Jihan paced around his room, a sense of urgency gnawing at him. The idea of heading out into the chaos outside without being properly prepared felt like suicide. He needed weapons—something, anything.
His eyes scanned the room, finally landing on a broomstick leaning against the corner of the room. Without thinking twice, he grabbed it and snapped it in half, carefully attaching a kitchen knife to one end with some string and duct tape. He stepped back to examine his work. The makeshift spear was crude, but it would serve its purpose.
If I'm going out there, I'm going fully prepared, Jihan thought to himself, his hands trembling with adrenaline.
Next, he turned to his bookshelf. He grabbed several thick books, wrapping them tightly around his arms with more duct tape. It wasn't perfect armor, but it would offer some protection. The books were heavy, but better that than nothing.
A new notification popped up before him.
"Congratulations, player! You've created DIY Items".
Another screen appeared almost immediately.
"You've just learned a new skill"
Skill Name: "Resourceful Crafter Level -1"
Description: Allows the user to craft durable and functional makeshift items quickly, with improved effectiveness and versatility.
Level Scaling:
Level 1: Basic crafting (e.g., simple weapons or armor).
Level 2: Intermediate crafting (e.g., traps, enhanced tools).
Level 3: Advanced crafting (e.g., multi-functional items or reinforced structures).
Passive Bonus: Reduces crafting time and increases item effectiveness.
Jihan's heart raced as he read the skill description. DIY Maker? He couldn't believe it—this was real. A smile tugged at his lips. I guess I'm not just playing a game anymore.
With his makeshift weapon in hand and his "armor" in place, Jihan stepped out of his room, feeling more confident than before. As he opened the door, a strong wind slapped him in the face. He blinked against the gust.
Then, he saw it.
A dragon—huge, majestic, and terrifying—soared into the air and flew off into the distance, its wings beating powerfully. Jihan's heart skipped a beat.
"On second thought," he muttered, stepping back inside. "Maybe I should stay inside today."
Just as he was about to close the door, he heard a loud shout. A girl, no older than sixteen, was running down the street, desperately trying to escape two Slinkrats chasing after her.
Jihan froze. How is she outrunning those things? Slinkrats were fast—faster than the average person, and yet this girl was managing to put distance between herself and them.
She screamed again.
"Help me! Someone, please help!"
Jihan's instincts kicked in. Without hesitation, he rushed down the stairs of his apartment building, calling out to her, "Over here!"
The girl looked towards the sound where it came from, in a move that left Jihan momentarily stunned, slid underneath one of the rats and continued running toward him. He had no idea how she managed to do that, but there was no time to think.
He grabbed the umbrella that had been left on the ground the night before—the one he had used to fight off the first Slinkrat—and hurled it at the closest rat. The umbrella stabbed through its eyes, and the creature crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
"You killed a slinkrat +15 Exp"
"One down," Jihan muttered. "Only one left. I can do this."
He pointed toward the stairs, shouting, "Go to the stairs! Quickly!"
The girl, gasping for breath, ran toward the stairs, with the last Slinkrat hot on her heels. Jihan followed, feeling his pulse race. His plan was simple: fight the rat on the stairs. The narrow space would force the creature to come at him from only one direction. He could handle that.
When they reached the stairs, Jihan positioned himself, spear in hand, waiting for the rat. As the creature charged, Jihan held his ground.
Just as the rat lunged, Jihan thrust the broomstick forward. The spearhead went straight into the rat's stomach, and the creature died with a twitch.
"You killed a slinkrat +15 Exp"
"Fuck," Jihan breathed, lowering the weapon. "That was a close one."
He turned to the girl, who was panting and wide-eyed. "You okay?"
She nodded, though her hands were shaking. "Y-Yeah... I think so."
Jihan wiped the sweat from his brow, looking around. The world outside was still chaotic, but for the moment, they were safe. For now.