Gaining new Skills and Upgrades
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You learned <Beginner Alchemist>
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You learned <Minor Sword Mastery>
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You learned <Beginner Hacker>
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You learned <Beginner Tracker>
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Truck-kun learned <Self Repair>
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Truck-kun learned <Fuel Efficiency>
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Truck-kun learned <Tire Pressure Control>
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CHALLENGE COMPLETED - BIG SPENDER
Description: Don't be stingy and use for than 20 <Truck Points> or <Truck Coins> in a row.
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1x <Novice Experience Potion (Recipe)> added to your Inventory
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Mark once more welcomed the surprised notification of the Challenge, as the reward sounded terrific. But felt he rechecked all of his new Skills and their descriptions, making sure he missed nothing.
<Beginner Alchemist> allowed Mark to create essential potions, such as the HP Potions he had already made with the help of Truck-kun, using ingredients found in the <Dungeons>. This time he could do everything by himself since he had the Skill, and the cost of creating the potions would be lower than before. And now that he had a new recipe, he looked forward to trying that Skill out.
<Minor Sword Mastery> improved Mark's proficiency with swords, allowing him to perform more robust and faster sword attacks. Unfortunately, he still hadn't come close to making a usable Trucki blade, but either way, his <Martial Art> focused on hand-to-hand combat and had no techniques for using the blade effectively.
<Beginner Hacker> allowed Mark to access basic systems, allowing him to to read manipulate information stored within. That would help him cover his tracks better in the future as he couldn't continue just short-circuit any camera he came across.
<Beginner Tracker> helped him track and locate individuals or objects using environmental clues and observations. He didn't forget about the people that followed him the other day, so he needed something to help him improve his sense of his surroundings.
<Self-Repair> allowed Truck-kun to repair any vehicle under its control, but there were limitations, of course. For example, if the vehicle exploded like back at Mark's accident, this Upgrade wouldn't be able to fix the damage, but in case of a simple crash, it could be back to top condition soon enough.
<Fuel Efficiency> would allow them to travel further on a single fuel tank, while <Tire Pressure Control> allowed Truck-kun to adjust its tire pressure, improving its handling and traction in various terrains.
His new skills were also Master Grade Skills, costing five <Truck Points> each. The Truck Upgrades cost one <Truck Point> for <Fuel Efficiency> and one for <Tire Pressure Control>, while <Self Repair> costed tow <Truck Points>. Even if <Self Repair> had a different price, it was still a Basic Grade Skill like the other two Upgrades.
Mark had a bit of a headache because of all the new knowledge he got from his new Skills, and he was glad he didn't use them all to buy Skills, or he might have passed out in the middle of the street. Fortunately, the Truck Upgrades didn't unlock any knowledge in his brain, and he learned about what they did from their description and Truck-kun's explanation.
Finally, after clearing his mind, he opened his [Inventory] and learned the <Novice Experience Potion (Recipe)>.
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You learned how to produce <Novice Experience Potion>
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NOVICE EXPERIENCE POTION
Rank: D Rank
Description: Increases the rewarded EXPS by 50%. If the user consumes <Experience Potion> of equal or higher quality, it will increase the boost by half what the gain of the last potion would be, but the remaining duration will stay the same. No change will happen if a potion is of lower quality than the <Experience Potion> consumed. The boost can reach up to 80%.
Duration: 1 Hour
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Since Mark had the <Beginner Alchemist> Skill, the System also provided details of the potions he learned to make without making them. This wasn't the case with the <Small Healing Potion>, but Mark already had that item, so he knew its effects already.
'I don't think that it will ever be not a useful one to have as it gives a percentage increase. But I wonder what the effects of the higher-rank version of it would be. I don't think I had seen that potion on the [Store]. '
Mark had checked almost all the D-Rank items, and he didn't remember noticing the <Novice Experience Potion> among that list. The <Small Haling Potion> was in there, though, but other than their price, he hadn't checked their description back then.
He opened his [Store] window to check once again and used the Filter option to search by name; indeed, there were no <Experience Potions> in there.
His phone started ringing, and he knew it would be Truck-kun, wanting to speak to him since they couldn't speak telepathically yet. It was a C-Rank Skill in the end.
"How are you? Long time no talk, "Mark said in a joking tone.
"Could be better. You could have used those points better, but I shouldn't expect much from a flesh one. Either way, some items aren't available in the [Store], as they would make your life too easy if they were. But because of their lack, it also makes them more precious if you provide them instead," Truck-kun explained.
Mark hat thought it was the case and was glad to find out it was the truth. Using the <Novice Experience Potions> would be helpful to increase his level, but it was another source for <Truck Coins> which he could use for more Skills, Upgrades, or Items.
But making that potion wasn't as easy as the <Small Healing Potion>. Because of his new Skill, part of the knowledge given to him by the recipe wasn't just a list of items but also an explanation about how to gather them. Most were simple herbs that even Mark had heard about in the real world and didn't think he would need to get into a <Dungeon> to gather them. But that was for all but one material that brought the whole potion together.
Actually, there were a couple options for the primary material, but Mark could currently access only one--- the Necro-Gland. That was something that some Oozes monsters did and allowed them to reconstruct their bodies rapidly, making them hard to kill as that also restored their HP, and it worked in the middle of combat. Unfortunately, the <Blobs> and <Slimes> Mark had encountered till now hadn't reached to earn it yet, as any damage he did them would repair during combat no matter how much time passed.
From his understanding, only monsters of level 30 and over of the Ooze variety had this Gland, and even then, it wasn't a certain fact. Mark was still level 10, and even if he could afford to fight the <Blobs> and <Slimes>, that was only because of his speed advantage. But not all Ooze monsters were slow,
Still, Mark had improved his <Martial Art> Skill since then, and if he practiced his <Minor Sword Mastery>, he should be ok, especially if he combined it with his Trucki Blade. But, according to Truck-kun, he would need to wait at least three more days till he could return to the <Dungeon>.
Until then, Mark would focus on reaching the new Skills that can be used in combat at a decent level, even if they probably will level up during actual battle faster. But at least he should become somewhat familiar with all of them.
As Mark reached his apartment, he went to get a shower before trying out to train his new Skills. When he exited the bath, he started hearing his phone ringing, thinking that it may be Truck-kun wanting to tell him something he had forgotten. But the number on the phone's screen wasn't the one that usually appeared when Truck-kun called him, and Mark didn't recognize it.
"Hello? "Mark asked as he picked up the phone.
"Hey, little devil. Did you miss me? "Mark could hear the familiar voice of Rubes from the phone's speaker.
Mark didn't know why Rube started calling him like that, as he clarified nothing happened between him and Lylah, who seemed to be why this nickname came up in the first place. As for Rubes knowing his number, Mark gave it to him just before splitting their ways, but Rubes didn't give his.
"Is there anything I can help you with, Village Boy? "Mark asked in a similar tone as Rubes'.
"Oh… you are hurting me with your words, sir. "Rubes answered in a tone that was clear that he was joking.
"Well, enough joking around… for now, at least. I just wanted to let you know we sent you your schedule for the next few weeks. It will be simpler than your last task, but it needs to be repeated as we need a continuous flow of deliveries. It isn't that long of a trip also, so you should be able to make it there and back on the same day. This brings me to the second thing I wanted to discuss. I need a favor. "
It surprised Mark that they were already asking favors from each other, but considering Rubes' personality, it wasn't that illogical.
"What can I help with? But remember that I already told you I am not interested in 'meeting' one of your friends, '"Mark responded, continuing in a joking tone.
"Well, the favor involves a friend, but it isn't at your suggested level. They just need help with one investigation of theirs, and you seemed to fit the description of the person who could help them. If you are interested in assisting them, go to where we had lunch after finishing your delivery. I had already sent them a pic of you. Thank you, sweetheart. "
And like that, Rubes ended the call without letting Mark give any kind of response. Mark noticed that Rubes kept referring to his friend as they, but he also said that it involved a friend, not many. He either did so because he didn't want to know that this person was most likely a woman or maybe the person considered himself or herself as they, which was something Mark had helped to be a case for some people.
Either way, he focused on his training, as he would learn about that mysterious 'friend 'tomorrow. After all, a friend of a friend was still a friend.