MMORPG: The Elementalist

Forging Gold equipment, a success rate of more than 65%, free of charge material fee, free of charge forging, guaranteed compensation if failure…

If such a great deal was given to Qin Ruo in the past, he would have thought that it was just good fortune that had fallen from the sky! But after carefully weighing the pros and cons, Qin Ruo realized that it was not such a good deal after all.

If Gold equipment was forged successfully, its basic attributes would be exceptional but the additional attributes would only be average. Unless they used a high-grade Boss Mana Core and embedded it successfully, then only would it be able to be sold for a decent price.

If it was just forging successfully, the Gold Weapon would at most worth around one hundred thousand gold coins or it could even worth much less than that. Although Qin Ruo had the intention to increase the value of the Ancient Darksteel he had, if it could only be used to forge common Gold Weapons, then it did not seem to be worth it.

Furthermore, he would have to give it to Slayer’s Heart to help sell it in Scarlet Bauhinia League which would be a hassle to earn just a small amount of gold. If it failed then it was a total loss for just fifty thousand gold coins, which would only be wasting a perfect quality material.

Forging Dark Gold equipment would be more justifiable.

Although the success rate was lower, a Dark Gold weapon’s basic attributes would be significantly higher than a Gold Weapon. Furthermore, warriors’ Dark Gold weapons were in great demand in the market (Dark Gold Weapons are worth much more than common Dark Gold equipment), if successful, it would definitely worth several hundred thousand gold coins. This would cover all the cost of the materials that were used and loss when failed. Twenty pieces of Ancient Darksteel if forged together with Grade 4 Magic Metal and two pieces were forged successfully then all the cost would be covered. If it was embedded successfully, it would be a weapon that could easily worth more than one million gold coins.

Qin Ruo asked the shopkeeper if it was used to forge Dark Gold Weapons. The Magic Metals used were next in importance but the main problem was even with Perfect Quality Ancient Darksteel, the success rate would only be around 30%. If it was forged forcefully with only an Advanced Blacksmithing, the rate of failure would be extremely high!

Moreover, the Blacksmith informed him that if it was used to forge Dark Gold equipment and it failed, he would not compensate the Ancient Darksteel used.

After pondering a while, Qin Ruo contacted Dinosaurcerer.

“Little Ruo?”

“Brother Dino, do you still have the Mithril we dug from the Goblin’s Mining District?”

“Yeah I still have it, you need it now? I could send it to you right now since I am the vault currently,” said Dinosaurcerer since he knows that Qin Ruo would not ask about it for no reason. Since he knew he needed it, he responded immediately.

Qin Ruo thanked him and immediately used the shop’s trait to link to the Bank Vault to summon his Vault and found three pieces of it.

‘Eh? Why are there four pieces of Mithril? And there is a metal which is golden, this is…’

Flaming Red Copper:

Grade 4 Magic Metal (Can be separated into three portions to use)

‘Woah!’

Qin Ruo was stunned for a moment as his mouth was left agape until Dinosaurcerer’s joyful voice was heard, “I just remembered that you currently have Ancient Darksteel and you want to use it to forge some equipment right? It just so happens that yesterday two of our brothers in the company sent me a Mithril and a Flaming Red Copper as a contribution to Citadel. So I gave each person a Gold equipment. You can just take and use it with ease.”

“How could I just…”

“Don’t need to act so sentimental like a woman, I wouldn’t be able to reach where I am right now if it wasn’t for you. You don’t have to be so reserved with me for just two metals, I would be offended if you go on like this,” said Dinosaurcerer in a serious tone which made Qin Ruo stop what he was about to say.

“Okay then, thanks bro.”

“That’s more like it. Alright, I am going to gather Mana Cores in the market, talk to you later. Remember to call me if you need anything.”

After Dinosaurcerer finished what he had to say, he hung up.

Qin Ruo on the other hand was currently staring blindly at the twenty pieces of Ancient Darksteel in his inventory, then at the four pieces of Mithril shining brilliantly and the golden Flaming Red Copper which exuded a red brilliance. He was so absorbed that he completely forgot that someone was still standing beside him waiting for his reply.

Qin Ruo was currently weighing the pros and cons in his mind…

Now that he has five pieces of Magical Metals which could be used to forge Dark Gold weapons fifteen times… Fifteen times, the success rate of forging at about 30%.

Qin Ruo had a flicker of doubt in his eyes as he was unsure if he should take the risk.

After all, this was a decision worth more than one million gold coins!

Although the twenty pieces of Ancient Darksteel was not easily gained, there was the possibility of earning one million gold coins. Furthermore, the forging success rate would increase just because of the number of failures in forging. Every time they forge is a separate attempt which meant that it was still only a 30% success rate. In other words, there was a possibility that the first attempt would be successful or all the fifteen or even twenty attempts would fail in the end.

Losing all the Ancient Darksteel in one go was something not even the optimistic Qin Ruo could stomach. Only ten days ago, he would be crazily overjoyed for just a four hundred gold coins Grade 3 Mana Cores.

After pondering a while, Qin Ruo turned his head to face the shopkeeper who had been showing his impatience after waiting so long and said, “Could you help me ask your friend again?”

“Hmm?” The shopkeeper was eager to listen what he had to say.

“If I gave him the materials for fifteen sets of Ancient Darksteel and Magical Metals to forge Dark Gold weapons, how many Dark Gold Weapons can he guarantee will succeed?”

“Wait, say what again?”

The shopkeeper thought that he was hallucinating since Qin Ruo said that he could provide fifteen sets of materials of Ancient Darksteel and Magical Metals to forge Dark Gold weapons.

‘Is this a joke?

‘Does he think that Ancient Dark Steel and Magical Metals are just something that you can find on the street? Dark Gold Weapons can be mass produced? ‘ Instinctively, the shopkeeper thought that he heard wrongly as frowned and asked again for confirmation.

In the end, when Qin Ruo raised his voice to repeat the same question again, various expressions could be seen on the shopkeeper’s face.

‘Is today April Fools Day? It doesn’t seem so.

‘What is wrong him today? Did he say something wrong, Grade 4 Magical Metals? He said Grade 4 Magical Metals right?’

Qin Ruo noticed the shopkeeper’s expression and realized that he could not believe what he had said.

Trade request!

The shopkeeper was a bit dazed as he confirmed the request.

When the Ancient Darksteel began to fill up his Trade Menu, the shopkeeper’s dazed expression was instantly cleared as he opened his eyes as wide as possible and stared at the stack of Ancient Dark Steel. His expression seemed like he wanted to swallow the metals whole.

All Ancient Dark Steel listed completely!

Next was Mithril.

Four pieces!

The shopkeeper’s mouth was left agape as he was completely stunned. Until the last Flaming Red Copper was listed on the Trade Menu, Qin Ruo said, “That is all of it.”

Only then did the shopkeeper closed his mouth and gulped. And as he blinked and stared at Qin Ruo as if he was looking at the face of God and said, “That’s it?”

“…”

Qin Ruo had almost fainted.

‘What do you mean that’s it? Do you think this is something you can just find of the street and you can have as many as you want?’

“You, gulp , want to use all of it to forge Dark Gold wWeapons?” asked the shopkeeper as he stuttered and spoke in a lower tone as if he had not recovered from the shock he received.

Qin Ruo immediately rolled his eyes.

‘What nonsense is he spouting?’

***

After the shopkeeper stared at the Grade 4 Metals in the Trade Menu for almost half a day, all sorts of feelings welled up in his mind and he finally recovered and said to Qin Ruo, “I really wonder how you were able to obtain so many rare materials.”

“Haha, it’s just luck I guess.”

“Fine, but it’s not safe though, even if it was me who had it, I would never let other people know about it easily. Uhh, I just told my friend about your current situation, he is coming over here right now. You can discuss it with him in person.”

“Hm? Ok, that would be better.”

Qin Ruo nodded and followed the shopkeeper into the shop.

Inside the shop, Black Market Trader was currently stirring a cauldron filled with purple smoke. Once he saw Qin Ruo enter, he was stunned for a moment and then he nodded toward him as a gesture and continue focusing on his cauldron for Potion Crafting.

A minute later, the curtain was flung open and a loli with a ponytail entered panting heavily. She was holding a small but seemingly heavy steel hammer and after standing straight she shouted loudly in a clear voice.

“Who is Qin Ruo?!”

Inside the shop, the three guys who were sitting was stunned simultaneously as they look toward the girl strangely. Qin Ruo kept quiet as he first looked toward the terrifying but scrawny Black Market Trader and then the old shopkeeper who can be seen breaking a cold sweat from his forehead.

This kind of question, was not even necessary to be asked by shouting… Since the answer was so obvious!

After realizing what just happen, Qin Ruo can’t help but feel worried as he wiped the cold sweat trickling down his forehead.

‘This little girl can’t really be the amazing Advanced Blacksmith that the shopkeeper was talking about?’