Manifestation's Secrets and the Mine's Parasites
"What... is this?"
Seeing my expression, Brina casually recreated the hammer and pickaxe in her hand, along with small daggers and clubs. Only then could I get a close look at the objects she'd made.
This is...?
They were incredibly crude and simplistic tools. Simple structures, monotonous colors, and upon closer inspection, parts that seemed unstable and distorted. In the heat of the moment earlier, I'd thought she'd really forged a hammer and pickaxe, but up close, they looked too amateurish to pass for genuine tools.
"It's nothing special. Just a blessing from the Forge of All Things."
"A blessing?"
"Yeah. It's called Manifestation."
Brina grinned and produced a longsword of decent length. She handed it to me as if inviting me to touch it.
When I ran my fingers along the blade, there was no cold metallic feel—only the bland, solid texture of something generic.
"It's the ability to instantly shape tools or weapons you've envisioned in your mind using the divine power granted by the Forge of All Things."
Perhaps sensing my curiosity, Brina continued explaining the Manifestation blessing. Just as the evil gods bestowed powers on their followers, the five benevolent gods granted their faithful blessings. Examples included the Judgment of Justice's enhancement blessing or the Guide of Mercy’s healing blessing.
And the god worshipped by the dwarves, the Forge of All Things, gave the Manifestation blessing. It allowed them to mold divine power like clay, instantly forming clear shapes—swords or hammers like she'd just made, or even armor to envelop the body, or massive shields to protect allies.
...Not quite.
As she explained the ability, my heart, which had been racing wildly, began to calm. I'd momentarily thought Brina's demonstration resembled my replication power, but the more she described it, the clearer the differences became.
My replication copied existing real objects exactly. Manifestation, however, shaped imagined images from the mind, allowing freeform creation unlike my fixed replicas. And while I replicated properties, scents, weight, and materials, Brina's creations were all plain white lumps.
"I'm still unskilled with the blessing... But those more proficient can alter colors and such to make them look like real weapons."
Of course, the drab appearance seemed a limitation of Brina's skill...
"Can it make living beings, by any chance?"
"No way. At best, you could make something humanoid-shaped."
Unlike my ability to replicate mana-like energies or even lifeforms, Manifestation had clear limits on what it could create.
"You have to visualize the form precisely in your head, which is why artisans like me handle it well. Most promising dwarves have this blessing."
"I see..."
The more I heard, the more certain I was that it was entirely separate from my replication.
That was a scare.
I'd been startled at first, but learning it was different eased my mind. No particular reason, but I'd always thought my replication was a unique weapon in this world, mine alone.
"Makes sense you'd be surprised. The Forge of All Things favors mostly dwarves, and we rarely leave the Steel Fortress."
"Only dwarves get the blessing?"
With my brief worry gone, curiosity about Manifestation and its granting god surged instead. Different direction from my replication, but it seemed incredibly useful.
"Nah. More precisely, the Forge favors talented smiths... and those are almost all dwarves."
"Ah."
"Enough about the blessing. Ask more back in the city or visit the temple yourself. For now, back to work."
I still had questions, but Brina ended the talk and lifted a simply manifested pickaxe.
"Is the durability solid?"
"It scales with blessing proficiency... Hup! Mine's about as tough as steel!!"
-Clang! Clang!!
She swung at the golem wreckage, sparks flying as it crumbled. Brina carefully examined the fragments and pocketed some.
"Here. You've got a subspace pouch, right? Stuff these in."
"What about the ones at the bottom?"
"Those are low-grade rubble... The ones I picked can be melted down for decent ores."
Following her lead, I inspected the wreckage closely. Enhancing my vision, I saw colorful ores embedded sporadically in the pieces she'd selected.
"Ores that absorbed mana while embedded in the golem make great materials. Alright, let's head in."
"...Hmm."
I glanced at the ores and packed them as instructed.
Just eyeing them to gauge their quality precisely... What insight.
I prided myself on observation and understanding targets, but Brina's eye surpassed mine effortlessly. I watched her with interest.
...
We'd come to mine but ended up fighting a golem—thankfully, not entirely off my expectations.
"Yes, both hands. Spread your legs more. Good—don't damage the ore's grain!"
-Clang! Clang!!
The mine had ordinary veins buried in the earth, which we also mined.
"Haven't we dug enough by now?"
"Hey! We came all this way—gotta max it out!"
We'd already gathered enough for my armor, but Brina pushed deeper for more.
"These are good quality, but not quite satisfying... Hope we find better ore."
"Like what?"
"Mithril or something?"
Wasn't that too greedy? The twin-headed ogre hide I brought was valuable, but mithril outclassed it. Adding it would make costs balloon.
"Does mithril even come from here?"
"Rarely, yeah. Among dwarves, finders keepers—if we snag one..."
Brina smacked her lips regretfully at our haul, dreaming of her ideal armor.
"I get wanting more, but the subspace is full."
"Tch. Fine. Black iron base, mixed with terranite and bloodstone..."
As I suggested heading back, she grumbled but started mentally designing with what we had.
I tried talking, but she ignored me, muttering and gesturing in the air, lost in a trance.
Is this what makes her a top-tier artisan among dwarves?
Her empty shop and eager discounts had raised doubts, but this convinced me of her skill.
-Step. Step.
I followed quietly behind her trance-walking self, not wanting to disturb.
Relying on dim lantern light, we navigated the web of tunnels... until...
"...Huh? Where's this?"
"...Pardon?"
We were lost.
...
"Wait, you weren't even tracking the path?"
"I was designing armor—when would I check the route?"
I'd assumed her smooth stride meant instinctual navigation from experience. Turns out, she was just wandering aimlessly. No wonder the path felt off from our entry.
Didn't she mention thieves starving in dead ends...?
Her words chilled me, recalling her earlier scare tactic, but Brina brushed it off.
"Okay... Ngh. Can't reach. Hey, Yuseong. Boost me up there."
"Pardon? Oh, sure."
As I racked my brain for the way back, she pointed to a ceiling lantern and asked to be lifted.
I crouched; she climbed onto my shoulders from behind.
"Up we go!"
...I meant with my arms.
Horseback-style was efficient, though.
"Heave-ho."
-Bounce!
I stood effortlessly, raising her to the lantern. Her petite frame's light weight pressed down, mingled with earthy, metallic scents and a faintly sour-sweet body aroma.
Mmm.
"Don't worry. I zone out designing after mining sometimes... These lanterns have numbers. This'll tell us where we are..."
Her thick thighs, matching her plump hips, clamped my neck softly yet firmly. As she strained short of reach, the fabric of her underwear brushed my nape—damp from sweat after mining.
"Good... Ah. Tunnel 15, Shaft 8? From here..."
The soft sensation dizzied me until she tapped my head lightly, signaling down.
Feeling oddly reluctant, I lowered her gently.
"Humans are taller, huh."
"How do you check high spots normally?"
"Manifest a platform or walk to lower lanterns. Anyway, path found—follow."
Rubbing the lingering dampness from my neck, I trailed her obediently.
Inbound, we'd mined nonstop; now just walking, I chatted to pass time.
"Not many customers usually?"
"Tch... Yeah. Opened my forge right after ranking up, borrowed for it—no clients since..."
"No advertising?"
"Was so excited, holed up hammering instead... Thought someone'd show eventually..."
I asked why she'd haggled to keep me; learned her forge was new.
"Women wielding hammers are rare?"
"Yeah! Why do those jerks stare? Female dwarves usually use dexterity for cooking or alchemy!"
Explained why no other female dwarf smiths: equal skill, but less stamina/strength made it harder; most went culinary.
"And these damn tits get in the way hammering."
"Ahem."
She griped, suddenly grabbing her breasts—I coughed dryly.
Isn't she embarrassed...?
Her blunt, tomboyish vibe fit, but openly jiggling in front of me... Do all dwarf women do this?
"But those who mocked me shut up once I hit rank 1... Hm?"
-Crunch! Crinch!!
She'd been venting at length when she stopped. In the silence, I caught distant noises.
Golem? No, lighter sound.
"This sound... no way."
While I puzzled, Brina grimaced angrily and strode toward it.
Panicking—I couldn't navigate alone—I hurried after. Close enough...
What the hell are those?
-Crunch! Crinch!!
Monstrous things mining and devouring rock and ore from the ground. Parts of their bodies turned to stone, like golem-human hybrids.
What the...?
As absurd thoughts of mad cultists breeding with golems crossed my mind, Brina spat through gritted teeth.
"These parasitic evil god followers again...!"
"...Pardon? What?"
Evil god followers?