Chapter 20

Translator: True Detective

Chapter 20. Oak Staff

Because I concluded an unconventional (?) contract of 8:2 yesterday, I slept very well.

Naturally, I accessed the Morning Gallery.

I couldn't help but click seeing the title of a post that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠came up.

No wonder... the tax rate made no sense.

Phew... Anyway, Hong Chae-yeon will handle the tax somehow, so shall I start my main job?

I opened the inventory and took out the loot left by the 10th Floor Boss [Three-Faced Blood Demon].

Placing them on the desk, the room temperature seemed to drop sharply.

The Core was still emitting red light like a pulsating heart, and the Bone had a luster colder than metal.

Above all, those blood vessels... wriggling around feels quite unpleasant.

—Ding!

A staff...

The problem is that the equipment I've made so far is of the 'Blacksmith' line.

Not the 'Crafting' or 'Woodworking' side.

Of course, fitting the grand class name [Primeval Maker], all crafting was possible, but the difference in familiarity cannot be ignored.

Hammering a lump of iron with a hammer and carving and trimming materials to connect mana are dimensions apart.

"If I blow this, I'll really cry."

It's a Unique grade material.

A precious item that can't even be converted to money.

Touch this immediately without practice?

People who don't even know me might throw stones at me.

I decided to approach cautiously.

First, I need to get the hang of it.

What a staff is, how the magic circuit works.

"Guide. Please bring up a basic Staff recipe so I can practice a bit."

I bought practice materials from the Exchange.

The most basic of basic materials.

I'll practice with this until I master it.

With grim determination, I entered [Primeval Workshop].

I placed the Oak log on the workbench and picked up a carving knife.

The feeling of carving wood was better than I thought.

"What, it's nothing special?"

At the Guide's pointing out, I relaxed my strength a bit.

Carving carefully, I got caught on a knot.

Applied a little force.

Snap!

The Oak screamed and split in half.

Maybe because my Strength stat is high, controlling force was incredibly difficult.

This time, I carved very gently as if handling a baby.

But because I was too gentle, the surface became bumpy.

Paying attention to force control, I caught the blade angle wrong.

The knife dug deep into the wood.

—Crack.

Broke again.

"Ah sh*t!!!"

When hammering, striking down at least relieved stress, but this feels like writing on a grain of rice.

It really didn't fit my impatient personality.

But I couldn't give up.

Because Unique materials were waiting for me.

After the tenth attempt, I barely managed to shape the wood.

Now I have to dig a groove to embed the Magic Stone.

I held the carving knife.

My hand trembled violently.

Holding my breath, I dug out the wood.

—Scrape. Scrape.

—Scrape.

"No, what do you want me to do!!"

Irritation surged, and I scratched hard.

The groove was pierced through.

"Uwaaaaaack!!"

I threw the carving knife and tore at my hair.

The Guide was right.

Thinking back, the beginning wasn't easy when making weapons or armor either.

I took a deep breath once, picked up the carving knife again, and sat down.

...

Twentieth failure.

Succeeded in fitting the Magic Stone.

Now it's time to engrave the magic circuit.

This was the hardest part.

Connecting lines that are barely visible.

Scratching the surface with a needle-like tool, my eyes felt like popping out.

—Tick.

Hand slipped and the line went awry.

"......"

I quietly went to the corner of the workshop and squatted.

I want to go home.

No, this is my home.

I want to lie in bed.

But the [Core of Three-Faced Blood Demon] shimmering before my eyes raised me up again.

Right, I'm a guy who made Legendary armor.

Can't I make a single ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wooden stick?

Stubbornness arose.

I picked up the Oak again.

This time, I erased all that sensation of holding a hammer.

I am a sculptor.

I am a jeweler.

I hypnotized myself.

My fingertips stung from being cut by the knife.

It would heal if I drank a potion, but even that time was precious.

Wood dust covered my whole body turning me into a snowman.

And the 67th attempt.

—Scrape. Scrape.

The sound of carving wood was different from before.

Not a rough sound but a sound soaking in softly.

The grain of the wood transmitted to my fingertips was felt.

Where it is hard and where it is soft.

Where to put the knife so as not to go against the grain.

I heard the Guide's compliment, but I had no leisure to reply.

Dug the Magic Stone groove.

It fit perfectly without error.

Engraved the circuit.

It connected naturally like flowing water.

Finally, applied finish and rubbed with a cloth.

—Ding!

Only Normal.

But right now, to me, it was a Normal more valuable than a Legendary item.

I gripped the staff.

A warm and soft grip different from heavy metal.

I felt something flowing naturally along my hand to the tip of the staff.

Is this mana?

"Haa... Now I think I know a bit."

On the floor, broken wooden sticks and broken magic stone powder were piled up like a mountain.

That pile of trash seemed to represent my efforts.

I rotated my stiff neck and looked down at the finished Oak Staff.

Can't I handle Unique materials now?

Such a thought quietly raised its head.

But seeing the debris piled on the floor, my mind changed.

"No. Not yet."

I remembered the old saying 'more haste, less speed'.

Especially in front of Unique materials where not a single mistake is tolerated.

This sensation right now is just at the level of taking the first steps.

If I get satisfied here and rush in, it's obvious I'll blow the expensive materials and regret hitting the ground.

"Guide. Let's do a little more!"

I stood in front of the workbench again.

This time I raised the goal.

Not simply completing, but making it perfectly.

And I have to increase speed too.

Since Unique materials are hard to handle, deformation or mana loss will occur quickly.

68th.

75th.

90th.

Hand movements became increasingly bold.

At first, I was careful even letting the carving knife touch, but now I carved down the wood without hesitation.

As the eye reading the grain opened, unnecessary movements disappeared.

I carved the groove for embedding the Magic Stone accurately at once too.

When the 100th Oak Staff was completed.

—Ding!

"Now it's somewhat presentable."

It's not simply because the grade went up.

The sensation remaining on my fingertips was definitely different.

It was natural as if the wood became a part of my hand.

Now I felt like I could feel the grain even with my eyes closed.

"Good. This much is worth challenging."

I took a deep breath and took out the Unique materials from the inventory again.

The materials placed on the workbench felt less scary than before.

"Now, let's try making it?"