Empoy woke up to the sound of yelling.
"THE BRIDGE IS COLLAPSING!"
He rubbed his eyes. The northern bridge—the one connecting Bran Village to the next settlement—was swaying dangerously. A group of villagers ran around, panicking, while the guild receptionist shouted from a distance:
"Lowest rank adventurer! Go! NOW!"
Empoy groaned. "Why do the quiet days never last more than a week?"
Investigating the "Danger"
When he arrived at the bridge, he saw the problem immediately: some minor floods from last night's rain had loosened the supports. Not dangerous for an ordinary person—if ordinary people were actually coordinated—but the villagers were screaming, waving pitchforks and baskets.
Empoy crouched, inspecting the wooden beams. "Hmm… the tension's all wrong. With a few reinforced mana circuits… no. Too flashy. Let's see what I can do quietly."
He dug into his bag. Out came scraps of metal, mana-thread, and a small handheld device he'd been tinkering with for weeks.
He muttered, "Just a little… minor adjustment… invisible to the world…"
The "Quick Fix"
Within minutes, Empoy had rigged the bridge with nearly invisible mana-thread cables, subtly reinforcing each beam. The supports hummed faintly as the energy flowed through, strengthening the wood.
A few villagers peeked from behind crates. "Uh… is the bridge… safe now?" one asked.
Empoy wiped his hands. "Yep. Just… keep walking normally."
The bridge didn't collapse. Not that anyone noticed it would have anyway, but to Empoy, it was perfectly reinforced. He stepped back, smiling faintly.
No one knows, no one can tell. Perfect.
Unexpected Attention
Of course, perfect rarely stays unnoticed.
The guild receptionist appeared out of nowhere, arms crossed. "Not bad… for a lowest rank. Somehow, the bridge didn't fall, even though it looked like it would."
Empoy shrugged. "I guess… luck?"
"Luck?" she echoed, unconvinced. "Or maybe… skill. But don't get used to praise. This is Bran Village, not the capital. Keep your head down."
Empoy nodded obediently. "Yes, ma'am."
Meanwhile, a small divine shimmer appeared above the bridge, faintly glowing. Empoy ignored it.
They're still watching, I see.
The Goblin Bonus Incident
As he returned to the guild, he spotted something moving near the riverbank: another goblin, this one clearly lost, carrying a basket of stolen bread.
Empoy sighed. "Again? Really?"
He approached cautiously. One misstep, and he tripped over a hidden root. The goblin shrieked and charged—but before it could reach him, a small spark from Empoy's mana-thread device zapped the ground. The goblin screeched and fell, utterly confused.
Empoy dusted his hands. "See? All under control. Don't tell anyone."
He glanced at the villagers watching from afar. Their eyes were wide.
Perfect. I remain officially useless. Unofficially… unstoppable.
Evening Reflection
Back in his shack, Empoy took off his boots and sat cross-legged. He stared at his small collection of tools, mana-thread scraps, and partially assembled inventions.
He whispered to himself, smiling faintly:
Quiet life, remember? Step one: survive. Step two: maybe upgrade my little toys. Step three… I don't know yet. Maybe… just stay unnoticed.
Lightning flickered faintly in his eyes, unnoticed even by him, as the stars above Bran Village twinkled.
The world thinks I'm nothing… and that's exactly how I like it.