The shaft Flynn had stumbled into was not just another branch of the mine. It was the beating heart of Black-Iron Mount.
Here, the stone walls were no longer dominated by common iron and copper. Instead, rich veins of tungsten and silver ran through the rock like buried treasure waiting to be claimed. These were not materials just anyone could extract. Mining them properly required at least a Junior Mining certification, something most players had not bothered to pursue yet.
Flynn, however, had.
While his blacksmithing remained stuck at the Apprentice level, his mining skill had reached Junior long ago. If he had spent any real time at a forge, the two would have progressed together, but he had never cared much for crafting finished goods. Pulling raw wealth straight from the earth was simpler, faster, and far more satisfying.
Two hours passed in steady, rhythmic work.
