1. Transformation Before Dawn
When the first ray of sunlight slipped through the cracks of the wooden house and fell onto Link's blood-crusted face, he opened his eyes.
A strange itching spread across his body.
Not discomfort—
Healing.
The regeneration system was working, knitting torn flesh back together piece by piece.
His HP had recovered to 60 / 100, but the weakness from blood loss still lingered.
His head felt light.
His limbs heavy.
He pushed himself up against the wall, breathing slowly, forcing his body to respond.
The first thing he did—
Was open his Phase Inventory.
The ores he had dragged back from the brink of death were still there.
Heavy.
Silent.
Real.
"…Furnace. Anvil."
His voice was hoarse.
With a flick of his fingers—
A structure materialized.
A Furnace, built from stone and clay, rose into existence.
A dull red glow burned within its core, heat spilling into the room, pushing away the lingering cold.
Then—
A solid Anvil dropped onto a wooden block beside it.
"Clang."
The metallic sound echoed through the room.
For the first time—
The shelter felt like something more than survival.
It felt… like progress.
2. The Cost of Crafting
Link placed the ores into the furnace.
Flames roared softly as the materials were consumed.
The results appeared, cold and precise.
Copper Ore (82) → 27 Copper BarsIron Ore (49) → 16 Iron BarsSilver Ore (12) → 4 Silver Bars
He stared at the small pile of refined metal.
Too little.
Far too little.
His fingers moved across the crafting interface.
Again.
And again.
Every option he wanted—
Turned red.
[Insufficient Materials]
"…Figures."
He exhaled slowly.
Then his gaze landed on the silver bars.
Cold.
Clean.
Untouched.
"…Silver is off-limits."
His voice was firm.
In the 2D game, you could estimate time from the sky.
But here—
In a fully three-dimensional world, the forest canopy could block out everything.
Night could fall without warning.
If he couldn't track time—
He could die underground without ever realizing it was already too late.
"…I need a watch."
And for that—
Silver was non-negotiable.
He made his decision.
"Defense… can wait."
He used 20 Copper Bars to craft a Copper Breastplate.
Then turned to the iron.
From 16 bars—
He used 8.
Forging a weapon.
A Iron Broadsword.
Heavy.
Balanced.
Deadly.
"…Range matters more."
His voice was calm.
"Last night, I almost died because the Copper Shortsword was a joke."
This was no longer crafting.
This was survival math.
3. A Delayed Lifeline
As he was about to store the remaining materials—
Something caught his eye.
At the bottom of his inventory.
A faint pink glow.
He froze.
"…What is that?"
He reached for it.
A small glass bottle.
Inside—clear liquid, gently swaying.
[Lesser Healing Potion]Effect: Restores 50 HP instantly
Link went still.
"…When did I get this?"
His memory rewound.
Last night.
Falling.
Grabbing something.
A shattered clay pot—
"…I didn't even notice."
His fingers tightened around the bottle.
Cold sweat formed in his palm.
Last night—
He crawled through the darkness with 1 HP.
One hit away from death.
And this—
This lifeline—
Had been sitting in his inventory the entire time.
Unnoticed.
Unused.
"…I'm an idiot."
His voice was low.
Shaken.
"In a real battlefield… information kills."
He immediately moved the potion to his quick-access slot.
This mistake—
Would never happen again.
4. Testing the Blade
Link stepped outside.
The Copper Breastplate locked into place with a satisfying metallic click.
It wasn't full armor.
His lower half was still covered in torn cloth.
But the weight on his chest—
Was reassuring.
Defense: 0 → 2
Right on time—
A Demon Eye burst through the mist, screeching as it lunged toward him.
Link didn't step back.
He waited.
Then—
Moved.
His waist twisted.
The Iron Broadsword carved through the air in a wide horizontal arc.
"Slash—!"
-14
The strike intercepted the charge mid-air.
The eye spun violently, trying to crash into him.
"Clang!"
It hit his chest.
-3
The damage was reduced.
Noticeably.
Link stabilized his footing.
Stepped forward.
Second swing—
Clean.
The creature burst into black mist.
Silence returned.
He lowered the blade.
"…Much better."
5. The Guide's Warning
"You're not just wearing new equipment anymore."
The Guide's voice came from behind him.
Link didn't turn immediately.
"I learned how to survive."
His tone was flat.
He wiped soot from the blade.
The Guide stepped inside the house.
His voice lowered slightly.
"You found a healing potion. That means you've felt it—haven't you?"
"Life… can be measured here."
He pointed toward the ground.
"But metal alone won't save you."
Link's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You'll need something else."
"Something deeper."
"…Life Crystals."
Link spoke the name.
The Guide nodded.
"They're fragments of the world's heart."
"In this world, 100 HP…"
He paused.
"…is fragile."
"If you want to survive what's coming—"
"The Blood Moon."
"You'll need to become something stronger."
6. Change
Link tightened his grip on the sword.
His gaze hardened.
That single HP from last night—
Was still burned into his memory.
"I'll bring them back."
He looked toward the horizon.
The sun was already dipping.
"Whatever it takes."
He turned back into the house.
The soft glow of the Lesser Healing Potion reflected in his eyes.
Then—
He opened the map.
And began planning.
The next expedition.