Episode 49
049. The Essence of Pure Flame
[World Message]
[Player Golden hands has acquired ‘Ancient Void Iron Ore’!]
“Ancient Void Iron Ore? Never heard of it. So what’s the big deal?”
Kane asked dismissively. But as if anticipating his reaction, Megan calmly displayed the next piece of information on the screen. It was the detailed intel on the ‘Ancient Void Iron Ore’ that Panteria’s information team had scrambled to obtain by all means immediately after the World Message appeared.
.
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. 3. [Anti-Magic Field]: Creates a unique field that weakens magical effects within a certain range around the crafted item, depending on the item’s grade.
A suffocating silence flowed through the conference room.
The gazes of all guild members seemed nailed to one sentence on the screen.
‘A property that absorbs and distorts all magic! Weakens magical effects!’
Kane’s mouth slowly fell open. His eyes shook violently as if from an earthquake. The flames of greed and hope began to blaze within his eyes, which had been filled with frustration and anger.
“This is it…….”
His voice was almost a whisper, but it resonated through the conference room like thunder to everyone present.
“This is it! The only key to breaking the Lich King’s absolute magic barrier!”
Kane sprang up from his seat. He was no longer angry. Like a predator that had spotted its prey, a cold, sharp aura emanated from his entire being.
“Megan.”
“Yes, Guild Master.”
“Immediately scrape together all information on that player named ‘Golden hands.’ Personality, playstyle, affiliated guild, relationships, desires, dislikes. Don’t miss a single trivial detail.”
“Understood.”
“The finance team should prepare to mobilize all guild funds… No.”
Kane, lost in thought for a moment, seemed to change his mind.
“Just call him over casually and offer him some money. He’ll probably sell it eagerly. What could that guy possibly do with it anyway? He probably can’t even smelt it, can he?”
Kane was confident. Even if it were an Ancient-grade mineral, no player would yet be able to handle it.
‘Only a major guild like ours would have a way to process Ancient-grade minerals… Golden hands? What a laughable fellow. What does an individual think he can do?’
In other words, to a guy like golden hand, the Ancient Void Iron Ore would be a useless treasure—a good item but one he couldn’t use directly. So, there was no need to waste money unnecessarily.
‘Korea? Aside from Kang Mujin, that place is insignificant… Unexpectedly, this might be resolved easily.’
Kane was convinced. Only Panteria could process Ancient minerals. He believed they were the only ones.
“Golden hands… Golden Hand, is it? Quite a flashy name.”
A victorious smile touched Kane’s lips, as if he had already secured the Ancient Void Iron Ore.
“Wh-where did you get this?”
“I found it while investigating the tunnels dug by the Corrupted Earthworm. Do you… happen to know what it is?”
“You say you found it in a lava zone? Good heavens!”
Collector Calliss.
He hadn’t even batted an eye at the appearance of the Ancient Void Iron Ore.
But the item Geumson handed him for appraisal—the ‘Unidentified Egg’—was causing his pupils to shake violently.
When the atmosphere at the gathering was at its peak, Geumson, as if suddenly remembering, turned to Calliss and asked.
“Master Calliss, I heard you are also knowledgeable about appraisal. I have one item whose identity I cannot discern. Could you take a look?”
Calliss’s eyes gleamed with interest. Golden Hands was also an exceptional blacksmith. He would have surely appraised most things himself or at least made an educated guess. For golden hand to call something ‘unidentifiable’ was enough to pique the curiosity of a Collector like him.
“Let’s have a look. There are few items in this continent that can evade the eyes of this Calliss.”
As if waiting for this, Geumson took it from his inventory and placed it on the table. It was the Unidentified Egg, glowing ruby-red, that he had found deep in the lava zone of the Ash-tooth Mine.
The moment the egg was placed on the table, a faint illusion that the temperature in the workshop had risen slightly occurred. A stubborn vitality, however faint, and a hot heat continued to emanate from the egg.
“What is this…?”
Dussar was the first to tilt his head in confusion. He turned the egg this way and that, even sniffing it, but couldn’t figure out its identity at all.
“It seems alive… but I’ve never seen an egg with an aura like this in my entire life. It’s not a dragon egg, nor a griffin’s egg. What in the world is this?”
Even Dussar shook his head, making Calliss’s expression grow even more serious. He took a monocle from his pocket, put it on, and leaned toward the egg.
His pupils narrowed as he began to read the subtle flow of magic on the egg’s surface and the pulsating waves of life throbbing within.
[Collector Calliss uses the skill ‘Eye of Appraisal.’]
As time passed, his expression transformed into one of astonishment. The relaxed smile from earlier vanished without a trace, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
“Th-this can’t be…! This pattern… this magic wavelength…! It can’t be!”
Calliss shot up from his seat. Looking alternately at the egg and golden hands with disbelief, he exclaimed in a trembling voice.
“Where on earth did you get this?! This is… this is the Fantastical Elementia from the myths! The egg of the Infinite Bird, a legendary divine beast that endlessly devours and evolves attributes!”
At his exclamation, all sound in the workshop seemed to cease. Dussar almost dropped the wine glass he was holding, and Geumson was simply bewildered.
‘Infinite Bird? What in the world is that?’
It was a name he hadn’t even heard in his past life. But judging by Calliss’s reaction alone, he could guess this egg was an item beyond imagination.
Calliss was the third prince of the Arcadia Kingdom before being a Collector. There were almost no rare items he hadn’t seen before. Moreover, Calliss, who hadn’t even blinked at the Ancient Void Iron Ore, was showing rare excitement.
However, Calliss’s excitement soon turned into a deep sigh.
“But… it’s already too late.”
He clicked his tongue regretfully and took off his monocle.
“The condition of the egg is not good. The core is damaged from external shock, its life force is nearly depleted, and petrification is progressing. Right now, it’s barely clinging to life. At this rate, it will turn completely to stone within a few days.”
[Result of Collector Calliss’s Appraisal]
[Egg of the Fantastical Elementia (Damaged)]
Grade: Mythical (Immeasurable)
Condition: Petrification in Progress (Life Force 3%)
Description: The egg of the Infinite Bird, a legendary divine beast that absorbs all attributes and makes them its own. Due to severe damage, the possibility of hatching is almost nonexistent. If left as is, it will turn into an ordinary magic stone.
‘M-mythology? For real?’
A Mythical-grade item.
Although it was a special case of being an ‘egg,’ it was the first time Golden Hand had seen a Mythical-grade item. In his past life, the highest grade he had handled was Ancient. He had heard of owners of Mythical-grade items but had never seen one himself.
However, Calliss’s words and the system message were dire news for Geumson. Facing a Mythical-grade item for the first time in his life, only to find it was like an unattainable treasure. A look of disappointment flashed across Geumson’s face.
Then, as if remembering something, Calliss cautiously opened his mouth.
“There is… not completely no method.”
“There’s a method?”
“It’s purely theoretical. The chance of success is almost nonexistent.”
“What is it?”
Collector Calliss took a moment to organize his thoughts before he began to speak.
“If one were to directly infuse it with the Essence of Pure Flame, it might absorb that attribute and hatch from the egg. That Fantastical Elementia, the Infinite Bird, I mean.”
Geumson fell deep into thought at Kalliss’s words, pondering this ‘Essence of Pure Flame.’ But Calliss’s words weren’t finished. It seemed he, too, didn’t properly know what the ‘Essence of Pure Flame’ was.
“Difficult, isn’t it? There can’t be a being in this world possessing such power. Even a dragon’s breath is fire mixed with numerous attributes. It’s a realistically impossible story.”
Kalliss crushed even the last shred of hope. After hesitating briefly, he began to make an offer as a Collector.
“Since it’s a hopeless item anyway, how about transferring it to me? I’ll pay a proper price. This itself will become definitive proof of the existence of the ‘Fantastical Elementia’… It has sufficient value.”
A rational Collector’s offer.
But to Geumson’s ears, his words sounded completely different.
‘The Essence of Pure Flame…?’
golden hand’s heart began to race again. One possibility flashed through his mind. He looked down at his right hand.
The hand blessed by a god, imbued with the power of the sun.
The origin of all creation, the pinnacle of destruction.
[Title: The Sun’s Right Hand]
[Effect 1. [Sun’s Flame]: A low chance for ‘Solar Power’ to imbue all crafted items. (Grants Fire and Holy attributes.)]
‘Sun’s Flame… A power purer and more powerful than any other flame in the world. Perhaps…’
Geumson shook his head firmly at Calliss’s offer. Even if the ‘Egg of the Fantastical Elementia’ were to shatter, it was something he had to try.
“No, I cannot sell it. There’s something else I wish to test.”
In his eyes, it wasn’t resignation but the flames of a new challenge that were burning.
