Chapter 70

Chapter 70: Performance of the Pickaxe, Part 1

Several days had passed since I gave Reiza the gold ingots and had her make a pickaxe. Now, Chloe and I were once again in the dungeon.

Previously, we had managed to conquer up to the 20th floor, and using the transfer magic, we teleported to the 20th floor. From there, we began our dungeon exploration.

However, our objective this time was not conquest; it was to verify the pickaxe's performance.

Instead of descending deeper and deeper, Chloe and I had decided in advance that we would carefully explore each floor and mine if we found a mining area.

"Phew... mining really uses up our stamina..."

"Yeah, I know... but there's something satisfying about getting ores. Especially with gemstones, they're beautiful and make you even happier, so it's fun."

"Ah, I understand. When I manage to cleanly extract an ore, I feel a sense of achievement."

As we proceeded with our mining, we talked about our favorite points for mining while heading towards different mining spots.

After completing the first day of exploration, we returned to the safe zone, set up a small room, and decided to have dinner.

"We spent the whole first day mining. How was it?"

"Using stamina for mining is more than I expected. If we're thinking primarily about conquering, maybe it's better to avoid mining too much. But, I guess on days when we're not focused on conquering, like today, it's good. Mining turned out to be surprisingly enjoyable."

Chloe reflected on the day and expressed her thoughts.

Indeed, when we're focused on conquering, it's hard to find time for mining.

Even if you're used to it, it still takes a few minutes to dig just one ore.

"Not being used to it aside, even if we get used to it, I doubt we'll be able to mine that quickly... Like Chloe said, it's better to decide whether to focus on mining as a main aspect of the dungeon or not."

"But, if we find any rare ores, it might be worth mining."

"Yeah, that's true. During exploration-focused times, we could skip anything other than rare minerals, and if we come across rare minerals, we could mine them."

Discussing our future in this manner, we decided on a watch schedule after dinner and each went to rest.

The next day, unlike the previous day, we began mining in the dungeon from the morning. We stood still in front of a certain mining spot.

"Hey, Jin-kun. That ore over there... it's what I think it is, right?"

"Yeah, no doubt about it... Well, I had heard that this dungeon's ore deposits are good, but I never thought we'd find Mithril on the second day..."

In front of us was a mining point with a rare ore.

Mithril, the magic silver ore.

"... What should we do, Chloe? Should we try mining it?"

"W-Well, I can't do it. Jin-kun, you're better than me, so why don't you give it a try?"

"I'm nervous too..."

Being pushed to mine by Chloe, I stood in front of the mining point where Mithril was buried, holding the pickaxe.

Even in games, this kind of early appearance is rare; why is it showing up in reverse here?

Truly, obtaining the pickaxe from Reiza was the right decision.

"Phew... okay, here we go!"

With renewed determination, I started mining the Mithril.

The trickiest part of mining Mithril is its high mining difficulty.

A single mistake and the Mithril could shatter into useless fragments.

One might wonder if there's even any point if it's so delicate. However, a skilled blacksmith can process Mithril.

Items processed from Mithril have a strong affinity for magic and can easily receive magical enhancements. This quality makes it possible to create weapons and tools imbued with magic effects.

They are primarily used as materials for magic swords or for enhancing defensive magic in games.

"... Phew, it really tests your nerves."

Since there's a risk of it getting shattered if mishandled, I focused even more on mining than when I hunt monsters.

The high performance of the pickaxe and its ease of adjustment with even a little force are truly a lifesaver.

Continuing like this, I mined for about an hour, and finally, I managed to extract the Mithril safely.

"Alright, let's put it into the dimensional box before I accidentally break it."

If I drop it or anything, my efforts will be in vain.

With that thought in mind, I quickly placed the Mithril into the [Interdimensional Box], finally able to catch my breath.

"Jin-kun, great job! You managed to mine Mithril, which even Dwarves find difficult! You're amazing, Jin-kun!"

"Yeah, it took way longer than expected, but I did it... even I'm surprised."

Chloe praised me and gave words of encouragement after I had been mining for an hour. Due to the tension I had been holding, fatigue suddenly hit me, and I ended up sitting on the spot.