Dark Warlock in the Apocalypse

"This is all mana stones!?" Rachel exclaimed, her eyes wide in disbelief.

Nathan's jaw dropped as well. If all these enormous gems were truly mana stones, how much would they be worth? Judging by the colors, they didn't seem like low-grade stones either.

"No, these aren't mana stones," Ethan answered before Justin had the chance to speak. He was still running his hand over the crystals, his expression stiff. "Mana stones only come from the hearts of monsters. You can't find them in mines like this."

"Exactly. According to the lore, mana forms within the hearts of living creatures," Justin added.

"But… the heat coming off them feels so similar," Rachel asked again, with a hint of disappointment.

Ethan shook his head. "These aren't mana stones. They're elemental stones."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Elemental stones?" Nathan echoed in confusion.

"Yes. In the lore, elemental energy gathers in certain minerals and forms these gems," Ethan explained.

"So, we can't sell them in shops?" Rachel and Nathan's faces fell. They had both thought they were about to strike it rich, only to find out they had discovered a different kind of stone.

"No, that's not true," Zachary, who had been half in a daze, answered. "You can sell them in shops and exchange them for mana stones. And they fetch a very good price."

"Really!?"

"Elemental stones are much rarer than mana stones. If you sold the same amount, you'd get several times more," Zachary clarified.

Rachel and Nathan immediately turned their gaze to Justin, as if asking for confirmation. Justin chuckled and nodded. "That's right. They're far more valuable than regular mana stones. Elemental stones are used for enchanting."

"Enchanting?" Nathan asked, still a bit lost.

"It's when you imbue magic into equipment. Think of it like permanently adding a new attribute to a weapon or armor," Justin explained. "An ordinary weapon can become as strong as a rare one, and a rare weapon can get close to the level of a unique-grade item. But of course, you need a skilled artisan for the enchantments. Without these materials, even the best artisans are useless."

"And they're not just used for equipment. Some of the highest-grade potions also require elemental stone dust," Ethan added.

"Exactly. But those potions can only be crafted after someone reaches their third-tier profession."

"Wow. I figured the Dark Elves would have something to offer, but I never expected it to be an elemental stone mine," Zachary mused, still in shock.

The other experienced adventurers who had been through world rebuilds seemed equally stunned. After all, coming across an elemental stone mine was a rare occurrence, even in a hundred runs. If someone had the right skills, they could achieve a massive power boost, and even without those skills, the money alone was enough to turn things around.

Especially for players who chose artisan professions, finding an elemental stone mine could completely reverse the outcome of a losing game. For anyone who understood their value, the discovery was nothing short of extraordinary.

But Nathan, still unsure of the significance, scratched his head. "So… we can sell some of this and use it for development, right? Like, upgrading the entire territory?"

"Absolutely not!" Ethan, Zachary, and Derek all shouted at once, their eyes nearly bulging out of their heads.

"Do you have any idea how valuable these are!? You can't just buy them with money!" Ethan said, exasperated.

"Think about it! We could outfit every pioneer with rare-grade gear if we play this right!" Zachary added.

"Mines have limited resources! Once it's mined, it's gone! It's not like we can plant more and grow them back!" Derek finished, his face red with frustration. Read exclusive adventures at empire

"I-I'm sorry!" Nathan stammered, backing away from the three men who were practically foaming at the mouth.

Satisfied that Nathan had backed down, the three men returned to discussing how to handle the elemental stones. But before they could settle on a course of action, Justin intervened.

"No, we still need to use some of it. If we need money, we'll sell a portion of the stones," Justin said firmly.

"Brother!?" Ethan gasped.

"Lord Justin!" Zachary added, just as shocked.

The three of them tried to plead with Justin, but he brushed them off with a light push. "If we hoard them, they'll end up being useless. We can't wait until we reach our second or third-tier professions to use them. Besides, we need to stabilize the city first. If we've acquired a proper city, we should also make it look like one."

Now that they had a real city, Justin had to think about the cost of maintaining it. It wasn't about living lavishly—it was about presenting the city with the dignity and authority it deserved. That meant hiring servants for the mansion, guards for the walls, and doorkeepers for the gates. Even Emily, who had surrendered and given up her power as a pioneer, needed to be compensated handsomely to preserve face.

Where would all that money come from?

At first, Justin could cover the expenses with his hunting earnings, but as the population grew, there would be a limit. "Do you really want to see this massive mansion and city walls with not a single guard to protect them? Or do you want the mansion to become an empty, haunted shell because we couldn't afford staff? Is that what you want?"

"..."

"Do you want people to see that we've gained a city but are too weak to manage it? If you don't want that, then we'll have to use some of these stones. We're at the point where appearances matter."

Unable to argue with Justin's logic, the three men bowed their heads in defeat. They knew full well that without selling some of the elemental stones, there was no way they could cover the growing costs of running the city.

"But don't worry. We won't run out anytime soon," Justin said, turning to look at the vast elemental stone deposits stretching deep into the mine. "Even if we sell some whenever we need, it'll be years before these veins are depleted."