The systems notification faded away again, leaving me within my own thoughts. There were leaves rustling above me as the trees stood at a great height, looking around in a peculiar manner. The forest was endless, I felt my heart racing when I began to look at every direction. In distance, I could hear a howl that sent me shivers.
I have a system. A true system.
Once again, I find myself voicing the same questions – where am I? And why am I here? Those questions right now are completely pointless.
BEEP!
A new notification sounded.
Quest Notification: Construct a Basic Shelter Goal: Gather nearby materials to prepare a basic protective structure
Reward: 20 EXPBonus: If the structure is robust and reliable, it grants +1 Intelligence.
The system wanted me alive
As I looked up, I remembered something. It was terribly late and already long shadows were stretching across the ground with the sun low in the horizon. What's more, all my instincts are telling me I don't have that much time left.
I started moving around, trying to look for a possible solution. There were no houses or huts, only trees, bushes, and a few large logs scattered around. I needed to find something.
Amidst dense trees, I found a small cluster of tree branches. It isn't ideal, but it is still usable. One side had a few rocks which served as a border and the tree coverage overhead gave a little protection from the weather.
"We can't do much more than this and it will have to work,"
"I can make this work," I mused aloud.
I quickly started assembling branches and oversized leaves linking them together into an improvised roof. It was rough-hewn but stable nonetheless.
BEEP! Your built shelter is strong.
Quest Accomplished. Reward: 20 EXP Bonus Unlocked: +1 Intelligence
A wave of warmth engulfed me, this time kindling fires of clarity in my mind. New ideas sparked rapidly, forging new strategies swifter than before.
Intelligence: 7
I found myself sitting inside the shelter I'd erected, my heart pulsating rhythmically with a certain excitement. The encroaching darkness brought with it an eerie symphony of noises from the forest's depths. Each rustle put me on edge, yet the system's mission had given me purpose — I wasn't merely surviving, I was evolving.