Misaki woke after eight hours of sleep to find the village transitioning back into its day cycle. Ulth'rk was climbing slowly into the sky, its massive orange-red bulk hanging low on the horizon and painting everything in warm amber tones. He stretched carefully, feeling the familiar ache in his muscles from yesterday's training and forge work, but also a deeper warmth in his solar plexus that pulsed stronger than before.
[Manipura Chakra: Stirring (73%)]
Even sleeping, his chakra had continued developing. The meditation before bed must have set something in motion that continued working through his rest.
He moved through his morning routine with practiced efficiency. First, the farm work. Millia was already in the fields when he arrived, directing other workers to various sections. She handed Misaki his basket without comment, and he set to work harvesting starc and redcooil pepper with movements that had become second nature.
The plants seemed easier to work with now. Whether it was his increased dexterity or simply months of experience, Misaki found himself moving through the harvest with smooth efficiency. The starc came up cleanly with his practiced side-pulls. The redcooil peppers twisted free without stabbing his fingers. Within two hours, he'd filled seven baskets.
"Seven?" Millia raised an eyebrow as she inspected the harvest. "You're getting faster every day." She counted out thirty-five copper. "Keep this up and I'll have to raise your rate again just to keep you from working yourself to death."
[Copper earned: 35]
After collecting his payment, Misaki headed to the workout area where Deylos was already running through his morning combat forms. The archer acknowledged him with a nod, and they worked in companionable silence—Misaki focusing on push-ups, squats, and staff drills while Deylos practiced with his bow.
"You're stronger," Deylos observed after watching Misaki complete fifty push-ups without his arms giving out. "Five months ago, you couldn't manage ten."
"The Jack class makes everything harder, but at least it works eventually," Misaki replied, moving into squats. His legs burned, but the burn felt productive rather than debilitating.
After physical training, Misaki spent two hours in the temple meditating with the heat-manipulation sigil redrawn on his palms. He focused on the sensation of warmth, visualizing thermal energy flowing through his body like rivers of molten light. The Manipura chakra responded eagerly, pulsing and growing brighter in his awareness.
[Manipura Chakra: Stirring (76%)]
By the time he finished his meditation session, Misaki had accumulated a respectable sum of copper from his various income sources over the past days. He counted his coins carefully in the privacy of his dwelling: rental fees from the saw, payment for completed custom orders, farm wages, and miscellaneous work around the village.
[Total copper: 187]
It was a significant amount, but nowhere near the five hundred copper that would equal one gold coin, let alone the five gold he needed for his debt. Still, it was enough for what he needed to do today: equip himself properly for the dungeon expedition.
Misaki made his way to Torran's forge and lumber yard, where the massive blacksmith was hammering out what looked like horseshoes for the village's few draft animals. The rhythmic clang of metal on metal rang through the air, and heat radiated from the open forge in waves that made Misaki's awakening chakra resonate sympathetically.
"Sky-faller," Torran grunted, setting aside his work. "Heard you're going into the dungeons. Come to get yourself killed properly equipped?"
"Something like that. I need weapons and armor."
Torran wiped his hands on his leather apron and gestured toward a section of his workshop where various arms and armor hung on racks and pegs. "Let's see what won't get you killed immediately."
The weapon display was impressive but also somewhat daunting. Swords of various styles hung in neat rows—longswords, greatswords, sabres, and curved blades whose names Misaki didn't know. Most of them were enormous, designed for people with the strength and reach of typical Vulcanites.
Misaki reached for a standard longsword and tried to lift it one-handed. The blade barely came off its rack before the weight pulled his arm down.
[Longsword: Requires Strength 14]
He tried a shorter sword with similar results. Even the weapons that looked reasonably sized were designed for people significantly stronger than he was.
"Most of these are about five and a half feet long," Torran explained, watching Misaki's struggles with an expression somewhere between sympathy and amusement. "Standard combat length for infantry. But you..." He measured Misaki with his eyes. "You're what, five-nine? And strength eleven at best?"
"Eleven," Misaki confirmed, feeling a familiar frustration at his physical limitations.
Torran moved to a different section of the workshop and rummaged through a collection of smaller weapons. "These are what we make for scouts, children learning combat, or people with your particular challenges." He pulled out what he called a dagger, though to Misaki it looked more like a short sword.
The blade was roughly two feet long, double-edged, with a straight crossguard and a wrapped leather grip. It was well-balanced and clearly made with the same care as the larger weapons, just scaled down.
"This is a scout's blade," Torran explained. "What we call a dagger, though I suppose to someone your size it's more of a sword. Designed for quick strikes, close combat, and utility work. Won't win you any duels against a warrior with a greatsword, but it's better than going into a dungeon unarmed."
Misaki took the weapon and was pleased to find it felt natural in his hand. The weight was manageable, the balance good, and when he made a few experimental cuts through the air, the blade responded smoothly to his movements.
[Scout's Blade]
[Requires: Strength 8, Dexterity 10]
[Damage: Moderate]
[Durability: 85/100]
[Special: +15% effectiveness for users with Dexterity 12+]
"It's perfect," Misaki said. "How much?"
"Forty copper. That's standard pricing."
Misaki counted out the coins without hesitation. A weapon he could actually use was worth the cost.
"Now for armor," Torran said, moving to another section where various protective gear hung on wooden stands. "You can't afford plate mail, and even if you could, you don't have the strength to move in it. Chainmail is lighter but still probably too heavy for your build. Which leaves leather."
He selected a set of hardened leather armor—chest piece, shoulder guards, and bracers. The leather was dark brown, treated and cured to provide reasonable protection while remaining flexible. Metal studs reinforced critical areas, and the whole ensemble was designed to allow freedom of movement.
"This is what we make for scouts and light infantry," Torran explained. "Won't stop a direct hit from a warhammer, but it'll turn aside glancing blows and protect against claws and teeth. Dungeon beasts tend to slash and bite rather than crush, so this should serve you well."
Misaki tried on the chest piece. It fit snugly but comfortably, with straps that could be adjusted for a secure fit. The shoulder guards attached via leather ties, and the bracers wrapped around his forearms with buckles.
[Hardened Leather Armor Set]
[Requires: Strength 6]
[Defense: Light]
[Durability: 90/100]
[Special: -5% movement speed penalty (minimal)]
"How much for the full set?"
"Ninety copper. Armor's more labor-intensive than weapons."
Misaki did quick calculations in his head. Forty for the blade, ninety for the armor. That would leave him with fifty-seven copper, which wasn't much of a safety margin. But going into a dungeon without proper equipment would be suicide.
"I'll take it," he said, counting out the copper.
Torran accepted the payment and helped Misaki adjust the armor straps for a proper fit. "One piece of advice, sky-faller. That blade is designed for speed and precision, not power. In the dungeon, don't try to match strength with the beasts. Use your mobility. Strike fast, strike vital points, and get out before they can retaliate. Your Jack class gives you versatility—use it."
"Thank you, Torran. For the equipment and the advice."
The blacksmith waved him off gruffly. "Just try not to die. I'd like to see what else that clever brain of yours comes up with. That saw design alone has made logging in this village twice as efficient. Be a shame to lose that potential."
Equipped with proper arms and armor, Misaki made his way back to his dwelling to continue his preparations. The leather armor felt strange at first—confining but protective—but he knew he'd adjust to it with practice.
His dwelling was still only partially complete. The foundation was solid, and he'd managed to erect the basic frame using the Rulwood planks he'd purchased, but the roof remained unfinished and there were gaps in the walls that let in drafts. It was functional enough for sleeping and storing his few possessions, but it was far from the comfortable home he'd envisioned.
Misaki spent the next several hours working on the construction. He fitted planks, drove nails, and slowly filled in the gaps in the walls. The physical labor was meditative in its own way, and he found his mind drifting to thoughts of the upcoming expedition.
The dungeon. Vellin, Deylos, and Riyeak would be his teammates. A scout, an archer, and a shield-class defender. And him, the Jack, the utility player who was adequate at everything but specialized in nothing.
What role would he fill? What could he contribute that the others couldn't do better?
The answer came as he drove another nail home: adaptability. When the unexpected happened—and in dungeons, the unexpected always happened—he'd be the one who could pivot, who could solve problems that didn't fit neatly into combat, scouting, or defense categories.
And if he could fully awaken his Manipura chakra before they departed, he'd bring heat manipulation to the team. The ability to sense temperature, to potentially weaken metal locks or tools, to provide warmth in cold environments, to detect heat signatures of hidden enemies.
It wouldn't make him the strongest fighter. But it would make him valuable.
As the sun began its slow descent toward the horizon, Misaki set aside his construction tools and returned to meditation. He sat in his unfinished dwelling, the heat sigil redrawn on his palms, and focused inward.
The warmth in his solar plexus pulsed stronger than ever. He visualized it as a small sun, growing brighter with each breath, expanding outward through channels in his body that he'd never known existed until coming to this world.
[Manipura Chakra: Stirring (79%)]
Two days remained. One hundred hours.
He could do this.
[Quest Progress: Flames and Foundations]
[Manipura Awakening: 79/100%]
[Time Remaining: 2 days]
[Equipment Acquired: Scout's Blade, Hardened Leather Armor]
[Remaining Copper: 57]