Transcendent Warrior with a Dimensional Shifting Inventory

23

The old Dwarf was Balin, the original owner of the forge.

David ran to him, clasped his hands, and sobbed.

“Master! I thought you were dead!”

“Why would I die? I have a lot to do. I saw that you seemed to have made a dagger from Star Metal just now.”

Even after reuniting after 20 years, Balin talked about work first.

David, who had been sobbing, smiled and explained to his Master the whole story of how he came to make the Star Dagger.

“That person supplied me with Star Ore! Thanks to that, I was able to use the techniques you taught me.”

Balin approached Minhyuk and introduced himself.

“Nice to meet you! I am Balin, who used to be the owner of this forge.”

David opened his mouth in surprise at his Master’s words.

“Used to be?”

“You’re the owner of this forge, David! Why haven’t you changed the sign yet?”

“Master···.”

Sob-

David finally burst into tears.

Balin looked at such a disciple with a benevolent expression.

Then, he spoke to Minhyuk again.

“I searched outside the territory of Kaho for 20 years to find Star Ore. But all I got was this.”

Balin opened the pouch hanging from his neck and showed the pieces of Star Ore.

There were only a few dozen pieces, not enough to make even a pocket knife.

“Please, I beg you, can you tell me where you found so much Star Ore?”

His situation was dire, but there was no reason to tell him the truth.

And there was no way to explain how a pot of stew had turned into Star Ore.

Minhyuk shook his head.

“I can’t tell you that.”

“Of course, I understand that you can’t just hand out valuable information like that. I was just asking out of desperation.”

“I can’t tell you where the ore came from, but I can supply you with as much as you need. On the condition that you only use it to craft my equipment.”

Minhyuk returned to the main topic.

“You can change the metal plates of the armor to Star Metal while maintaining the magical effects?”

“Yes, I can do that with this.”

Barlin placed the large circular object he had been carrying on his back on the table.

It was a tray-shaped object about 80 cm in diameter.

Information about the object appeared before Minhyuk’s eyes.

＜Magic Storage Disk (Low-grade)＞

-A disk that can store magical effects.

-Can store up to three magical effects at a time.

Barlin explained in detail how he would use the disk to modify the armor.

“I will transfer the magical effects imbued in the armor to the disk before replacing the metal plates. Once the modification is complete, I will transfer the magical effects back to the armor.”

The disk could be used to modify any equipment while maintaining its existing magical effects.

David asked his master with a surprised expression.

“Master! Where did you get such a valuable tool?”

“Although I didn’t manage to collect much Star Ore, my journey wasn’t a complete waste of time.”

Barlin had discovered an ancient temple far away from Asdel Fortress.

That was where he had gotten the disk.

Minhyuk asked Barlin.

“Can you use that to duplicate magical effects?”

If duplication was possible, he could transfer the automatic repair effect of the armor to the dagger as well.

That way, even if the blade was damaged while hunting outside the Sanctuary, he wouldn’t have to return to the fortress to have it repaired.

He could simply use a mana bead to activate the automatic repair function.

“Duplication is not possible. It can only be transferred back to the original item.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

“However, there are disks that can duplicate.”

Barlin had also found a higher-grade disk in the ancient temple that could duplicate magical effects.

However, it was too large to carry.

In any case, the low-grade disk was enough for Minhyuk to modify his armor as he wished.

“How much Star Ore will I need to replace all the metal plates?”

“You will need enough to make ten daggers.”

One bag of stew could make three daggers.

Therefore, the amount needed to make ten daggers was a little over three bags.

However, he still had enough Star Ore left over from what he had given to the blacksmith last time to make two more daggers.

Thud-

Minhyuk poured the mineral of the star over the large table.

It was the amount of three bags of mulberry.

“Oh my···.”

Valin’s eyes looking at the mineral shook violently.

“Is this enough?”

“Yes, it’s enough! But there’s one more thing I need.”

Minhyuk already knew what Valin needed.

“You need a magic bead, right?”

“How did you know?”

＜Using the Magic Storage Disk (Lower Grade) once requires 1 Small Lower Grade Magic Bead.＞

Minhyuk took out a magic bead from the refrigerator and handed it to Valin.

He had previously left a can of ham as an emergency supply.

Valin, who received the bead, exclaimed in admiration.

“You have everything! I can start modifying the armor right now!”

***

The emperor came out to the garden.

He sometimes rode a wheelchair pushed by Mina on comfortable days to see the flowers in the garden attached to the palace.

The early summer sunlight was very warm.

However, Mina’s heart was not.

She was restless after hearing the news that Count Loren had been murdered.

She was worried that General Drake, who investigated the incident and was close to the princess, might have discovered something that could implicate her.

She had given Count Loren information about the imperial palace several times.

“Mina, what’s the matter? Your complexion is very bad.”

At the emperor’s question, Mina forced a smile.

“No. I was thinking about the ingredients for the tea I will serve Your Majesty.”

“hahahahaha, really? You are always so devoted to me.”

“What would I be without Your Majesty?”

“I don’t know how fortunate I am to have you by my side.”

“Your Majesty···.”

Mina confirmed it once again in her mind.

That the only one who could protect her was the emperor.

That was when.

“Your Majesty, you are here.”

The princess appeared.

Mina watched the princess’s expression.

She was anxious whether she already knew about her relationship with Count Loren.

She felt like she was suffocating, worried that she had come here to report her actions to the emperor.

However, the princess did not even look at Mina and greeted the emperor.

“Your Majesty, how is your health?”

“All the throbbing pain here and there just vanished as soon as I saw you! So come and see me often from now on.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

After exchanging some small talk, the princess brought up the main topic.

“Your Majesty, please grant me permission for the expedition!”

Obtaining the emperor’s permission was a very important gateway to preparing for the expedition.

That was because only with a clear justification could the power of the nobles be actively harnessed.

The emperor’s face darkened as she brought up the expedition.

“My dear daughter, why must you personally go out to such a dangerous place! It pains me as your father!”

“For the future of Asdel, someone must do it! And if I, as the princess, do not take the lead in such an important task, who will respect the imperial family?”

There was not a single flaw in the princess’s words.

Since the future of Asdel was at stake, it was natural for the imperial family to take the lead.

If any noble family were to take the lead and accomplish this great feat, they would have to give them half of the empire.

“You said you would make that red-haired man the linchpin of the expedition?”

“Yes. If we borrow his strength, we will surely succeed in this expedition!”

“Christina, it is the first time I have seen you trust someone so much.”

“As I said before, he is not an ordinary person.”

Hmm-

The emperor paused for a moment before opening his mouth.

“Let’s say you succeed in the expedition. What if he is not satisfied with the territory you give him as a reward and wants something bigger?”

If the expedition is successful, the imperial family will shine, basking in the praise of the people.

However, the red-haired man might become a sun emitting a light so strong that it would make the light of that praise seem dim.

And people tend to follow the stronger light.

“What will you do if he asks for half of Asdel, or even the whole thing?”

“Your Majesty, he is not a worldly person who covets power. He would never do that.”

In the princess’s memory, the image of Minhyuk standing alone against the monsters to protect the weak was still vivid.

The princess would never know that he was trying to monopolize the prey to accumulate return time.

“You can know the depth of ten fathoms of water, but you cannot know the heart of a man. No one can guarantee that.”

“It is unlikely, but if he wants to become the master of Asdel···.”

The princess revealed her determination with a grim expression.

“I will marry him!”

“What?”

“I will marry him and make him emperor.”

The emperor had no desire for the throne anymore due to his long illness.

All he cared about was his only daughter, the princess.

“You are a child who could not sleep if even a single piece of candy was taken from you. I wonder if you can really give him everything and live as the wife of a man···.”

“I can. But!”

For the first time, the princess revealed her true ambition.

“My man must take all 12 citadels of the Rania continent and become the unified emperor!”

***

‘Why do my ears itch so much?’

Minhyuk was facing outside the fortress.

His steps were light at the thought of unfolding the Star Dagger.

The magic armor was left for modification.

Instead, he borrowed other armor from the blacksmith.

The rental fee was free.

He had already checked what the Star Dagger turned into by putting it in the refrigerator.

The Star Dagger was an old cucumber.

It was much larger than a regular cucumber and was yellow in color.

But there was no need to go to the market to buy an old cucumber right now.

Now was not the time to waste his return time by shopping.

Minhyuk passed through the castle gate and arrived at the swamp.

He could see grass floating on the water.

＜Swamp Frog’s-bit＞

It was one of the herbs that Luna, the owner of the alchemy shop, had asked him to find.

Thanks to the information window, there was no need to open the book and check.

Minhyuk put the frog’s-bit in a glass bottle with the swamp water.

Luna had asked him to bring it like this.

Swish-

Something swam quickly over the water’s surface and approached Minhyuk.

＜Swamp Moccasin has been discovered.＞

Today, he came out through the west gate, not the east gate.

The swamp in the east was where the moccasins had dried up.

Thwack-

He swung the Star Dagger and cut the moccasin’s neck.

Whoa!

The tough scales and skin of the moccasin were cut like paper.

When he first used the Dwarf Dagger after using the steel dagger, he was very satisfied, but the Star Dagger was much better.

However, he would not hunt the moccasins right now.

They were nocturnal, so he could hunt them at night to double his return time.

‘I’ll catch the snakes later at night.’

Minhyuk crossed the swamp quickly.

And for the first time, he set foot in the west forest.

He would not go too deep into the forest.

He wasn’t wearing magic armor, so it would be a pain if he came across a strong monster.

Thwack-

Thwack, thwack-

He leisurely wandered through the forest, catching easy prey such as wolves and goblins.

Then he found someone collapsed under a tree.

He went closer and checked, and it was a man in armor.

There was no part of his body that was safe.

As he looked at Minhyuk, he barely managed to open his mouth.

“I am a messenger from Melbeck… I have news that must be delivered to the Lord of Asdel.”