[Farmer] Mage

Cal snapped out of his state when a flash of light hit his eyes. He was greeted with the shovel shimmering a bright gold and the interface showing him a message.

Your alternate [Advanced Shovel] is now designated as your primary.

Your equipment [Advanced Shovel] has been upgraded to [Rare Shovel].

Equipment upgrade has modified its trait.

Self-Repair—> Progressive Self-Repair.

[Progressive Self-Repair]: After 24 continuous hours without use, the shovel will start to recover its quality in stages. For every additional 48 hours of continuous non-use, the shovel's quality will improve by one stage.

He didn't expect anything else from a tool that had the [Self-Repair] trait. While it wasn't interesting, it was useful and reliable since the tools didn't need skilled blacksmiths to maintain them.

Cal was more curious about the shovel's new upgrade requirements.

[Rare Shovel: Average Quality] Upgrade: 2 Requirements

1. Tasks Required: 1

- 0/20000 Tasks

2. Materials Required: 3

- 0/5 Earth Crystals

- 0/10 Dragonite Scales

- 0/500 Voidiron Pellets

- Progressive Self-Repair: After 24 continuous hours without use, the shovel will start to recover its quality in stages. For every additional 48 hours of continuous non-use, the shovel's quality will improve by one stage.

Cal hadn't noticed the interface informing him of the shovel degrading from excellent quality to average, but it wasn't surprising given the strange properties in the Northern Wastes' surface layer.

But that barely got his attention. He was more focused on the requirements, and how similar it was to the [Rare Rake].

Cal didn't take long to decide that he liked the similarity. He hoped this would continue to be the requirements for all the Rare-ranked tools. Sourcing the materials might be an issue for now, but once that was solved, he could just stockpile them and churn out a truly ludicrous number of equipment that guilds would fight a war for.

I'll know for sure once the wheelbarrow is upgraded. It's doesn't have the [Self-Repair] trait. If different traits don't affect the materials needed, it's a good sign.

He checked how many more tasks were needed for the wheelbarrow.

[Advanced Wheelbarrow: Excellent Quality] Upgrade: 3729/4000 Tasks

Almost there. Completing a task for the wheelbarrow is the slowest of all my tools, but it's thankfully the most durable. I suppose since it only carries debris, there isn't much that can damage it.

Cal put the newly upgraded [Rare Shovel] into his storage pouch and returned to the storage room to get some spares. He picked a shovel that was still in the Uncommon-rank, and another that was in the Advanced-rank. The former he would give to Overseer Marek as part of the deal to supply three Advanced-rank tools a month, and the latter would be a spare [Rare Shovel].

He felt a smile form on his lips as he shoveled debris into the wheelbarrow. It felt surreal to even think about something like a spare Rare-ranked tool.

Cal made quick work with the shovel meant for the Overseer. He skimmed the trait choices and saw nothing interesting, so he selected what was now the default, [Self-Repair]. It finalized the shovel's fate to be handed over.

He set it aside and worked toward another [Rare Shovel]. Unfortunately, it seemed like there wasn't enough debris left for that to be possible, but it was still enough for around a thousand tasks for the shovel.

Cal was nearly done clearing up the debris, and tipped over the wheelbarrow on the side of a newly formed hill when a shimmering gold lit up the area.

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He flinched at the intensity and looked around with worry, hoping the light show hadn't been noticed. Without his mana reserves and inability to cast [Mana Sense], he couldn't know for sure, but he hoped that enough people were wary of his abilities that they didn't dare to spy him.

Cal tried to pull the wheelbarrow into his storage space and wasn't surprised that it failed. If a barrel of seeds couldn't be stored, it would have been strange if the wheelbarrow was an exception.

He ignored the interface and dug his hand into the hill of debris and pulled out a fistful, smearing the clumpy dirt on the surface of the wheelbarrow in an attempt to dull the golden shine.

Cal worked on it for several minutes—too long for something so ridiculous—when he heard the faint sounds of a lighthearted chat beyond the tree line. He cursed under his breath and looked up to see it was well past sunrise, the time when the hires arrive at the farm.

The wheelbarrow still showed a glimmer of gold when light hit it at certain angles, but it would have to do. It wasn't like there was sunlight it hit it inside the storage room, where the wheelbarrow would stay for the foreseeable future.

Cal grabbed the shovel that would be given to the Overseer and rushed to the storage room, the wheelbarrow traveling the fastest it had since its creation.

He scanned the interior of the storage room and pushed the wheelbarrow behind the pile of materials taken from the sinkhole. He rearranged the pile so it was impossible for anyone who didn't rummage through things they had no business rummaging with would never discover there was a [Rare Wheelbarrow] in their midst.

Cal stepped back with a chuckle. It was strange hiding his own property like a thief. A more secure storage space was another task that Miren now had, so this sneaking around wouldn't have to be repeated in the future.

He finally checked the interface with everything settled.

Your equipment [Advanced Wheelbarrow] has been upgraded to [Rare Wheelbarrow].

Equipment upgrade has modified its trait.

Enlarged Bucket—> Endless Silo-Press.

Endless Silo-Press: The wheelbarrow contains a stabilized pocket-space with self-sorting lanes and an in-bucket compactor. Capacity is unlimited.

- Weight Rule: For every full 5× Base Capacity stored, perceived weight doubles

- Compaction Forms: Bricks, Bales, Pucks, Pellets, Slabs. (Maximum size is twice the bucket opening's width)

- Limitation: Nonliving material only.

Cal reread the messages. And then again just to be sure.

… have I wasted time choosing [Self-Repair]? The value of Rare-ranked tools finally make sense.

[Self-Repair] had provided him with equipment that was everlasting as long as he didn't try to purposely use them till destruction, but he had unknowingly handicapped the equipment by choosing [Self-Repair]. He thought about all the 'worse' choices that he passed, and then imagined what it could have evolved into at the Rare-rank.

Cal closed his eyes a drew a deep breath. He opened them after several seconds, much calmer.

No, I'm being reactionary. The surface layer would have reduced my tools to dust without [Self-Repair]. Other traits might be worth more, but how useful can they be when I can't use the tool out of fear from its condition?

He glanced at the hidden wheelbarrow and resolved to test it soon when safe. He had asked Miren to test the surface layer debris, and while the initial results were negative, he wondered if that would change when he compacted the debris into brick.

There was one more thing to check: The material requirements for the next upgrade.

[Rare Wheelbarrow: Excellent Quality] Upgrade: 2 Requirements

1. Tasks Required: 1

- 0/20000 Tasks

2. Materials Required: 3

- 0/5 Earth Crystals

- 0/10 Dragonite Scales

- 0/500 Voidiron Pellets

He let go of a breath he wasn't aware he held. This was good news, great news. He could go forward with the plan to stockpile these materials with confidence.

Cal turned when he heard a knock on the front door, following by Bran's voice.

"Apprentice Cal? Apprentice Tavia? May we enter the storage room to grab some shovels?"

Cal checked on the wheelbarrow with a frown before shaking his head. He grabbed three spare shovels that weren't connected to him and walked out of the storage room, startling the three Initiates.

"Apprentice Cal!" Bran greeted with a smile. He glanced at the dirt covering Cal's hand and the smile dipped a little. "You're already at work? If you want, we can come earlier to match up with your work day. Right girls?"

Vaela and Liora didn't seem to mind as they murmured agreements. Cal, however, minded. He minded very much.

"Absolutely not!" Cal hid his wince when they looked hurt at his vehemence. "I would love to have more help, but remember what I told you all before you started? I don't want anyone I hire to stagnate, so use this time to improve yourselves."

"Of course, Apprentice Cal," Bran said solemnly.

Cal let out a relieved breath when they left with the shovels. He barely had time to upgrade his tools, and if the hires showed initiative that would have thrilled normal employers, he would need to become nocturnal to reach his goals.

"Oh, Apprentice Cal!" Vaela's yell made him tense. "Do you need our help with the field? It seems the loam is done settling so it's ready for the next step."

"No need. It's not much work." Cal relaxed when he heard their footsteps get fainter as they headed to the Sunfire Grain they replanted.

I need to get those three away from the farm for a few weeks. They're too eager to help.

Cal's ears perked up when he heard noise from beyond the tree line. Wheels—many wheels—which meant they were likely to be carts.

Given the harvest, it was likely to be Drex. This could be a chance to get the Initiates off the farm. He just had to think of a reason that didn't sound like he was dismissing their presence, even though that was the main goal.

There was no reason to be rude to hires that only wanted to help. It was detrimental now, but would be valuable when things were back to normal.