Reborn in the Survival Adventure Game-Chapter 23: The Shine Below the Dirt

Caelen stood at the entrance of the mine, spinning his copper pickaxe in one hand. The poor thing was scratched everywhere and the blade was dull from constant use for days. One more swing and it could break in two.

"Well, time to let you have a break, old friend," he grumbled, putting it down. He took out the new pickaxe—the one he made from that strange, blue shiny metal he smelted previously. It was lighter than copper but felt much stronger. The blue, smooth surface glinted in the light.

"This had better be worth all the furnace effort."

He walked into the tunnel, holding his torch, and proceeded down the small passageway. Water trickled down from the ceiling—remnants of last night's rain—and the scent of earth filled the air. The soil still had a slight dampness, but not enough to deter him.

"Google," he muttered. "Detect ores in the area."

[Google: Iron Deposit detected — Large.]

"Bingo."

He followed the path Google marked in his mind, winding through the familiar stone walls until he reached a section that looked different—denser, darker.

He raised the pickaxe and gave it a good swing.

Clank!

To his surprise, the pickaxe didn't bounce off like the old one. It bit straight into the stone like butter. Caelen blinked, then grinned.

"Oh yeah, you're my new best friend."

Chunk by chunk of iron-hard rock dropped at his feet.

[Item Obtained: Raw Iron Ore x4]

[+6]

[+3]

He continued, humming a small melody even as he chipped at the rock. It was soothing, like tearing bubble wrap apart. When his arms began to hurt, he took a moment to rest and lean against the wall.

"Okay, what's next..." He cocked his head in thought. "Google, sense Mythril?"

[Google: Mythril Vein detected — 100 meters down.]

Caelen glared at the ground.

"...That's deep."

He rubbed his head. "No way. Not until I receive, like, a magic elevator or something."

Just as he was going to turn back, something occurred to him.

"Didn't there have a cave nearby? Something that I didn't visit yet..."

He stopped. "Google, scan any nearby caves."

[Google: Cave detected — 25 meters northeast.]

Caelen's eyes sparkled. "Now that sounds plausible."

He crept down the way Google led him, wiggling through a narrow crevice in the stone and crawling down a slope. After a few tumbles and knee-scrapes, he found it—an open room radiating softly in the dark.

He stepped forward slowly. The walls glittered in blues and greens.

"Whoa... What is this place?"

Small lights danced around the walls—crystals. Not regular ones, though. They were glowing softly, like they were breathing. Caelen bent in front of one and tapped it with his pickaxe.

Nothing.

Then he chipped off a small piece of it with his pickaxe.

Ping!

A shard dropped into his hand. It hummed very gently, warm and smooth.

[Item Acquired: Mana Crystal Shard x1]

Caelen raised an eyebrow. "Magic rock, huh?"

He picked a few more carefully. The crystals emitted just the right amount of light to make the cave peaceful, not spooky. And no monsters popped out at him this time either.

He sat up and looked around and understood something—this world wasn't all swords and mud huts. First the strange metal, now these glowing mana crystals?

Perhaps he could do more than merely exist in this place.

He pushed the final shard into his pack and headed back out, into the sunlight. Zira was working in the distance, chopping wood with remarkable vigor for a newcomer to forest living. She gestured to him, and he waved in response.

Caelen considered the new pickaxe in his hand and grinned.

"Okay," he muttered to himself. "No Mythril just yet... but baby steps."

His fingers brushed against the mana crystals in his bag. His mind was already racing with ideas.

"Let's see what you're good for."