CHAPTER 72: CHAPTER 72

A blazing red wave of sword energy surged violently in a single direction. As it tore through the air, it obliterated everything in its path, roaring with a deafening boom.

Clayton, who hadn’t noticed the attack at first, was startled by the sound. He turned just in time to see the destructive force barreling toward him.

Acting fast, he cast a defensive spell.

"Water Magic: Wave of Water!"

In an instant, a massive wave materialized from thin air. But this wasn’t ordinary water—it was deep blue and unusually sluggish. Clayton had deliberately adjusted its viscosity and density to maximize its impact absorption.

It was like catching a marble with a thick cloth rather than letting it shatter against glass.

The two forces collided.

Schlomp.

Rather than a loud explosion, the impact produced a heavy, muffled thud. The sword energy slowed as it pushed into the dense water, gradually worn down by friction.

Clayton exhaled in relief. It seemed the danger had passed. His crops were safe.

He was wrong.

Just as the sword energy appeared to fizzle out, it suddenly compressed into a point—no thicker than a needle. Clayton didn’t think much of it.

Then it detonated.

BOOM!

Clayton’s pupils contracted. The explosion was massive.

He whipped his head around to assess the damage. To his relief, only the anti-locust net had been destroyed. His wheat was untouched.

Still, losing the net at such a critical moment was frustrating. During peak pest season, that net had been essential.

Seething with anger, Clayton looked toward the source of the attack—and saw Rodent, grinning smugly.

Clayton’s gaze shifted to Rodent’s ruined field. He instantly understood. Any pity he’d once felt for Rodent vanished. If this was how Rodent repaid kindness, then keeping his distance had been the right choice all along.

Though the attack had infuriated him, there was no time to deal with Rodent now.

More locusts were swarming through the torn net.

Shoving his desire for revenge aside, Clayton focused on the real threat. With the help of his skeleton assistants and precise magic, he successfully repelled the advancing wave.

Hours passed in grueling battle, but in the end, Clayton managed to protect his entire field. He collapsed to the ground, breathless and soaked with sweat.

A few moments later, Old Man Wood arrived with his two mini skeletons.

"Clayton, that was incredible!" he exclaimed. "Looks like this year’s harvest might be even better than last year’s!"

Originally, Old Man Wood had only hired Clayton to build a few connections—he’d been prepared to take a loss. But Clayton had exceeded all expectations. His skills had grown, and so had the capabilities of his skeletons.

"Thank you, sir! Let’s hope it’s a good season. I’ll make sure you’re not disappointed."

"Haha! I know I won’t be," Old Man Wood chuckled.

After a bit of chatting, they got back to work. Clayton and his skeletons began clearing away the locust remains and resumed harvesting. By sundown, they had finished.

When he weighed the harvest, Clayton was stunned—his yield was 20% higher than average, despite all the challenges: plant disease, pests, and sabotage.

Later, Old Man Wood returned to help calculate the numbers.

"Clayton, your harvest came in 10% higher than usual," he said, impressed. "In a year like this, that’s phenomenal!"

"Thank goodness, sir. At least we won’t be in the red this year, even after the wheat tax."

Old Man Wood nodded. "Exactly. And here’s your share—20% of the harvest, plus 10% of the surplus."

Clayton stared in disbelief at the nine sacks of wheat, each weighing 100 kilograms.

"But sir... you already paid me in magic crystals. Why give me more?"

Old Man Wood smiled and shook his head. "Those crystals don’t come close to the value of your effort. This is what you deserve. Besides, I’ve already set aside 80% for taxes. I’m not losing anything."

Clayton hesitated, then gave a small nod and accepted the sacks. After more small talk, Old Man Wood left, clearly satisfied.

Later, Clayton checked on Grass’s field, which hadn’t been harvested because Grass was too busy. Fortunately, three of Clayton’s skeletons had handled it.

Even without direct supervision, the field yielded 5% above average. Impressive, considering the poor weather and pest pressure.

Clayton kept sixteen sacks for himself—his fair share in the 50:50 agreement. Any extra produce was his to keep.

With everything settled, he finally headed home and collapsed into bed. The weight of exhaustion and success lulled him into a deep, restful sleep.

...

The Next Morning

Clayton woke up later than usual. It was tax payment day, but he wasn’t in a hurry—everything had already been packed and prepared.

This year’s total: 61 sacks, or 6,100 kilograms of wheat.

He double-checked the numbers, smiling to himself as the results sank in.

Once everything was ready, he set off for the outer ring’s city center with his mini skeletons in tow. Dingo came along too—he hadn’t been out in a while.

As they walked, Clayton’s mood grew somber. The streets were filled with farmers in despair—many had lost their entire harvests.

This year had been worse than the last. In a drought, some crops could be salvaged. But against a locust swarm, ordinary farmers—especially those without wide-range spells—stood no chance.

Clayton silently gave thanks. If he hadn’t purchased the Wave of Water spell, he likely wouldn’t have survived either.

Even with his skeletons and entry magic, they could only fire water blasts one at a time—not nearly enough to hold off a full-scale swarm. Without that area-of-effect spell, his field would have been decimated.

Just before reaching the tax payment center, he noticed someone stumbling along the road.

Clayton frowned—it was Bravus.

He thought to himself, Is this guy always this carefree? I heard he went hunting with a new group, but only he made it back. I figured he’d be devastated... but now he’s just out here spoiling himself?

He quickened his pace, wanting to avoid any drama. Bravus, clearly drunk, squinted at Clayton as he passed.

Suddenly, a rough group of men approached, shouting aggressively:

"Hey, Bravus, you bastard! Where the hell have you been?! Think you can dodge your debts? Don’t expect mercy when it’s too late to regret it!"