They heard the faint sounds of the barking of dogs from the house in the distance. It was just loud enough to be heard over the whipping wind Caster blanched, blowing through the windows in her room. On his nightstand, there was a candle that sparkled and created some peculiar patterns on the walls.Caster stretched his body in the bed he had pulled out the hands resting behind the head contemplating at the roof. He lost his focus as he started contemplating the possibilities of what could be in store for him in the future. Despite reckoning nearly ten years within this wondrous yet alien realm, he remained a misfit.He recalled the day that he awoke in this place with an aching head, frightened to death. This became apparent by the characterization of the people in his new home as being cold and distant. In Caster’s initial storyline, he had first been an ordinary five-year-old boy who was rather naive about the workings of the world around him. Even his childhood memories have faded

Caster gradually started to witness the formulation of his theory. If he viewed mana as a river filled with muddy water then he could look at the mana crystal at as a dam with a filter. It would only let clean mana pass through which meant the impurities would be trapped within the crystal.He had at first assumed that mana crystals only contained mana and infused it into the item once placed in the socket. Now, he started thinking that he might be entirely wrong, and a new design might be needed for the socket only.Unwaveringly, he took a new sheet of paper and clutched the pencil even tighter. He was surrounded by papers, sketches, and blueprints all over the floor – it was evident that this man was a mad genius. He quickly began tapping the keys and due to his high dexterity stat, he was able to create a new design.After concentrating for about an hour, he was able to finish a schematic for the socket of a sword which will contain a mana stone. The schematic came equipped with tw

Caster focused intently on his task. He picked up a steel engraving tool with a wooden handle, which resembled a pointed nail or a small chisel. "This should help speed things up a bit," he muttered to himself. He carefully began engraving some of the larger magical structures into the hardened steel. It was crucial not to remove too much metal, as that would waste both mana and time. If done right, these inscriptions would mean he wouldn't need to use as much of his mage crafting skill, which would otherwise have to forcibly construct all the pathways and components.The engravings, though intricate, were delicate. To an untrained eye, they might look like the finished product. But a Magesmith or someone with specialized skill would spot the missing traces.After dedicating his full concentration to the task, Caster worked through the day. The process was more challenging on a non-heated piece of metal, but he was determined. He had finished with satisfaction the initial stage at th

A large crystal chandelier hung above an even bigger round table, which was surrounded by exactly eight chairs. Each chair was crafted by a master artisan and featured comfortable cushioning.Five people were already seated, waiting for the last member to arrive.“Boss Lex sure is late today,” said an extravagantly dressed moon elf man, leaning back in his chair. If this weren’t official business, he might have propped his long legs up on the round table. “I wonder what’s keeping him. We’ve got a lot to cover.”“He’s been tardier lately, especially since our little problem was resolved,” replied a rich merchant, who owned most of the food-related stores in the city. He glanced at an intricate golden pocket watch before placing it back in his pocket and looking toward the empty chair. “I hope he doesn’t make a habit of this. We need to address the market issues soon.”“The Demon from Vanny Royale sent word that he won’t be arriving ahead of time,” another council member noted. “Apparen

"Ugh, this is why I dislike working with you Abyssal Warlocks. Where’s the fun if we rush everything? There's no time to enjoy it~"The man pouted slightly. He had his hood down, showing his face. He looked like an elf but with much darker skin, almost black. His eyes were entirely black, and thick veins bulged around them.He pranced around, holding the unconscious body of the red-light district's owner. The body’s head and legs dangled as he moved. With a strong spin, he tossed the body toward the Warlock, like he was throwing a bag of potatoes.The Warlock didn’t say a word. He just turned to face the man. Suddenly, tentacles shot out from the Warlock’s sleeve. They wrapped around the elven man’s limbs, lifting him into the air. The thickest tentacle split open, revealing sharp, shark-like teeth. The body was then lowered into the teeth and completely devoured, leaving no trace behind.After the Warlock finished eating the council members, his tentacles retracted back into his robe