Underworld Player Chapter 70 - Gauntlet from Hell

Inside Art's Pawnshop, the paper doll raised its head, the same uncanny smile painted on its face.

"My dear guest, things beyond the village... Wait—have you cleared all nine challenges?"

Before the paper doll could finish his first thought, it seemed to realize what Bai Zhi had accomplished, and nearly flew at Bai Zhi in shock.

"What, you guys give out prizes for the 100% achievement?" said Bai Zhi as he leaned backward, grimacing in disgust. "Hey, keep your distance, dude."

"In all this time, there have only been two others who were able to beat all the shops within the time limit of three hours, making you the third…"

As it returned to its chair, the paper doll spoke with begrudging admiration.

"…but in terms of overall time taken, you rank first."

Bai Zhi rolled his eyes and looked unmoved. "So? Does that ranking have any real significance?"

After a moment of silence, the paper doll decided to answer Bai Zhi's first question. "...After passing through the village, you'll reach the training grounds for the next stage.

"You'll find out about it in due time, but before you get there, dear guest, it would be best to reach Level 30, at least—consider this a personal word of caution, from me to you."

Bai Zhi narrowed his eyes at the paper doll behind the counter. "So you know about Players?"

"Would you like to trade?" The paper doll avoided giving Bai Zhi a direct answer to his question, and instead placed a brand-new menu of items before him. "Anything can be traded in this shop—souls, knowledge, skills, levels, equipment, and even life itself. Should you need anything at all, dear guest, simply purchase the necessary supplies from me. You may pick one item to purchase off this menu."

[ Skill Card: 100% Empty-Handed Blade Capture - 100 Hell Dollars ]

[ Skill Card: Hidden Daggers Behind a Smile - 100 Hell Dollars ]

[ Skill Card: Nyanko Summer* - 200 Hell Dollars ]

[ Skill Card: The Sands of Time Grind Everything to Dust - 300 Hell Dollars ]

———

At first glance, the menu consisted of a long list of Skill Cards, easily

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