Eirik woke to the feeling of grass beneath his fingertips. For a moment, he lay there, breathing in the fresh, earthy scent of the ground. He flexed his hands, hands that were no longer old, scarred, or broken by years of hard labor. They were young, strong.
His eyes fluttered open to an unfamiliar sky, vast and blue with streaks of orange clouds. Birds he had never seen before flew across it, their wings shimmering in the sunlight. Eirik pushed himself to his feet, marveling at the lightness of his body. He felt... new.
As he stood, taking in his surroundings, a shimmering screen appeared before him, floating in mid-air:
[Welcome to the World of Veridion]
Eirik blinked. What...?
More text appeared, glowing softly:
[System Initializing...]
[You have been granted the Crafting System]
The words hung in the air before him. A system? It felt like something out of the old myths, tales of heroes who wielded powerful abilities in far-off lands. But this was different. He wasn't given the power to fight, he was given the power to create.
He stared at the screen, his heart pounding as new lines of text scrolled across:
Crafting Mastery: Level 1
Forge [Locked]
Alchemy [Locked]
Enchantment [Locked]
Engineering [Locked]
Special Skills Unlocked:
Analyze Material: Identify the properties and potential uses of any raw material.
Blueprint Creation: Design blueprints for weapons, tools, and items.
Efficient Crafting: Reduce crafting time and material waste.
Eirik's mind raced. A crafting system? In this strange world, he was reborn, not as a fighter, not as a soldier, but as a creator. He touched his chest where the wound had been, nothing. No pain, no scar. He was whole again.
A rustling sound behind him pulled him from his thoughts. He turned quickly, scanning the trees that surrounded the clearing. Something, or someone, was watching him.
---
Suddenly, the bushes parted, and a creature emerged. Eirik's eyes widened. It was unlike anything he had ever seen, a wolf-like beast, its fur shimmering with iridescent light, its eyes burning with an eerie blue flame. The creature snarled, revealing razor-sharp teeth as it advanced slowly.
Instinctively, Eirik stepped back. His heart raced. He had no weapon, no way to defend himself. He cursed under his breath, his hands twitching for the hammer he no longer had. But then, the system flickered again.
Material Available: Local Wood (x10), Stone (x15)
New Blueprint Available: Primitive Dagger
A surge of hope rushed through Eirik. A blueprint! He quickly activated the skill, willing the system to create the dagger. The image of the dagger appeared in his mind, a simple weapon made from the materials around him.
He rushed to gather wood and stone, his hands moving with a precision that felt both familiar and foreign. In moments, the materials were assembled.
Crafting Dagger...
Efficient Crafting Activated!
Eirik's hands worked faster than he ever imagined, shaping the crude weapon with speed and skill. The dagger formed in his hand, rough but sharp enough to use.
Item Crafted: Primitive Dagger
+5 Crafting EXP
Eirik gripped the dagger as the creature snarled again, its glowing eyes locked on him. He had no choice. The beast lunged.
Eirik sidestepped, slashing with the dagger as the creature passed. The blade cut deep into its flank, and the creature yelped, blue sparks flying from its wound. It spun, circling him, snarling with fury, readying for another attack.
Eirik's mind raced. He needed more than just a dagger, he needed an advantage.
But just as the creature leaped toward him again, the system flashed:
New Material Available: Ether Wolf Hide
New Blueprint Available: Reinforced Dagger
Eirik's breath caught. Ether Wolf Hide, that's what this creature was. If he could defeat it, he could use its magical hide to craft something stronger.
The creature lunged again, its teeth snapping at his throat. Eirik ducked low, slashing upward with the dagger. The blade bit into the creature's chest, and with a final, pained howl, it collapsed, its body flickering with fading magical energy.
Panting, Eirik stood over the creature's still form, his chest heaving. He had survived.
The system flashed again:
Ether Wolf Defeated: +10 Combat EXP
New Materials Obtained: Ether Wolf Hide (x1), Ether Stone (x1)
Eirik crouched down, touching the Ether Wolf's shimmering fur. The magical energy hummed beneath his fingers as he gathered the materials.
The world of Veridion was dangerous, yes, but it was also full of potential.
---
With the creature defeated and the new materials in hand, Eirik felt a surge of determination. His system wasn't just about surviving; it was about creating, about shaping the world around him. He had barely scratched the surface of what he could do.
As he turned to leave the clearing, the words of the voice echoed in his mind: Creation is its own kind of power.
And Eirik intended to master it.