Infinite Cosmic Cafeteria Chapter 48: Poison Burst Build

Translator: Stellar Novels Editor: Stellar Novels

【Harmless Handling】 sacrifices the continuous damage from poisoning in exchange for a faster stacking speed, allowing each attack to apply 4 poison stacks.

If everything goes smoothly, 25 attacks can trigger the final massive damage, and with blue blessings like 【Poison Upon Poison】 aiding the process, the actual stacking speed could be even faster.

At this point, the Poison Burst build centered around 【Poison Stacking】 was essentially ready for use.

Unfortunately, the team’s luck during this hunt wasn’t great. After all this time, they hadn’t encountered any large prey.

The baiting only attracted 1-star and 2-star ingredients, with limited numbers that were even more meager when divided among the five team members.

Moreover, against such low-level enemies, 【Poison Stacking】 didn’t have time to reach its full effect.

However, as the hunt progressed, Setta and Senqi’s attitude towards Ma Lu gradually shifted, becoming more respectful.

After using the Work Plan Book to confirm the build direction, Ma Lu consistently chose poison-related blessings. When there were no suitable blessings, he focused on boosting basic attributes.

Currently, the team members’ strength, speed, endurance, and reflexes were all enhanced by at least 45%, with endurance receiving the highest boost at 72%.

The difference in battle was palpable.

Setta was outspoken and unwilling to tolerate unfair treatment, but he wasn’t a fool. He had come to realize how crucial Ma Lu’s Roguelike ability was to a hunter group.

The only downside was that this hunt was limited to 12 hours. Setta didn’t want to waste the extraordinary state they were in now; staying in the desert for a week or two would surely yield valuable prey.

However, his proposal was promptly rejected by Bocchi.

“No, the vice leader’s psychic ability can’t be sustained for that long.”

Setta fell silent, but as a psychic ability user himself, he understood that the more powerful an ability, the greater the energy consumption.

Although Ma Lu appeared relaxed, chatting with Mai Mai on the sidelines and occasionally teasing the Swift Coyote cub, Little Ash, this might just be an act to reassure the others.

In reality, he was likely struggling to maintain his power, which would explain why the Double Sunflower Hunter Group, despite their strength, only hunted once a week for just 12 hours each time.

Realizing this, Setta couldn’t help but feel a sense of respect for Ma Lu.

However, two more hours passed with little gain. Ma Lu glanced at his Collection Bag, which was still less than half full, and the loot wasn’t nearly as valuable as in their previous hunts.

As he was contemplating whether to scout the area, the communication device on the motorcycle suddenly lit up with a yellow light.

Ma Lu recalled Bocchi mentioning that this light indicated someone nearby was making a radio call.

He picked up the communicator and heard a slightly anxious voice.

“Can anyone hear me… This is Hogger, vice leader of the Sky Hunter Group... I repeat, this is Hogger, vice leader of the Sky Hunter Group…

“We… encountered two Lava Lizards and urgently need assistance… Our location is southeast of storage point C12…”

The transmission abruptly cut off.

Mai Mai, who was next to Ma Lu, also heard the voice from the communicator. “It’s a regional broadcast.”

“Hm?”

“If a hunter group runs into trouble or discovers valuable prey they can’t handle alone, they’ll issue a regional broadcast to seek cooperation from nearby groups.”

Mai Mai thought for a moment. “Sky Hunter Group... I feel like I’ve heard that name somewhere, but I haven’t been a hunter for a while, so I’m behind on a lot of news. Let’s ask Bocchi.”

Bocchi had just caught a Yangsha Pangolin and was holding it when she saw Mai Mai and Ma Lu approaching from the other side.

Her gaze toward Ma Lu was a bit uneasy, but her attention quickly shifted to the regional broadcast, and she regained her usual composure.

“Sky Hunter Group...” Bocchi pondered. “They don’t have many members, but they have a good reputation. They’ve cooperated with other hunter groups before, and I’ve heard both sides were quite satisfied afterward.”

“I remember now,” Mai Mai added. “There’s an orphanage behind my perfume shop, and I think Sky Hunter Group is one of their sponsors.”

“Wait, do hunter groups sponsor orphanages?”

“Yes, because many of the orphans in the city are children of hunters who had accidents. If they have no other relatives, they end up in orphanages. Because of this connection, some hunter groups regularly donate to orphanages under the guise of sponsorship.

“If the orphans later become hunters and join the related groups, they tend to be more loyal and have a stronger sense of belonging. But this doesn’t happen often.

“Hunter groups don’t force the orphans to join; most donations are just acts of goodwill.”

Bocchi called over Setta and his sister Senqi, explained the Sky Hunter Group’s request for help, and took out a crumpled map.

“The C12 storage point isn’t far from us, just about a half-hour ride. What do you all think?”

“Let’s go!” Setta blurted out excitedly. “Those are Lava Lizards! A rare find, and right now, we still have the vice leader’s blessing.”

Ma Lu noticed that Setta’s way of addressing him had changed.

It was clear that no hunter could resist the allure of Roguelike, even if they were just tagging along behind the main DPS to enjoy the benefits. Setta was clearly hooked on the feeling of being enhanced.

“I want to go too.”

Ma Lu also cast his vote in favor. He still hadn’t gathered enough ingredients for next week’s stall, and given today’s luck, staying here wouldn’t likely yield anything worthwhile.

“I’ll go with the group; either way works for me,” Mai Mai shrugged.

Bocchi didn’t bother asking Senqi, knowing she would side with her brother.

Three votes in favor, one abstention.

Bocchi nodded. “Then let’s head over. But be cautious; we can’t rule out the possibility that someone might be impersonating Sky Hunter Group to broadcast a regional call, setting a trap for any hunter groups that come to help.”

Not long ago, Bocchi and Ma Lu had been ambushed, and she was now extra wary of such situations. After all, they were in the desert, not the city, without law enforcement protection—bad intentions were bound to arise.

After packing up the bait and putting Little Ash back in the canvas bag, the group took a brief rest before the five of them mounted their motorcycles and set off toward the coordinates from the regional broadcast.

As they neared the location, Bocchi slowed her pace, especially when she spotted figures up ahead, and she decided to stop her bike completely.

She then climbed a nearby sand dune and used her binoculars to observe the situation.

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