Chapter 51: The Unbreakable Forge

“Hey, wait!”

Given its size, I expected Miner 1 to scout first.

I didn’t think he’d charge in.

Probably because of my initial order: “Miner 1, Zone 1’s yours.”

Grind!

Rounding the corner, the ore golem spotted Miner 1 charging.

As before, it didn’t retreat.

But something was different.

Previously, ore golems raised arms to defend.

Whoosh!

Now, it swung its arm at Miner 1.

That attack likely dealt critical damage before.

But Miner 1 was different now.

Fully upgraded, he was leagues stronger.

And he wouldn’t fall to the same attack twice.

Clang!

He didn’t dodge—he countered.

His pickaxe met the golem’s massive arm.

An arm like a boulder swung at him.

A childish attack by pickaxe standards.

The clash echoed through the mine.

A brief standoff.

Then—

Crack!

The golem’s arm shattered, not Miner 1.

A rock-like arm that would’ve crushed him before broke with one swing.

The power of the Adamantium Pickaxe.

High base damage, boosted by mining skills and ore-type enemy bonuses—his attack power far exceeded his level.

“As expected of Master’s upgraded weapon.”

Satisfied, Miner 1 marveled at his pickaxe and dove into the golem’s reach.

The golem, off-balance from its broken arm, couldn’t react.

Thud!

Miner 1’s pickaxe struck its chest.

He’d said his first attack barely scratched it.

Now—

Crack!

One hit drove the pickaxe a third into its chest, cracks spiderwebbing outward.

And—

Hiss—

A sound like something leaking, with blue particles escaping the wound.

What were those?

Grind…

The golem’s light dimmed, its shoulders slumped.

It still moved, but slower.

At first, I was confused, but then—

“Mana?”

I guessed the blue particles’ nature.

The Adamantium Pickaxe’s Anti-Magic ability.

It likely disrupted the mana powering the golem.

Thud!

Another swing at the weakened golem.

Focused Strike boosted damage, driving the pickaxe deeper.

After several more hits—

The struggling golem, unable to act, collapsed.

Boom.

Cracks spread from its chest, and it fell.

Honestly, it was hard to believe Miner 1 was once beaten and ejected.

This was overwhelming.

Miner 1 emerged unscathed.

“You okay?”

“Perfectly fine. Thanks to Master’s gear.”

“No joke.”

“I can now fulfill Master’s orders again.”

He calmly collected the golem’s dropped ore.

Its massive size meant a hefty haul.

Watching him skillfully gather it, I thought about expanding subspace bags.

“Wait! What’s that?”

“Which, Master?”

“That ore. Is that…?”

He handed me the ore.

Its faint crimson glow.

The third time seeing it, I knew instantly.

[Adamantium]

“Adamantium!”

The legendary ore.

Only one from Zone 1 before.

Now dropped by a strengthened golem.

Did stronger golems drop adamantium regularly?

“Probably not.”

Even enhanced, they wouldn’t drop legendary ore every time.

Right.

No way.

I knew it, but—

“Let’s hunt another!”

“Understood.”

I couldn’t resist.

Fewer golems than the smaller ones, but not boss-tier, so we soon found another.

Thud!

Miner 1’s relentless combat ensued.

It took longer than with smaller golems, but no scratches meant time didn’t matter.

After it fell—

No adamantium among the drops.

As expected, not every golem dropped it.

But—

“Whoa, this.”

[Mithril]

“Mithril?”

Mithril.

Not as rare as adamantium, but still precious.

Dropped on the second hunt.

I pieced it together.

“Higher-tier ore drop rates increased.”

Stronger golems meant better ore.

No other explanation.

Stronger golems were a concern, but better drops balanced it.

After all—

I wasn’t fighting.

The mine was on auto-hunt lately.

“Miner 1, can you handle Zone 1?”

“Of course.”

“If it gets dangerous, don’t fight—escape. I’ll upgrade you again.”

“Understood.”

“Also, scout the expanded areas. Make a map if you can, and report anything unusual.”

“Understood.”

Orders given.

I’d confirmed the golems’ strength.

“Now for you three.”

Time to upgrade Spinner 1, Lumberjack 1, and Tanner 1.

The new adamantium went to—

[Crafting complete.]

[‘Adamantium Axe’ obtained.]

[Adamantium Axe]

Type: Axe

Grade: SSS

Restriction: Level 30+, Lumberjack 1

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

Attack: 600

Abilities:

1. Lumbering – Greatly increases attack power against plant-type monsters.
   
2. Carpenter – Greatly improves wood quality and quantity when using lumbering 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.
   

Used to upgrade Lumberjack 1’s axe.

Only one adamantium, so Spinner 1 and Tanner 1 got top-tier alternatives.

Wooden golems needed stronger attack power, so I prioritized Lumberjack 1.

With all assistants upgraded and sent back—

[World Tree Branch]

[Thread of Space]

The rarity of incoming materials noticeably spiked.

More ore filled their subspace bags faster.

At this rate, transporting ore would take longer than mining.

“Crafting.”

Time for new subspace bags.

[Using Production Skill.]

[Select the shape of the item to craft.]

“Bag!”

[Specify the details of the bag’s shape.]

Before, I crafted low-grade subspace bags with basic materials and intent.

Now it’s different.

The mine yielded useful materials, and I had funds to buy quality ones.

[Choose the material for the bag.]

First, Thread of Space from Zone 2.

Not adamantium-rare, but rarer than mithril.

Never used it, but its description screamed subspace bag potential.

Plus—

[Goblin Bundle]

Another space-related material from the auction.

And mana stones to sustain subspace, top-grade from Zone 1.

[Crafting begins.]

Clang!

I struck the points.

Space-related materials?

Each hit subtly warped space.

A new sensation sparked curiosity, making me hammer harder.

The warping space settled into the finished bag.

[Crafting complete.]

[‘Ore Subspace Bag’ obtained.]

I got what I wanted.

[Ore Subspace Bag]

Type: Bag

Grade: SS

Restriction: Miner 1

Description: A subspace bag crafted by Hephaestus’ descendant for his assistant, dedicated to ore.

Abilities:

1. Expansion – Holds up to 50 times the volume of ore-type materials.
   
2. Lightweight – Stored ore weighs nothing.
   

SS-grade, but simple.

Expansion.

Holds 50 times the ore volume.

My old subspace pouch was 7 times.

The higher grade and “ore” restriction likely boosted capacity.

“Make ones for the others?”

[Crafting complete.]

[‘Wood Subspace Bag’ obtained.]

[Crafting complete.]

[‘Leather Subspace Bag’ obtained.]

Subspace bags done.

Now my assistants could focus on gathering.

My storage would overflow with materials.