The Adventurer's Guild hall buzzed with the usual noise—clinking mugs, arguments over quests, and the steady shuffle of boots across wooden floors.
JP stepped inside, pouch a little heavier from his recent prototype sales. His eyes flicked across the quest board.
[Available Quests]
Goblin Scouting (Low Danger) – 3 silvers
Irrigation Ditch Clearing – 2 silvers + tips
Herb Gathering (Healing Roots) – 4 silvers
Escort Livestock to South Pasture – 3 silvers
JP tapped his chin. Goblin scouting? Too risky right now. Escorting livestock? No thanks, I'm not a cowboy.
His eyes lingered on the irrigation ditch quest.
"That's the one," he muttered. "Not glamorous, but… I've got tools for that."
At the guild counter, the receptionist raised an eyebrow. "You're picking ditch-clearing? Most adventurers avoid that."
JP shrugged. "Most adventurers don't have what I have."
The ditch ran along the outskirts of the farming fields, clogged with branches, mud, and tangled weeds. Farmers stood nearby, muttering about the work.
"Should've hired a proper labor crew…" one grumbled.
JP smiled, kneeling by the bank. "Relax. I've got this."
From his pack, he produced a bundle of his Improvised Strap Clamps and a couple of Pulse Stakes. The farmers gave him odd looks, but JP ignored them.
First, he set the stakes into the ground. They hummed faintly with stored mana, creating a weak but steady vibration. Mud loosened. Branches shifted.
"Pulse resonance works better than a shovel," JP muttered.
Then he used the clamps to pull debris out, hooking branches and hauling them aside. With each tug, the ditch cleared faster. Appraisal confirmed the flow:
Water Flow – Obstructed → Partial → Clear.
By the time the sun dipped lower, water trickled smoothly again. The farmers stared in stunned silence.
One finally chuckled, slapping JP on the back. "Well, I'll be damned. You cleared in an hour what'd take us three."
JP grinned. "That's the power of… engineering."
The farmers pooled together extra copper as tips. Not much, but enough to buy more scrap for his next invention.
Back at his tent, JP pulled up his Status Board again, exhaustion tugging at him but pride swelling.
[Status Board Update]Quest Completed: Irrigation ClearingLevel: 5 → 6HP: 130MP: 85Skill Growth:Improvised Engineering Lv. 2 → Lv. 3New Sub-Skill Unlocked:Utility Crafting (Lv. 1) – Allows creation of minor tools tailored to daily life and survival.
JP nearly laughed aloud. "Tools of the trade, huh? This world really wants me to be an engineer."
As the stars blinked overhead, he tinkered with a new idea—something sturdier than clamps, maybe a foldable frame to hold meat or hides when camping.
From the shadows near the treeline, Lyra watched again, silent and thoughtful. He's… not just surviving anymore. He's shaping the village around him.
She frowned, conflicted. But if others notice, he'll paint a target on his back.