Episode 39
039. Distrust
The welcome news of Iron Walker’s level up.
Right after the successive battles that left the area in disarray, a threatening clacking sound of pincers echoed from deep within the cave.
Click…
Click-click…
‘They really are endless.’
Perhaps because it was deep in the mine, the number of monsters was overwhelming for a solo player. But for Golden Hand with Iron Walker, it wasn’t too difficult. He almost wished they’d just come out faster.
‘This time… what is it?’
From the darkness emerged a giant scorpion made of obsidian. The stinger at the tip of its tail glowed red like embers.
[Obsidian Scorpion Lv.45]
It charged with a speed on a different level from the previous monsters, its massive pincers gripping Iron Walker’s waist.
CRRREEEAK!
Amidst the sound of crumpling steel, the glowing red tail stinger slammed down on Iron Walker’s back.
SSSSSS-!
The sound of melting metal rang out, but Iron Walker was a steel giant that knew no pain. He instead grabbed the scorpion’s pincers and held on, creating a perfect opportunity for Golden Hand. Golden Hand didn’t miss that instant.
The joint connecting the scorpion’s tail and body.
He swung his hammer with all his might towards the red dot that appeared there.
KR-SHCRUNCH!
[Defeated Obsidian Scorpion.]
[Your level has increased! Lv.27]
[Acquired ‘Intact Obsidian Carapace’.]
[Defeated Obsidian Scorpion.]
[Acquired ‘Scorching Venom Sac’.]
[Defeated Obsidian Scorpion.]
[Acquired ‘High-Grade Magic Stone’.]
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[Your level has increased! Lv.28]
“Phew… I’m more tired than I thought.”
Monsters that poured out endlessly for a while. Only after defeating them all could he catch his breath. Now, true silence finally descended. After a brief rest, Golden Hand immediately began searching for a suitable spot.
“Good, this should be about right.”
Golden Hand stopped at a dead-end in the mine. He pulled out an old pickaxe from his inventory. The very pickaxe he received from Tuban, now familiar in his hands.
“Shall we start mining in earnest now?”
When he activated the mining skill, it synergized with Willful Insight, causing red lines and dots to appear like a spiderweb on the seemingly ordinary rock surface.
The flow of the ore vein and its most vulnerable points.
Among them, Golden Hand swung his pickaxe without hesitation towards the thickest, most vividly glowing red dot.
KRRRAAAAAASH-!
A sound incomparable to before.
Not just the sound of pickaxe strikes, but noise on the level of an explosion began to reverberate through the mine.
Simultaneously, at the Central Branch of the Magical Engineering Society located in the capital of the Aerok Kingdom.
The massive circular conference hall was bustling with branch heads gathered from across the kingdom.
“This is no time to be like this!”
At the center of the meeting, raising her voice was the youngest branch head, Ravi.
Unable to contain herself, she slammed the table with her palm.
BAM-!
“An outsider! And a greenhorn who just started magical engineering made an Ego Golem! Do you know how incredible that is? No, why are you all acting like this when you should know?”
Despite her impassioned shout, the other branch heads’ reactions were lukewarm.
The white-haired Northern Branch Head yawned and spoke dismissively.
“Branch Head Ravi, don’t get so excited. You’re still young and don’t understand the ways of the world, it seems. You shouldn’t trust outsiders too much. They are creatures who betray others as easily as eating meals.”
“Correct. Moreover, have you forgotten that our society, according to the ‘Treaty’, cannot deeply interfere with the technology held by outsiders? If we meddle carelessly, we might only create bigger problems.”
The Eastern Branch Head chimed in, adjusting his glasses.
Their words held some truth.
But Ravi was so frustrated she could go insane.
“No, I wouldn’t have brought it up if it weren’t a big deal! It’s not just any golem! It’s still a rudimentary Ego, but the potential within it…!”
Ravi’s hollow cry merely scattered into the air.
Instead, mocking laughter even erupted from one side.
“Tsk tsk, still young and easily fooled. Outsiders are inherently cunning and skilled liars. He probably just picked up an old Ego Core somewhere, haphazardly put it together, and claimed he made it himself. To be swayed by such a shallow trick, how pathetic.”
“Shouldn’t we be capturing and interrogating that bastard instead? He might be a spy stealing our kingdom’s confidential technology!”
Ravi clenched her fists.
There was simply no getting through to them.
These were nothing but rotten old men, turning their backs on a rapidly changing reality, clinging to outdated regulations and rejecting change.
‘These frustrating old geezers…! If only they had seen it with their own eyes!’
Just as she was engulfed in a sense of powerlessness,
The conference room’s heavy door opened silently, and a man entered like a shadow.
Black formal attire, hair slicked back as if oiled, sharp eyes, and a smile as soft as silk at the corners of his mouth.
But his eyes were not smiling at all.
The moment he appeared, all branch heads in the meeting room stood up and bowed their heads.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”
The Crown Prince of the Airok Kingdom.
Beliain von Aerok.
He showed interest in Ravi’s words.
“My apologies for interrupting the meeting. I just overheard a very interesting story.”
Crown Prince Beliain spoke while looking at Ravi.
But Ravi’s face contorted as if she had bitten into something foul.
‘Of all people, him…’
Crown Prince Beliain.
Behind the gentle face, rumors swirled that under the pretext of protecting the kingdom’s technology, he seized countless people’s assets and techniques, and even took their lives when their value was spent.
Such a person had taken an interest in Golden Hand.
Ravi gritted her teeth.
But contrary to her expression, Crown Prince Beliain spoke with a face full of curiosity.
“An outsider made an Ego Golem? And is said to be a successor of the Gear Clan, which is all but extinct… Now that’s a fascinating story. Don’t you all think so?”
At his words, the air in the conference hall froze coldly.
His ‘fascinating’ could not bode well for Golden Hand.
Crown Prince Beliain, with a benign smile, spoke softly to Ravi.
“Branch Head Ravi? About that outsider… would you tell me in more detail?”
His voice was sweet as honey, but within it seemed to hide a serpent’s venom.
Ravi could not remain silent.
‘Our super ace! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!’
Ravi could only apologize to Golden Hand repeatedly in her heart.
While doing so, she began unraveling information about Golden Hand to Crown Prince Beliain.
Listening to Ravi, Crown Prince Beliain only said one thing.
“Such a precious talent, I must meet him. Branch Head Ravi, hand over all the data on that outsider to me. Immediately.”
At his words, cold sweat trickled down Ravi’s spine.
She sensed it.
That in trying to recruit talent, she had inadvertently drawn the attention of an enormous, unmanageable shark.
So, Ravi could only offer a small prayer.
Please, let Golden Hand meet Crown Prince Beliain’s standards.
Contrary to the ominous rumors about the Crown Prince, there was also a rumor that if one met his exacting standards, he offered overwhelming support to a burdensome degree.
Ravi clung to that rumor as a sliver of hope.
KRRRAAASH-!
KRRRAAASH-!
KRRRAAASH-!
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The violent sound of pickaxe strikes.
It was the sight of Golden Hand mining with his unique rhythm.
Watching this secretly from the shadows were the agents of the Asura Guild.
The single emotion rising on their faces:
Distrust.
They couldn’t believe the scene unfolding before their eyes, no matter how they looked at it.
KWAANG!
KWANG!
The once-solid rock wall began to crumble away as softly as tofu. Within it, various raw ore chunks began to reveal themselves.
[Acquired Highest-Grade Iron Ore.]
[Mining skill proficiency has increased.]
[Influence of Luck stat discovered a hidden Mithril Ore!]
[Acquired Highest-Grade Copper.]
[Mining skill has reached Lv.6.]
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Iron Walker also assisted with mining, using his giant steel arms to break the rock wall beside Golden Hand. Compared to ordinary players, his speed was superior, but because he broke it with brute force, ignoring the ore vein’s grain, the minerals were often damaged. However, once Golden Hand pointed out the precise locations, his work efficiency noticeably improved.
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.[Acquired Highest-Grade Silver Ore.]
[Mining skill has reached Lv.9.]
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.[Mining skill has reached Lv.10 [MAX]!]
“Oho, hit level 10.”
He had achieved the second maximum skill level after Smelting.
Then, as if to congratulate him, a message appeared.
[Achievement: Mine Destroyer]
[First to master the Mining skill!]
[The system salutes your monstrous mining prowess.]
[Effect 1: Permanently increases the chance to discover rare minerals while mining by 20%.]
[Effect 2: Reduces stamina consumption by 30%.]
‘30% reduced stamina consumption? That’s incredible efficiency!’
He had unexpectedly achieved an achievement with tremendous effects.
Mining, a skill others overlooked.
Just by mastering it, he had achieved a significant feat.
‘Then I should aim to max out other skills too. It won’t be easy, but…’
Once he acquires the Alchemist profession, he’ll have three professions already.
Raising skill levels will become even more difficult.
But it doesn’t matter.
He just has to keep going.
Like he’s swinging the pickaxe right now.
