Read Novel Full Chapter 271
Chapter 271
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Chapter 271 – Power Level
“My blacksmithing skill is level 6. With the advanced blacksmith’s blessing, it’s boosted by another +2, and I’ve been crafting decent S-rank gear this whole time.”
“So what does that mean?”
“I can craft perfect gear—up to S rank.”
“Ho, ho, hohoho~!”
First thing in the morning.
I approached Lodge, who was enjoying his morning bath with a mug of beer, claiming it was to sober up. He readily gave me the answer I wanted.
“Why now? Since you didn’t ask, I just assumed you’d heard about me in Valnir.” [T/N: Changed Balnir to Valnir from now on.]
“Eh, no, not at all… I just kinda hesitated, thinking it might be bad to ask.”
“It’s part of my job, so I’m not hiding it. Seriously, you came to see me without knowing that?”
He grumbles something like “Pfft” while rubbing the tip of his nose, but I don’t want to see an old dwarf blush!
Does this mean I can relax about my equipment for now?
I thought he could only craft A-rank equipment, but apparently, he can also craft S-rank equipment. It seems Lodge is actually pretty capable. Well, worrying about that now won’t do any good.
After that, while I was shaking the bathwater, I asked him about this and that. Apparently, he never boosted his blacksmithing skill with prayers. He leveled it up to level 6 purely through hard work and experience.
From childhood, he and others were taught by their parents and elders that developing blacksmithing skills through prayer meant nothing without experience. I think dwarves pass down job-related skills to their children firmly.
Consequently, the contribution points he gained unexpectedly during combat or other opportunities were often used for auxiliary skills, such as Body Strengthening. The path to becoming a skilled blacksmith seemed optimized precisely because dwarves are a race specialized in blacksmithing.
But even knowing that, I deliberately tell him.
“All right, let’s power level.”
“Huh?”
He lets out a completely baffled voice. But since Lodge is a natural-born blacksmith, my resolve doesn’t waver.
I’m going to be grinding skill levels in Palmera anyway.
I expect that Rosberia’s dismantling site will calm down in about a week. Then, I’ll go back to Quoitz to grind money and skill experience until I hit the limit again. Inside Palmera, though, I won’t need to bother with spatial transfers. I can just have him follow me and share the experience with him.
Plus, the area around the base is full of muscle-brained types, and the monsters aren’t that fast.
Here, there’s no need to worry about missing a shot and having Lodge get attacked, so we can focus on power-leveling.
Besides, Lodge is a genuine blacksmith.
I wouldn’t say this if he were a hunter with many skill options or someone who is unsure about their future path. However, since he has decided to make a living solely as a blacksmith, improving his skills through prayers isn’t a waste.
By watching the goddesses’ activities, I figured that out.
Alicia had never built a house before. At first, she clumsily assembled a ramshackle hut that was crooked from the start.
But before I knew it, she had somehow finished a decent little hut, albeit at the cost of many abandoned practice huts. The other five also began to see their half-built homes take shape day by day.
That’s probably because all the goddesses have high Construction levels.
Job-type skills expand your existing knowledge and experience. However, if your skill level is high, you must acquire that knowledge and experience significantly faster than someone with a lower level.
Therefore, if you want to master a single path, it’s more efficient to first raise your base skill level aggressively and aim for a combined “Skill Level 10” with the job blessing.
If your base skill level naturally reaches 10, you can change jobs and reassign the buff’s benefits to a different skill. That way, there is no loss.
Lodge had a quizzical look on his face as if he understood the explanation but didn’t quite grasp it.
“When I got S-rank or SS-rank materials, having a high skill level meant there would be more to gain from them.”
After hearing this, his eyes gleamed, and he immediately retorted,
“Do you have any prospects of getting them?”
“I went to see the boss of the Quoitz Dragon Burial Mountains. I don’t know if I can beat it right away, but I’ll take down that thing eventually. For sure.”
“Oh, ‘Gargouille,’ huh… That brings back memories.”
Lodge downed the beer in his mug in one gulp and stepped out of the bath with a splash.
There was one guy who looked like he was cross-dressing on the lower plateau, but everyone else was male, so it wasn’t a problem.
“Then I’ll go with your plan. Getting my hands on that material is a dwarf’s dream, after all.”
▽ ▼ ▽ ▼ ▽
For the next two days, Lodge and I hunted relentlessly in pairs around the base.
We returned to the warehouse occasionally to add equipment to the furnace for smelting. However, I continued to clear more land by cutting down trees and slaying every monster I encountered.
Lodge stood behind me, surrounded by lumber, watching this scene intently.
As we finished each section, Carla swiftly collected the lumber and monster corpses, while Zeo immediately began processing the wood. All things considered, the expansion work around the base was quite efficient.
“So, can you feel the difference in Agility?”
“Nah. Compared to the beginning, I can’t really tell the difference anymore.”
“Hmm… You can’t tell from the outside either. But, well, maybe we should stop for now?”
Since the inhabitants of this world have no concept of levels, it was all trial and error.
Agility seemed easiest to gauge, so I had Lodge hop side to side right in front of me.
I’m not sure who would find it entertaining to watch a barrel-like little old man hop side to side with a deadpan expression, but it was crucial for measuring progress.
As expected, on day one, his agility stat skyrocketed, turning his hopping into a bouncier, springier movement.
By around noon on day two, his bouncing had grown into a springy leap. After that, however, no major changes were visible.
This meant the explosive growth phase had ended.
The estimated current level is around 50. From here on out, it’s time for serious, steady leveling up.
It’s now just a matter of whether he wants to continue.
At least his overall stats have improved, making him less likely to die. He’s probably earned enough skill points, too.
“All right, then. Let’s head to the nearest church and give it a try.”
I told him that there are people living on the upper plateau, but I can’t exactly say that they’re gods…
If I asked, though, perhaps they might help?
As I pondered such things, Lodge and I teleported to the town of Bezart together.
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