The next day, Caster rose early and made sure to eat breakfast before heading out. He had grown accustomed to the inn's gruel, and the bartender had even started improving the recipe. George, the older man who ran the inn with his wife, Sarah, offered him free water to wash it down."Heading out early, boy?" George asked."Yeah, I need to visit the west woods for something. I’ll be back in a few hours," Caster replied.George nodded while cleaning up, and Caster headed out. The gate guards, familiar with him by now, gave him a nod as he passed. He noticed some carriages lined up at the entrance and walked past them, making his way to the log cabin in the woods.Unbeknownst to him, someone was watching. The figure slipped past the gate guards and observed from a distance as Caster disappeared into the woods. Clenching his fist, the person deliberated for a moment before leaving shortly after."Should I run there?" Caster thought. "My sprinting abilities have all leveled up past the ba

Caster stumbled into a clearing, surrounded by nothing but green grass. Fear surged through him as he tried to bolt to the side, hoping to make it back to the cover of the trees. A sharp pain shot through his leg, and he fell to the ground. He lay there groaning in agony. A throwing knife was lodged in his calf."I finally got you. Look at you now; you have run out of luck, you fool. I watched how they hailed you as the monster slayer but only if they knew you were just a loser," the man taunted, advancing with more throwing knives hidden in his robe.Ignoring the searing pain, Caster yanked the knife from his leg. Adrenaline dulled the pain enough for him to try standing, but he could only limp forward. Desperation fueled his next move; he drew his short sword and faced his pursuer."Heh, at least you have some backbone, kid," the man sneered, closing the distance. Caster tried to back away while chanting a mana arrow spell, his short sword raised in defense.The man was too fast.

The messenger tasked with updating Barren was now dead, his lifeless body sprawled on the green grass, drenched in his own blood and torn flesh. Elvis, a fellow party member, had delivered a fatal blow to his head, causing it to burst apart like an overripe fruit. While the group tended to their injuries and rifled through the dead man's possessions, Caster clarified his identity. "Should we address you as Sir Caster from now on?" Caleb's sarcastic remark met Caster's furrowed brows. He had disclosed that he was the son of a great mage, here to make his way. "Just joking, no need for the look," Caleb said, sensing his irritation. To his surprise, the group seemed unbothered by his noble connections. He had expected anger or at least concern, as commoners typically preferred to avoid noble affairs."Mighty Lord Caster, slayer of monsters!" Elvis's mocking bow from where he leaned against a tree made Caster sigh, ignoring his antics. He examined the man's enchanted sword, noting its

Caster stood still, absorbing the notifications. He quickly brought up his status window, curious about his new title."A magic scholar is someone knowledgeable in the language of magic, capable of creating or comprehending spells," the description read."Understanding my ass," Caster shouted in frustration. "I just copied what my skill showed me! Does this title even mean anything?""Hmm... but that 1000 experience points though... If I recast other magic, will I get the same amount?" He thought out loud.The thought of gaining such a substantial amount of experience points thrilled him. It could really help him level up hight if he changed classes strategically, even though he'd lose some XP in the process."I'll lose half of them... That's a shame... Still, this is a remarkable discovery!"His debugging skill had opened a new avenue for rapid experience gain. All he needed now was access to more magical items, redraw improved schematics, and accumulate more experience.His unique

Caster woke up at dawn, feeling stiff from sleeping on the floor instead of his bed. Rubbing his sore neck, he contemplated the ache and wondered if this was what old age felt like. The sun was just beginning to rise, indicating he had some time before breakfast at the inn. Caster began to think about the men who he was together with.He hoped that they had successfully sold the treasure they took from the man who had attacked him the day before.Reviewing his new skills, he noted two were for crafting. The first one was quite basic for a Mana Scribe, but the second one which was magic based enticed him all the more. It appeared more offensive compared to typical crafting skills. Caster was puzzled over receiving Basic Magic Mastery, a skill different from the magiccraft necessary for advancing to Mage and requiring a blacksmith background.Deciding to check his stats, he opened his status screen:Name: Caster Level: 28Tier 1 Mage Level 25 [Secondary] Tier 1 Magic Mana Scribe Lev