I returned to the fire at the entrance of the Garnet Grotto quite quickly, only two hours after the first rays of the rising sun appeared above the horizon.
Katashi didn't waste time idly sitting by the fire. Instead of resting and relaxing, he was practicing, cycling through sets of exercises from earth kendo. Of course, the Japanese noticed me as soon as I emerged from the forest thicket, but he didn't interrupt his training, finishing the kata before approaching me. Stopping a couple of meters from the fire, Katashi tried to read something on my face, but, as expected, he couldn't and, with a slight puzzlement, tilted his head and raised his right eyebrow.
Picking up a small stick from the ground and tossing it into the coals, I sighed heavily, clicked my tongue as if in doubt, and then gestured for the blacksmith to sit down.
"The news isn't the best, I take it." The Katashi I remembered, thanks to the "memory of the future," probably wouldn't have spoken first in such a situation. It seemed his character had not yet acquired the tough traits that the "past me" knew.
"There is news that is both bad and relatively good," and then, defying the listener's expectations, I added: "But let me start from the beginning. I managed to find the regional sheriff quite quickly; he indeed lives in the settlement you pointed out. Since we can broadly be considered colleagues, I was able to find full mutual understanding with the local law enforcement representative. Let me say right away: our speculations that the usual schedule of the tunnelers working in this region has changed were correct. The reason for this disruption is that two days ago, one of the members of the local squad received news that his father had suddenly passed away. And since the deceased lived not even in the Rur region but somewhere much further north, just the one-way journey will take no less than five days. Plus, the time for the funeral and the return trip. And since the places where the burial ritual will take place are considered not the most peaceful and even wild, four of his colleagues volunteered to accompany the tunneler going to the funeral."
Raising my gaze from the coals of the fire, I looked into Katashi's eyes.
"Usually, in a similar situation, when one group for some reason skips clearing 'their' dungeons for more than a week, they, in the language we're accustomed to, 'rent out' these dungeons to their neighbors. And this makes sense in its own way, as it allows not to lose as much money as would have been the case with a regular skip of a whole weekly cycle of clearings."
The Japanese nodded in agreement, accepting the argument heard.
"The local group lives off three dungeons of Wootz Rank. The head of the squad did not go to the funeral; instead, he went to negotiate with the neighbors. And he managed to, as they say, 'offload' two out of the three dungeons. Yet, the last one he decided not to rent out for a weekly lease." Clicking my tongue, I asked a largely rhetorical question: "Guess which dungeon the head of the local tunnelers found profitable to leave idle?"
"Obviously, the Garnet Grotto," Katashi's face remained impassive, but I thought I detected a hint of a smile in his voice. Though it might have been my imagination, it can be tricky to read the emotions of the Japanese. "If the answer had been different, you wouldn't have structured your story this way." Noticing my nod, the blacksmith lifted his chin and added, "I can even guess what led to such a decision."
"Go on," I leaned forward with feigned curiosity, encouraging the blacksmith to speak.
"I think it's because the Garnet Grotto is where moonstones are mined. They're not the main resource extracted from the dungeon, but they're a significant part of the loot. And considering the current high demand for moonstones and their skyrocketing prices, it's more profitable for the tunnellers to skip clearing it. This allows them to maintain and even enhance the hype around the stones. Moreover, if they allowed their neighbors into the Grotto, it would temporarily disrupt the local monopoly on moonstones."
"Of course, nobody told me this directly, but I came to similar conclusions." Moreover, it took me much longer to understand and analyze the situation than it did for Katashi, but I omitted that detail.
"Since you're not packing your things to head back," this time, the smile in the Japanese's tone was unmistakable, "there's something else, isn't there?"
"Correct. At my request, the regional sheriff arranged a meeting for me with the head of the local tunnellers, and we had a quite substantive conversation. I made him an offer he couldn't refuse." The smile on my face was reminiscent of a predator's grin.
"To clear the Garnet Grotto, the three of us?" Katashi speculated. "You, me, and the head of the local group."
"You almost guessed right," I said, not bothering to hide the amusement dancing in my eyes. "But few experienced tunnelers would dare to clear a Wootz dungeon in an incomplete group, especially with strangers. The potential profit isn't worth the risks."
"So, it's just you and me," concluded the blacksmith, with not a trace of fear in his voice, only the reasonable doubt of a sensible person. "Do you need Achievements that badly?"
"If we do everything right, we'll each get at least one Sapphire Achievement out of it. And we both benefit. I get an Achievement, and you're in double luck since you'll find the gems you need. Also, we shouldn't entirely ignore the financial gain."
"I don't think the risk is justified." I was prepared for this response; after all, I was dealing with Katashi, not Nate, who would have agreed to such a proposal immediately.
"Risk?" Picking up the spear-crowbar from the ground, I tossed it into the air, its weight seemingly insignificant in my hands. "I won't say there isn't any. There's always a risk, even just going out for bread. The question is how big it is. Through the visualization of my Achievements, you've seen how many dungeons I've cleared alone. As for the Garnet Grotto, given the details I've learned about this dungeon, I estimate my chances of clearing it alone are around seventy percent." In truth, my real assessment was fifty-fifty, but I allowed myself a bit of exaggeration. "The trolls, as we suspected, are made of magic-animated granite, and as you know, this type of stone is quite susceptible to the Des Rune. Moreover, while they are incredibly strong and durable, they are quite clumsy and have one weakness." Without delay, I clarified, "They prefer to attack with a charge, and if you dodge, they'll crash into the cave walls and be stunned for a while. The local tunnelers exploit this weakness to kill these monsters. They need to perform this maneuver several times to significantly harm a granite troll, but in my case, a single attempt will suffice."
"If it's that easy..." With those words, Katashi jokingly bowed as if inviting me to approach the Gate alone.
"I didn't say 'easy'," I ignored his invitation and stayed put, "but outlined a possibility. Besides granite trolls, the dungeon is home to other monsters. And as much as I'd like to achieve an even higher-ranking Achievement, I won't go into the Garnet Grotto alone, without a partner to watch my back."
"You know, the local system of Achievements definitely has certain advantages indeed," Katashi said, looking up at the sky. "If you've achieved something, you can provide others with proof by visualizing the Sign of the corresponding Achievement. And your Signs, confirming that you've single-handedly cleared about a dozen dungeons, are, to put it mildly, impressive." That's what I was counting on by showing them. Looking up, Katashi met my eyes. "So, which Achievement rank were we talking about again, if we clear a dungeon together?"
"At least Opal, which is one rank above normal. And if we manage without using alchemy, it will most likely be a Sapphire-level Achievement. Such a 'reward' for passing is due to Wootz dungeons being much more difficult to clear with a small number of people than Bronze or Iron ones, let alone Copper." Slamming my "spear" into the ground, leaving it standing like a pole without a flag, I shrugged and asked, "So, what should I tell Master Ilakris, the head of the local tunnellers?"
Actually, I didn't care about those potential Achievements. I considered them merely a minor bonus. What was far more important to me was to go through the dungeon with Katashi. I was confident that during such a duo clearing, especially when one of the fighters was not very experienced in this matter, I would at least once get a chance to save the life of the future God of Labor. However, if such a situation did not arise throughout the entire run, it could always be orchestrated. Not very fair, of course, but my conscience was prepared to turn a blind eye to that. As for the real risk assessment, I would not have embarked on such an adventure with anyone else. Except maybe with Nate or Arien, who, like Katashi, possessed the inherent luck of Shards. Or with Ronin, whose skill, in this case, easily substituted for any Shard's fortune.
In reality, I wasn't sure the blacksmith would agree. The Katashi I "remembered" from the Last Cycle, completely confident in his abilities and knowing exactly what he was capable of, would have agreed. But this Katashi had not yet understood his capabilities, did not realize how much he differed from others, and how much more he was given. Thus, he could well refuse. I could no longer influence his decision on this matter, and all that was left for me was to wait.
"What financial gain did you mention?" the Japanese asked after a brief thought.
"All the gems we mine will be appraised at last month's prices, after which two-thirds of the sum will go to us and one-third to Master Ilakris. Alas, the Garnet Grotto is not known for stable yields, and the quantity and quality of the gems mined there vary each time. So, it's difficult to name a specific amount. For example, one might find a single pure and large garnet worth a fortune, or just come out with a few cracked shards that are almost worthless. And, unfortunately, the latter happens much more often... Master Ilakris will undertake the assessment of the mined gems personally, supervised by the regional sheriff, so there's no need to worry about deception in this matter. But in any case, I've arranged for two moonstones, each no larger than the nail of your index finger, to go to us - if we find them, of course.
"It's a pity that the income is hard to predict," the Japanese said, bowing his head. "After dealing with the current order, I was planning to conduct several experiments with valirium and avalonium. And to say that these materials are expensive is an understatement."
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Yawning as if tired from this conversation, I nodded toward the Gate and said:
"I still haven't heard your answer."
"I was going to test my new armor in action anyway," Katashi patted the front plates of his armor with his palm and added, "so why not do it now?"
"In that case, before we enter the Grotto, there are a couple of details left to settle," saying this, I waved my hand toward the forest and loudly whistled, then explained to the blacksmith, who looked at me puzzled: "I didn't come alone but with the head of the local group and the sheriff, though I asked them to stand back a bit." And cutting off any possible objections from the Japanese, I added, "We need to observe certain formalities."
Katashi readily accepted this argument, and his posture became noticeably less tense. Meanwhile, a pair of middle-aged men emerged from the forest. As they approached closer, following the local customs of politeness, I gestured with my palm toward the Japanese:
"Allow me to introduce, master blacksmith Kay, Wootz Rank. Despite his youth, his title is fully deserved." Having presented the Japanese, I turned to the newcomers and introduced them to Katashi. "Sheriff Romer, Steel Rank. Master Ilakris, captain of the tunnellers."
Both newcomers looked at us with curiosity, one might even say, impudently examining us. It was understandable; it's not every day you meet those who are so recklessly, by local standards, planning to conquer a dungeon of Wootz Rank with just the two of them. Accustomed to being underestimated due to his youth, Katashi took these looks calmly, even indifferently.
Having finished the introductions, I stated the terms of the agreement, which had already been preliminarily discussed. After that, under Romer's attentive gaze, Kay and I shook hands with Ilakris. Then, the captain of the tunnellers described the peculiarities of the Garnet Grotto to us and told us about the habits of the creatures dwelling there.
In addition to the granite trolls and stone spiders Katashi was aware of, the dungeon was home to other creatures just as dangerous, such as marble frogs. These were large monsters, about the size of a cart, very cumbersome but capable of spitting stones with deadly force, so powerful that even the sturdiest shields couldn't withstand their "spits." According to Ilakris, they were very "unpleasant" monsters, possibly even more dangerous than granite trolls. But the most commonly encountered creatures in the Grotto turned out to be so-called rockjaws. By description, these were "animated" massive boulders covered with a dense layer of moss. Unlike regular boulders, they could roll and jump on their own and immediately attacked people as soon as they were noticed. Not only could they easily knock a person down and break their bones, but they also had large mouths full of sharp stone teeth, capable of chewing off a hand or even biting through a sword blade. The list of creatures inhabiting the Grotto was completed by the so-called Gray Moss. It looked like ordinary vegetation covering the rocks abundantly, but with the distinction that touching it would instantly put a person to sleep, making them easy prey for other creatures. Stone spiders also used this Gray Moss, dropping chunks of it from above. This happened almost silently, and even local tunnellers sometimes fell victim to such ambushes. If it weren't for comrades waking those affected by the Gray Moss, casualties would have been inevitable. Because of such ambushes, clearing the Garnet Grotto with less than a full group was considered utter madness. For example, in Ilakris's squad, one fighter was always assigned to watch the cave ceilings and raise the alarm if any movement was detected.
As Ilakris continued his story, Katashi's face grew darker and darker. I'm sure if he had known these details in advance, he would likely have declined our expedition. But now, after he had already voiced his decision, it wasn't in his nature to back down. As for me, I wasn't scared by the description of the Grotto's creatures. I considered the marble toads to be the most dangerous, and as for the Grey Moss, it did not cause me much concern. The reason was that, thanks to the "memory of the future," I knew this Moss to be a primitive spawn of Darkness, and it could easily be detected with Light magic, even something as simple as the "Flashlight" spell I knew. Moreover, unlike the rest of the Grotto's "fauna," this moss could be burned. And Katashi, although he didn't mention it, definitely knew Fire Magic and mastered at least a couple of spells of this Element. I was sure of that.
When Ilakris finished speaking, I pulled out a couple of metal goblets from my bag, the ones I had found in the ruined Temple of Magevra, and handed them to the captain of the tunnellers with the words:
"A pledge, as we agreed."
Upon receiving the vessels, Ilakris immediately brought one of them to his ear and flicked it with his fingernail. The light ring he heard brought a smile to his face, and the captain of the tunnellers nodded to the sheriff, thereby confirming that all formalities and preliminary agreements were honored.
Waving to Katashi, I picked up my backpack, pulled the spear-crowbar from the ground, and, with a slight bow to Ilakris and Romer, confidently headed toward the dungeon Gate. The blacksmith, correctly interpreting that the conversation was over, followed me without falling a step behind. We touched the Symbol of the Gate practically simultaneously.
"Two out of twelve?" A message immediately appeared before my inner eye, and upon receiving agreement, the Gate obediently let us into the dungeon.
The Garnet Grotto greeted us with almost complete darkness and utter silence. This transition from the daytime noise of the forest's edge to practically dead silence made me cough involuntarily. Katashi, on the other hand, seemed completely calm, but it was most likely just his usual mask of indifference. I'm sure deep down, the Japanese felt uneasy at that moment, too.
"Let's drop our backpacks here; we'll come back for them after the clearing," I whispered low, as if afraid to disturb the surrounding silence. "We'll only take the essentials, potions included."
After some thought, I left at the entrance not only my backpack but also the Striking Whisper, preferring to use the spear-crowbar as a weapon for this expedition. If anything were to go wrong and I changed my mind, I could always come back here and retrieve Whisper. Peering into his backpack, Katashi didn't rummage for long before pulling out a pair of small, semi-transparent flasks with a greenish liquid inside and immediately handed one to me, saying:
"I didn't think it would come in handy, took it just in case, it's a potion of magical awakening, helps against induced sleep and the like."
"Thanks, I don't have one of those." Since I almost always traveled alone, such a potion was largely useless to me, so I never considered buying it.
Carefully and securely tying his backpack, the Japanese leaned it against the cave's stone wall and, intently looking at the Gate's sign, said:
"For some reason, I had an impression that the moment we entered, those two, the sheriff and the head of the tunnellers, immediately made a bet on whether we'll clear the dungeon or perish…"
"If you want to bet with me on this topic, I'll pass," I replied to the smith with a smirk, "because I don't just 'have an impression,' I'm almost certain of it."
"And who among them then bets on us?" the Japanese asked, adjusting his shield more comfortably.
"The sheriff," there was not a trace of doubt in my tone, "but Master Ilakris, knowing what we will face from his own experience, is sure that two people, even very skilled and experienced, are not enough for the Garnet Grotto."
"That's not very inspiring." Katashi grimaced. "I'd feel more at ease if the sheriff was betting against us."
However, the Japanese's concern was not apparent. His face maintained complete serenity, and the blacksmith's movements were smooth and measured.
"By the way," the Japanese casually said before we moved forward, "what pledge did you give to Master Ilakris?"
"Something he'll keep if we don't return from the Grotto." And then I added, admitting: "Without such a pledge, he refused to let us into the Garnet Grotto."
"Strange," Katashi sharply turned around and unabashedly stared into my eyes, "somehow, I think that two ordinary steel goblets, worth a silver coin a dozen, couldn't possibly satisfy someone as such a pledge."
"Pf-f-f," I sighed, rolling my eyes, then stepped towards my belongings. "As I said before, it's easier to show once than explain ten times." Taking one of the goblets from the bag, I threw it to the Japanese. "You call yourself a master blacksmith, don't you?" I asked with a smirk, then added, "If you don't get it, don't hesitate to ask again."
Catching the thin-walled metal goblet in his left hand, Katashi brought it close to his eyes, and a magical flame appeared in his right palm. For almost a minute, the Japanese examined the vessel, and the longer he looked, the more he frowned. Then, he tapped the goblet's side with his nail, as Ilakris had done not long ago. He listened to the melodic ring, frowned even more, and repeated the tap. After listening to the steady ringing again and extinguishing the magical flame in his right hand, he replaced it with the sign of the Metal Rune. Then he touched the goblet with his fingertips as if it were fragile glass. This made me realize that Katashi had never seen avalonium in person before, and I became curious about his conclusion. However, when the blacksmith's examination stretched beyond five minutes, I had to intervene. I coughed and extended my open palm demandingly:
"Of course, I feel guilty for distracting the master from his work, but don't you think that we are currently not in the best place for such research?"
Katashi correctly caught the sarcasm in my voice but didn't show it, just nodded and handed me back the vessel.
"Will you share your impressions?" Leaning forward, I flipped the goblet in my hand and smiled.
"At first glance, this item appears to be skillfully forged from high-carbon steel. But, as I've come to understand, that's far from all. This sample reacts to flows of mana and prana differently than normal or even magically enchanted steel does. Of course, I had little time, but because this sample allows prana to pass through almost without loss, unlike mana, I would venture to guess that this goblet is forged from a material that locals call avalonium."
"I tip my virtual hat to you," I said with a slight bow, without a trace of sarcasm or mockery. "Yes, you are correct, it is avalonium. And considering the price of this material, the two goblets I gave as a pledge completely satisfied Master Ilakris."
"And judging by the jingle I heard in your bag, you have about a kilogram of this stuff?" Barely restraining himself from licking his lips and stepping forward, like a cat that sees its favorite cream, Katashi inquired.
"Nearly one and a half." Untying the bag, I showed the contents to the Japanese before returning the goblet inside. "My plan for the armor was to use avalonium to cover the inner part of the breastplate and reinforce it all with an Ors rune."
"And you're telling me this only now?" The Japanese asked back in a lower, slightly hoarse voice. However, only the change in the tone betrayed his excitement.
"Well…" Shrugging, I threw the bag of avalonium utensils into the half-open backpack, then sharply turned to the blacksmith and, meeting his gaze, calmly said, "You responded so quickly and decisively with a refusal to my offer that I chose not to disclose such details."
"I see. But that was a mistake. Such a detail would likely have changed my decision. I've long wanted to work with a material like avalonium."
"Really?" Standing tall, I looked down at him. "And who told you that I would be interested in handing over such precious material to someone who has never seen it before in their life?"
Actually, I would give all the avalonium to Katashi for free, so to speak, for experiments. Because it would save him a lot of time and resources. But showing a willingness to do that openly on my part would be, to put it mildly, shortsighted and would only cause the Japanese to become wary. After all, we all know where free cheese is and who it's for.
"I would manage," Katashi replied firmly and without a trace of offense, not taking his eyes off me.
"I know you're a good blacksmith and a trained warrior only from your words," I said. With this man, you need to speak directly. That's how he understands best, and unlike many others, he doesn't take offense at this directness, as he's used to taking things as they are. So, I took advantage of this. "The first I cannot verify due to a lack of knowledge, but assessing the second is well within my abilities."
"So you, to check what I'm capable of, arranged this whole expedition?"
I just mentally praised him, but sometimes, he does get carried away with excessive suspicion.
"Arranged? Me? Wait. You were planning to come here even before you saw me. That's one. And two, my motivation is simple..." Gripping the spear-crowbar with both hands, I stepped forward, pushing the Japanese aside with my shoulder. After that, without looking back, I continued, "I need Achievements."