Chapter 3-12 of the light novel follows the adventures of Klaus Nordol, a low-level adventurer who possesses a unique skill called "Auto Mode." The narrative begins with Klaus efficiently dispatching goblins and kobolds in a hunting ground near a town. He demonstrates considerable combat prowess for his apparent rank, quickly defeating multiple monsters and collecting their remains for proof of his kills. Klaus's primary motivation is to earn enough to live and, more importantly, to prove the worth of his unique skill, which he feels has been underestimated.
During his hunt, Klaus obtains a rare red-colored magic stone from a goblin leader. Magic stones are vital for gaining experience and crafting magical items, with colored ones being significantly more valuable. Upon crushing the red magic stone, Klaus experiences his first level-up in a long time, reaching level 11. This event triggers his status screen, revealing his stats and skills. His "Auto Mode" skill has two levels: "Auto Return" and "Auto Move," allowing him to automatically return to town or travel to previously visited locations. He also possesses "Swordsmanship" at level 2, "Presence Detection" at level 1, and "Low-Level Magic" at level 1. Despite his level-up, Klaus feels he is lagging behind his peers who have progressed much further.
Feeling the need to earn more, Klaus decides to challenge the boss of the "Misty Forest," a Hobgoblin. He successfully defeats it, earning more experience and a larger magic stone. This leads to his second level-up, reaching level 12. The experience of defeating the boss and the subsequent level-up allows him to allocate skill points. His primary goal is to rank up his unique skill, "Auto Mode." He invests 20 skill points into it, upgrading it to Level 3, which unlocks "Auto Resource Gathering." Initially disappointed by this seemingly mundane new ability, Klaus soon discovers its immense potential.
Klaus then ventures to the "Poisoned Marsh" to test his new skill. He learns that "Auto Resource Gathering" allows him to automatically collect resources he has previously encountered. He discovers that he can gather a vast array of plants, including rare ones like Mandragora, which he only briefly encountered during his adventurer registration training. He also tests the skill by gathering a large quantity of "Poison Grass," realizing its efficiency. However, his overconfidence leads him to venture too deep into the marsh, where he is attacked by two Poison Froggers. His sword breaks during the fight, but he manages to defeat them, gaining experience and leveling up to 13. He also acquires a temporary title, "Stinky One," due to his foul odor.
The next day, Klaus returns to the guild with an enormous amount of Poison Grass, causing a stir. He sells it for a significant profit, earning him gold coins and silver coins. He then decides to take on a quest to gather "Arrow Poison Yadori" from the "Valley of Lament." Using "Auto Move" and "Auto Resource Gathering," he efficiently collects vast quantities of Arrow Poison Yadori and Arrow Poison Mushrooms. During this expedition, he discovers that "Auto Resource Gathering" can even locate rare items like Mandragora, which he obtains. This leads to a dangerous encounter with a Rock Lizard, a B-class monster. However, the Mandragora's scream incapacitates the Rock Lizard, allowing Klaus to defeat it. This single encounter results in a massive six-level increase, bringing him to level 19.
Klaus's rapid progression and the acquisition of rare items attract the attention of the Guild Master, Salazar. She suspects his "Auto Mode" skill is more than it appears and assigns an operative, Terrine, to monitor him. Klaus, meanwhile, continues to exploit his unique skill, using his earnings to purchase magic stones from the guild, which further accelerate his leveling. He reaches level 27 and upgrades "Auto Mode" to Level 4, unlocking "Auto Combat." He recognizes the potential danger of this new skill, as it allows him to automatically engage in combat without conscious control, and decides to focus on resource gathering for the time being. The narrative concludes with Klaus heading out for more resource gathering, his unique skill and newfound wealth setting him on a path of rapid growth and increasing scrutiny.
