Chapter 57: The Venomous Deluge

• You may not know, but Mir Guild is currently handling the Chukhyang Mountain Gate Break.

“I know.”

How could I not? Hunter News was blaring about it.

The next part echoed the news.

Mir Guild was assigned because attribute magic seemed effective, but fire magic barely worked on the monsters.

Their firepower failed.

So, Mir Guild began analyzing the monsters’ weaknesses.

Water, fire, wind, earth, light, dark, slashing, blunt—every possibility.

• It didn’t take long to find the weakness.
• Please check the attached video.

They’d identified it.

The video showed a black-cloaked mage casting a spell.

Likely a dark mage, they released a purple poison mist toward the monsters.

When it hit a vine—

SCREECH!

The plant-type monster let out an uncharacteristic scream, rotting rapidly.

Fire never caused this reaction.

Even a slight touch of the mist made the vines decay at an alarming rate.

“Poison as a weakness? That’s unusual. But if they know it, why can’t they handle it?”

The weakness was odd, but not insurmountable, right?

As if reading my mind, the message continued.

• You may not know, but poison mages are rare.
• Mir Guild only has two.
• By the time we found the weakness, the monsters’ numbers had grown too large for two mages to handle.

“Oh.”

Poison mages were rare.

News to me.

The rest of the message clarified why Mir Guild urgently contacted me.

• Given this, we request a Poison Orb from you, Vulcanus.
• Our Guild Master, Lee Ga-eul, needs an orb to add poison attributes to their magic.
• This isn’t just for the greater good.
• We’ll compensate generously; just make an orb that adds poison to magic.
• Please, we’re counting on you.

Mir Guild’s leader, Cheongryong, Lee Ga-eul.

Instead of finding more poison mages, he planned to infuse his magic with poison to wipe out the monsters.

“Makes sense. Lee Ga-eul’s magic could pull it off.”

I recalled a recent video of Lee Ga-eul’s magic.

A master of wind and water, his attacks were less potent but had unmatched range.

With a touch of poison, he could topple the mountain’s monsters.

“Let’s do it. Sounds urgent.”

It wasn’t just a charity request.

They’d pay, so no reason to refuse.

Plus, I was uneasy.

Gate issues were escalating noticeably.

A nagging fear of world-ending stakes?

Anyway, that aside.

Time to swing the hammer.

[Using Production Skill.]

[Select the shape of the item to craft.]

“Orb.”

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

Orbs are easy.

Just make them round.

All I needed was a size comfortable to hold.

[Choose the material for the orb.]

Here’s the key.

I hadn’t researched or scoured the auction for this request.

Why?

Thanks to Hamak Mountain’s Gate.

[Sludge Crystal]

[Rotting Mucus]

[Toxic Blood]

Rank 6 Gate monsters, especially their poison, were unparalleled.

Perfect materials for a Poison Orb.

[Crafting begins.]

Clang!

I hammered.

Using Sludge Crystal as the core, I wrapped it with Rotting Mucus.

Then, I infused Toxic Blood inside.

Unlike the Stormy Night orb I made for Lee Ga-eul, where materials blended harmoniously, this time they needed to balance distinctly.

[Progress: 65%…]

Each hammer strike released faint toxic fumes.

They didn’t affect me much, but I covered my mouth with a cloth, just in case, and kept hammering.

[Crafting complete.]

[‘Fetid Crystal’ obtained.]

I made the desired item quickly.

“How’s the situation?”

“We’re holding them from spreading, but we’re at our limit. Mana’s nearly gone.”

“Mana potion distribution?”

“Even after distribution, we’re here. Should we pull back?”

“No. They’re growing too fast. Retreat now, and we’ll face a mountain range of them next.”

Lee Ga-eul shook his head.

He gazed at the monsters overtaking the mountain.

Magic was holding them for now, but they’d grow stronger with time.

A mere Rank 5 monster could ruin Korea.

“But at this rate…”

“What about the urgent request?”

“It won’t make it in time. Even a master smith can’t craft such an item in under an hour—”

“Guild Master!”

Clatter!

Someone burst into Mir Guild’s tent.

Lee Sae-bom, handling Vulcanus contact, held a grimly glowing orb.

“The item’s done!”

“No way! In under an hour? It must be subpar!”

A guild member talking with Lee Ga-eul checked the orb’s info.

His eyes widened in shock.

“This…”

[Fetid Crystal]

Type: Orb

Grade: SSS

Restriction: Level 100+, Mage

Description: Crafted by Hephaestus’ heir, a vile crystal of condensed filth and poison.

Abilities:

1. Poison Gas – Adds poison attributes to magic, poisoning enemies.
2. Contamination – Reduces enemies’ magic resistance when poisoned via this orb.
3. Lingering – Poison gas lingers in the spell’s area, poisoning enemies.
4. Malice – Once daily, ‘Malice’ converts a spell’s composition to poison.

An SSS-grade orb, tailored to the request, steeped in poison abilities.

Crafted in under an hour.

The guild member, urging retreat moments ago, had to reconsider.

“Vulcanus… the hype wasn’t enough.”

As he marveled, Lee Ga-eul approached, checking the orb.

Satisfied, he grabbed it and left the tent.

“Mir Guild, pull back!”

“But, Guild Master, if we retreat—”

“Now! That’s an order.”

“Yes!”

Despite the sudden command, Mir Guild withdrew.

The plants seized the chance, vines writhing, roots erupting, trees growing.

Pausing containment briefly, the mountain expanded grotesquely.

Watching, Lee Ga-eul—

Whoosh.

Lifted the orb.

Stormy Night, Vulcanus’ SSS-grade orb.

Its final ability, Stormy Sky, summoned dark clouds over the mountain.

Normally, its range was limited, but Lee Ga-eul poured all his stored mana to maximize it.

The sunny sky darkened, air growing humid as if rain was imminent.

Then—

Exhale…

Lee Ga-eul held the Fetid Crystal in his other hand.

A staff would boost magic power, but power wasn’t the goal.

“Malice.”

The orb’s fourth ability.

Rumble—

It converted the entire cloud’s composition to poison.

Focusing, he cast his prepared spell.

Feeling guilty for his guild’s efforts, he unleashed all his reserved mana.

“Pluvius.”

Named after the ‘God of Rain.’

As Korea’s top mage poured mana into the clouds—

Drip.

A single raindrop fell.

Far from clear, the purple-tinged drop hit the ground, hissing and releasing poison gas.

Then—

Pour—

Poison rain fell from the clouds.

A venomous deluge.

The scene turned purple.

The rain’s range was so vast, the retreating guild barely stood outside it.

But the monsters, trapped within—

SCREECH!

ROAR!

Screamed in agony.

Magic power didn’t matter.

Poison, their bane, melted petals and rotted vines instantly.

They tried hiding, but the rain was inescapable.

“Now! Attack!”

Boom!

Mir Guild joined, providing support fire.

Normally, magic barely dented these monsters, but Stormy Night’s corruption and Fetid Crystal’s contamination amplified damage.

Then—

AAAAHHH—

From Chukhyang Mountain’s center, a monster rose.

Hundreds of vines, far larger and stronger than others.

Clearly the boss.

But even it wasn’t immune to poison rain, its hide rotting.

Boom!

Fleeing down the mountain, it shed rotting stems, growing new ones.

As those rotted, more grew.

The rain shrank its massive form.

Plus—

BOOM!

Mir Guild’s support fire.

By the time the boss reached the mountain’s base—

Hiss—

Only a small, charred seed remained of the once-massive monster.