Ryan wiped the sweat from his brow and leaned back, admiring his handiwork. The cabin was finally starting to feel like a home. The windows were in place, the doors to his bedroom and workshop were sturdy, and the living room now boasted a wooden storage chest, a tall shelf, and even a double bed. It wasn't much, but it was his.
"Hoooh, I'm finally finished with this," Ryan said, a satisfied grin spreading across his face. "Well, almost. Still need to figure out the kitchen. Forgot the chimney, though. Guess I'll have to adjust it if I can find a reliable stone supply. For now, I'll just build a small hearth and move the cooking station there."
As if on cue, a window popped up in his field of vision, accompanied by a cheerful chime.
[Achievement Completed: Sheltered Beginnings
Build your first home.
Rewards: 25 Customization Points]
"Ohhh, nice! 25 Customization Points," Ryan said, his grin widening. "But it's not many. I still need at least 100. Right now, I only have 46. Even 100 isn't a lot, though. Traits cost at least 50 each. Upgrades per level above 10 are 50 each, and level 15 and beyond? 100 each. Ugh… I'm so poor."
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Anyway, time to build a hearth."
Just as he was about to get to work, another notification appeared.
[Host, you can upgrade an existing cooking station into a fireplace and move it wherever you see fit.]
Ryan's eyes lit up. "Oooh, now that's helpful! I was gonna build one from scratch, but you're really saving me some time here."
He made his way to the cooking station outside, near the balcony facing the riverbank. The station was a simple setup—a metal grate over a fire pit, with a few basic utensils nearby. Ryan touched the station, and a selection of recipes appeared in his vision. He scrolled down, his eyes widening as more options came into view.
"Ohhh, I'm so stupid," he muttered, slapping his forehead. "I didn't see these because I didn't scroll down."
The recipes were basic but promising:
[Simple Stew – 5x Any Meat]
[Roasted Meat – 5x Any Meat]
[Vegetable Soup – 5x Any Vegetable]
[Vegetable Soup with Meat – 5x Any Vegetable, 3x Any Meat]
Below the recipes were several options: [Upgrade], [Repair], [Dismantle], and [Move]. Ryan tapped on [Upgrade], and another window appeared.
[Upgrade to Hearth
Requirements:
25 Wooden Planks
6 Stones]
"Alright, let's get this done," Ryan said, opening his inventory. He dragged 25 wooden planks into the upgrade menu, the materials disappearing from his inventory as he did so. "Now I just need to find some stones near the riverbank. After this, I'll cook lunch. That horrible, bland rabbit stew is on the menu again. Ugh… I have no choice. Maybe I can find some herbs when I go hunting later."
He glanced at the stockpile of wooden logs outside. "After this, I'll build a small warehouse for my stockpile. Can't let it all deteriorate out in the open."
Ryan headed to the riverbank, his eyes scanning the ground for stones. It didn't take long to find six suitable ones. He added them to the upgrade menu, and a transparent model of the hearth appeared in front of him. Holographic Planks, nails, a hammer, a cooking pot, and the stones placed on the ground.
"Even though the system guides me through building these, I still have to do all the hard work," Ryan muttered, picking up the holographic hammer. "I can't wait for someone to join me and let them do the work instead. Ugh… the life of a solo survivalist."
He got to work, the rhythmic sound of hammering filling the air as he assembled the hearth. Despite his complaints, there was a sense of satisfaction in the work. Each nail driven, each plank secured, brought him one step closer to a functional home.
---
Lira sat perched on a distant branch, her sharp eyes fixed on the human below. He was busy working on what appeared to be a fireplace, though something about it struck her as odd. Parts of it glowed a faint light blue, as if imbued with magic. She tilted her head, her long ears twitching as she tried to make sense of it.
"Must be magic," she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible over the rustling leaves. "But what kind of human uses magic like this? And why is he here?"
She watched as the human hammered the last plank into place, his movements methodical and focused. For a moment, she considered approaching him. She could slip down from the tree, silent as a shadow, and demand answers. But then she remembered her mother's death—how she had been betrayed by humans, how they had taken her away forever.
Lira's jaw tightened, her hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of one of her curved swords. "Maybe no, not yet," she muttered, her voice tinged with bitterness. "This is getting boring. Let's just go back home."
With a sigh, she stood and leaped from the branch, her movements fluid and graceful as she navigated the trees. The forest seemed to welcome her, the leaves rustling softly as she passed. But even as she moved, her mind lingered on the human and the strange magic he wielded.
"I'll be back," she whispered, though whether it was a promise or a threat, even she wasn't sure.
---
Ryan wiped his hands on his pants, a satisfied smile spreading across his face as he admired the newly built hearth. The last plank was in place, the stones arranged neatly, and the cooking pot sat securely on the grate. For a moment, the entire structure glowed a faint light blue, then solidified into its final form.
"Now that's done," Ryan said, tapping the hearth to bring up the new set of recipes. His eyes widened as he scanned the options. Two cooking slots were now available, and the recipes were far more advanced than before.
[Hearty Meat Stew – 10x Any Meat, 2x Any Herb]
[Vegetable and Herb Soup – 10x Any Vegetable, 3x Any Herb]
[Hunter's Stew – 5x Any Meat, 5x Root Vegetable]
[Flatbread – Oven Upgrade Required]
[Meat Pie – Oven Upgrade Required]
[Vegetable Tart – Oven Upgrade Required]
[Spiced Roasted Meat – 5x Any Meat, 2x Any Herb]
[Smoked Meat Strips – 10x Any Meat, 1x Salt]
[Herb-Crusted Roast Vegetables – 10x Any Vegetable, 3x Any Herb]
"Ohhh, now we're talking!" Ryan said, his grin widening. "Hearty Meat Stew, Spiced Roasted Meat, Smoked Meat Strips… This is a game-changer. No more bland rabbit stew for me!"
He glanced at his inventory, mentally tallying up his resources. "I've got plenty of meat, but I'm have no herbs and have no salt. Guess I'll have to go foraging for later. And an oven upgrade? That's gonna take some work, but it'll be worth it. Flatbread, meat pies, vegetable tarts… I'm gonna eat like a king!"
Ryan's stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since morning. "Alright, first things first. Let's make that damn stew again."
After finishing his bland rabbit stew—a meal he was growing increasingly tired of—Ryan decided to check on his farm. The small plot of land beside his cabin was his pride and joy, a testament to his hard work and determination. He knelt down, brushing his fingers over the soil as he inspected each crop.
The garlic and onions were still in their seedling stages, their tiny green shoots barely poking through the earth. Ryan frowned, tapping the soil gently. "Come on, guys," he muttered. "You're taking your sweet time. I need you for my stews and soups, you know."
Next, he moved to the tomato plants. They were slightly further along, with small sprouts and a few leaves beginning to unfurl. "You're doing better," he said, nodding approvingly. "But don't get too comfortable. I need those tomatoes for sauces and salads. Maybe even a sandwich or two, if I'm lucky."
Finally, he checked on the rice. Unlike the other crops, the rice was growing at an impressive rate. The stalks were already several inches tall, their vibrant green leaves swaying gently in the breeze. Ryan smiled, a sense of pride swelling in his chest. "Now you're the star of the show," he said, crouching down to inspect the soil. "But I've gotta keep watering you regularly. Can't let the soil get too hard for those roots."
He stood up, brushing the dirt off his hands. "Farming's harder than I thought," he admitted to no one in particular. "But it's worth it. Fresh ingredients, homegrown meals… I'm basically a self-sufficient survivalist now. Take that, reality TV shows."
Ryan grabbed his watering can and began tending to the crops, making sure each plant got the care it needed. As he worked, his mind wandered to the future. "Once the garlic and onions are ready, I can make that Hearty Meat Stew. And the tomatoes… oh, the possibilities. Tomato soup, pasta sauce, maybe even a salsa if I can plant some peppers."
He glanced at the rice again, a grin spreading across his face. "And you, my friend, are gonna be the star of the show. Rice bowls, fried rice, maybe even some rice pudding if I'm feeling fancy."
As he finished watering the crops, Ryan straightened up and stretched, his back cracking from the effort. "Alright, that's done for today. Time to get back to work. Still need to build that warehouse for the stockpile, and maybe start on the oven upgrade. So much to do, so little time."
He glanced at the horizon, the sun beginning to dip lower in the sky. "But first, maybe a quick nap. A survivalist's gotta rest, right?"
With that, Ryan headed back to his cabin, the faint smell of freshly watered soil lingering in the air. The farm was a work in progress, but it was his. And for now, that was enough.