After completing a series of nial delivery quests, August felt the rewards were starting to look ager compared to the effort he was putting in.
He knew that higher-paying quests with worthy rewards existed, but most of them required a team to tackle. Unfortunately, none of his newfound friends were online, and he was left to search solo.
Forming a temporary team wasn't convenient either, as players usually avoided teaming up with a level 20 unless they were in the sa range.
Determined to find sothing more substantial, August scoured the streets of Tagharuim Kingdom, looking for any hint or rumor about solo quests. After almost an hour of fruitless searching, he overheard a group of players chatting excitedly nearby.
"...yeah, a new hidden passageway was found in the mining tunnels," one of them voice brimd with excitent.
"An NPC forger is there," another player added. "People say he might give out so kind of unique quest, but no one's been able to make him talk yet."
August's ears perked up. 'A hidden passageway? An NPC with potentially high rewards? This could be it.'
The players continued, "Apparently, there's a specific action that triggers dialogue with the NPC, but no one's figured it out yet. He just sits there, ignoring everyone who tries to talk to him."
With his curiosity piqued, August decided to head to the mining tunnels and try his luck.
If it ant a chance at a quest with decent rewards, he was willing to experint with any action that might prompt the NPC to respond.
...
...
The mining tunnels which were usually not so crowded happened to be bustling today.
Players gathered at the entrance to a hidden passage that led to a dimly lit forge where the elusive NPC was said to dwell.
It was an old man with a long white beard and a muscular build. He sat hamring away at a piece of tal. His face was covered in soot, and his clothes were worn but sturdy, typical of a seasoned blacksmith.
Above his head hovered the na, Sir Dumblore, indicating he was no ordinary NPC.
Players stood around, trying different actions in a desperate attempt to get him to respond. One player waved his arms animatedly, trying to catch the NPC's attention.
Another player dropped valuable items on the ground in front of him as an offering, hoping it might trigger a response. A third player tried sothing more aggressive, swinging his sword as if to provoke him.
Sir Dumblore didn't flinch. His steely gaze was fixed on the task at hand, hamring and crafting as though the players didn't exist. But when one player got too close and attempted to strike him, the NPC turned and gave a withering glare that sent the player stumbling back, intimidated by the NPC's sheer presence.
August observed the chaos for a mont, amused by the variety of tactics players were trying. But he quickly realized that no one was making progress, and even after testing a few actions himself, he was left as clueless as the rest.
For over an hour, August tried everything he could think of. He waved, he called out, and he even attempted to mimic so of the forging movents he had seen other players do. Nothing worked. Gradually, players began to give up, grumbling as they left the passageway one by one.
In ti, only a few players remained, each equally frustrated. August sighed, feeling a wave of disappointnt settle over him. "What am I missing?" he wondered while glancing at Sir Dumblore, who continued his work in silence.
Frustrated and feeling a little defeated, August decided to relax for a bit.
He walked over and sat down beside Sir Dumblore with a sigh but soon his gaze was drawn to the old forger's hands as they skillfully hamred the tal.
August didn't say a word; he simply watched.
As ti passed, he noticed small details in the way Sir Dumblore worked. The man's movents were deliberate, especially with how he carved magic symbols into certain tools.
August realized that Dumblore wasn't just hamring away at random—there was a rhythm, a deep focus that bordered on ditation. The NPC was entirely absorbed in his craft, almost as if it were a ritual.
With nothing else to try, August continued to watch the blacksmith's work. Over the next hour, he found himself strangely fascinated.
The repetitive clang of tal beca almost hypnotic, drawing him deeper into a quiet understanding of the forging process.
Slowly, he started to feel as if he was learning, simply by watching. He noticed the way Sir Dumblore would examine the tal, pausing occasionally as if considering each step with care.
It was as if Dumblore respected the material he was working with, treating each piece as sothing precious.
After a few more minutes, a notification popped up in his line of sight, making his eyes widen.
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