Chapter 70
Chapter 70
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: 31st Floor (1)
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Today, I planned to check the ring's detailed abilities.
[Memory of Fire]
[Grade: Legendary]
[Effect: You can view the dwarves' blueprints.]
[You can mimic their techniques.]
[Current Stage: Lv.1]
"Blueprints are stored inside, huh..."
I experimentally poured mana into the ring.
At the same time, a book made of mana unfolded in front of me.
It was a real book I could flip through and read with my hands.
A book far thicker than a dwarf's height.
Inside, it was filled with complex diagrams and unfamiliar script.
The same dwarf writing I'd seen on the stone tablets on the 29th floor.
No way I'd have to get the sandworm to translate this one by one too? That would be a problem.
"Huh, I can read it?"
Soon, I realized I could naturally read those characters.
The information flowed into my mind as smoothly as if it were my native language I'd used for years.
"Oh..."
It seemed this ring came equipped with a dwarf language translation function.
Amazed, I began skimming the blueprint list spread out before me.
"There's really all sorts of stuff..."
The more I turned the pages, the more my mouth hung open.
The list was staggeringly vast, with no end in sight.
It started with simple nails and hammers, then filled with all kinds of mechanical devices.
But upon closer inspection, most items were displayed in faint gray.
Only a few on the very first page were in black text.
"So that's why there's levels..."
I quickly figured out the system.
Each blueprint had a required crafting level.
Things beyond my current level were grayed out.
I'd have to gain experience and level up to unlock more blueprints.
"Let's see what's available."
Curious, I flipped through the book.
The further back I went, the more amazing the items became.
[Mithril Golem Soldier]
[Dimensional Storage Box]
[Magic Battery]
"Whoa, there's even this?"
Even the mid-boss I'd encountered on the 25th floor was on the list.
My interest piqued, I flipped straight to the last page.
[Sky Fortress Valhalla]
"...I've gotta make this someday."
I swallowed hard without realizing it.
The dimensional storage box or magic battery in the middle were plenty useful too.
But a sky fortress?
A floating island in the sky?
I had to make this, even if it meant blowing my entire fortune.
The dwarves' technology far surpassed my imagination.
"I wonder what else is here..."
Unable to hide my excitement, I thoroughly scanned the other blueprints.
Soon, I spotted another eye-catching item.
[Great Sky Harpoon Cannon: Dragon Hunter]
The description said it was a weapon that automatically tracked flying enemies and launched massive mana harpoons.
"An anti-air weapon... Yeah, I could use that."
Come to think of it, I had zero ways to deal with aerial foes.
All my magic was ground-based.
Devastating against ground enemies, but I'd be helpless against flying monsters like dragons or griffons.
"Well, I haven't seen any flying mobs yet."
Still, having something like this would feel reassuring.
I checked the harpoon cannon's required crafting level.
[Required Crafting Level: 50]
"..."
I quietly turned the page.
My current crafting level was 1.
A hopelessly distant gap.
"Valhalla's at what level... No, fuck. When the hell am I gonna craft this."
For good measure, I checked Valhalla's requirement again: a dizzying 100.
My vision went dark.
"No, don't give up."
Who knew how fast the levels would rise.
I decided to think positively.
I had nothing to do but climb the tower anyway.
A little each day, and it'd work out somehow.
"New content's unlocked, that's all."
I examined the book more closely.
Crafting required three main things.
First, skill level.
No choice but to steadily build crafting experience.
Second, materials.
Those could be gathered in the tower or bought with money.
Third, facilities.
In other words, anvils, forges, and all sorts of smithy equipment.
The last one was the biggest issue. No way my house had any of that.
As I stared at the book with a blank expression, new information flowed from the ring.
[Mana Conversion System: Activation Available]
[Some facilities and processes can be substituted with mana.]
[Warning: Extremely Dangerous.]
[Mana consumption is extreme and control is extremely difficult. Unless you are a master craftsman, do not attempt this under any circumstances.]
[Mana exhaustion, hypertension, diabetes, depression, heart attack, kidney stones, and 52 other disasters may occur.]
"Perfect for me."
I activated the option without hesitation.
Blue mana particles gathered before my eyes, forming a translucent hammer and anvil of light in midair.
"Let's see just how tough this is."
Ignoring the warning felt iffy. I'd start with something easy to get a feel.
I checked the first crafting quest.
[Crafting Level 1 → 2]
Make 100 rings (0/100)
Make 100 needles (0/100)
Make 100 nails (0/100)
"...This grind is insane."
Fortunately, the material was easy-to-get iron.
I made a call to procure some.
***
There was a brief tussle with the broker, who wondered what the hell I'd use it for, but I soon got a few iron ingots.
I pulled out a few and placed them on the light anvil.
Then I picked up the light hammer.
Surprisingly hefty in my hand.
"I'm a bit worried..."
I'd never swung a hammer in my life, let alone driven a nail.
The only tools I'd ever used were screwdrivers and hex wrenches.
On top of that, the tools were suspect.
I didn't know much about blacksmithing.
But I knew you couldn't just make needles or rings with an anvil and hammer alone.
Fortunately, the ring didn't demand blacksmith knowledge from me.
As I raised the hammer, the blueprint in my mind glowed, indicating the first strike point.
All I had to do was swing at that spot.
Clang!
A clear bell-like ring echoed out.
The moment my hammer struck the iron ingot, blue mana waves spread from the impact point.
Then something amazing happened.
The hard iron ingot softened like clay and began reshaping itself.
The hammer's only job was delivering mana like a switch.
The actual processing was handled by the ring and my mana.
The iron stretched and folded like magic, according to my will.
I struck a few more times at the blueprint's indicated points.
Each time, the iron took on the ring's shape.
Just from swinging the hammer a few times, a perfect ring lay on the anvil.
[Successfully crafted Ring (Lv.1).]
[Make 100 rings (1/100)]
"Easier than I thought?"
The warning mentioned extreme mana drain and tough control, but I felt neither.
Emboldened, I kept hammering away.
Clang! Clang!
[Make 100 rings (20/100)]
But after about twenty rings, my mind started to fog.
"Elite like me shouldn't be doing this repetitive grunt work..."
Eighty more to go?
A mind-numbing number.
"Ugh... My hands are numb..."
And for some reason, my arms ached too.
I shook out my palms in the air.
With my strength stat, hammer swings shouldn't hurt.
The magic anvil must have a stamina drain option.
That's when a brilliant idea flashed in my head.
"Clone!"
I immediately pulled sand from the floor and made a mass-produced clone identical to me.
Using mana, I created another set of light hammer and anvil and handed them over.
The clone squinted at me.
"What're you looking at? Get started."
Grumbling, the clone began hammering.
Clang! Clang!
Rings started completing fast.
I smiled in satisfaction.
"With the clone, exp doubles, right?"
When the clone finished its first ring, I eagerly checked the system window, full of anticipation.
[Make 100 rings (20/100)]
"Fuck?"
No change in exp.
The clone's work didn't count toward my experience.
No freeloading proficiency like in manhwa, apparently.
"...Can't quit here. Super Slimey!"
I summoned Super Slimey.
I enlarged his body, made him a set of anvil and hammer.
He tilted his head, then successfully hammered for the first time in his life.
[Make 100 rings (21/100)]
It counted properly.
"Awesome! Just 79 more!"
"..."
"Hey! What the hell!"
After glancing between me and the hammer a few times, Super Slimey dropped the hammer and bolted.
Damn, this was the thanks for raising him?
Phone-watching must've ruined his education.
I needed a worker instead of a thick-headed Super Slimey.
"Make a No.2 specialized for smithing?"
Good idea, but one problem.
It'd cost another finger.
I'd tried before; with eight fingers, typing speed tanked, ruining my comfy internet life.
To make another clone, I needed a finger-free method.
"Any prosthetics in here?"
Just in case, I flipped through the book.
Sure enough, something similar.
[Flowing Hand]. Crafting level 10.
A prosthetic that reshaped to fit the user's body.
"The shape-shifting is nice."
My body parts vanished and reappeared often.
Fluid items like this suited me.
Plus, level 10.
I could reach that quick.
"Still, gotta grind to 10 solo."
I sighed deeply and picked up the hammer again.
No helping it. Level up steadily in spare time.
I set some goals.
Primary: the prosthetic hand.
Use it to make No.2 or No.3 to help me.
Secondary: Dragon Hunter harpoon cannon for anti-air defense.
It'd come in handy someday.
"Well, an attacker might drop first."
But what I really wanted was one thing.
The ultimate goal: Sky Fortress Valhalla.
Someday, I'd launch my own star into the sky.
I focused on hammering again, dreaming of that distant future.
Tedious grind, but with clear goals, it felt a bit more bearable.
***
Over the next few days, I hammered at home nonstop.
Churning out hundreds of rings, needles, and nails in boring hours.
Crafting level finally hit 5.
Halfway to goal.
But the brutal grind was wearing me down.
I finally stood up.
"Need a break."
I headed back to the tower.
Smashing monster skulls beat hammering any day.
I needed to blow off steam.
[Entering Tower 31st Floor (EXTREME).]
The familiar system message hit, and my vision shifted.
Before me stretched endless plains.
Under a clear blue sky, a gentle breeze rustled the grass.
A peaceful sight I hadn't seen in ages.
But I couldn't relax.
"30s floors have NPCs too, right?"
I'd researched named NPCs.
Problem was, one I really didn't want to meet was among them.
Random spawn across the entire 30s block meant no warning till it appeared, amplifying my unease.
That's when it happened.
"Waaaaaaah!"
"Kill them! Kill them all!"
A massive roar shaking the earth came from the distant horizon.
One side: a horde of green-skinned orcs.
Unlike the 5th floor ones, their gear and ferocity stood out.
Blood-smeared weapons gleamed in the sunlight.
And on the opposite side: people.
Exhausted human soldiers in tattered armor.
They desperately fought the charging orcs.
Clashing swords, shouts, agonized screams.
The smell of blood and dust rode the wind to my nose.
Overwhelmed by the scene, I stared blankly.
The 30s floor concept: war.