I Only Tame Dragons

Chapter 79 The Price of Craftsmanship

The price had soared past 15 Aurum before Horizon even blinked. He shook his head in disbelief. This is insane.

Yet something clicked in Horizon's mind as he watched the crowd fight tooth and nail for Eldrin's services.

The path to riches wasn't just in the competition or the quests—it was through forging like he had thought.

The sight of Aurum and Bullion being tossed around like spare change was proof. If he could master this craft, Horizon wouldn't just win battles; he'd build his own fortune and fill his lair with untold wealth.

"Well, that's the gist of it," Nyx purred, stretching lazily. "I went through quite a bit of trouble back in Drakha to gather all the recipes I needed to fill my lair with the treasures I wanted." She yawned, her small form curling up snugly atop Horizon's head.

It was as if she could read his thoughts, slipping effortlessly back into sleep with a mischievous smirk, leaving her words to linger in the air like a secret only she knew.

Resolved, Horizon turned away from the stage, no longer interested in the auction. There was no point in watching the absurd bids climb higher if he didn't have any money to bid.

Instead, he strode toward the Forging Studios, ready to speak with an Elven representative.

If he couldn't bid for Eldrin's services, then he'd create his own path—starting now. Experience exclusive tales on empire

There was no time to waste. The fires of the forge awaited.

The Forging Area was buzzing with activity, teeming with players from the ARK, their presence unmistakable among the native inhabitants of Eldrasil.

There was a certain tension in the air, the kind that clung to the edges of every glance. The locals of Eldrasil shared a common look of disdain for these outsiders, just as they did in every other territory where players had infiltrated.

The few players who had chosen to devote themselves to forging were bound by their guilds and territories, too focused on maintaining their equipment to ever dream of entering competitions like this. Their stats simply couldn't compete, having invested in crafting rather than combat.

The guilds had brought their best—but the real masters were still the inhabitants.

"What?! Ten Bullions to rent a Class-A Forging Studio? That's insane! Who would ever pay that kind of money?" one player exclaimed, disbelief evident in his voice.

Horizon listened quietly to the conversation while the elven staff at the counter sneered.

"That's 10 Bullions per day," the elf replied with a scornful look. "If you can't afford it, stop holding up the line and move along."

"Out of the way," another player said, stepping forward confidently. He tossed a gleaming Crystal onto the counter and addressed the elven staff. "Here's one Aurum. We'll rent your best forging studio for the next ten days."

The crowd fell silent, jaws dropping as they processed what just happened. One Aurum—equivalent to 100 Bullions—was casually handed over like it was nothing.

"That crest on his armor . . . That's the Martial Union. They're a second-rate guild," someone murmured, causing ripples of recognition through the group.

"No wonder they can drop that kind of cash without hesitation," another player muttered in awe.

Curiosity piqued, another player in the back asked, "Do you have something like . . . one Bullion per day?"

Many players nodded in agreement. Paying 10 Bullions per day just to rent a Forging Studio? That was outrageous! With that kind of money, they could easily buy a low-grade silver weapon or even a decent piece of equipment. Spending it all just to use a forge seemed insane to most of them.

The elven staff sighed, clearly irritated by what he saw as a bothersome question. "Yes, there's the Class-D Forge," he said flatly, rolling his eyes.