The Primal Hunter

Jake and company had visited many city floors before and knew what to expect. Except, this was not a normal city floor. This one was made by Minaga, and the Unique Lifeform had already warned them this place would be special. A special floor made by a special guy.

Upon their immediate arrival, Jake did not see what was so different. At first glance, it looked just like a usual city. As long as you ignored the fact that Jake spotted at least a dozen statues of Minaga just from where they entered, and the general architecture reminded him a bit of that mage area he had visited to buy his current bracers.

As usual, the system messages also appeared, inviting them to the floor.

You have arrived on Minaga’s City Floor of Nevermore.

All violence outside of the arenas is strictly prohibited on all city floors, including this unique City Floor. Challenge Dungeon(s) can be found in the central square. If Nevermore is left and reentered, you will automatically be taken to the latest city floor unlocked.

Nothing really seemed off… but then he saw the next part.

Due to the nature of Minaga’s City Floor, you cannot proceed to floor thirty-six immediately. In order to proceed, you must pay the toll at the city gates. Minaga’s City Floor uses the currency known as Minaga Coins. Minaga Coins can be earned by selling items through brokers in the many stores spread throughout the city. Normal Credits can be used to pay for other goods through the stores or between non-residents of the floor. Minaga Coins cannot be traded between dungeoneers. All party members must pay their own toll.

The toll to enter the next floor is determined based on your level upon entering this floor the first time.

“Hm, this is quite the curveball,” the Sword Saint muttered as he read the description.

“Yeah…” Dina nodded.

“This is definitely something,” Jake commented. “But what exactly is the point of this? It wants us to sell items to some stores? And we can only buy stuff using Credits… is this some kind of money sink created to battle Credit inflation by forcing us to spend money on getting a currency that is useless to us outside of paying some toll?”

“I find the lack of trade-ability of these coins a severe oversight. What exactly is one meant to sell? I can see the hunter sell his potions, and perhaps the Dryad sell her herbs and such, but why would the Sylphian or I have any goods these brokers are willing to buy?” the Fallen King complained.

Jake was about to propose maybe someone could just leave Nevermore and bring a bunch of valuable stuff to sell… but then he saw the next message.

Main objective: Pay the toll to move onto the thirty-sixth floor.

Bonus objectives: Do not leave Nevermore before paying the toll.

Current progress: Pay the Toll. Do not leave Nevermore.

Note: This floor has no hidden objectives, achievements, or events.

Current Nevermore Points: 28473

Reading it, Jake saw the bonus objective. They were not allowed to leave this place, so even if one wanted to get help from outside, it wouldn’t work. Jake thought for a second before sighing.

“Worst comes to worst; I am sure we can scrounge stuff together. I quite frankly have a shitload of valuable stuff hidden away from the ceremony,” Jake shook his head.

“Hm, I guess that is an option,” the Sword Saint nodded.

“Won’t work,” a voice spoke from ahead of them as a figure teleported in from outside of Jake’s Sphere of Perception. Instantly, he was put on guard as Jake felt the aura of the person in front of them, and he used Identify, going for a full scan.

[Human – lvl 349 – Minor Blessing of Alcradia]

knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that if it came down to a fight, he would not stand a chance. Luckily, a fight was not even on the table. They were on a city floor, and

mean it won’t work?” Jake asked. “And who are you? Sorry, but I do find it a bit suspicious when a random person just teleports right in front of me after listening in on my

from a subsidiary of the Golden Road Emporium, and I serve the merchant god Alcradia. As for why it won’t work… anything that the brokers here buy must be

why did you feel the need to

a change on the central Leaderboards. Seeing as your party had just appeared, I put two and two together,” the man said, bowing once more.

“Ree!” Sylphie screeched.

“Spoilers aren’t nice. We wanted to go and see

“I apolo-“

me guess. Seeing as everything you can trade for Minaga Coins has to be from

the highest difficulty offers quite the rewards if

info,” Jake shrugged as he

a guide?” the peak C-grade asked, still acting nice. “There are still some things to learn. If

made on this floor counts as “from Nevermore” even if the creation uses materials from the outside,” Jake

does not appear here or speak, as it is a city floor. He does not have a copy here dedicated to your party, after all. It is only in extremely rare cases he has made

it; I am not some guy just at your beck and call, appearing whenever you want me to,” Minaga agreed wholeheartedly as he stood with his arms crossed beside the

expect you

turned his head as if to confirm the Unique

“This one greets the-“

waved his hand as the guy

godly title,” Jake said, pointing at

don’t think he

“He totally was.”

you would think

gaslighting will not work,”

took a one-eighty, and he grinned as he turned

Sword Saint just raised an eyebrow before

tell me why you

Coin and the toll, but the coins can also be used for other things than just

smirked. “How would we go about collecting coins, and was my assessment about

here who want to buy and sell too using normal Credit. Ah, but one warning, even if I told you to rush through, you will probably still spend a bit of time here to get enough to pay the toll. While you do have some stuff to sell from prior floors,

a lot of crafted stuff from others, and sell that for coins to move on instantly? You know, steamroll

may or may not have put a cap on how many coins you can earn monthly from

Jake said, as he sighed. He had a feeling there

get coins! Get that cauldron

referred to himself and Sylphie. “How are we supposed to

are non-combat that earn tokens you can exchange for coins. You can also fight in the arena once a day, something I feel like you both would enjoy. The arena is time-limited and will repeatedly send new things out to kill to rack up more points for a better token that you can then exchange for coins. No experience points, though. This is a city floor, after all,” Minaga

Jake questioned. Usually, Minaga liked to be all secretive, but here he just shared stuff

shrugged. “Me helping you while giving some basic

gives no

course not. It is a city floor,” Minaga said, waving

this to waste

allow you all to socialize a bit,” Minaga grinned. “Now, from your point of view, it may seem like a

was he couldn’t even get on any ideas that would help him cheese this floor. Minaga seemed to have thought of most things with the limit on things you