Chapter 640
Cat Tower and Maga could not help but exclaim in amazement at the colossal amount of resources piled before their eyes. The value of the resources in front of them, when calculated in monetary terms, was beyond what even avid gamers could possibly imagine. However, that was not really a big deal. After all, there were plenty of players who invested hundreds of millions of dollars into games. So, what truly stunned the two of them?
In the case of crafting professions, there were several methods to increase crafting skill levels. The most common method was to use brute force with low-quality materials and to craft using a lot of time for rapid growth. The second method involved spending a bit more money to buy expensive materials.
And the big problem resided in the latter.
"Is this enough?"
"It is... It is more than enough."
Buying expensive items to boost the level rapidly was a huge waste of time, even for those with low-level crafting skills. While it significantly shortened the time required to level up, it still posed a few drawbacks and issues, such as the experience points obtained from failed crafting attempts and the astronomically exorbitant material costs. And those were not the only problems. The required materials for leveling up got outrageously expensive as the level increased, to the point where there were virtually no items available for further leveling. Even if one had the money, some items in this game's world could not be acquired due to a lack of supply.
For example, lets say there was a game where a player sold an in-game house to buy a game sword, hence the nickname "House-Selling Sword" for the game. If there existed someone who could afford to buy that weapon and still had money to spare, could they actually acquire a fully upgraded "House-Selling Sword" with their money? The answer was a definitive no. Beyond the limits of what money could solve, only divine intervention and luck could help.
"No crazy rich person would pour hundreds of millions, let alone tens of billions, into a single crafting item. I mean, maybe those otherworldly rich people can. But if theres no supply, even they can't do so.
Maga's annoyed remark made Davey press down on her forehead with his finger.
"So what is it that you want? Well just have to get those materials, right?"
"Won't work. The material for breaking through level 42 of the Matter Transmuter is Banshee's Twilight. To get this, players need to clear the Banshee Princess alone within five minutes."
In this game, where roles such as tank, dealer, and healer existed, taking on everything alone required an impossible level gap.
Faced with such an obstacle, they silently looked at Davey, believing he had given up.
However, the next day...
"Will this do?" Davey asked as he casually displayed the Banshee's Twilight before them.
The sight of it made their jaws drop in shock and disbelief.
"Where... Where did you get this?"
Panic set in as they thought of how this item, which was difficult to find in Alf Online, was presented effortlessly by Davey within a single day.
"I plucked it off myself, he answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Item drop rate? In real battles, would there really be such a thing? If the creature possessed the Twilight, which was the Banshee Princess' heart, one simply had to defeat the creature to obtain it.
Perserque then commented, "To have plucked the heart of a Banshee Princess as a Demon Lord
"Rebels are of no concern."
Davey was not a moral paragon. Why show mercy to a traitor wielding a knife, especially one he had never seen before?
Though they appeared puzzled, Magas and Cat Towers surprise did not end there. While the first quest Davey gave them was still underway, he had also provided them with numerous side quests. And since crafting skill experience was what had been listed, that was all they knew as the reward. But neither of them had any idea how ridiculous the rewards really were.
When Cat Tower reached crafting level 18, he screamed so suddenly, "F*ck! This is insane!"
"Be quiet." Maga, who was mechanically converting materials, threw a gooey jelly mass at him.
Cat Tower dodged it with ease before grumbling about her mental state underneath his breath. But he didnt let Maga get under his skin for much longer and instead hurried to Davey.
"What the heck is this?!"
Maga, who had successfully completed her own quest, wasted no time and quickly ran to Davey, her shock apparent on her face. She initially questioned how a user could assign quests like Davey was doing, but considering the myriad of unknown items in Alf Online, she eventually concluded that nothing seemed too strange about it.
"A hundred thousand crafting skill experience You do know the standard crafting skill experience reward is around 200 per sub-quest, right?!"
At Maga and Cat Tower's astonishment, Davey asked them, "Isn't it common for you to receive requests based on my capabilities?"
"That's true but..."
Even the quests given by the Royal Matter Transmuter guild master could only go up to 5,000, and that amount of points already considered the lavish sums of gold thrown at them. People still rush into these quests anyway, despite the crazy difficulty levels and high requirements, since they offer a considerably large amount of experience points.
Such was the essence. Normally, one could not provide crafting experience of this scale with their capabilities. But Davey could, and so he did. The amount he gave was even tens of times more than what quests from the Royal Matter Transmuter could possibly offer.
"Be honest with me. To give out this much experience, wouldn't you need to be over level 90 in crafting? Seriously, what are you?" Maga whispered as she went closer to Davey.
Matching the volume of his voice with hers, he then responded, "So You dont want the quest? Shall I nullify the deal?"
This left Maga pausing for a brief moment, resigning to the fact that Davey wouldnt give a clear and direct answer to her question. She then replied with a sigh, "I understand. Just keep your promise."
"Sure."
Maga suppressed her curiosity and stopped questioning further. On the other hand, Cat Tower, having heard a bit of what she had said to Davey, eagerly went back to work, deeming it better to finish his task at hand than to ask questions.
Suddenly, Perserque appeared out of nowhere with a hotdog, which she generously offered to her husband, saying, Davey, want a bite?
Davey didnt bother expressing his assent and simply opened his mouth. He then took a good bite and looked down as he chewed on the hotdog.
"Ah"
Perserque looked at him curiously. "Does it taste bad? I found it quite delicious."
"No, its fine, he quickly assured her with a small smile. Its just Its my first time actually eating the real thing instead of simply seeing or conjuring one."
"Ah" Perserque, as well as Illyna, who had come along, seemed to remember tales of Davey's past life, and a bitter expression marred the beautiful features of their faces.
"What does it matter? As long as it tastes good, that's enough." Davey smiled faintly. "Thank you, Perserque."
"For what?" Perserque asked with a small laugh.
Just then, another crafting skill level-up fanfare played, catching the attention of Davey, who then watched Cat Tower with a wry smile. How long does it usually take for a crafting profession user below level 10 to reach level 50? From the start, among the bourgeois who poured in money and other users who found opportunities and connections, only a tiny fraction made it to level 50. After all, the supplementary approach, which was almost nonexistent due to a scarcity of supplies, was practically impossible. However, Davey defied the odds by making the impossible possible.
"Hey."
"What?" Davey responded.
"There's a level-up quest"
At this, Daveys expression became filled with confusion.
"I need to clear the Forest Habitat using my crafted weapon"
"Is it difficult?"
"No, but it usually takes about a week to clear."
"Thats too long. Two hours should be enough."
"But a week is the average, you know? Well, maybe With a lot of money, you could reduce it to around five days."
"Two hours," Davey insisted.
"That doesn't make sense! A quest that takes a week to complete could not be done in five days under normal circumstances!"
"Two hours."
"I'm going crazy! Its really impossible! Even those with insane skills take four days!"
From the complaints and insistence, the quest seemed to be particularly challenging indeed.
Davey then glanced at Illyna. "Will you do it?"
"Hmm~ Shouldn't something drop for me too, Davey?"
"I already gave you something that was dropped by Goumda."
Daveys response made her pout and sulkily say, "Unfair."
"How about this then? If Goumda's heart is processed by skill, I'll consider making a unique artifact for you. And I'll also personally enhance your Caldeiras."
Surtr, who was different from other heroes for being non-combative, was the only hero Davey had almost caught up to. Moreover, while the offer made to Illyna was simply a whim, oddly enough, Davey did not mind teaching her various things. Besides, it was not just the heart, scales, and traces of coagulated power within its body that Goumda dropped. So basically, making an appropriate artifact for Illyna should be no trouble at all for Davey.
The proposition ultimately lit up Illyna's eyes, making them sparkle with enthusiasm. "Really?! Im on it then!"
With that, Illyna grabbed the longsword offered by Cat Tower and scrutinized it closely. Once satisfied, she then coolly said, "Not bad. Shall we go then?"
Cat Tower, who reddened at her assessing stare and confident demeanor, nodded meekly in agreement.
"Do you not know how vast it is? As well as the time it takes to get to the dungeon?"
"Is that necessary?"
"Yes?"
"If it was just a Forest Worm, it shouldn't be that difficult." Illyna replied, utterly unfazed by the seemingly difficult quest they needed to complete within two hours. Then, with a leisurely and confident stride, she walked out.
Cat Tower was left bewildered, and for a short second, he just stood on his spot before he finally gathered his bearings and scurried after her.
"Perserque, come and watch them. They might make mistakes if left unsupervised."
At Davey's request, Perserque flashed a sly smile. Youre not even aware, but do you have to make it obvious to me that you are attracted to her?
"What?" Davey asked, confusion evident in his tone.
"It was just Observing from the side, I realized this is what it means to be visibly attracted," she explained with a hint of mischievousness, earning her a Transcendences Demise from Davey. She quickly disappeared into thin air, leaving him in the workshop with Maga, who was still working hard on her own task.
"Where are they going?"
"To do what you wanted," Davey replied.
For a moment, she just stayed quiet after hearing his response. However, she eventually broke the silence, clarifying, "I did not ask you to kill him. I mean... As long as that bastard stays away from me and doesn't come near me or Oxygen, Ill be fine with that already.
"Living like that will eventually lead to your downfall," Davey warned.
"Hey!" Maga exclaimed, the pitch of her voice rising in surprise from Daveys unexpected remark.
But he had already upped and left the workshop, leaving her all alone.
Then, using the Dimensional Key, Davey returned to the Heins Territory and summoned Kain.
"What do you want, human?!" Kain grumpily asked without much of a cordial greeting.
Such a prickly demeanor showed how he still hadnt changed since Davey first encountered him; Kain still had the same personality.
In return, Davey gave him the exact same energy, saying, "I have nothing to say to you. Bring your friend here.
The demand soured Kain's expression, but he didnt make any retorts. Kain simply closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the air around him had changed. "I'm roughly aware of the situation. I have received the revelation, after all."
"What can I do to intervene on Earth?" Davey inquired.
"There's nothing you can do," Kain replied firmly.
Davey refused to accept this, and so he grabbed Kain by the collar and said, "If there's nothing, then you make a way."
"You still dont trust me," Kain observed.
"Why should I trust someone who keeps everything hidden?" Davey countered without missing a beat.
For a brief moment, Kain remained silent. Then, his lips stretched into a bitter smile, and he said, "There might be a way. Although it may seem impossible for you... There are a few of our kind slowly awakening on Earth. Like the Valkyries. They are inherently opposed to the Abyss since they were created by the gods to fight it. But this did not mean that they were powerless against other beings."
"No Dont kill. No killing. Just prevent them from doing anything unnecessary."
"Can we do it our way?" Kain asked.
"It seems what youre going to do has quite the influence on the world," Davey noted.
"Yes, quite a bit," Kain admitted with a smile.
Davey then released his grip on Kain. "Proceed."
* * *
Exactly two hours after Illyna and Cat Tower entered the dungeon of the Forest Worm, the two of them managed a complete breakthrough. And in the wake of such a triumph, Cat Tower showed an attitude as if the complicated doubts he had before didnt matter any longer.
Given that Davey was dispensing quests, it was clearly not an ordinary situation from the very start. With Cat Tower picking up the pace, the blacksmith's skill level, which was around level eight, started to rise rapidly.
And throughout this time, Davey spared no support, determined to show what real frustration was like. Like for the Mutant Wolfs Heart, he didnt acquire it from Alf Online. He got it in Tionis, from a mutant wolf he had taken down himself, extracting its heart on the spot. He had captured a princess-grade banshee gone mad, obtaining the Banshee's Twilight, and for the Dragon Scale, he went to a maritime country to personally defeat a Wyvern-grade seadragon and forcefully pluck its scales.
But it did not stop there. The Phoenix Feather, which came with a tremendous quest, was another item. Though Davey had never seen a Phoenix before, was there something similar by his side? There wasthe Vermillion Bird. Initially, he thought it would not work because he believed the Vermillion Bird and Phoenix were different species. However, the effects were so similar that he simply plucked a few feathers from the Vermillion Bird and used them as the required material.
With the unparalleled support he provided, it was natural for the work speed to increase tremendously.
Rare materials were collected just as easily, like the Vampire's Blood, which was obtained by extracting a full syringe of it from both Josiah and Milpieu's arms. Elf hair, dwarf beard, and various other materials were all provided without reservation, making the two recipients gradually exhausted from the continuous work. Eventually, Cat Tower, who was beyond tired from the work that seemed to never end, attempted to escape. But the contract they had, the Lord of Gears, continuously provoked him from within, eventually bringing him back to Davey.
After this happened, Davey cast a mental support spell on him and even Acceleration magic to keep the work going. If one was to grind, they might as well do it properly. It was not enough to simply give coffee then expect efficiency. And if one had to assign work, it had to be done in a way that forcibly ensured efficiency.
This brutal routine continued for weeks, which naturally led to significant developments.
Meanwhile, another incident stirred up the global production community despite the controversy over the material of Goumda that hadnt really settled yet. A craftsman below level ten had climbed to the second position in the rankings, trampling over numerous top-paying users in a scandalously short period of time:
[Blacksmith Current Ranking]
[1. Alhazard Blacksmith - Production Skill Level 54]
[2. Grape-Flavored Cat Tower - Production Skill Level 53]
[3. Lord of Fergus - 52]
[4. Oops, My Hand Slipped - 51]
[5. Perfect Repair Though - 51]
[6. Master Craftsman - 50]
Seeing an unknown user suddenly dominate the rankings caused a sensation.
The top rank was held by a Middle Eastern royal who was famous for his intent to purchase Goumdas material in billions. The third rank went to a uniquely named Chinese user, Lord of Fergus. Then there was a Korean user known as Oops, My Hand Slipped, who dropped to fourth place as the rankings shifted dramatically.
And this feat was managed by Grape-Flavored Cat Tower, an unheard-of crafter, in just a few weeks, causing a shockwave among those focused on raising their crafting skills. Many blacksmith users reported Cat Tower as a suspected hacker, but Alf Online administrators confirmed:
[No hacks were used, and the play was legitimate.]
The revelation that such progress could be made through legitimate means surprised many. Further explanation revealed that this player had utilized a massive amount of effort, ingeniously exploiting hidden NPC quests for additional crafting experience. More astonishing news proliferated through the community when it was revealed that the wealthiest blacksmith, the Middle Eastern royal, sought to recruit Cat Tower into his guild, offering a reward reminiscent of a bounty. Yet, no one seemed to have seen Cat Tower active in the game.
But there was more. Another monumental update shook the community:
[Is It Real? The Current Ranking of Matter Transmuters]
- The title says it all. The first place has changed. Did you know the top Matter Transmuter was at level 48, something not everyone knows, right? But suddenly, a user broke through level 50 a few days ago.
Both realms were abuzz with discussions.