"Watch out!"
I stepped aside just in time to dodge… Realizing I couldn't attack from a distance, I dashed forward, aiming for its torso with a thrust from my shovel.
CLANG! My shovel struck, but my arm tingled without dealing any true damage. Just as panic set in, another fireball shot out from the golem's eyes.
"It's so hot!!"
I felt the heat of the fireball sear my skin, but I was used to burns in real life. Undeterred by the pain, I swung my shovel with all my might. The impact echoed as the shovel struck the golem's head, but it felt weak…
"No way, that didn't hurt it at all!?!"
"Lena, another one is coming!"
This is bad; if we keep this up, we'll be overwhelmed…
"Phoebe! Cast support magic!"
"Regenerate, Power Boost, Speed Boost!"
"Ugh!"
Bathed in the glow of the support spells, I braced myself as another golem fireball flew towards me. I took aim at the red stone next, thrusting forward. Moments later, the stone shattered and with a series of beeping sounds, it exploded, sending us flying and scattering red effects everywhere before fading away.
"Ugh… I found its weakness, but my health is critically low…"
I slammed against the wall from the blast, dropping to my knees, feeling the pain while desperately relying on the regeneration spell that was struggling to keep up. I quickly gulped down a health potion; if the golem self-destructed on defeat, we wouldn't last!
I pushed myself up and readied my shovel.
"Lena, fireball incoming!"
Heeding Phoebe's warning, I raised my shovel as a shield, intercepting the fireball. Fortunately, its firepower was lower than I expected, so I barely felt any pain.
"Damn it, I need to figure out a way to defeat it without triggering the self-destruct…"
The weakness was a fiery red stone, so there was only one option.
"Take this, Golem!"
I hurled my shovel at the stone, and it spiraled through the air, enveloped in ice. It struck the Golem's face, vanquishing it without a self-detonation, leaving behind a shimmering red effect before it vanished.
"Wait, could it be that the Golems here are weak to ice?"
"Are you okay, Lena? You need to grab your shovel before it's too late!"
"Oh, right..."
I hurriedly picked up the shovel Phoebe had reminded me about. It was great to realize the Golem's weakness, but the effects of my resonance with Phoebe made the elemental properties unreliable. Should we retreat?
I hesitated, but when I shattered the red stone, I noticed there was a brief window before it could explode. Deciding we could escape in time, we pressed deeper into the ruins.
"Hyaa!"
Encountering another Golem, I aimed for the vulnerable red stone and swung my shovel again. This time, it coated itself in ice once more, taking down the Golem without triggering a self-destruct.
"Ah, ice again! We're lucky!"
"Lena, your shovel randomly emits fire or ice; can't you stabilize it?"
"I'm not sure... At least it's using the resonance skill with Phoebe to channel the elements..."
"Resonance?"
I want to explain to Phoebe, who tilts her head in my chest pocket, but what can I say? She had stayed silent during our discussions about skills and status, so she probably doesn't understand much about that.
"Well, it's our bond that becomes a source of power, manifesting in the shovel, allowing it to harness elemental forces like fire, ice, and lightning in battle... Could it have been a burden on you, Phoebe?"
"No, even if the shovel generates fire or ice, it doesn't impose any magical burden on me. It's intriguing, though… if my bond with you manifests in the shovel, then if we both wish for the same thing, couldn't we imbue it with any power we desire?"
"That would be quite useful! Let's try it in the next battle. The golem is weak to ice, so let's pray for ice power with all our might."
We formulated our strategy and moved forward, encountering the golem once more.
"Ice prayer!"
We both shouted at the same time, and suddenly the entire shovel was enveloped in ice—not just the tip. Yet, the hand gripping the shovel felt perfectly warm.
"Take this!"
I slammed the ice-wrapped shovel into the golem's face, causing its entire body to freeze and shatter! A red effect erupted from the broken golem as it vanished.
"Whoa, is the output increased? Could this be the true value of our resonance?"
"To think we could enhance a weapon's power just by praying… this is the strength of our bond."
The two of them shared their thoughts on the power of resonance. If they could harness it effectively, the golems here wouldn't be a threat! They were ready to take on battles and level up!
With the power of ice, they could now take down golems in a single blow. They began to defeat the golems one after another, collecting golem cores—items that must be the high-value treasures their leader had mentioned.
As they leveled up, they felt a surge of confidence. They were determined to get stronger and catch up to their sister, pressing deeper into the dungeon until they reached its innermost chamber.
"Looks like there's no boss here after all. I expected to find a big golem or something," one remarked.
"A big golem? Do you think we could even defeat that?" the other replied.
Instead of a boss, the expansive room contained only intricate magical circles etched into the walls and floor, along with some bookshelves. The magical circles weren't active, and they had no idea what effects they might hold, so they decided to investigate the bookshelves.
"Oh, look—a fairy adventurer and a blacksmith! What are they doing in a place like this?" one said, pulling a book from the shelf. The cover featured a whimsical illustration of a fairy alongside a blacksmith.
That book was instantly recognizable—a cherished fairy tale that he had at home, deeply rooted in his memory. But why was it hidden in the depths of a game dungeon? Wasn't there some issue with copyright?
"What's that?" his companion asked.
"It's my favorite fairy tale. Want to read it?"
"I want to read it!"
Despite my racing thoughts, Phoebe's eager words pushed everything else to the back burner, and I settled into a reading posture. Reading in a dungeon might be perilous, but having easily defeated our enemies had left me with a sense of ease and confidence. Leaning against the wall, I began to read.
This is a tale from a certain dimension, a certain world. In a quiet village lived a boy who forged iron and crafted tools to make a living. One day, a small, enchanting fairy adventurer appeared before him and made a request: she wanted him to forge a sword capable of slaying any monster. In return, she offered him a beautiful gem that held no monetary value.
Though the boy had no real reason to accept, he agreed without hesitation and poured all his skill and emotion into crafting the sword. When the fairy received the sword, she expressed her gratitude, preparing to depart, but the boy called out to her.
"How will you use that sword?"
The fairy replied, "I will wield it to save my homeland, even if it costs me my life… to rescue the fairies suffering back home."
Moved by her determination, the boy insisted on accompanying her. Initially, the fairy hesitated, but the boy's unwavering resolve led her to relent and accept his company.
Thus began their long adventure. They journeyed through earth's caves, leaped over fire, sliced through water, and soared through the wind. As they navigated these challenges, their bond deepened, and together they forged a path to the fairy's homeland.
Waiting in the fairy's homeland was the source of their suffering: a monstrous aberration. Realizing that a deadly battle awaited them, the fairy chose to fight alone, leaving the boy behind to protect him. She wielded the sword he had forged and lied so he wouldn't follow, provoking a parting quarrel to ensure he stayed away.
However, the grotesque monster was formidable. After a long and grueling battle, the fairy found herself cornered, her spirit breaking. As the monster prepared to deliver the final blow, the boy unexpectedly intervened. Shocked to see him, the fairy asked, "Why are you here?"
His response was heartfelt: "If you truly hated me, you wouldn't express such pain when you lied to keep me away. I can't bear to see someone I care about suffer! No matter what, I'll fight by your side. Don't give up!"
Reinvigorated by the boy's words, the fairy regained her resolve. Together, they confronted the monstrous foe and ultimately triumphed, saving her homeland.
Afterward, the fairy adventurer and the blacksmith boy lived happily together in the fairy's homeland for many years. And so ends their tale.
"How was that? It was a great story, wasn't it? I wish there were a more detailed novel version!"
Once I finished reading, I felt satisfied. The picture book condenses much of the story, but the novel version offers a rich, detailed adventure. It dives deep into the personalities and backgrounds of both the fairy adventurer and the young blacksmith. Plus, the novel is filled with illustrations that vividly depict the growing bond between them.
"......"
".....Phoebe?"
She seems lost in thought, gazing intently at the picture book.
"Oh, n-nothing! By the way, the novel version you mentioned, it goes into greater detail, right? How much damage did the fairy homeland suffer in that story...?"
"I can clearly hear a bit of hesitation in your voice… But to answer your question, if I recall correctly, the novel states that about half of the buildings collapsed and thirty percent of the fairies sustained severe injuries. It mentioned that the enemies were draining energy from the fairies without killing them, which kept the death toll low."
But why would she ask something like this? Could it be that Phoebe's homeland was also attacked by monsters? Is that why she has nowhere to return? It's just a thought, but even if it were true, if I don't know where it is, there's little I can do to help.
"For now, it seems I can take this picture book home with me. As for the magic circles on the walls and floor, I have no knowledge about those at all. Phoebe, do you have any idea what to do?"
By the way, I couldn't read the other books on the shelf and gave up trying to carry them away since they were too difficult to transport.
"...That's a teleportation magic circle. The catalyst on the wall is broken, but if we replace it with a new one, it should work."
"Hmm, a new catalyst... I don't even know the recipe to make one. We're out of options..."
Having reached the innermost part of the area, I contemplated heading back when an email notification popped up. It was from my sister.
"Hey, big brother! It's almost dinner time, so you should head back to reality soon!"
Whoa, is it that late already?
"Phoebe! Sorry, but get back in my pocket! I need to rush to Lily's place!"
"Uh, okay!"
Once I confirmed Phoebe had returned to my pocket, I bolted towards the town, dodging a pesky golem. Thanks to Lily's timely email, I barely made it home in time for dinner and escaped my parents' wrath.
**Today's Adventure Outcome:**
**Lena**
**Level:** 11
**Gender:** Male
**Class:** Blacksmith
**Status:**
HP: 70
MP: 143
Strength: 23
Defense: 24
Dexterity: 46
Agility: 32
Intelligence: 45
Luck: 55
**Skill Levels:**
Blacksmithing: 7
Enchanted Blacksmithing: 2
Sewing: 2
Crafting: 3
Escape Techniques: 2
Throwing Techniques: 2
Item Manipulation: 4
Identification: 2
Instant Death Resistance: 1
Resonance: 5
Devotion: 2
Tenacity: 1
Mining: 3
Fairy Protection
**Title Achievements:** 1
**Main Weapon:** Archie
**Notable Effect:** Attack Mitigation (Phoebe)
**Armor:** Gym Uniform
**Notable Effect:** Set bonuses (+5 to Strength and Agility)