As Callum stirred from his slumber, he felt a sense of rejuvenation coursing through his veins. The resolution with Raul had somehow lifted a weight off his shoulders that he hadn't even realized was there. Though these newly integrated humans were as weak as newborns, their opinions carried weight in Callum's mind. He couldn't help but care about what they thought of him, and as he pondered this, he realized that it wasn't just about the humans themselves. It was a desire to impress and excel in the eyes of all.

With the chaos of battling monstrous fluffy-tailed beasts and traversing pocket dimensions behind him, Callum could finally establish some semblance of normalcy. He followed the routine his mentor, Lirion, had instilled in him years ago, sitting cross-legged on the floor with his hands resting gently on his knees. As he closed his eyes, he visualized the map of his mana channels, a familiar and well-worn path in his mind's eye. A sense of disappointment washed over him as he observed the new, low-level channels. He had spent years honing his skills as an enchanted class mage, building powerful channels. Now, he was back at square one.

Despite the setback, there was a spark of excitement within Callum. He was on his own now, free to blaze his own path without the constant guidance of his tutors. He would rebuild his mana channels from scratch, and the thought filled him with determination and purpose.

Practicing and refining his mana channels had become a sacred ritual for Callum, a form of meditation that brought him closer to the essence of magic. He relished the sensation of his mana flowing through him like a pure and unadulterated river. To unlock the full potential of his abilities, he needed to harness and control this power with precision and finesse.

Callum had learned that any skill could serve as a focal point for this exercise, but he favored the [Mana Imbue] skill, as it would prove most useful in his immediate future. His mana, still in its rawest form due to his low-level status, resembled liquid coursing through his veins. This stage of the practice was not about expanding his channels but about mastering control and discipline.

Every morning, Callum decided he would dedicate an hour to activating [Mana Imbue] in small, localized areas of his body. He would approach the exercise with meticulous care, gradually expanding the area of effect while maintaining a consistent flow of power. Lirion's voice echoed in his mind, urging him to remember that even the grandest accomplishments start with humble beginnings.

Callum began a standard set of combat stretches as he completed his mana exercises. He couldn't help but revel in the satisfaction of having a class that started with a substantial amount of dexterity. With each movement, he could feel the fluidity and nimbleness of his body. It was a novel feeling for someone who had always had Caster class types. As he basked in his training, he pulled up the reputation gains from the previous night, a smile forming on his lips as he saw his increased standing with the blacksmith.

In his heart, Callum knew that his newfound favor with the blacksmith would undoubtedly pave the way for a smoother leveling process. His mind returned to the wrench, an unconventional weapon, certainly, but one he was eager to purchase. While it may not have been a traditional choice, Callum knew that [Wrench Strike] could hold a large amount of potential based on his intelligence scaling abilities. As he considered the possibilities, he realized that with each level, his intelligence and skill damage would continue to scale up, surpassing even the most practical of melee fighters.

With his morning routine complete and a clear plan in mind, Callum dressed and scooped up Book, ready to tackle the day ahead. Despite the early hour, he couldn't help but feel a sense of purpose as he set out, his footsteps echoing through the quiet village as the sun began to rise. As he passed the blacksmith's stall, he noticed it was uncharacteristically dark, an unexpected sight that left him momentarily puzzled. Undeterred, Callum resolved to complete Betty's quest to gather berries, knowing that the money he earned could be used to pursue the wrench later in the day.

Quest Name: Berry Picking for Betsy Description: Betsy is a young woman who lives on the outskirts of the village. She is a skilled cook and baker, but she's run out of a critical ingredient for her famous blueberry pies. She needs someone to go into the forest and gather a bushel of rare blueberries that grow only in a small clearing on the other side of the woods. The task is simple enough, but the forest is also home to a number of small, squirrel-like creatures that love to feast on the blueberries. They can be easily defeated, but they can also be quite tenacious, so the task requires some skill and patience. Bonus Objective: Defeat 10 of the creatures to earn a bonus payment of 20 copper coins

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Callum couldn't help but relish the prospect of embarking on a quest like the one Betsy offered. Not only would it yield a tidy sum of coins, but the chance to complete a bonus objective that also offered coins was an opportunity he wouldn't pass up. His [Scrap Collector] ability could also turn the trash loot from the bonus objective monsters into even more currency.

As he set out into the crisp morning air, Callum couldn't help but notice the absence of a guard escort. Perhaps it was a testament to how he handled events from the night before. He nodded respectfully to the guards he passed but received only groggy grumbles in return.

Callum made his way to Betsy's humble home, where the plump and seasoned cook greeted him with a smile. After a brief conversation, she showed him what the berries he was to gather looked like and pointed him toward a cluster of bushes that promised a bountiful harvest.

Just as Callum was about to set off, Betsy's warning called after him. "Be wary out there, young man," she cautioned. "Those critters are known to ambush unsuspecting travelers. They won't usually attack unprovoked, but if you touch a berry bush, they'll come after you like you kicked their dog."

Callum nodded, a bemused expression on his face. Why Betsy had chosen to reference canines in her warning was a mystery to him.

He recognized the system mechanic as a simple and common one. Certain naturally spawning beasts in the world, rather than the ones from a dungeon rift overflow, possessed specific triggers for engagement in combat. Yesterday's snails, for instance, were provoked simply by getting within a specific range. They would pursue their foe until they reached a certain distance or were vanquished. Some other creatures, however, required certain events or interactions with objects to initiate combat. It seemed that the squirrels, for example, necessitated an interaction between Challenger and a berry bush.

Callum stretched his shoulders and exhaled a satisfied grunt, feeling infinitely more prepared to face the bushy-tailed devils now that he had access to [Mana Imbue]. After locating the area Betsy had directed him to, Callum spent some time ambling around to gauge how many squirrels he would need to contend with.

Unfortunately, his reconnaissance revealed disappointingly few squirrels in the vicinity. After several more minutes spent scouring the area, Callum resigned himself to gathering berries to lure out the elusive rodents. Despite spending the entirety of his berry-picking expedition on high alert, he only encountered three of the beasts.

Callum seized each opportunity to practice activating his [Mana Imbue] at the precise moment of impact to conserve his mana. It took some adjusting, and there were several instances where his fist connected with the squirrel before the skill could fully engage. But by the final skirmish, he had honed his battle rhythm and found the squirrels' attack patterns straightforward, if overly aggressive.

Callum couldn't resist plucking a few extra berries from the bush, even after he had amassed the required amount for his quest. His training had taught him the value of efficiency, and he knew that stocking his spatial pouch with a few extra berries could mean the difference between success and failure if he needed a boost to his endurance in a pinch.

When he arrived at Betsy's hut, he presented her with the basket of berries, a sense of satisfaction washing over him as a congratulatory message from the system materialized before him. The copper coins auto-deposited into his pouch, and Callum stopped to look at his experience gain. He knew he had to be close to leveling up so he pulled up his Chacter Menu to look at his level progress.

Location: Ladrian Forest Name: Calumir Venor Class: Arcane Tinkerer Level: 1 (Experience 102/100) Titles: The Late, Unflinching Mana Gates: 0 Passives: N/A Racial Abilities: Dark Vision, Stealth and Shadows, Proficiency

He made a small whoop for joy as he trekked back toward the village. He knew the next time he took a rest, he'd be granted a level-up and additional stat points.

However, frustration began to temper his excitement as he began to walk. He resolved to bring his annoyance up with Hamish over their midday meal at the inn. It made no sense to Callum that the area lacked the expected number of creatures. According to his research, the first few months of integration should be a brutal battle for survival, yet these humans had already established a peaceful way of life. Monster problems seemed almost nonexistent.

Callum couldn't resist checking his status and level progress as he returned to the village. He needed to prepare for whatever lay ahead, whether it was the expected fight for survival or something entirely different.