Chapter 18: Evans the Clown
Kaito let out a soft whistle. The purple drop card had been a pleasant surprise. He had managed to get both an extremely rare piece of [Silver Story Equipment] and the quasi-divine early-game technique from Dragon Ball, the [Dodon Ray].
While the Dodon Ray lacked the sheer destructive scale of the Kamehameha, its piercing power was far superior. It was also more efficient in its ki consumption and more flexible in its use. Ultimately, all the abilities in the Dragon Ball world were built upon the foundation of powerful ki. Techniques like the Kamehameha, Dodon Ray, Destructo Disc, and Special Beam Cannon were simply methods to release a martial artist's ki in a highly condensed form, thereby multiplying its destructive output.
As the ultimate technique of the Crane School, the Dodon Ray sacrificed the charge-up time and massive scale of the Kamehameha for speed, flexibility, and focused power. In Kaito's opinion, it was an outstanding skill.
Unfortunately, the barrier to entry was quite high. It not only required a certain level in his Martial Arts Aptitude but also specifically demanded that he be able to [Sense Ki] and have an [Energy] stat of at least 15.
Kaito placed the rare and powerful skill scroll into his inventory.
He then walked over to the door of the room he had transformed into his dorm. He took the handle and turned it.
[Pull the door inward to return to the real world. Push the door outward to enter the Nexus Public Space.]
[Please note: Remaining time in the Nexus Space is 1 hour, 55 minutes, 34 seconds.] (Note: Dwell time increases with Reincarnator rank. When the timer reaches zero, you will be automatically returned to the real world.)
So, from the Nexus's perspective, the time a Reincarnator can spend here is a resource?
Seeing this notification, Kaito's sharp mind immediately deduced that visiting the so-called "Nexus Public Space" must be beneficial.
He had originally planned to return to reality to deal with the overly vigilant Inspector Sato. He knew that the text messages he had received on his phone and his unexcused absence from the university could easily be tracked by the authorities if they put their minds to it. He had already prepared a story.
However, the item Ryo had left him was far more incredible than he could have imagined. It wasn't some piece of illegal contraband or a memory card with state secrets. It was an invitation to the [Infinite Dimensional Adventure]—something that could completely shatter a normal person's worldview.
Kaito pushed firmly. The door swung open, and a flood of light poured in. The next moment, when he opened his eyes again, he was standing on a clean, paved stone road.
[You have entered the Nexus Public Space. You may return to your private space via a mental command from anywhere within this area.]
[A basic concealment has been applied to your appearance. This service is free.]
Kaito, clad in Mercenary Tao's pink robe, stood on the stone road, which was easily more than ten meters wide. He instantly attracted a lot of attention.
He, in turn, was observing the others. These people had to be [Reincarnators]. Every one of them had an exaggerated and unique appearance. Some carried massive swords on their backs, some were dressed like samurai, and a few were even floating in the air. Their outfits were bizarre, their hair a rainbow of unnatural colors.
Kaito guessed that these were all customized appearances, avatars that the Reincarnators had created to navigate the Nexus.
A flash of light, and his clean silver revolver appeared in his hand. Using the polished barrel as a mirror, he saw that his own face was shrouded in a mass of black mist.
After a moment's thought, he understood. If the goal was simply to hide one's real identity, then the free concealment provided by the Nexus was sufficient. But the reason these Reincarnators created custom "avatars" was to make themselves memorable to others.
In this public space, a Reincarnator not only needed to hide their real-world identity, but they also needed a recognizable persona. This was how they established an "identity" here. Whether it was for trading with others, building trust, or forming bonds, it all had to be tied to a specific, recognizable face.
"Well now, this newcomer certainly has a unique sense of style!"
A jaunty voice suddenly spoke up beside him. Kaito turned to see a man in a red suit and a green shirt who had appeared behind him at some point. Noticing Kaito's attention, the man took off his top hat and gave an elegant bow, revealing the clown makeup on his face.
"A clown?" Kaito murmured.
The clown's mouth split into a wide grin, the bright red lipstick making it look unnaturally large.
"Evans the Clown, from the Slums of the East Sector, at your service, esteemed new Reincarnator."
Just then, several other Reincarnators, their faces also concealed by black mist like Kaito's, appeared on the stone path. They were all wearing plain, ordinary clothes and didn't stand out nearly as much as Kaito did. Immediately, a few other figures in the crowd moved to approach them.
The clown, who called himself "Evans," clearly knew what Kaito was thinking. He did a quick backflip, landing behind Kaito and blocking his view, subtly intercepting anyone else who might have been heading his way.
"Evans the Clown, much like those other hunting dogs, is just another washed-up Reincarnator who can only make a living by charging a small [Consulting Fee] here in the newcomer area."
The clown spoke of himself with the utmost contempt and humiliation, but the brilliant smile never left his face.
So, he's a sort of "guide" or "broker," Kaito thought, specializing in newcomers like me. The tell was the black mist; only new arrivals would use the default concealment.
Kaito's eyes shifted slightly. He had a feeling that this kind of assumption could easily be exploited by someone clever.
"Alright, Mr. Clown," Kaito said, his voice even. "I am indeed a new Reincarnator. What are your rates?"
Kaito wasn't stingy. Besides, he needed a baseline to judge the actual purchasing power of the 5750 Dimensional Points he had acquired.
The clown's smile grew even wider. He performed another fluid backflip, catching his hat in mid-air and landing in a deep bow, all in one seamless motion.
This man, Kaito judged, is probably not as pathetic as he claims to be.
Evans the Clown held up five fingers. Then, under Kaito's calm gaze, he bent his pinky and ring finger back until they snapped.
CRACK!
"Three hundred Dimensional Points, sir," he chirped. "Evans the Clown never cheats the old or the young!"
Kaito nodded calmly, accepting the price. He had no interest in figuring out whether the man breaking his own fingers was an intimidation tactic or just a magic trick. He had always believed that anyone who could enter this space was, like him, someone who didn't quite fit in with ordinary people. For someone like that, any action was within the realm of possibility.
Evans's ears twitched. Even after his "performance," this newcomer's heartbeat and breathing hadn't fluctuated in the slightest.
His smile widened until it looked like his face might tear apart.
It seemed his divination today had been correct. This was no ordinary rookie. This was a big one, a rare and plump fish, indeed!