Liam didn’t hesitate. He selected Nightmare difficulty for the instance.
In less than twenty minutes, he had cleared The Lost Princess on Nightmare. However, the Frost-Flame Ore failed to drop.
Did I get it wrong from the start? Liam wondered. Is there really only one Frost-Flame Ore in this place?
No. Old Grog had no reason to lie to him. Could there be two Hidden Instances within The Iron Grotto? The odds of that were incredibly low.
If it wasn't a second Hidden Instance, there was only one other possibility: the drop rate.
The Frost-Flame Ore was likely here, but due to RNG, it hadn't dropped during his first clear of the Hard difficulty.
With that thought, Liam dove back into The Lost Princess. The upcoming battle would be intense, and even if the last ore didn't drop, he could treat these runs as a way to grind more HP.
He ran the instance five times in a row.
His intuition proved correct. On the fifth clear, the item finally appeared in the completion rewards.
[System: You have received Frost-Flame Ore +1.]
A satisfied smile played across Liam's lips. Now that all three pieces of Frost-Flame Ore in the Novice Village were in his hands, whether the seal could be opened or not would depend entirely on his whim.
Furthermore, after repeatedly clearing The Lost Princess, Liam’s HP had surpassed 120,000. Combined with The Ninefold Longbow, his combat power had reached a whole new level.
Emerging from The Iron Grotto, Liam didn’t head for Old Grog or Miller. Instead, he made a beeline for The Desolate Precipice.
Just as he suspected, the Mayor was still there. It seemed the old man knew this would be the next battlefield and was personally keeping watch.
"Frost Monarch, why have you returned?"
Liam didn't answer. Instead, he simply pulled out a piece of Frost-Flame Ore.
The Mayor’s usually stoic expression shattered the moment he saw the ore. A smile instantly replaced his cold demeanor. "You found a Frost-Flame Ore? This is wonderful news!"
"What exactly is this stuff?" Liam asked, eyeing the mineral. "Both you and Miller are desperate to get your hands on it."
The Mayor chuckled. "It is a vital ore, one of great use to us. Give it to me, and I will reward you with benefits beyond your imagination."
Liam narrowed his eyes. The "beyond imagination" part sounded like a hollow promise. "Be specific."
The Mayor’s face darkened slightly. He could tell Liam was looking to haggle. "A Gold Grade ring."
Liam shook his head. "I heard Miller’s opening bid was a Platinum Grade necklace."
The Mayor’s expression soured. "He is a blacksmith; I cannot compete with him when it comes to raw equipment. However, if you give me that ore, I will give you a Saintly Grade Awakening Stone. Almost any Innate Talent can be awakened using one."
Liam paused to consider. He didn't need a Saintly Grade Awakening Stone for himself, but Barney and Monty both possessed Saintly Grade Innate Talents. Giving the stones to them would allow them to awaken their powers sooner and grow stronger much faster.
"Not enough," Liam countered. "I want two."
He held all the cards now; there was no way he was going to let the old man off easy.
"I only have one," the Mayor snapped. "And besides, that is the finest item you will ever find in this Novice Village."
Liam remained non-committal. "Then throw in two Gold Grade rings."
The Mayor’s face went grim. Liam’s price was beginning to infuriate him.
"If the Frost-Flame Ore falls into Miller’s hands, the Novice Village will be drenched in blood. It would be a catastrophe for you Adventurers as well. I am willing to pay this price only to prevent that disaster."
Liam sighed. "I’d love to help, but I'm an Adventurer. I'm in this for the profit. Sorry."
With that, Liam turned to leave.
"Stand still!"
A sinister aura erupted from the Mayor, thick with killing intent.
"What? You want to kill me?" Liam looked back, unfazed. "Go ahead. Dropping one level doesn't bother me in the slightest."
The Mayor’s aura instantly deflated.
He realized Liam was right. He was an Adventurer. Even if he killed Liam here, the boy would only lose a level. Once he respawned in the Novice Village, he could still just hand the Frost-Flame Ore over to Miller.
"Fine. I accept your terms."
With a satisfied grin, Liam completed the trade.
Heavy Thunder Ring
Grade: Gold
Requirements: Level 10, Archer
Effect 1: Attack +350
Effect 2: Critical Rate +30%
Effect 3: Armor Penetration +15%
Effect 4: 5% chance to Paralyze the target.
Effect 5: 5% chance to deal Double Critical Damage.
Effect 6: 5% chance to trigger a localized Lightning Bombardment.
Durability: 100/100
Both rings had identical stats.
Liam frowned slightly at the three special effects. The proc rates were quite low. However, since he had two identical rings, the cumulative effect would still allow him to output significant burst damage.
He swapped out two rings from his Treant Set, which caused his health regeneration to drop by 20 points and his total HP to dip by over a thousand. Fortunately, since he still had ten pieces of the Treant Set equipped, the set bonus remained active. It was a trade-off he could live with.
"Pleasure doing business with you," Liam said.
The Mayor’s face was like thunder. No one likes being extorted, after all.
Two Gold Grade rings—and only Level 10 at that. They were useful to Liam now, but they were ultimately just transitional gear. If it weren't for the fact that he might soon be facing off against both Miller and the Mayor, he wouldn't have bothered with equipment; Attribute Points would have been much more valuable.
Nevertheless, Liam turned and made his way back to the Novice Village.
The Iron Anvil
When Miller saw Liam approaching, his expression turned venomous. "What are you doing back here?"
Hearing the explosive tone, Liam knew Miller had caught wind of something.
"Didn't you ask me to find the Frost-Flame Ore? I'm here to turn in the quest. Is this how you treat people?"
Miller sneered. "Still playing games? Old Grog saw you trading a Frost-Flame Ore to the Mayor. What exactly do you have left to give me?"
Liam sighed. "There isn't just one piece of ore in the world, you know."
He shook his head with mock disappointment. "Since you clearly don't want it anymore, I'll just take my leave."
Liam turned on his heel.
Miller’s face went pale, and he blurred into motion, blocking Liam’s path. His hostility vanished instantly, replaced by a forced, oily smile.
"I was just joking! From what you're saying... you still have another Frost-Flame Ore on you?"
Liam nodded. "I do. But honestly, I'm thinking it might be better to just give this one to the Mayor as well. At least he doesn't bark at me like a dog."
Miller grew frantic. "Wait! We can talk about this. We’ve had such a good partnership so far—no reason to let a little misunderstanding ruin things!"
Liam stopped in his tracks.
"I won't lie to you, Miller. The offer the Elder Mayor made was incredibly generous."
Miller the Smith knew immediately that Liam was preparing to drive a hard bargain.
"My Platinum Grade necklace isn't exactly trash either, Frost Monarch."
"It’s not bad, I'll give you that." Liam hesitated for a moment. "But in the end, it’s just transitional gear. The Elder Mayor is willing to part with a Saintly Grade Awakening Stone."
"How about it? Can you give me a Saintly Grade Awakening Stone too?"
Miller’s expression shifted. He didn't have anything of the sort.
"I’ll be honest, I don't have a Saintly Grade Awakening Stone." Miller paused, weighing his options. "However, I can upgrade your Ninefold Longbow to Platinum Grade and throw in that Platinum Grade necklace as well."
Liam raised an eyebrow.
A Platinum Grade main weapon combined with a Platinum Grade necklace would undoubtedly provide a massive boost to his combat power.
But there was still one problem.
If he replaced his current necklace, he would only have nine pieces of the Treant Set left. The set bonus would vanish.
"Using Platinum Grade equipment as mere transitional gear feels like a waste," Liam mused. "How about this? Give me a Gold-Grade Archer set instead."
"A full set?" Miller’s face twisted in shock. "Equipment sets aren't common cabbage, Frost Monarch! In the entire Novice Village, the best I can offer is a Bronze Grade set. That is my absolute limit."
Liam felt a flicker of disappointment, though it wasn't unexpected.
"Bronze? Not even Silver?" Liam sighed. "Show me the stats then."
Miller took a deep breath, trying to keep his composure. He couldn't remember the last time a player had dared to haggle with him like this. But his hands were tied; he needed that Frost-Flame Ore.
"Fine."
Miller led Liam into a back room where three Bronze Grade sets were on display.
"This one here is the Gale-Runner Set. It’s the best Bronze set for an Archer."
Liam’s gaze fell upon the equipment, and the attributes appeared before his eyes.
Gale-Runner Set
Effect 1: Attack Velocity +3.2
Effect 2: Movement Speed +5.9
Effect 3: Critical Rate +35%
Effect 4: Attack +1,800
Set Bonus 1: Your Basic Attacks stack Attack Velocity. Each hit grants 0.5 Attack Velocity, stacking up to 6 times.
Set Bonus 2: Your Basic Attacks stack Movement Speed. Each hit grants 0.5 Movement Speed, stacking up to 6 times.
Liam frowned.
This wasn't what he was looking for. While Attack Velocity and Movement Speed were vital for most, he had noticed another set earlier—one with high Damage Reflection.
He needed Life-Steal.
If Miller intended to use that Damage Reflection gear against him later, Liam would be in a very precarious position without a way to heal.
"Well?" Miller asked. "What do you think?"
"Underwhelming," Liam said flatly.
"Underwhelming?" Miller acted out a look of shock. "It has everything an Archer needs—Attack Velocity, Speed, Crit Rate, and raw Attack power. It's a perfect set!"
Liam offered a noncommittal smile. It did have those things, yes.
But it lacked Life-Steal.
That was the deal-breaker. In the current stage of the game, facing an opponent with Damage Reflection without having Life-Steal meant that the faster Liam attacked, the faster he would kill himself.
It felt like Miller was trying to set him up with a set that his own gear would perfectly counter. This was premeditated.
"I don't lack speed or crits right now. I need Life-Steal."
Life-Steal was a rare attribute that couldn't be increased through Ability Points. It could only be obtained through specific gear or rare skills.
Miller’s eyes narrowed. An Archer demanding Life-Steal usually meant they were looking for a safety net. But in reality, Life-Steal was rarely as effective for survival as raw speed and kiting ability—unless the opponent had Damage Reflection.
Liam’s demand for that specific stat made Miller’s suspicions rise. In the entire Novice Village, the only things that possessed Damage Reflection were the Twisted Treants—which had a negligible amount—and Miller himself.
"Life-Steal is a specialized attribute," Miller said slowly. "I do have some, but not as part of a set. I only have three individual Bronze pieces with that property."
Liam’s expression soured. It seemed Miller had caught onto his intentions.
"Sigh." Liam let out a long breath. "In that case, I think I'll just head back to the Elder Mayor."
Miller’s gaze turned cold, and an invisible, oppressive aura surged from him. Liam felt the temperature in the room skyrocket.
System: You are being affected by Extreme Heat.
-18 HP
-18 HP
...
The damage was negligible, but Miller’s attitude annoyed Liam.
"You want to get violent, Miller?" Liam shrugged, spreading his arms wide. "Fine. I obviously can't beat you. Go ahead and kill me."
Miller’s face darkened. He knew Liam would only lose a level if he died. More importantly, this was the Novice Village. If he murdered a player here, the Elder Mayor would use it as the perfect excuse to seize his shop and run him out of town.
"I... I do have one other piece of special equipment with Life-Steal," Miller growled. "I'm certain you won't be able to refuse it."
"Oh?" Liam looked intrigued. He wondered what kind of item Miller was so confident in.
Miller reached into his tunic and pulled out a necklace.
Bloodstained Necklace (Special)
Requirement: None
Effect: Every Basic Attack restores 1% of your Max HP.
Durability: 100
Liam’s eyes sharpened.
He had to admit, Miller was right. He couldn't refuse this.
One percent health recovery per hit might seem low to most players, but with Liam’s massive HP pool, it was a game-changer.
"Fine. The Frost-Flame Ore is yours," Liam said.
"Not quite," Miller shook his head. "If you want this necklace, I need the Frost-Flame Ore plus one thousand other pieces of equipment."
Liam’s face hardened. This was a blatant extortion.
"Miller," Liam’s voice dropped an octave. "Don't you think that's a bit much?"
"It’s not. And I know you'll agree to it."
Liam smiled thinly. Miller had read the room correctly.
"Fine. You win. But I don't have that many items on me right now. I'll need some time."
"No problem. I'll be waiting."
Liam agreed because the task was effectively a side-effect of what he was already doing. He had already hoarded a mountain of gear from his dungeon runs. His plan was to grind more instances to max out his HP anyway. If he could upgrade the Hand of Heavenly Punishment to three stars, his damage would skyrocket regardless.
After leaving the village, Liam returned to the Twisted Thicket to begin his marathon grind.
Meanwhile, in Emerald City...
Misty Snow looked at the report sent by her subordinate with a strange expression.
"It’s been this long and he's still level 10? It looks like he’s hit a wall."
She typed back a quick reply: "Stop tracking Frost Monarch. Even if he logs back in now, there's no way he can catch up to me."
"Do we still want to recruit him?" the subordinate asked.
Misty Snow hesitated. "We can try, but drop the salary offer to one million a year. If he takes it, fine. If not, forget it. In this game, if you fall behind early, you stay behind. He's no longer worth our focus."