Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Forest and Rocks (3)
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I swallowed hard and swung my staff.
Thud thud thud!
[Skill: Balanced Skeleton Summon (C-Grade) used.]
[10 Stamina used.]
['Bone6' appears.]
Boneflesh makes his entrance!
"Hmm?"
Dagunar froze at my sudden action.
It was understandable, since I'd done it right in the middle of our conversation.
I flashed a grin.
"Dagunar?"
"What are you doing? Why summon that out of nowhere?"
"You said it before, right? That you'd never forget a favor and would repay it no matter what."
"Ahem, that's right! Dwarves don't make empty promises. We stake our lives on the name of the 'Great Demir' to take responsibility for our words."
"Ooh, I see."
But the Great Demir?
Who was that?
I thought the smith's name was Volcanus.
"Heh heh, you. Your face is so honest."
"Pardon?"
"You're curious about Demir, aren't you?"
"Ah, yes."
What, mind reader?
The old man was one, and now it seems like there are mind readers all around me.
"Demir is a legendary figure among dwarves. The father of all blacksmiths. He's a hero of the rock clan and their spiritual pillar."
"......"
As he spoke about Demir.
Boneflesh twitched slightly... Was that my imagination?
If not, that's impressive.
To react even in death means he thinks deeply about it, right?
"All dwarven blacksmithing techniques originate from him, essentially. Anyway."
Dagunar stroked his long, neatly trimmed beard.
"Why bring up favors all of a sudden?"
"Ah."
I smacked my lips.
"You mean that pile of ore over there."
I eyed the piles greedily.
"Would it be okay if I used it?"
"That pile?"
He looked puzzled.
"As I said earlier, it's fine, but... what do you plan to use it for? Out of concern, if you can't extract metal from that ore pile, it'll be pointless."
"I know that."
I grinned and pushed Boneflesh forward.
The guy looked a bit excited as he glanced around the piled ore.
Then, instinctively, he spotted the furnace.
It was a small makeshift furnace.
"How do I operate this?"
"......You light a hot fire at the base... But you're not thinking of smelting that ore yourself, are you?"
Dagunar looked incredulous.
It was only natural for another race to use their lost techniques.
"I'll show you rather than explain."
['Bone5' uses skill: Fire Ball (Lv. Max).]
Whoosh!
I activated the furnace through Bone5.
At the same time, Boneflesh moved naturally.
Creak!
He started dumping nearby iron ore piles onto the furnace.
[Skill: Intermediate Smelting (Lv. 1) used.]
['Iron Ingot' created.]
['Iron Ingot' created.]
['Waste Pile' created.]
[Proficiency increased by 1.]
Iron ingots began to pile up slowly.
"Wh-what the?!"
Dagunar was stunned.
"This is impossible! Smelting is supposed to be an incredibly complex process! How does just dumping it in produce perfect ingots like this?!"
"Who knows. Call it our race's technique."
Explaining skills was tricky.
So, I passed it off as technology.
"What nonsense!"
Dagunar's eyes bulged, mouth agape.
"Ahh, could you truly be a hero of these chaotic times sent by the Rock God?!"
Then.
His eyes began to sparkle.
"You."
"Yes?"
"Do you know blacksmithing too?"
"Blacksmithing? Let me check."
I rummaged through my inventory.
Checking the blueprints I'd gotten from alchemy before.
Blueprints were rare, so I'd kept every one.
"Hmm."
Dwarves mainly use hammers...
'This one!'
[Item: Sturdy Steel Hammer Blueprint]
[Grade: C]
[Type: Blueprint]
[Description: Design plan for crafting a 'Sturdy Steel Hammer.']
[Effect 1: Can craft 'Sturdy Steel Hammer.']
[Effect 2: Requires 10 'Iron Ingots,' 2 'Wood Pieces.']
Simple materials.
C-Grade too, way better than Dagunar's hammer.
"Boneflesh."
Creak?
I handed Boneflesh the blueprint and ingots.
Wood pieces were basic from dismantling pickaxes scattered around the mine.
He nodded, grabbed his bone hammer, and headed to a nearby anvil.
"Dagunar."
"Y-yeah?"
I smiled softly at the dwarf whose mouth hung open nonstop.
"Just wait a bit. I'll gift you something much better than your current hammer."
"You can really make it? For real?"
And so, crafting began in earnest.
[Skill: Intermediate Item Crafting (Lv. 1) used.]
[Blueprint: 'Sturdy Steel Hammer' used.]
Clang! Clang!
Boneflesh started hammering the ingots.
[Completion: 30%]
Completion rose slowly.
[Completion: 50%]
The hammer took shape.
[Completion: 99%]
After about an hour, a fine hammer was born.
[Completion: 100%]
['Sturdy Steel Hammer' (C-Grade) acquired.]
[Proficiency increased by 1.]
'Item crafting is tough.'
Unlike smelting or weaving, which produce instantly.
It required time investment.
'Massive money and now massive time...'
I could see why high-grade production hunters were so valuable.
"Y-you really made it. In such a short time! It was... like seeing the god of blacksmithing!"
"It's nothing much. I'm still a beginner."
True.
It was my first time actually making one.
"May I take a look?"
"Sure."
I handed the finished hammer to Dagunar.
[Item: Sturdy Steel Hammer]
[Grade: C]
[Type: Hammer]
[Description: A sturdy hammer made of iron compressed with great force. Crafted by 'Bone6.']
[Effect 1: Strength +10.]
[Effect 2: 0.1% chance to destroy opponent's weapon C-Grade or below.]
"Ooh. Impressive!"
"It's not that great."
"Of course, it doesn't match our old dwarven techniques yet. But...!"
Dagunar nodded slowly.
"If you can craft weapons of this grade in this time, it could give us an edge in the war with the elves."
"Your weapons are that outdated?"
I was puzzled.
This item would sell well on Earth.
But not that rare.
"Hmm."
He pondered briefly, then agreed.
"Yes, most dwarven weapons perform like mine... Bitter reality. So."
Anticipation filled Dagunar's eyes.
"Could I ask a favor? I know it's shameless, but we're desperate."
"Yes, go ahead."
"We've forgotten blacksmithing for a century. Plus, the smith is stubborn, focused only on training. In this situation, could you make weapons for us?"
"......!"
I cheered inwardly.
This was an opportunity.
A golden one.
Legally using their materials endlessly to grind proficiency!
But.
I couldn't agree easily.
It was my chance.
But desperate for them.
So, I had the right to demand something.
Plus, by the system, I was their benefactor.
"I'll make them."
"Really?"
"But anyone wanting a weapon must bring their own ore pile equivalent to the materials."
"You mean mine it? That's obvious! Is that all?"
"Well....... A small fee would be nice."
"A fee?"
That's how the world works.
Sometimes you get more recognition when paid.
"Yes, well....... Blueprints or blueprints, or blueprints."
"Blueprints?"
"Yes, the ones you tried to restore."
I hadn't forgotten Dagunar's words.
-No use regretting now. Even studying old records won't restore them. True skill is learned through the body.
Those past records.
That's what I wanted.
Dwarves must have blueprints hidden at home.
"Hmm...... I'll talk to them."
* * *
After Dagunar returned to the village.
Dwarves started gathering one by one.
"Benefactor of the clan! Can you really make weapons?"
"My hammer's teeth are all gone! Can you repair it? Or better, make a new one."
"Me too! Make one for me!"
Not many at first.
The early adopters, so to speak.
Mostly skeptics approaching cautiously.
I grinned at them.
"Yes, first come, first served. Oh, and not the ore piles here—mine new ones from inside."
The ore here was communal anyway.
So, just a mining labor fee.
A time-saving charge?
"Got it."
"Make the weapon, I'll do anything."
"Dagunar said he has some skill."
"I need to see with my own eyes! How can another race handle our techniques!"
"Me too! Won't believe till I see!"
Good vibes.
Interest from the start was a win.
They'd be valued customers later.
Clang! Clang!
Boneflesh kept hammering.
Time passed, sturdy steel hammers piled up beside.
"Ooh, it's real!"
"To see blacksmithing again in my lifetime!"
"S-so moving! Why... are my eyes tearing up?"
Dwarves brought promised ore, took their hammers, and left.
Word spread.
What I did was.
Smelting and item crafting.
And training with the Bones and me.
"......This guy's really shaking things up."
The old man, grasping the situation, clicked his tongue.
"Didn't know your passion for blacksmithing quality was this genuine."
"Come on, elder. Don't say that, it hurts. I'm serious about full-body workouts too."
"Not complaining. Genuine praise and awe. Using this world's space to grind proficiency like this. Amazing guy. Sneaky guy."
"......Feels like no praise?"
I didn't skip training with the old man.
One hour daily, always.
Boneflesh was key.
But my full-body arts mattered too.
About a week later?
[Proficiency increased by 1.]
[Skill: Intermediate Smelting (Lv. 1) level up to 2.]
[Skill: Intermediate Item Crafting (Lv. 1) level up to 2.]
Finally, the two stubborn skills hit Lv. 2.
And more.
"You, could you... look at this blueprint too?"
"It's a family heirloom from the past... Can you make this weapon?"
One by one.
They started bringing blueprints.
'Finally!'
I cheered inwardly.