blacksmithoftheapocalypse
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1277. Like a killing star
🕑 Added 2025-03-03 17:53:49 +0000 UTC“Of course, just a moment,” he said, hurriedly collecting the coins and writing them a receipt. “Ah! Please take these. They are part of your purchase,” he suddenly said and placed 15 scrolls on the counter.
“These are...?” Mina asked.
“The eggs are enchanted with hibernation magic so they don't hatch too early. You use these scrolls to dispel the magic, to hatch them,” he explained a crucial part of the business. Seth had not thought of this before, but it made sense.
Eggs would usually need the right environment and proper care to hatch, as far as he knew. This technique seemed to solve this problem quite handily. They each took five scrolls and put their eggs in their inventories.
After handing them the scrolls, Edgar left through a door behind the counter. They could hear various noises of gears turning, levers being pulled, and stuff being opened. It took a full 5 minutes before Edgar came back out. In his hands he held a long metal chest.
When he opened it, there were four eggs, bedded on red satin. From left to right, the first egg of an ostrich, but it was covered in cerulean spots. The second was the size of a watermelon and looked like it was made of gray, polished marble.
The third egg was the size of a fist and covered in white, gray, and blue swirls and looked almost too ordinary to deserve to be in this box. Lastly, the egg on the right resembled a dark brown and black stone, with a rough and ragged surface, like a drop of hardened lava. It was bigger than the second, but smaller than the third egg.
Only this volcanic rock-like one would have stuck out from the assortment on the lower floor, or even the lucky draw. If the highest-grade eggs looked this unassuming, making a gacha advertising them made sense. Nobody could know if the ugly duck egg didn’t turn out to be a legendary beast…
Edgar read their gazes with a smile and proceeded to put the spotted egg onto the device. As if the eggs would speak for themselves and there was no need for words. Once again, he placed a splinter of magic crystal in the groove and the display came to life.
<Lower Roc, lv.283, System Level ~120
Highest-grade, Epic Assassin
Durability: 450 000
Mana: 1500
Strength:405
Dexterity:110
Agility: 502
Intelligence:53
Willpower:145
Endurance:205
Luck:45
Phys. Defense: 3000
Mag. Defense: 4500
Abilities: Aerokinesis
Trait: Overflowing Growth(Defective)
Skills: Dive, Speed Claw, Pierce, Feathershot, Cry of the Roc, Haste, Wind Magic
The lower cousin of a bird that is known for its titanic size and never stops growing. Lower Rocs are known to hunt big animals ranging from the size of a cow to an elephant. >
“Now we are talking!” Fin exclaimed excitedly at the first beast with an estimated level above 100. The display showed a giant bird, even bigger than the Giant Poison Heron. It resembled an eagle, but it had a slightly elongated neck, like a vulture.
“How come something that never stops growing has such a … low level?” Mina asked, hesitating about calling the level low. Although she hesitated, Seth found her question valid. Wouldn’t everything that naturally grew past lv.100 have the chance to become a legend? Why would it stop in the 120s?
“Well, the level is estimated for a reason. There have been no reliable witness reports of Lower Rocs past this level and size. The popular theory is, unlike the genuine thing, they can’t sustain anything greater than this size in the wild. They either stop growing or ultimately die of hunger,” Edgar shared with them a hauntingly realistic reason why such a mystic creature didn’t get too far.
“But they have shown great potential when nurtured in captivity,” Edgar added, but he couldn’t hide the problem this creature could pose. It was probably a glutton and needed lots of food to grow. But who were they? Minas mar could definitely afford to keep a Lower Roc.
“So, how much is it?” Mr. Moneybags said, ready to simply buy all four, one by one.
“Customer, please don't ruin the mood. Let me introduce all of them first, before we talk about the business,” the clerk requested. Seth didn't know whether he was simply eager to brag about their shop, despite the bad puns, or suggesting he didn't have the money to buy all of them and choose first before spending it already.
Playing the spotted egg of the lower Roc back in the chest, he picked up the massive marble watermelon. or h tried to. Despite doping his best to hide it, Edgar visibly struggled just lifting the egg out of the box.
Placing it on the device, it flashed the picture of a terrifying troll. It had rough, gray skin covered in cracks like a mountain. the picture even showed some small trees growing on its shoulder, giving them a size comparison, which showed that it was roughly the same size as a colossus or the mountain giant Seth had once helped to kill.
<Mountain King lv.310, System Level ~ 130
Highest-grade, Epic Tank
Durability: 2 000 000
Mana: 1500
Strength:505
Dexterity:70
Agility: 80
Intelligence:53
Willpower:235
Endurance:603
Luck:33
Phys. Defense: 30 000
Mag. Defense: 13 000
Abilities: Terrakinesis, Mountain Bond
Trait: Stone Skin, Hyper Regeneration
Skills: Throw, Pugilism, Roar, Block, Earth Magic, Harden
The King of the Mountain is an extremely territorial high-ranking troll species. In their lives, they will choose one mountain they bond with, linking their own life and power to the place, attaining theoretical immortality. Feeds on anything that enters the mountain. Can hibernate for centuries if food is scarce.>
Seth couldn't help but be surprised. The Mountain King was a big step up from the Lower Roc. With its stats and skill, it was really a powerful tank, and with the size of a small mountain, too. His summoned adult form was probably comparable to the fire giant or Heads.
“Wouldn't that mean we would have to provide it with a mountain?” the fairy asked confused, pointing out the beast's flaw. What was the point of a pet, if it had to connect to a single, stationary point to achieve its full potential?
Unlike the Lower Roc, which had more potential as a mount, the mountain King had some serious potential for battle, if it wasn’t for the fact that it stayed in one place. Instead of a siege weapon, he was a very dangerous wall at best. But a good fortification with a serious punch was nothing to scoff at.
“Haha, it's not that serious. It's simply that the Mountain King can become even stronger on his mountain, showing his full potential. The beast is not literally bound to the mountain,” Edgar explained, but didn't deny that they would need a mountain it could be bound with.
It wasn't like Minas Mar didn't own mountains, but the Mountain King was not a pet or mount candidate, and was nothing for either of the girls. Seth did know a specific mountain, that could use some additional protection. If he thought about it a little more, there were actually a few that could use a bulwark with fists. The choice was hard.
“let's continue! You are yet to see everything,” Edgar said confidently, raising Seth's curiosity. Would the eggs keep getting better as they went along? The clerk heaved the stone egg back into the box.
The next wasn't such an ordeal to place on the plate. The fist-sized egg with swirls was put on the device, and their jaws dropped. Even the blacksmith didn't make such a jump up. The display showed a majestic wolf with silver fur and crimson markings, oozing an aura of power and savagery from just a picture.
<Archwolf, lv.352, System Level ~ 135
Highest-grade, Epic+ Warrior
Durability: 2 000 000
Mana: 8500
Strength:405
Dexterity:100
Agility: 350
Intelligence:270
Willpower:335
Endurance:299
Luck:133
Phys. Defense: 22 000
Mag. Defense: 24 000
Abilities: Spirit Walk
Trait: Kin of Garm, Underworld Body
Skills: Bite of Hel, Curse of Hel, Call of Hel, Omen Howl, Garm's Claws, Cursed Fang, Invulnerability, Winds of Death, Tempest Charge, Guardian Stand, Offensive Protector
Kin of Garm, mythical Guardian of the Underworld. Archwolves inherit some of the traits of their forefather, making them the highest among canines, apart from the Kin of Fenrir. They will naturally grow to step on the path and become a legend, although only few truly reach the heights of legends.
>
“Dibs! Sold!” Mina exclaimed, her eyes beaming with desire. Seth understood her reaction, he couldn't help getting excited, too. It wasn't just that it had a high-level, or that it had the same durability as the Mountain King, despite not being a tank or similar size.
It wasn't even the fact that the multipliers were judged above epic, which was pretty persuasive. It was the description and the skills really hyping up the Archwolf, together with the absolute fire design. The Archwolf was a complete package.
The other two already had some impressive skills and traits, but they seemed almost ordinary compared to something like the “Underworld Body” which not only granted immunity to death attribute, curses and mental effects, but also granted 50% resistance to every damage.
Or <Invulnerability> which would turn the wolf invulnerable for 15 minutes in exchange for halving his damage in the same time frame. Or curse of Hel, which would cover everyone in the target area with cursed frost that would slow and drain life from the targets. Or... Literally all of its skills were impressive.
They were gushing over the Archwolf, while Edgar just looked on with a proud, knowing smile.
“Calling dibs is unfair, Mina!” Fin protested indignantly. Obviously, the fairy was not ready to give u her claim to the Kin of Garm.
“You only say that, because you didn't think of it quick enough,” Mina gloated.
“Seth!”
