Chapter 27: Threats

[Farmer] Mage

CRACK!

Cal lifted the sledgehammer when he saw what he had been expecting far too many swings ago. As always, the stones were easy to break, but just because he barely used any strength didn’t mean he expected the sledgehammer to keep its ‘Excellent’ quality the entire time.

Still, this is far less than the degradation I expected.

Instead of a reduction of quality, all that appeared were minor cosmetic scratches and slight imperfections that would do nothing to hinder the sledgehammer from performing at its peak.

[Uncommon Sledgehammer: Excellent Quality] Upgrade: 852/900 Tasks

This will be the first tool to carry an ‘Excellent’ quality to the Advanced rank.

Cal stared at the surface layer pervasive in the Northern Wastes and wondered if this was why his other tools degraded so quickly. It was a guess that he wanted to believe as fact, but the pickaxe degrading to ‘Trash’ quality stopped him from doing so. All other tools were used on other materials.

Of course, his pickaxe was already in such poor shape at that time that it could—and very likely did—play a large part in the degradation.

Cal shifted to the next stone and swung the sledgehammer down.

He repeated that in quick succession until the interface let him know he got what he wanted.

Your equipment [Uncommon Sledgehammer] has been upgraded to [Advanced Sledgehammer].

Equipment upgrade has activated an ability of [Farmer (Special)].

You will have two options for the [Advanced Sledgehammer]’s trait.

Equipment trait choices available. Choose one

Pest Deterrent - This sledgehammer will emit a low-frequency vibration that repels farm pests from the area of use, helping to protect crops and livestock from damage or disease.

Weight Adjustable - This sledgehammer has an adjustable weight mechanism, enabling you to customize the weight for different tasks, from light tapping to heavy-duty smashing. You are limited by the mana you can supply to the sledgehammer.

Cal hadn’t taken the time to look at the options carefully before disappointment set in.

I had a feeling that Self-Repair wouldn’t be an option this time.

The sledgehammer had breezed through the tasks with little issue of degradation. Now, he would have an Advanced-ranked equipment that would be nearly impossible to repair if necessary.

Cal shook off his disappointment and studied the available choices. It didn’t take long to realize that neither was attractive to him.

‘Pest Deterrent’ sounded useful, but this was a solution to a problem he didn’t have—in the present, nor did he think he would face it shortly.

The Northern Wastes didn’t have any native pests. While he knew the crops he would grow would eventually attract them, it would be a waste to use his sledgehammer as a sort of prop to ward away pests.

By then, Cal knew he would have more than enough funds to invest in proper pest-repellent rune inlays. What he had learned from Drex about the risks and rewards of farming practically made it impossible not to.

This leaves me with ‘Weight Adjustable.’

He knew that most of the points that made him disregard ‘Pest Deterrent’ also applied to this one. It was a solution to a problem he didn’t have, but he didn’t think he could replace this with a readily available alternative.

My biggest concern is the quality deterioration if I increase the weight too much. It would break my heart if the sledgehammer shattered in my hands along with some dumb stone I targeted.

Still, this was more fitting of a trait for a sledgehammer to have. It might come in handy if he was in a pinch that required him to smash through a particularly tough stone.

… I can’t even convince myself. I suppose I won’t get a choice that is good every time.

Cal sighed as he tapped ‘Weight Adjustable.’ The interface disappeared as the sledgehammer settled into a dull blue glow.

He put the sledgehammer on his back and looked around. There were well over eight hundred stones he had demolished. It meant there was now around a hundred thousand square foot area cleared of stones.

I’m getting ahead of myself again. I have to use the wheelbarrow to take all the pieces off the field… the pile will be enormous.

Cal stormed to where he had left his wheelbarrow in the morning. Having over two acres of land available to work on appealed to him greatly.

The duplicate tools I commissioned from Orrin will come in handy. I’ll need to get more pickaxes with the expansion of the field.

He pushed the wheelbarrow into the expansion when a faint sound stopped him.

Cal turned to see the little beast back in its spot. The visitors' disappearance had given it the courage to return.

Now that I think about it, this thing has an eerily similar personality to Seris.

The little beast chittered again, this time louder when it noticed the last one didn’t get a reaction from him.

Cal considered ignoring it, figuring it was asking to eat something again. The wide eyes of something… different changed his mind. “What is it?”

The little beast got more animated at Cal listening. It jumped off the pile of surface layer rubble and landed in front of the wheelbarrow. It started to cross its arms—forelegs, whatever it was—and squeaked repeatedly.

He narrowed his eyes. “You want me to not clear the field?” His instinctive reaction was to ignore it and proceed with doing his job.

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Why is it asking me to not work? It’s most eager to eat the parts of the field I recently touched. There must be a good reason.

“Why?” Cal’s question stopped the little beast's joy at being easily understood.

It stood with a confused pose before getting down on all fours. Cal had only seen it standing upright on its hindlegs. Its small ears stood up as it tried to pull its lips back to show its teeth threateningly.

It didn’t work since the buckteeth became all the more visible, but the acting was a success.

“Wolf?” Cal asked with alarm. The little beast jumped, nodding furiously as it pointed in the direction of his storage room. Not directly at it, but beyond, into the distance.

Still, the target was obvious.

I didn’t think the powdered crystals would attract attention this early.

Cal let go of the wheelbarrow's handles and switched focus. He reached up and wrapped a hand around the sledgehammer’s handle, a vague plan forming in his mind.

It’s my mistake for neglecting to acquire an offensive move. Ordering a lightning simulacrum and regaining access to that element would have been simple, and my previous experience would have made relearning [Lightning Bolt] a breeze.

Of course, there was another way to gain access to an element. Cal would have to experience the element intimately—on a level that touched the mana core. It was the ideal way to start learning an element, allowing for a higher potential.

However, there was a reason it was rarely taken. In fact, Cal had never heard of anyone in the Celestial Order that had done so. One needed to perfectly align with the element, or it would corrode the mana core into nothing.

Anyone who was blessed with the interface fears one thing more than death. Loss of their mana core. It would return them to normal—

Cal’s thought cut off at the sight of yellow eyes in the distance. He had gone off on a tangent that had always interested him. Something he dreamed of trying in his past life but was terrified to.

I no longer wish to attempt something so foolish, but my mind still wanders off at that subject.

He shook his head roughly. He was doing it again. Luckily, the wolf was even less of a concern than it was when he was in the novice [Tier]. Now that he was a rank higher, there wasn’t much a single wolf could do.

Cal returned the stare, observing this type of wolf in the sun for the first time. It wasn’t as sinister as at night when only the baleful yellow eyes could be seen clearly.

It won’t be an issue for me, even with a hundred of these wolves. Is it just checking on what it senses in the storage room?

The wolf let out a long, mourning howl—just like the one Cal saw some nights ago. Unlike that time, there was an answering howl a few seconds later.

Then another. And another. And another. It didn’t stop.

I didn’t think I would manifest a hundred wolves by thinking of it.

Cal pulled the sledgehammer from his back. His vague plan would need to become far more concrete.

He watched with confusion as wolf after wolf appeared in his sight. It really looked like they were preparing to attack.

… Is it possible that the powdered crystals are potent enough for the wolves to try for a distraction? They are solitary creatures. To gather in this number is surprising.

Cal heard a wolf howl again. There was no chance for him to know which one made the sound, nor did he care.

They’re fanning out, trying to surround me on all sides… no, not me. The storage room.

He didn’t hesitate to stand before the door that led directly into the storage room. The wolves didn’t have an attack strong enough to bring down walls, but enough of them would eventually break through a wooden door.

I’ll have to leave the front door unattended. I hope the wolves are blinded by greed and solely focus on the storage room itself.

Cal’s eyes darted about as the wolves slowly stalked closer. They were letting out low growls that steadily increased in noise the closer they got.

My best bet is to scare them into running away. Killing one and getting into an actual fight would be a headache. It might put them in a frenzy.

A guttural snarl broke the consistency of the low growls. The wolves looked away from him for the first time.

I don’t like this.

A fifth of the pack broke away, edging closer to the front door. The exact thing he hoped wouldn’t happen. Cal had to act now.

He leaped forward—startling the wolf pack at the sudden movement—and slammed the sledgehammer to the ground with all the strength he could muster. He targeted an area only a few feet away from the pack. He pushed half his mana capacity into the tool right before the sledgehammer met the ground.

Cal’s eyes widened for an instant when it felt like he was holding a mountain in his hands. Even if he wanted to stop, it was far too late.

BOOM!

The ground rumbled as if there was an earthquake. Shards flew in all directions, rock spikes protruding around the sledgehammer where the shockwave of the contact ended. The sound of the strike was still ringing in Cal’s ear when he looked up to see the wolf pack’s reaction.

They were terrified. Their previous aggressive stances were gone. Their ears were flat, their growls turned to whimpers, and they backtracked quickly.

He pulled back his mana—noticing a surprisingly small loss—and did his best to casually point the sledgehammer at the pack. It was hard to ignore the aftershock tremors that he could still feel throughout his body. Still, his desire to avoid financial losses made it possible.

“If you leave right now, I’ll spare all of you,” Cal motioned to the distance with his sledgehammer. The wolves might not understand his words, but they should get what he was gesturing.

The wolves were hesitant, but some still had an eye on the front door.

My show of force dissuaded them from trying to get past me.

Cal’s ears twitched when he heard familiar squeaks behind him right where the front door was. The little beast was trying to help.

Surprisingly, more wolves favored a retreat after the squeaks started.

That’s right. The lone wolf I saw in the middle of the night was wary of the little beast.

Just when it seemed like the tense standoff would end, a guttural snarl reversed the trend. The timidity of the wolves allowed Cal to pinpoint where the snarl originated. He met the eyes of the wolf that raised the courage of its brethren.

It looks familiar…

Cal would give them another warning. Then, it was time to attack with lethal intent.

He shot forward, hovering directly above a wolf at the edge of the pack. He gave it ample time to release a frightened yelp and dart away before he viciously brought the sledgehammer down.

BOOM!

[Advanced Sledgehammer] has degraded to Good Quality.

Cal’s eye twitched in irritation as he dismissed the interface and stared at the once-again frightened wolf pack. He slowly, dramatically lifted the sledgehammer after pulling his mana away and pointed at the wolf that let out the commanding snarls.

“You will be the target next time,” Cal flicked the sledgehammer to point it into the distance. “Leave now.”

The wolf’s eyes flickered between the sledgehammer and the demolished ground. It let out a small whine before backing away. That was all that was needed for the entire pack to do the same.

Cal didn’t take his eyes off the retreating pack until they disappeared from his sight.

Two uses of the trait were enough to degrade the sledgehammer… I need to set this aside as an attacking tool. Or at least one to use sparingly.

He felt a slight tug on his pants and looked down to see the little beast trying to get his attention. It pointed at the storage room and then at its mouth before pinching its fingers.

Cal narrowed his eyes. “You want to eat some powdered crystals as a reward, right?”

The little beast nodded his head rapidly.

“No,” he was ruthless in his denial, “all of it is meant for my field.”

Cal ignored the depressed look that fell on the little beast and glanced at the sky. The sun would set in less than an hour.

I’m nowhere close to running out of stamina. And I don’t have much to fear by working well into the night.

He looked to where the wolves had disappeared before speaking to the little beast. “Stay here and keep a lookout. I’ll order extra powdered crystals next time, specially for you.”

The little beast perked up in happiness and rushed to stand beside the storage room’s door. It made a show of looking alert as it glared into the distance.

Cal smiled at the sight before returning to the field. There were a lot of rocks that needed to be moved.

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