The goblins arrived at the village just as dusk began to settle. Luke quickly scanned his map—no hostile enemy in sight, for now. But the sight before him was heartbreaking: the village lay in ruins, a grim testament to the attack. In its center, a pile of goblin corpses told the story of loss and devastation. Some goblins wept openly, while others began scavenging among the ashes.

Luke stopped before the pile, his expression hardening. I will never forget this day, he vowed silently, his resolve growing stronger. Closing his eyes for a moment, he focused his energy. A fireball coalesced in his hand and, with a quiet command, burst forth to incinerate the remains.

Nearby, Gorlia—a female goblin known for caring for both warriors and children—sat weeping. Her usual warm smile had been replaced by anger and sorrow. Luke recalled a quote he once read: "Devastation births monsters from the kindest hearts." Gently, he approached her and placed a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, let's move," he murmured. "Someday, we will avenge their deaths."

Gorlia wiped her tears, her voice trembling but resolute. "Sorry, Chief. We live happy together. I no believe human come again."

Luke offered a small, encouraging smile. "Don't worry—I won't let that happen again." Then he looked up at the sky, his eyes blazing with determination. I will make them suffer—a thousand times over. They will know the pain of losing something precious, he thought.

The goblins soon began scavenging the ruins. Luke led them to the workshop area, relieved to see it still intact. His carefully crafted machete and a set of armor were safe. With a subtle gesture, he stored them into his inventory, and as if by magic, the items materialized into the air before him.

"Now that I have sulfur," he mused aloud, "I just need saltpeter to make gunpowder. And with this graphite, my bloomery will work even better." He glanced at the other goblins, who were holding scraps of leather, bricks, and iron ore, unsure how to carry it all.

Luke couldn't help but smile at the small mercy that some resources in the storage houses had survived, even though most had burned. He chuckled softly as he gathered what he could, leaving the goblins amazed as items vanished into his inventory.

Then a pang of regret struck him. Maybe if I hadn't hidden my abilities from the chief… things might have been different. But who could have predicted that a cult would storm the village? Shaking off the thought, he steeled himself for the long road ahead—a path of innovation, revenge, and rebuilding from the ashes.

Together, they continued sifting through the ruined village—collecting old weapons, leather bedding, blankets, and the remnants of clay utensils, plates, cups, and jars. In Shiki's burned quarters, amidst the charred remains, Luke discovered a curious wooden branch trap door hidden under a bed. With effort, he heaved it aside to reveal piles of crystals in varying hues—mostly red, some blue, and one large, multicolored gem. He picked one up, and it immediately reacted to his mana.

"What the hell is this?" he muttered, eyes widening. Sensing its significance, he called over a nearby goblin.

"What are these?" Luke asked.

In a rough, guttural tone, she replied, "These be beast stones, chief. Old chief say, 'Get beast stones,' from animals we killed."

"Animal stones?" Luke echoed, puzzled.

"Yess, chief. From dead beasts. Old chief want them," she answered simply.

Intrigued, Luke activated his scan-item skill. The display read:

[ Magic Crystal

Rank: F

Rarity: Common

Mana: 90 ]

"Hmm… so they're mana crystals," he said, a smile creeping across his face. "I know what to do with these. I don't even know if runes work in this world—I only read about them in manga." He opened his [Virtual Magic Simulation Space] and thought, I may not be a rune expert, but I do know a bit about redstone circuits and programming.

Visualizing the crystal as if it were redstone, he pictured a line connecting it to a light spell. With a few precise taps, a light spell appeared on the blank panel, consuming only a small amount of mana. Moments later, another panel emerged:

[ You have successfully created a spell with required parameters ]

[ Basic Rune Circuitry created

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Required: MAG: 15

INT: 20 ]

[ Rune Pen created

Required: MAG: 15

INT: 20 ]

Luke laughed in triumph. "Yes, I did it," he said, flexing his arms in satisfaction. Though redstone engineering wasn't his calling, he was more than capable enough for this task.

Just then, the female goblin shook her head and turned to leave. "What?" Luke called after her, a trace of confusion lingering in his voice as he wondered what she had meant.

Luke stored everything into his inventory, and with a subtle flash, the items materialized in midair. He called out, "Let's go back—it's risky enough here."

Within moments, four female goblins emerged from the shadows, each clutching assorted salvaged items. Not long after, Grut appeared from the forest, dragging a deer with an arrow still lodged in its flank.

As the group slowly made their way back toward the village, Luke's mind churned with plans. The priority right now is everyone's safety. I need to build a door—or maybe a gate—at the entrance. For that, I'll need wood. I've got enough bricks to cover the sides and can probably reinforce them with a clay-ash cement mixture. It won't hold for long, but it will create the illusion of security.

He glanced at the cave's dim light. No longer a problem. I can set up a network of runes and lights using these magic crystals, even if they won't last forever.

Then a thought struck him. If every animal or beast carries a magic crystal, the Broodmother I slayed earlier probably had one too. And what about the spider corpses back in the cave? Why didn't I think of that sooner? He smacked his head, frustrated yet intrigued. A steady flow of magic crystals could power a manufacturing station using runes.

Luke paused as his mind sought clarity. He addressed the system in his head, "System, how do the crystals around beasts or animals form?"

The System appeared:

[ Due to the unique nature of Vhalterra, Mana exists all around the world. The wildlife evolved over time to absorb ambient mana, and the surplus in their bodies crystallizes into what you now call Magic Crystals. ]

Luke's eyes narrowed in understanding as the system continued:

[ Thus, every species that resides in Vhalterra has a mana core in them. ]

Without missing a beat, he pushed his planning further. "Is it possible to create a mana generator—or reload the empty crystals?" he asked silently.

The system responded:

[ It is possible, but storing vast amounts of mana can attract larger beasts to the crystal's vicinity. Also, mana must return to its cycle of distribution, or a catastrophic, world-ending event may occur. ]

Luke considered the warning. Even on Earth, nature's rules are absolute. Disrupt them too far, and the consequences will inevitably follow.

"Well," he muttered to himself, "I'm not planning to store a mountain of mana anytime soon. And figuring out how a mana generator even works is going to take some serious brainpower. For now, let's start small."

He crouched down, brushing his fingers over the crystals. They felt warm, almost alive humming with energy. One by one, he began storing them in his inventory, watching as they dissolved into faint streams of light that flowed into his hand. The goblins nearby paused their scavenging, their wide eyes following the strange spectacle.

"What… what chief do?" one of the goblins stammered, her voice tinged with awe.

Luke glanced up, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Just a little experiment. You'll see."

Once the crystals were safely stored, he moved to the center of the cavern. The dim light from the cracks above barely illuminated the space, casting long shadows across the rough stone walls. Luke knelt, digging a small hole a few inches deep with his hands. The dirt was cool and damp, clinging to his fingers as he worked.

He activated his Rune Pen skill, and a shimmering, translucent pen materialized in his hand. It felt solid, real, though it glowed faintly with an otherworldly light. He turned it over, testing its weight. "Alright," he said under his breath. "Time to see if this actually works."

With careful precision, he began writing a rune character at the bottom of the hole. The pen moved smoothly, leaving behind a faintly glowing trail of energy. He traced a line from the rune to the surface, then inscribed a light rune a few inches away. The symbols pulsed softly, like a heartbeat, as he finished.

Luke leaned back, examining his work. "Not bad for a first try," he said, more to himself than anyone else. He pulled a magic crystal from his inventory and placed it gently into the hole. The crystal clicked into place, its faint glow intensifying as it connected with the runes.

"Alright," Luke said, clapping his hands together. "Let there be light."

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, slowly, the runes began to brighten, their glow spreading outward like ripples on water. The light rune flared to life, casting a warm, steady glow that filled the cavern. The shadows retreated, revealing the rough-hewn walls and the wide-eyed faces of the goblins.

The goblins froze, their jaws hanging open. One of them dropped the piece of scrap metal he'd been holding, and it clattered loudly against the stone floor. Another let out a low whistle, her eyes reflecting the light.

"Chief… make torch?" one of them asked, his voice trembling with disbelief.

Luke couldn't help but laugh. "Not quite, but close enough. It's just a light. No more stumbling around in the dark."

The goblins exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of wonder and confusion. One of the females stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she studied the glowing rune. "How… how chief do this?" she asked, her voice hesitant.

Luke shrugged, a grin spreading across his face. "Magic, I guess. Or science. Honestly, I'm still figuring it out myself."

The goblins murmured among themselves, their voices a mix of awe and excitement. Luke watched them for a moment, feeling a strange sense of pride. They might not understand what he'd done, but they trusted him—and that was enough for now.

He turned back to the rune, his mind already racing ahead. If I can make a light, what else can I do? The possibilities were endless, but so were the challenges. For now, though, he'd take it one step at a time.

"Alright," he said, clapping his hands to get their attention. "Let's get back to work. We've got a lot to rebuild."

The goblins nodded, their earlier grief and fear momentarily forgotten. As they returned to their tasks, Luke couldn't help but smile. It wasn't much, but it was a start. And in a world like Vhalterra, that was all he could ask for.