The enemies we had painstakingly defeated vanished like mist.
It was a result that was both bewildering and anticlimactic.
It was a situation that could potentially lead to a drop in morale for all fifteen party members.
But that didn’t happen. Because a formidable and equally absurd opponent immediately appeared.
“What took you so long, you damn fools!”
Right after defeating the Nightcrawler unit.
A short, stocky old man suddenly popped out from a corner of the base camp, yelling at the top of his lungs.
“Do you know how many days it’s been since those thugs took over the camp?! You should have chased them out sooner, you slackers!”
“……?”
Everyone stared at the old man with bewildered expressions.
He was bald, with a cleanly shaven head. He had round eyes and a hawk-like nose the size of a fist.
Below that, a grayish-brown beard jutted out in all directions.
“Those freezing bastards completely extinguished my forge fire! Can’t you see my precious metal ladies shivering in the cold?! Huh?!”
The party members were stunned by the sudden appearance of the dwarf elder yelling at them.
However, I was the first to recognize him, and a sense of relief washed over me.
‘It’s the magic blacksmith, Kellybay!’
A permanent NPC [Non-Player Character] who always guards this base camp. The blacksmith Kellybay.
An adventurer of the Elder Dwarf race, he came into the dungeon in search of rare ores and ended up settling down here.
His disposition is absolutely friendly.
He’s a reliable ally who will always side with the player, no matter what they do.
“You useless, good-for-nothing adventurers! Can’t you hear me?! Light up the whole camp right now! Are you children of the dark?!”
……His language is a bit rough, though.
Anyway, since he’s a no-brakes old man who starts with orders and curses from the first meeting, quite a few players disliked him.
I’m used to it since I’ve seen him so many times.
Lukas looked at me with a face that seemed to say, ‘Shall we take him out, my lord?’ I chuckled and opened my mouth.
“Alright, everyone! It’s chaotic, but let’s follow this old man’s instructions for now.”
Kellybay’s eyes widened as if surprised by this reaction.
I looked around the base camp.
“This camp will be our base from now on. We need to light it up as the old man says and restore the places the enemies have messed up.”
“Hoo, hoo, hoo!”
Kellybay, who let out a strange exclamation, approached me, snorting.
“Well, well, well, there’s one bright spark among the good-for-nothings! What’s your name?”
“It’s Ash, Master Craftsman.”
“A well-mannered fellow. I like it, I like it!”
Lukas glared at Kellybay with a displeased look.
“How dare you speak so disrespectfully to my lord…”
But Kellybay yelled back at Lukas.
“Hey, can’t you hear your leader?! Light the fire already!”
“……”
Lukas looked at me with a face like a wronged puppy. I waved my hand, sweating.
“…Lukas, go light the fire for now.”
I’ll comfort you later, so please listen to this old man for now.
“Yes, my lord…”
Lukas drooped his shoulders and went to light the fires around the base camp. I’m sorry, man…
In the end, all the party members followed Kellybay’s instructions, lighting fires in various parts of the base camp and starting to clean up the debris.
“Hmm! Hmm!”
I cautiously approached Kellybay, who was watching the scene with satisfaction.
“If it’s not too much trouble, may I ask your name, Master Craftsman?”
I already know his name, but I should still ask. For future communication.
“Normally, I only reveal my name to trusted comrades, but…”
Kellybay, who shrugged his shoulders arrogantly, introduced himself.
“You seem quite promising, so I’ll tell you specially. My name is Kellybay. The best weapon smith in this world.”
If someone claims to be the best in the world, they are usually considered arrogant, but this old man has the right to do so.
That’s because he’s the only one who can craft exclusive equipment for SSR-grade characters [Super Super Rare].
He’s also the only one who can make special types of magic weapons.
‘The equipment needed to clear Stage 5 must also be made through this old man.’
My judgment was quick, and my tongue was smoothly spewing flattery.
“As expected, you have an extraordinary presence…! It’s an honor to meet the legendary Kellybay in person.”
Kellybay chuckled at my flattery and stroked his beard.
“Legendary? It’s been 50 years since I entered this dungeon, but my name is still known in the outside world?”
“Of course. In our country’s blacksmiths, they revere you as the god of the furnace and bellows.”
“Puhahaha! Is that so? Is that so? As expected, the weapons I make must be quite amazing!”
It’s obviously a lie, but he’s falling for it.
As I continued to treat him respectfully and repeat my flattery, Kellybay soon completely opened up to me. He’s such an easy old man.
“Alright, alright. Anyway, seeing how obediently you treat me…”
After handing over an entire bag of emergency rations, he thanked me and then.
In front of the forge in the corner of the base camp. Kellybay, who was leaning on a chair, winked at me while stroking his beard.
“Looks like you want something?”
“That’s right, Master Craftsman.”
There’s no need to beat around the bush. From here on, it’s a conversation between a weapon smith and a customer.
I got straight to the point.
“I need Star Silver weapons.”
Kellybay flinched at the sudden mention of the highest-tier equipment.
“Th-that’s a bit difficult to make… How many do you need?”
“Fifteen.”
Kellybay’s eyes widened as if they would pop out. I shrugged my shoulders.
“I might need to make more.”
“W-what, are you crazy?! You want me to make fifteen Star Silver weapons?”
“Can’t you do it?”
I crossed my arms and snorted.
“I didn’t think you were just a smooth-talking old man.”
“W-what, what?!”
“Was everything you said about being the best in the world and a legend just hot air? Well, I guess old stories tend to be exaggerated.”
Kellybay’s face turned red at my sudden change in attitude and provocation, and he yelled.
“Star Silver weapons are the highest-level exorcism items! It takes a tremendous amount of effort to forge just one. I don’t know what you’re going to use them for, but how can you ask for fifteen of them-”
“The Vampire King.”
Kellybay’s mouth stopped at the word I uttered.
I stared into the darkness beyond this dungeon and spoke clearly.
“The No Life King Selendion will soon descend upon the mortal realm. It’s to stop him.”
There are many ways to fight vampires, but the easiest is to use weapons made of silver.
It’s said that silver has the power to purify the impure.
In the game, it simply had a damage-doubling effect.
However, the effect of silver weapons is also halved against high-ranking vampires of noble status.
The special silver weapon to deal with these nobles is the Star Silver weapon.
It changes all damage dealt to vampires into true damage, so-called armor-piercing damage.
It can only be forged in this magic blacksmith.
‘Star Silver weapons can usually only be forged after the mid-game.’
That’s because vampires of noble status usually only appear after the mid-game.
But, it’s twisted again. It’s Stage 5, and the Vampire King has appeared.
I also need to pull in high-tier equipment that doesn’t match the progress.
“…Selendion is invading the outside world?”
Kellybay, who had been silent for a while, stammered.
I nodded.
“That’s right.”
“…Hoo.”
Kellybay, who let out a long sigh, stared at the extinguished forge fire.
“Do you know, kid? When I came into this dungeon, I came with my two brothers.”
It was the first time I had heard of Kellybay’s past. I blinked.
“Rare minerals that had never been seen outside were constantly being discovered in this dungeon, and we got more and more excited.”
Kellybay put a pipe in his mouth, lit it with a match, and took a puff.
“So we went deeper into the dungeon to find even rarer minerals. Without fear.”
A faint fear flashed in the eyes of the arrogant and confident dwarf blacksmith.
“And then, we met them.”
“Who do you mean by ‘them’?”
“Vampire Lords.”
Kellybay smiled bitterly and exhaled smoke.
“And among them, it happened to be Lord Selendion.”
“……!”
“It was a mistake to covet minerals in such a deep place. We encountered them in the depths of the dungeon, and by the time we realized we were no match, it was already too late.”
The blacksmith’s large hands were trembling faintly.
“In the end, I managed to escape, leaving my brothers behind. And I never went to the depths of the dungeon again.”
“……”
“Do you know why my brothers saved me and died instead?”
It was a sudden question. I answered cautiously.
“Because you are the most skilled blacksmith, aren’t you?”
“That’s right! Because I’m the best at making weapons to kill monsters!”
Kellybay, who jumped up from his seat, went to the corner of the forge, opened a safe, and took something out.
It was a pure white metal that shone like a moonlit eye even in this dim place.
“This is the Star Silver fragment that I obtained from the depths of the dungeon with my brothers’ sacrifice. It’s an otherworldly silver that fell from the stars.”
Thud!
“This is all I have.”
Kellybay, who placed the Star Silver fragment on the anvil, glared at me.
“You’re asking me to make weapons with my brothers’ lives. Do you have the confidence to pay the price?”
I smiled.
“Of course.”
“Hoo, how are you going to pay the price?”
My answer was concise.
“Selendion’s head.”
“……”
“If necessary, I’ll bring his blood and skin too.”
Kellybay’s mouth opened slightly. I smiled confidently.
“It will be a good requiem, and good material for equipment. Won’t it?”
“Puhaha! I thought you were a decent guy, but aren’t you completely crazy? You’re going to give me Selendion’s head?”
Kellybay, who covered his eyes and let out a hollow laugh, took a breath and looked at me.
“I haven’t asked your name yet, promising good-for-nothing.”
“Ash. Ash ‘Bonehater’ Everblack.”
“Ha! I knew there was something fishy about you, you’re from the Everblack royal family!”
Kellybay clapped his hands loudly.
“Good, human royal brat. I’ll make it for you. But fifteen is impossible. I don’t have enough Star Silver.”
The dwarf’s thick fingers spread out three.
“Three. I’ll make three of the best Star Silver weapons. How about that?”
I readily nodded.
“Okay. Let’s do that.”
“It’s a deal! Alright, then I’ll start preparing to make the weapons right now…”
Kellybay, who took out a piece of parchment from his pocket, picked up a piece of coal that was next to the furnace and scribbled something on it, then threw the parchment at me.
“Go get the rest of the materials!”
[Limited Equipment Crafting Quest Generated!]
I caught the parchment, glanced at it roughly, and put it in my pocket.
I don’t know what he wrote because his handwriting is terrible, but it’s already been updated as a quest in the system window, so it doesn’t matter.
“I’ll visit often, Master Craftsman.”
“Of course, you’ll have to visit often. If you’re planning to keep going forward, you’ll have to make this your base anyway.”
Kellybay, who chuckled, looked around.
“Next time, the old folks around here will be back. There’s no place as comfortable to live in this dungeon as here. And you guys defeated those masked thugs.”
Defeated, huh.
I thought of the Nightcrawler unit that had turned into mist and disappeared.
Can we really say that we defeated them?
“Bring the materials as soon as you get them. I’ll prepare so that I can start forging as soon as I have the materials.”
“I will.”
I hesitated for a moment and then opened my mouth.
“But, Master Craftsman. May I ask you one thing?”
“Huh? You have a lot of questions? Well, I guess you’re at an age where you’re curious about the world. What are you curious about?”
“It’s about…”
I talked about when we defeated the Nightcrawler unit just now.
Even though we clearly killed them, they turned into mist and disappeared.
What on earth was going on?
Kellybay, an adventurer who has lived here for decades, might know the reason.
So I asked, and…
“The fact that they didn’t die and disappeared like mist? That’s because of the curse they received.”
Kellybay answered too easily. My eyes widened.
“A curse… you say?”
“Ah, you didn’t know? The three curses that were placed on this Lake Kingdom?”
Kellybay chuckled and stroked his beard with his fingertips.
“I don’t know what two of the three curses are. But I know one well. The people of this country who occasionally crawl out as survivors are all suffering from it.”
“What is that curse?”
“It’s the curse that makes those ghostly bastards crawl around the bottom of this lake for hundreds of years. What do you think it is?”
Kellybay made a gesture of strangling himself with his thick hands.
“Of course, it’s the curse of eternal life!”