Shin nodded. "I know. It's the currency used to exchange for high-tier items. It's an absolute necessity and incredibly valuable."
Sakamoto Kenji looked at him in disbelief. "Did that Reincarnator's diary really mention this kind of thing?"
"Shin, I'm starting to suspect you're a Reincarnator yourself. Did you just hustle our captain out of three thousand points?" Ishigami Mamoru suddenly chimed in. He'd been too busy devouring a roasted pork knuckle earlier to join the conversation.
Kenji scowled, clearly unamused. "Do I look like an easy mark to you guys? Stop treating your captain like an idiot."
Yoshida Haru quickly came to his defense. "Don't talk nonsense, Mamoru. How could the captain be that stupid?"
But before Kenji could appreciate the defense, Haru delivered the punchline: "He probably colluded with Shin to pocket a fifteen-hundred-point kickback."
In truth, they all knew they were just busting his chops. After all, the Main God System had explicitly issued a quest to kill Shin. If Shin were already a Reincarnator, such a scenario would be impossible. Since the Main God had recognized Shin's status as a native of his original world, there was absolutely no faking it.
Since Shin was able to provide a reasonable explanation, they were more than happy to accept it at face value.
After all, the ultimate goal of their Reincarnator squad was to fight, survive across various worlds, and eventually earn their way back home. They weren't here to conduct a census. For a native character like Shin—someone who supposedly didn't even exist in the original canon—to reach his current level of power, he must have stumbled upon some insane fortuitous encounters. It wasn't a stretch to assume his bizarre growth was somehow connected to the Main God's dimension.
Whatever the truth was, it wasn't their place to pry. Everyone had their secrets. Even if the Main God itself had spoon-fed Shin his powers, they'd just shrug and accept it. It was what it was.
The group enjoyed a hearty meal together. This place was a prime spot, highly favored by many Reincarnators looking for a good bite. No one really knew who the actual owner of this restaurant was—whether it was another Reincarnator or the Main God itself.
After finishing their meal, the group followed Sakamoto Kenji outside. It was obvious they planned to show Shin around the area to help him get his bearings.
Kenji took the lead, keeping Shin close by his side, while the rest trailed behind. Truth be told, they had only come out today for Shin's sake. If it weren't for him, guys like Mamoru would have preferred to stay holed up in their tiny rooms playing video games rather than dragging themselves out to go shopping.
After all, the local flea market was a wild grab bag of literally everything. Sometimes, a lucky bastard would find a hidden gem and instantly skyrocket to top-tier status. But far more often, people ended up losing their shirts on worthless junk.
That was just the nature of the beast. The vendors running these stalls were incredibly experienced veterans with razor-sharp eyes. Even if they somehow acquired a genuine treasure, it rarely slipped past their rigorous appraisals.
As Kenji's previous captain had taught him: "When buying things here, always drop a zero from the asking price, cut that in half, and take your sweet time. Never rush."
Kenji himself swore by this haggling method. Even if he ended up buying something useless, the rock-bottom price meant it wouldn't be a devastating loss. And if he got lucky, he might even turn a small profit.
Next, the group arrived at a massive plaza. There weren't many people around, but the few who were present were fully geared up and ready for battle.
Kenji introduced the area to Shin. "This is our grand plaza, designated as Sector ZXC. It's also an incredibly grim place. We generally call it Purgatory Plaza."
"This is where large-scale team quests and team battles take place. It's an absolute meat grinder. You might see a team of ten walk in, and only two or three make it back out. It's a terrifying place."
Along the way, they passed through several other districts. Shin noticed that the ecosystem within this dimension was surprisingly vibrant. It was nothing like the gloomy, pitch-black void with a single giant glowing sphere that he had imagined.
This Main God dimension felt more like a bustling small town. Reincarnators could live comfortably in their own homes or step out for entertainment and leisure.
Curious, he asked Kenji, "Is life here always this laid-back? Can you just complete one mission and relax for years?"
Kenji shook his head. "Not exactly. A newly formed squad has to complete at least six missions in their first year. Veteran squads have to do four."
"The jobs you see around here are mostly part-time gigs. It might look lively right now, but give it a few days and the crowd will completely change. If you ask around, you'll find that the previous batch either died, quit, or managed to return to their home worlds."
Shin gradually came to understand the true nature of this infinite dimension. It wasn't overwhelmingly oppressive; even ordinary people could adapt to it over time. The pacing was actually somewhat slow.
He turned to Kenji. "So, Captain, how many missions has our squad completed this year?"
"Three," Kenji replied. "We have another one coming up soon. But it's only June in this timeline, so we still have plenty of time."
The group continued strolling down the streets of the Main God dimension.
Suddenly, a figure stepped out, blocking Kenji's path.
"Sakamoto Kenji? Your squad is still kicking? Five people... how are you guys even surviving?" the man sneered.
His gaze swept over the group, lingering on Shin as he counted heads. "Oh? And you picked up a rookie? Did you con him into joining your miserable little crew?"
Seeing Kenji remain silent, the man named Ryuta turned his attention to Shin. "Hey kid, how many reincarnation missions have you survived?"
Shin shook his head calmly. "Not even one."
At that, Ryuta and the squad behind him erupted into roaring laughter.
Once the leader finished laughing, he looked back at Kenji. "I honestly thought you went out and recruited this guy yourself, but it turns out the Main God assigned him to you as dead weight. Man, to think the legendary Squad 12315, once hailed as the strongest team in the Z-sectors, has fallen this low."
Kenji bristled with anger. "Don't push your luck, Ryuta. If you've got the guts, step up and fight me one-on-one! Kyouji, get up there and give him a piece of your mind!"
Ryuta didn't seem overly offended; after all, he held the upper hand in this interaction. "Whoa, take it easy, Kenji," he mocked. "If we're going to fight, it should be between the two of us. Why drag Kyouji into this?"
A sly grin crossed Ryuta's face as he made a proposition. "Tell you what, we just got a rookie on our team too. How about we let our two newbies duke it out?"
--------------------------------------------------
~ Every 300 PS = Bonus Chapter!
~ 70 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
https://p-atreon.com/dragonnx
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)