The next morning Iser and I were sitting at the dining room table covering some enchantment theory. From what I could understand, for more powerful longer lasting enchantments I would need alchemical and magically sensitive materials for more powerful stuff.

What I was trying to do was in fact very simple, the strongest enchantment only needed to be the one to pull the string back. Luckily copper was an okay medium for something like this. The loading and tigger could be done with some minor glyphs carved into the surface. I also had to place an additional glyph on the quiver but that was easy as well.

By the time I was finishing up the rest of the group came back with some scavenged gear. It was mostly some leather armor for my torso while Turnip had found some steel vambrace and greaves. Given I had never worn armor before it was even more constricting than I expected. Once I was armored up they had me move around then made some adjustments.

Once I had all that settled in I removed my left vambrace and inscribed a simple enchantment that would just fire a spike of force. It helped as a control as I didn't need to concentrate on ‘weaving’ a spell.

"So I have to ask, why offer to bring me along?" I asked.

"Your ability to translate is actually invaluable. Your other knowledge well who knows how that might come into play. Honestly, if we feel we can't protect you then we will back out." Turnip said.

"Also being connected and associated with you has many unique benefits. Some of which…." Iser said, then trailed off noticing glare from the rest of the group.

"Valuable as in like monetarily?" I asked.

"Possibly well… power" Root said with a bit of an embarrassed look.

"Oh I have no idea how valuable an individual from an alien culture with supposed knowledge of advanced technology might be. Nor how much leverage they could impose by mixing technology and magic." I said only a bit sarcastically.

I was reassembling my left arm vambrace during the chat.

"Alright mind if I test this last enchantment? It's kind of a fallback if I lose my crossbow or something." I said, I just received shrugs all around.

I lined up with a shot with a stone brick that was 20 feet away and aimed. The idea was it would take my mana and compress it into a very narrow beam less than that of a pinhead. There would be some loss as the enchantment needed some of the mana to fuel the rest of the process but it was about one quarter of the total energy.

I fired a shot worth about 4 mana, the shot chipped the stone, I then tripled the mana and fired again. I could feel the backlash this time but it was minor. The stone shatters, breaking into a few larger chunks. I then received a notification.

For doing a Special Action in line with your Class, you have unlocked the skill: Tinkerer

Tinkerer

Rank F - 00%

You have learned to create and modify magical equipment. You can adjust aspects of mundane and magical items on the fly.

Warning all class slots are currently filled. Would you like to replace one of your class slots?

"Oh cool new skill." I said out loud.

"What is the new skill." Iser asked.

"Tinkerer, I'm guessing a variation on enchantment based on the description." I said.

Root, Turnip , Lluvia, and Orlo all looked at the rock in shock.

"I'm guessing that's point takin?" I asked. I got nods from Root, and Turnip and a frankly terrified looking Orlo, Iser started to cackle.

The group started to talk towards the sewers.

"Sorry… meeting a Riftwalker is rarer than once in a lifetime. I spent some time talking it over with Iser last night. I guess we could have been more upfront about our motivations." Root said.

"Honestly…. I actually kind of understand. In my previous life I positioned myself to get pulled along with the tides of fortune." I said in response.

"So wait, are you were important where you were from?" Root asked.

"Sort of? My wide experience with technology did make me valuable though." I said.

“Do you miss your home?” Root asked.

“I do and I would like to get back home one day if possible. This place is very interesting and it is tempting for me to stay as well. The potential here is orders of magnitude greater than where I was from." I said as we continued to walk.

The conversations were less meaningful after that point until we finally got to the sewer entrance.

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"It's pitch black after a dozen meters." Lluvia said.

"Already everyone, we all know the plan to find the source of the slime infestation. If anyone is nervous about anything don't hold back… we are a very long way from help." Root said.

"Oh does anyone have access to light mana? I have some salvaged gems that glow." I said.

"I can convert some." Iser said and joined me in the back.

"Wait, you can convert mana? How does that work?" I asked them.

“Yes you can convert mana” Iser said then continued after a moment "Mana types are sort of similar to one another. For example fire mana can be converted to light mana because they share similar aspects. If you want to make light mana from fire you focus your mana then think of it with the idea of it being bright."

"Hmm… give me a moment…" I said, pondering.

I collected a small bit of my motive mana, then concentrated on it being hot due to friction. Iser watched me and seemed a bit surprised at the speed.

"How did you do it so far?" They asked.

"Umm friction generates heat?" I said.

"That is very impressive. You would be considered a prodigy if you were younger." They said.

"Umm thanks I think, but I think my speed has far more to do with my understanding of how Physics works and experience." I said.

"That is very interesting, you just have a very in depth knowledge of the sciences." Iser said.

I spent a moment first converting some mana from motive to fire then to light. It was far from effortless however, losing about 25% but still better than exploding. I then filled up a few light gems and passed them around. Once the lights were set we moved in.

Our marching order was Lluvia a bit ahead of the group acting as scout. Followed by Turnip, then Root , then Orlo, myself, then Iser last.

I started marking the walls and even infused them with a tiny bit of mana to allow them to faintly glow for a few hours. After doing this a few times I received yet another notification.

Congratulations! Through repeated actions your Wondering Pather skill has improved and is now eligible for rank up!

Rank D is a free rank!

Wondering Pather

Rank E - 100%

Your awareness of possible paths expands. You can pick up on possible misleading paths and hidden paths left by others.

"Hell yes, ranked up a skill." I quickly celebrated.

"Wait really? You are discovering skills left and right and ranking up fast…." Root said then paused for a moment.

"And I just remembered you are equivalent to a child that just gained their first class… sorry nevermind…" Root started to stay the trailed off a bit by the end.

"If it helps pretend I am a kid that grew up into an adult." I said.

The entire groaned when they figured out what I meant.

About 15 minutes into our travel Lluvia showed back up at the front of the group.

"Two Slimes up ahead, might be good practice for Nicole." she said.

The group moved forward and there were indeed two Slimes sort of moving in the tunnel aimlessly. I then realized that they should have spotted up.

"Hey I thought these things sort of smelled their prey?" I asked.

"Yes but I am masking our scent as part of my skill. They are all yours; we can wait back about 30 feet and make sure nothing else attacks. Or come to rescue your ass when this inevitably goes wrong." She said with a bit of humor in her voice. I think she was toying with me a bit, I was so useless.

"Well, it's a good way to test my new toys at any rate. I hope I don't chip a nail or anything, I might panic and need rescuing." I said in reply.

I calmly walked up to about 20 feet away from the first slime, I then aimed my crossbow and fired. I worked the entire process using my new minor enchantments.

The bolt was a bit more effective then I had originally expected but it still took a second shot. I pulled both bolts back in then used a bit of mana to push off any leftover goop.

Congratulations, you impaled ‘Hungry Green Slime’ Level 3 to the ground! Reduced Exp was granted for ending a Monster below your level. Reduced Exp was granted for working in a group.

I then tried my modified vambrace on the second of the two. I fired a single shot using about 8 points of mana. What I expected to happen was for the slime to be pierced similar to the bolt. Instead it more or less just popped.

Congratulations, you mixed ‘Hungry Green Slime’ Level 4 to monster pudding!

Congratulations, your MacTinker class has reached level 5!

Health +5

Resilients +5

You have gained: One Class Point

You have gained: One Class skill slot

"Fuck yes gained a level too. Level 5 baby." I said out loud and did a bit of a dance.

I heard a chorus of chuckles behind me.

"I remember the days when I leveled by doing nothing. Those were simpler times." Root said sarcastically.

"Why did it pop like that, was it from your vambrace?" Iser asked.

"Yeah… cavacation I think is the term… fuck me if I hit someone with this then I would pulp there insides." I said with a bit of horror.

"Most likely not, most creatures are far more resilient to magic than Slimes at this level. Mind you I don't think I would ever want to test that theory." Iser said.

"Ok enough chatting let's keep pushing forward." Root calmly said.

We formed back into a line then started to move on.

"Iser, how do you get general skills points? I am accepting my new open class skill slot for Tinker and just remembered my Mana Manipulation is sort of trapped." I asked.

"Easiest method is to wait until level 10 and evolve your first class. You will get 5 points for that, there are other ways but they are very frowned upon. Even illegal in most places punishable by death." Iser stated.

"Ok that sounds very fucking ominous…" I said in reply.

We continued on encountering small pockets of slimes for a while. The entire place was a sort of maze making it hard to follow. As it turned out my skills to make paths saved us at least twice. The sewers were in no better condition than the office area above, there were several areas with cave-ins we had to work around. In one place we found it was easier and quicker just to clear.

It was shortly after that we met the mother of all Slime hordes.