Chapter 21

"Material Synthesis?"

What is this?

Caught off guard by the unexpected notification, Carpe hastily read through the skill description.

[Magic Engineering (魔道工學) Lv. 1 - 8 Stars]

- Allows the study and secondary processing of magical materials.

[Active]

1. Synthesis

2. Decomposition

3. Creation

4. Alchemy

5. Enchantment

[Passive]

Increased probability of discovering and collecting magical materials

- Low probability of generating additional bonuses when synthesizing, decomposing, creating, alchemizing, or enchanting

* Passive probability increases by 3% per skill level 1.

- So, it's a production skill.

"Come to think of it, there was a mention of something like this."

Carpe looked at his hands.

The magical weapon Enigma, a legendary-grade gauntlet item.

Clearly, the item description mentioned that it was 'personally crafted' by the Magic King.

- The Magic King is probably a great mage and an alchemist, or something like that, right?

"Wow. Whether it's combat or production, he's a versatile character who does everything."

- Or maybe just a miscellaneous character.

"Jealousy is ugly."

While the Centaur was being petty, both he and Carpe knew that a Mythic Class character couldn't be just a miscellaneous character.

- Anyway, an 8-star production skill. Good luck.

Production skills are rare.

There were far fewer of them compared to combat skills.

- If the rumor spreads that he has an 8-star production skill, large guilds will go crazy trying to recruit him.

"No problem. Hidden classes are best when played solo."

- Good thinking. Mediocre characters or those who stick together in groups. Even animals do that. Wolves travel in packs, but have you ever seen tigers do that?

"Ugh. True words."

One-man army! Omniscient!

Intoxicated by the sweet words of self-importance, the two of them didn't care that even lions and elephants, the strongest beasts, also travel in groups.

Only tigers were the truth.

[You have materials that can be synthesized in your inventory. Do you want to synthesize them?]

The notification window appeared again in front of them, as if telling them to stop talking nonsense.

"Oh, right."

Regaining his composure, Carpe focused on the skill window again and activated the 'Synthesis' part of Magic Engineering.

Ding.

A window appeared with a chime.

"I guess I just need to put the materials here."

The window had two empty slots, and below them, a gray [Synthesize] button. It was a simple and intuitive interface that anyone could understand.

"Let's see."

Carpe took out the 'Flame Acorn' and 'Ice Acorn' from his inventory and placed them in the synthesis slots.

Ding.

[Do you want to synthesize?]

The gray [Synthesize] button turned green with the notification sound.

- So, it works like this.

"Will this create an acorn with both attributes if I synthesize it like this?"

- Probably. Something like a 'Frozen Flame Acorn' might come out.

"Phew. Another headache."

Carpe had a total of eight acorns. He needed to choose two to synthesize.

"Then the number of possible combinations is..."

- 28.

"Ah! I tried to reduce the number of pet attribute choices by changing my class first, but it actually increased!"

Without the synthesis skill, he only had to choose one out of eight, but now...

- Just do it roughly, man! You're going to change to a divine beast or a fantasy creature anyway.

"Just pick two, bro. I really find this inconvenient."

- Sigh. Just pick Light and Darkness! They're all the same, but they have the most versatility.

"Convenient."

Carpe opened his inventory again to take out the Sun Acorn.

"Huh? What's this?"

The six remaining acorns in his inventory were still blinking.

"......Could it be."

Having a rough idea of what was happening, Carpe picked up the Sun Acorn and inserted it into the synthesis window.

Ding.

Another empty slot appeared, and the Sun Acorn was inserted. The [Synthesize] button remained active.

"......"

-......

What more needed to be said?

Carpe started taking out all the acorns from his inventory and inserting them into the synthesis window.

Water Acorn, Moon Acorn, Plant Acorn...

It didn't take long for all the acorns to disappear from Carpe's hands.

"......They all fit?"

- They just keep fitting, don't they? But when you actually try to synthesize, it might say 'Cannot Synthesize'...

[Do you want to synthesize?]

- ...No, it doesn't.

The Centaur was speechless.

After all, there are elemental weaknesses. How can you just mix them like this? It doesn't make sense.

If this succeeds, what does it say about the game knowledge he's accumulated over the past 10 years?

'I have to stop him.'

In fact, the Centaur was feeling anxious.

Specifically, since the moment Carpe started the class change quest.

He boasted of being the best-informed person about Rase, a 10-year returnee, but what was the reality?

Unlocking? He didn't know.

Mythic Class Magic Overlord? He didn't know. Naturally, he didn't know about the Magic Engineering skill of the Magic Overlord.

'Everything is in the palm of my hand~' attitude, but the result was a lack of knowledge.

'If another unknown thing comes up in this situation...'

How would Carpe think of him?

'10 years, huh...'

'Guidebook, what...'

'He doesn't seem to know much, and he gave me a farmer-like job...'

'Talking demon...'

'Background Ling... should I change it?'

Just imagining it was terrifying.

- Ugh. No!

He couldn't let his knowledge be discredited any further.

'I have to prove my value!'

The Centaur urgently tried to stop Carpe.

- No matter what, this is unreasonable. Hey, listen carefully. You might not know, but elements have basic weaknesses...

"Hmm."

- ...So don't be greedy and just put in two. It won't work anyway.

"Hmmmm."

- Can't you see the future? The future where the synthesis fails and all the acorns evaporate!

"Hmmmmm."

- ...I can see the future where you ignore my advice and proceed, and it's going to make me so angry.

"You really know me well, bro."

Could he just pass up something that looks this interesting?

- No!

"Sure!"

Without hesitation, Carpe pressed the [Synthesize] button.

[Synthesis has started.]

Poof!

With a bright light, the eight acorns floated and started spinning, then merged into one.

[Congratulations. The synthesis was successful.]

[You have obtained the legendary-grade material 'Elemental Acorn'.]

"Right!"

-......

Carpe cheered, while the Centaur despaired. Their emotions were in stark contrast.

But the notification wasn't over.

[A bonus has been granted.]

"Huh? A bonus?"

The thought 'What bonus all of a sudden?' flashed through his mind, but he soon nodded.

"Come to think of it, the Magic Engineering passive said there's a low probability of a bonus being granted. It must have triggered."

- ...If you're this lucky... what about my value...? Talking demon...?

"Bro, what are you mumbling about?"

Carpe, puzzled by the Centaur's strange reaction, couldn't take his eyes off the notification window.

[The material's grade has been upgraded by one level as a bonus.]

"Oh. A grade upgrade, that's good... Wait, a grade upgrade?!"

Carpe's eyes widened. Hold on, if this happens...

[The legendary-grade material 'Elemental Acorn' has been changed to the epic-grade material 'Fragment of the Primordial'.]

"Wow."

His mouth dropped open. He didn't expect to get an epic-grade material!

Carpe, with a dazed look, checked the information of the successfully synthesized item.

[Fragment of the Primordial]

[Grade: Epic]

[Category: Magical Material, Attribute Stone]

[A fragment containing the energy of the primordial, shaped like an acorn. Everything began from the one primordial.]

"Now, I just need to apply this to the magic squirrel egg, right?"

- ...You're doing well on your own.

"What are you talking about? You taught me this."

- Huh?

"You told me that the squirrel egg can be hatched with an acorn."

- ...Oh, oh. That's right.

"Phew. If I couldn't enter the squirrel dungeon, what would I have done? Long live Centaur!"

If the Centaur hadn't told him about the squirrel dungeon, he wouldn't have gotten the egg, and he wouldn't have gotten the epic acorn.

The same goes for the Mythic Class. If he hadn't known about the guerrilla quest, he wouldn't have the Mythic Class.

- ...You.

To Carpe, it was just a statement of fact, but to the Centaur, it was different.

It was a ray of light in the darkness, a phrase that healed his battered mind.

"So, now I'll hatch it... Whoa! Bro, are you crying?!"

- ...What are you talking about? You're just high on the epic buzz, can't you focus?

"No, I'm sure I just saw you."

- Stop talking nonsense and hatch the egg. I'm curious about what will come out with an epic acorn.

Seeing