Chapter 83. A Strong One, I Take It

Inside a vast castle, Vulcanus slowly opened his eyes. He wasn’t as sharp as he used to be, but he could still keep watch over his domain. Then, something unusual caught his attention.

All of a sudden, his massive body was engulfed in flames, rapidly shrinking. Finally, a red-haired man stood where the great, blackish-red dragon had been. Guided by the strange sensation, he went to the source of his unease.

"She said it was okay."

In a secluded part of the estate, the humans, who’d arrived not too long ago, were crafting peculiar objects. Although Vulcanus didn’t find them particularly bothersome, they weren’t exactly pleasing either. His gaze followed Kim Do-Joon's finger, landing on the nearby Sallyon.

"Is what he's saying true?" Vulcanus asked.

"N-no, not at all!" replied Sallyon, hurriedly denying the accusation.

Vulcanus tilted his head slightly.

"So, you're saying it's not true?"

"

Uh,

well... I did say it might be okay, but..." Sallyon stammered, her words trailing off.

Vulcanus rubbed his temples, already piecing the situation together. Of course, these humans must have somehow coaxed her into agreeing. It wasn’t surprising, human audacity was a well-known trait.

Vulcanus narrowed his eyes at Kim Do-Joon. Noticing the unusual aura of the human male, a flicker of interest crossed his eyes.

Now I see why Sallyon acted the way she did.

Despite Sallyon's complaints about Kim Do-Joon, Vulcanus had overheard the elf talking about the human more than once. Although her words were often dismissive, there was no mistaking the underlying warmth in her tone.

Curiosity had lingered in Vulcanus's mind, but now, seeing Kim Do-Joon in person, he understood.

He was born with an extraordinary affinity.

Most humans had little to no Spirit Affinity—an aura that made spirits feel at ease, which often meant being in harmony with nature. Yet, Kim Do-Joon’s aura was nearly on par with that of an elf. In all his years, Vulcanus had rarely encountered such a human. He could see why the spirits felt drawn to him.

Though, of course, he wasn’t captivating enough to win over Vulcanus, the lord of these lands.

"These items are rather unpleasant," Vulcanus remarked, picking up a piece of equipment from behind Kim Do-Joon.

The items were a simple accessory or a small dagger that could fit in one’s palm.

"T-that is..." stuttered Hwang Hyun-Woo, startled and trembling as he scrambled for an explanation.

Before he could continue, Kim Do-Joon stepped forward.

"There isn't any malicious intent behind them," Kim Do-Joon said calmly, pulling out a necklace from his pocket. It was a fresh success, created just yesterday, and the only one of its kind.

"Interesting," Vulcanus murmured.

Vulcanus observed the necklace with a hint of admiration. He instantly recognized the ingredients—it was made from spirit stones that could easily be found scattered around the nearby hills. Yet, the energy it radiated was entirely different from those ordinary stones. This necklace held a power that could stir the spirits, and even him, the great Vulcanus.

"This isn't bad at all," Vulcanus remarked.

"I'd like to offer it to you," Kim Do-Joon said, extending the necklace toward him.

"What did you say?" Vulcanus asked, surprised.

"In exchange, I ask that you allow us to continue crafting such items on your land," Kim Do-Joon proposed.

"So, it's a trade you're after?" Vulcanus said, a small smile tugging at his lips as he accepted the necklace. "Humans do love their exchanges, don’t they? Fine, but make sure to properly dispose of your failures."

As long as they cleaned up their messes, Vulcanus saw no reason to stop them from playing with a few stones. It was harmless enough. Kim Do-Joon nodded and quickly began sweeping the failed items into his inventory, catching Vulcanus's attention.

"Humans of this era have some curious tricks," Vulcanus muttered, ready to leave.

However, as he turned to go, Kim Do-Joon called out, "Wait a moment."

Vulcanus paused. "What is it?"

"Is there any chance we could find any Fire Elixirs around here?" Kim Do-Joon asked.

“Well...”

Vulcanus glanced back at him, his expression unreadable. He had heard from Sallyon that the humans had come seeking an elixir.

"If it were that easy to find, it wouldn't be called an elixir," Vulcanus replied, his voice tinged with disinterest, before finally leaving.

As Kim Do-Joon watched him go, he pondered Vulcanus's words. The answer was ambiguous, yet telling in its own way.

If the elixir were truly gone, he would have simply said so.

The fact that Vulcanus didn’t outright dismiss the possibility suggested that it still existed somewhere. Perhaps, hidden deep within a secluded mountain range, or maybe even within the castle itself. Either way, it was out there.

Thankfully, this wasn’t a wasted effort after all.

Kim Do-Joon’s eyes gleamed with newfound determination. Just knowing that the elixir existed was a significant discovery. It’d have been ideal to gain Vulcanus’ full cooperation, but it’d have to wait for the time being.

Thus, Vulcanus departed. Beside him, the tension broke as two others let out heavy sighs of relief—one human and one fairy.

"Wow!" Hwang Hyun-Woo gasped, catching his breath.

"Phew!" Sallyon exhaled.

Their reactions, however, were polar opposites.

"H-Hyung! He actually liked what I made!" Hwang Hyun-Woo exclaimed, his face lighting up with excitement.

"Yeah, yeah, well done. If it weren't for your successful item, we’d have been kicked out," Kim Do-Joon replied, patting him on the back.

Hwang Hyun-Woo looked quite pleased with himself. The fact that a powerful being like Vulcanus was impressed with his creation seemed to fill him with pride as a craftsman. He’d been downcast lately, but now his confidence appeared to be restored.

On the other hand, Sallyon seemed deeply troubled. "Oh no... What if I get in trouble later...?" she fretted.

"Do you really get punished for something like this?" Kim Do-Joon asked, puzzled.

"The Lord never gets mad!" Sallyon blurted out.

"... Oh, I see," Kim Do-Joon replied, though Sallyon's response only confused him further.

Sallyon continued to mumble to herself. Finally, she flew off in a wobbly path with slumped shoulders. Earlier, didn’t she say that there was no danger of punishment? Kim Do-Joon could only shrug, unable to grasp the spirit's thought process. Well, at least the distractions were gone.

"Alright, we've got the landowner's approval, so let's keep going," Kim Do-Joon said.

"Yes, sir!" Hwang Hyun-Woo responded enthusiastically, and the work that had been paused resumed with renewed energy.

***

A few days passed after that. Hwang Hyun-Woo spent his days busily churning out items. Kim Do-Joon wasn’t idle either. He and Seok Dae-Kyung scoured various locations in search of the Fire Elixir. Additionally, Kim Do-Joon gathered spirit stones to stockpile in their workshop.

That day, as the sun began to set, Kim Do-Joon descended from the mountains.

"Any luck?" Kim Do-Joon asked.

"No. What about you?" Seok Dae-Kyung replied.

"Nothing here either..." Kim Do-Joon shook his head.

Their search for the elixir had been fruitless day after day. Vulcanus had been right—if it were easy to find, it wouldn’t be called one.

The two of them walked back to the village side by side. As they approached, a small figure came running up to them.

"

Kirrk!

" It was a tiny goblin.

Kim Do-Joon pulled a piece of jerky from his inventory and tossed it to the goblin. It eagerly caught it and did a little dance of joy, before scurrying back to its home.

"Is that your pet?" Seok Dae-Kyung asked with a chuckle.

Kim Do-Joon shrugged. "I gave it a piece of jerky once, and it must’ve liked it. Now it comes back every day for more."

He’d encountered that goblin while setting up the workshop. On a whim, he had tossed it some jerky, and ever since, the little creature had shown up daily, begging for more.

"This is a strange place, Leader. Between the monster village and everything else, we've seen some odd things," Seok Dae-Kyung remarked.

"Yeah, it’s been an adventure," Kim Do-Joon agreed, taking out some pieces of jerky for himself and Seok Dae-Kyung.

They both chewed on the snacks as they made their way inside. As they entered, they heard a commotion coming from one side of the room.

"Please, we beg of you. You know of the corruption of the World Tree, Lord Vulcanus. If we do nothing, the elves will lose all their pride and be reduced to mere thieves!"

It was Dien, kneeling on one knee. Beside him, also kneeling, was Elena. In front of them stood Vulcanus, his expression indifferent.

"He’s showing up more often than I expected," Kim Do-Joon whispered.

"Yeah, no kidding," Seok Dae-Kyung replied quietly.

Despite the rumors of Vulcanus being a recluse, he seemed to make frequent appearances in the village. He didn’t do much besides observing, but even that had a significant impact. Whenever monsters began to quarrel or draw weapons, his mere presence would immediately pacify them, turning them into docile creatures.

Although he seemed like an old man with too much free time, his influence over the domain was undeniable. However, each time Vulcanus came down to the village, Dien would approach him.

"None of my concern," Vulcanus would always say, dismissing Dien's pleas without a second thought.

"But...!" Dien would protest, his voice trembling, but Vulcanus would simply turn his back and walk away.

As Vulcanus turned, his gaze met Kim Do-Joon's. Soon, Vulcanus’ expression turned cold.

"You're still here?" Vulcanus asked.

"We haven’t found the elixir yet," Kim Do-Joon replied with a shrug.

Vulcanus scoffed. "

Hmph

. You’d be better off leaving rather than wasting your time."

With that, Vulcanus headed back to his castle. Left behind, the disheartened Dien let out a deep sigh as Elena patted him on the shoulder in consolation. Then, Seok Dae-Kyung turned to Kim Do-Joon.

"I get the feeling we’re not exactly welcome here. Are you sure it's okay for us to stick around?"

"It’ll be fine," Kim Do-Joon reassured him.

Despite his harsh words, Vulcanus hadn’t shown any real intent to drive them away or express any genuine anger, so Kim Do-Joon was confident they were safe. At least for the time being.

He comforted the uneasy Seok Dae-Kyung. Then, they headed back to their tent. As they approached, the smell of something delicious wafted through the air.

Inside, they found Siwelin stirring a pot of stew over a small fire, the savory aroma filling the space. Hwang Hyun-Woo sat nearby with a broad grin on his face. When he saw Kim Do-Joon enter, his eyes lit up, and he rushed over.

"Hyung! My skill leveled up!" Hwang Hyun-Woo exclaimed excitedly.

"What?" Kim Do-Joon was genuinely surprised by the news.

He didn’t know that the Midas' Touch skill was a Growth-type skill? Therefore, Kim Do-Joon's mind raced with the possibilities. If the skill leveled up, it might mean that the effects on equipment could become even more potent.

However, before Kim Do-Joon could fully embrace the excitement, Hwang Hyun-Woo delivered a piece of news that hit him like a bolt out of the blue.

"My success rate has gone up! Now, two out of ten items will be successful! It’s all thanks to you, Hyung!" Hwang Hyun-Woo beamed with pride.

Kim Do-Joon stood there frozen, his expression of anticipation turning into one of utter disbelief.

Oh, the success rate increased?

Kim Do-Joon’s internal voice was laced with frustration. Why did the success rate go up instead of the effectiveness? This was definitely not the outcome he had hoped for.

Meanwhile, Hwang Hyun-Woo, completely oblivious, continued to speak with a sense of deep gratitude. If it weren’t for Kim Do-Joon, he’d have had to scrape together ingredients out of his own pocket and struggle to make anything worthwhile.

Who knows how much he’d have lost before finally leveling up? However, thanks to Kim Do-Joon, not only did he avoid losses, he also made money while improving his skills. To Hwang Hyun-Woo, Kim Do-Joon was nothing short of a benefactor.

"At this rate, I might actually become a real craftsman one day!" Hwang Hyun-Woo said, his eyes shining as he spoke of his dreams.

Seok Dae-Kyung patted him on the shoulder, offering his congratulations. Siwelin, though not fully understanding, clapped her hands, sensing it was a moment worth celebrating.

Kim Do-Joon, who’d been standing there in a bit of a daze, finally forced a smile and patted Hwang Hyun-Woo on the shoulder.

"Yeah, congrats."

Despite his personal disappointment, it was still good news. Hwang Hyun-Woo, who had been so hard on himself for the constant failures, now had a renewed sense of hope. With the increased success rate, he’d likely push himself even harder, striving to improve his skills.

For Kim Do-Joon, though, it meant the opposite. The more Hwang Hyun-Woo leveled up, the less favorable it became for him. But there was nothing he could do.

Well, it can’t be helped.

Telling someone not to level up was ridiculous, after all.

"Guess people really don’t have it as bad as they think," Hwang Hyun-Woo continued, beaming. "I thought leveling up would just boost the effects a little, but increasing the success rate? God really is fair!"

"Yeah," Kim Do-Joon muttered, though his tone lacked enthusiasm.

If there really was a god, maybe he was indeed fair. It almost felt like Kim Do-Joon was being punished for secretly smirking at Hwang Hyun-Woo’s failures in the past. Now, the tables had turned.

Clap, clap, clap—

“Thank you! Thank you!”

Hwang Hyun-Woo, ever the polite one, continued to express his gratitude, thanking not just Kim Do-Joon but also Seok Dae-Kyung and Siwelin for their support.

The next day, at the edge of the village, two figures sat hunched over, sighing deeply—Kim Do-Joon and Elena.

“

Ha...

”

“

Ugh...

”

The two of them exchanged glances.

"What’s your deal?" Elena asked.

"And what’s yours?" Kim Do-Joon shot back.

"Things aren’t going well. Lord Vulcanus won’t even listen to us, no matter what we say. And you?" Elena said.

"Same here. Can’t find a trace of the elixir anywhere and..." Kim Do-Joon replied.

"And?" Elena asked, raising an eyebrow.

"

Er

... I mean, not seeing any results is making me anxious," Kim Do-Jon quickly corrected himself, avoiding eye contact.

He couldn’t very well admit that his current unease was actually due to Hwang Hyun-Woo’s level-up. Kim Do-Joon had already decided to congratulate him and not dwell on the matter.

"

Ugh

..."

"

Ha...

"

Anyway, Kim Do-Joon and Elena sighed heavily, frustrated by how little progress they made. Just when things seemed to be dragging on without resolution, they heard the sound of galloping hooves in the distance.

"What’s that?" Kim Do-Joon muttered, squinting as he stood up.

Elena followed suit, and they both looked toward the source of the sound. Far off, a cloud of dust was rising, signaling that a group was fast approaching.

Kim Do-Joon narrowed his eyes, trying to get a better look. Even though the riders were still quite a distance away, their sharp eyesight—far better than an average human's—allowed them to make out the figures with ease.

"Elves," Kim Do-Joon murmured, noting their pale skin. His brow furrowed, recognizing them as elves but little more. Elena, however, knew much more. This was her homeland, after all, and she was well-versed in the identities of notable elves.

"That's..." Elena's voice trailed off as she caught sight of the leader of the group. Her throat dried, and she gulped. It wasn’t someone she wanted to encounter right now.

"Who is it?" Kim Do-Joon asked, noticing her reaction.

Elena’s voice was laced with unease as she replied, "Naiyel Rackade. She’s the protector of Lake Brianna in the southern territories, home of the White Elves."

"A strong one, I take it?" Kim Do-Joon asked, picking up on the fear in her voice.

Elena nodded gravely. "Strong indeed. She’s contracted with the Water Spirit King."

"The Water Spirit King?" Kim Do-Joon’s eyes narrowed at the revelation. He didn’t find it that surprising because elves were naturally gifted spirit summoners. Still, the fact that a Water Spirit King was involved added a significant wrinkle to their situation.

His gaze drifted toward Vulcanus’s castle in the distance. Then, a thought struck him.

This might just be the breakthrough we need.

He thought that this unexpected encounter could change the course of their efforts.