Chapter 21: E2138-21: Merchant and Ninja
Yuki's choice of a doppelganger race over others or even staying human was driven by their shape-shifting or more accurately, race-shifting abilities.
Playing as a doppelganger meant that Yuki had access to multiple avatars, each with varying levels and capabilities.
This provided him with an advantage, as he could adapt to different situations by seamlessly changing his form.
Adaptability was a trait that Yuki fervently pursued, and he utilized every tool at his disposal to gain an edge over his opponents.
By modifying his strategies and behavior, he made it harder for his adversaries to anticipate his next move.
This ability proved especially valuable when he found himself transported to a new world and faced with threatening enemies.
Yuki realized that in order to succeed, he needed to adapt quickly and often.
To stay ahead of the competition, he had to constantly evolve his tactics and outsmart his opponents with swift changes they would never expect.
He soon realized that his strength was not in overpowering his opponents, but rather in his ability to outmaneuver them.
He understood that while Plan A was often the best choice, it was important to acknowledge the possibility of failure and be prepared to pivot to Plan B or beyond when necessary.
This was a lesson he had learned the hard way through the implementation of Plan C.
Yuki was not naive enough to believe that things would always go according to his plan, but he was determined to stay one step ahead of his opponents and always have a backup strategy in place.
Yuki's ability to outmaneuver others became evident when he found himself wanted by the human players, who resented him for spoiling their enjoyment of the game.
To evade their wrath, he adopted a cautious approach, limiting his appearances to safe zones, and making use of the terrain to stay hidden the rest of the time.
Yuki's success in navigating this dangerous situation was due in part to his deep-seated belief that one should always be prepared for the worst.
He knew from experience that no matter how well he planned, unforeseen circumstances could always arise, and so he embraced the principle of Murphy's law: if something can go wrong, it will.
This philosophy drove him to constantly anticipate potential problems and develop contingency plans, enabling him to stay ahead, or at least try to.
As the game developer and director of Yggdrasil, Yuki pondered on the possibility of entering the new world as a developer.
Though he couldn't say for certain, as there was no mention of the development team in the anime, manga, or LN.
Nevertheless, Yuki had left his mark on the game with the creation of an incredibly intricate magic spell system comprised of 36 million parameters, as well as the implementation of a 'cutting-edge' AI server scaling system.
Perhaps he had hidden something within these innovations, but nobody was paid enough to bother so that's a win for Yuki.
As the new game director, Yuki found himself with a lighter workload compared to his days as the lead developer for the realm of Helheim.
With more time on his hands, he could dedicate himself to leveling up his player avatar in Yggdrasil.
After wrapping up work for the day, he glanced at his phone and noticed a message notification. "You have one message," it read.
Curious, he opened the message and found that his "Naughty Secretary" had topped up his account, this was another prevention method used by Yuki.
Feeling a bit hungry, Yuki made his way to the kitchen area of his apartment in Neo Kyoto Archology Dome.
Although it wasn't a fully-equipped kitchen, it had a cabinet stocked with synthesized food and a microwave.
Yuki quickly heated up his meal and savored the taste before returning to his gaming setup.
Using a virtual private server he had set up for his "business," he could play Yggdrasil without raising suspicion about his player account.
Not that it mattered much now that he was the game director, but Yuki knew better than to take any unnecessary risks.
Logging in the game, Yuki ventured deeper into the ominous swamplands of Helheim, he finally arrived at the location he had been seeking: the infamous Great Tomb of Nazarick.
This unconquerable dungeon was a formidable challenge, recommended only for players at level 80 or higher.
Yuki was privy to this knowledge thanks to his insider information on the Nine's Own Goal guild's preparations for their own raid on the tomb.
With his assistance, they were better prepared than any other group that had attempted the feat, as evidenced by Nishikienrai's in-game message to Yuki:
[Snow Merchant invited to the place where nine beings rest].
Yuki couldn't help but chuckle at the guild's dedication to their roleplaying, and he fully expected Nishikienrai to suddenly appear out of nowhere like a true ninja at any moment.
Yuki abruptly halted in his tracks and spoke up, "It appears that your efforts have proven fruitful, Nishikienrai."
The half-golem ninja emerged out of thin air, earning a nod of acknowledgement from Yuki.
"Just like a true ninja," he remarked.
Nishikienrai, concealed behind his mask, replied, "Just as the merchant arived with his wares,"
Yuki retorted, "Always, so long as the payment is sufficient."
As they made their way to the Great Tomb of Nazarick, the two conversed. Yuki inquired, "Let me guess, you waited there the entire day?"
Nishikienrai nodded stoically, "Indeed, a true shinobi serve and protect,"
Yuki couldn't help but ponder that, had Nishikienrai been born a century earlier, he would have been a full-fledged chuunibyou, much like Naruto weebs Yuki known.
Upon arrival at the Great Tomb of Nazarick, Yuki and Nishikienrai stumbled upon a heated argument between a birdman and a pink slime, right at the entrance of the foreboding structure.
Their attention was immediately drawn to the commotion, but before they could react, the birdman let out a sudden exclamation, "A Human!".
This exclamation proved to be the trigger that caused a flurry of activity among the birdman's comrades, as more members of the guild began to emerge from the shadows.
As Yuki took in his surroundings, he realized that he was now surrounded by a curious cast of characters: a birdman, a slime, a frogman, a nephilim, a dragon, an insect adorned in shining armor, a crab bedecked in blacksmith attire, and a skeleton garbed in mage's robes.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone