"Check your inventory. Are you sure you've got two pickaxes and a wooden sword?"
Kanzaki Yuzuki stood at the entrance of the mine, his gaze fixed on the dark abyss that stretched before him.
A shield in his left hand, a wooden sword in his right — Kanzaki looked up, noting the position of the sun directly overhead.
Good timing.
In the MC world, noon was the safest period. No monsters lurking outside yet, and plenty of daylight left.
Unfortunately, Kanzaki's earlier scouting had revealed no coal veins near the mine's entrance — at least not within the first few dozen meters.
No coal... not ideal, Kanzaki thought. But we've got torches — we'll take the gamble.
Before heading out, Kanzaki had made a quick stop at yet another "good brother's" house to grab a few extra torches.
It wasn't much, but hopefully enough to push deeper into the cave.
"No problem!" Keqing confirmed, gripping her wooden sword and shield tightly.
Ganyu held her torch carefully, a wooden pickaxe clutched in her other hand.
Though Kanzaki trusted their abilities, he couldn't risk relying on that alone. MC logic was merciless — even powerful warriors could fall victim to a single misstep.
"Once we head inside, I'll take point," Kanzaki instructed. "Ganyu, you'll stay in the middle and focus on lighting the path. Keqing, you'll take the rear."
"If things go south, both of you retreat immediately. Don't worry about me — just run. Got it?"
Both women nodded, their expressions serious.
They knew better than to second-guess Kanzaki's judgment. In unknown territory, experience outweighed strength.
"Did you remember the tactics I taught you?" Kanzaki asked again, eyeing Ganyu.
Ganyu's face lit up with determination as she nodded and started reciting:
"If zombies swarm, dig into a wall and block the tunnel behind you. For skeleton archers, carve a side passage — stay out of their line of sight and make a gap for observation."
"If a creeper shows up... raise your shield! If there's water nearby, head straight for it!"
Kanzaki grinned.
"Perfect! Congrats, Ganyu — you've officially passed the beginner's miner exam!"
"Only beginner?" Ganyu pouted slightly, disappointed.
"Mining's an art," Kanzaki said with a chuckle. "Gotta master the basics before you can graduate."
Ganyu clenched her fists in determination. "I'll work hard!"
Kanzaki smiled, turning toward the mine.
"Alright — let's go!"
Keqing adjusted her shield and took up the rear, while Ganyu raised her torch, her face serious as she followed closely.
With his team in formation, Kanzaki relaxed slightly. They were ready.
The mine was rugged and uneven, but compared to what Kanzaki had seen before, this was manageable.
The deeper they went, the darker it became. Before long, the sunlight from the entrance had vanished, swallowed by shadows.
Ganyu's torch flickered faintly, barely illuminating their path.
Though both Keqing and Ganyu were seasoned fighters, the oppressive darkness gnawed at their nerves.
Kanzaki felt Ganyu's breathing grow faster behind him — she was anxious.
Understandable, Kanzaki thought. The MC world is a different kind of beast...
Putting away his wooden sword, Kanzaki reached back and gently grabbed Ganyu's wrist.
Ganyu flinched, but when she looked up and saw Kanzaki's calm expression, the tension faded from her face.
"Don't worry," Kanzaki said quietly. "I've got you."
Ganyu nodded silently, tightening her grip on the torch.
They pressed on.
Kanzaki scanned the walls as they advanced, searching for that familiar black-speckled texture that signaled a coal deposit.
But the deeper they went, the more uneasy Kanzaki felt.
Still nothing...
Coal veins were supposed to be common near the surface. If they weren't finding any now, either this cave was cursed... or the coal was hiding deeper inside.
He considered calling it a day — better to regroup and try another cave tomorrow — when Ganyu suddenly gasped.
"Kanzaki! Over there!"
She pointed excitedly to a dark patch on the wall.
Kanzaki's eyes narrowed. He stepped forward, torch in hand, and drove it into the wall.
The flames danced, lighting up the rock face.
A grin spread across Kanzaki's face.
"Coal!" he cheered. "A whole lot of it!"
The black-speckled stone stretched across the wall in thick clusters — a rich vein, far more than Kanzaki had expected.
"You found it, Ganyu!" Kanzaki praised.
Ganyu smiled shyly, clutching her pickaxe tightly.
"I just did what you taught me..."
Kanzaki smirked, gripping his own pickaxe.
"Alright then," he said, stepping up to the wall.
"Let's get to work!"
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