Knowledge refers to learning ability and understanding, allowing one to make accurate judgments and decisions based on accumulated experience.
Meanwhile, craftsmanship and technology are the essential skills of any artisan.
"This feels just like a game I played before..."
"A simulation game where you gather materials, craft items, unlock knowledge, and obtain mysterious blueprints. You build various workstations and equipment to create different products, hire assistants to help with production, and upgrade workbenches to improve efficiency and quality..."
As Hikaru processed these thoughts, more knowledge surged into his mind:
[By completing new tasks for the first time, random material sources and knowledge entries will be unlocked. Repeating these tasks may yield additional knowledge.]
[Acquiring different levels of materials will provide useful knowledge and craftsmanship skills.]
[Obtaining materials of 'valuable' or higher rarity may unlock unique crafting paths, possibly revealing recipes for exclusive, legendary, or mysterious artifacts.]
[Some crafted items may trigger hidden events, rewarding unique outcomes.]
[Pokémon that assist with crafting will gain extraordinary growth.]
"There are six crafting paths: Carving, Forging, Cultivation, Painting, Sewing, and Mechanics."
"Materials... There are common and uncommon ones, rare and valuable ones... and what else?"
Hikaru muttered, feeling like past memories were flooding back to attack him.
This ability seemed like something designed for a researcher, not an artisan. By working continuously, vague and abstract knowledge could be transformed into practical, specialized skills. This realization sparked excitement in Hikaru.
Even though he wasn't a Trainer or a Researcher, the growth of his knowledge would undoubtedly improve his living conditions.
Staring at the Eviolite, a strange sensation stirred within him. Suddenly, information about its state appeared—thanks to the "Ancient Treasure Hunter" ability he had gained earlier.
[Rare Material: "Rough Natural Eviolite"]
[Description: A rare stone found in nature, seemingly linked to the power of evolution. Even in its unrefined state, it slightly enhances a Pokémon's Defense and Special Defense. However, its full potential remains locked until properly processed.]
[Requirements: Must be held by an unevolved Pokémon. The stone resonates with the Pokémon's evolutionary potential, drawing out hidden strength.]
[Acquisition Hint: Can be found in areas where large groups of Pokémon have lived for extended periods—forests, rocky mountains, caves, etc. In ancient kingdoms, this stone was often mistaken for jade and embedded in artifacts. It may still be found in ruins.]
"So I can see basic information about the items I touch."
Hikaru moved through the storage room, testing his ability on other artifacts, tools, and stones. While he could see their details, no new knowledge entries were unlocked.
Did he need to actively gather and process materials outdoors to gain more knowledge?
Or maybe certain Pokémon types influenced knowledge growth?
Or should he just start refining every single rock in storage?
Plenty of experiments to try later.
For now, Hikaru examined the ancient sword more closely.
[Artifact: "Ancient Sword"]
[Description: An ancient sword retrieved from an unnamed ruin. Covered in dirt and rock, its rusted sheath obscures its original form. The faint patterns on its surface seem foreign in origin. It might be better off donated to a museum.]
[Effect 1: Hidden Clue – Something mysterious may happen.]
[Effect 2: Holding this item gradually drains stamina (minor) – It is said that ancient swords absorb the wielder's life force.]
"Wait, stamina drain?! What kind of cursed relic is this?"
Hikaru instantly felt exhausted just by holding it, as if an invisible pressure was weighing him down.
Still, the hidden clue piqued his interest. If this were a game, this sword would definitely be a key item.
Without wasting time, Hikaru grabbed his crafting tools—hammer, chisel, apron, gloves, and mask—and began carefully prying the Eviolite from the sword.
Though the stone looked like low-grade jade, a proper polish would reveal its true brilliance, transforming it into a rare and powerful battle item.
Eviolite was first introduced in Gen V (Unova region). In the past, people mistook it for ordinary jade, but recent research confirmed its true potential.
When held by an unevolved Pokémon, it increases Defense and Special Defense by 50%.
Among stone-based battle items, Eviolite was one of the rarest and most valuable.
Even a weak Pokémon could gain extraordinary durability with this item.
Hikaru hesitated for a moment. This was a priceless artifact, but he was low on funds.
"No use hoarding it. It belongs in the hands of a Trainer who will actually use it."
As he removed the Eviolite, a sudden wave of exhaustion hit him.
Only after letting go of the sword did he start to feel normal again. Shaking his head, he decided to leave the sword in the basement for further study later.
Deep in the basement, something stirred.
From the darkest part of the wall, an eye emerged.
A black, circular eye, shaped like a peculiar letter "E", blinked into existence before quickly vanishing back into the stone.
The chilling aura in the basement originated from the ancient sword.
"Crackle!"
The sword began to tremble, emitting a faint noise.
As dust crumbled away, the once faded engravings on the sheath began to glow ominously.
Soon, all the dirt covering the sword disintegrated into silver-white energy, vanishing into nothingness.
The ancient sword slowly levitated off the shelf.
The sheath, now clearly visible, was brown with intricate carvings. The lower half featured three sharp, nested ovals, while the upper half resembled a ghostly face, with three round, staring eyes.
A long, blue ribbon extended from the hilt, ending in finger-like frayed tips.
And at the center of the crossguard, embedded in the now-revealed circular cutout, a blue eye suddenly opened.
"Yo~!"
A strange, ethereal voice echoed through the basement.
Who had awakened it?
Who had infused it with life energy?
...Where was its wielder?
...And why was its gemstone missing?!
"Yo~?"
Honedge floated into the air.
Though it didn't have Levitate as an ability, many Ghost-type Pokémon naturally hovered in the Pokémon world—so this wasn't surprising.
The sword swayed slightly, inspecting its surroundings. The basement was dimly lit.
Honedge blinked its eye, unsure of where it was.
"This place… is it a storage room?"
Curious, Honedge drifted toward the door.
The blade tapped against it, spinning in the air before realizing—this was the exit.
Despite being a Ghost-type, it still had a physical sword body, meaning it couldn't pass through walls.
Using its blue cloth-like limb, it twisted the doorknob.
Locked.
"Yo~."
Honedge stared at the door, thinking deeply.
This human had stolen its gemstone and woken it up.
Honedge contemplated its next move.
It spun in place, formulating a plan.
Then, it noticed the handcrafted items and materials around the basement.
And an idea struck.
"Yo!"
It could knock on the door or make noise to attract attention.
Then, it would hide among the artifacts, waiting to strike.
Even though it wasn't a knight, it could still fight.
A weak human scavenger dared to treat it as a mere collectible?
This storage reminded it of a royal treasury.
Back in the palace, it had seen similar collectors hoarding treasured blades, giant cauldrons, and mystical jades…
(End of Chapter)