One adventurer or a team of adventurers could only sign up for twenty quests at once. The policy was enforced to ensure complications wouldn’t arise when someone either forgot about the quests or failed to meet the deadline. Which only cause the problems to compound over time if the guild allowed adventurers to hold too many quests at any time.

Penalties aside, handling missions in such an unsystematic way was antithetical to the concept of being in an organization in the first place.

Therefore, despite being able to do them all instantly, Caleb could only fulfill some of the available quests. Their earnings were reduced, certainly, but the entity delighted in the fact that they managed to save time; Caleb had selected quests that didn’t require physical trophies of the kills, only [System] confirmation.

Blanketing the entire city in shadows, every pair of eyes were drawn outside. And when lightning struck, no one else but the woman had a clue who was responsible for the events that transpired. Even then, no absolute proof to trace back to Caleb.

Regrettably, for any would-be investigator, the guild’s logs registered dates, not a specific time.

When she had seen the quests accomplished in seconds, the receptionist’s jaw hung so low that Caleb could imagine it unlatching at any moment. Fish-eyed and dumbfounded, she blathered incoherently for a long while before collapsing and the other receptionist at the lobby had to pull her away to… recover from fatigue, in a sense.

Eidi, she was called.

Replacing her was a healthier-looking human, also female, with the name of Tilly. With one glance at the logs, her face went slack; she didn’t move until Caleb asked her to dispense monetary rewards for the quests.

They took the small pouch holding a bit over the value of five halos and left, declining the guild’s rank up review. As such, Caleb’s plate remained a copper one with three stars displayed even though it should have been silver, at the minimum. For the guild already had their [Status] stored.

Having twenty-one levels in [Stormbinder Elementalist] and five levels in [Blood Mage], before she fainted, Eidi had informed them the rank of two-starred silver could have been issued if Caleb had been active longer than a few days; including the period of time the old Caleb first registered.

Whatever ranking they’d be placed in was of no concern, however. The entity had already secured enough currency for their needs. And Caleb had also learned a halo was worth twenty augs, with another silver coin twice the weight to represent five augs.

Of course, there was a higher unit of currency that Caleb managed to pick up from one of the adventurers they passed by; that would be the target of conversion.

Since they had channeled the residue sound to fire a shockwave above audible radius – one lightning strike was fine, but eight-hundred-and-sixty-one would have caused quite a shock even to Caleb themselves – a large swathe of the sky was entirely cleared of clouds. Entirely silent.

It was almost as if the shining dome encasing the royal palace had chased away the darkness in the sky.

After the first few minutes of confusion, the capital’s residents had quieted down marginally. While the people’s reactions wouldn’t be described as joyous, it was a far cry from unpleasant – if they ignored the fact so many flying ships were making a mad rush to the port, even those barely departed.

Maybe people decided to stay and take in the beauty of the capital city. Caleb had little clue what these ordinary folks wanted to do, but with the sky like this, the weather would be warm and cozy. It was going to be bright until nightfall, after all. And the day still had a lot of sunlight left to give. Excellent atmospheric conditions for relaxing strolls or outdoor dining.

Now, the entity only had some shopping to do before engaging in the final step of their travel plan.

Caleb loved efficiency.

Even better, the blacksmith was just a few buildings down the road. They could hear the banging of metal becoming louder and louder.

Bouncing lightly on their feet, Caleb bit down on a decorated cookie – shaped like a silver hand mirror – as they approached the building where a bulky man in a sooty apron stood, squinting his eyes at the sky. The robust man had a grey undertone to his off-green skin and an underbite often found in orcs, ogres, and trolls. He was very tall. The tallest humanoid they’ve encountered thus far, in fact.

“Good afternoon,” they smiled and waited until the big man faced them then continued. “Do you work at this smithy?” Caleb indicated the sign which said ‘Blazing Hammer’ under a logo of a hammer on fire striking against the anvil.

“Yes, what is it?” he huffed, scowling.

“I’d like to make some purchases, and ask you a few questions regarding the business.”

“Come in, then,” green beef turned around and traipsed inside, giving Caleb a view of his big arms stretching the fabric of his white tunic with each motion.

As expected, one could see weapons and armors on display everywhere: hanging on the walls, positioned on racks, lying on sturdy wooden shelves. Behind the counter laid a large, open cabinet with various small tools and materials. There were even trinkets on the desk.

Waves of heat cascaded to the outer shop from the doorless hallway along with a staccato of hammering easily pointed out the smithy’s location; business at the front, crafting at the back kind of thing.

The stocky repository at the center fixed a circular path going around the shop. It would be considered wide, for those with Caleb’s size, but someone like the orc needed to keep their arms tucked in to avoid knocking things over.

“Master Gorran!” manning the counter, a human male who was almost as buffed saluted. “What’s going on outside… A customer! Welcome to the Blazing Hammer!”

“Nothing happened,” Gorran narrowed his eyes at Caleb and waved the man off. “take care of this.” Without looking back, he ducked his head and went through the wooden arc.

“Name’s Felix,” he made a questioning face, but it faded in an instant. The man gave Caleb a wide grin. “I’m Master Gorran’s apprentice and the shopkeeper. Please to meet ya!”

“Good day, Felix,” they matched his enthusiasm with a smile.

The shopkeep settled a dirty rag under the counter and stepped forward. “As one of the best smithies in Jarkenth, we have an extensive selection of finely crafted weapons and armors alike! Let me show you around…”

Caleb politely listened to the sale pitch and feigned interest in the items being shown to them. Without much knowledge regarding ordinary weapons, the entity could only judge them by the metal density and weight.

After selecting the second-best thing to be converted into currency – a buckler – they paid for the absolute steal of eight augs with ten.

“Please, keep the change,” Caleb told Felix as he took the coins. “as thanks for your good services.”

They linked their hands together. “Although this” – they held the buckler before sending it to the inventory – “was my main purpose, I also want to ask about acquiring metals and ores.

“Going to the Merchant Guild would be the fastest avenue, but I wish to find a better deal by seeking out the right seller without going through a medium. The amount I require is quite substantial, you see,” they slipped another five-augs coin on the table, “and the information will be highly appreciated.”

“I would tell you, sir,” he gave Caleb a lop-sided grin. “but I’m not-”

Another coin appeared on the counter; however, it was the twice-weighted gold coin. Thanks to the buckler, Caleb now held twenty-eight of such currency other than the five halos and a smattering of augs in their inventory.

Biting his lip, Felix glanced at the shop’s door and flicked his eyes over the arc leading to the smithy. He then turned to Caleb; the entity’s smile remained frozen on their face.

Leaning forward, the shopkeep kept his voice low. “You didn’t hear this from me, but…”

*****

They had gotten the names, and now Caleb just had to locate the right merchant. Where, though, was the more important question.

Not that they would go right this instant even if they knew, for sunlight was waning. Dusk was still an hour away, but from what Caleb had gathered, people retreated to their abode at nightfall. And no major business deals should be negotiated so close to bedtime.

While it didn’t apply to them, Caleb needed to respect ordinary folk’s schedule. It was a precious thing for those with limited lifespans.

At the end of the day, they still had two more days to prepare. Caleb decided to spend the rest of the daylight seeking out appropriate lodging for the night.

Meaning the closest one available.

Patience wasn’t their most outstanding quality; it was a good thing there was an inn just down the street.

The Warren had quite a rustic feel with the choice of dark wood over off-white, almost cream-colored painted walls. Wreaths and bundles of colorful flowers and fruits entwined with dried herbs hung on corners. And recently baked bread mingled with the rich smell of meaty broth.

Earthy, homely, the place possessed a calm, welcoming atmosphere.

Half-filled with people, everyone seemed immersed in conversations at their tables as barmaids flitted between the gaps to deliver food and drinks.

It would have been the perfect place to be if only the hubbub didn’t immediately recede when Caleb walked in. Even the densest bloke around the block could tell a straining air had sapped the common room of its avidity.

Words traveled quickly, as always.

Caleb made their way to the person standing behind the counter, a bunny-eared beast folk who was wiping the insides of a glass, ears twitching. Hmmm… warrens and rabbits… They supposed these were different things, but it’d be pretty ironic if the stew had hasenpfeffer.

“I’d like a room, please,” the entity smiled at the rabbit person whose eyes were darting back and forth.

“Am I expecting trouble?” a slight furrow played across the beast folk’s brows; from the bioelectricity, this one was likely male.

“If there are, I am surely not involved.” Looking into those pair of big eyes, Caleb could see one of the barmaids pressing her lips together and shaking her head.

“Something happened at the Adventurer Guild earlier” – the barmaid groaned silently – “and everyone is talking about it. You got anything to do with that?”

“You mean the blackout? I was in the guild when it occurred.”

He did not expect Caleb to nod so nonchalantly it seemed. They both kept their eyes on the other as whispers played out from behind the freshly minted adventurer.

“Tch, fine,” after a while, the beast folk huffed; grumbling something about obnoxious humans under his breath, the sour bunny rummaged through a cabinet and produced a small keychain.

“An aug a night, two if you want meal and bath.”

“What’s on the menu?”

“Shimmered veal stew and laki bread for dinner,” he rolled his eyes and pointed at a corner. “there’s a table over that way.”

The spot had a view of the outsides through one of the windows, right next to a flowerbed; Caleb exchanged coins for the keys and turned around. To see a short human woman in leather armor narrowing her eyes at them.

“When that thing, y’know, the whole darkness swallowing the sky thingy happened,” she began speaking to nobody in particular. “there were only a few people still in the guild building.

“Firefist Viktor, Ruslan of the Phantom Racers, Hexblade Olivia, and a few others saw Eidi fainting after the sky cleared. Almost immediately too. Now, I’m not saying we know for sure what caused that to happen, but… one member of Raven’s Pursuit did say they met a really, REALLY good mage who was supposedly proficient in lightning magic. And he went by the name of Caleb.

“By his words, you seem to fit that description,” her gaze settled back on them.

The woman seemed to be a fighter of some kind if one was to judge by the look of her weapons. Two short swords on her back, eight throwing knives strapped across her torso, and two hidden daggers tucked in her boots. She held a firm gaze on Caleb, alert, as though expecting a fight.

And they walked past her without paying heed to the roundabout speech.

If someone wanted to have a proper conversation, they needed to introduce themselves first. Meandering like this would serve no other purpose than wasting time.

The entity was two steps away from the woman when she turned and shot her arm toward them. Before her hand could reach their shoulder, the buckles and knives on the woman pressed her back and kept her from advancing as she struggled.

“Do mind the personal space,” they chuckled.

People were on their feet without hesitation but didn’t act immediately. One heavily armored male orc held a long spear with one hand and pointed the end at Caleb.

“There’s no need for troubles stranger, ju-”

“Then don’t stir shit up at my place! In my inn!” fur bristling, the rabbit man’s previous round, black eyes let out a crimson glimmer.

Even though he wasn’t too loud, it cut across the silent tension in the common room with ease. The dangerous edge of his voice cowed the group enough for them to lower their weapons.

“Lori, I know you don’t like getting mixed in-” the armored spear-wielder continued.

“No buts! Bring it outside! Or I’ll kick your balls so hard you can taste them!”

Caleb could see this beast man called Lori was quite the big shot around these parts because those who were itching for a fight just now sheathed their arms after exchanging a few glances with each other. Though that didn’t mean they were going to let things slide. Eyes were still on Caleb, and not with good intentions either.

They wondered what these creatures plan to do if Caleb admitted to being the originator of that spell.

After the minor friction, nothing else of note had occurred. The veal stew was as good as it smelled, though Caleb had nothing to compare this dish against since what they had with Basraeca’s royalty was completely different. Which would be an unfair thing to do given the cost involved.

*****

“Why are humans so fucking stupid!?” he snarled, knowing there won’t be an answer. He didn’t care if anyone heard him cursing, either.

“Lori…” Pauleen hushed him without meaning it as she counted the coins.

“You saw it earlier,” the rabbit man jabbed a furry thumb at the common room. “those idiots were ready to throw down!”

The two were in the kitchen; he was cleaning the dishes while the barmaid handled the moneybox. While there were still clients chugging a mug of ale or two, it was already late. Gloria had already left after cleaning the floor.

“I know, I know,” she played with a particularly shiny aug for a moment before carrying on. “but can you blame them? I heard a ship had fallen out of the sky. Even a monster stampede had begun… With so much going on, it was surprising only a few people got heated…”

“Tch, what can they do?” he shook his head. “If the rich kid can actually do something like that, they are as good as dead if blades come swinging.”

“At least we have a gold ranker-”

“Ex-gold,” the rabbit man cut her off. “And it’s not my problem.”

“Lori…”

“Not. My. Problem.” His tone was that of finality and Pauleen didn’t press.

Working in silence, Lori finished washing and left the barmaid to do her thing as he shuffled out the back door with a long cloak over his shoulders. Boots splashing on the cobblestone, the rabbit man stalked through the dank, narrow alley as shadows stretched across the glistening water and hugged him tightly like cloying mist.

The moon was unusually bright on this autumn night.

He didn’t hop like his kin was wont to do, but pressed his toes flatly against the road like a human would. Lori hated walking this way, but [Shadow Step] had been taught to him as such. By the time he grew up, it was already too late to learn how to sneak like one of his kind.

Closing in on his destination, Lori let the [Dark Mantle] drop and stepped into an empty courtyard. Decrepit, ill-maintained, and overgrown with grass, it was a beacon of suspicion if there was ever one. Undoing his stealth Skill right here wasn’t ideal, but anyone important enough would know it was him; no point in wasting mana.

A knock on the non-descript door and a password later, the rabbit man pushed. And Lori went through the wood. He checked the piece of paper in his cloak before moving on, thumping soundlessly down the gravel path.

Foolish as that lot was, Lori had something in common with them. He also had little patience for some arrogant rich brat who did stupid things without a thought of consequences.

But there was a difference between him and those brash, furless meatbags.

Lori investigated his mark.

[Insight] was vague, incorrect at times; however, it was deathly accurate against targets with much lower level. Especially when the snotty piece of shit didn’t defend against it.

Caleb Ashling

Human

Level 28

Class

[Stormbinder Elementalist] [Blood Mage]

Attributes

Strength – 18

Vitality – 24

Agility – 20

Perception – 45

Intelligence – 135

Wisdom – 81