Chapter 642
Chapter 642
Alf Online was a place where a myriad of events unfolded without rest. The more information flowed endlessly, the more benefits were reaped. While it was an online game, it was not quite a game; rather, it felt like reality, and the players were able to witness and experience this.
-Beep! Level 62 Matter Transmuter – Maga has succeeded in transmuting the Heart of Goumda!!
A placard soared high into the sky with fanfare, shocking many players. But it was the astonishing message displayed on the placard that really stunned them.
"Insane, what did I just see?"
There had been a lot of buzz surrounding Maga and her unprecedented speed in leveling up her crafting skills. Such talks were so prevalent and well-known that even players whose interest was solely in combat and not in crafting professions had heard of her.
But the astonishing part did not end there.
-Beep!!! Level 60 Blacksmith – Grape-Flavored Cat Tower has succeeded in processing the scales of Goumda!!
Another shocking news followed.
Not one, but two players surpassed the remarkable level of 60 and used materials that astounded everyone. It was startling, as it was incredible. After all, these materials were none other than the items from Goumda—an entity in Alf Online that had gained inconceivable popularity for being an Easter egg-like monster, appearing in the twisted boss raid renowned for its immense difficulty.
Goumda's materials were released only once, and they were all retrieved by the Saint of Tionis. So players believed that they would not see or obtain Goumda’s materials anytime soon. However, two players managed to process Goumda’s scales and heart boldly. It was impossible not to be astonished, and both the crafting and combat guilds were in utter uproar.
The crafting guilds wanted to know how and where those materials were sourced, while the combat guilds were curious and intrigued by the tremendous effects that equipment crafted from them would have. Every online player would risk their lives for even a single stat boost in attack. Naturally, it was inevitable to have so much anticipation for the effects that weapons made from stronger materials would have. And being one of a kind on the servers across the globe, their value would become renowned should the equipment items created by these two players be made public. After all, having a unique item in this globally played game meant that its worth would be unmatched by anything in other MMORPGs. So it was no surprise that gamers started to speculate about the amazing specifications that the products created by the two crafters would have.
Bang!!!!
Of course, not all players were just sitting around and waiting to see the item.
"Where did this bone-picking fucker come from to play around with my item now?!" The guild master of the Black Wind Guild burst out in rage, spewing his anger in all directions. "I've already tried contacting the administration. I've tried to get in touch and inquire about this, but I haven’t received a single proper response!”
Grinding their teeth, his followers echoed and supported the enraged Black Wind guild master's sentiments.
Maga and Cat Tower—it was the first time they had ever heard of such players before. Had they known such potential existed, they would have already recruited them to their guild sooner, even if it meant using force.
"So?! Have you heard anything about where those bastards popped up from? That goddamn Tionis Saint or whatever! That shitter stole my items and ran away!! They were stolen goods!! They belong to me! Damn it! Curse that guy even if he’s just an NPC!!"
In the middle of his angry gripe, the surrounding guild members inwardly thought, ‘Why would it be yours? If the Saint of Tionis got it, then it’s the Saint of Tionis’s.’
They couldn't, however, say this out loud. All because the Black Wind guild master was notorious for having a nasty personality that went beyond being just temperamental. In fact, his authoritarian attitude and unilateral judgments were often responsible for the failure of their raids. And so, it wasn’t that surprising that many disparaging remarks and negative comments were made about him in online communities. But those who displeased and irritated him tended to disappear one by one, which was why there were even stories of a curse about him that circulated around.
“Find them, damn it! I can't stand others touching my belongings!"
"Umm... Guild Master,” one of the guild members cautiously said. “Maybe we should just try the twisted beast raid again when it reopens..."
"You fucker!!"
Wham!!
He threw whatever was in his hand and furiously yelled, "Who brought this fucker in front of me? Huh?!"
"I'm sorry, Guild Master. We'll take care of it right away."
"Make sure I don't see this fucker again, got it?!"
"Yes, yes!"
Another player rushed over, forcibly bowed, and then scampered away.
Alf Online was another reality. Hence, a person’s status from outside the game could be utilized within the world in Alf Online, and the status reached or built in Alf Online could be translated to global fame and fortune. That was why the guild master of the Black Wing Guild could not stand it when someone else was getting ahead first.
But there was no way he could do something about it at the moment. No one had seen those two players, let alone known which guild they were from.
"Hey... Guild Master."
"What now?!"
"Uhh... Someone has come looking for you."
"Can't you see I'm busy?!"
"But..."
As he turned his head, his gaze caught a figure that boasted a massive build that reached around three meters. But he knew that no player in Alf Online had such a tall height. Which meant only one thing—the figure was an NPC. And an NPC moving this freely could only belong to one category.
"Who are you?"
"Stranger, I must borrow your power,” a chilling voice uttered as the figure’s hood was removed, revealing a bald head with pale skin and a face with a pair of eyes that were completely black and devoid of any white.
"It's Leora, the Malicious Spirit!"
Being one of the twelve malevolent spirits, the appearance of the higher-ranking Leora shocked the guild members. And the presence of such an NPC that was at the level of the final boss caused inconceivable panic. After all, the freedom of action of a high-tier NPC like him was evidently more unrestricted than that of other typical high-tier NPCs.
Cling! Cling!
As they swiftly drew their weapons, a terrifying gleam flashed in Leora’s eyes. "Don't you want to kill him? I can lend you strength."
Silence gradually descended upon everyone present, and this seemed to please the frightening NPC as he went on to say, "Indeed... To find them, you might need this person's help."
Leora then thrust his hand upward and pulled someone out of thin air. It was none other than the troublemaker Go Jin-Seok from the Go Sung Company.
* * *
Clang!!!
Clang!!!
The correct process to work with metal was found through mana. It was a skill that only Davey could perform—something even Surtr could not achieve. His signature skill was, in a way, the unique technique of mana processing itself.
Clang!!
Clang!!
Even if the soul of Caldeiras was extracted, the body of Caldeiras remained exceptionally hard, smooth, and resistant to heat.
In the moment Caldeiras' soul intermingled with its body, its limitations were surmounted, rendering Caldeiras essentially invulnerable to tens of thousands of attacks without so much as a scratch. The only reason Reina's Caldeiras shattered was due to Caldeiras exhausting all of its power to mend her crumbling spirit in the middle of an excruciating agony, not because of its vulnerability. Nevertheless, Caldeiras, crafted from a material so durable, remained uncorroded and unchanged in shape for thousands of years. And while it may not have indestructible properties that were on the same league as Longinus's, it was nonetheless an object that was beyond the comprehension of humans in many ways.
Clang! Clang!
Davey continued his work as though he was in a trance, hammering away without a moment's hesitation. At times when trouble arose, he strengthened his own body to handle the red-hot sword directly, turning and twisting it without the aid of any tools. But the shape really didn’t change much. Because all that Davey had to do was simply reshape the blade from its original form that suited Ares to one that would better fit Illyna.
Naturally, he did not stop there. He added a few more ingredients in secret without Illyna and Caldeiras knowing. First, he utilized Goumda's potency by extracting its essence. He then mixed it with various forces and neutralized it into a single crystal before blending it back in to strengthen Caldeiras. Even if Goumda was not particularly strong, it still possessed remarkable characteristics that were comparable to Hercules' unceasing growth. So that power, although it might have its limitations, was enough to strengthen Caldeiras.
Davey also pulled out some effective elixirs from the Pocket Plane, mixing and combining them appropriately. Then, in order to eliminate friction in the fusing process, he combined the elixirs with the essence of power before proceeding to hammer the sword again.
Eventually, a golden hue appeared on the sword that once gleamed silver. Ancient characters, each filled with immense power, began to appear on the sword as engravings, which then altered themselves to form beautiful patterns.
After finishing the last processing step, Davey slowly sharpened the edge of the blade. When he was done, he then returned the soul of Caldeiras back into the sword and lifted it up.
Woong!
A band of mana shot out, enveloping Caldeiras, and Davey, who was drenched with sweat, collapsed on the spot with his chest rising and falling in quick succession as he gasped for air.
"I can't do this a second time... Hoo..." Davey declared, still sounding quite breathless. He then signaled to Perserque.
Understanding what he meant, she started to write down characters on paper.
- Reinforcement successful. Golden aura begins to swirl. Power can be significantly enhanced depending on the power charge.
- Power amplification ability created.
- Usage restriction lifted, breaking through limits.
- Absolute master Davey O’Rowane has succeeded in processing the sword.
- It grows on its own.
The sword, already known as a divine weapon, underwent tremendous changes through a single processing, and Davey was particularly satisfied with the "usage restriction lifted" and "breaking through limits.”
Davey, sweating profusely but still feeling satisfied, took a moment to catch his breath before he slowly looked around his surroundings. And it was only then that Davey noticed the dwarves staring at him with bloodshot eyes and Illyna with a worried expression.
Then Davey cautiously lifted his hand toward Illyna. When she gave him a puzzled look, he instantly dispelled the divider magic that had shielded the workshop. The heat that would have engulfed them felt more like a warm breeze because most of it had cooled down already, almost as if it had been neutralized.
"Davey!" Perserque called out in concern, swiftly appearing by his side.
Illyna also went to his side, supporting him with a frown. "Were you planning to work yourself to death?!"
"How long did it take?"
"Three days... I really thought you were dead..."
The working environment was not exactly favorable. There had even been several dizzying moments of potential failure.
After finally catching his breath, Davey cracked a smile and nodded. "Take it when it's fully settled. I'll leave it as it is for now."
"Is it...” Illyna began to say, seemingly nervous yet also quite excited. “Is it complete?"
"You'll definitely feel it."
From the moment a weapon fit in its user's hand, it then truly became a weapon. It may have been wielded with unbelievable talent up until now, but going forward, it would be completely different.
'If things go well, she might completely master the Telekinetic Blade skill because of Caldeiras.'
That would mean that on this land, there would be a total of three people who would be on the level that could use the Telekinetic Blade.
* * *
“Huff... Huff!!!”
Players desperately gasped for breath as they fled in utter haste.
One of them then grumbled in absolute ire, "Those crazy bastards! Why did they suddenly come here to PK?!"
Even though the attackers made an effort to hide who they were, it was still unmistakable. They were players who belonged to the Black Wind Guild.
And the Lotus Guild, which was the guild Oxygen was a part of, was being attacked by the Black Wind Guild. The intention behind the ambush was simple and clear. They planned to lure out Maga and Cat Tower by using this attack as bait.
Their reasoning was preposterously sound. Since Davey had been seen receiving a contract from their guild master during the twisted demonic beast raid, that loot was rightfully theirs. That was why they planned to claim compensation for the two crafters who processed it without permission, and to draw out the two who were out of touch, the Black Wing Guild relentlessly harassed Maga and Cat Tower’s fellow guild members.
Normally, the members of the Lotus Guild could apply for protection from the NPC nations, but for some reason, they were wanted by the NPC nations as well. Why were they even wanted? What had they done wrong? They had no idea.
That it was because the Black Wind Guild had schemed to raid Davey.