The grip was wrapped in oiled black leather, and I happy broke it down and added it to my resource pool. Then I consumed the blade, hilt, handle, pommel, and all.
By the time I was finished, I had a working knowledge of the weapon’s composition, and understood why it had registered as possessing Epic rarity—it could be enchanted with two sigils. The other items I’d acquired were Common and Magic, and the latter could only be enchanted with one sigil while the former just couldn’t be enchanted at all.
Zagorath Consumed a Two-Handed Great Sword (Obsidian Alloy)
Physical Essence +1,250
Zagorath Acquired a Blueprint
Two-Handed Great Sword
Zagorath Acquired Crafting Materials
Obsidian Alloy
Clouded Ruby Gemstone
Black Leather
Goblin Oil
It felt like hours had passed; the process of consuming such a masterfully-crafted item took much longer than the simpler weapons. I dug into the scimitars and admired their uncomplicated yet effective craftsmanship.
Acquired Item!
Orc Scimitar (Orc Steel)
Rarity: Common
Damage Type: Infernal
Seals: None
While I really liked the two-handed great sword for its sheer size and power, it wasn’t as suited to the hands of my Tainted Elf as the scimitars. These weapons were only Common types, so I wouldn’t be able to enchant these exact items, but a fast blade like this would work well for Von Dominus. An improved Dark Reaper, as much as I’d like to wield the incredible weapon, would be too cumbersome for my elf. I much prefer dual daggers for their speed, given my avatar’s lithe body.
It took me a few moments to glide over the composition of a new metal and figure out how the molecules and atoms fitted together inside the weapons before I could properly break them down and absorb them. Once I did, I felt that flood of elation that always seemed to come with learning a new blueprint.
Zagorath Consumed Orc Scimitar (Orc Steel) (x18)
Physical Essence +900
Zagorath Acquired a Blueprint
Orc Scimitar
Zagorath Acquired Crafting Materials
Orc Steel
I could feel Abby’s consciousness watching my progress as she extended her senses carefully. It didn’t seem like she actually knew how to see beyond a few feet.
Her inexperience astounded me since she was obviously a far older dungeon core than me. It seemed a lifetime ago that I’d been sitting up high on the troll’s mantelpiece, struggling to see any further than a few feet. So, I decided to let her figure it out as an important learning curve. Weeks, months, years—who knew how long she’d been trapped inside her own core, hiding from the world and trying to pass herself off as a simple sapphire in the pocket of an old man or this Storm sorcerer? I hoped she’d soon break free from her relative confinement.
My consciousness rolled over the wide-bladed spears with short handles. I ripped the blades from their wooden fittings, eagerly consuming both substances at once. A smug and satisfied warmth spread through my core.
Acquired Item!
Orc Short Spear (Orc Steel)
Rarity: Common
Damage Type: Infernal
Seals: None
I was a little disappointed to discover the wood was the same type I’d eaten before, so I wouldn’t acquire a new crafting material from them. I couldn’t complain, though; this harvest was already shaping up to be quite the lucrative one. Once the weapons fell apart, their Physical Essence swirled deep into my gem.
Zagorath Consumed Orc Short Spear (Orc Steel) (x15)
Physical Essence +600
Zagorath Acquired a Blueprint
Orc Short Spear
The clothes of the raiders were mostly torn and unusable as blueprints, but I did find a few items that were salvageable. I dismantled leather jerkins, boots, cuffs, pants, and belts. They were all Common items made from a kind of tanned leather that was difficult to break down.
I drank the vibrant Physical Essence of their clothing while consuming their corpses. I didn’t earn any essence from the latter, but had to rid my dungeon of them anyway; I considered it was time well spent.
Zagorath Consumed Tanned Leather Jerkin (x5)
Physical Essence +150
Zagorath Consumed Tanned Leather Boots (x2)
Physical Essence +20
Zagorath Consumed Tanned Leather Cuffs (x2)
Physical Essence +10
Zagorath Consumed Tanned Leather Pants (x4)
Physical Essence +80
Zagorath Consumed Tanned Leather Belt (x2)
Physical Essence +10
Zagorath Acquired Blueprints
Leather Jerkin
Leather Boots
Leather Cuffs
Leather Pants
Leather Belt
Zagorath Acquired Crafting Materials
Tanned Leather
I found the pig-sticking dagger I’d used in combat and took special care while studying it.
Acquired Item!
Pig-Sticking Dagger (Orc Steel)
Rarity: Magic
Damage Type: Infernal
Seals: None
The weapon was a Magic type, meaning I could enchant it with a single sigil. It was also crafted with the second best blade I’d found in the Sinarius Realms so far, second only to the Reaper. It was narrow, razor-sharp, and double-edged. I’d already witnessed its effectiveness, so I scoured my dungeons for three other identical daggers and broke them down with glee.
Zagorath Consumed Pig-Sticking Dagger (Orc Steel) (x4)
Physical Essence +300
Zagorath Acquired a Blueprint
Pig-Sticking Dagger
Abby’s consciousness was alive, crackling with an electric energy, and I realized after a moment that she was trying to communicate. It took her a little while, but eventually, she managed to both watch me and speak at the same time.
“I had so few adventurers enter my depths, and those that did plundered my materials.” Her musical tone brushed against my jewel as she projected her thoughts. “I could never kill them. At one point, a man skilled in mining left behind a pickaxe, and it took me weeks to break that item down. I don’t understand how you can be so fast with so many weapons. Don’t you tire?”
“Not really. I can’t have the items lying around when more guests could enter my gates at any moment.”
“So, you’re waiting on someone?” she asked.
“Maybe. They might not show, but I need to be ready if they do.” I ventured further into my dungeon to seek the old man’s staff and its light-bearing sigil.
“This would take me weeks, perhaps months,” Abby informed me, and I imagined her shaking her head. “I’ve never seen anything like you before.”
My awareness locked onto Alaxon’s staff, and I mentally yipped with glee. “I’m
