After receiving our rewards from the guild, we went back to Willlows shop to be greeted with a scene we were not expecting.

“Ya know it’s impossible, I can’t do it, it’s just not possible.”, Willow said to somebody I did not know, he looked like a knight, he had a full body armor. Only his head was uncovered by a helmet.

“I’m sorry, but the Kings’ Aide ordered so, I am just here to inform you sir Willow.”, the knight said apologetically as he was about to leave.

He turned around and looked at me, his gaze was sharp, as if it could cut through metal itself. He decided to ignore me and left the store.

Willow was looking frustrated, he was sweating more than usual. “… shit… shit. SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!!!!”, Willow cursed out of frustration, his expression was full of anger.

“What’s wrong?”, I asked Willow as he was having an implosion. “Goddamn, that little…. I have to make twenty magic swords and I don’t have enough time, the deadline is in four days. DAMN!”, Willow explained while hitting his fist against the anvil. “Then, why didn’t you refuse?”, Athena asked for me.

“It’s a request I cannot refuse… it was made by the King’s aide himself. And I have to think about my reputation as a smith.”, Willow said.

If a smith refused a request from the King’s aide, what do you think would happen to his reputation? It would fall considerably, people would talk about a smith who refused to do a request from the King’s aide.

“The worst part is that I don’t have the materials for magic swords, and they asked for a specific material.”, Willow cursed as he was racking his brain to come with a solution.

Willow would have to put up a quest in the guild and a reasonable price for it, and of course there would be adventurers who would and would not take it. After that he would have to forge them and imbue them with spells.

“What if I help you.”, I suggested. I could go get the materials with Athena and then forge them together with Willow, I would be learning how to forge magic swords and I would be repaying Willow for letting us stay. “Hmm. If yer willing to help, I would be grateful for it.”, he responded knowing that there was no escaping this situation.

He did not have much of a choice, he knew what was in line and he couldn’t bear to lose it. “Aight’ if yer helpin’ I need ya to go and get’ me as many Adamantite ores as possible. Can ya do it, I’m askin’ the girl as well.”, Willow asked with a shamed smile for asking help.

I looked at Athena and she nodded as if she understood what I was thinking. “Yes, we’ll do it.”, I said.

 

 

 

We left the shop and went immediately towards the gates of the city, it was night and we couldn’t bear to lose a single second. The deadline would be in four days, so we would use one day to get the materials and the last three to forge the swords.

Athena changed her job to ‘Fire Attribute Mage’ since she had decided to obtain a more magic oriented job. The job increases the levels of ‘Fire Attribute Magic’, ‘Mana Control’ and other magic oriented skills and it gives you the skills ‘Automatic Mana Recovery’ and ‘Alchemy’.

We left the town and went towards an abandoned mine, Willow told us that that mine hasn’t been touched in years, so the possibility of there being Adamantite was high.

We encountered some monsters int the way, like goblins, wolves and etc. However, we slayed then all in a moment’s notice, since we didn’t have the patience to deal with them appropriately.

“How long will it take for us to arrive at the mine?”, Athena asked. “We’re close. We just need to run a couple of minutes till we’re there.”, I remembered the map that Willow showed us, so we should be close.

We eventually reached a small mountain and found a cave with wooden planks blocking the entrance. I picked up the map Willow gave us, it was not as detailed as one from earth, but you could still tell where the cave would be.

“It’s here.”, I said gulping. The entrance to the mine looked ominous, as if there’s something lurking within it. The grass on the ground was dead, the trees were rotten to the ground. It looked as if the moment you would touch it would turn to dust.

Athena looked worried as well, her gaze met mine. Her silver eyes were wavering a little. “It’ll be alright, I’m sure.”, I said trying to reassure her, and she then breathed in and then breathed out. “Yes, Master.”, Athena said with a reassured smile.

We ripped off the wooden planks and entered the mine, it looked rather like a cave instead. The walls were being supported by wood, it was probably built by the people who originally worked here.

Athena held my hand, since she can’t see in the dark like me, she had to hold my hand so that she wouldn’t get lost. My heart skipped a beat or two since I’m not used to holding hands, much less with a girl.

I could feel my heartbeat rising, not just because I was holding Athenas hand, or rather… most of it ‘is’ because I was holding her hand, but also because there was something heavy in my consciousness.

‘Why are there no monsters?’, normally in caves there should at the very least some monsters.

As we walked down the dark corridor, we found light at the end of our path, as if it was leading us outside this dark abyss.

The moment we set foot into the light, we found ourselves surrounded by gemstones. It was a beautiful scenery, the quartz on the ceiling radiating with rainbow colors.

Azure whom we brought with us found himself trembling in excitement, Athena had her mouth open to the beauty in front of her. I had the same emotionless expression as always, however my mind was shocked by the crystals light radiating on my white skin.

“It seems we arrived at our destination, come on we have to get as much Adamantite as possible.”, I said to Athena. Athena picked up the pickaxe Willow gave us and started searching for Adamantite, we would have to use the ‘No-Attribute Magic’ spell ‘Appraisal’. Unlike the Appraisal of all other games, this one works differently. It can only tell you the name of things that you know when you appraise it, I know it is sort of a disappointment.

The spell was introduced to me by Willow and the spell was easy to chant, so it was no problem to use.

Athena went one way and I went the other, since the crystals on the ceiling were providing light, we did not need to hold hands anymore. *Sob*

Athena had just recently learned ‘No-Attribute Magic’, so it was still a little hard to get used to it.

I was using appraisal on the rocks on the walls and on the stones on the ground. The worst part about doing this is the fact that every time I pick up an ore, I don’t know it says this ‘Rock’. This must be a joke.

I ignored my inner thoughts and continued to search for Adamantite, from the description from Willow it’s like a rock with diamonds coming out of it. Adamantite is one of the hardest materials in Axel, it’s so hard that not even a magic spell can put a scratch on it, much less an iron sword.

As I was looking around, I found an Adamantite ore on the wall, I picked up my pickaxe and started hitting it.

 

<< You have acquired the Skill ‘Mining’ >>

 

I was expecting to get that skill, but I was also expecting to not expect it so it doesn’t count. I continued mining down the ore when I suddenly heard a noise, at first, I thought it was Azure but it was with Athena. So, what was it?

My gut feeling was telling me that I should leave immediately, however we could not spare any time to go back so we continued mining while keeping alert.

The sound started to get louder, it sounded like heavy footsteps, every single step got heavier and heavier and eventually I started getting worried. Athena came over to my side, her face was a little sweaty and her hair was tied behind her head to not get caught while mining.

“Master…. What was that sound?”, Athena asked out of breath from mining, her doll like face had a worried expression that even looked cute. “I’m not sure, I only know it’s that we can’t leave without the materials.”, I answered.

If we left, we would not have enough time to get Adamantite and if that happens Willow might lose his reputation as a smith. And if less people come to his store then, he might not be able to earn enough to survive.

If the citizens want to live in Dawnwell they must pay a small sum of money every single month for the state, if not they won’t be allowed to live there. However, things are different for managements like Smiths or food stores. They have to pay thirty percent of their earnings per month, and if they don’t, they will either get in debt and become slaves and the same thing goes for the citizens.

Athena and I wanted to repay Willow for letting us stay at his home, and this was the way we chose to repay him and I think even if I didn’t owe him anything I would’ve done it anyway. Because I would feel bad for him and the feeling of guilt would be tremendous.

“——————!!!”, suddenly there was a huge roar in the mine that even the crystals started to tremble and crumble to the ground. My heart trembled, and Athena got chicken bumps  as she noticed the sound of the being that was in front of us.

The being in front of us had horns that were curved upwards and beaming red eyes, you could see steam coming out of its mouth that could easily devour a whole person or two. It’s hard scales that not even steel could cut through was glowing faintly as if it was readying itself for take off. And its huge wings that not even a bird you could compare.

The being in front of us… was a dragon!!!

 

 

Name: Athena

Race: Human

Age: 15 Years Old

Titles: None

Job History: Ordinary Person, Swordsman,

Job: Fire Attribute Mage

Job Level: 4

Passive Skills:

• Drug Resistance: Level 3 (NEW!)
• Enhanced Muscular Strength: Level 1 (NEW!)
• Poison Resistance: Level 2 (NEW!)
• Mental Corruption: Level 5 (NEW!)
• Automatic Mana Recovery: Level 1 (NEW!)

Active Skills:

• Swordsmanship: Level 5 (LEVEL UP!)
• Detect Presence: Level 1 (NEW!)
• Etiquette: Level 2 (LEVEL UP!)
• Fire Attribute Magic: Level 2 (NEW!)
• Mana Control: Level 1 (NEW!)
• Dismantling: Level 1 (NEW!)
• Alchemy: Level 1 (NEW!)
• No-Attribute Magic: Level 1 (NEW!)