The runes that had faded in and out over the book’s cover disappeared as the book deteriorated and turned into dust.
Erik closed his eyes as memories flooded his mind: dozens of plants, their characteristics, methods to harvest them, different ways to prepare them, and what effects each of these preparation methods would have on the ingredients.
He recalled the effects of a forest fennel he had cultivated and grown in one of the greenhouses in Alva Dungeon.
The plant had three growing stages. It would look similar to all other fennel except for a slight blue veining on the underside of its leaves. It would absorb the Mana of the area before hitting its second stage, where it would return Mana to the area, increasing the latent Mana of the area. In the third stage, it would release seeds to create more fennel. At this stage, it would no longer need to absorb Mana; instead, it would be like a normal plant but would release ambient Mana into the surrounding area.
The fennel could be used in order to create Mana Regeneration potions only when it was in the two later stages; when it was in its third stage, the potion would be much stronger. If it was harvested in the first stage, then it could create a poison that made it harder for the person to regenerate Mana.
Erik was a bit taken aback by the information. It not only said the benefits of the ingredients but it also said what poisons it might be able to make.
As he closed his eyes and thought of other ingredients, he saw that not all of them were harvested to create items to help people.
“Something the matter?” The old man picked up on Erik’s changing facial expressions.
While Erik had been absorbing the information, the old man sat down on a chair, casually reading a small tome.
“There are a number of potion properties and refinement methods listed.” Erik opened his eyes, his eyes cloudy with turbulence.
“Poisons are used as much, if not more than, reinforcing alchemic creations,” the old man said. “Many call alchemists ‘those who walk with death,’ saying that we can reward life or take it. I don’t know what the place you came from was like, but here, as the Ten Realms say, fortune favors the strong. If you’re not strong enough to hold onto something, don’t take it out. Otherwise, someone who is stronger than you will have eyes for it. Poisons can be applied to blades, arrows, or dispersed through the air with spells, giving people an advantage in battle. Many people get poisons to deal with the deadly beasts in the area, or to gain an advantage over an opponent.”
Erik was slightly taken aback by the old man’s nonchalant attitude toward poisons, but he had seen a large amount of the bad side of humanity on Earth. Poisons here were like rifles back on Earth: in certain places, if you didn’t have one, then it was inviting others to take advantage of you.
These Ten Realms were not some peaceful place. Erik’s eyes hardened.
The old man pulled out a small box made from carved stone. “There are a half dozen different seeds for some basic ingredients. Do not be in a rush to turn to formation. One must learn the basics from the beginning. The stronger your base, then the stronger your future achievements.” The old man passed over the items.
Erik took the offered items as the old man continued. “There are two things to remember. One can increase their base strength through evolution. The more effort over a long period of time you put into something, the faster your body will adapt and increase your base stats. The longer you run, the more your Agility will increase; run a bit faster, push past those limits and you will grow faster. The closer you get to the edge of dying, the greater the benefits. Alchemy assists in pushing one’s boundaries to promote growth. One has to not only be strong in abilities, but in will.
“The other thing is that the evolution of skills and levels, while it might be quick now, will not continue this way. You gain overall and skill levels based on your actions. You eat a plant; you grow a plant; you harvest, prepare, and form it into a product. Each of these steps are harder; as such, you will get more Experience each step you complete. The higher your Experience, the higher your skill. However, skill does not reflect ability.
“With each skill level, progressing from Novice to Master, one will gain aids specific to their skill, so alchemists will not need to test different ingredients to know their effects. They will be able to tell with a glance, or they might be able to harvest a plant without worry of losing any efficacy. A Novice might be able to craft a Master-level alchemic formula; due to the difficulty of the formula, they will get a difficulty bonus, greatly increasing the speed at which they ascend the ranks of a skill. It is only when one becomes a Master that their Star ranks reflect their skill within the Alchemy field.” The old man looked wistfully off to the side, a small smile playing on his lips.
“Star ranks?” Erik asked, enthralled as this world of Alchemy opened before his eyes.
An excited look appeared on the old man’s face as he looked to Erik. “Star ranks are the mark of a true alchemist! Once one has reached the Master rank, then they might be awarded with a Star rank. The higher quality or effect of a pill, potion, or powder they make, the higher Star rank they will attain.”
Excitement bubbled within Erik’s chest. He had been thinking of just using potions to substitute for the medical pills and liquids that he used as a combat medic. But as his eyes were opened to the path of an alchemist, he was filled with a burning desire to try his hand at it.
“Now, that is far off, and one must remember that although Alchemy is one of the most revered crafting skills in the Ten Realms, for one to become a Master alchemist they will do so over the failed harvests, preparations, growths, and final formations. Ingredients for an alchemist are not inexpensive. Although the rewards are great, alchemists who pursue a higher level will always be looking to trade their finished products with new ingredients to increase their strength,” the old man warned. “If you are to keep making the same level of potions, powders, and pills, then you will be unable to proceed to a higher rank within the skill.”
“Thank you. You’ve taught me a lot,” Erik said. “Might I ask what your name is?”
“Zen Hei. Most people just call me Old Man Hei.” Zen Hei smiled.
“It was my luck that I ran into you today, Old Man Hei.” Erik grinned.
“There are few things greater than igniting another’s passion of Alchemy.” Hei laughed. “If you have questions or needs for ingredients in the future, do not hesitate to meet me. If you cultivate some ingredients, I’m always in need of more.”
Erik could hear the gold coins in Hei’s words and smiled. “Do you possibly have some seeds, cuttings, or bulbs?” Erik asked with an awkward smile. He had some from Egbert, but they were still plants he didn’t fully understand.
Old Man Hei moved behind the counter and started opening up drawers, muttering to himself as he threw different items into a box. “These should all be listed in the book you used. I’ll sell them to you for forty-two silver.” A cunning look appeared in Old Man Hei’s eyes.
Erik could only force a smile. “Thirty-five?” Erik asked, starting off another round of bartering.
***
Kaeju was a much larger city than Chonglu. Three or four Chonglu cities could probably rest comfortably within the walls of Kaeju city.
Instead of just being one area where smiths would work, there were multiple areas. There were areas that specialized in making armor and weapons, those that made decorations that nobles wanted, others that made farming implements and more than one carried out maintenance.
Seeing the variety of items as he walked through a slum area opened his eyes.
Now that he had advanced his blacksmithing skill again and again, he could pick out the flaws and identify the techniques that were used in creating the different items.
He made sure to keep his fists closed as he walked through the area, noticing the people who were eyeing him, to make it harder for them to pull off his storage rings.
He wa
lked through a market stall area. People were pressed against one another. It was hot and oppressive. Kaeju was located in the middle of a desert; adding in the food and crush of human bodies, Rugrat couldn’t help but blink at the combination of smells.
Thankfully, he knew where he needed to go. Su Wei had given him a map location that he followed through the city’s twisting streets.
He entered an area where there were smithies working constantly as people manned the counters, selling all kinds of goods and bartering with those interested in their services or wares.
Rugrat went down an alley that was half hidden by goods. He passed piles of refuse as he continued on. The noise of the street was cut down as he went through the alleyways.
People walked quickly, not making eye contact, and moving goods to and from the market.
Rugrat finally reached the location he was supposed to be at. It was the back of a smithy. Its side entrance was open.
Rugrat looked through the door, seeing a woman working with a powerful flame. Rugrat could feel a resonance with the flame.
A flame made from Mana? Rugrat thought. Since he had become a Mana King, his control and sensitivity toward Mana had increased dramatically.
He watched as she pulled out a length of red-hot metal; her hammer made sparks as it connected with the metal.
Rugrat held his words. Seeing her concentration, he didn’t want to interrupt and instead watched as she guided the metal into a new shape.
Rugrat was stunned as he watched her methods. He had read plenty with Taran and used some of the methods practically, but still, other than Taran starting him off, Rugrat hadn’t had any formal teaching. Having a bunch of theory was good, but it was just that: a theory until tested.
There was a reason that he had reforged the iron he had so many times. Yes, he didn’t have that much money to waste on his projects, putting it toward developing Alva Dungeon. But the other was that he had messed up tens or hundreds of times, ruining the project and requiring him to start all over again.
He was seeing new techniques—not only reading about them—and could see the effects. It allowed him to combine practical knowledge with theory stored in his mind.
He lost track of time before the woman looked up.
“What are you looking at?” the woman demanded.
“You?” Rugrat said, his mind still playing over what she had done and looking to recover as she suddenly stopped. He could see that his words weren’t taken well as the woman’s annoyed look turned into one of rage.
“I was watching your smithing! Sorry, I haven’t seen many smithing Masters! Su Wei said that I might find Tan Xue here. Are you Tan Xue?” Rugrat said, ready to jump to the side as he worried she’d throw her hammer at him.
“Prove it!” she yelled.
“Prove what?” Rugrat said, thoroughly lost.
“That you were watching my smithing,” she growled.
Rugrat unconsciously covered his crotch as he eyed her hammer. “You’re using half Mortal-grade iron, forming a halberd. You made the iron personally. It’s a destructive and powerful weapon but one that is meant to be underestimated until utilized. While forming it, your hammer beats seem chaotic, but they have a rhythm. When watching the metal, it creates a vibration within the metal. Even as it is being formed, the impurities of the metal are being removed and the additional elements incorporated deeper, making them not only a coating that will be worn away with time, but keeping the characteristics throughout the weapon’s lifetime,” Rugrat said out in a rush. His face turned red as he quickly started breathing, not daring to, lest he might be one or two mini Rugrats short of a full fruit basket.
She lowered her hammer and her expression relaxed. “I’m Tan Xue. What do you want?” Her voice and entire aura seemed tired, worn-out—and defeated.
“I want to learn how to refine Mortal iron,” Rugrat said, not hiding anything.
“You think that kind of knowledge grows on trees?” She snorted and shook her head. Her anger surfaced once again, but it didn’t seem to be directed at Rugrat this time.
“Name a price. I have been making items with regular iron but I haven’t been able to figure out how to make Mortal-grade metals,” Rugrat said confidently. No matter what, he had to learn how to make Mortal-grade iron.
In the gnomes’ knowledge, they found Mortal-grade iron easily. I have a feeling that the Metal level of the dungeon will be a gold mine for smithing resources. Even if he wanted to explore the next level down in Alva Dungeon, first they needed to repair the dungeon core. Then they needed to be strong enough to enter the Metal level. Also, unless they had a formations Master who was capable of repairing the formations and connecting the city and Metal level together, then they wouldn’t truly be able to command the Metal level. Egbert said that the Mana gathering arrays on the lower levels had been disconnected. Based off that, Rugrat had taken to building up his knowledge of Mana gathering formations. His hope was to be able to repair the Mana gathering formations so that the other formations would have the power necessary to activate.
“You must have four Mana gates open and pay me fifty gold,” Tan Xue said.
“Do you take monster cores?” Rugrat asked awkwardly.
“Monster cores, sure,” Tan Xue said. A smith could use monster cores in combination with metal to increase the ability of the metal, even raise its innate ability.
He didn’t have much gold as he had used most of it with the auction platform, though he had plenty of monster cores and other trade goods. The highest value monster cores had been used on the dungeon core or held by Elise. If there was an emergency, then everyone could use one, like when they were defending Alva Village. They might break through their bottlenecks or recover their lost Mana and energy.
So Erik and Rugrat both had plenty of monster cores.
Rugrat dumped out two thousand seven hundred and thirty-five Lesser Mortal-grade monster cores, followed up with thirty Common-grade monster cores.
Tan Xue looked at the sea of monster cores as they rolled through the smithy.
“That should be all of them, based on thirty silver per Common and Lesser Mortal monster cores,” Rugrat said, happily dumping all of his Lesser Mortal monster cores. It opened up a lot of room in his storage rings.
“How did you get this many monster cores?” Tan Xue looked around her smithy.
“It’s a long story. Now, how about that lesson?” Rugrat was willing to give her all of the materials in his possession if it allowed him to learn how to make Mortal-grade iron. With that, then he could teach Taran, greatly increasing the level of weapons and armor they could create.
Tan Xue looked as if she were about to ask more but then held her tongue. She started to pick up the monster cores. Simply put, she didn’t have a storage ring to hold them all.
Seeing this, Rugrat pulled out a storage ring from inside his storage ring. Sweeping it around, he cleared up those around him and then passed it to her.
“Take it as a thank-you for having me as a student. Might need to teach me three or four times more than another student.” Rugrat grinned.
She still hesitated before Rugrat put the ring in her hand and dispelled his connection on it. He could tell that she was strong, but her build was thin. Although she was overbearing when he arrived, now she looked like some awkward young woman.
Finally, she nodded her head. “Very well, I’ll teach you how to make Mortal-grade iron.”
“Yes! High-five!” Rugrat held up his hand. Seeing Tan Xue frown at him, he lowered his arm. “Psych! Ahhh, yeah.” Rugrat let out an awkward laugh.
“First, let me see you refine that iron ore into iron ingots.” Tan Xue pointed to a wall of materials next to the furnace that contained an ever-burning blue flame.
Rugrat moved over to the iron ore and used his Simple Inorganic Scan, getting a better idea of the material. He moved to the furnace and started to look it over. So far, he had only dealt with fur
naces that used charcoal and coal. They hadn’t activated the formation in the smithy to use the magical flame within for fear of overdrawing their limited power reserves.
“The differences in grades of a material in the Ten Realms is based upon the amount of Mana that the material can absorb. You might hear such things as Mortal or Earth iron, even Sky grade. This directly relates to the amount of Mana that these metals have been in contact with, the amount of Mana that has changed the very structure of the metal,” Tan Xue said as Rugrat worked.
“These higher grade materials can be found in the higher realms due to the fact that they have higher concentrations of Mana. They still aren’t as easy to find as, say, normal-grade iron and not every deposit will contain higher grade iron or steel. Maybe through an entire vein in the Mortal realms, one might be able to find three ingots’ worth of Mortal-grade metal. The chance for finding higher grade material becomes easier in the higher realms. Though as the metal can increase in grade by absorbing natural Mana throughout its lifecycle, it is possible to change the grade of a metal after it has been mined out. This process is much harder and is called Mana refining, as one must inject Mana into the metal as they refine it, to increase the grade. There is also Mana absorption, which means placing ores or ingots in an area with high concentrations of Mana. Only clans in the higher realms would be willing to waste Mana that might increase the grade of their weapons, armor, and metal. Now, what are the stages of refining iron?” Tan Xue asked as Rugrat continued to examine the furnace.
“First need to preheat the furnace, then put the iron in; let it heat up and burn off the impurities and create a bloom. Make sure that not too much carbon is absorbed. Pull out the iron bloom, hammer out further impurities, and create workable iron,” Rugrat said.
“You have only worked with coal and charcoal?” Tan Xue asked, seeing him study the furnace.
“Yeah,” Rugrat admitted.
Second Realm Page 4