Chapter 60

Chapter 10. The Tower (2)

Heneba's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected words, then her expression quickly turned sour.

"What kind of crazy bastard...!"

Yeonwoo let out a chuckle.

'It's been a while since I heard that.'

It used to be a phrase he heard from the squad leader almost every day.

He never thought he would hear it in such a place.

"Shut up and get lost...!"

"Of course, it's a joke."

Though he said it was a joke, his tone was so gruff that it was impossible to tell if it was a joke or not.

Naturally, Heneba's expression twisted even more.

With a slightly flushed face, she was about to shout again when Yeonwoo put down the bag he had slung over his right shoulder.

Heneba, who was about to yell, narrowed her eyes slightly to the side.

"You, is that... Could it be a Dark Elf's hunting bag?"

'Sure enough, you recognized it right away.'

Yeonwoo nodded, thinking it was a good sign.

"Yes."

"Hmm. Seeing you carry something like that, you don't seem to be a complete novice."

Heneba looked Yeonwoo up and down with a slightly changed expression, though she still snorted.

Dark Elves never give their items to anyone they don't recognize.

Possessing such items means you are a capable person.

Moreover, Heneba immediately noticed that Yeonwoo was a player who had just completed the tutorial based on his appearance.

There was only one Dark Elf in the tutorial.

"Did you get it from Galiard?"

"Yes."

"Hmph! That tall, lanky guy may have a bad temper, but he has a good eye for talent."

Galiard, the Dark Elf, and Heneba, the Dwarf, were like dogs and monkeys, always fighting whenever they met.

Was it because of their racial differences, or just because they didn't like each other?

From what I see, they actually have a very good relationship.

Like close friends who can bicker without hesitation.

...Of course, if I said this in front of them, I'd be beaten to death.

Yeonwoo's younger brother described Galiard and Heneba this way, adding that even though they bickered, they genuinely respected each other's abilities more than anyone else.

"Alright. So you're saying you'll pay with items you brought from the tutorial. Show me what you have. By the way, my items are very expensive. Beyond your imagination."

Heneba crossed her arms and lifted her chin arrogantly.

Items from the tutorial are usually cheap things that the tower doesn't even deal with.

She clearly wanted to see what he had.

But Yeonwoo started to silently take out the items from his bag.

Goblin teeth and jaws, lizardman eyes, orc ribs, troll blood and brains...

Each time something came out, Heneba let out a light snort.

They were exactly as she expected—completely useless.

Items that only workers who couldn't afford to raid the tower would pick up.

Of course, in his own mind, he thought he had a good eye for items, and the parts he picked up were the more valuable ones among the junk.

But no matter how valuable they were, to Heneba, who had reached the level of a master, they were just trash.

Things she wouldn't take even if offered thousands of gold.

But Yeonwoo continued to silently take out the items.

Heneba, feeling annoyed and humiliated that he was trying to buy her items with such trash, watched to see how long he would keep laying out trash.

Then, at some point, Heneba's expression started to change.

'What is this?'

She realized that the items Yeonwoo was laying out were not just junk.

Individually, they were things she would never deal with, but when combined, they were something else.

'They are the basic materials for some artifact.'

And according to Heneba, that artifact was a high-end item.

Something a player who just came out of the tutorial could never deal with.

'Come to think of it.'

Heneba looked Yeonwoo up and down again and stroked her chin.

'The clothes he's wearing are quite good for a novice.'

Actually, they weren't just "quite good"; they were very good.

She just couldn't admit it out of pride.

The black bracelet on Yeonwoo's right hand needed a closer inspection, but it was clear it had extraordinary power.

And the sword on his back.

It was a bit shorter than a regular longsword, but a divine aura and a demonic aura were faintly emanating from the scabbard.

Two auras that should never coexist, yet they did.

There was only one explanation for this.

'Swords that were originally holy but became cursed and turned into demonic weapons. Artifacts from the age of heroes... Could such precious items be in the tutorial?'

In the end, Heneba's evaluation of Yeonwoo, whom she initially thought was a fraud, improved slightly.

From a fraud to a novice.

Not much of a difference, but still.

However, her evaluation was raised even higher.

After Yeonwoo took out all the junk from his bag, he added two more artifacts.

Items far superior to the junk.

One was the Lion Mane Helmet of the Beast King.

The other was the Egg of Eblis.

He put everything he got as a reward from the tutorial on the table.

Heneba's expression hardened.

"Are you playing with me now?"

"Why do you think that?"

"Are you saying you're not? Don't you know what these items are?"

"I know. They are the relics of the Beast King and the egg of a demonic beast, right?"

[The Lion Mane Helmet of the Beast King]

Category: Headgear

Grade: A-

Description: A helmet favored by the Beast King, who disappeared for unknown reasons in the past. Made by stitching together the head skins of five white lions.

It is imbued with the bravery and spirit of the white lions and the power of the Beast King.

* White Lion's Fang

Increases attack power by 1% for every 10 seconds, up to a maximum of 35%, based on the number of monsters defeated.

Also reduces the duration of control disruption effects by 5% or more.

* Roar of the Beast King

Spreads the Beast King's aura, instilling fear in nearby enemies and immobilizing them for 8-10 seconds.

[The Egg of Eblis]

Category: Egg

Grade: B+

Description: An egg laid by the demonic beast Eblis.

It can only be hatched through special methods, and the Eblis that hatches will recognize only the first person it sees as its master.

The Beast King was a well-known ancient ruler in the tower, who once criticized the tower alongside the Vampire King.

Thus, the relics of the Beast King were the first A- grade items Yeonwoo saw after entering the tower.

Slightly inferior to the Vampiric Sword of Batori, the first artifact he obtained, but still a valuable item.

Naturally, it was worth its weight in gold.

If put on the market, there would be a long line of players willing to buy it.

Moreover, the tower gives rewards based on the player's characteristics and records.

Naturally, the Lion Mane Helmet of the Beast King was a suitable item for Yeonwoo.

Yet, he was willing to part with it so easily.

Furthermore, the Egg of Eblis was also a valuable item.

Eblis was a demonic beast that lived in the deep forests of Gehenna, the underworld.

With a wingspan of 5 meters, it had a strong beak and claws, capable of tearing apart even divine creatures in one go.

Although the process of hatching it was complicated, having an Eblis was worth the effort.

The relics of the Beast King. The egg of a demonic beast.

Depending on how they were used, they could turn a player into a high-level expert.

Heneba had a strong sense of pride in her skills.

But even so, these items were not worth the value of the dagger Yeonwoo was trying to buy.

If it were just one, it might be different.

So Heneba thought Yeonwoo was playing with her.

No, it wasn't just playing; it was outright mocking.

After the dissolution of Artia, she had fallen to the status of being oppressed by other clans.

How could she end up being mocked by a mere novice like this?

Heneba felt ashamed, her face turning bright red.

But she couldn't let her last bit of pride be crushed, so she couldn't yell.

She gritted her teeth, suppressing her anger, and glared at Yeonwoo.

But Yeonwoo, seemingly unaware of Heneba's thoughts, said calmly.

"If you think these two items and materials are more valuable than this dagger, would you consider taking a commission from me?"

Heneba felt her anger, which had risen to the top of her head, suddenly subside.

She finally realized what Yeonwoo was trying to ask for.

"Are you asking me to make the 'Eye of Gyes'?"

Yeonwoo nodded.

"Yes."

"Hmm...!"

Gyes, the giant with dozens of eyes and hundreds of hands.

If the weapon was named after him, it certainly had a value that matched the two items Yeonwoo had put on the table.

And there were only five master-level craftsmen in the tower who could make such a weapon.

Heneba was one of them.

Heneba narrowed her eyes and glared at Yeonwoo.

"You damn brat. You were aiming for this from the beginning, weren't you?"

"I apologize. I heard you haven't been making artifacts recently, so I had no choice but to inconvenience you."

Yeonwoo bowed politely and apologized.

Heneba sighed again.

Her gaze remained fixed on the basic materials and the two artifacts for a long time, her eyes filled with a mix of emotions.

Then she looked back at Yeonwoo.

"Do you really understand what it means to entrust such items to me?"

"As I said, I will handle the matters with other clans. Don't worry about anything else and focus on the Eye of Gyes. Will you do it?"

A calm gaze.

But it was filled with a strong will.

A will that wouldn't break even in a storm.

And.

Heneba didn't dislike such a gaze.

So, she was about to reluctantly agree when...

"If you're afraid of other clans, I understand."

Yeonwoo's sudden words made Heneba frown deeply.

His blunt words were infuriating.

It seemed he and she were not compatible.

In the end, Heneba burst out.

"Fine. If I do it, will you be satisfied? I'll do it!"

* * *

[Appraisal failed.]

[Appraisal failed.]

...

[Appraisal succeeded.]

[The skill proficiency of 'Dragon Eye' has increased to 15.5%.]

[The Demon-Engraved Dagger of Heneba]

Category: One-handed weapon

Grade: B-

Description: A dagger that Heneba spent three years crafting with great effort. Originally made for someone dear, it lost its owner when that person died, and it is now imbued with Heneba's passion and resentment.

Thanks to this, it has a sharp edge capable of easily cutting through rock.

* Dwarf's Desire

The Demon-Engraved Dagger feeds on the owner's will. The sharper the will, the sharper the edge.

* Passionate Blade

During attacks, it continuously worsens the opponent's wounds, draining their health.

If the opponent's health drops below 20%, there is a certain probability of poisoning with water toxin.

**This artifact is 'growth-type.' As the owner grows, the artifact also grows, so increase both familiarity and proficiency.

'Much better than I expected.'

On the way out of Heneba's forge.

Yeonwoo inspected the inner power of the Demon-Engraved Dagger and smiled slightly.

This was a high-quality item. It was probably on par with the weapons provided to Artia.

Most importantly, he liked that it was a growth-type item.

It meant it could become stronger with use.

'The grip feels good too.'

He had always planned to entrust the creation of the Eye of Gyes to Heneba as soon as he entered the tower.

When collecting the materials, he had already thought about it when Khan and Doyle asked if he knew a reliable blacksmith.

That blacksmith was Heneba.

'Since he can make such items, he can certainly make the Eye of Gyes.'

Heneba said it would take at least a month.

Even though the basic materials were sufficient, other materials needed to be obtained, and the creation process required a considerable amount of time.

'Even if he faced interference from other clans, he seemed to keep hammering steadily. It wasn't easy, but his determination is clear. He is definitely a remarkable person.'

Yeonwoo planned to observe Heneba consistently over the next month, using the creation of the Eye of Gyes as an excuse.

Including the situations revolving around him.

'With that much time, I should be able to understand what kind of person he is.'

Whether he could trust him or not.

Yeonwoo stroked the Demon-Engraved Dagger with a deeply sunken gaze.

Rumble, rumble—

The Demon-Engraved Dagger trembled slightly, feeling pleased.

From the beginning, he had felt a special connection with the Demon-Engraved Dagger.

It felt like he had found a precious item he had lost long ago.

"..."

Then, he suddenly noticed the word 'dear one' in the description.

What did it mean by 'dear one'?

Who could it be?