The next three days passed in a blur of activity that reminded Finn of his most intense gaming sessions, except this time his muscles actually ached and the dust he was breathing was frustratingly real. He and Aria had thrown themselves into restoring the workshop with the kind of focused determination that only came from having a clear goal and the means to achieve it.
The first day had been dedicated entirely to cleaning. Finn discovered that sweeping floors and scrubbing years of accumulated grime off workbenches was significantly less enjoyable than mining rare ores, but Aria's enthusiasm was infectious. She moved through the workshop with purpose, pointing out which tools needed immediate attention and which could wait.
Guardian proved surprisingly helpful despite his intimidating appearance. The golem could lift heavy equipment that would have taken both of them considerable effort, and his mechanical precision made him excellent at organizing materials by type and size. Finn found himself oddly comfortable working alongside the construct, perhaps because Guardian never judged his lack of social skills or asked awkward questions.
By the second day, the workshop had transformed. Dust sheets came off to reveal surprisingly well-maintained equipment underneath.
The forge, once cleaned and inspected, showed only minor damage that Finn was able to repair using materials from his inventory. Workbenches were reorganized, tools were sharpened and oiled, and the cobwebs were banished to wherever cobwebs went when you aggressively removed them with a broom.
It was during the afternoon of the second day that Finn and Aria began actually crafting items for sale. Aria had suggested they create a diverse inventory to test the market and see what townspeople were most interested in buying.
"We should start with practical items," Aria said, arranging materials on the main workbench. "Farming tools, basic weapons, cookware."
"Things people actually need rather than fancy equipment only adventurers can afford."
Finn nodded, pulling iron ingots from his inventory. "That makes sense. We can save the high-end crafting for custom orders once we have established a reputation."
They fell into an easy rhythm. Aria would work at the forge and anvil, using her blacksmithing skills to create tools with the kind of quality that came from years of training. Finn focused on the crafting station, using his system-guided abilities to produce items with enhanced durability and minor enchantments.
[Steel Farming Hoe crafted!]
[Quality: Uncommon]
[Experience Gained: 80 points]
[Iron Cooking Pot crafted!]
[Quality: Common]
[Experience Gained: 50 points]
[Enhanced Woodcutting Axe crafted!]
[Quality: Uncommon]
[Special: Increased cutting efficiency]
[Experience Gained: 120 points]
The notifications came steadily as they worked. Finn found himself gaining experience not just from his own crafting but also from observing Aria work. The party system continued to benefit them both, their combined efforts yielding better results than either could achieve alone.
....
...
By the end of the second day, they had created an impressive array of merchandise. Farming tools lined one wall, each one sturdy and well-balanced.
A rack of basic weapons included swords, daggers, and spears suitable for novice adventurers or town guards. Cookware and household items filled several shelves, ranging from simple pots to decorative candleholders with minor light enchantments.
"This is good work," Aria said, surveying their production with satisfaction. "We can probably sell most of this within a week, maybe less if word spreads about the quality."
Finn was examining a notification that had appeared during his last crafting session.
[Level Up! You are now Level 26!]
[Experience: 892/4,500]
[New Skill Unlocked: Enhanced Resource Detection]
[Mining Skill increased to Intermediate Level 7]
He had been leveling consistently throughout the restoration process, gaining experience from crafting, repairing, and even the occasional mining he did in the basement tunnel to test the rock composition. The progress felt good, tangible in a way that his old gaming sessions never quite managed.
On the third day, Finn decided to focus on the basement tunnel while Aria handled some business matters upstairs. She needed to visit the merchant guild to arrange proper licensing for selling their goods, and Finn was more than happy to spend time underground doing what he did best.
He stood at the tunnel entrance, his best pickaxe in hand, and activated his resource detection skill. The enhanced version he had just unlocked provided significantly more information than before. He could now see not just what minerals were present but also their approximate quantity and the optimal extraction angles.
Finn started mining, and immediately noticed something different. His swings felt more powerful, more precise. The rock gave way more easily than it should have, chunks falling cleanly away with each strike. He was not just mining faster, he was mining better, as if his body had finally fully adapted to the strength and coordination his leveling had provided.
[Iron Ore obtained! Quantity: 8]
[Copper Ore obtained! Quantity: 5]
[Experience Gained: 120 points]
[Mining Skill increased to Intermediate Level 8]
Hours passed as Finn worked his way deeper into the tunnel. He set up support beams using lumber from his inventory, ensuring the tunnel would remain stable as it expanded.
The work was meditative, each swing of the pickaxe bringing a sense of satisfaction that never got old. He had extended the tunnel by another ten meters when the notification appeared.
[New Quest Available: Depths Delver]
[Description: Your mining capabilities have reached a threshold where advanced techniques become possible. To unlock the Excavation Skill, you must demonstrate mastery over tunnel creation by expanding a mining operation to significant depth.]
[Objective 1: Mine 50 meters of tunnel with proper support structures (Current: 30/50)]
[Objective 2: Extract 500 units of various ores during the excavation (Current: 187/500)]
[Objective 3: Maintain structural integrity throughout (Current: 100%)]
[Reward: Excavation Skill (Allows rapid tunnel creation with single strikes)]
[Time Limit: None]
Finn stared at the notification, his heart rate picking up. The Excavation Skill sounded exactly like what he had always wanted.
The ability to create tunnels with single strikes would revolutionize his mining operation. What currently took hours could potentially be done in minutes.
"Pebble," Finn said quietly. The little rock had been observing from a shelf near the tunnel entrance. "This skill, Excavation. How powerful is it really?"
Pebble's eyes glowed brighter as he hopped down and approached. "It is one of the signature abilities of high-level miners."
"Once unlocked, you will be able to channel your mining power into devastating strikes that can carve through solid rock like it is soft clay."
"The tunnel creation is just the beginning. At higher skill levels, you will be able to create entire chamber networks, underground bases, and even defensive structures."
"So it is basically a game changer," Finn said.
"Precisely. However, the quest requirements are not trivial. You need to prove you understand proper mining techniques before the system will grant such a powerful ability."
"Anyone can swing a pickaxe, but creating stable, safe tunnels requires knowledge and precision."
Finn looked back at the tunnel he had been excavating. Thirty meters done, twenty more to go. The fifty-meter requirement was achievable, probably within a few more days of focused work.
The ore extraction would happen naturally as he mined. The real challenge was maintaining structural integrity, which meant being careful about support beam placement and not getting careless in his enthusiasm.
"Alright," Finn said, gripping his pickaxe.
"Let us do this properly."