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When he arrived home, the sun had already begun its descent, casting long shadows across the landscape. He didn’t head inside immediately but made his way straight to the herb garden. A quick inspection assured him that everything was in order. The seedlings were thriving, their leaves swaying gently in the late afternoon breeze.

He unrolled the silk cloth he had purchased earlier and carefully draped it over a few raised beds that needed extra shade. After securing the fabric, he filled the watering can, mixed in some fertilizer, and methodically watered the plants, ensuring each received the right amount of nourishment.

Satisfied with his work, he went inside for a short break, sipping on warm tea before heading to the nearby creek to wash up. As he stepped into the cool, clear water, he noticed small fish darting around his ankles. Among the stones, tiny crayfish scuttled about, their bright yellow pincers and blue whiskers standing out against the creek bed.

A soft chime echoed in his mind as Sage displayed information about the creature.

The sight of the crayfish stirred memories from his past life – childhood days spent catching these little critters in a similar creek. It wasn’t difficult if you knew the trick. When startled from the front, they instinctively jumped backward. That was the key. He caught the crayfish in no time.

Eshmund squatted, eyeing the little crustacean he held between his fingers. Its golden pincers twitched as if it was offended by the scrutiny.

He chuckled. “Gold Thief Crayfish, huh? Where’s your stash? I could use some gold right now”

“It’s a weird name. Why the hell is it called that? Does it actually steal gold?”

Sage’s voice chimed in, ever patient. “The name originates from a well-known folktale.”

Eshmund leaned forward, clearly interested “Oh? This better be good.”

Sage continued, “Once upon a time, a beautiful princess took a bath in a creek. During her bath, she lost her golden jewelry. She searched for it but never found it.”

He nodded. “Tragic. I already see where this is going.”

“The princess’s maid claimed she saw a crayfish take the jewelry and scuttle away. The princess, outraged, fired her maid for failing to stop it.”

He blinked. “Wait she got fired because of a crayfish?”

“Correct,” Sage confirmed. “However, there is a second part to the story. The river deity, who had witnessed the event, felt pity for the maid. To compensate for the injustice, the deity gifted her great treasures.”

Eshmund rubbed his chin. “So, she lost her job but then got rich?”

“Yes. She returned to her hometown and became a wealthy merchant.”

“This sounds like a scam. Let me guess, people figured out the truth?” Eshmund squinted.

“Indeed. Everyone realized the story was essentially a meme,” Sage replied. “In reality, the maid likely stole the jewelry, got caught, and was fired. But, since she had the jewelry, she genuinely did become rich.”

“So the Gold Thief Crayfish was just a scapegoat? That’s hilarious!” He burst out laughing.

“Yes. The phrase ‘Do you think I’m a crayfish that steals gold?’ became a common way for people to deny theft accusations”

He wiped a tear from his eye. “This is amazing. A whole species slandered for generations because some maid pulled off the perfect heist.” He turned to the crayfish still clamped in his fingers. “I’m sorry, buddy. Your ancestors took the fall for a human crime.”

The crayfish snapped its golden pincers.

Eshmund grinned. “I swear, if you try to take my ring, I’m frying you extra crispy.”

Since Sage had confirmed they were edible, he wasted no time. He crouched by the water, hands poised over the creek bed, and began catching them one by one. The smooth rhythm of flipping stones and scooping up shrimp was both exciting and oddly soothing. He knew there were more efficient ways to gather them, but he enjoyed the process itself.

Before he realized it, he had collected nearly a kilogram. By then, the sun had dipped behind the hills, leaving only slivers of red and orange on the horizon.

After changing into fresh clothes, he headed to the kitchen and set a pot of rice to steam. While waiting, he cleaned the crayfish, then tossed them into a pan with some kale and garlic he had bought earlier. A sprinkle of salt and a dash of soy sauce were all the seasoning he used. The aroma of sizzling food filled the air, simple yet mouthwatering.

When the meal was ready, he sat down to eat. The crayfish were tender, their natural sweetness enhanced by the light seasoning. It wasn’t a grand feast, but it was satisfying.

After dinner, he stepped onto the porch, gazing at the moon, its silver glow illuminating the quiet night.

“Sage, I noticed the status window has been updated,” he said.

“Yes. The library provided us with a wealth of data. We are still organizing it, but we will prioritize retrieving relevant information whenever you access the ‘Status Window’ function.”

“Good. Did you finish scanning all the books?”

“We’ve scanned everything up to the fifth level. However, some books on the upper floors are inaccessible due to protective energy fields.”

“Total Books Scanned: 7,841
Unreadable Texts: 25 (Written in an unknown language)
Likely Topics: Some appear related to crafting and refining magical weapons, based on illustrations.”

“That’s promising,” Eshmund said.

“How’s the battery holding up?”

“It has dropped to 81.5%. Data analysis consumed more power than expected.”

“Alright, let’s test the formation plates and see if they’re usable.”

Retrieving the plates from his space pouch, he spread them out on the floor. “Sage, display the connection diagram. You have that information, right?”

“Yes. However, we lack detailed instructions on connecting the output threads to the SB battery. That part is based on the visualization you created in your mind,” Sage replied, projecting the diagram.

He had expected that. Since Sage could interpret his thoughts, it confirmed that the brainwave translator function was working perfectly.

He carefully cut multiple strands of spider silk thread and connected the plates according to the diagram. The output thread from the variable resistor plate was coiled multiple times around the SB system’s battery – his simplest test configuration.

Once everything was in place, he took a deep breath and infused energy into the gathering plate to jumpstart it, just as he had done when activating his storage pouch.

“The electrical output to the battery is fluctuating between 50V and 120V AC,” Sage reported. “That’s more than enough to sustain a constant power supply for the system.”

“Wait, that’s actually pretty high. If that’s the case, why do alchemists and artificers still rely on Lightning Stones? Do they need even more power than that?” He raised an eyebrow.

“That is most likely the case,” Sage replied. “The technology in this world is primitive compared to what we had on Earth. Instead of improving efficiency, they simply push for higher energy output to force their way through limitations.”

“Yeah, that checks out. Since they rely so much on Elemental Energy, they never had to develop real technology to compensate for their weaknesses.”He exhaled through his nose.

He glanced at the battery system, watching the readings stabilize. “But the fluctuating AC isn’t an issue, right? The battery circuit has an advanced rectifier and regulator module.”

“Correct. The circuit can withstand up to 120,000V, both AC and DC. It’s built for extreme conditions, so this level of input won’t cause any damage,” Sage confirmed. “In fact, we currently have a surplus of energy.”

He smirked. “Perfect. That means we can finally start mass-producing Spy Bots to speed up data collection.”

“Affirmative,” Sage acknowledged. “Initiating production. I will follow the standard manufacturing process and safety protocols. As always, I will avoid extracting materials from human structures or personal items.”

“Good. The more, the better,” Eshmund said. Then, after a brief pause, he added, “We also need to start planning for a complete overhaul – one that allows the system to run entirely on Elemental Energy. Help me draft a feasible circuit design for that.”

“Understood,” Sage responded.

With that, Eshmund finally felt a weight lift off his shoulders. No more worrying about running out of power. No more rationing energy. The system was stable now.

His gaze dropped to the formation plates scattered across the floor. I can’t just leave these lying around

He scratched the back of his head and muttered, “I need to stash this setup somewhere safe.”

A small chuckle escaped him. If I leave it like this, some ‘Gold Thief Crayfish’ might make off with it.

The thought of one of those golden-clawed crustaceans scuttling away with his formation plates was amusing – but he knew he needed a real solution. His eyes drifted to his space pouch.

Can I store them inside?

“That definitely won’t work,” Sage interrupted, reading his thoughts. “The space pouch isolates its contents from external energy. That’s how it maintains its storage function. You have to activate it with Elemental Energy to retrieve items, meaning any active formation plates inside would instantly be deactivated.”

“Figures,” Eshmund sighed. “Alright then, run a detailed scan of the space pouch’s structure. Organize all related data. We need to fully understand its design before we try modifying it.”

“Understood. Beginning scan now,” Sage affirmed.

Eshmund sighed, rubbing his temple. “For now, I guess I’ll just stash these in a drawer and hope nobody finds them or messes with them.”

His lips curled into a smirk. “I really need a better storage solution maybe a locked box or something. Preferably one that doesn’t attract any ‘actual’ Gold Thief Crayfish.”

Suddenly, an important thought struck him.

“Wait, Sage! I forgot to check, how are we currently making new nanobots? Are we still using the mini-factory inside the repair chamber?”

“Yes, we are,” Sage replied. “But compared to SB version 5, which used miniature machines to carve out the parts, we now rely on Printer Bots. Right now, we’re capable of producing 3,000 Spy Bots per day.”

“Printer Bots? What are those? Explain more,” Eshmund asked, intrigued.

“They function like assembly workers in a production line,” Sage explained. “They receive raw materials from Spy Bots and Energy-Seeker Bots, then process them into nanobot components. Some Printer Bots specialize in rearranging molecular structures to form precise parts, while others handle the final assembly. This setup allows us to replace damaged production workers almost instantly, ensuring uninterrupted production.”

“Wow, that’s unbelievable! They can manipulate molecule-sized materials now?” Eshmund was in shock. He had assumed they were still using the same old manufacturing techniques.

“So, the nanobots themselves are now 100 times smaller than before, right?”

“Actually, they’re 250 times smaller than the ones used in SB version 5,” Sage corrected him.

Eshmund’s mind raced with possibilities. “So, can we increase production? If we need more nanobots, can’t we just scale up?”

“Unfortunately, no,” Sage admitted. “We’ve hit a space limitation. Adding more Printer Bots wouldn’t increase production capacity. What we need is to build another factory first.”

What do I need the most right now?

Eshmund pondered, his mind racing through his priorities.

Without a new factory, the release of nanobots will remain constant. Thats fine for now, but I need more Spy Bots and I need to complete this body enhancement as soon as possible.

A base would be ideal. Without one, even if I build a new nanobot factory, where would I put it? I can’t just leave it out in the open.

I’m already worried about those generator setups getting stolen. If I don’t secure them soon, it’s only a matter of time before someone tries to take them.

But building a base requires contribution points That’s the real problem. How do I get more of them? Should I take on contribution point tasks?

Or… should I go for a treasure hunt?

The idea sparked something in him.

Wait I can use the Spy Bots for a treasure hunt.

But then another problem surfaced.

That would burn through a hell of a lot of nanobots. Damn it.

Unless If I have a clue about where to search, I could reduce the number of nanobots needed.

Yes, thats how it should be done – targeted searches instead of blind scans.

Since i kinda bound to the Herb Garden at the moment, lets start inside the sect

He exhaled, his mind settling on the approach.

“Sage, search for any clues about missing valuables – anything worth recovering. Scan every quest board for tasks related to lost or missing items and compile the data.”

“On it,” Sage replied without hesitation.