Ethan gestured to the far side of the village, the point closest to the forest. "There, we set those fields on fire."

Calandra blinked in surprise. "What? Set them on fire? Why?"

Ethan didn't meet her gaze, instead envisioning the battle unfolding in his mind. "Yes, fire. We need to manipulate the goblins' movements. We can create a controlled blaze, digging trenches to prevent it from spreading too far. Then we lure them in."

Calandra appeared skeptical but motioned for him to continue. Ethan contemplated the next step. "We lure them in and set up a barrier, something to slow them down. Once they gather together, we throw explosive crystals at them."

Calandra stared at him for a few moments before cautiously asking, "Explosive crystals?"

Ethan nodded. "I can make some. It may not be enough, but it's a starting point."

Calandra frowned. "I see... It's not a bad idea, Ethan, but it relies heavily on the goblins being unintelligent. They need to realize we're leading them if we attempt this."

Ethan shrugged. "You're right, but it's the best plan I can come up with for now. Do you think they might take the bait if we present them with an easy option?"

Calandra pondered his question for a moment and then smiled. "If we time the fires properly... Perhaps. We should allow some of them to enter the fields before setting them ablaze. The road won't catch fire, leaving them with no alternative. There's a good chance they'll take the bait in that scenario."

Ethan wasn't entirely convinced. Calandra was right—the plan hinged on the goblins' lack of intelligence. "Is it worth the gamble?"

Calandra shrugged. "It's as good an idea as any. The villagers won't be pleased with us burning their crops, but they'll be even less pleased if the goblins overrun us from all sides."

Ethan nodded. "Alright then. I have enough essence points to create nine explosive crystals, nothing more. If that's not enough, the rest will be up to you and your soldiers."

Calandra took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright, let's hope it's enough. We'll make the barracks our fallback position and lay traps throughout the village. Time is of the essence, so that's likely all we can manage."

Calandra began to turn away, but Ethan had a thought. He wasn't sure if it was wise to ask someone he had just met, but it might make a difference. "Calandra..."

She turned back to him. "Yes?"

He took a deep breath, preparing himself for the question. "Can you perhaps explain something to me?"

Calandra gestured for him to continue, her expression curious. He nodded. "Specialization points—what are they?"

Calandra blinked, then walked back toward him, a puzzled look on her face. "You don't know? How is that possible?"

Ethan shrugged. "I never received a formal education... No one ever explained it to me."

Calandra looked skeptical. "So you can create explosive crystals, yet you have no knowledge of specialization points? That seems really strange... Where are you from, Ethan?"

Anticipating the question, he remained composed as he replied, "I come from somewhere out east. Through a series of unusual circumstances, I ended up here. Look, I might share the whole story once this is all over. I just thought that using the points I have might help us somehow."

Calandra observed him intently, and after a moment, she nodded slowly. "I think I'd like to hear that story, Ethan. But you're right, it might help." She paused, deep in thought, before continuing. "Specialization points... You allocate them to a specific job, and they provide certain bonuses. They're mostly passive enhancements, like increased strength or stamina for warriors, or reduced essence consumption for mages."

Ethan tried to contain his excitement, although it was clear that his poker face was lacking. Calandra couldn't help but smile. "Typically, investing 10 points into a job advances you to the next level, from apprentice to practitioner. Then, it takes 30 points to reach the journeyman level. It requires time and effort, and you must carefully consider the path you wish to pursue."

Ethan nodded, understanding the significance of allocating his limited essence points wisely. He sincerely hoped there were other efficient ways to obtain essence, aside from slaying monsters.

He offered Calandra a small smile. "I see, it makes sense. Thanks for explaining. I'll look into it before I start preparing the items. Oh, and I'll need crystals or some other item that can hold a large amount of essence."

Calandra waved her hand dismissively. "You'll have the crystals, Ethan. Let me handle that. Just focus on those enchantments, and I'll take care of everything else."

With that settled, they made their way down the hill, ready to set their plan into motion.

Ethan secured a small room in the barracks for his work, while Calandra already began barking orders as he closed the door behind him. She had assured him that he would have the crystals within the hour, so he decided to use the time to familiarize himself with specialization points.

Taking a seat at a table, he poured himself a glass of water from the pitcher he had been given and began experimenting. He tried several commands until finally landing in the jobs menu.

Jobs:

Basic enchanter

Apprentice

Basic cook

Apprentice

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Basic leather worker

Apprentice

Master engineering

Apprentice

He looked at the screen, and then tried focusing on the enchanter job. To his surprise another screen came into view.

Basic Enchanting

Apprentice

SP invested = 0

Basic enchanting

Spells

Cost

Illumination

1

Arcing spark

3

Essence blast

10

Clean Cut

5

He smiled at the screen, then focused his attention on the experimentation with specialization points. Willing a point into basic enchanting, he observed the counter change to 1, but there were no apparent changes. Undeterred, he made another attempt, but still, nothing happened. Frowning, he decided to allocate 3 points into basic enchanting simultaneously, and this time, a new screen materialized before him.

Notice:

Effect

Reward

you have gained a new skill

Conditional application

This skill enables the enchanter to determine the timing and method of activating an enchantment.

The enchanter must firmly hold the conditions in mind while enchanting the item.

10 Essence points

That was it. He felt the new effect settling within him, and he understood the process of applying conditions to his enchantments. Unsure if it would be useful in his current situation, he knew it would definitely come in handy down the line—if he survived the next few days, that is. For a few seconds he wondered why he was even doing this?

He looked out the window and sighed, ‘’I can’t run.. This is sort of my fault, or at the very least I helped things along. I could run, but I suspect not far enough. If the village is overrun, the goblins will likely not stop there.’’

He hardened his resolve. The village might be full of scammers and selfish pricks, but there was also people like Lork and his daughter. Ethan didn’t like people very much, but them at least he had liked. ‘’Alright.. Enough of that, back to work.’’

Leaning back, he considered using up his remaining 3 points, but ultimately decided against it. Enchanting would remain his primary focus, but there might be value in diversifying his skills. Engineering, for example, could provide valuable benefits in the future.

Lost in thought, he realized something—he was fully immersed in this world. With all the new encounters, the impending goblin raid, nearly dying and all that, he had barely given any thought to going back home. He had no idea how to return, but the idea had barely even crossed his mind.

Before he could dwell further on this realization, a knock on the door snapped him back to the present. A fit young man in armor entered, placing almond-sized crystals on the table. With a nod, he saluted by tapping his chest with a closed fist before silently leaving the room.

Ethan waved in thanks and turned his attention to the crystals. It was time for a bit of magic.

Carefully, he pulled out his crystal knife and meticulously carved the rune for "Essence burst" onto 9 of the crystals. He kept the last one for himself as payment for his efforts. He had no idea of its value, but having an extra crystal for a rainy day would be comforting.

With the runes in place, he picked up the first crystal and contemplated it for a moment before deciding to experiment. Opening the window in the small room, he looked out onto the empty yard behind the barracks. It was a suitable space for his trial. Sitting back down, he focused his intentions, ensuring they were crystal clear. The crystal should only explode upon impact after being thrown. He held the theory of the enchantment's workings in his mind as he touched the symbol with his finger and softly uttered, "Essence burst." A gentle glow illuminated his finger as he felt the familiar sensation of essence leaving his body.

He sat there for a while, the process feeling longer than before. When he sensed the magic finally concluding, he was sweating and his mind was throbbing slightly. Grinning, he examined the crystal, knowing he had succeeded. The enchantment was palpable, and he was certain the conditions had been firmly established.

Glancing out the window, he frowned. It had been late morning when he began, but the sun had already moved significantly. Fatigue was setting in, and with 8 more crystals to go, it was going to be a long day.

Leaving the room, he approached one of the soldiers and quickly explained the importance of being left alone. He also requested if they could prepare a few meals throughout the day. The soldier raised an eyebrow at the demands, but a woman called out from across the room, "Do as he says, Martin. The captain told us to accommodate his needs."

Martin let out a sigh, "Fine, we'll leave the meals outside the door. Pick them up when you take a break."

Ethan nodded, expressing his gratitude, "Thank you, I appreciate it."

With a dismissive wave, Martin walked away, and the woman across the room nodded in acknowledgement. Ethan nodded back before returning to his room.

He worked through the day, managing to enchant 5 more crystals with intermittent breaks. Surprisingly, as he caught his breath after completing the 6th crystal, a screen popped into view.

Notice:

Reward

Basic enchanting:

You have completed your 10th enchantment, good work.

10 Essence points(EP)

1 Specialization point(SP) in basic enchanting

Ethan minimized the screen, too fatigued to even muster any joy. Complete exhaustion washed over him, and he stumbled out of the room. As he entered the common area of the barracks, he nearly tripped, but someone caught him just in time. "Hey there, you alright, Ethan?"

It was Calandra's voice, and Ethan managed a nod. "I... I'm fine. Just exhausted. I don't think I can do any more today. My focus is slipping."

Calandra patted him on the back. "That's alright. You can resume in the morning. Come on, I've arranged a bed for you."

Ethan expressed his gratitude with a nod and allowed Calandra to guide him to a bed in the corner of the room. He barely had the chance to rest his head on the pillow before he succumbed to the deep slumber of pure exhaustion.