Solo Leveling: Monarch of knowledge

I revised the chapter as i wrote wrongly the rank.

Also, i forgot to say that this is the bonus chapter for the stones!

Through the story i will make Awà explain some info, it's more for the readers that don't know so they don't need to go to the wiki and search for themselves.

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Adam stood amidst the wreckage of the small horde of goblins he had just decimated, the hammer resting on his shoulder. His breathing was steady, his body calm, and there wasn't even a hint of fatigue. He smirked. 'Awà, this is incredible. My body feels so optimized. No tiredness, no strain… though I am feeling hungry.'

[The nano machines are maintaining your energy levels efficiently, Host.] Awà responded. [However, it is advised to eat soon. Restoring your reserves will ensure you don't feel drained later.]

Adam nodded. 'Noted. Once I'm done here.'

His attention shifted to the group of hunters nearby, who had formed a loose huddle and were whispering amongst themselves. Adam narrowed his eyes. 'Awà, can you adjust my hearing range? Let me eavesdrop.'

[Adjusting audio frequency… Done.]

Suddenly, their voices became crystal clear in his ears.

"Should we attack him?" one of the hunters asked nervously, his gaze darting to Adam.

The muscular woman with the large sword, clearly the squad captain, shook her head firmly. "Think for a second." she said. "Did you hear him coming?"

The hunter hesitated. "No."

"Could you have killed those goblins that efficiently?" she asked, her tone sharp but not unkind.

Another hunter interjected, shaking his head. "Not a chance. He didn't just kill them, he obliterated them."

"Exactly." the captain said, crossing her arms. "So why would we provoke someone like that? For all we know, he could be a high-ranker playing around. It's not worth the risk."

The others nodded at her logic, their expressions shifting from nervousness to cautious acceptance as they glanced at Adam.

Adam raised a brow. 'Huh. She's smarter than I expected. Didn't think a squad captain in a low-rank raid would have that level of insight.'

Deciding to ignore them for now, he turned his focus to the smashed corpses of the goblins. Drawing on his knowledge of anatomy from the books he had read, Adam crouched and began slicing into the chest cavities of the creatures with surgical precision.

Inside each goblin, near its heart, he found a glowing light blue stone. He plucked it out, holding it up to examine the faint glow.

[Essence Stones.] Awà explained, her tone factual. [These small, glowing stones are found inside the corpses of magic beasts. They serve as the primary source of income for hunters and are generally very valuable. The value of an essence stone depends on its rank and quality. E-Rank essence stones, like these, sell for very little due to their low quality and abundance. In contrast, higher-ranked stones, such as S-Rank, which are purple, can sell for millions.]

Adam pocketed a few stones before asking, 'Awà, is the mana in these stones enough to awaken me?'

[No, Host.] Awà replied. [If you desire the most optimal transition to E-Rank, these stones are insufficient. However, the boss's essence stone alone should suffice.]

Adam hummed in thought, glancing at the rest of the goblin corpses. 'Then these are just extras for now.' He stood and addressed the hunters. "You can have the rest of the essence stones. I've taken what I need."

The hunters exchanged uncertain looks before one cautiously nodded. Adam smiled slightly. 'They didn't attack, so I might as well leave them something. Call it a thank you for not being hostile.'

As he turned, Adam's eyes landed on a cluster of glowing blue crystals embedded in the cave wall. He recognized them instantly.

[Mana Crystals.] Awà explained again. [These blue-colored magical minerals are found inside dungeons. Though less valuable than essence stones due to their lower mana content, they can still sell at high prices and serve as a secondary source of income for hunters. Since electricity doesn't function in dungeons, hunters must extract them manually using pickaxes. Guilds typically assign teams of low-ranking hunters to mine crystals, often spending hours to clear a deposit.]

Adam glanced at the hammer in his hand. 'Can I use this to mine them?'

[Not advised, Host.] Awà said immediately. [The hammer would damage the crystals, reducing their value and mana output. Additionally, while I can directly absorb the mana, it would only serve as fuel. Given that mana is present both inside and outside the dungeon, mining the crystals for profit is more advantageous.]

Adam nodded thoughtfully. 'Fair enough. I'll leave them for now. Today's just about testing my abilities.'

Turning away from the crystals, Adam adjusted his grip on the hammer and began heading deeper into the dungeon. The faint glow of mana crystals illuminated his path as he walked.

....

Adam explored the dungeon calmly for the next two hours, his footsteps echoing faintly in the narrow tunnels. Every so often, he encountered small groups of goblins, but they posed no challenge. Each swing of his hammer was precise, efficient, and devastating, reducing the creatures to lifeless heaps within moments.

Eventually, the tunnel he was following widened and merged into a larger, well-lit passageway. Peering down, Adam spotted the hunters from earlier engaged in battle against another wave of goblins. From his elevated vantage point, he could see that one of the hunters had lost an arm. The injured man was being dragged back by an ally while another hastily bandaged the bleeding stump.

Adam frowned, a pang of pity stirring in him. Without hesitation, he descended toward the group. As he approached, the hunters tensed, their eyes widening at the sight of him.

"Need a hand?" Adam called out casually, his voice calm. Without waiting for an answer, he joined the fight, swinging his hammer and smashing through the goblins with precision. The hunters rallied with his help, and within moments, the goblins were wiped out.

Once the fighting ceased, Adam crouched beside the injured hunter. Blood still poured from the stump despite the crude bandaging. He placed a hand near the wound and thought, 'Awà, can you use the nano machines to stop the bleeding?'

[Affirmative, Host.] Awà responded.

A faint glow emanated from Adam's hand as the nano machines went to work, stabilizing the man's injury and clotting the blood. Within seconds, the bleeding had stopped completely.

The other hunters stared in awe.

"Are you… a healer?" one of them asked, his voice filled with amazement.

Another hunter squinted at Adam, then at the hammer he carried. "Wait a second. Why is a healer using a hammer? That's not normal."

The sharp-eyed hunter stepped closer, his gaze narrowing. "Hey, isn't that… our hammer?"

Adam smiled faintly, his voice laced with calm amusement. "Yeah, I borrowed it. Running back kilometers to grab gear for a low-level dungeon seemed like too much effort."

The lie worked like a charm. The hunters exchanged glances, their suspicions morphing into understanding. The squad captain gave Adam a long look, clearly deep in thought.

"Thank you." the injured man said, his voice shaky but grateful. "You saved my life."

Adam shrugged. "It's nothing."

He straightened, turning to the squad captain. "How do you plan to handle the boss?"

The captain gestured toward a massive set of reinforced doors behind them. "We'll call in the miners first to clear out the crystals. Once that's done, we'll open the boss room doors and engage."

Adam nodded thoughtfully, his mind already spinning with possibilities. 'Awà, scan the mana behind those doors. How strong is the boss? And can she take it on?'

[Scanning...] Awà's voice returned after a moment. [The boss is a D-Rank magic beast. Additionally, multiple high E-Rank entities are inside the room. This group has no chance of victory. Their combined strength is insufficient for success.]

Adam's brows furrowed. 'And me? Do I have a shot?'

[Negative, Host.] Awà replied. [Your physical capabilities, while impressive, are weaker than the squad captain's. Without mana, you cannot overcome the stronger creatures, and your weapon, classified as E-Rank with minimal mana, is inadequate for the boss.]

Adam sighed, leaning against the wall as he mulled over the situation. His mind flicked through everything he had read about dungeon mechanics, combat techniques, and materials. Then his gaze shifted to the crystals embedded in the walls and the essence stones he had collected. A slow smile spread across his face.

'I've got an idea.' he thought with his smile widening.