Rank and leveling its skills unlocks more items to weave, doesn’t it?” That was how my [Akhos Arcane Poison Research] Ocadule worked.

“Yes, same as other crafting Ocadules. Are you going to ask me how to get this Ocadule in return for farming? The answer is no. Not even SpartanDonkey—”

“I’m not going to ask about that. I was wondering… are there cloaks and robes you unlocked but can’t weave because the materials are impossible to farm?”

“Mirdabon fur is extremely laborious for high-level players to collect, but not impossible.” Chimi’s brows furrowed and forehead wrinkled. The Sigil Totem he held disappeared back into his inventory. He must’ve realized what I was getting at. “By impossible, do you mean loot from monsters we haven’t discovered yet?”

“Exactly.”

“Yes, my Ocadule has four unlocked items I couldn’t weave because no one knows where to find some of the required materials."

"Do you need any Saurian scales?” I asked.

I had collected several from the Blighted Saurians, among other drops, as my party cleared the tunnels. The levels of the various Saurian types were in the forties—the regular, not Blighted ones should be lower—so the loot that went to me was impacted by the level gap penalty. Nonetheless, we had killed dozens of them, so I was bound to get something.

Chimi opened a floating screen, presumably checking his Ocadule. “Yes! There’s a vest that needs Saurian scales to make. Their name sounds reptilian. I assumed they lived further down the mountain because they couldn’t survive in this temperature. Partner, do you know how to find them?”

“I don’t, but I eventually will.” I scanned my inventory for other loot dropped by Bawu’s Blighted test subjects and asked Chimi if he had use for them. A few more, he did; the rest I decided to hold on to.

I opened a trade with him and placed the items he needed.

“You do have them!” Chimi exclaimed. “I thought you were pranking me, partner. Can you get more of these? I need more, so much more. I’ll pay, of course.”

If I were dealing with SpartanDonkey, he’d offer to buy the secret of getting these materials. Chimi, on the other hand, didn’t care about that—he only wanted the items, no matter where I got them.

“This is all I have,” I said. Mental note to ask Kezo, Megan, and Nitana for their loot. “For now. I might get some more, but you’ll have to wait until I finish the quests unlocking a new area before we have a steady supply.”

“A new area, eh? I hope that happens soon. It’ll inject much-needed liveliness into this mountain. I’ll Contract the new players before SpartanDonkey gets his hands on them. What’s your price for these?”

I grinned. “You know what’s going to be the price.”

“The Band of Loamy Renewal?” Chimi folded his arms across his chest. Haggling time. “That’s too much.”

“These are items from an undiscovered area. You’re paying a premium to get them now. I thought time is more than gold?”

“The ring is a Relic Quality item dropped by a low-level boss that no one farms,” Chimi countered. “It was also a time investment to get this ring.”

“How about I list one of each material in the auction house, and we’ll see the highest bids tomorrow? We can calculate the market value of what you’re buying from me. Then, we can ask a third party to appraise Moa Manot’s ring. Someone with experience in the market. Maybe SpartanDonkey will—”

“No auction house, no SpartanDonkey.” Chimi put a [Band of Loamy Renewal] on his side of the trade tab, and we both executed the transaction.

[ Received: Band of Loamy Renewal ]

Band of Loamy Renewal | Item Level: 17

Relic | Ring

146 Magic Resilience

8% Physical and Magical Damage Reduction when not moving for the last 3 seconds

2% Health Regeneration per Second when not moving for the last 3 seconds

Requires: 62 Vigor, 25 Sense

--------------------

+42 Armor

+9% Earth Resistance

+5% Stun Resistance

“You had one all along,” I said. This ring wasn’t worth much to Chimi, so I knew he’d give up haggling without too much fight. It wasn’t about the price. He didn’t want others to know about the items I had found, which was why he didn’t want me to sell the loot in the auction. It was my silence he was buying.

“I got it from Minkmouser, my party’s tank. Thankfully, I talked to him before SpartanDonkey did.”

“The effects of two rings stack, don’t they?”

“Minkmouser used two of them a long time ago, so they probably do,” Chimi said. “If you don’t mind me asking… this quest to a new area you mentioned, this is what SpartanDonkey is Contracting you to explore?”

“Nope. He doesn’t know about it. Perhaps he suspects it, which is why he’s searching for a Band of Loamy Renewal—more of a goodwill gift than the Contract price.”

Chimi put his hands on his hips and threw his head back in laughter. His fairies copied him but didn’t make any sounds. “Milk him for everything that he’s got!”

“Sure will,” I said, chuckling with him.

“Speaking of goodwill gift,” he said. “I have something for you, partner.”

[ Received: Drapes of Vitality ]

Drapes of Vitality | Item Level: 20

Epic | Cloak

121 Magic Resilience

10% Maximum Health

Requires: 25 Might, 60 Vigor, 25 Sense

--------------------

+35 Might

+35 Vigor

+35 Spirit

“Something I crafted for Minkmouser with a lesser Dreamweaving Ocadule,” Chimi said. “It’s not much, but it’s a good cloak for general tanking purposes. A high stat stick for its level—cloaks are usually stat sticks. Percentage health boost is rare to find in low-level items, but this cloak has it.”

“This is a goodwill gift for what?”

“If you manage to get more Saurian scales and other items, go to me first. A right of first offer, if you’re familiar with the business term. I’ll try to meet your price. I’m sure I can; Artas isn’t a problem.”

“I’ll get back to you on this.”

After Chimichangaroo teleported away, I headed to Kurghal Village. I didn’t wear the items I got from Chimi or any of the Vinereaver’s Revenge pieces just yet because I intended to buy a couple more things and then compare my upgraded stats.

I switched out [Thorny Worn Targe] for [Buckler of Invigorated Pygmy] to complete its set bonus. My other shield was [Reinforced Pavise]. Currently, without buffs and other defense boosts, my stat stood at:

Name: Herald Stone | Lvl 20 Exp: 0.8%

Base: Mardukryon

Health: 2196/2196

Energy: 598/598

Ancestral Shroud: 865/865

ATTRIBUTES:

Might: 27

Vigor: 122

Spirit: 107

Sense: 15

OFFENSE

Attack Power: 241

Physical Dmg. Inc.: 13.1%

Magic Power: 388

Magical Dmg. Inc.: 37.1%

--------------------

Movement Speed: 16%

DEFENSE

Armor: 1,224

Magic Resilience: 816

Phys. Dmg. Red.: 24%

Mag. Dmg. Red.: 24%

--------------------

Fire Resistance: 39%

Water Resistance: 34%

Earth Resistance: 13%

--------------------

Freeze Resistance: 10%

Slow Resistance: 10%

RETRIBUTION

Neutral Damage: 75

HEALTH / ENERGY

Healing Received: 10%

Health per Second: 139

Health Regeneration: 2%

Energy per Second: 51

AS per Second: 29

With max [Ancestral Constitution] stacks, [Cleansing Flames] at three stacks—two poisons and [Penitent Misfortune], [Greater Pyro Shell], four [Rejuvenation Charges], and [Cloak of the Plaguespreader], my stats became:

Name: Herald Stone | Lvl 20 Exp: 0.8%

Base: Mardukryon

Health: 2616/2616

Energy: 598/598

Ancestral Shroud: 865/1,165

ATTRIBUTES:

Might: 27

Vigor: 122

Spirit: 107

Sense: 15

OFFENSE

Attack Power: 241

Physical Dmg. Inc.: 13.1%

Magic Power: 388

Magical Dmg. Inc.: 37.1%

--------------------

Movement Speed: 16(-17)%

Evasion Rating: (-40)

DEFENSE

Armor: 2,410

Magic Resilience: 1,476

Phys. Dmg. Red.: 24%

Mag. Dmg. Red.: 24%

--------------------

Fire Resistance: 39%

Water Resistance: 34%

Earth Resistance: 13%

All Element Resistance: 6%

--------------------

Freeze Resistance: 10%

Slow Resistance: 10%

All Ailment Resistance: 7%

RETRIBUTION

Neutral Damage: 75

HEALTH / ENERGY

Healing Increased: 33%

Healing Received: 43%

Health per Second: 421

Health Regeneration: 1.9%

Energy per Second: 51

AS per Second: 49

“Blazing meatballs! Cleansing Flames and Rejuvenation Charges putting in the work!” I exclaimed, my eyes popping at my health regeneration, both the fixed value and the percentage value per second.

Not only did the secondary attributes of Healing Increased and Healing Received raise my health gained per second, but they also boosted [Healing Touch]. With my current buffs, one cast could fill more than half of my health. And if [Penitent Fortune Healing] procced its double healing, I’d be completely healthy in an instant.

The Plaguetank build was taking shape. “I was right to focus my build around Cleansing Flames,” I said, scanning the rest of my stats. “I think I’m plenty tanky for my level.”

This wasn’t counting [Mantle of Kindling] weakening Burned enemies, [Reinforced Pavise] proccing its effect on Head-On Block, and the healing ticks each second of [Healing Touch]. I also had [Withering Brand], [Gnawing Rot], and poisons to debuff enemies.

“And I’m going to get even harder after my makeover—not Bawu’s kind of makeover.”