Yasser sat on the bench outside the Adventurers' Guild, turning the Basic Mana Crystal over in his hand. The blue gem was no bigger than a marble, but it hummed with a faint energy that made his fingers tingle. "Alright, system, you gave me magic. Now what? Do I wave this around and yell 'abracadabra'?" he said, half-expecting the system to roast him again.
The screen flickered into view:
Item Info: Basic Mana Crystal
Effect: Grants the user a small mana pool, allowing the use of beginner-level magic. Current mana capacity: 10 units. Available Spell: Spark (Costs 5 mana. Creates a small burst of electric energy. Range: 3 meters. Cooldown: 10 seconds). Note: Don't aim at your face. Seriously.
Yasser snorted. "Spark? What am I, a human lighter?" Still, the idea of casting magic sent a thrill through him. He glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then pointed the crystal at a nearby pebble. "Okay, here goes. Spark!"
A tiny bolt of electricity shot from the crystal, hitting the pebble with a faint crackle. The stone jumped an inch and scorched slightly. Yasser's jaw dropped. "No way. I'm a wizard now!" He fired another Spark, giggling as the pebble skittered across the ground. A passing adventurer gave him a weird look, and Yasser quickly pocketed the crystal. "Just, uh, testing some science," he said, whistling innocently.
His stomach growled again, and he realized his 19 remaining coppers wouldn't last long. "Time to grind," he muttered, heading back into the guild to check the beginner's board. Most tasks were still grunt work—collect herbs, clean stables—but one stood out:
Task: Escort Merchant Caravan to Outpost
Reward: 50 coppers + 1 free meal. Details: Protect a small caravan traveling to a nearby outpost. Low risk of monster attacks. No prior experience needed.
"Escort duty? Sounds like a side quest, but 50 coppers and food? I'm in," Yasser said, grabbing the notice. The guild directed him to a merchant named Gav, a stout man with a bushy beard, waiting by a horse-drawn cart near the city gate. Two other adventurers had signed up: a lanky archer named Kell and a gruff woman named Tira, who carried a short axe.
Gav clapped his hands. "Right, you three are my escorts. It's a two-hour trip to the outpost. Stay sharp, but it's usually quiet. Pay's 50 coppers each, and I'll throw in lunch when we arrive."
Kell, the archer, nodded silently, while Tira sized Yasser up. "You're new, aren't you? Don't slow us down, kid."
Yasser flashed a grin. "Slow you down? I'm practically a lightning bolt. Just watch."
The caravan set off, the cart creaking along a dirt path through the forest. Yasser walked beside it, his rusty sword from Torv's cellar strapped to his belt and the Mana Crystal tucked in his pocket. Kell scanned the trees, arrow nocked, while Tira led the way, her axe resting on her shoulder. The first hour was uneventful, with only the chirping of birds and the occasional rustle of leaves.
"So," Yasser said, breaking the silence, "you guys do this a lot? Protecting carts, fighting monsters, saving princesses?"
Kell shrugged. "Mostly carts and monsters. Princesses are above our pay grade."
Tira snorted. "F-ranks like us stick to small jobs. You want glory, kid, rank up first."
Yasser nodded, storing the info. "Fair. Any tips for a newbie? Like, how do I not get eaten by a scaled wolf?"
"Don't run off alone," Kell said. "And aim for the eyes if you're desperate."
"Eyes. Got it," Yasser said, though he hoped it wouldn't come to that.
Halfway to the outpost, the air grew tense. Kell raised a hand, signaling the group to stop. "Something's off," he whispered, pointing to a cluster of broken branches. Before anyone could respond, a low growl echoed from the trees. Three scaled wolves emerged, their green scales glinting and eyes glowing red.
"Oh, come on!" Yasser groaned. "I thought this was low risk!"
Gav dove under the cart, shouting, "Protect the goods!" Tira gripped her axe, and Kell drew his bow. Yasser pulled out his Mana Crystal, heart pounding. "Alright, team, let's not die."
Kell loosed an arrow, striking one wolf's shoulder. It howled but didn't fall. Tira charged another, her axe slashing its flank. The third wolf lunged at Yasser, and he instinctively yelled, "Spark!" A bolt of electricity hit the wolf's face, making it stumble. "Ha! Take that, you overgrown lizard!"
The wolf shook off the shock and charged again. Yasser swung his rusty sword, the Minor Strength Ring giving him just enough power to graze its side. Tira finished her wolf with a brutal swing and turned to help Kell, who was struggling with his. Yasser dodged another bite, then fired another Spark, aiming for the wolf's eyes. The creature yelped, momentarily blinded, and Yasser stabbed it clumsily, drawing blood. Tira swooped in, finishing it with a single axe blow.
The fight was over in minutes, but Yasser was panting, his ankle throbbing from the earlier rat bite. "That… was intense," he said, wiping sweat from his brow.
Kell checked the wolves' bodies. "No loot. Shame. But good work, newbie. That spark thing's handy."
"Wizard life," Yasser said, trying to sound cooler than he felt.
The system chimed:
Task Complete: Protected the Caravan (Bonus: Defeated Scaled Wolves)
Reward: 20 Gacha Points. Note: Nice teamwork. Maybe you're not totally useless.
Yasser smirked. "High praise, system." His total points were now 125, tempting him to pull again, but he decided to wait. The caravan reached the outpost—a small fortified camp—without further trouble. Gav, true to his word, paid them and served bowls of hearty stew with crusty bread. Yasser devoured his, savoring every bite.
As they ate, Tira leaned over. "Not bad for a first job, kid. You sticking with the guild?"
"Yeah," Yasser said. "Gotta rank up, get some real gear. Maybe a spell that doesn't just tickle monsters."
Kell chuckled. "Keep at it. You've got potential."
After lunch, the group escorted the empty cart back to Lifara, arriving by dusk. Yasser's 50 coppers felt like a fortune, and he headed to a cheap inn Marna had recommended. The room was small but clean, with a straw mattress and a single candle. Exhausted, he flopped onto the bed, staring at the Mana Crystal.
"Day one: fought rats, wolves, and made some friends," he said to himself. "Not bad, Yasser. Not bad."
The system pinged one last time:
New Quest: Learn a New Skill
Objective: Find a trainer or resource in Lifara to learn a basic combat or magic skill. Reward: 40 Gacha Points + Skill Unlock. Note: Spark's cool, but you'll need more than party tricks to survive.
Yasser grinned, already imagining himself hurling fireballs or swinging a glowing sword. "Tomorrow's gonna be wild," he said, blowing out the candle.
End of Chapter Three