[Ding! You have gathered Iron Ore (Gray) x20.]
[Ding! You have gathered Copper Ore (Green) x12.]
[Ding! You feel lucky.]
[Ding! You have successfully uncovered a rare gem!]
[Ding! You have gathered an Uncut Ruby (Blue) x1.]
[Ding! Your Skill Proficiency of Gathering has increased!]
[Ding! Gathering has leveled up! LV1 -> LV4 (20%).]
[Ding! You have completely exhausted a mining node!]
[Ding! Your Quest Log has been updated!]
[Ding! Quest, Mine Ore I, has been completed!]
[Ding! You have obtained 100,000 EXP.]
[Ding! Current LV: 16 (151,440/195,840).]
[Ding! Total EXP: 360,206.]
[Ding! A new function of your Inventory is now online.]
[Ding! The Ore Pouch can store any and all kinds of minerals and ore without limit.]
[Ding! All of your held ore has been added to your Ore Pouch!]
[Ding! If a mineral or ore is smelted into a final product, it cannot be stored inside the Ore Pouch.]
[Ding! By completing Quest, Mine Ore I, a new Field Skill has been generated.]
[Ding! Mining LV1 (0.0%) has been added to your Skill page!]
[Ding! Durable Pickaxe ((Blue) - 2 Options)) has been deposited into your Inventory!]
[Ding! You have earned a new Achievement, A Miner's Life!]
[Ding! You have earned a new Achievement, First Harvest!]
[Ding! You have obtained $150,000 USD.!]
[Ding! Wallet: $350,000 USD.]
[Ding! You have obtained your first production tool.]
[Ding! Production tools, such as Pickaxes, are not considered Equipment, and will not occupy a Slot.]
[Ding! Your Appearance Window has been expanded!]
[Ding! You may now view equipped tools while using them.]
I...was not expecting to be greeted with another flurry of Gamer Notifications by storing the ore Frigga successfully dug out using Sever. This is quite a lot, isn't it? So let's try to break it down. We successfully exhausted the ore vein, and even though it wasn't considered "mining" through conventional means, it still satisfied the task. It said to use any means necessary, and it didn't designate who had to do it, so when Frigga successfully severed the node into individual chunks, Gathering took over, and the ore produced from it was enough!
Gathering shot up three whole levels too. From there, I received a lot of experience, and I was around 75% to LV17 now. What I didn't expect was to complete a couple Achievements. Achievements did mention it would reward me with the most suitable rewards that I can use right away that don't straight up provide Stat Points. Right now, it is considering the currency I have back on Planet Earth as the foremost option. If I start dabbling into production like Mining and Gathering, that may end up changing, so we'll see.
But more importantly...I'm now a third of the way to becoming a millionaire now. Score! Only bad part is, apart from spending a little here and there, I can't use it yet! Once this Instance Dungeon is over and I'm back at Azure Point, I will reach out to Tony and see if he has created that shell company for me to use. A day has passed already, so it should be ready by now. Like Jarvis said, I shouldn't underestimate the connections Tony has, so if Tony really wants something he can make it happen very quickly. Just like how he has Gordon Ramsay on speed dial.
As to what happened at the end there, that was an interesting change. Production tools like Pickaxes are not counted toward the Equipment Slots, and instead, it looks like they have their own. I wanted to see for myself so I opened my Status Window. I didn't need to bore you with all of its details, but I do plan to review my Status Preview once I finish checking what was added. I went straight to Inventory.
Seeing a large blue screen appear beside me, Frigga raised an eyebrow again. What she saw was essentially a miniature me. Several pieces of Equipment could be seen. I still had three empty Slots, waiting to be filled in. Mostly the pauldrons that go over my shoulders. I haven't received any yet.
"I take it this is supposed to be you.", Frigga said, showing interest in her eyes again. "Is this the "Status Window" you were mentioning before?"
"It is. As long as you are in the Party, you too will be able to see your details. Like I said, your information is privy to you and you alone. I am not one to intrude on that. It will display all of your accomplishments, translating it into something you can actually see. It will display an array of numbers, amongst other functions it possesses. And well, the window I'm on lets me display what armor and weapons and such that I currently have on. It'll even let me do this.", I said, and did a motion of my Frieren's Staff.
I didn't unequip it. What the motion did was make Frieren's Staff vanish from sight, becoming invisible again. I can take it out and ready to strike with it at a moment's notice. Just like how you see characters pull weapons out of thin air when they get ready to strike their enemies. Not all games do that, but this Gamer System does.
"You can make your weapons vanish at will?", Frigga asked.
"Yep. Consider it an ace in the hole. I can also equip anything that I like without wasting the time and effort that others have to do. They'll get deposited into what's called an Inventory. You have access to this too, should you decide to try it out later.", I explained. "And well, I was looking at something new that changed for me. I also have this now."
This time, I brought out the last thing I was rewarded with for completing Mine Ore I. Flash!
A bright blue glow blinded us for a brief moment before a sturdy-looking pickaxe came into view. Not going to lie, it was a little heavy. Just what is this thing made of?
"I got this from completing that task of gathering that ore just now.", I continued to explain. "It might just seem like a normal pickaxe to you, but it has a special property to it."
"It can be enchanted.", Frigga answered right away. Now that, I didn't expect to receive an answer right away. But was it that surprising? No doubt Frigga can easily discern what can be enchanted or not. It's one of the specialties of Asgardian Magic. It has several categories from what I learned from her.
Runic Magic, Enchantment, Illusions, Element and Matter Manipulation, Conjuring, Transformation, Barriers, and Restoration. Quite expansive if you ask me. If you take someone like Loki, he is adept in casting Illusions, Conjuring magical constructs, and transforming into other people and such. He didn't really show off what Asgardian Runes can do. And speaking of Loki, he actually doesn't have the Mind Stone right now. When I saw him carry that golden scepter of his, it had nothing inside of it. He won't come into contact with Thanos until anther four to six years down the line. Much farther into the future, and I will be ready for that when the time comes.
Frigga, on the other hand, seems to excel in Runic Magic. I am particularly interested in Matter Manipulation, as that sounds like what we call Equivalent Exchange. You can change matter entirely into something else, as long as you offer something in return. Now that will be an interesting topic to cover.
But I doubt it'll be something I tread this early on. it's likely one of the more complex subjects to learn down the line.
Still, I nodded at what Frigga said.
"Why am I not surprised you could tell that from just a glance, Master?", I happily asked. "Then let me ask you this, can you tell how many times this pickaxe can be enchanted?"
"Twice, from the looks of it.", Frigga responded. "I did not think this pickaxe would provide an opportunity, but we don't have to immediately head further inside, do we? I can show you how we enchant our gear. This loot that you mentioned won't vanish, will it?"
I became interested upon hearing that. Frigga is willing to enchant this pickaxe for me? I know I have the Enchantment Skill, but that only lets me currently add elements to my Active Skills. It can't enchant weapons, tools, or gear. At least not yet. Likely because I haven't learned it properly. In response to Frigga's words, we overlooked the subterranean platforms further inside, still littered with various colorful glows.
Those items and resources were still waiting for us. Not a single one seemed to be vanishing any time soon. I know in some games, loot drops vanish after a period of time, but not here~
I can make use of that!
"They aren't going away anytime soon.", I replied with a shake of my head. I glanced at the time. It was eleven-o-clock now. It hasn't approached noon, so that meant there was another three-and-a-half hours to fully explore this Instance Dungeon to our heart's content. Plenty of time for Frigga to give me a lesson on Enchantment. It will be a good chance of pace, as I've seen Runic Magic in action a couple times now. "We've got plenty of time. I do have a prior commitment, to which I will need to excuse myself in a little over three hours, but that should give us plenty of time to clear the rest of this place up. Both Monsters and Loot."
"Then we shall proceed to do a lesson on Enchantment next, and apply it to this pickaxe you brought out. Consider it a reward for the eagerness to learn everything so far. I'm sure if I had another student, they likely would have not stuck with me for this long.", Frigga replied, and chuckled, even though it's only been a couple days at most.
"Haha.", I laughed. "You have me the body to learn this, so in a way, all of this is your fault."
That was a little cringe to say, but was I wrong? If Frigga didn't give me Mana Perception right away, it would have likely taken me a lot longer to even learn basic Magic, let alone Asgardian Magic.
"Then I shall try to live up to your expectations that you have of me.", Frigga said, and smiled back at me. Regarding that...
Should I tell her? About how Frigga dies during the year 2013 in Thor: THe Dark World. it's one of the leading movies of Phase 2, and Frigga sacrifices her life to save Jane Foster.
"About that...", I tried to say, only to see Frigga raise her hand at me, not letting me continue my words.
"Some words are just not meant to be said, Myles. Do not forget how I was raised. I know far, far much more than you could imagine.", Frigga said, gently shaking her head. "We have our own roles to play in the grand calculus of the multiverse. We are but a mere droplet of water inside that vast ocean. You show much more promise than I could ever hope to reach, and I hope through my teachings, they can serve as a guiding light for you to stand on your own two feet. Not only within the Nine Realms, but far beyond that."
"Master...", I murmured, not expecting to receive such words from Frigga. Yet, I was surprised at the same time. "You...know about the multiverse?"
"I do. Though what I know is scattered at most. I do not possess any sort of means to traverse it. I can only explore the Nine Realms as my status as the Allmother.", Frigga said, and shook her head. "You are not ready for this subject. Perhaps one day, you will possess such means. But not now."
"I understand. Though I am surprised that you are lacking a response to me knowing about the multiverse itself.", I replied with a wry smile. "Are you at least not the slightest bit interested, Master?"
"Like I said, Myles. To each their own.", Frigga said, and shook her head again. "Come along now. We have a lesson on Enchantment to get to. Let us go find an area off to the side where there are no disturbances. After that, I will continue to observe your fight against those Kobolds."
"You'd be correct there.", I replied. "Let's go find a spot."
As that happened, I received one more Gamer Notification, which only solidified Frigga's words.
[Ding! Soul Protection has suddenly triggered.]
[Ding! You have successfully avoided detection!]
So that was another boundary that I shouldn't easily tread, huh? Frigga's death, and what the multiverse is. I can only shelf that for now.
Nonetheless, I'm onto you, Ancient One. In due time, we will meet face-to-face.