Dead people lay all around them, and people wept over the dead bodies of their lost loved ones, and there Caster stood, silent. Tears down their cheeks as some gently draped cloths over the faces of the deceased. Caster could feel a deep sense of unease settling in his chest, not just from witnessing the grief, but from what it meant for his own future. He thought, ‘That could be me one day, lying there, helpless.’ The thought gnawed at him. If he wanted to avoid ending up like the unfortunate victims here, he had to get stronger. His current abilities weren’t enough. Not even close. The world was a place of danger, and danger could drop on you from anywhere, at any time.He stood there lost in thought; a voice snapped him back to the present. "We’ll be moving soon. What are you going to do?" Nedu, the moon elf, approached and Caster turned to see him. The armor of Nedu was a sloppily looted collection of bandits we fought earlier. The colors weren’t right, the design was all over

Caster reflected on his journey so far. "First, there was that trio of guys I met in my first city," he thought. 'Then, I encountered a half-demon, a demon manager, and his moon elven bodyguard.’ And let’s not forget those three guys I briefly interacted with during the Gorgonite monster disaster. Each of them seemed peculiar from his viewpoint.'But maybe I am the weird one here…' He shook his head, trying to shake off the thought.With a sigh, he stood up from the tree stump where he had been resting. He strolled over to one of the remaining caravans, which was almost packed and ready to leave. As he approached, he heard a familiar voice call out, “Ah, Jarul, is it? We will be able to depart soon; we’re just waiting for everyone to finish their meal.” Caster turned to see the coachman, a sturdy man with a kind face who had been keeping an eye on the group. ‘How many are left’, he asked, looking back to where some survivors had gathered to eat.'The coachman nodded grimly,' facing

Caster glanced down at the road beneath the caravan’s wheels. It had changed. The rough, uneven dirt track they had been following for days was now a smooth, paved road. The change in the road’s surface was a clear sign—they were finally nearing a larger city. This also meant they were most likely leaving behind the lawless lands filled with bandits and monsters.“It’s about time,” Caster muttered under his breath. The constant tension from looking over his shoulder was getting old.Though the attack of the bandits happened more than a day ago the atmosphere in the caravan remained tense. The faces of other people surrounding him resembled concern, and too many of the people seemed to have not rest at all. Caster understood well that their minds still held the image of the ambush. He could see it in their tightened fists, in their staring at every murmur in bush as if they were expecting it.“Vigilant as ever,” Caster mumbled to himself, disapprovingly. “Not that I can blame them.”

Caster studied the armor in front of him, running his fingers over the rough edges. From his perspective, it made more sense to place the magic sockets on the inside of the armor, ensuring they wouldn’t get in the way or be easily damaged. “Strategic placements,” he muttered to himself, his brow furrowed. He needed to find the right balance—sockets that would be both hidden and accessible, on parts of the armor that wouldn’t be prime targets. But where? The forearms? Maybe the back? His mind was full of new crafting designs, each one more intricate than the last.His thoughts were interrupted as they approached the bustling port city. Villagers were scattered everywhere, many embracing one another and crying openly. Their tears weren’t just from exhaustion—they seemed relieved, as though a great weight had been lifted from their shoulders. Caster guessed they had feared for their lives during the journey. They had been on edge for the last two days, walking with almost no sleep, alway

Caster noticed that most of the cargo being packed onto the ship consisted of food, which made perfect sense. The island he was headed to, Dragnis Island, was known for its tropical forests and warm climate, but it was also a volcanic island teeming with dangerous monsters. Food production there was scarce, so stocking up on supplies on the mainland was essential.The mainland's farmers, protected by adventurers and the military, were able to produce food easily, while life on Dragnis Island was unpredictable. Earthquakes and minor volcanic eruptions were common there, making farming risky. On the island, the focus was more on mining valuable ores and other resources from the super dungeon, one of the few places where rare minerals were abundant due to the high mana density.Caster initially thought about approaching the first ship he saw, the one that was unloading cargo. But after seeing the other ship busily packing up, he reconsidered. He had already sold off everything he didn'