You Have Successfully Harvested Archiranium!
You have successfully harvested Archiranium!
Your Blacksmithing Skill has increased significantly!
Your Magic Skill has...
The Goblins' respect for you has reached its peak!
The mutants of the Blue Metal Mine look up to you!
"Kweeeek! Puny! Puny!"
"Kwek! Very puny! Very puny!"
"Are they talking about Cain?" Tae-hyun asked.
Carbanog translates that they are saying you are amazing.
Ah, right. They speak in opposites.
Tae-hyun nodded and slipped the blue metal into his bag.
The power of Archiranium may contaminate the inside of your bag.
Your current Blacksmithing Skill is insufficient to fully handle the power of Archiranium.
Your current Blacksmithing Skill is insufficient to fully comprehend the power of Archiranium.
But my skill is at the Master level?!
Does that mean he had to reach the Legendary rank to fully analyze and handle it? Tae-hyun was taken aback, but he quickly understood. If it weren't that difficult, the goblins wouldn't have been so desperately searching for it.
Archiranium possesses an ominous, unrefined power of contamination. Crafting it into a weapon will result in unknown effects.
Archiranium contains an unspeakably massive amount of power within. It may detonate randomly on its own.
Archiranium...
Reading the system messages, Tae-hyun summarized the traits of Archiranium: immense attack power, randomized effects, and a high level of contamination.
Its attack power was bound to be terrifying, especially since the goblins had practically guaranteed it. As for the contamination, it would only affect the targets he stabbed, so he didn't need to worry. Seeing how he was currently resisting its effects, Tae-hyun himself was likely immune. And randomized effects were usually just a nice bonus...
But it can explode on its own?
Tae-hyun opened his skill window to see if he could craft a bomb using Archiranium. If it contained such volatile energy, it seemed like it would make an excellent explosive.
Archiranium bombs are extremely unstable and impossible to control.
If multiple Archiranium items are in close proximity, their instability will be amplified!
You receive a penalty due to your current Blacksmithing Skill.
You receive a penalty due to your current Engineering Skill.
You receive a bonus due to your current Luck stat.
There is a 75% chance of explosion during crafting.
The difficulty was so absurdly high that both his Blacksmithing and Engineering skills incurred penalties. On top of that, the success rate was a measly 25%.
Carbanog. Do you think I can test my luck on this?
Carbanog firmly advises against it if at all possible.
True...
Tae-hyun wasn't desperate enough to gamble his life on a 25% chance. Besides, it would still make an incredibly powerful sword.
"Alright, that's everything," Tae-hyun said.
"Kweeeek! Kwek!"
The mutants surrounded Tae-hyun, raising their arms and mimicking cheers.
The mutants of the Blue Metal Mine look up to you with extreme reverence!
The mutants are curious about and desire your power to resist the blue metal!
The mutants wish to follow you! You can add them to your territory!
"Uh... what?"
Tae-hyun was caught off guard. He had only wanted them to stop attacking, not to adopt them.
What on earth would I use them for?
Tae-hyun fell into deep thought. Although his usual policy was to accept any race into his territory first and ask questions later, these bizarre mutants made him hesitate. The biggest issue was their contamination level!
Well... as long as they don't go around spraying blood everywhere, they shouldn't contaminate anything.
Besides, there was plenty of empty space in the Valley. The mountain range behind the territory, where the Sadiq Church used to hide out, was still largely unexplored. Though it was called the Valley Territory, the actual settlement had mostly expanded along the flatlands at the base of the mountains. He could easily just release the mutants into the mountain range.
...Though the players might lose their minds.
Their hideous appearance would undoubtedly terrify any players peacefully gathering materials near the mountains.
Tap.
"?"
The mutants suddenly grabbed Cain tightly. Cain flinched at their touch.
"What's wrong with you guys?"
Squeeze.
The mutants crowded around Cain, tightly grasping his hands.
The mutants request that Cain be appointed as their leader!
"...S-Sure. Go ahead."
"Hey!!" Cain yelled.
"No, think about it carefully. They're surprisingly strong. They're perfect as tanks," Tae-hyun reasoned.
They were high-level players equivalent in strength, possessed incredible durability and Constitution, and above all, their movements were completely unpredictable. Trying to target their weak points was utterly meaningless. And there were dozens of them! If this Chimera unit blocked the front lines, no damage dealer would be able to break through easily.
Tae-hyun's words made sense, but...
I wanted to be like Smith!
Cain's dream of becoming like Smith was drifting further and further away. While Smith rode a majestic Pegasus, charging alongside a glorious order of knights, Cain was destined to hold up his Sadiq shield, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with mutated chimeras to block the enemy's path.
You have accepted the mutants!
Archisus's Chimera Unit has been added to your territory.
The commander of Archisus's Chimera Unit is Cain.
Your Reputation has increased significantly!
Your Infamy has increased.
Having traversed the desert, met the goblins, descended into the underground dungeon, fought various battles, and finally subjugated the mutants, Tae-hyun had accumulated a massive amount of experience points. A well-deserved level up!
Even though Cain was now leading the mutants, nothing had really changed. The amount of blue metal they found was extremely small, and they had to keep exploring to gather enough to forge a sword.
"Is there no boss monster around here?" Tae-hyun asked.
"Kwek! There is!"
"So there isn't one," Tae-hyun concluded.
Tae-hyun felt like he had finally figured out how to communicate with the mutants. Since they spoke in opposites, saying "There is" meant there wasn't!
"Kweeeek! There is! There is!"
"Alright, I get it."
Carbanog is anxious about whether you actually understood what they meant.
"Well, it is rare for a dungeon to not have a boss monster." Tae-hyun muttered.
Unless it was a dungeon with multiple bosses, a dungeon completely lacking one was almost unheard of. Every dungeon had at least one strongest monster reigning over it.
"Kweeeek. There is no very, very un-scary enemy."
"That's literally a boss monster... What kind of creature is it?"
Freeze.
At Tae-hyun's question, the mutants froze in unison. Then, they began to tremble violently.
"Kweeeek. Kwek!"
"Kweeeek!"
Instead of speaking, they tried to explain with gestures. But with their already grotesque bodies flailing and jumping around, it was impossible to decipher. Except for Carbanog, that is.
Carbanog gasps in shock at their explanation.
"...You can actually understand that?" Tae-hyun asked.
As expected of a divine beast! Carbanog, who could comprehend all languages, easily understood the mutants' frantic gestures.
Carbanog explains that it is a creature so incredibly terrifying that even the mutants actively avoid it.
Wow. That is... absolutely useless information.
How could such a long, dramatic performance yield zero practical details? They were just like Cain!
"What about its weaknesses? How do we deal with it?" Tae-hyun asked.
Carbanog says that if it tries to hug you, you must dodge it.
...????
Tae-hyun wondered if he had misheard, but the system message was clear.
What kind of bizarre countermeasure is that?
It was the strangest monster mechanic he had ever heard of in his life.
Hmm... Is it some giant, muscular monster that tries to bear-hug you to death? Maybe it's better to just avoid it entirely.
Normally, he would hunt the boss monster for the loot, but this underground dungeon was far too bizarre for him to act recklessly. If they got into a fight and another message about Archiranium instability popped up...
He and Cain might end up dying hand-in-hand.
I can easily avoid it.
Tae-hyun was confident he could navigate the dungeon without ever running into the boss. His senses were sharper than anyone else's, and he had plenty of skills to back them up.
Carbanog adds that it is also here to help.
And of course, I have Carbanog.
Carbanog looks pleased.
Clang, clang—
While Cain and the mutants kept watch, Tae-hyun carefully harvested the blue metal. The group repeated this process over and over.
But seriously, the yield is pathetically small.
Every node only gave him a fingernail-sized shard. Even Adamantium, the rarest metal in Pangaea Online, wasn't this stingy.
Carbanog points out that was only because you extorted it from an Adamantium Giant.
Other players couldn't even dream of getting a fingernail-sized amount of this stuff!
Is there no Blue Metal Giant? Hmm, actually, that would be pretty terrifying.
A monstrous giant whose single punch could contaminate the entire earth!
"Kweeeeeek! Kweeeeeek! Kweeeeeek!!"
"W-What's wrong with you guys?!" Cain asked in surprise, trying to calm the mutants down.
Even though they looked hideous, Cain secretly enjoyed having the mutants follow him like a leader. Seeing them suddenly lose their minds naturally startled him.
"It must be the boss monster they mentioned earlier. Cain, get ready to run! Chimeras! Fall back and block the path!" Tae-hyun commanded.
"Kweeek..."
"Kweeeeeek..."
The mutants shed thick tears, trembling in absolute terror.
Archisus's Chimeras are consumed by extreme terror!
Your Speech Skill has...
Your Tactics Skill has...
You have successfully issued the command!
But resisting Tae-hyun's skills was impossible. Despite their terror, the mutants moved to the rear. Seeing this, Cain cried out.
"I... I'm staying with them!"
"???"
Tae-hyun was dumbfounded. What was wrong with this guy?
"Hey, we need to make a quick retreat."
"B-But... look at how terrified they are!"
Archisus's Chimeras are deeply moved!
Archisus's Chimeras swear absolute loyalty to you!
A notification window popped up in front of Cain! Deeply moved by his words, Archisus's Chimeras began shedding thick tears.
"Kwek! Ugly! Ugly! Ugly!"
"Kwek! Ugly! Ugly! Ugly!"
"...Just don't compliment me!" Cain snapped, feeling a vein throb. What kind of compliment was so insulting?
"Well, if you insist on staying..."
Tae-hyun drew his weapon and halted his steps. He had only suggested retreating for Cain's sake. While Tae-hyun could survive using his evasion skills and Divine Authority, Cain was the one who would be in real danger. But if Cain wanted to stay, so be it!
However, Cain completely misunderstood Tae-hyun's intentions, his face lighting up with deep emotion.
"I knew it! Kim Tae-hyun usually treats me like a slave, drives me like a devil, nags me, stops me from having fun, and forces me to train non-stop... but deep down, he's a truly good person!"
-??
-????
Even the Chimeras looked bewildered by Cain's delusional mumbling. Meanwhile, a brilliant blue light flashed at the end of the passage, and their opponent finally emerged.
"I'm... lonely... Play... with me..."
What appeared was a human-sized metallic figure. Having expected a giant golem, Tae-hyun felt a sudden wave of anticlimax. Aside from being made of metal, it looked almost exactly like a normal human.
Carbanog screams! It warns that the ominous energy radiating from the opponent is absolutely insane!
"Hug... me... friends..."
"Kweeeeeek! Advance! Advance!"
"Kwek! Kwek!"
The Chimeras shrieked in terror, clearly frightened out of their wits by the metallic human. In its panic to flee, one of them tripped and was caught by the metallic figure.
Grab!
"We're... friends... right?"
"Kweeeek! Kwek! We are friends! We are friends!"
As the metallic human tightly embraced the Chimera, the Chimera's body began to warp and melt like wet clay. Dozens of random mutant traits were rapidly added and removed every single second!
"...Holy crap."
Tae-hyun had seen some bizarre things in his gaming career, but this was genuinely terrifying. He immediately pulled out his hammer. Against this type of monster, a blunt weapon was the absolute best choice.
...My hammer won't get contaminated, right?
This hammer was an old friend he had obtained in the early days of the game, having accompanied him through countless crafting sessions. If he lost it, he would cry tears of blood.
"A stranger... I've never seen before..."
Gulp.
"We're... friends... right?"
The metallic human asked, staring directly at Tae-hyun. In that split second, Tae-hyun's brain spun at lightning speed. How should he respond?