Chapter 39: Flame Artist

Reylin took the miner’s cart for himself.

He drove it secretly to one of the houses, then waited for the hard-working miner to come back to his house. Of course, that was yet another miner that would become a victim of Reylin’s schemes.

He looked at the cart, “It is time to start smelting.” His eyes shifted to the window, and he added, “After some little talk, though.”

A tired miner returned to his house. His whole body smelled worse than the castle in the throne, and he wanted to sink in hot water. It would be best if he could sleep during his bath, but that would be too dangerous!

Nonetheless, the miner wanted a hot bath.

“Uhhh!” All he received was the hot hand on his neck, though.

“Name,” The man in black robes asked.

“Yusuf…” The miner replied hoarsely.

Reylin nodded and dropped the man onto the ground.

He was too exhausted, and it would be pointless to keep him nailed to the wall. His eyes rose to look at the unknown man, and fear rippled within those as well. In such a state, this miner was weaker than a kid.

Reylin said, “I will be using your house for my time here.”

“I will be e-executed if authorities find out!” Yusuf worried about his life the most.

The more he thought about this whole scenario of the bastard using his house, the more he fell into depression, and he nearly brought a knife to his neck.

Reylin stopped him and reassured him, “Life’s hard. Work’s hard. I can make both easier for you, and that is just by giving this necklace to you.”

“I don’t want this!” Yusuf waved his hands, pushing away the demon’s gift.

Rather than working with the bastard and such a cruel person, he would rather die. In fact, Yusuf knew it wouldn’t be him working together but being used instead. Thus, the best choice was to die!

However, Reylin added, “I am not part of the organization that hunts you and your hard work. Even if you kill yourself here, nothing will change. Authorities will think that this is the bastards’ doing, and I will just change the target. If not you, then someone else will take the offer.”

Inwardly, Reylin was quite irritated that he’d ended up in the house of such a righteous miner. After all, it wasn’t so easy to give up on life, and Yusuf seemed more than ready.

It could be part of his exhaustion and the bastards’ assaults, but Reylin’s point didn’t change nonetheless.

“Y-You just want my house… It should be just a few years in prison at most…” At last, Yusuf took the necklace, and the bonuses appeared before his eyes.

In an instant, he forgot about the deal and stared at the bonuses with his lips open.

[The Ohnas’ Necklace.

Necklace made after the God Ohnas, known for his arduous life, even after reaching godhood. By wearing the necklace, you get +100 stamina and higher regeneration. You tire yourself less, and your strength is enhanced by 15%. It can bring a lucky charm.]

Yusuf didn’t know what to say. He was just a mere worker, and such items would have never fallen into his hands. He never ever imagined such treasures, and if he could, he would have already gone out to sell them!

An everyday life without worrying about food and home would be possible for him to sell this item. After all, Yusuf didn’t want a villa or any other grand houses…

“Go and take a bath. You smell worse than shit,” Reylin cut the ‘possible’ thoughts, and he also didn’t coat his words.

His harsh words made Yusuf cough awkwardly, and he apologized, “I will take a bath now…”

“You have ten minutes,” Reylin added.

After ten minutes, Yusuf came out of the bathroom with much better looks. He signed a contract with Reylin, and his life was now one foot in a dark world. At least, that was how Yusuf imagined his current situation.

He was on the border of good and evil!

“All you have to do is keep working. Don’t make anything stupid that would expose me, and just be yourself. You should be more efficient with the necklace, and no one should notice you smuggling some ores for me,” Reylin said, then went to the other room.

Left alone, Yusuf headed to his bed. He hugged the necklace while whispering, “Players are so scary…”

Even if Reylin died now, he would have come for the second and even third time. Once there would be some enmity between them, Yusuf’s life would have never gotten peaceful again…

The players would just come back and hunt the weaker resident.

Yusuf felt so frightened after he’d imagined it!

He shivered on the bed, then swore to work hard with the item he received…

–

Reylin would hunt, and he also would have other miners work for him.

He had around ten items with effects similar to the necklace Yusuf had received from him.

Of course, Reylin wouldn’t share this with Yusuf.

Why would he? Yusuf soon would feel he became the chosen one, and he would work even more efficiently.

Not all items were equal, however.

Yusuf received the best one since he also provided his house for Reylin’s base.

Reylin took one of the ores into his hand, “Fireball.”

It lit up in flames and slowly melted. The fire licked all over the ore, and a rough gem began to protrude from within.

Licking flames slowly revealed the green and far from a polished gem, “It is not broken.”

[Your good mana control has purified the gem!]

[Title: The Smelter User has been granted to you.]

[Jade Healing Gem – +20 INT, Increases the cast healing skills and receiving healing by 25%]

[The gem’s properties become an active skill in jewelry and weapons. It becomes a passive skill in armors. This subject is bound to change based on the crafter’s skill and level. This gem can not be used on its own.]

[Grade: Common.]

[Purification: 100%]

Should the purification drop below 1%, the gem’s buffs would disappear.

Reylin’s items he’d stolen from the Lord Hiba were nearly 100% of the purification, and they were pretty expensive. He had used them for a while already, and a few of them had dropped significantly.

Of course, the gems could be used in many ways.

One could polish them and use them on rings or make the whole necklace out of it.

The blacksmiths could hammer the gem into the weapon or armor and give either passive or active effects.

Tailors also would be able to enhance the clothes through shattered gems.

And many more crafting classes…

In all cases, one would be able to bring back the buffs by sacrificing more gems.

That was why some players focused on the crafting classes. Of course, anyone could get that as a subclass and have some fun with it.

But those who sacrificed a lot of time would reach the highest level and bring the best out of the crafting items.

Reylin took the gem in between his index and thumb, then scrutinized it.

At its 100% purification, the gem looked like jade, and it was beautiful. No lady would refuse such a gem, even in such a poor state.

“Hmm.”

However, the crafting class wasn’t just about item creation.

They didn’t just make the gems usable, but they also gave them meaning.

Any common blacksmith would just melt the gem and apply its effects, but the genuinely skilled ones would give the meaning through every resource!

For example, the melted gem in itself would give its base effects. However, the effects would rise if the blacksmith went for more than just melting and used the gem for the grand appearance. Not only would the weapon be stronger, but its appearance would get better.

One also could add an additional effect through such a ‘meaningful’ process.

Many players paid attention to their items and their looks.

That would soon become the norm.

“Flamethrower.”

Reylin’s lips curved up into a broad smile, and he used the flamethrower on the rough gem. In such a skill, the flame tongues became more precise, and he kept controlling them by moving his hand around and sometimes turning off the skill.

The flame licked the gem around, melting its beautiful but rough form.

At last, Reylin’s flames stopped, and the silence returned to the room.

Reylin brought his first gem closer to the lamp, and he inspected it, “Better than I thought…”

[You have created the Jade Crown Ring.]

[Jade Crown Ring – INT +100, Increases the cast healing skills and receiving healing by 40%. Unique Passive Skill – The King’s Aura.]

[The King’s Aura – Hostile monsters won’t attack you immediately. If there’s a gap bigger than 10 levels, the monsters will avoid you. Stronger monsters will be warier about you.]

Reylin’s Jade Crown brought out that passive effect!

He had never crafted such items in his whole life, but it seemed like a bit of experience with bomb creation had helped him.

He didn’t stop with that gem!

[You have received the new class – Flame Artist.]

[You have created the Crown Ring Blueprint.]

Reylin tried to create something else, for example, the common ring.

And that was when the first problem occurred.

The Crown Ring was a perfect creation, but following it, other results were below mediocre. It was as if Reylin couldn’t create the perfect items such as his first creation!

He chuckled, “Flames rarely disappoint. If they do, they need a spanking.” Having said this, Reylin used more flames and completely exhausted his mana!

In a way, it was like a spanking, but Reylin just melted more ores and tried to level up his new class genuinely.