Malphegor
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MoP: Ch. 33
🕑 Added 2025-01-19 18:04:27 +0000 UTC---Viktor's POV---
I still couldn't understand how there could be a mine right under everyone's noses in Honeyvale Town.
But the iron sand being pulled up by the magnetic force didn't lie.
The iron reserves in this vein seemed quite substantial!
ProGamer_Daddy stared at my wand in amazement.
"Whoa, what kind of magic is this?"
"It's not magic; it's science."
With a flick of my wrist, I caused the faint golden glow on the wand to flicker on and off.
The iron sand, small as grains of dust, trickled back down to the riverbank.
"A little spell that makes ordinary objects magnetic," I explained, turning to him. "It's intermediate magic. You guys won't be able to learn it just yet."
ProGamer_Daddy's joy froze on his face.
"Otherworldly magic follows the laws of science?"
"Why wouldn't it?" I countered.
"There's not much difference between magic and science in application. For example, combining fire magic and wind magic stirs the water elements in the air to create heat waves."
"Casting water magic requires following fluid dynamics principles to produce varying effects..."
"If magic exists, it is inherently a form of science."
I noticed NeverShowOff's mouth twitch at hearing the term "fluid dynamics" coming from what he probably saw as an NPC who looked like they belonged in a high fantasy setting.
"This feels a little too grounded in reality," he muttered.
Garble was silent for a moment. "It's like attending some kind of specialized technical class."
I could see him thinking back to something, his expression growing more troubled by the second.
Noticing the heavy expressions on the three players' faces, Edgar tried to console them. "Don't worry. Most magic users don't study these things either. Even the magnetic spell from earlier is unique to Viktor's research."
"That's just because other magicians don't understand the concept of using science to enhance their magic!" I retorted seriously.
"But you're different. As Watchers, you should be able to judge for yourselves whether what I'm saying makes sense."
Of course, these weren't my original theories.
They were the distilled wisdom of countless predecessors I'd brought over from Earth.
I had only one goal in saying all this: To correct the players' understanding of magic.
Magic wasn't omnipotent.
Aeltia wasn't a high-magic world.
Or rather, at levels below the divine, magic wasn't enough to solve every problem.
It was more like an alternative form of science. A tool, just like any other piece of technology.
So.
Stop subtly asking if there's some magic that could instantly build all of Honeyvale Town overnight!
I sighed.
If such a spell existed, would I have bothered summoning players from another world to help out?
"So… does this game really replicate the physics of reality one-to-one?" NeverShowOff's eyes widened.
I could see the amazement in his expression as he contemplated a world where magic and technology were combined.
Before the three players could make sense of it, I brushed the remaining iron sand off my wand and walked toward the location Garble had mentioned—the place where the vines were found.
After some exploration, we indeed uncovered a hollow area.
I opened my NPC panel and issued a task to clear out the overgrown plants.
The players quickly pushed aside their mind-boggling theories about magic and eagerly accepted the task.
Clearing the surface weeds turned out to be surprisingly easy.
Before long, we uncovered a massive stone slab beneath the foliage.
Working together, we managed to pry it up.
Bang!
The stone slab fell to the side, revealing a small iron mine entrance just wide enough for two people to pass through simultaneously.
The entrance, weathered by time, had only two frayed ropes remaining where a ladder once stood. Rusted and dark, the surrounding area was ominous.
The mine entrance looked like a gaping maw, the light barely penetrating the depths below.
Edgar reached out to sense the area. "The flow of magic seems normal. It should be safe down there."
I nodded in acknowledgment. "Alright, let's head down and take a look!"
The three players followed closely behind.
---
Because of the proximity to the river, the walls of the mine were slippery and covered in moss.
The players' attempts to descend were a series of comedic blunders.
"Ahhhhh—"
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
Three dull, heavy thuds echoed as their bodies hit the ground.
I had wisely stepped aside just before they slipped and fell, avoiding being crushed under their collective weight.
Looking at them sprawled in a heap, their eyes rolled back, I shook my head in disappointment.
Too weak.
The players were still too weak.
They struggled with even descending a mine shaft. They weren't taking their magic training seriously enough!
Fortunately, the mine wasn't very deep, and the players had only fallen halfway.
Their injuries were minor—at worst, a twisted ankle or a few scrapes.
Painful, but not serious.
I turned to leave but suddenly paused, a thought crossing my mind.
Wait!
If their gameplay involved only grunt work and they constantly suffered minor injuries that couldn't be blocked out by the pain filter…
What kind of masochist would keep playing?
That wouldn't do. I needed a solution!
Looking at Garble, the player with the fastest progress in magic training, inspiration struck me.
I used a levitation spell to separate the three players and then turned to him.
"I remember you're practicing Wind Manipulation Magic. Why didn't you use it earlier?"
"Me?" Garble staggered to his feet, wincing. "It can make you fly?"
From his hesitation, I could tell he had probably only practiced the basics during his training today. The spell's initial effects typically just enhanced internal energy, making the body quicker and more agile.
He likely thought flying was far-fetched.
"Of course!" I replied matter-of-factly. "Wind Manipulation is the fundamental spell for all wind-based magic."
"Manipulation means to guide and command. If you can fully master the wind, why wouldn't you be able to fly?"
Garble was speechless.
I watched Garble's expression shift from confusion to understanding.
He seemed to grasp the concept, but his furrowed brows suggested he was struggling with the practical application.
Besides, how could anyone have anticipated NeverShowOff's slippery hands, which had caused him and ProGamer_Daddy to tumble down as well?
NeverShowOff continued rubbing his sore muscles, and I noticed a sudden change in his expression—like he'd just realized something.
I watched as he studied me, probably wondering about my timing in bringing this up.
ProGamer_Daddy groaned, clutching his bruised backside. "Could it be… are we so bad that even Viktor can't stand to watch anymore?"
I watched as NeverShowOff's eyes lit up with understanding.
He elbowed Garble, cutting off whatever the latter was about to say, and whispered urgently, "Quick! Go along with it! This must be a hidden quest!"
I suppressed a smile. If an NPC suddenly initiated a conversation on a specific topic, it had to be a hidden quest, right?
Garble, catching on, felt both thrilled and nervous. He immediately replied, "What do I need to do?"
Ahead of us, Edgar paused and turned back, puzzled by the commotion behind him.
I pretended to think deeply before replying. "Hmm… I just happen to have a training manual for basic magic techniques."
---Third POV---
"I'll take it!" Garble exclaimed, both surprised and delighted.
It really was a hidden quest! So this game wasn't just about leveling up—there were good rewards too!
At the same time, a mission prompt appeared on his game panel.
---
[Successfully accepted a time-limited mission!]
[Complete the following tasks within two days to receive the following rewards: Essentials for Basic Spell Training, and more.]
[Task 1: Use Windwalking Spell 8 times.]
[Task 2: Complete 10 instances of the Wood Collection task.]
[Task 3: …]
[…]
---
As he scanned through the list, he couldn't help but click his tongue.
The density of these tasks—this wasn't something an average player could handle!
Using the Windwalking Spell consumed a lot of stamina, and most of the other tasks were labor-intensive.
The only advantage was that he could decide when to start. To complete it, he would have to dedicate an entire day, using the two in-game days with perfect efficiency.
The difficulty was so high.
But instead of feeling frustrated, Garble grew even more excited about the final reward.
The conditions to trigger the mission were strict, mostly because Viktor spent most of his time in town either surfing the internet or, er, recovering from injuries.
Completing it would be time-consuming and exhausting.
What kind of hidden reward would justify this level of difficulty?
Garble, practically itching to dive into the tasks, clicked to accept it.
ProGamer_Daddy, standing nearby, was green with envy.
"Great Viktor, what about me? Do I have any quests related to the Holy Light Spell?"
Looking at ProGamer_Daddy's eager and expectant gaze, Viktor felt a headache brewing.
So now that you need something, you're calling me "Great Viktor," huh?
"There isn't one! The Holy Light Spell is really just a healing spell with minimal growth potential."
"Ugh—" ProGamer_Daddy looked crestfallen. "Does that mean there's no future for the Light Magic system in this game?"
Just then, Edgar, who had been silent, cleared his throat.
"The Holy Light Spell is a foundational spell that every mage under the Radiant Church must learn. Though it lacks versatility, it is closely tied to many advanced Light Magic techniques. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me."
At this, the players' faces all went blank—four in total. No, make that four faces and one glowing orb.
Because Luminaris, who hadn't been bound by Viktor's mental imprint and thus couldn't understand player language, had been dozing off on Viktor's shoulder.
The moment Edgar spoke, he suddenly woke up.
"Absolutely not! I disagree!"
Luminaris turned entirely red, his tone angry.
"Light Magic cannot be taught to those undead of unknown origin! They don't even have reverence for the God of Light!"
Viktor smacked it back down with one hand. "Your objection is invalid! Why do you even care about God of Light? And since when do you get a say here?"
He patted Edgar on the shoulder with satisfaction.
"Comrade, you really didn't let the organization down!"
If Edgar was willing to cooperate, then the players' progress with Light Magic training wouldn't need Viktor to worry about it at all.
He had thought Edgar might find these "house-play" quests designed to excite players to be too much of a hassle.
Nearby, the players were huddled together, whispering.
"Wait, Edgar is a healer too?!" ProGamer_Daddy exclaimed.
Logan nodded eagerly, gesturing towards Edgar. "He's both tanky and strong. If he ever switches sides mid-game, he will be tough to deal with!"
"He's probably getting nerfed in the next patch," Garble muttered, throwing a cautious glance at Edgar.
Their voices weren't exactly quiet, so everyone present could hear them clearly.
---Viktor's POV---
Edgar fell silent, suddenly regretting his earlier decision. I chuckled awkwardly and, switching to Aeltia Common Tongue to screen the players out, said, "Players are like that—they're unpredictable and love to talk nonsense. You can just pretend you didn't hear it."
"I understand," he replied, also switching to the Common Tongue. "I just hope they can truly achieve the miracles you described."
I could tell from his expression that if that meant tolerating their antics, he would endure it. After all, it was far simpler than the challenges the players would eventually face.
After walking some distance through the damp, slippery mine tunnels, I stopped, leading the way with the players following behind me.
NeverShowOff carefully lit the way forward with a tiny flame on his fingertip.
Although Luminaris was a glowing orb, he couldn't even illuminate a one-meter radius. On the other hand, NeverShowOff's Fireball Spell, while still far from being an actual "ball," emitted light comparable to a 30W desk lamp.
As long as he didn't try to make the flame bigger or throw it, he could keep it going for quite a while.
I heard him sigh helplessly behind me.
"I didn't expect my skill talent to only be good for illumination."
"Don't be discouraged, man!" ProGamer_Daddy avoided a puddle and encouraged him. "From my experience with games, Fireball will definitely be a major carry in combat mode! The future is bright!"
NeverShowOff gave a bitter smile. "I hope so. Right now, I don't even have a proper training direction…"
I knew I was the only NPC who knew the Fireball Spell, but I had already assigned Garble a task. There was no way I could teach NeverShowOff at the same time.
"But I've seen what an advanced Fireball Spell can do! I won't give up!"
Garble glanced at his quest log. "My quest reward includes the Essentials for Basic Spell Training. It doesn't say it's exclusive to Windwalking. Maybe we can share it when the time comes."
"Really? You're the best!"
The chatter behind us was really lively.
Edgar leaned closer to me and commented, finding it noisy but also showing a complicated sense of amazement, "You really do understand them well—getting them back on track so quickly."
I could see why he'd say that. Normally, players' energy levels were already frighteningly high. Now, their enthusiasm was practically visible!
"Honestly, it exceeded even my expectations," I admitted.
The quest I initially planned to release wasn't nearly as demanding as this one. But due to a glitch in the NPC panel, I accidentally selected multiple options, resulting in the added difficulty. To my surprise, Garble and the other players accepted it so readily.
Along the way, they discussed how to efficiently plan their two days, even brainstorming ways to exploit "bugs" with the help of other players.
Their morale was sky-high.
I began to reflect. It seemed I needed to pay more attention to diversifying quests in the future to better motivate them.
The air grew heavier with the smell of rust. The narrow, winding mine tunnel finally reached an end. I stopped and maneuvered past an abandoned mining cart and some old equipment.
"This quickly?" I muttered in surprise.
Based on the depth of the ore deposits near the Frostwind Plains, this distance should only lead to the first layers of extractable iron ore. Frowning, I examined the walls of the mine tunnel.
In a corner, I found a few fragments of ore.
"What's wrong?" Edgar asked.
"This is a vein that was barely mined!" I said as I studied the abandoned site.
