468 Arcane Artisans

Ren alone defeated Inti, so explained the huge EXP boost.

He then used that 100 000 EXP and distributed it to his major ATPs. His HP shot to around 1 500. His MP neared 10 000, and his INT was more than 900.

Neglecting his STR, which was still at 4, Ren closed his status bar and proceeded to check his loots.

Opening the [Platinum Chest x5] and the [Gold Chests x 10], Ren got hold of all of Inti's items and equipment.

The [Platinum Chest] contained the [Golden Fruits] he so wanted to have, but he was left disappointed when it was only five of them.

Ren proceeded to use the fruits and allocated three of them to his [Crafting] life skills, shooting it from [Beginner] to [Grandmaster] real quick.

And with the remaining two fruits, he used it to his [Foraging] Life Skills. His [Foraging] skills went from [Intermediate] to [Grandmaster].

Inti had a lot of items containing scrolls, recipes, herbs, rune stones, and little equipment. Inti had no armor, to begin with, and amongst the rewards, his set of artifact equipment was the rarest.

[Inti's Equipment Set (Artifact)

❶ Inti's Abominable Halberg

The blade of this odd weapon is made from the tooth of a Lioness and snake. The hilt, however, is a bizarre creature from a distant sun. The Halberg was created by a renowned wizard who specialized in planar exploration.

The living hilt has a mind of its own, and it sometimes decides that a character is not good enough to carry it. In such an instance, the weapon actively fights the wielder. The character might suffer 1-10% of their HP upon using this weapon.

If the weapon does not reject the character, it has a special power that comes into play. The wielder of the Halberd may choose to willingly suffer 1-10% damage by stabbing the tip of the weapon into the palms of their hand, and it would inflict additional divine damage when it successfully strikes a target.

The dagger's hilt is, in fact, alive. It is an artifact. Though not an intelligent being, it does have an instinct. It wishes to feast, and the blood costs its victims is how it thrives.

● STR +500, AGI +50

● Equipped by: Brute, Swordsman

● Durability: 10/10

● Requires Tuning

❷ Inti's Sash

This red and orange metallic sash will remind anyone of the sun. This is made from threads of molten cinnabar and copper.

If you wear this sash, you're immune to Divine, Flame, and Light Magic.

● MDF +50

● Equipped by: Men

❸ Inti's Boots

While wearing these magical boots, you can activate one of the six magical runes that were carved on them and gain the following benefits of your choice for one hour:

-your walking speed doubles

-your jump distance is tripled

-you gained an advantage in acrobatics and athletics

-you have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed and can move up, down, and across the vertical surface and upside down along ceilings while leaving your hands free

-difficult terrains became normal terrain

-creatures can't attack you from behind

Once a specific rune has been activated, that rune can't be activated again until the next day.

● AGI +100

● Equipped by: Men ]

Without a second thought, Ren auctioned Inti's Equipment set and all other items he didn't need.

There were also Runestones here. Ren thought, deciding to keep them.

Runestones contained magical properties, and they were often attached to an equipment. While the Runestones were attached to an item a player was holding or wearing, they could activate its runic magic and gain benefits depending on what type the rune was used and how it was crafted.

Upon acquiring the Runestones in his hand, Ren suddenly thought of something.

"Right . . . There's that . . ."

The 'that' he muttered about were the Hexcrafting, Runecarving, and Spellwarping that he could add to his list of Life Skills now that he became an Alchemist. These three were known as skills for Arcane Artisans.

Though the arts of Hexcrafting, Runecarving, and Spellwarping were rare, mysterious, and often dangerous, their practitioners could be found scattered throughout ARCADIA.

Now that they were in the middle part of the game, things were finally beginning to open up. And advance level crafting skills like this were finally accessible together with the materials from which they were forged.

Ren knew six such artisans. Each of these could provide exciting services and unique magical services to the players. And now that his class was aligned to crafting as well, he could probably get those Life Skills and gain corresponding spells in return.

Hexcrafters shared an interest in the occult and forbidden. They were often sought after for their abilities to bestow powerful curses, create accursed magic items, and even help willing subjects undergo terrible, dark transformations.

The curses bestowed by Hexcrafter could be divided into two types: hexes and jinxes. While somewhat similar, there was a clear difference between the two. Where jinxes had no upside at all and were always a detriment to the subject, a hex was a pernicious bargain that provided both a boon and a bane.

Jinxes were usually bestowed upon an unwitting victim – much like a traditional curse – while hexes were often willingly incurred by the customer who believed that the hex's benefits outweighed its downside.

If Ren acquires this Life Skill, he could create hexes on his crafted items. He would have access to the Hexcrafter's spells, as well, like [Bloodthirst], which would increase a creature affected STR depending on the level of the spell but lower their DEF in turn.

While Jinx worked in the same way, its list of spells was different, like Ren could cast [Amnesia] or [Babbling], both were supportive spells that hindered a mage caster's ability to cast. And since this were jinx and hex and not a status effect, it couldn't be cured easily. A White Mage must have the [Remove Curse], to disperse the curses on a player or items.

However, [Remove Curse] is only accessible if an Ascetic advanced to Luminers or Radiants. Or if they happened to stumble upon a spellbook containing it.

There was no item that could remove a curse, and only the Luminers / Radiants or better yet, a Priestess or Priest that could cast [Remove Curse] and dispersed this types of jinx and hex.

( . . . continuation on NOTES)