The night in the Great Jura Forest was nothing like the peaceful evenings I'd spent in my previous life.
Every sound felt amplified. The rustling of leaves became potential threats. Distant howls made Napoleon's feathers bristle even in sleep.
I had tamed the Forest Troll and named it Timber.
At a time when I needed as much help as I could get, it would have been foolish to let the opportunity slip.
Besides, Timber was invaluable help in itself.
He was Initiate ★★★★, stronger and sturdier than me. And if cultivated properly, he could prove to be a formidable ally in the future.
BEAST INFORMATION
Species: Forest Troll
Rank: Initiate ★★★★
Age: 8 years
Trait: Regenerative Bark
Loyalty: 62%
Special Abilities:
[Vine Manipulation] - Can control plant life within a 20m radius
[Natural Armor] - Bark-like skin provides enhanced defense
[Photosynthesis] - Slowly regenerates health in sunlight
I scrolled through the information for the second time.
He was so massive yet only eight years old. I wondered how colossal he would grow when he matured and was cultivated properly.
Anyhow,
I'd fashioned a crude shelter using branches and the bark that Timber had gathered for me. Surprisingly enough, none of my summons or tamed beasts were affected by the Restriction zone..it was only me.
So I had sent them to search for water, but sadly, there wasn't any water source nearby.
With a sigh, I skimmed through the system notifications and ended up on the quest feature.
Building a village in 183 days...
To do that I need to expand my territory first.
I pressed on the requirements for expansion.
Territory Expansion:
Current radius: 50m
Upgrade to 100m requirements:
-100SP.
-1 building constructed.
-6 inhabitants.
The first concern was expanding my territory if I wanted to build a village.
And 100SP is needed to expand the territory, whereas I had 60SP after buying the health potion.
If I can manage to expand, then I'll need to build a decent house which would be called the Chief's house and also need to gather three more inhabitants to reach the requirement.
[Inhabitants 3/6]
I was relieved Napoleon and Timber counted—otherwise I didn't know what I would have done.
[You know, most people sleep at night,]
ChatZero's interface flickered to life in the darkness.
"Most people aren't trapped in a death forest with a 182-day deadline."
[181 days now. It's past midnight.]
I groaned. "Thanks for the reminder. You really like to grab me by the throat, don't you?"
[That's the least I could do for some human who is still considering drinking his own piss?]
"Actually..." I sat up, ignoring ChatZero's jab. "I've been thinking about the water problem."
Timber was guarding the perimeter while Napoleon slept. It's not like there would have been any monsters—after all, we'd scouted the limited area I was given, so there weren't any monsters.
And besides, monsters higher than my own rank wouldn't be able to enter the zone if I didn't allow it.
I guess it was a safety protocol to keep me secure until I could fend for myself... so I was certain there'd eventually be a day when I'd be freed from here. That meant I needed to get stronger.
Anyways, the most reassuring thing was that monsters in my rank could be handled by Timber—he was a reliable guardian.
So I could sleep in peace.
[So what was your idiotic plan?]
"Hmm... I was thinking about using my gravity to dig..."
[Using Gravity to Dig? You want to dig for water?]
"Groundwater exists everywhere, and Timber also confirmed that there's water beneath us... so if I can create enough gravitational pressure downward, I might be able to force a well formation."
[...That's actually not completely stupid. I'm almost impressed.]
"High praise."
[Don't let it go to your head, Human. You'll probably just exhaust yourself and pass out. Again.]
Despite ChatZero's pessimism, I felt a spark of hope.
Morning came faster than expected or maybe I'd dozed off without realizing it.
Napoleon's crow served as my alarm clock, and I jerked awake with my heart pounding.
COCK-A-DOODLE-DOOOO!
"Damn, Napoleon! A little warning next time!"
The rooster looked at me with what I could only describe as smugness.
[Loyalty: 78% → 79%]
"Oh, so terrorizing me with your morning routine increases your loyalty? Excellent."
I stretched, feeling every ache from yesterday's battle. My muscles protested, but the sharp pain from the gravity overuse had faded to a dull throb. I thought I was exempt from backlash, but I guess I wasn't—it appeared later, apparently.
After a breakfast of... nothing, because I had no food, I pulled up the System Shop.
SYSTEM SHOP LV.1 :
Carpenter Set - 15 SP
Rice Seedlings (x50) - 5 SP
Low-Grade Potion - 10 SP
Wooden bucket- 3SP (New)
Wait.
"ChatZero, why is there a wooden bucket in the shop if there's no water to carry? It wasn't even there the previous day, was it?"
[It'll gradually sell what you truly need. After all, it's a businessman in a way, so don't be surprised when you see added items. It's just operating like a merchant.]
Hmm... that's an intriguing store for sure..not generic in any way.
Anyhow,
I purchased the bucket (57 SP remaining) and studied it. Sturdy oak, iron bands, decent craftsmanship.
"Napoleon, we're going on a dig."
The rooster tilted his head.
"Don't look at me like that. This is going to work."
I turned to Timber, who was guarding the perimeter.
"Timber, find a spot where a water source would most likely be."
"Timber... helps Master!"
Timber immediately spread his vines around and after a few minutes pointed to a spot in my limited area.
"Good boy!" I praised.
[Loyalty: 62% → 64%]
A simple praise was enough to make his day, huh?
I checked the spot and surprisingly it had the specific signs I was looking for... a small clearing where the grass grew thicker and the soil felt softer under my boots.
I wasn't any survival expert. However, I had watched enough survival shows to know at least this much.
"This is it. This is where we dig."
I set the bucket aside and placed both hands toward the ground, palms down.
The key was control. Yesterday, I'd used Gravity Manipulation in a panic, flooding power through instinct and rage. Today, I needed precision.
I closed my eyes and felt for the weight of the earth.
There.
Like touching an invisible thread, I could sense the mass beneath my feet. Layers of soil, rock, roots...
"Okay. Let's try this slowly."
I focused on a circular area about three feet in diameter and began to increase its gravitational pull downward.
The soil trembled.
Then, gradually, it began to compress and sink.
Sweat beaded on my forehead. This was like trying to lift weights with my mind..every second required concentration and stamina.
[Stamina: 87%... 84%... 81%...]
ChatZero was monitoring me, which was oddly comforting.
The ground continued to sink. Six inches.
One foot. Two feet.
My arms shook with effort.
Three feet.
Four feet.
[Stamina: 62%]
The soil was becoming harder to compress now...I was hitting denser material.
"Come on... just a little more..."
Five feet.
Six feet.
[Stamina: 48%]
And then...
My fingers brushed against something different in my gravitational sense. Not solid earth. Something that moved, that flowed...
"Water!"
I yelped and increased the pressure suddenly, and the ground at the bottom of the slight hole collapsed inward.
-WHOOSH!
Muddy water erupted upward like a geyser, spraying me in the face before settling into a murky pool at the bottom of the six-foot pit.
I released the gravity manipulation and fell backward, gasping.
[Stamina: 31%]
[Achievement Unlocked: "Founder of a well in wilderness"]
[+20 SP]
Napoleon approached the edge of the hole cautiously, peered down at the water, then looked at me as if to say, "You did that?"
"Yeah," I panted. "I did that."
The water was muddy now, disturbed by the violent excavation, but given a few hours to settle...
We had water.
[I'll admit it. That was actually impressive. Stupid, reckless, and you nearly passed out again, but impressive.]
"Thanks, ChatZero. Your approval means everything to me."
[Sarcasm noted and ignored.]
I lay there in the grass, staring up at the canopy, feeling absurdly proud of myself.
A well. I'd made a well.
Day two, and I already had water and shelter.
At this rate, maybe I actually could build a village in 181 days.
Two hours later, after the water had settled and cleared somewhat, I used the bucket to collect a sample.
It tasted like heaven.
Cold, clean, with just a hint of mineral earthiness.
Napoleon drank heartily from a bowl I'd fashioned from a curved piece of tree bark, while Timber had spread his vines on the water source.
Suddenly, he looked considerably more vibrant and full of life.
"Timber, you liked that, buddy?"
"Timber... need water... Timber happy...
Timber won't eat Master."
"Haha... funny that you were still considering eating me, huh?"
Was he really? I couldn't tell, but I knew this much...Forest Trolls would hunt living organisms when there was a lack of water or sunlight. I guess they'd use the corpse as an energy source.
[New Quest Available!]
I nearly dropped my bucket amidst those thoughts.
"What? Already?"
A window popped up:
SIDE QUEST:
"Food Security"
Objective: Establish a sustainable food source.
Options:
Plant 50+ rice seedlings
Hunt 3 Initiate-rank beasts
Discover wild edibles
Reward: 30 SP, 1 Normal Summon Ticket
Time Limit: 7 days
A summon ticket!
"ChatZero, can I combine objectives? Plant rice and hunt?"
[Yes, but you only get the reward once. The quest completes when you finish any ONE option.]
"Then hunting is fastest. Three Initiate-rank beasts."
I'd already subdued one Forest Troll at Initiate ★★★★. Surely I could handle three weaker creatures with Napoleon's help and my gravity powers.
[Overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer,] ChatZero quoted ominously.
"Is that from a game?"
[Darkest Dungeon. And it's accurate.]
I ignored the AI's pessimism and checked my status.
STATUS WINDOW:
Name: Marfin
Age: 16
Rank: Initiate ★★
HP: 100/125
Stamina: 31/125
Trait: Gravity Manipulation.
SP: 77
Summons: 1 (Napoleon)
Tamed beasts:1 (Timber)
Territory: 50m radius
"Not bad..." I hummed slightly as I stared at the fruit of my two days' struggle.
My stamina was still low from the well excavation. I needed rest before hunting.
"Napoleon, Timber... guard duty. I'm taking a nap."
The Troll nodded and puffed his chest, taking position near the well while Napoleon took the back side.
I retreated to my shelter and closed my eyes.
As expected, sleep came quickly..but it was soon interrupted.
-THUD. THUD. THUD.
I could hear sounds of heavy footfalls just like yesterday...
"Could it be... another Forest Troll?" I murmured to myself and shifted my gaze to the source, freezing immediately...