I was about to reassure him with trust, but his mention of an attack made me pause.

“Attack…?”

“Yes. My senses are sharp in the dungeon, so I might reflexively lash out at the slightest touch. I can’t control my subconscious.”

He was worried about something entirely different.

‘Has he had such experiences? Attacking someone in his sleep?’

Indeed, if an S-rank hunter attacked me with full force in his sleep, my fragile body would shatter.

“Okay, I understand. But next time, come inside to sleep. It’s cold outside.”

I said this, but inside, I thought differently.

‘Never again will I camp out like this…!’

I didn’t fancy a sudden, accidental demise in my sleep.

We had a light breakfast of baked potatoes and eggs we prepared the night before.

The monsters were already roaming the forest.

The weather was not only fine yesterday but even better today. The sky was clear and cloudless.

“We should get going.”

“Yes.”

We repacked and left the cave. There was plenty of invincibility time left thanks to completing quests in a rush yesterday.

‘I hope we find a dark attribute monster today…’

As we entered a different cave, Chae Dong-hwa created a mana sphere. I also put on a headlamp and held my hammer.

While walking deep into the cave, we encountered a fork in the path.

“What’s this?”

To the right, the entrance of the cave glittered with purple crystals. Chae Dong-hwa knelt for a closer look, floating the mana sphere in the air to light up the inside.

More purple crystals were inside.

“It seems like a mana stone cave. Finding a cave with so many mana stones is even rarer than seeing a dark attribute monster.”

Wow, actual mana stones!

It seemed my luck was geared more towards finding something other than monsters.

Mana stones are the rarest minerals obtainable in dungeons. They enhance a monster’s abilities when consumed and are often used in crafting hunter equipment.

Even a low-grade mana stone from an S-rank dungeon would be valuable.

[Congratulations! You have met the conditions and acquired the sub-skill ‘Gold Please, Tap Tap (D)’.] Suddenly, I acquired a new skill.

“I just got a mining skill.”

“That’s fortunate. I don’t have a mining skill, so I can’t mine anyway.”

Without a mining skill, any mineral mined turns into a mere stone.

[Gold Please, Tap Tap (D)

You are the master of mining! While mining, who knows, you might find gold?
Effect: Mining
With luck, high-grade mining is possible.]

“But it’s grade D. It seems like high-grade mining is possible if I’m lucky…”

[Invincible Backpacking Quest

Mine Mana Stones of the Saltwater Giant (0/50)
Reward: Invincibility for 6 hours]

“Can I mine here for a while? A mining-related quest just popped up for my backpacking.”

“Sure. I will illuminate the area for you.”

His hand flashed, and the mana sphere divided into multiple spheres like cell division, brightening the cave instantly.

As I stepped in, my reflection shimmered on the mana stones like in a mirror maze.

This was timely. If I passed it by, other hunters might snatch it.

Chae Dong-hwa Hunter said he couldn’t mine. Better I mine the low-grade stones than leave them.

I pulled out a pickaxe I made with my camping skill from my inventory.

“Gold Please, Tap Tap.”

As I struck the mana stone and cast the skill, it neatly separated along the seam.

[‘Yubom(F)’ mined ‘Saltwater Giant’s Mana Stone (F)’.]

It was F grade, essentially worthless.

But there were still many mana stones left. Undeterred, I continued using my skill on other stones.

“Gold Please, Tap Tap! Gold Please, Tap Tap!”

[‘Yubom(F)’ mined ‘Saltwater Giant’s Mana Stone (D)’.] [‘Yubom(F)’ mined ‘Saltwater Giant’s Mana Stone (E)’.] [‘Yubom(F)’ mined ‘Saltwater Giant’s Mana Stone (E)’.]

…

After about 20 attempts, I still only mined low-grade stones.

Eventually, I was almost shouting, like when I use the ‘Seen It’ skill.

“Heck, heck…”

“Are you alright?”

“Yes… This isn’t easy.”

I didn’t want to show my less graceful side, but it seemed like my image management had gone awry.