After Liu Shu shared her buffs, Flamar scrolled through them, reading them with curiosity and awe. Still, he couldn't help but ask, confused. "Little one, aren't you afraid of us using this information to crush you later?"
Liu Shu was not worried; her wooden Avatar smiled gently. "My buffs are all positives. What will you do knowing these buffs? The only thing you can take away is that you need a lot of force to stop me. Once I deal with my current enemies, being underestimated will only happen by those who were bound to be defeated by me either way."
She added, her blue eyes looked at the leafy woman hugging her Avatar. "Moreover, as something as peculiar as Skill Merchants, you must be a neutral force. One that's standing in the open and participating in all forces, like the Explorer Association, right? There is no reason for you and me to become enemies."
Flamar, the leader of the group, smiled when he heard Liu Shu. "You are right. Moreover, we gain nothing from becoming enemies with a World Tree with your potential. Plus, your buffs are even affecting me, who has reached Level 310. While the effects are not at their full force, I can feel much stronger than before."
"Oh?" Liu Shu was surprised by his words. "Buffs are not universal?"
This time, it was the woman hugging her who answered with a laugh. "Naturally not. Otherwise, even a Level 1 child who got their hands on a talent that increases
"So… how is it calculated who gets my full buffs and who doesn't?"
Flamar shook his head. "It's too abstract, as these effects are related to personal strength, not Level, Tier, and the like. That's why I said I am surprised that your buffs are affecting me at around 20% of their intensity. This shows that, even at Level 150, you can affect someone like me, at Level 310."
"Level 310…" Liu Shu smiled wryly. "I am quite scared, you know? I know in my head that nothing will happen, but having you around is like having a bomb with a loose fuse nearby."
Flamar shook his head. "Don't worry. Even if someone provokes us, we will just eliminate those people, and only those people. It is a rule of our organization not to meddle in matters unrelated to our force." He added. "So, if you get attacked during our stay, we will just close our shop and not intervene. Do you understand? Don't expect us to save you."
Liu Shu nodded seriously. It would be a lie if she had not thought of taking advantage of their time to deal with the Nexus. After all, Liu Shu knew that their attack would happen relatively soon. 'I wonder how well the trap we planted with Altherion worked…?'
Shaking her head, she looked at this group and spoke up. "Can you wait for me here for a moment? I will come get you and guide you."
The woman blinked. "Come get us? How?"
An elemental woman with a crystalline appearance spoke up. "She might've reached the S- Rank for her
Flamar had also thought that, but he was not too sure. "The chance of such an evolution happening is too low, Carisa, but…" Looking at the extremely tall World Tree, he chuckled. "We might receive a surprise."
Meanwhile, the leaf woman was blinking excitedly. 'The wooden Avatar is already so cute. I wonder how her normal Avatar looks.'
After a few minutes, they saw a giant Arboreal Winged Serpent flying towards them, carrying one person on its head.
"Arboreal Winged Serpent…?" Flamar was extremely surprised once more. "Is this a straggler or…"
The leafy woman looked at Flamar strangely. "You wouldn't be thinking that this little darling can summon them, right?"
Flamar pointed at the buff list. "Look at the
Leafara murmured, surprised. "Arboreal Winged Serpent summoner? That identity alone is enough for countless forces to covet her…"
Soon, the Arboreal Winged Serpent landed in front of them and lowered its head. Liu Shu's real body jumped down, a root stopping her fall with gentleness. After all, the Avatar was too low level, and jumping from such heights would inevitably hurt her.
Once she landed, her pure white dress and jade-green hair flowing behind her, Liu Shu smiled at them. "Hello! Nice to meet you again!"
Leafara's eyes widened, and then brightened. She disappeared, quickly hugging Liu Shu tightly. "Oh, branches in the sky, why are you so cute and adorable!? Such a precious little darling, I will give you a 5% discount on our wares!"
Flamar sighed, speaking. "That five percent will come from your pocket."
"No problem!" Leafara harrumphed. "Someone as cute and talented as Liu Shu deserves this treatment. Moreover, as long as she can even share one of her skills with us, she will be qualified to become a VIP member, with 10% discounts."
This time, Flamar didn't deny it. As the only
Liu Shu had pondered about this. She answered. "Actually, there is a lot of space in Golden Sap City. I will certainly give you a bustling zone so that your business is good. Near the Explorer Association building should be the best place for someone like you, right? Still, I need to understand a little about how you do these Skill Exchanges to make appropriate arrangements."
Flamar was not afraid that Liu Shu would decipher their methods by explaining, so he spoke easily. "We need a wide area for a mix of Array and Runic Field formations. This room must be at least 100 square meters. This one is to impart. However, to extract, the process is extremely subtle and troublesome. We need at least a 5,000-square-meter enclosed area, with a minimum height of 5 meters. Do you think you can set it up for us?"
Liu Shu was quick to agree. "Don't worry, my Lignified babies have a base of 10,000 square meters, and they are also 100 meters tall. Therefore, I can lend one of them to you. Let's do it like this. I'll divide the floors into 11 sections: The bottom floor, 5 meters tall, where you can have the receptionists and such. Then, 10 floors with an arrangement of 1 extraction and 40 imparting rooms, each floor 7 meters tall, to leave you some space. For the final 25 meters of height, I can divide it into large, luxurious apartments and five floors for each of you."
Flamar was extremely satisfied with this arrangement. "We will be under your care, then."
So, Liu Shu guided the group of 20 first. Their peculiar looks caught some attention on the streets, but no one really reacted overboard.
All 20 of them looked around, quite curious about this city that could develop with the list of buffs Liu Shu provided. Carisa, the crystal elemental, spoke with a touch of doubt. "For such a powerful boost, isn't this city a bit underdeveloped?"
Liu Shu explained. "Actually, our empire's netizens could be mostly considered first generation. My Golden Sap City has not been under my buff for many decades. Moreover, until very recently, we were quite isolated from outer influence. It was not long ago that various groups of merchants and mercenaries arrived at Ceperet, integrating and pushing everything forward."
Leafara asked, curious. "Darling, how old are you?"
"A bit over 120 years old." Liu Shu smiled.
The 20 people turned to look at Liu Shu with a bewildered look. Flamar asked, confused. "How old?"
Liu Shu laughed. "I am exactly 123 years old. As I said, I am quite young~."
Flamar and the others were silent, but they quickly exchanged looks of utter amazement. Leafara asked again. "You… Do you have a powerful backing or something?"
"Nothing." Liu Shu spoke with a hint of pride. "I've built everything from Level 0 until today by my own effort and, of course, those who believed in me."
The group of Skill Merchants was silent, but they once more changed the evaluation about Liu Shu in their minds from 'Very talented' to 'A World Tree with limitless potential.'
Looking at the giant cathedral in the distance, Flamar asked, curious. "You have your own religion? I noticed the
"Yes." Liu Shu didn't hide it. She showed a slightly troubled look. "I was initially against it. However, some of my close people convinced me. Since then, I've been quietly accumulating the power of
Flamar smiled. "Then, we might have a solution for that. We have some skills that consume
Liu Shu's eyes brightened. "That would be quite nice." She then commented. "Although I still don't know what currency you use."
"We use skill shards," Flamar answered. "A flawed skill gives 10 shards of its level, a complete skill gives 50, and a flawless skill gives 500. You can exchange shards at a ratio of 1000 to 1."
"Flawed…? Like equipment? For example, a D- is flawed, and D+ is flawless?"
Flamar nodded. "Exactly. That's the usual exchange ratio."
Liu Shu calculated. 'So… to buy a '-' skill of a
Flamar, seemingly knowing what Liu Shu was thinking, spoke with a smile. "Those prices are for common skills. If the skill is rare, powerful, and such, prices can vary a lot. A C+ skill might be able to buy you a B or B+ Rank skill."
Liu Shu frowned. "Then… the opposite is true as well. A special C+ Tier skill could be as expensive as a common B+ Tier skill, right?"
Flamar praised. "Clever. That's right. We are, in the end, merchants. We can't exactly do a losing transaction and stay in business. Still, I promise that our prices are fair. After all, those skills we impart can later be improved with talent, time, and Experience Points. So, the initial C+ Rank skill could later become a powerful A Rank skill with enough effort."
Liu Shu squinted. "Pretty words. If a skill doesn't have the potential, unless it is upgraded by a World Tree, how could it reach such heights?"
Flamar smirked. "You, Liu Shu, are a World Tree, right?"
"But most of my people aren't!"
"Hm?" Flamar blinked. "Most?"
Suddenly, Flamar frowned and expanded his senses. His face became incredibly strange. "You… Why are other Life Trees and World Trees living on your planet?"
Liu Shu blinked and answered innocently. "They are my Big and Little Sisters. Ah, right, if I have a World Tree friend in another World who wants to buy your skills, is it possible to transfer them to them?"
Everyone: "..."
Leafara squinted as she smiled. "She is so cute when she doesn't know how absurd her words are. Hehe."
Flamar rubbed his forehead. 'Who knew that this ordinary world in the corner of the galaxy would change so much in just a century? My old bones can't deal with these things…'