On the third day since discovering the Limonite deposit, Jonn reviewed his status once again.

  The past three days had been his most productive yet. Beyond monitoring the greenhouse plants and surrounding terrain using the Celestial Magnifying Glass, he’d been working tirelessly alongside Tim, Eliot, and Petyr at the mining site.

  During his rest periods, when he recovered from exhaustion, Jonn noticed subtle improvements in his attributes. This didn’t surprise him. He knew that beyond earning attribute points from {Quests}, he could also strengthen himself through training and other methods. Subconsciously aware of this, he was developing a habit of checking his status after completing tasks.

  This morning, following a particularly grueling day, Jonn awoke not only free from pain and muscle fatigue but also noting small yet significant improvements.

  A mage’s body truly is remarkable, he mused. Before, a day of hard labor would leave me aching. Now, as a mage, I wake up rejuvenated and stronger than the day before. Mana is indeed wonderful when not used destructively.

  Much remained unknown to Jonn. His understanding stemmed from [Analysis] and [Essence of Life], {Skills} he’d used to examine his own body. Unlike the toxic mana permeating the Barren Hills of Deepshadow, the mana within him seemed beneficial, showing no apparent harm.

  A knock at his door interrupted his thoughts. Donning a shirt, Jonn found Eliot and Petyr waiting, already equipped with shovels and picks.

  Three days of work might seem insignificant elsewhere, but it had been enough for the trio, along with Tim, to excavate a hole 6 meters in radius and 4 meters deep. From this point, they began breaking apart the massive Limonite formation, its full extent still unknown.

  Yesterday, they’d cleared enough of the rock’s surroundings to extract workable pieces. If all went according to plan today, they could grind the extracted ore and prepare it for smelting.

  Despite being a hunter by trade, Petyr eagerly took part in the mining effort. With game scarce, his strength found purpose in excavating the Limonite deposit.

  “Old Tim says we’ll have an iron bar ready in three days tops, Jonn. After that, we can start crafting tools and weapons!” Eliot said enthusiastically.

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  Petyr remained silent but fully supported Jonn’s plans. The previous morning, Jonn had declared that half of the iron produced would be allocated to weapon forging—a proportion Petyr, with his experience, deemed prudent.

  The village’s current arsenal was modest: 3 swords, 2 spears, and a handful of daggers. They also possessed 3 bows with arrows, which the villagers could craft themselves. However, half of the metal weapons were damaged, limiting their effectiveness. As for tools, the village owned 27 of various types, primarily for mining and agriculture.

  While tool maintenance and expansion were necessary, weapons took priority.

  “Excellent. We’ll prioritize sword and spear production,” Jonn said, pleased with Eliot’s report. “They are the most versatile weapons. We’ll focus our training on them.”

  Petyr nodded in agreement, asking, “When should I begin?”

  “First, we’ll supply enough ore for old Tim to work the forge. Once he’s produced the first weapon, you can transition from mining to training up to three men.”

  They’d already discussed the strategy. Training over three people was impractical, given their other responsibilities. Moreover, Petyr, not being a professional fighter, had limited teaching capacity. Once his students grasped the basics, they would become instructors themselves. Jonn envisioned a future where every villager, regardless of age or gender, would be trained in weaponry.

  Petyr followed silently while Eliot chattered away, with Jonn listening attentively, sometimes agreeing, occasionally correcting his friend.

  They paused at the greenhouse before continuing to the mining site to the east.

  Discreetly, Jonn summoned the Celestial Magnifying Glass from a pouch at his waist, careful not to draw attention. He used it to examine the five plants he’d been studying for the past 10 days.

  Petyr and Eliot peered through Jonn’s magnifying glass, seeing only a magnified view of the plants. To them, the Celestial Magnifying Glass appeared as nothing more than an ordinary tool, its magical properties hidden from their perception.

  Jonn analyzed the five plants, unconcerned about his companions noticing anything unusual about his artifact.

  They’re thriving! Their production rate remains unchanged, even after I halved the crystal quantity!

  Jonn put the magnifying glass away and exhaled with relief. “You two should proceed with breaking down the Limonite rock this morning. I’ll remain here to expand our planting area.”

  “Are you sure? The results were truly favorable?” Petyr asked, stepping forward with keen interest.

  Jonn’s statement carried serious implications for the village, heralding the dawn of farming on an unprecedented scale, with its inherent risks and potential rewards.

  “Yes, I’m sure. Look at the tomato plant. Its production rate matches its previous output,” Jonn said, gesturing toward the blossoms that would eventually yield the village’s tomato harvest.

  Though not as versed in agriculture as Arber, Petyr wasn’t ignorant of the subject. Every villager needed a basic understanding of farming and survival. He recognized Jonn’s words, and while there was a possibility of misinterpretation, the visual evidence before him suggested otherwise.

  ‘The flower count and overall plant appearance seem promising, much like before his experiments began… He must be right, I hope.’

  “Very well. Eliot, let’s return to our task. Old Tim will join us shortly,” Petyr said, departing without waiting for Eliot.

  The young man hurried after the hunter, leaving Jonn alone with the greenhouse plants.

  Time to expand my planted area.

  Jonn set to work, beginning with the smallest and simplest plants in the greenhouse. He meticulously removed the mana crystals, bisected them, and returned them to their respective pots.

  The work itself wasn’t complicated, but it required mana, and no one in the village could assist him with that. Moreover, Jonn’s current mana reserves were low. He could only cut through 10 mana crystals before reaching exhaustion.

  Sensing his mana nearing depletion, Jonn finished with the pot in hand.

  I have 43 more left.

  He gathered the processed crystals and headed to the area outside the greenhouse. His tools awaited him, and he immediately began preparing the land, employing the same techniques he’d used 15 days prior. This phase was physically demanding but required no mana expenditure.

  Fortunately, his [Stamina] would suffice to complete the task with the crystals at hand.

  As he labored, Jonn felt his mana regenerating at a rate of 1 unit per minute. Full recovery would take less than 110 minutes—just under two hours.

  Roughly 40 minutes into working on the initial 1 square meter plot, Jonn had tripled the area to 3 square meters of mana-infused terrain. In each meter-square section, he planted a different crop, mirroring the greenhouse’s diverse setup in this outdoor plot.

  He maintained the greenhouse’s proportions, which aligned with the village’s most pressing needs.

  With just over 40 units of mana restored, he processed 4 more pots and their respective crystals before returning to continue his groundwork.

  At around 2 o’clock in the afternoon, Jonn paused before the outdoor plantation, wiping sweat from his brow with his shirt.

  Before him lay 11.6 square meters of land, neatly delineated with stones, irrigated and primed for the village farmers to manage henceforth.

  Jonn’s direct involvement in crop management wasn’t essential. A daily check would suffice. The rest could be entrusted to capable hands like Arber’s.

  As he surveyed his completed work, a warm sensation permeated Jonn’s body. Physical fatigue mingled with mental exhaustion from repeatedly depleting his mana reserves. Yet, the satisfaction of initiating this expanded plantation filled him with profound contentment.

  Arber mentioned we could yield 500 kilograms of tomatoes if we planted only tomatoes in this area. But in the first cycle, we’ll get a maximum of 180 kilos of food here. Things will become more interesting in the 3rd or 4th cycle. By then, our production should double per cycle and easily exceed her annual estimate.

  As he contemplated his work, Arber and Elia stopped behind him, their eyes gleaming as they looked at the wet black terrain. They focused specifically on the tomato sprouts, the largest of which was now 15 centimeters tall, visible even to the oldest woman without needing to stoop.

  “Looks like you’ve worked hard, Village Elder.” Arber smiled as she offered Jonn a vase of water. “Are you finished here? We can take care of your crops and the greenhouse by ourselves now. Go and get some rest.”

  “Yes, I’ve finished,” Jonn said, handing the vase of water back to Elia. “The place is ready for you to follow my recommendations. According to what Grandpa found out, this plantation will become stronger over time. The first generation will be weaker and less productive than what we have in the greenhouse, but it should grow stronger. In any case, look after them in the same way as you already do those in the greenhouse. Everything should be fine if you stick to these arrangements.”

  “We’ll keep that in mind,” Elia replied on behalf of her aunt, narrowing her eyes as she saw Jonn picking up some old shovels from the ground. “What do you intend to do now? Don’t tell me you’re thinking of going to work in this state?”

  Jonn’s only reply was a smile and a nod as he set off eastward, where Petyr, Eliot, and Tim would be toiling at the mining site, less than a twenty-minute walk away.

  When Jonn arrived at the excavation area, he found old Tim directing the efforts of the two men.

  “Village Elder, care to join us?” Tim inquired, his face alight with enthusiasm.

  “Certainly. Give me ten minutes to catch my breath, and I’ll be right with you,” Jonn said to him.

  “Take all the time you need, haha,” the cheerful old man replied, eager to produce some weapons with the ores from that hole.

  “Let’s work until nightfall, fellas!” Jonn called out as he prepared to join Eliot and Petyr, aiming to achieve another significant milestone before day’s end.

  As time passed and he consciously avoided tapping into his mana, Jonn noticed blue message boxes materializing in his field of vision, showing improvements in his [Intelligence] and [Wisdom] attributes.

  In one concentrated effort, he boosted each of these crucial mental attributes by 0.3 points!