Absolute Craft

Chapter 25: Mining Node (2)

Blake placed his Volcanic Mold on the workbench and stretched it over the table's corners, creating space for a pickaxe mold. He had already drawn a pickaxe blueprint earlier. It was far better than his first one, thanks to Vargar's guidance, and included crucial details about forging the pickaxe.

A system prompt appeared above the Volcanic Mold.

Without hesitation, Blake agreed. His simple sketch vanished, and a moment later, the Volcanic Mold reshaped itself into a pickaxe. Since the handle would be wood, only the head needed a mold.

"Great," Blake whispered.

He gathered the iron ore and instructed Sol to heat the furnace. He placed the iron inside and monitored the temperature. Later, he added flux and watched the metal carefully, occasionally glancing at Sol.

Sol was also eyeing the iron with keen interest.

"Don't even think about it, Sol," Blake cautioned, narrowing his eyes.

Sol looked away. Even Blake, who wasn't great at reading expressions, could tell the little elemental was tempted to eat the ore or even the slag. But both were still full of impurities, and Blake feared Sol might hurt himself or grow to dislike iron.

Nobody knew what secrets Sol might hold. He could someday consume steel or other metals and create something extraordinary—perhaps an entirely new alloy available only to Blake. Therefore, Blake couldn't allow him to eat just anything.

After skimming the slag, Blake maintained the iron's temperature until it was fully molten. Then he poured the liquid into the mold.

"I read online that steel is better for pickaxes, but I'll save my steel for now," he remarked, watching the molten iron solidify within the mold.

The Volcanic Mold expertly handled the oxygen and iron, letting Blake focus on the wooden handle. He grabbed a thick branch from the white forest and trimmed off smaller twigs with a knife. Then he whittled and polished it with sandpaper. Though rough and amateurish, Blake was satisfied with the result.

He did the same for the pickaxe head, sharpening its edges and ensuring the eye hole fit the handle. Finally, he completed the product.

<+20% ore bonus from mining nodes>

"It shines," Blake said, meeting Sol's golden gaze.

Sol blinked up at him with pride. Being a Sun Elemental, controlling flames and heat was probably second nature. He'd just lingered near the iron, but Blake couldn't help praising and even hugging him. He definitely had a soft spot for cute companions now.

Blake then forged another pickaxe for Beatrix. Afterward, all three headed back into the white forest.

–

Thanks to Sol's aura, Blake navigated the deep snow with ease. Sol, perched on his head, surveyed everything. He occasionally glanced at the lynx corpses scattered about, his eyes twinkling. Whether he was drawn to the battles or simply enjoyed the sight of victory, Sol was now an active part of the team, scanning for potential mining nodes—though he seemed more fascinated by the bodies and blood than anything else.

Beatrix, meanwhile, wasn't confined to Blake's shadow. She moved smoothly among the trees, sometimes leaping onto branches to scout ahead and dispatch lynxes before they reached Blake. If any did manage to get close, he dealt with them himself, satisfying a bit of his battle lust.

"We've secured the top of the mountain… so the mining node should be at the bottom or nearby, right?" Blake mused aloud.

Suddenly, he heard a ringing in his mind—realizing it actually emanated from his horn. The horn must have detected something tied to the 12th Lost King. As he stepped forward, the ringing grew louder.

Following the sound, he found a thick patch of snow that cracked open into a hole, revealing the entrance to a mining node.

He smiled. "Let's see what's inside."

Beatrix appeared at his side, while Sol clung to his helmet, peering ahead. His excitement made his apple-shaped body glow even brighter.

Blake stepped inside, Sol's aura driving out the darkness. Inside, he found extensive deposits of copper, tin, and iron—plus plenty of coal!

He chuckled. "Let's get to work."

For some reason, the idea of amassing all these resources thrilled him, even if it meant hours of mining.