"Now, let's continue," Ryan said, rubbing his hands together. He stood back and surveyed the area near the river, mentally mapping out his cabin.
He decided to keep the design simple: a square cabin with two rooms—one for his bedroom and storage, and another for a workspace. Each room would have a window frame to let in light and air. He planned a small kitchen area and a living room near the door frame, complete with a balcony facing the river.
"It's a fisherman's cabin preset," he said, nodding to himself. "Cozy, functional, and with a great view. If only I had more Customization Points to pick up a fishing rod. No matter, that'll come soon. I can just craft it."
With the design finalized, the system projected a transparent outline of the cabin onto the ground. Ryan walked around it, inspecting the layout. The walls, windows, and door frames were all marked clearly, and the system even showed where the balcony would extend over the riverbank.
"Alright, time to get to work," he said, rolling up his sleeves.
He started with the walls, using the same process he'd used for the wooden log wall earlier. The system provided a holographic hammer and nails, and Ryan carefully hammered each nail into the designated spots. As he worked, the walls slowly materialized, transforming from glowing outlines into solid wood.
"This is oddly satisfying," he said, stepping back to admire his progress. "Like building a model, but life-sized."
Next, he moved on to the window frames. The system guided him through the process, showing him where to place the wooden logs and how to secure them. Each window frame took about 10 minutes to complete, but Ryan didn't mind. He was enjoying the rhythm of the work.
"Two rooms, two windows," he said, wiping sweat from his brow. "Perfect for airflow. Don't want this place getting stuffy."
The bedroom and storage room were the first to take shape. Ryan imagined where he'd place his bed, his chest of supplies, and his workbench. "This'll be my little sanctuary," he said, smiling.
The kitchen area was next. He built a simple countertop and a small shelf for his cooking pot and utensils. "Gotta have a place to cook my meals," he said. "Can't live on raw fish and berries forever."
Finally, he worked on the living room and balcony. The living room was small but cozy, with enough space for a chair and a table. The balcony extended out over the riverbank, offering a stunning view of the water.
"This is the best part," Ryan said, standing on the balcony and looking out at the river. "I can fish from here, relax, and just enjoy the view. Not bad for a first build."
By the time he finished, the sun was beginning to set, casting a warm golden glow over the cabin. Ryan stepped back to admire his work. The cabin was simple but sturdy, with a rustic charm that fit perfectly into the forest setting.
"Not bad for a day's work," he said, stretching his arms. "Now, all I need is a bed, some furniture, and maybe a few decorations to make it feel like home."
He opened his inventory and pulled out the bedroll, placing it in the bedroom. It wasn't much, but it was a start.
"This might not be a game anymore," he said, closing his eyes. "But it's starting to feel like home."
---
Morning came, and Ryan's stomach growled loudly. "Oh shit, I forgot about food," he said, rubbing his belly. He opened the system menu and tapped on Construction Management, then Production. He selected the Simple Wooden Crafting Bench and placed its transparent model in the next room.
"Alright, let's get this set up," he said, quickly tapping the Research Table and placing its transparent model next to the crafting bench. The build mode for these was slightly more complex than the walls, but Ryan got the hang of it quickly.
After about 15 minutes of focused work, the crafting bench and research table materialized, solid and ready to use. Ryan stepped back, tilting his head as he examined them.
"Uhhh… isn't this just two normal tables?" he said, raising an eyebrow.
The system popped up with a message:
[ They are upgradeable, but only if you have the resources required for the next level. ]
"Ohhh, okay," Ryan said, nodding. "That's more convenient than the game. Are the walls upgradeable too?"
[ Yes, but you have to research it. ]
"Hmm, that makes sense," he said, rubbing his chin. "But I'm hungry, so let's leave that for later. For now, let's…"
Then it hit him. "Oohh shit, the butchering table!"
He quickly got to work building the butchering table, and after another 8 minutes, it was complete. He sighed, wiping his hands on his tunic.
"Now that's done, let's check the remaining wood," he said, opening his inventory.
[ Wood x80 ] [ Slot 2 ] [ Slot 3 ]
"That's fine. I still have enough wood for the floors, but let's craft a bow first," he said, turning to the crafting bench.
As he touched the crafting bench, a holographic screen appeared, displaying a selection of available craftable items:
[ Wooden Spear ]
[ Wooden Sword ]
[ Shortbow ]
[ Arrow (Wooden Tip) ]
[ Simple Fishing Rod ]
[ Slingshot ]
Ryan tapped on the Shortbow.
[ Short Bow
Required: 5 Wood ]
[ Craft x1 ] [ Craft x100 ] [ Craft x (Amount) ] [ Cancel ]
"Hmm, in the game, it takes 30 wood to craft a single shortbow," he said, nodding. "I'm glad the system readjusts this realistically. Otherwise, the whole forest would go bald."
He tapped Craft x1, and a holographic outline of the bow appeared, along with five wooden logs. Ryan stared at it, unsure of what to do next.
"If this is a minigame of some sort, it's gotta be pretty easy," he said, placing the logs on the wooden outline. The logs covered most of the outline, and then a knife appeared.
Ryan picked up the knife, confused at first. The system quickly showed an illusory demonstration: the knife was used to trace the outline of the bow from the wooden log.
"Hmm, sounds simple enough," he said, following the demonstration. He carefully traced the outline of the shortbow, his hands steady despite his hunger. When he finished, the outline glowed, and a holographic string appeared beside it.
Ryan picked up the string and attached it to each end of the bow. It took a bit of effort, but he eventually got it right. The shortbow materialized in his hands, solid and real.
"Woaaahh, hahaha!" Ryan laughed, holding up the bow. "Crafting it in reality is different than behind a screen. This is awesome!"
He then proceeded to craft 30 wooden arrows. The process was simpler this time: he traced the outline of one arrow, and the system duplicated it based on the resources he'd designated.
[ Arrow (Wooden Tip) x30 ]
"Now we're talking," Ryan said, slinging the quiver of arrows over his shoulder. "Time to go hunting."
Ryan stepped outside, the morning sun casting long shadows across the forest floor. He took the parchment map from his inventory and unfolded it, his eyes scanning the updated details. A small icon of a house now marked the location of his cabin beside the river.
"Nice," he said, grinning. "This'll make it easy to mark the location of my house. Now I don't have to worry about getting lost on the way back."
He tucked the map back into his inventory and set off into the forest, his shortbow slung over his shoulder and a quiver of arrows at his side. The forest was alive with sounds—birds chirping, leaves rustling, and the occasional distant growl. Ryan moved quietly, his eyes scanning the underbrush for any signs of prey.
Much later, Ryan's stomach growled again, louder this time. "Ugh, I'm starving," he muttered, crouching behind a tree. "Where are all the easy prey? I thought this forest would be teeming with animals."
Just as he was about to give up, a rustle in the bushes caught his attention. Ryan froze, his eyes narrowing as he peered through the foliage. A rabbit emerged from the underbrush—but this was no ordinary rabbit. It was twice the size of a normal one, with large, protruding teeth that looked more suited to a predator than a herbivore.
The holographic screen appeared in front of him:
[ Enable Hunt Mode? ]
[ Yes ] [ No ]
Ryan tapped Yes, and suddenly, a holographic target appeared over the rabbit. The system displayed additional information:
[ Direfang Hare
Distance: 60m ]
"Direfang Hare, huh?" Ryan whispered, nocking an arrow. As he pulled the string back, a holographic fan of lines appeared, fanning out from the tip of the arrow toward the target. It was like a guide or a crosshair, showing the trajectory of the arrow.
"This is a cheat," he said, grinning. "I'll take it."
He adjusted his aim, the holographic lines shifting as he moved. The hare was munching on some plants, oblivious to the danger. Ryan took a deep breath, steadied his hand, and let the arrow fly.
The arrow soared through the air, but instead of hitting the hare, it landed just behind it. The hare bolted, disappearing into the bushes.
"Ahhh, shit!" Ryan cursed, quickly chasing after it. "So the guide doesn't guarantee a hit. It just shows where the arrow might land. That makes sense, I guess. I've only got level 7 in Ranged Combat, after all."
After several minutes of chasing, Ryan finally got another clear shot. This time, he adjusted his aim more carefully, accounting for the hare's movement. He let the arrow fly, and this time, it struck true. The hare let out a squeal before collapsing.
Ryan approached his game, a mix of relief and satisfaction on his face. "I finally got you," he said, picking up the hare by its hind legs. "You're gonna make a fine meal."
He opened his system map, "Now, let's turn you into a meal," he said, heading back toward his cabin.