Chapter 50: The Adamantium Edge

Upgrade.

Checking this new skill, I found:

[Upgrade]

Modifies a completed item’s restrictions, abilities, or appearance.

Modification.

The Repair skill could tweak emblems or restrictions slightly, but this was far beyond “slight.”

Testing it out—

I could raise an item’s level restriction while boosting its attack power to match.

Conversely, I could lower a high-level item’s restriction, though its stats like attack or defense would drop accordingly.

In short—

“I can upgrade existing gear to match current levels.”

As a recently awakened blacksmith, one thing was clear.

This was my unique skill, unseen in the Hunter world.

Hunters had to sell outdated gear and buy new ones when levels outgrew efficiency.

With this, I could enhance high-quality gear to keep it relevant.

So—

“No need to craft new sets for every guild member’s level-up.”

No more crafting a hundred sets from scratch when levels rose, like recently.

Plus—

“I can upgrade you guys too.”

Before me sat Miner 1, Spinner 1, Lumberjack 1, and Tanner 1.

I could enhance their gear.

I’d thought their fixed capabilities couldn’t improve.

I’d even worried I’d have to dismantle and remake them.

But Upgrade erased those concerns.

“Miner 1, let’s start with you!”

“Thank you.”

First up: Miner 1’s pickaxe.

Its current state:

[Iron Pickaxe]

Type: Pickaxe

Grade: S

Restriction: Level 1+

Description: Made of iron, heavy but boasting great strength and destructive power.

A standard Level 1 pickaxe.

S-grade might seem impressive to others, but to me, it was average.

With my skill, four out of five crafted items hit S-grade.

“Let’s get started.”

[Using Upgrade Skill.]

[Select the part to upgrade.]

A message similar to crafting popped up.

I could just raise the level restriction, but I didn’t.

Since I could modify everything, I’d do it right.

“Not just any upgrade. It’s for my assistant, forged with my Blacksmith’s Soul.”

They’d be with me long-term, so they deserved top-tier upgrades.

“Hold on. I’ll use the best materials.”

Miner 1 had mined thousands of ores.

Among them, ultra-rare ones.

Ores so rare their drop rate was unimaginable, ones I needed but only got later.

[Adamantium]

The legendary ore.

I’d craft with adamantium.

“For durability, this is perfect.”

When I made the forge, I didn’t care much about adamantium’s properties.

Now I knew.

Adamantium.

Unmatched in durability compared to any metal.

But it had a flaw.

Near-zero mana affinity.

Weapons made from it couldn’t even emit sword aura.

Typically, warriors who didn’t use mana or anti-magic weapons used it to counter spells.

So—

“Perfect for Miner 1.”

I decided to invest adamantium in Miner 1.

He fought golems purely physically, no mana.

Adamantium was ideal.

Plus, he’d mined it himself.

“And the handle—only the best.”

Rare wood from Zone 3.

Plus a few quality items from the auction.

These materials rivaled those for ranker gear.

[Upgrade begins.]

After inputting materials and modifications—

Buzz—

The upgrade started.

Points appeared.

But—

“This is intense.”

Was it the adamantium, the higher difficulty of upgrading, or both?

The points were numerous.

Tough, with tricky angles and positions.

Clang.

So what?

This was for Miner 1.

No matter how hard, I didn’t care.

I swung my hammer without hesitation.

Sparks flew as adamantium began reshaping.

Sweat dripped, evaporating on the molten metal.

[Progress: 19%…]

Slow progress didn’t bore me.

Miner 1 watched with a tense expression.

After relentless hammering, the adamantium took a pickaxe’s form.

As the sun set outside—

[Upgrade complete.]

[‘Adamantium Pickaxe’ obtained.]

Success.

[Adamantium Pickaxe]

Type: Pickaxe

Grade: SSS

Restriction: Level 30+, Miner 1

Description: Crafted by Hephaestus’ descendant for Miner 1 using the finest adamantium.

Attack: 600

Abilities:

1. Mining – Greatly increases attack power against ores or ore-type monsters.
   
2. Miner – Greatly improves ore quality and quantity when using mining skills.
   
3. Focused Strike – Damage increases with each hit on the same spot.
   
4. Anti-Magic – Cannot use mana but negates and destroys magical elements.
   
5. Adamantium – Absolutely unbreakable.
   

SSS-grade pickaxe, Adamantium Pickaxe.

Except for the anti-magic effect from adamantium’s nature, all abilities aided mining.

Mining and Miner were expected, plus Focused Strike suited mining’s repetitive strikes.

Even the rare Absolutely Unbreakable found in top adamantium gear.

Most importantly—

“Attack power 600?”

Insane.

600?

Was this even possible?

The Golden Axe I made for Zone 3’s boss had 400 attack.

This, at a similar level restriction, hit 600.

Even for a slow weapon like a pickaxe, this was unreal.

Looking at it, I briefly considered using it myself.

“Thank you.”

“Uh… yeah.”

Before I could finish, Miner 1 grabbed it.

A bit disappointing, but it was right.

He’d swing it far more than I would.

“Like it?”

“I love it. With this, I can keep mining.”

“Not yet. Lie down.”

“Thank you.”

Gleaming eyes.

Or rather, the eerie gaze of a Living Armor fixed on the pickaxe.

He wanted to rush to the mine, but we weren’t done.

Only one item was upgraded.

High attack was great, but low defense could mean melting to a single hit from the strengthened golems.

“Might as well upgrade everything!”

[Using Upgrade Skill.]

But—

Laying Miner 1 down to hammer felt…

Like I was some mad scientist from a movie.

Miner 1 was successfully upgraded.

From the pickaxe to all mining workwear.

Other gear didn’t reach SSS-grade, but I raised level restrictions, boosting per-level defense.

Adding various materials improved overall performance.

[Entered Hephaestus’ Mine.]

Time to face the strengthened golems.

With the mine’s 16-hour daily limit, upgrading Miner 1 for over six hours let me reopen the entrance.

“I’ll take the lead.”

“Confident, huh?”

“I can defeat them now.”

Miner 1 strode forward boldly.

But I noticed something off from the start.

“Was the mine always this big?”

Zone 1’s ceiling, once just high enough for a pickaxe swing, was taller.

Stretching, it was over a meter higher.

The passage’s width, too.

The whole mine felt expanded.

“Huh? That passage wasn’t there before, right?”

“When the golems strengthened, a tectonic shift created it.”

“Why didn’t you report it?”

“You didn’t ask, so I didn’t.”

“…Right.”

Not reporting unless asked.

Classic Living Armor thinking.

I’d thought they’d grow more human with time.

Still a long way off.

“We’ll check that passage too.”

A new passage.

If it was just another mine section, fine, but my ex-basement-gamer instincts screamed.

Something was there.

That passage was the start of new content.

“So when do the golems show up?”

“I encountered them right—”

Boom.

The ground shook.

Speak of the devil.

A massive shadow approached from the corner ahead.

Just its silhouette hinted at its size.

Grind—

An ore golem appeared, its stones scraping with a deafening roar.

As Miner 1 said, it was over 1.5 times larger.

Its doubled width made it feel even bigger.

Overwhelming presence.

Aside from Red Wyverns, I’d never faced such a monster, stepping back instinctively.

“Mining begins.”

Clang!

Miner 1 charged at the golem.

Wielding my upgraded adamantium pickaxe.

His eyes brimmed with trust in my gear.