Dragon Eye's Mining Miracle

Countless users jumped into mining as a job or side hustle for pocket money, but the ore's high value remained unchanged for a simple reason: mining was damn hard.

Not only did higher skill ranks guarantee drops of superior-grade ores, but even then, failing to locate a proper vein meant you might spend hours digging just to snag one. Mining success rates were abysmally low. That's why amassing large quantities was tough, keeping prices stable over time. Production classes wasted tons of materials just trying to level skills or craft decent ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gear.

But strike a fat vein by luck, and even low skill rank let you haul a ton in no time. Ore grades depended on skill rank, but sheer volume hinged on finding veins—which made solo-discovering a big one lottery-level luck for miners.

And now... 'It shows up like this?'

Vulcan's eyes clearly marked lights pinpointing suspected vein locations.

'Dragon Eye...'

He couldn't confirm without testing, but Vulcan was sure. The light clusters matched vein patterns he'd seen before. What puzzled him was why it hadn't shown immediately. Some condition? Knowing that would let him exploit Dragon Eye better, so he quickly checked the skill description again.

"'Manifest will,' huh."

Vague, but veteran Vulcan got it. "Manifest will" tied to the user's perception. It provided info on what you wanted to see. Otherwise, info overload would paralyze ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you. Range unknown, but reading veins alone was insane.

"Time to test it."

Vulcan picked a lit spot and swung his pickaxe down.

Clang!Clang!

"...Huh?"

He jolted in shock. Beginner's luck or not, hitting a vein and scoring lowest iron ore in just two swings? Vein bonus doubled it too. Normally, it'd take dozens—hundreds on bad days—for one ore. This was absurdly fast.

'Coincidence?'

Stunned but rolling with it, he swung again.

Clang!

"What the hell?"

Once was luck; twice meant something. Baffled, Vulcan checked pickaxe and skills—no anomalies. Then it hit him.

"Wait, could it be...?"

His 507 Dexterity stat! It boosted combat, crafting, and gathering rates, but high mining skill rank masked it. At F-rank?

"If that's it..."

Vulcan's grin widened. Just two ores so far, but if true, 200 was doable, not 100.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

His swings lightened, joyful, maniacal laughter echoing as ores flooded his inventory.

"What’s that guy? Creepy..."

"L-Let’s mine elsewhere."

Nearby miners slunk away unnoticed.

Even better sights awaited. Tempering quest boosted physical stats; XP trickled in, leveling him up with bonus points.

'No need to spend 'em now.'

He skipped investing in Strength etc. Physical stats scaled with current values—harder gains at higher bases. No point slowing that with points.

- Hmph. Form's decent.

"Hm? Awake?"

After more swings and growth, dormant Tud piped ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up, prickly yet praising? Vulcan smirked—

Whack! Tud's tail lashed his back.

"Ow!"

- But your eye use sucks. Focus more. Strike points are off!

Praise to scolding. Confusing rhythm, but key advice hid within.

'Focus more, huh.'

Dragon Eye reacted to will. What to target? Tud's "strike points"?

He halted mechanical swings, focusing: How to shatter rock, mine ore efficiently?

"Whoa?"

A new golden dot sparkled.

'Here.'

CLANG!!

"Whoa!"

One strike, three ores. Now he got "strike points"—weak spots. Rock's fragile parts glowed; precise hits shattered easier, yielding more.

'Works on monsters too?'

Hunting potential later. Vein now.

- Hmph. Not hopeless learner.

Ignoring ambiguous remark, Vulcan zoned in, striking white vein lights and gold weak points.

"Huh? Already?"

Post-trance alert: 30 minutes to 100 ores. World record? Over 3/minute despite lowest grade. Beginner's luck + Dex + Dragon Eye synergy.

- Yawn. Back to village?

"Village? Why?"

Tud stretched boredly; Vulcan surprised him. Quest met, but no return yet.

- Hm?

"You wanna see tenacity? This is just starting."

Tud's intrigued eyes met Vulcan's smile. Grind god, human macro—that was him. Bare-minimum finish? No pride in that.

'Strike while iron's hot. Milk beginner's luck. Even lowest ore sells.'

Max 3-day buff + max physical gains from quest meant overkill. Plus, overachievement rewarded at 2x/3x goals. He aimed 300+ minimum.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Bent back, vigorous swings resumed.

'Nice.'

- You... what are you?

Time passed. Beyond 300 ores and "perfect achievement," Vulcan kept mining till he finally straightened—earning even Tud's weary stare. Ore count irrelevant; Vulcan's stamina should've tanked ages ago.

Tenacity requested, not this madness.

"Satisfied now?"

- Not satisfaction... whatever. This grit'll work.

Tud nodded at beaming Vulcan, who could barely twitch. Not the artisan expected, but this drive? He'd master legacies. Transcended human basics anyway—experience secondary.

"Uh... Lord Tud?"

- What now?

Cautious call; another favor needed.

"Hit me again? Inventory full. Ha... ha..."

Dump ore? Never for money-grubbing Vulcan. So, smack-request redux—with tweaks from experience.

- ...Pillbug?

Thighs to chest, balled up, arms extended like rolling. Faster than smack-teleports.

- Fine. Village launch!

Wham!!

Ugh, my incarnation's this guy. Tud scowled, tail rocketing Vulcan like a golf ball. Rolls upon rolls.

'Whoa?!'

Mid-tumble, new lights flickered: quest shift changed sights.

"Heh heh heh heh!"

- You maniac?

Trees, herbs, furballs—he got it, cackling wildly. Tud panicked, tail-power up.

Basic repeat-action skill via tumbling; finally village-bound.