When dawn broke the next day, John could hardly wait to retrieve his Bloodthirsty Blade from the forge.
Old Nick, visibly weary yet excited, assured him, "Honored Commander, I guarantee you will adore this weapon once you lay eyes on it."
Curiosity piqued by Old Nick's enthusiasm, John wondered what made the dwarf so thrilled.
The dwarves were naturally gifted in smithing, but something like this was unprecedented.
What had they transformed the Bloodthirsty Blade into? Upon receiving the blade and seeing its attributes, John gasped in surprise.
The already ornate Bloodthirsty Blade was now embellished with an eye-catching Dragonblood Stone in its hilt.
The blood-red gem only enhanced the sinister allure of the blade, casting a dark crimson glow that flickered subtly, captivating and bright.
[Equipment]: Bloodthirsty Blade (Damaged)
[Type]: Weapon
[Level]: Lv30
[Tier]: Platinum-tier/Divine Artifact
Enjoy reading at m _v _le _mp _yr.
[Quality]: Damaged
[Attributes]: Strength+816, Spirit+651, Attack Speed+30%, Bleeding+30%
[Requirements]: Crimson Demon, Blood Apostle, Crimson Ritual...
[Skill One]: Blood Devourer (Passive)
[Skill Two]: Blood Rage (Active)
[Skill Three]: Blood Puppet (Active)
[Inlay]: Dragonblood Stone (0.08% of inflicted damage converts to the wielder's HP with no upper limit. When HP is full, there's a 0.5% chance to store it as a blood shield, which can automatically deploy using stored HP from the blood shield.)
John had not anticipated that merely setting a gemstone would elevate the Bloodthirsty Blade from gold-tier to platinum-tier!
Moreover, it even added a blood shield skill!
Most importantly, this wasn't just about having the ability to heal from damage in battle; the pivotal feature was that the blood shield could be accessed at any time!
If his health regeneration fell short during combat, he wouldn't even need to reach for a potion.
This was essentially a self-replenishing health reserve! Though the chance was only 0.5%, it was still remarkable.
Isabella's staff had only a 0.1% chance, with a mere 30% probability, and it didn't support blood storage.
No wonder Old Nick had been so sure John would be thrilled upon seeing this staff.
And indeed, he was!
"Old Nick, your craftsmanship is truly incredible; you are without a doubt the finest artisan among the dwarves!" John exclaimed.
John felt his spirits lift at that moment.
[You have received a buff, Mystic Refreshment, mind power regenerates one point every ten seconds.]
John was surprised to hear the prompt and instinctively checked his status bar.
After defeating the boss earlier, he had been in a constant state of tension, never fully relaxing even back at the fortress.
Thus, his mental energy was not at full capacity.
Unexpectedly, just wandering around the healing room had begun to slowly replenish his mind power!
John looked around, observing the flowers swaying in the breeze, and as his gaze lowered, he realized this healer was indeed extraordinary.
"Good day, Commander," came a voice as cool and clear as a mountain spring, just as John was enjoying the gradual restoration of his mind power.
Instinctively turning around, he saw a slender figure seated on a chair intertwined with vines.
Pointed ears and silver-white hair declared the person's identity.
Their attire was a soft green, possibly woven from some type of plant, shimmering subtly in the sunlight, adding an extra touch of splendor.
The delicate, handsome face coupled with the silver hair made them seem ethereal and untouched.
Even the light streaming in through the windows seemed gentler, as if afraid to startle this breathtaking being.
The beautiful face was androgynous, so much so that if it weren't for the resonant voice that followed, one might think they were beholding a beauty beyond compare!
An elf, truly?
John suppressed his excitement and nodded.
"Good day."
He had never imagined that in this secret realm, he would encounter such legendary creatures, entities that belonged in the novels of his original world.
And now, to see them with his own eyes!
Yet John was unaware that at that moment, everyone in the audience was utterly astounded.
"What race is this? Why have we never seen such a stunning species in this secret realm before?!"
"My goodness, I want to go in there too, can I please go and talk to this pretty boy?!"
"How can such a beautiful face belong to a man? I, as a woman, am almost feeling inferior."
"Am I the only one noticing that the creatures in this secret realm seem completely different from those in previous ones? Shouldn't the academy provide an explanation for this?"
"Yes, and now the time it takes to come out has also slowed down. Moreover, my child came out with a noticeable decrease in mind power and symptoms of dizziness and vertigo. Shouldn't there be an explanation for this?"
"After coming out, my child is still unconscious. What exactly is going on? I hope Star Cluster Academy gives us an explanation."
The audience was abuzz, not just in awe of the elf's beauty but increasingly demanding an explanation from Star Cluster Academy.
They had noticed that the children coming out were generally feeling unwell, something that never used to happen!