Danmachi- Hell’s Forge

When I retrieved the stone the variant burst into a much bigger than normal cloud of smoke that had blue embers in it rather than the red of the normal goblins. The stone was also three times bigger and clearly of a higher quality. The smoke got sucked into my tattoos again but this time I actually felt a difference. It was hard to describe but it felt almost like a drop of liquid had appeared in my mind. What it meant and what uses it had I wasn't sure about but it certainly didn't feel like it was a bad thing.

Anyway I got the sword as a drop and to my surprise the variants entire skull. It honestly looked almost like a human skull but the details were off and the mouthful of very sharp teeth said otherwise. Still I bagged the thing since loot was loot and it might prove useful later. After this encounter I was firmly and completely done with this delve and started heading back to the surface. I had to hang the sword awkwardly from my hip since it was a raw blade without a sheathe but nobody said anything so I just rolled with it.-

I headed over to the guild nearby to sell my loot and verify whether or not the goblin teeth I had still counted as drops. The place was absolutely hopping with activity as many other adventurers also came to turn in their loot for coin. I quickly found my way over to Roses counter that was mostly empty.

"Yo!" I said cheerfully and the werewolf woman glared at me.

"Oh well if it isn't Mr. Drake who I haven't seen since I was assigned to him and I thought died in the dungeon. What can I do for you today sir?" she said in the most passive aggressive manner ever.

"Okay that's fair I probably should have checked in but I was busy training really hard before I went into the dungeon. Got all my stats to G before I even stepped foot in the place, a decision i am happy to say was a damn good one. Today was the first time I delved in fact and I even came across a fucking variant goblin of all things. Probably some asshole left stones on the ground without care if I had to guess." I vented my sorrows to the woman and she gave me a weird look like I was missing some screws.

"So you haven't been delving the whole month?" she asked suspicious.

"Nah I was training my stats up to G first and getting a hang of my weapon and magic. Today was the first time I've actually stepped foot in the dungeon and I got ambushed by four goblins THEN I ran into a variant bastard, hold on I think I already mentioned that?" I said with a pause towards the end.

"I would like to say you have a good head on your shoulders but I think you might actually be insane. Also you said you came across a variant goblin? Can you describe where and what it looked like so the guild can issue a quest to exterminate it?" Rose said very seriously towards the end.

"Hmm? oh! Theres no need I already killed it, speaking of I have some drops to turn in." I said before digging out the skull so I could get to the teeth and stones at the bottom of my bag.

Rose just stared at the skull dumbfounded while I did this and she wasn't alone as some other people had taken notice of the skull as well. I set all the teeth on the counter before putting the skull back in the bag since I was going to keep it for personal use.

"Here we are, twelve goblin teeth and six magic stones with one broken and one from the variant." I said cheerfully as I handed over my loot.

"So you actually fought a variant and won?" Rose asked astonished.

"I am pretty sure it was a newly evolved one but I did yes." I said nodding in confirmation. 

"I see." she said neutrally as she moved on to testing all the loot and I was especially worried about the teeth but they passed inspection just fine.

"The variant stone is approximately equivalent to a grade three stone or a stone from an ogre for a value of two thousand valis. The teeth are worth fifty valis apiece for a total of six hundred valis. the broken stone is worth a flat rate of fifty valis. each normal goblin core that is intact is worth one hundred valis for a total of four hundred valis. Your complete turnover is three thousand fifty valis is this acceptable?" Rose said breaking down the going price of things.

I nodded "Yep that sounds good thanks for the help." I said with a smile.

Rose just looked at me blankly before counting out the coin and putting it in a small bag that she handed to me. I left the guild after that and totally missed Rose gawking at the slashed bloody back of my shirt. On the way back I was called out by the girl who I bumped into hours before hand and helped with the produce. 

"Hey! Over here!" she called and like anyone would at that sound I looked ,that was a mistake.

She rushed me and before I knew it all my valis was gone and I was eating a hearty meal at a restaurant and bar called the hostess of fertility. It was a quaint little place that made me nervous as hell for one reason, every single person there save one was level four minimum. The owner was a massive dwarven woman who was level fucking six. The food was good and all but I didn't want to find out what happens if I criticized the food and kept my mouth shut about it needing some salt.-

I made sure to take some food home for Hestia since I thought she'd appreciate it and said goodbye to the girl who I learned was named Syr. The owner Mia had apparently heard about my magic from Syr and offered to pay me to swing by everyday in the morning to enhance the flavor of the ingredients after the tomatoes I had improved earlier proved to be a big hit when used. I was honest and said I'd try to stop by when I could since I could always use the coin but that I might not make it since I'd be hitting the dungeon a lot more.-

That answer was easily accepted and i was told it was an open offer. I wasn't sure but Syr seemed pleased with the whole arrangement but then again I was about as versed with the opposite sex as a rock. I was damn good at treating people like i wanted to be treated but that just meant I wasn't hard to get along with. I avoided romance like the plague it is though and was perfectly happy being a single man forever.