Necro gazed at Faye with a mix of confusion and frustration. "Faye, have you seen my inbox?"
Intrigued, Faye responded, "Inbox? What do you mean?"
Necro gestured towards the shelter's entrance as he moved outside to collect sticks for the fire. The morning dew made it a bit more challenging today. "Check my inbox while I figure a few things out."
Curious, Faye delved into Necro's system. "You're in a bit of trouble, my friend. Lucky for me, I'm not experiencing your situation firsthand. That load state mechanic seems like quite the curse."
Grumbling softly, Necro nodded. "You're right. Only those wishes were mine to make. That load state is almost a curse."
Faye offered logical advice. "It seems reasonable to use your monsters as scouts. This way, you can explore the world without constantly facing death. Maybe you can find a way to evade that curse."
As Necro struggled to create fire, Faye's voice echoed in his thoughts. "At least you're getting better at this. Morning dew can be quite the hindrance."
While preparing the fire, Faye reminded him, "Don't forget to recharge your ward. You know the routine from yesterday."
Necro performed the ritual, noticing that it was considerably easier today. "Cool," he muttered, a hint of satisfaction in his tone.
Faye chimed in again, "You're improving your mana manipulation."
Suddenly, the System interjected, "Mana manipulation level 1, Magician path opened."
Faye was quick to offer encouragement, "Now you don't need to search for iron in the ground. With your knowledge and mana manipulation, you can create better things."
Necro sighed, remembering their previous conversation. "Yeah, you mentioned extracting iron from the ground. But how long would it take to make a 30 cm sword?"
Faye estimated, "I'd guess around 10 days. You'd need to process it multiple times."
Necro's frustration flared. "Ten days? That's far too long!"
With reassurance, Faye advised, "Don't worry. With the magical path open, tasks will become faster. Eat your meat, drink water, and concentrate."
Necro dispatched a slime to clean stones, yielding a clean femur from his storage.
Faye instructed him, "Make a square wood structure to let the wolf skin dry in the sun, and remove as much fat as you can."
Necro reluctantly followed the instructions, battling against the nauseating smell. This time, he chose not to mention it to Faye.
Faye queried, "Are you ready to start the Manacraft tutorial?"
Necro hesitated, "Wait, let me test some theories first."
Promptly, he queried the System, "What skills can I learn from my monsters without changing my appearance?"
The system's response came swiftly, "Agility up is the only eligible right now. Would you like to learn it?"
"Yes," Necro affirmed.
"Agility up level 1 skill learned," the System announced.
Observing his progress, Faye remarked, "Are you getting smarter, more mature, and more calculated?"
Pondering his newfound abilities, Necro shared, "I have a plan or part of it. I'll use chakra to become faster and stronger."
Faye couldn't help but interject with a dose of realism, "Remember, no plan survives contact with the enemy."
Curious about the origin of the quote, Necro inquired, "Where does that come from?"
Faye explained, "Helmuth von Moltke, a brilliant war strategist from the 19th Century."
Necro's focus shifted to carving a wolf bone with precision. "Bone carving skill level 1 learned, bone carver job unlocked."
Amused, Faye chimed in, "A bit creepy, isn't it?"
Necro's reply carried a smirk, "I know, right."
He incorporated a piece of wolf leather into the handle, refining his creation. Necro then sharpened the sword using a stream of water and a round stone.
The System interjected again, "Bone carver skill level 2."
As the process continued, Necro's efforts bore fruit.
The Crude Wolfbone Broad Sword:
Forged from the sturdy femur of a brown wolf, this crude broad sword is a testament to resourcefulness and adaptation. The bone has been roughly shaped into a broad, flat blade with an uneven surface, retaining the natural texture of the bone. The hilt is wrapped in tattered cloth for a basic grip.
Stats:
- Damage: 5-8 (Physical)
- Durability: 15/15
- Weight: 4 kg
Skill: "Bone Strike" - Level 1
Description: Channel the primal energy of the wolf bone into your strike, enhancing the sword's impact. This skill allows you to deliver a stronger blow, albeit with limited finesse. The Bone Strike skill increases the damage dealt by the sword for a single forceful attack, making it ideal for breaking through defenses or dealing heavier blows to opponents.
As the sun's rays cast their glow upon his handiwork, Necro marveled at the progress he had made. The craft of survival was indeed a journey worth taking.