Alex leaned against the barricade, his body aching and his mind buzzing with exhaustion. The satisfaction of securing his first shelter was short-lived, replaced by the gnawing anxiety of the System's warning: "Hostile activity detected nearby." It wasn't a matter of if something would attack—it was a matter of when.
The ruins felt too exposed, too open. The makeshift defenses he'd crafted earlier—barricades of wood and stone, along with crude traps—were enough to handle a single wolf. But three? Ten? He didn't know what else this world might throw at him, but he doubted it would give him time to rest.
The glowing blue screen floated in the corner of his vision, waiting patiently. Alex stared at it for a moment before sighing. "All right. What's next?"
---
"Next Objective: Expand defenses. Recommended actions: Gather additional materials. Construct reinforced barricades or automated defenses."
---
"Automated defenses?" Alex muttered, tapping the text. A new blueprint appeared, labeled "Basic Turret." The diagram showed a tripod-mounted device, rough but functional, with a spinning barrel designed to fire bolts of energy.
"Now we're talking," Alex said, his exhaustion momentarily replaced by curiosity. He scanned the blueprint details:
---
Materials Required:
Metal x5
Wood x3
Mana Core x1
---
His enthusiasm dimmed slightly. He had some wood and metal, but not enough. And a "Mana Core"? He had no idea what that was or where to find it.
"Of course," he muttered, pushing off the barricade. "Nothing's easy."
The System highlighted nearby resource nodes—fallen logs, metal scraps, and a large boulder at the edge of the ruins. But Alex knew the materials here wouldn't be enough. He'd have to go deeper into the forest.
---
The sky was already darkening, the dim light fading into a foreboding dusk. Alex glanced at the treeline beyond the ruins, the thick canopy casting long shadows across the ground. The thought of venturing out there made his skin crawl. He'd barely survived a single wolf. What else was out there, lurking in the dark?
Still, he didn't have a choice.
Alex grabbed the crude crossbow he'd crafted earlier, checking the single bolt loaded into the groove. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. He adjusted the straps of the makeshift bag slung over his shoulder and took a deep breath.
"All right," he said, his voice steady despite the knot in his stomach. "Let's do this."
---
The forest was silent as Alex stepped beyond the barricade. The air was cooler here, the smell of damp earth stronger. Shadows danced across the ground as the trees swayed gently in the wind. Every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig set Alex's nerves on edge.
The System's interface expanded slightly, marking resource nodes in his immediate vicinity. A fallen log glowed faintly, its bark peeling away to reveal solid wood beneath.
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"Material identified: Wood. Suitable for fortifications."
---
Alex knelt beside the log, pulling out the crude knife he'd fashioned earlier. It was little more than a shard of metal bound to a stick with vines, but it got the job done. He hacked at the log, cutting it into manageable pieces.
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"Material acquired: Wood x3."
---
"Not bad," Alex muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. He tied the wooden pieces together with strips of vine and slung them over his shoulder. The weight wasn't unbearable, but it would slow him down. He'd have to be quick.
The next marker led him to a jagged boulder, its surface streaked with veins of metallic ore. Alex approached cautiously, his crossbow raised. The memory of the wolf's glowing eyes was still fresh in his mind, and every shadow felt like a threat.
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"Material identified: Metal. Requires tool to extract."
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Alex cursed under his breath. The knife wasn't going to cut it here. He needed something stronger. The System chimed softly, as if reading his thoughts.
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"Blueprint unlocked: Stone Pickaxe."
Materials required: Wood x1, Stone x2."
---
Alex glanced around, spotting a pile of loose stones nearby. They weren't glowing like the other resources, but they looked solid enough. He grabbed a few, their rough surfaces scraping against his palms.
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"Material acquired: Stone x2."
---
Using one of the wooden pieces he'd collected earlier, Alex followed the System's blueprint. The materials glowed faintly, lifting into the air and snapping together with mechanical precision.
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"Stone Pickaxe crafted."
---
The tool was rough, heavy, and unbalanced, but it would do the job. Alex turned back to the boulder and swung the pickaxe. Each strike sent dull vibrations up his arms, the sharp clink of stone against metal echoing through the forest. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he worked, but slowly, chunks of ore broke free.
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"Material acquired: Metal x3."
---
Alex let out a sigh of relief, slinging the pickaxe over his shoulder. He glanced at the sky—or what little of it he could see through the canopy. The light was fading fast, the gray sky deepening into a murky blue.
He needed to get back to the ruins.
---
The walk back was tense. Every step felt too loud, every shadow too dark. The forest seemed to watch him, the air heavy with an unspoken threat. Alex's grip on his crossbow tightened as he scanned his surroundings, his ears straining for any sound.
A faint rustle to his left made him freeze. He turned slowly, his heart hammering. The underbrush moved slightly, and Alex raised the crossbow, his finger hovering over the trigger.
Nothing emerged. The forest fell silent once more.
"Just the wind," Alex muttered, though his voice lacked conviction. He quickened his pace, his eyes darting between the trees.
When the ruins finally came into view, Alex felt a wave of relief wash over him. The barricades were still intact, and no glowing eyes waited for him in the shadows. He slipped through the gap he'd left in the defenses, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly as he set down his materials.
The System lit up as Alex deposited the wood and metal near the center of the ruins. Its calm tone chimed, cutting through the silence.
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"Resources acquired: Wood x3, Metal x3."
"Additional construction options unlocked: Reinforced Barricades, Basic Turret."
---
Alex crouched beside the glowing interface, studying the new blueprints. The diagram for the turret caught his attention again, its design both crude and fascinating. He tapped the hologram, expanding the schematic.
The System listed the materials he still needed:
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"Requirements for Basic Turret:
Wood x3 (fulfilled)
Metal x5 (shortage: 2)
Mana Core x1 (unavailable)."
---
"Mana Core," Alex muttered, frowning. He'd seen no sign of anything resembling a Mana Core during his scavenging trip. Was it buried deeper in the ruins? Or did it exist somewhere farther out, hidden in the forest?
The thought of venturing deeper into unknown territory sent a shiver down his spine. He set the turret blueprint aside for now, focusing instead on reinforcing the barricades. With the wood and metal he'd gathered, he could make the walls sturdier—strong enough, hopefully, to withstand another attack.
---
The work was slow but steady. The System guided Alex through the process, projecting a ghostly overlay onto the barricades to show where each piece should fit. Alex followed its instructions, securing planks of wood with crude nails and layering jagged metal sheets along the base. The result wasn't pretty, but it felt solid.
---
"Reinforced Barricades constructed. Defense rating increased by 15%."
---
Alex leaned against the wall, wiping sweat from his brow. His hands were raw from the rough work, and his arms ached from lifting and hammering. But as he stepped back to admire his progress, a flicker of pride warmed his chest.
It wasn't much, but it was his.
The System chimed again, its tone sharper this time.
---
"Warning: Hostile activity detected nearby. Prepare for imminent attack."
---
Alex's stomach sank. He turned toward the forest, his grip tightening on the crossbow. The shadows between the trees seemed darker now, the faint rustle of leaves carrying an ominous weight.
A low growl echoed through the air.
Alex's pulse quickened. The sound was deeper than the wolf's growls from earlier, more guttural. It came from somewhere beyond the barricades, hidden in the darkness.
He scanned the treeline, his finger hovering over the crossbow's trigger. For a moment, the forest was silent. Then, a pair of glowing red eyes appeared in the shadows.
And then another.
And another.
Alex swallowed hard as three wolves stepped into the faint light, their bodies larger and more twisted than the one he'd faced earlier. Their glowing eyes burned with a savage hunger, their jagged teeth bared as they snarled in unison.
"Of course it's three this time," Alex muttered under his breath.
The wolves didn't charge immediately. They prowled along the edge of the barricades, their movements slow and deliberate. They were testing him, looking for a weakness.
Alex raised the crossbow, aiming at the closest wolf. He only had one bolt loaded—he'd need to make it count.
The first wolf lunged.
Alex fired, the bolt striking its shoulder. The creature yelped, stumbling back, but it didn't fall. The other two wolves charged in response, their growls reverberating through the ruins.
Alex dropped the crossbow and grabbed the crude knife strapped to his belt. The second wolf reached him first, its claws swiping at his chest. He ducked, slashing upward with the knife. The blade cut into the creature's side, but the impact knocked Alex backward.
The third wolf leaped over the barricade, its glowing eyes locked on Alex as it snapped its jaws. Alex rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding its teeth. He scrambled to his feet, his heart pounding as he scanned the ground for anything he could use.
His eyes landed on a loose plank of wood near the wall. He grabbed it, swinging it like a club as the wolves closed in. The improvised weapon struck the first wolf across the head, sending it sprawling.
The second wolf lunged, its claws raking across Alex's arm. Pain flared, hot and sharp, but he grit his teeth and drove the knife into its chest. The wolf let out a strangled growl before collapsing.
The third wolf hesitated, its glowing eyes flickering as it circled Alex. Blood dripped from its fangs, and its muscles tensed as it prepared to attack.
Alex didn't give it the chance. He grabbed the crossbow from the ground, reloading it with a shard of metal he'd stashed in his pocket. The wolf snarled, leaping toward him just as Alex fired.
The bolt struck true, piercing the creature's ribs. It crashed to the ground, twitching once before going still.
---
"Threat neutralized. Reward: 60 Resource Points."
---
Alex collapsed to his knees, his chest heaving as the adrenaline drained from his body. Blood—his and the wolves'—streaked his arms and hands. The air reeked of iron and death, but Alex barely noticed.
The System chimed softly, its voice cutting through the haze of exhaustion.
---
"Additional threat detected. Scanning..."
---
Alex's head snapped up. "What now?"
Beyond the barricades, something moved in the shadows. It wasn't a wolf—its shape was too large, its movements too slow and deliberate.
A pair of yellow eyes appeared, glowing faintly in the darkness.
Alex stared, his blood running cold.
---