Mana Stones were an essential resource in Eldoria, powering everything from household appliances to massive city-wide formations. They came in four distinct grades based on size and mana capacity: Low, Mid, High, and Peak.
Low-grade mana stones, no bigger than pebbles, were the most common. They powered small appliances, enchanted tools, and basic household utilities. Affordable and widely available, each stone cost only 10 Relies.
Mid-grade mana stones were slightly larger and more potent, used in workshops, small-scale magic formations, and mid-tier equipment. Each one was priced around 50 Relis, offering a stronger, more stable energy source.
High-grade mana stones, however, were in a league of their own. Rare and powerful, they fueled airships, industrial-level magic equipment, and advanced formations. Most shops didn't carry them—they were either auctioned or distributed through special channels.
As for Peak-grade mana stones, they were strategic treasures, strictly reserved for military use and large-scale defensive arrays capable of shielding entire cities. The government regulated their distribution tightly, making them nearly impossible to acquire through ordinary means.
Alex had managed to procure both low and mid-grade mana stones, though it had cost him a small fortune—100,000 Relis for 10,000 low-grade stones and another 100,000 Relis for 2,000 mid-grade ones, totaling 200,000 Relis.
Thankfully, the system shop accepted mana stones just like monster cores, allowing him to convert them into Shop Coins (SC).
But the exchange rate was… odd.
He fed the system 10,000 low-grade mana stones and received 1,000 SC in return—a clean, straightforward exchange. But when he sold 2,000 mid-grade mana stones, the system credited him with 4,783 SC.
Alex frowned. "Huh?"
Tapping on the transaction log, he scrutinized the breakdown.
"Why is this such an uneven number?" he muttered, eyes narrowing.
The answer was clear: the conversion wasn't fixed. Each mid-grade stone had a slightly different value—some yielded 2.5 SC, while others ranged from 2.1 to 2.7 SC, depending on quality and mana density.
"Looks like the system calculates value based on quality." he concluded, rubbing his chin.
Unlike the almost-identical low-grade stones, mid-grade ones varied significantly in purity and power, which affected their worth.
"That's pretty stingy," Alex exhaled, shaking his head. "It tracks everything down to the decimal. Not even a fraction of a freebie."
Still, there was no point in complaining. He had coins now. That was what mattered.
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[Shop Coins: 190→5973]
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"At least I've got some SC to work with," he muttered, closing the interface. "Time to see what I can buy."
With more than enough Shop Coins at his disposal, Alex turned his attention back to the Skills tab.
He wasted no time purchasing the three D-rank skills that had caught his eye earlier: Monster Insight, Sixth Sense, and Tracking Mark.
They weren't flashy, but they were practical—especially for someone about to venture into the wilderness. These weren't combat-focused abilities, but they offered valuable utility—the kind that could easily mean the difference between life and death.
With most of his SC spent, he couldn't afford any more D-rank skills, so he switched back to the Potions tab. One item lingered in his mind: the Basic Healing Potion.
He'd been skeptical about the price earlier, but after selling the mid-grade mana stones and seeing the SC return, his opinion shifted. It no longer felt overpriced. In fact, it felt... fair.
'So the system's exchange rate isn't that bad after all.' he thought. 'Mid-grade mana stones go a long way.'
Without further hesitation, he selected the potion and tapped "Purchase."
A soft light shimmered in front of him, and the item materialized in his hand.
It was a glass vial, small but elegant. The craftsmanship was leagues above the usual market fare—sturdy, refined, and flawless. Inside, the liquid was crystal clear, swirling with a faint golden shimmer that seemed almost alive.
"Huh…" Alex turned it in his fingers, intrigued.
Aurora floated over for a better look. Her eyes widened the moment she saw it. "This… this is incredible."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "What? It's just a healing potion."
She shook her head, visibly awestruck. "No, Alex. This isn't just a healing potion. The purity… it's flawless. I mean literally flawless. 100%."
"Wait, seriously?"
Aurora nodded. Even the best alchemists can't achieve this. Top-tier potions hover around 90% purity—95% if you're lucky. The theoretical limit is 99%, and even that's considered legendary. But this? No impurities at all.
Alex blinked, turning the vial over in his hand again—now with a newfound sense of appreciation. "So it's not just instant… it's perfect."
"Exactly," Aurora said, still gazing at it like it was a divine artifact. "No residue. No aftereffects. No impurities. It's alchemy perfected."
Alex let out a low whistle, genuinely impressed. "Well damn… I guess the system doesn't half-ass things."
He carefully stored the vial away. He didn't need it now, but having it on hand could be a literal lifesaver. In a deadly battle—where seconds could mean everything—this potion could bring him back from the brink, instantly. No delays. No downtime.
'System, your products are definitely worth it.' He couldn't help but smirk.
Thinking about the potion's quality reminded Alex of something else—the Black Iron Sword.
A sigh escaped his lips.
It had been the first weapon he ever received from the system—a simple gift, meant for a beginner. It wasn't enchanted or flashy, but it was reliable, elegant, and sturdy. It had served him well.
Until the day it broke.
The memory returned, unbidden: the A-rank monster crawling out of the rift, its massive form oozing malice. In a moment of desperation, Alex had charged at it—Black Iron Sword in hand.
He remembered the crack. The feeling of his blade striking the monster's hide…And shattering like glass. The weapon hadn't stood a chance.
A few days ago, he'd visited a renowned blacksmith alongside his master—a dwarf, naturally, with a reputation that spanned across the region.
The blacksmith examined the fragments of the sword with a critical eye. His rough, calloused thumb brushed over the broken hilt.
"Such fine craftsmanship…" the dwarf muttered, voice low and thoughtful. "This ain't like anything I've ever seen. Who made this?"
Alex shrugged. "A… friend."
The dwarf grunted, clearly regretful. "Pity. It's broken clean through the mana channels. Can't fix it. Not without the original forge or the forging techniques used to create it."
Alex had expected that answer. Still, hearing it out loud... it stung more than he cared to admit.
Still… an idea had sparked.
He reached into his storage and pulled out a few items gathered from his time in the Poison Mist Forest: A sealed container holding a glowing orb—the Poison Essence Orb—and two jagged, blade-like horns from the Poison Blade Rat King and Queen.
"I was thinking of making a dagger." Alex said, laying the materials out on the forge table.
The dwarf raised an eyebrow. His indifference slowly shifted to interest as he examined the pieces. He picked up the orb with a pair of tongs, holding it toward the light.
"Hoh… now this is rare." He tilted it, eyes narrowing. "Pure poison essence. It's degraded some over time… but it's still potent."
He chuckled to himself, clearly impressed.
Alex hesitated—then placed the broken Black Iron Sword beside the rest of the materials. "Can this be used as the base?"
The dwarf looked at the old blade. Then back at him. Silence stretched for a moment. Then a slow, wide grin split his face. His eyes gleamed like a child handed a new toy.
"Now that's a great idea. We've got fine craftsmanship already—and now I get to add mine to it."
He rubbed his hands together, excitement bubbling in his voice. "You've brought me something interesting, lad."
When Alex returned, he was expecting a dagger. What awaited him, however, was something else entirely.
The dwarf had crafted a unique weapon—a large circular dagger, curved like a crescent moon. It was slightly larger than a standard dagger, somewhere between a short sword and a combat knife. The edge shimmered faintly with a toxic violet hue, and the metal carried the same dark undertones from the Black Iron Sword—as if its essence still lived on in this new form.
"This," the dwarf said proudly, presenting the weapon with a thick cloth wrapped around its hilt, "ain't just a dagger. It's art."
"The orb's essence is fused into the blade's core." the dwarf explained. "Depleted over the years, yeah—but still very venomous. Be careful with it."
Alex gave a small chuckle, then swung the blade once. The arc it traced in the air was fluid, like water, yet carried a weight that promised death.
The grade of a forged item depended primarily on the quality of its materials. Craftsmanship, enchantments, and forging techniques certainly influenced the outcome—but the foundation, the true potential of any weapon, came from what went into it.
His new dagger, forged from remnants of the Black Iron Sword, infused with Poison Essence, and shaped by a master blacksmith, was graded C-rank.
But calling it "just" a C-rank weapon didn't do it justice.
Even the blacksmith had muttered, half to himself, that if not for the limitations of the materials—and his unfamiliarity with the sword's original composition—it might've reached B-rank.
That alone spoke volumes.
But the dagger wasn't his only weapon now.
A slight smirk tugged at the corner of Alex's lips as he opened his inventory. Inside was a sword—long, beautifully refined, and S-rank.
It had been a gift from Alicia, given to him on their last day together, just before he left for the academy.
She owned several S-rank swords—her private collection was the stuff of legends. Each weapon bore its own history, and most were too powerful, too demanding, or too attuned to her own aura.
To wield one of Alicia's main blades would've been like asking a child to tame a wild beast.