To Sebastian's surprise, the master blacksmith was brazen enough to simply snatch the item.
It was fortunate that Arthur was just an NPC in the game.
Had it been a player, Sebastian wouldn't have stood for such behavior.
"An exquisite piece... truly exquisite," the old blacksmith muttered, cradling the black stone in his hands.
He gazed at it intently, without so much as blinking, as though he had stumbled upon a priceless treasure.
"Master, what exactly is this?" Sebastian inquired.
The intelligence only hinted at its rarity but offered no specifics.
However, given the fervent reaction it elicited from a Master-tier blacksmith, it surely had to be of significant importance.
Lost in his admiration, Arthur seemed not to hear Sebastian.
He continued muttering praises, utterly captivated.
"Hey," Sebastian said, waving a hand to catch Arthur's attention.
Finally, the old blacksmith looked up, his once-clouded eyes gleaming with a new intensity. "Where did you find this material?"
"How much are you willing to pay for it?" Sebastian retorted instead of answering.
Arthur's eyes sharpened, and he glanced briefly outside. "Come in," he beckoned.
With no other option, Sebastian entered the blacksmith shop.
Once seated, Arthur brewed him a cup of tea.
The aromatic scent brought back memories of the tea he had sipped earlier that day at the village chief's place.
He took a sip, albeit to no special effect.
Inside the shop, Arthur carefully placed the black stone inside a jewel-encrusted box.
Witnessing this, a thought flickered in Sebastian's mind.
It appeared that Arthur had already claimed the stone for himself.
Did that mean he could name his price?
As Sebastian was pondering the right amount, Arthur took a seat opposite him.
With a grave expression, he stated, "This is one of the black gemstones from the Scepter of the Dark Lord."
"The Scepter of the Dark Lord?" Sebastian echoed, astonishment painting his face.
When [Original Realm] was launched, the developers released a teaser trailer.
This preview showcased the epic Battle of the Gods and Demons.
According to the game's lore, the world where players now roamed was the calm aftermath of this very battle.
The dungeons and monsters in the wilderness were remnants of that cataclysmic war.
Although only a fraction of this world-changing conflict was depicted by the developers, it left an indelible impression on countless players.
The most memorable segment was the duel between the King of Light and the Dark Lord.
Although the teaser revealed just the tip of the iceberg of their battle, the grandeur and magnificence of the confrontation were etched deeply into every player's heart.
The majestic King of Light, standing tall in the sky, with an aura as formidable as a war deity, captured the hearts of many.
And the Dark Lord, shrouded in shadows, both real and illusory, with an aura of incomparable mystery, similarly garnered a vast following.
So much so that many players were drawn to choose the path of the Wraith class.
Every time Sebastian watched that trailer, his heart swelled with emotion.
So, when old Arthur uttered the words "Dark Lord", Sebastian's shock was palpable and beyond description.
He could never have imagined that the black stone he held was in any way connected to the Dark Lord, once the supreme leader of the Demon race's vast armies.
Was this truly the information from the white intelligence?
Seeing Sebastian's bewildered expression, old Arthur suddenly flashed a smile. "Young man, you're truly fortunate."
Sebastian snapped back to reality, his face animated with excitement. "Does the black stone have any purpose?"
If it was valuable, he would never sell it to old Arthur. After all, it was a part of the Dark Lord's weapon; its worth was surely immeasurable.
Spotting Sebastian's demeanor, old Arthur quipped, "It's useless to you, but quite valuable to us blacksmiths."
"Are you sure?" Sebastian looked skeptical.
If not for the fact that old Arthur was a pre-programmed NPC, he would seriously suspect the old man might deceive him regarding this extraordinary item.
Perhaps sensing Sebastian's distrust, old Arthur scoffed, "Hmph, do you think I, a Master-tier blacksmith, would cheat you?"
He then drained his cup of hot tea in one gulp, "Not to mention the Scepter of the Dark Lord was shattered by the King of Light long ago. Even if you found it, it would be of no use to you now."
"It's lost its original vitality. It's merely a material for crafting now. Keeping it serves no purpose for you. Only when it's embedded in a weapon can its true strength be harnessed."
Confronted with old Arthur's explanation, Sebastian instantly thought of his own wand. "Could I embed it into my wand?"
"In theory, yes. But can your wand withstand its power?" old Arthur raised an eyebrow skeptically.
Sebastian looked embarrassed. Thinking of his wooden wand, he was at a loss for words.
Seeing this, old Arthur promptly suggested, "So, you might as well sell this gem to me."
Upon hearing this, a hint of hesitation flashed across Sebastian's face.
Especially after learning of the stone's origins, he was quite reluctant to part with it.
But as old Arthur pointed out, it was of no use to him now, and he didn't possess any weapon capable of harnessing its strength.
After much consideration, Sebastian made up his mind, "I'll sell it to you, but only if you embed it into a wand."
Hearing this, old Arthur wore a surprised look, "Seems you intend to buy it back later."
"Of course. If you disagree, I'd rather it gather dust in my hands," Sebastian replied firmly.
"Fine, it rightfully belongs to a wand anyway," to Sebastian's surprise, old Arthur agreed readily.
"How much are you willing to offer?" Sebastian inquired.
"500 gold coins. That's its utmost value. Even if you took it to the kingdom's blacksmiths, you'd get no more," Arthur stated without hesitation.
"Alright, 500 it is," Sebastian nodded.
[You have received 500 gold coins from Darkstone Blacksmith Arthur.]
The next moment, Sebastian heard the notification chime.
500 gold coins, equivalent to 500,000 dollars.
Suddenly, Sebastian felt like he had struck it rich.
"Kid, if you come across any other treasures, remember to come to me," Arthur called out.
"Of course," Sebastian nodded.
[Your favorability rating with Darkstone Blacksmith Arthur has increased by +30.]
The added 30 favorability rating took Sebastian by surprise.
In the game, NPCs had a favorability rating towards players.
If the rating dropped into negative figures, it could lead to the NPC's discontent, and they might even attack the player.
Conversely, when the rating increased significantly, players could win the NPC's favor, sometimes unlocking valuable information or being offered lucrative quests.
Checking his favorability rating with old Arthur, combined with the earlier increase, Sebastian was now at 40 points.
In the gaming world, this was already considered high.
After all, most NPCs typically started with a favorability rating of zero towards players.