Chương 14: Novel 3-Alcohol Poisoning
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/Chirp… Chirp…/
"Urg…"
/Sha…/
A man slowly opened his eyes in a verdant green field amidst the tall grass.
Faint wind passed through his hair, blowing the leaves before him.
/Tickle…/
It was the tickling sensation of the weeds that made the man open his eyes.
"W… What?"
The moment he did so, he realized something was wrong.
"Huff… My head… The world's spinning…"
As he got up from the ground, instead of feeling better, the man only felt greater confusion.
Above the tall grass, a picturesque land unfolded.
Green hills in the distance, a verdant forest behind him, the echoes of water splashing nearby…
'W-Where am I?!'
"Just until a few moments ago I… URG!!"
The moment he tried to recollect himself, his head began pulsating as pain filled every corner of his cranium.
But he had to remember. Why was he here? What was he doing here? And most importantly…
Who he was.
"Huff… My headache…"
'It's as if it's preventing me from remembering too much… Still… I can remember some things.'
Memories from the past, a life in a city of metal and stone where Humans spent most of their time within virtual creations then reality…
'Yes… I remember… Who I am…'
"But what am I doing here?"
The pain was still there, flaring from time to time but it wasn't as hard as before.
Still, no matter how much thought he put into it, he simply could not remember why nor where he was in these green fields.
/Growl…/
Feeling his stomach ache, the man soon realized he wouldn't achieve much by standing still, so the first thing he did was to get on his feet and take a look around.
"... Let's see…"
He scanned his surroundings, and from desperation came hope.
'A road… I'm not too far from it either.'
The man was just a few feet from a dirt road leading to an old and broken wooden bridge, indicating that civilization, even if far, was somewhere in either direction.
'I can't choose a side, but I can't stay here either.'
'Behind me is a forest, around me is a field of tall grass. If I follow the path to my right, I'll arrive at the bridge, but if I choose the left, there's no telling where the road will take me.'
'Before me is the road and beyond it is a thin patch of grass before the river. On the other side of the river is another patch of green fields before the forest resumes.'
'Given the landscape around me, I'd say this was once a forest that was cut down. There are a few old stumps around, this means there's civilization nearby…'
/Growl!.../
"Urg… But at this rate I don't know if I'll be able to walk that far…" He said as he touched his belly, his expression twisting into a frown as he felt his insides curl
'If I follow the bridge I'll reach the hill, maybe if I climb it I'll be able to see something on the other side. Once I'm up there I…'
/GROWL!/
"!!"
'Arg! W-What is going on?!'
Extreme pain hit his stomach, making the man fall to his knees as he gasped wildly for air.
'D-Did I eat something bad? Speaking of that, I smell alcohol… Oh no…'
'Am I experiencing what may be the worst hangover of all time?!'
'Just what did I do last night to lead me to the middle of nowhere half starved with this horrific headache?!'
He dug his fingers onto the ground as he tried to resist the pain, and thankfully, the pain soon passed, giving the man a moment of relief as he sighed out loud.
"Something's odd though, I don't drink. I have no drinks in my home, in fact… I live with my parents!"
'Never in my life have I gotten drunk, there was no need to anyway. I was very happy…'
'How did I get myself in this situation?! The last thing I remember is eating some food and sitting down to watch the news…'
"Something definitely happened after and now I'm here in the middle of nowhere with these old clothes and smelling like I've bathed in alcohol…"
'Wait… These clothes… Why do I look like a medieval peasant?!'
/Sniff…/
"I even smell like one… If the smell of alcohol mixed in with vomit and piss is to say something… Yuck…"
He took a deep breath and shook his head, laughing drily as he looked around.
"Okay. This is by far the shittest day of my life… But it happens."
'I guess everyone goes drunk once or twice in their life, may this be a lesson to me to never let it happen again… Since next time I may end up in the middle of the Sahara desert.'
"That being said… I need to figure out what to do next."
/Growl…/
'I should settle my stomach with something… Anything.'
/Ruffle…/
The man looked around his pockets, yet he found nothing of value aside from a few old bronze coins.
"What's this? Seven Jin? Just how did these… Wait. What did I just say?"
'Seven Jin? Why did these words pop inside my head right now? Also, what are these strange words?... Glory to his Highness… Defrux Alamanantino D' 3rd…'
'... Where did I get these? I'm pretty sure there were no such people in history. It looks like something of European origin… But this is odd…'
"I'm an American citizen though… What am I doing with a bunch of metal coins of European origin?... Supposed origin…"
'Did I drink myself to participate in one of those historical reenactments people do from time to time? What was my role then? Drunk peasant?'
Scoffing out loud, he touched his head, feeling frustrated at himself and this situation.
"... Nothing else…"
'Here I am in the middle of nowhere without my Wallet, Cellphone, and with a grand total of seven fake coins…'
/Clink…/
As he moved around, he felt something strike against his leg, when he checked it out, he saw a small glass bottle.
It was brown in color and was extremely plain with no forms of identification in it at all.
[Bzzz…]
"Urg… My head's ringing…"
'This must be the culprit behind my great condition then… I can't even tell what it was but it was obviously pretty strong. I can feel the stench from here…'
'This is almost pure alcohol at this point. No wonder I feel like dying. My hangover should be bordering on lethal intoxication at this point...'
/Clang…/
Just looking at the bottle made his head hurt, so he kicked it aside, looking away.
"Tsk… I'm no fan of loitering…"
Like the good citizen he was, he grabbed the bottle and put it above a tall boulder on the side, sitting on it as he reflected on his situation once more.
/Growl!/
But his stomach had other priorities…
"... Fine. Since I'm in the middle of a forest… Maybe there's something for me to eat nearby?"
'Given there's a bridge nearby, someone is bound to pass around sooner or later so as long as I remain around, I'm sure I'll find my way to safety, after all, if I get here, others can.'
'If I don't get home nor contact my parents, they'll look for me as well, and regardless of how I got here, there should be some records left behind.'
'That being said, setting a camp around shouldn't be problematic… I only have one worry…'
"I really hope I'm not infringing on anyone's property. I know some farmers can be rather… Rash when there's an intruder in their land, especially if they're a full grown man that reeks of alcohol…"
'Another reason for me to sit down and wait for someone to approach me instead.'
"So what are my goals?..."
'First, gather some food. Second, build a temporary camp. Third, wash myself so I don't look like a beggar…'
"Yeah… These should do for now…"
[Bzzz… itat… bzzzz….]
"URG!! This noise again… What's going on?!" He exclaimed out loud as he touched his temples
Pain nothing he ever felt before, as if something was trying to burrow inside his mind!
'ARRG! What's going on?! Is this what a hangover feels like?!'
There was no way for him to know as he never experienced anything of the sort before, and without anyone nearby, the only thing he could do…
"H-Hupp… Is there no one nearby?... Huff…"
[Bzzz…]
His vision grew turbid, his thoughts weakening.
"G-Goddammit… H-Help…"
'Not like this…'
Looking at the green ground with an unfocused gaze, the man frowned in despair as he felt his strength wane.
Something was happening and the situation was dire.
/Sha sha sha…/
But with nowhere to go, lost and hungry, the man looked at the tiny beetles jumping between the grass leaves, thinking if this was how he was going to die…
/Roll…/
At that moment, his old glass bottle rolled toward him, and with this angle, for the first time since he awakened, he saw his reflection.
"Huff… Huh?..."
'This face… It looks like me but… Worse. As if I…'
But his thoughts ceased, his eyes focusing elsewhere.
"That is…"
Sweat forming underneath his eyelids, he gazed at his reflection with confusion.
Behind his head, he saw a translucent blue window like those he often saw in games.
/Turn…/
When he turned his head, nothing was there…
'I must be going crazy… Is this the last thing I think about before I die?... Pathetic…'
As he returned to the bottle, weaker than before, he managed to read what was written in the notification:
[Synchronization error, manual input necessary]
[Override process awaiting confirmation: Confirm? Yes/No]
[If no input is detected within the next 28 seconds, System reset shall commence]
"Wh…"
'What is this?'
The man's expression twisted as he looked around for answers, but there was nothing there.
'Is this some sort of illusion? A prank?... But this headache and weakness…'
'... I don't know what's going on. But I don't have many other options.'
"Yes!"
… Nothing happened.
'What?! Wait… Don't tell me I have to do it manually… But my arm…'
He tried to bend his arm to reach the System window, but the time was ticking…
"Huff… Come on…"
[10… 9… 8…]
'S-Shit! Just a little more…'
[5… 4…]
/Press!/
[Input detected, commencing System override]
/Shut!/
"Huff…"
The System window behind him closed, and at the same time, his headache vanished, leaving behind only a faint pulsating feeling.
The lingering pain slowly dissipated, and the man could sighed in relief, glad it was over.
/Din…/
[System override completed]
"!"
[Synchronization successful]
/Flash!/
Light flashed before his eyes, blinding him momentarily.
"Urg…"
[Character Interface
User: Namon Laricard 18 years old
Physical Condition: 96% (+)
Stamina: 83%
Hunger: 9%
Thirst: 22%
Development Points: 0
…
]
A translucent blue window appeared before him, slightly reflecting his face.
"What's going on?..."
/Touch…/
He moved his right arm, touching the screen… It was cold and hard, yet somewhat moldable like a hard resin.
But no matter how much he twisted it around, the screen always returned to its previous position.
'Something is wrong… Catastrophically so…'
'My name's not Namon! I'm Richard!!'
"Who… Who the fuck is Namon?!"
[Achievement: "New me" has been registered]
[You've been given ten Development Points]
[Achievement: "The first contact" has been registered]
[You've been given fifty Development Points]
"..."
'Okay… I need to think this through…'
Namon sat down on the rock near him, touching his face.
By using the System interface, he took a good look at his appearance from his reflection.
'This is definitely not makeup, the hair can be died and worked on, but the shape of my chin and the color of my eyes can't be altered… And I'm sure I'm not wearing contactless… Which is even stranger.'
'I can see perfectly but I'm not wearing glasses, how come?...'
'The shape of my ears and nose… I always felt they were alright, but now, they're even more symmetrical than before. The previous imperfections I had are gone.'
"If… If I took a shower and took off this shabby beard… Wouldn't I look quite good?"
/Shake!/
He shook his head, this wasn't the issue now!
'Who is this person?! Was I so drunk that I went through plastic surgery as well?!'
But he knew that wasn't humanly possible…
'I… Did I reincarnate or something?... Don't tell me I died…'
"Not like this…"
[Quest Log has been updated!]
[Quest: Baby Steps has been generated]
[Baby Steps
Requirement: Unlock the Tech-Tree tab
]
"The… What?"
'Things are already way beyond my understanding…'
"First things first… The last thing I remember was being at home… Now I'm in the middle of nowhere in someone else's body."
'Second, I got this weird System with me that almost got me killed… Given what it said, I can only arrive at one conclusion:'
'This System was originally intended for Namon's use, however after the override, it belongs to me… For now.'
'Something odd must've happened which led me to take over Namon's body and everything went asunder.'
'So until I figure out a way to return or what I should do with my life… I have to prevent that System error from occurring again, otherwise there's no way to tell what may happen to me.'
'Besides, if someone figures out I've taken over his body, who knows what may happen. I don't even know where I am!'
"So I guess I'm Namon… Namon Laricard from now on…"
'What an odd name, sounds… Arabic in a way.'
'That said, given I have no idea who I am or what I should do… The best course of action is to stay put and give myself some time to think and learn about this land.'
'I don't think the authorities would recognize me claiming to be someone else, I've seen enough movies to tell where that's going.'
'I'm a little concerned about my original body, but it's not like I can do much even if I wanted to.'
'This only leads me back to this…'
He reached for his profile window again, scrolling down until he saw a small option at the bottom:
[Unlock Tech-Tree (5)]
/Press…/
/Din…/
[Quest Log has been updated!]
[Quest: Baby Steps has been completed]
[A new option has been unlocked in Character Interface menu]
[Quest Log has been updated!]
[Quest: Basic Necessities has been generated]
[Basic Necessities
Requirements:
-> Acquire Primitive Tools
Primitive Axe
Primitive Pickaxe
Primitive Shovel
Primitive Dagger
-> Build a Primitive Campfire
-> Cook a 0-Star meal
-> Fill Hunger to 80%
-> Fill Thirst to 80%
-> Construct a Wooden Build Hammer
-> Build a Primitive Residence
]
"... Is it asking me to survive in this place?"
'But this is bad, I have no idea how to make an axe… I imagine it's asking me to build something like a flint axe? I've watched many survival shows but I don't quite remember how to make them…'
He looked around, and sighed in frustration.
'I actually don't know how to do anything. I have some ideas but no idea how to start things… Wait… Yes! There's that!'
Namon opened his Tech-Tree tab!
/Shine!/
A circular window appeared before him like a circular graph, but it only had one option:
[Survivalist]
"Hm… This looks like there'll be other options in the future. It reminds me of a radial menu seen in some games…"
He opened the Survivalist tab, revealing a single square that read:
[Primitive Technology]
[Primitive Technology - 5 Development Points
Description: The first steps of Humankind.
Unlocks Primitive Tools and other forms of rudimentary technologies.
]
"This must be it… It's my only hope."
Namon opened his character interface, frowning heavily:
[Character Interface
User: Namon Laricard 18 years old
Physical Condition: 96% (+)
Stamina: 83%
Hunger: 9%
Thirst: 22%
Development Points: 55
…
Tech-Tree (+)
]
'Given from my character interface, I'm about to starve and severely dehydrated.'
'The only thing going for me is that I'm sufficiently healthy and energetic, but I don't think that's going to maintain itself for long.'
'If I expand my Physical Condition tab, it reveals what's actually troubling me:'
[Condition: Hangover
Stamina Recovery Speed -50%
Efficiency of all tasks -25%
Thirst fall rate +100%
Duration: 68 Hours, 43 Minutes…
]
"Shit… How much did I drink to get a three day long hangover?! Aren't I in serious trouble just from this?..."
Namon touched the back of his head, frustrated with the previous owner of this body.
'If one day I can find him I swear… Sigh… At this point it might've as well have been me.'
'Given how similar we look, wouldn't Namon be just a parallel version of me? Who do I have to blame if not myself?...'
/Chuckle…/
'What a shitty situation.'
"Unlock…"
Namon unlocked the Technology, immediately after, a new tab opened before him:
/Din…/
[A new option has been unlocked in Character Interface menu]
[A new option has been unlocked in Character Interface menu]
"Hm?"
[Character Interface
User: Namon Laricard 18 years old
Physical Condition: 96% (+)
Stamina: 83%
Hunger: 9%
Thirst: 21%
Development Points: 50
…
Build Menu (+)
Inventory (+)
Tech-Tree (+)
]
'Build Menu? Inventory?... Let's see…'
He opened the Build Menu, and another window popped up before him.
"Urg… At this rate I'll have a dozen screens in front of me… Can I close them whenever I open a new one?"
/Close!/
The moment he thought of that, all of the windows with the exception of the one he recently opened vanished.
'Sweet, very convenient, thank you for listening… It makes this situation a little more bearable.'
[Build Menu:
-> Primitive Technology
]
'It's rather bare… Just a single option.'
'This is likely just an intermediate to make things cleaner, if I open it… Yup, it reveals more options… Interesting.'
[Primitive Technology: Sort=Item Type
-> Tools:
Primitive Axe - 1 Wood Unit; 5 Flint; 2 Plant Fiber
Primitive Pickaxe - 1 Wood Unit; 5 Flint; 2 Plant Fiber
Primitive Shovel - 1 Wood Unit; 5 Flint; 2 Plant Fiber
Primitive Dagger - 0.5 Wood Unit; 1 Flint; 2 Plant Fiber
…
-> Buildings:
Primitive Campfire - 5 Wood Unit; 5 Plant Fiber
…
Primitive Residence - 20 Wood Unit; 200 Plant Fiber; 35 Stone; 50 Large Leaves
…
]
"This must be it… But what's all of this? Wood Unit? What's a Unit of wood?"
'Finding flint and plant fiber should be easy enough, but the rest is…'
Scratching the back of his head, Namon crouched, grabbing a small twig… But nothing happened.
'This isn't going to be so simple huh… Well, might as well start collecting some firewood. This seems worthy enough to be used as one…'
/Store…/
/Din!/
"Huh?... Wait!"
Namon opened his inventory the moment he heard the System interface shine, and at that moment, he smiled.
[Inventory:
Wood - 0.003 Units
]
"Finally I understand how this works. But what a strange way to store things."
'This inventory has around fifty slots but wood consumes no slots, so I guess this isn't something that can be stored but a material?'
'Anyhow, if I want to build a tool, I have to find the other materials…'
[Achievement: "Excalibur!" has been registered]
[You've been given five Development Points]
[A new option has been unlocked in Character Interface menu]
"Wh… Is this because of the twig? It wasn't even that impressive…"
[Character Interface
User: Namon Laricard 18 years old
Physical Condition: 96% (+)
Stamina: 83%
Hunger: 9%
Thirst: 21%
Development Points: 55
…
Actions (+)
…
Build Menu (+)
Inventory (+)
Tech-Tree (+)
]
"Actions? What's this about?..."
[Actions:
-> Scavenge
-> Process Materials
-> Craft
…
]
"Could it be… If I use this option to craft my tools… I can solve my biggest issue!"
'Alright! I can imagine what the other does, but what about the first?...'
/Press…/
[Scavenge:
Description: Search the ground five meters around you for easily acquirable resources, following your will at the moment.
Stamina Cost: 1%
Time Cost: 10 Minutes
]
"! I see…"
'Only one way to test this…'
/Press…/
"!!"
Namon lost control of his body.
'I'm moving on my own?!'
A feeling of weightlessness. It was the feeling of having someone else control his muscles.
He could still feel his body moving, in fact, if he desired it, he knew he could interrupt this process, but for the sake of preserving and understanding the changes in his body, he let things flow as per usual.
'Woah… These movements are so fluid. I'm barely feeling anything at all.'
'Controlled steps, breathing, minimal movement… It's as if I've been possessed by a master forager.'
Namon began moving around with extreme finesse, grabbing dozens of items as he covered the area.
Plants were plucked, rocks were overthrown, and insects were captured much to his disgust…
After exactly ten minutes, he was finished.
/Din…/
[Scavenge complete]
[You've acquired:
7.3 Units of Wood
2.12 Units of Stone
Flint x23
Plant Fiber x47
Grasshopper x4
Hunting Spider x2
Small Centipede x2
…
Duck Egg x1
]
"Everything's making sense now."
'I'm pretty sure there's still a lot for me to loot, but this much of a haul is quite considerable.'
'I thought he was going to collect everything but that wasn't the case.'
"Anyhow, this should be enough for now."
'I have enough materials to build all of the basic tools!'
Namon opened his build menu and chose the Primitive Axe.
/Din!/
[Crafting…]
"What?... I thought I was going to build it by hand…"
Five seconds later…
/Din!/
[Primitive Axe has been successfully constructed]
/Open… Pull…/
Namon pulled his new item from his inventory and was shocked at its appearance.
"Is this really something made of twigs and flint?"
The axe was perfectly smooth, looking more like a woodsman axe than the small item he envisioned in his mind.
The axe itself was quite large, way larger than any of the stones he gathered, the same could be said for the handle.
It's surface was shiny and reflective as if it was made of metal and not stone.
"This is odd… I never gathered a stick this thick, much less a stone this large… This is madness."
'Did the System convert matter and rearrange it in a way that best fit its design? If so, that would be quite ridiculous.'
"Anyhow… I have an axe now. A ridiculous flint axe but one nonetheless…"
/GROWL!/
"Urg…"
[Character Interface
User: Namon Laricard 18 years old
Physical Condition: 95% (+)
Stamina: 80%
Hunger: 8%
Thirst: 19%
Development Points: 55
…
Actions (+)
…
Build Menu (+)
Inventory (+)
Tech-Tree (+)
]
'My condition is worsening faster than expected.'
'I did find a duck egg, maybe I can cook it if I can find some water to boil it…'
'There are also the insects… But they're for emergencies only.'
With that in mind, Namon felt confident in himself so he went to craft his next tools when he had an idea.
'Wait, I do remember the craft option on the action menu…'
[Actions:
-> Scavenge
-> Process Materials
-> Craft
…
]
"Yes, this!"
'Maybe if I make items through this tab, the System will take control of my body to perform them, this would be interesting to see.'
'If the System can craft something for me then I can learn how to do it through observation and muscle memory. Let's try it.'
/Press…/
[Craft:
-> Primitive Technology
]
'It's just like the Build Menu but instead its another tab. It would be redundant to have two tabs do the same thing, so let's see how this works…'
'I'll craft a Primitive Dagger, that seems to be the easiest of the bunch…'
[Primitive Dagger:
Material Cost: 0.5 Wood Unit; 1 Flint; 2 Plant Fiber
Stamina Cost: 2.5%
Time limit: 5 Minutes
]
'Five minutes to make a dagger? I doubt it… But there's a simple way to make it.'
/Press…/
/Move!/
Namon lost control of his body as it immediately began working.
"!"
His inventory popped open and his body moved to grab the materials, putting them before him.
'Strange… Where did these materials come from? The value on my inventory has remained the same but I'm certain I never collected them before…'
'Does the System really alter the composition of the materials I store inside it?'
/Cut…/
Using the axe he made before, a few cuts were made on the wooden handle, shaping it into the desirable form.
Soon after, the bottom of the axe was used to continually smash the flint brick into the shape of a dagger. The strikes were so precise the brick kept cracking perfectly.
'This is insane. Its movements and strength are out of this world. But this axe… Is ridiculously sharp as well.'
'I don't think I can replicate this even if I trained…'
/Crack!/
A few more hits with the axe was enough to shape the flint into a vague edge, and finally, with a few more precise incisions, the plant fiber was precisely clung around the dagger and tightened to an unbelievable degree.
"... It's done. Exactly five minutes… But it seems… Considerably worse then the axe."
While the axe was perfectly solid, the knife felt flimsy…
/CLANG!/
To test it out, he placed the knife on the rock and cut down with his axe!
/CUT!/
"!"
'What?...'
The axe hacked at the knife's handle, but despite the strength he put behind it, the edge of the axe barely cut into the wood.
"This can't be, this axe is quite sharp, I'm sure of it."
To prove this, he walked to the forest behind him, reading himself to strike one of the trees…
/CUT!/
"?!"
The strike left a gaping wound on the tree, almost cutting it down with a single strike.
"This is ridiculous. Are you telling me this wood is stronger than this one? But it should've been the same!"
There was only one more test for him to go through to prove his doubts.
[Crafting…]
/Din!/
[Primitive Knife has been successfully constructed]
"... Aha!"
He pulled the knife from his inventory, and as expected, it was vastly different from the one he made with his bare hands.
Not only was the stone perfectly smooth, the wood and fiber had almost been fused together. It was a perfect item!
'It seems I was right… The System can alter the composition of the materials stored inside, rearranging it to fit its design. Greatly strengthening them in the process.'
"Wood this strong and a stone this sharp would likely contend with iron tools no?... Perhaps even Steel tools…"
'I feel it may be sharper and sturdier than that. Which is ridiculous.'
That said, he immediately crafted all remaining tools, adding them to his inventory.
'I don't quite need this extra knife, so I'll just throw it away when I have the chance, for now… I'll prepare something to eat.'
/Din…/
[Achievement: "Monkey Craft" has been registered]
[You've been given twenty Development Points]
[Character Interface
User: Namon Laricard 18 years old
Physical Condition: 93% (+)
Stamina: 79%
Hunger: 6%
Thirst: 15%
Development Points: 75
…
Actions (+)
…
Build Menu (+)
Inventory (+)
Tech-Tree (+)
]
"My hunger is going down faster than expected…"
Namon looked around, finding a strange fruit on the ground.
[Dadre
Description: A citric fruit that sweetens when ripe.
Freshness: 34%
]
"A fruit!... The description doesn't say it's poisonous so…"
'There are a few more around, I'll gather them and then make a bonfire. It should be enough for now…'
"I don't have much time."
'I'll likely be fine even if my hunger reaches 0%, but I don't want to risk it either.'
/Walk…/
…
/Fifteen minutes later…/
/Crackle…/
[Grilled Dadre on a stick
Ratting: 0-Star
]
"..."
/Crunch…/
'This tastes… Surprisingly decent. It would definitely taste better if I could fry it in a pan instead, but a stick will have to do.'
Sitting on a simple campfire next to the road, Namon roasted some fruit slices as he boiled some of the river water in a stone bowl he found lying around.
'Once this is done, I hope it unlocks more options for me. I would really like it if I could craft a pan or a bottle. Given the System's craftsmanship, it'll come out fine if not better than most pans out there.'
/Crunch…/
/Gulp…/
"Urg…"
[Quest Log has been updated!]
"Hm? Is this because of the meal?"
[Basic Necessities
Requirements:
-> Acquire Primitive Tools
Primitive Axe (Completed)
Primitive Pickaxe (Completed)
Primitive Shovel (Completed)
Primitive Dagger (Completed)
-> Build a Primitive Campfire (Completed)
-> Cook a 0-Star meal (Completed)
-> Fill Hunger to 80% (Completed)
-> Fill Thirst to 80%
-> Construct a Wooden Build Hammer
-> Build a Primitive Residence
]
"There's not much left…"
[Achievement: "My first meal" has been registered]
[You've been given ten Development Points]
[New Technologies have been added to the Tech-Tree]
"Oh?"
'This is what I've been waiting for!'
Namon opened his tech radial wheel, and as expected, there were two grayed out options to choose from!
[
-> Survivalist (+)
-> Woodworking (10)
-> Stoneworking (50)
]
"Wood and Stoneworking… I likely need woodworking to complete my mission."
'As for Stoneworking, it's likely something for the future. But what's this icon next to Survivalist?'
/Press…/
[Tech-Tree: Survivalist
Primitive Technology -> Bushcraft - 5 Development Points
-> Claywork - 25 Development Points
]
"The Skill tree expanded!"
Previously, there was only one node but now this node branched into two new ones!
'Bushcraft and Claywork… I guess it's pretty self explanatory what each does. And I kind of understand the value of Development Points now.'
'I have no idea when I'll get more of them so for now… I'll just focus on the main Tech-Trees instead of branching out.'
'I don't have enough to unlock all anyway, so focusing on the most important ones is likely for the best.'
'And before all… I'll go with woodcraft.'
/Unlock… Open…/
[Tech-Tree: Woodworking
Basic Wood Understanding - 5 Development Points
Description: Wood hides many secrets. Understanding what it can do and offer, together with its limits encompasses the heart of the craft,
Unlocks simple wooden crafts and the wooden Build Hammer.
]
'Hum…'
'Wood Understanding. It's a little underwhelming, but we all start somewhere.'
"Very well."
/Unlock!/
[A new option has been added to the Action menu]
"Oh?"
[Actions:
-> Scavenge
-> Collect Wood
-> Process Materials
-> Craft
…
]
'Collect wood… this is pretty self explanatory, it'll likely be something like Scavenge.'
'What do I need to make this hammer?'
[Woodworking: Sort=Item Type
-> Tools:
Wooden Build Hammer - 3 Wood Unit; 3 Plant Fiber
…
-> Decorations
Wooden Stump - 1 Wood Unit
-> Buildings
Wooden campfire tripod - 3 Wood Unit; 5 Plant Fiber; 1 Stone
-> Miscellaneous
Wooden Plate 0.5 Wood Unit
Wooden Cup 0.5 Wood Unit
Wooden Mug 0.5 Wood Unit
…
]
'There isn't much on this tab… But it's pretty simple to make.'
'I did collect whatever twigs on my way as I searched for fruits, so I'm pretty "stacked" with materials.'
[Crafting…]
Without hesitation, he ordered for the construction of the hammer, and within a few seconds, it was completed.
[Wooden Build Hammer has been successfully constructed]
/Din…/
[Achievement: "Hammer of Justice!" has been registered]
[You've been given fifty Development Points]
/Grab…/
"Extra points are always nice... It looks like a pretty ordinary hammer. Just that it's made out of wood."
'Not like the traditional flathead hammer, it looks more like a stoning hammer as it's rather chunky.'
'The handle is stuck to the hammer with a wooden wedge, and if I've learned anything about this wood is that it's ridiculously sturdy, so it'll hold no doubt.'
"Overall… This is quite the weapon. Solid and a little heavy."
'I imagine that to build large structures like the Primitive Residence, I'll need this bad boy.'
To test that, he opened the build menu. And open selecting the appropriate recipe, the outline of a shack appeared before him!
"I see now!... The hammer lets me visualize and choose the location of a construction."
'Anyhow, for a primitive residence, this is quite decent.'
'A square wooden house made of rough logs and with a ceiling of leaves. It's small and simple but way beyond what I'd expect from "Primitive".'
'For once I imagined a simple tent of leaves like in the movies. But there's a loot to do if I want to make something out of it.'
[Character Interface
User: Namon Laricard 18 years old
Physical Condition: 97% (+)
Stamina: 83%
Hunger: 95%
Thirst: 9%
Development Points: 120
…
Actions (+)
…
Build Menu (+)
Inventory (+)
Tech-Tree (+)
]
"I'm really thirsty… But I need to wait for the water to cool down."
'I can't filter it right now so I'll believe the river is clean and out of heavy contaminants…'
'Anyhow, this is another thing off my list. The next one should be filling my thirst meter, but that's already underway, hence the only thing left is to finish the shack.'
'I'll never collect enough materials by scavenging around. This means it's time to use these tools.'
'I saw many large rocks and old tree stumps around, if I learned anything from those boring… I mean cozy farm games where you always clean your farm of rubble before planting your crops.'
'Time to work.'
Before he went to mine some rocks and cut down some old, rotting tree stumps, he went to the build menu and made a tripod and mug, placing them atop a stump he made.
"Interesting, I can take the stump from my inventory or build it in place with the hammer. Quite odd to see it materialize before me… But the principle is the same as the inventory."
'I'll pour this hot water on the mug and let it cool down, meanwhile, I'll boil more water and put it on the rock bowl before hanging it on the tripod, this way I'll have more water once I'm back.'
"Sounds like a decent plan."
…
/Later…/
/Clack!/
[You've acquired 0.3 Units of Stone]
/Clack/
[You've acquired 0.2 Units of Stone]
/Clack!/
/Break!/
[You've acquired 2.3 Units of Stone]
"Phew… This is easier than I thought."
'There are many rocks around, but I learned something rather interesting.'
'If I can lift it, I can push it inside my inventory. So with that in mind, I went around putting every stone inside my inventory while breaking those too big for me to carry or too stuck on the ground for me to pull.'
'And I also cleared some land with my axe and shovel by taking those old stumps out.'
'With this, I'm essentially ready to make my residence!'
"I collected the large leaves by cutting down one tree and the fiber came from scavenging near the forest."
'Cutting down a tree gave me twenty points, breaking a stone gave me twenty more, raising the total to 160.'
'My stomach's full and so is my inventory, there's nothing standing in my way to finish this Quest!'
'Build!'
/Clack!/
As he willed, a small shack appeared next to the woods, materializing from seemingly nothing in the blink of an eye.
'I feel as if something's going on behind the scenes… I'm just too dumb and slow to see how the magic happens.'
/Din!/
[Quest Log has been updated!]
[Quest: Basic Necessities has been completed]
[New Technologies have been added to the Tech-Tree]
[Achievement: "Homeless no more" has been registered]
[You've been given one hundred Development Points]
[Character Interface
User: Namon Laricard 18 years old
Physical Condition: 97% (+)
Stamina: 72%
Hunger: 90%
Thirst: 89%
Development Points: 260
…
Actions (+)
…
Build Menu (+)
Inventory (+)
Tech-Tree (+)
]
"Alright!"
'I have a house, tools, and enough points to unlock everything!... Minus whatever just unlocked.'
'The day is still long! I believe it's barely 12 Pm, so I have a lot of time before nightfall and my energy bar is still quite high!'
'With this done, once I take a shower, I will have completed my previous goals.'
'Food, shelter, and looking good. That's all I need.'
'If I am to meet someone, I'll at least look presentable.'
'Not much I can do about my breath though… That only time can tell…'
'Speaking of that, I need a toothbrush… And somewhere to take a dump…'
With his desperation taken care of. As the sense of relaxation washed over him, Namon began feeling his body's needs surface.
"A bathroom stop won't do me any bad…"
…
/Later…/
"I don't have a Quest to do right now, so I'm essentially free to do whatever I want."
'Should I go after someone or should I stay here and wait?... I would opt to seek someone out but given I just took over someone's body, I have to account for other possible dangers on the road.'
'At best, nothing happens, I'm somewhere on Earth and the rest is up for future me to solve.'
'At worse, I'm somewhere completely unfamiliar with bad people around if not something worse…'
'Since I have a home now, its best I remain here until someone willingly approaches me. I should also work toward raising my self defense potential.'
"New technologies were unlocked, I'll base my next actions on it…"
[
-> Survivalist (+)
-> Hunting (100)
-> Woodworking (+)
-> Stoneworking (50)
-> Combat (25000)
-> Farming (50)
-> Fishing (50)
-> Brewing (5000)
-> Beekeeping (1000)
-> Animal Husbandry (500)
-> Cookery (25)
-> Tailoring (100)
]
"There are many more options now!... But most of them are beyond my budget…"
'Hunting is a possibility, maybe I can make a bow but I do remember how hard it was to process what you hunted, maybe the System can do it for me but without proper infrastructure, I don't see myself making use of this anytime soon.'
'I'll just wait till I have a better home.'
'Farming and Cookery seem pretty simple, but farming is likely a goal I'll have to keep working on for a while to see any result.'
'Cookery will likely unlock things like recipes and pots and cauldrons, anything to replace my stone bowl…'
'Then there's fishing. I expect it'll likely teach me how to fish with simple traps and a spear first before anything like fishing with a rod and a hook.'
'Animal Husbandry and Beekeeping are likely connected in a way. Then there's brewing to tie it all down.'
"Meanwhile, tailoring is a strong candidate for my next tech as well. My clothes stink and I can't just have a single set of things to use."
'I have a lot of plant fiber on my inventory, and although this is likely not ideal for this, I'm sure the clothes will come out fine…'
'Anyhow, the System is clearly telling me what to do here. It's gently telling me that those expensive things are for later. It wants me to focus on simpler crafts first.'
'I don't doubt it. I'm a long way from having the conditions to brew anything anyway.'
So… I'll focus on Woodworking and Stoneworking for now.'
[Tech-Tree: Woodworking
Basic Wood Understanding -> Firewood (10)
-> Woodcarving (30)
-> Sawing (25)
]
"Hum… So things will slowly get more complex as we go… Very well. I'll unlock it all!"
/Unlock!/
After he unlocked them, a few more immediately appeared, but after looking at them for a while, he realized it was best to focus on the rest first before moving further on the tech tree. After all, some upgrades seemed to employ Iron!
'... Next! Stoneworking!'
/Unlock!/
[A new option has been added to the Action menu]
[Tech-Tree: Stoneworking
Basic Stone Understanding (20)
]
/Unlock!/
[Tech-Tree: Stoneworking
Basic Stone Understanding -> Mining (50)
-> Stone Carving (50)
-> Basic Masonry (100)
]
"Hm… I have 175 points after unlocking the first few options for wood and Basic Stone Understanding, I can then unlock two extra options… I think I know what'll be."
'I'll unlock Mining and Basic Masonry. It may seem as if I'm taking too big of a step, but I'm guaranteeing that I'll gain more Development Points in the future since I'm sure something will happen once I get my hands on iron.'
'Mining will likely unlock something related to that like being able to create a mineshaft while Basic Masonry should unlock more advanced stone applications like shaping them into blocks and whatnot.'
'Stone Carving will likely unlock things like making plates, decorations and similar items, I don't need them right now.'
With a nod, he unlocked them.
/Unlock/
[A new option has been added to the Action menu]
Upon opening the build menu, Namon was so overwhelmed by the many options before him that he took a deep breath and set a simple goal for himself:
[... Simple Shack - 10 Wood Unit; 100 Basic Planks; 80 Stone…]
"After unlocking Sawing and Basic Masonry, several blueprints were unlocked, and this house is one of them… However, it isn't the sole option I have."
'This is what I would call a… Tier 0 Home. What I made before can barely even be called a home, it's just a temporary house to be broken by the System's standards.'
'As for what a tier 1 house looks like… I have this option:'
[... Rudimentary Log Cabin - 80 Wood Unit; 20 Basic Flitch ; 30 Stone, 5 Stone Blocks; 20 Clay; 10 Clay Bricks…]
"I can't do anything other than this but I imagine more types will appear over time, like Cottages, Lodges, and even Castles."
'But those will have to wait.'
'With what I have… I should be able to build the Log Cabin before nightfall. Most of it is rather simple.'
"To make flitches I'll have to make a billet to split wood into flitches."
'Stone is easy to get, Stone Blocks can be made with a chisel and a hammer while clay can be collected near the river… I hope.'
'Clay Bricks can be made by heating the shaped clay with heat, I don't have a kiln but it's not like I need it anyway, the System has a blueprint for something else that should do the trick.'
'I honestly didn't know you could heat clay like this… Although honestly speaking, I'm aware there are multiple types of clay out there… But I'll trust the System's judgment anyway.'
"I should be able to finish this by nighttime. And with a proper Log Cabin, I can call myself a successful man."
'I'm surprised this house doesn't use nails, but I'm aware it's not necessary, especially since it's a one floor home.'
'I just hope there aren't any heavy winds around… But given the way the System is, the house will likely be sturdy enough to tank a cannonball.'
'Once the time is right, I can also demolish my old residence for extra materials.'
"... Well, this house isn't going to build itself… Time to work."
/Grab…/
Pulling his axe from his inventory, Namon went to the forest behind his house.
/Clack!/
/Clack!/
/Crack!/
The hours passed as the echoes of his hard work reverberated throughout the plains.
…
/Eight hours later…/
/Cut!/
"Phew… I'm finally done trimming it."
Just a few minutes before dusk, with a light smile on his face, Namon finished cutting down the grass around his house, making everything a little cleaner.
He now had a lot of clean space to use.
'My objective is to eventually clear all of the overgrown grass leading to the river and put a fence around everything. Of course, if I decide to stay here that is…'
'The house was simple enough to make. Gathering the materials took no time at all and within two hours I was done. The problem was processing those materials.'
'It's a little jumbled up, but I separated a small area on the side for my "crafting stations".'
'Although I can craft through the System, some processes need to go through a Crafting Station, even if it doesn't do anything in reality.'
'To be more clear, I previously thought I'd have to make a furnace or some other ancient method to heat up the clay into usable bricks, but after I built it, the System easily made it all for me within a few seconds for each individual brick. And that is only an example of it.'
'Filch for example can only be done while next to a billet. The System needs it for some reason. Not that I'm complaining.'
'Also, I've learned that some buildings need some degree of… "Handling" to be constructed.'
'When I put down the Log Cabin to be constructed, instead of it materializing as I expected, I had to complete a series of steps where each time I fulfilled the conditions, part of the house would then be constructed by the System.'
"It took me three steps to build the cabin, the first was for me to delimiter the outline of the cabin with stones, the second was putting down a few of the supporting beams, and the final one was hammering the door in place."
'There is no iron here, the hinges are made out of wood. It's nothing alien but definitely far from what I would be able to do with the tools at my disposal.'
"One curious thing is that I can seemingly add as many steps as I want to any construction. So technically speaking, if I want to, I can divide the log cabin's construction so much it would look as if I'm building it by hand, yet it's not like that."
'This can be useful in case someone's watching me since building things by hand loses the System's benefits while this method, albeit similar to it, isn't the same.'
'But I guess the most important aspect of this method is that I can postpone the construction of something for later or start it with less materials.'
'A skyscraper isn't built in a day after all, if there ever comes a day I'm tasked with building something, I can do it over time within a few steps instead of having it pop up in a day.'
'And in case I don't have enough materials, I can start building something and stop to gather more materials later.'
"I'm getting the hang of this. Although there's still much to do."
'With my house completed, I unlocked a few more blueprints, mostly decorations or things related to the house.'
'One of them were room expansions. Pre-built rooms that can be attached to my home to increase its size just like any other system one would find in a base building game.'
'But those are useless for me since I have no intention of expanding this base. I'll likely stay with it until I unlock the next tier since this one is so simple.'
'It isn't a bad house, but if the system's quality is this high, it just makes sense for me to wait for the next tier to give it my all.'
'Still, why wouldn't I make my life easier or my living conditions more comfortable? Well, first, a bigger home is harder to manage, and second, I have no idea of being stubborn.'
'The reason I'm not expanding my base is because I have no need to and that when the time comes for me to demolish it, I'll only recover around half of the materials spent in its creation.'
'Not that any of the materials are precious, but I'd prefer not giving myself more work in the future… However, there is a way to make this simpler.'
'If I demolish this house on my own I can recover over 95% of all materials, if not 100%. The problem is just that though…'
"This house is way too fucking sturdy. Breaking the bonfire was easy, but I built a fence just to test it and I couldn't break it even after trying to dig around it."
"The System pulls no punches with its quality, that's why I'm investing in the future."
'That said. I'm aware that I'll likely need multiple facilities. Maybe a workshop away from prying eyes so I can work in peace and hide the System's existence.'
'A storage area for food and materials to make things seem more realistic, a kitchen, and so on.'
'Right now the cabin has two rooms, one small rectangular room and one "L" shaped room. A bedroom and a living room of sorts.'
'The Cabin is about eight by ten meters wide and about three tall. It's just a rectangle but it's pretty nice overall… But empty.'
"I spent the last few hours clearing the surroundings of all rocks and rotting tree stumps just for this moment… It's time to make some furniture."
'Most of the furniture in the System is rather ugly and sharp but I imagine I'll be able to be more creative as time goes on. Either that or I'll have so many options it'll be hard to repeat things.'
'For now, I'll make myself a table and a chair, a few sets of stone cutlery and an oven. I do have some space on the side of my room. The System likely made it for the living room and kitchen to share the same space.'
'I did unlock the Stone Carving technology, which means that now I have all available Tier 1 techs for both Woodworking and Stoneworking.'
"It makes me feel like a troglodyte… Stone utensils… But man, they're sharper than the steel cutlery I have back at home."
'Aside from that though, a bed frame and a bed followed by a wardrobe and a drawer for good measure.'
'With the extra achievements I gathered, I unlocked Tailoring and am ready to make some clothes for myself.'
'It's still not too dark so I can spend some time making a few things… Actually, it's getting dark pretty fast, I forgot I don't have a candle or anything to assist me…'
The System interface may seem quite bright, it did little to brighten his surroundings, proving only he could interact with him.
And although that wasn't enough to dismiss his worries on the subject, it was enough to make him a little distressed.
Before everything descended into darkness and cold, Namon finished building a fireplace on the wall between his room and the living room, lighting it up as soon as it was done.
/Light!/
/Burn…/
'Phew… The embers are still weak but they'll do the trick for now.'
/Step…/
He walked to the window, gazing outside.
'It's really dark… But this sky… I don't recognize it.'
The starry sky revealed itself to him but nothing there seemed familiar to Namon.
There was a strange feeling inside of him but he knew that it didn't belong to him…
"Even the moon is a bit off… Am I even on Earth?... Sigh."
'I should make the window frames and close them all down. It's getting too cold and I don't want to sleep with them open.'
'As long as I lock these windows no one will get inside my home, not when the wood is so sturdy.'
'Like the fences, I tried to force the door open but failed. Even if someone strong appears they'll make a lot of noise before succeeding in opening it.'
"Can't tell what would happen if someone skillful appeared though… The gaps in the door seem really tight but I don't trust a wooden door with a slide bolt lock as much as I trust the metal locks back home."
"There's also the issue of my Stamina… Using the System consumes it and I have no idea what happens if it reaches 0%. My guess is that I'll likely collapse on the stop given how tired I am even though it's over 40%."
"Thinking about it, I'm quite energetic. I worked for half of the entire day and my stamina is almost at half…"
'Well, I shouldn't stroke my ego when it's the System pulling me up but it feels a little nice, right?'
/Chuckle…/
With those thoughts, Namon worked for the next few hours next to the fireplace before going to sleep, faint moonlight shining upon his cabin.
The crickets singing, the moon passed through the skies, giving space for the morning rays of the sun.
…
/Chirp chirp…/
/Step step…/
"... Sigh. That kid. How could you not return even an entire day? Giving so much trouble to this old man…"
Slowly walking down the hill, an old man crossed the broken bridge over the river, stepping into the dirt path leading into the distance.
"Huff… I'm too old for this now. How cruel is time… Hm?"
As he looked around for someone, he was quick to notice the changes around the area.
"The grass… Is it cut? I did think something was strange but my vision hasn't been strong in ages…"
'Some of the old stumps have also been removed and a few stones have also disappeared… How odd. They were here a few weeks ago…'
"Did one of the youngsters come here and clean it up? I haven't seen anyone bring wood uphill in a while though… Especially given how steep this side of the hills is."
'Could it have been that boy?... Unless he grabbed an axe on the way down it's impossible.'
/Clack!/
"Hm?... This sound…"
/Clack!/
The old man turned his head, looking at a turbid image in the distance.
'I can't quite see it… A cabin?'
He looked around but couldn't find a bath anywhere.
For an old man like him, not being able to see where he was walking was his worst nightmare.
"... Oh. The grass is cut over here. Excellent."
/Step…/
/Clack clack!/
As he approached the brown spot in the distance, the echoes became louder and soon, he managed to identify it.
'A log cabin? And these echoes are like the ones coming from old Trupart's workshop…'
"Did someone settle around? That makes no sense. Someone would've told me by now… Unless I forgot about it…"
'Given that boy was last seen running downhill, maybe this person has something to say about that…'
/Knock knock!/
"..."
'Silence?...'
/Creak…/
"Hm?... You!"
"... Do you know me, sir?" Namon asked as he opened the door
Before him, an old man with a wooden cane and a baffled expression appeared before him. His eyes were like narrowed slits as he tried to focus on him.
"If I know you? Brat have you drunk so much you forgot what you did yesterday?" The old man asked with a scoff as he tapped his cane on Namon's leg
"... Actually…"
"Boy?... Don't tell me…"
The old man went from indignation to worry, raising one of his eyebrows at Namon's awkwardness.
"I don't actually remember much… Do you perhaps know me?"
"... Are you jesting?"
"I'm afraid not."
"So you don't remember running away yesterday's morning after raiding our supply of alcohol?"
"... So that's what happened?"
Namon cringed, taking a deep breath before saying:
"I'm deeply sorry sir. I have no idea what was in me. May I know who you are or rather… Where I am?"
"You… Don't even remember that?"
"I remember my name…"
"Boy! Tell me you remember more then that!" The old man exclaimed as he hit Namon's leg with his cane
"I don't… I woke up yesterday morning with nothing but an empty bottle and stomach full of alcohol. Since I had no idea where I was or why I was here…"
"You built this place? Were you the one who cut down the grass and removed those old logs and boulders?"
"That was me… I needed something to stay so… Sorry…"
"I'm not concerned about that. I wondering how you did so much in one day!"
"I… Just kept working."
"..."
The old man's frown intensified, but after a sigh, he raised his gaze to meet Namon's again and said:
"Very well then, tell me how much you remember."
"... My name's Namon Laricard..."
"... I've never seen a case as bad as yours, son."
"..."
"Sigh… You at least remember your age, do you son?"
"I do."
"Then this will be simple." He said as he stepped inside the cabin without care
"... Make yourself home…"
/Step step…/
/Tac tac…/
"Hm… Not bad… Not bad at all… You really built all of this in a day?"
"Unless my memories have been tampered with then yes."
"... You're quite capable. For once I thought you were a bum without much of a future… Guess you proved me wrong." He said as he touched the walls
'They're sturdy, they won't fall… This type of construction, I never saw something like before…'
'It's a simple design, but if he can build something like this in a day, in a month he'd be able to build a home a family could live in without trouble… He may have something in him…'
"Since you know your age, you should be aware of what happens when you come of age, right?"
"I… Don't… But the term seems familiar…"
'I feel like the answer is at the tip of my tongue but I can't quite remember it. Maybe this is the effect of having Namon's brain but having another conscience that can't quite synchronize with it.'
"I'll make it short then…"
"Here in the Lower Glades, whenever a boy becomes an adult, he'll be sent throughout the Glades to experience the world, visit new Villages and find out how others live their lives around the land."
"The expectation is that the boy will either find a place they want to settle in and diversify the communities and strengthen our connection. It's also expected they'll find a spouse in the process."
"You were one such case, arriving at our Village the night before yesterday after being robbed clean by those buffoons…"
"Robbed? I was robbed?!"
"... Sigh… Maybe it's better if you forgot about them for now. Nothing good will come from remembering such a tragedy…"
"You talk as if someone died…"
"Wh… No, no!... You were just robbed of everything you had and thrown away in your underwear…"
"..."
Namon's forehead tensed and the old man could tell.
"Just leave it be… Soon enough the Lord's soldier will rid the Glades of their presence and while it'll be hard to recover what you lost, at the very least you'll be able to rest easy knowing they're gone."
"Then these clothes aren't mine? I apologize for tarnishing them so much…"
"That much is okay child. We're partially to blame for what happened…"
"Since you were so depressed and lost, together with the light injuries in your feet and knees from walking barefoot, we fed you some medicines and gave you some clothes to try and calm you down… What we failed to see was how they had fermented…"
"This made you quite drunk… As such, after the night passed and we came to check on you… We learned that you had snuck inside our mead storage and drank half of an entire keg down throughout the night."
"And that was when you ran away with more energy than ten horses. We tried to go after you but after you ran around the Village a few times everyone kind of lost their energy and just let you run away with a bottle of alcohol in hand."
"I tried having someone go after you but… I hope you understand… Most weren't exactly… Pleased with your actions. And for as selfish as that may be, given your actions came from our oversight, I hope you can understand them."
"Everyone's been on edge ever since those guys started causing a ruckus."
"..."
"But… After learning how you didn't return after a day. Most kind of became concerned. You may have been rude but even when drunk you did nothing against us. In fact, I'd say you handled yourself rather well."
"A drunk who only runs and giggles is far better than… Most drunk…"
"I'm glad you're okay. I sent a few others to look around but I'm happy to see you've handled yourself well. Although I wonder why you haven't come looking for us… Ah, yes… Your memories…"
"... I thought it would be safer to wait for someone to come after me then to go after others with an upset stomach… I was right."
"Indeed you were… Now. Since everything's settled. What are your plans?"
The old man scratched his chin, looking at Namon.
'He built a nice place for himself… I kind of remember someone saying he was the son of a blacksmith and a woodcutter. He likely learned a few things from them…'
'He also made his beard and overall, he doesn't look bad at all. The gals wouldn't mind throwing a second or third glance in his direction at all.'
'Those bandits have caused movement to be rather slow so now we have way too many untaken gals lying around… We need some fresh blood…'
'He can handle himself, building a house this large within a day despite his hangover.'
'He's not a bad drunk, he seems respectful, and above all, even if he lost his memory, he's already beyond the previous losses, walking forward with determination.'
'If he can do all of this, he can take care of a family…'
"..."
'What's this old man looking at me so intently for? Is he waiting for a reply?'
"You seem a little hesitant. If you haven't thought of much, how about staying here for a while?"
"Really? After everything I did? I…"
"Now, it's just staying around, it doesn't cost us much anyway… Besides, if you want to repay us, then you need to work, don't you?"
"This plot of land used to be where we got our wood from but after a few years we moved to another plot so this land was abandoned."
"I've seen you remove those old stumps and clear the grass. If you can clean the area a bit I'll consider your debt repaid."
'That should also be enough time for us to see if he's truly a good man or not.'
"Really?... Then I'll get right to work!"
'I already planned on doing that anyway. I need space to build my fences and expand my base, above all I need the grass fibers to make something akin to linen.'
'I can also collect flowers and other wild seeds which can all be stored for later.'
'As for the insects… I've thrown away most of them. Although I've kept some for bait if I ever come to fish anytime soon.'
"Wait a little, young man, I'm not done here."
"Let's see… Do you think you could repeat this craftsmanship… With our old bridge by the river?"
"Huh?"
"I'm asking if you can repair our old bridge."
[Quest Log has been updated!]
[Quest: The First Commission has been generated]
[The First Commission
Requirement: Repair the old bridge South of Jamangreen Village and repay your debts for the ruckus you caused with your arrival.
]
"Erm… That should be simple enough." Namon said after he dismissed the System window
'Phew… Given the old man didn't react… I guess it's true that only I can see the System… Still… It could be due to his bad eyesight as well.'
"Then it's a deal. As long as you can clear the area and fix the bridge, consider your debts repaid. But don't forget, this land isn't yours…"
"This land belongs to the Village. And while I expect no one to bother you regardless of what you do, try not to cause another ruckus."
"If you behave well… I'll consider giving you the right to remain here permanently. If you wish to remain, of course."
[Quest Log has been updated!]
[Quest: A land to call my own has been generated]
[A land to call my own
Requirement: Raise your standing with Jamangreen Village so you may be given full authority over your land and be recognized as a productive member of the community.
]
"But sir… It's not like I even remember how to go back home…"
"... How hard did you hit your head?"
"Given I feel little pain, I never did."
"That's even more concerning… But thankfully, you told us about yourself when you arrived. You're from Hakraktan, a village somewhere around thirty Laplas SouthEast."
"I see…"
Namon's memories flared, and he quickly drew a comparison between how long a Lapla was.
'Lapla is a long unit of measurement. One Lapla should be around a Kilometer but it's hard to say if that's accurate.'
'But it's possible to make an assumption based on the smaller unit of measurement, Ladum.'
'Fifty Ladum is about one Lapla and one Ladum is about Two meters, so it evens out… Or so it should.'
'Given there's no standard of measurement that can be referenced anywhere, there's no way to tell if these memories I have are correct.'
'The more I think about this the more I remember, and I do remember being about one Ladum tall… But when I check with the System, it says I'm around 1.89 meters tall. Which is quite tall already…'
'In short, it's close but not quite… I'll have to approximate things for now though until I have a perfect unit of measurement.'
'I can use the System to confirm the size with the old metric System but… Is it even necessary?'
Namon understood he would eventually need to adapt to this world's views if he wished to blend in.
'There's no way to tell if people can identify my uniqueness and I for sure don't want to be labeled as a demon and killed for it.'
'Until I find out more about the world, I'll have to blend in as best as I can.'
"Are you thinking about your village? It isn't far from here so if you want to return we can help you…"
"No… I'm fine for now. I'll get to work right away… There may be a few issues though…"
"Is it your tools? Speaking of that, how did you cut down those trees? I remember you running around empty handed."
"About that… I made my own tools."
"..."
"Here… Take a look."
Namon went to his bedroom, coming back with a stone axe.
It was pretty similar in design to the wooden axe, however, the stone was so overly polished it looked like metal.
"Where did you get something like this?... This isn't metal… Stone?"
"Yes, it's stone, I made it."
"..."
The old man looked up and down at him before putting the axe on a table and turning around.
"I won't ask… I'm far too old to pursue secrets."
"Before I leave you… What have you been eating?"
"Fruits. I was planning on fishing too but didn't have the time to do so…"
"I'll have someone deliver you food from now on."
"That's too much sir…"
"Don't call me sir, I'm no Thane… Call me Karutz. I'm the Village Head of Jamangreen and we'll be seeing each other frequently if you keep up the good work. So there's no need to be this stiff."
"Also, you'll likely need some iron to finish the bridge so in case you need anything, just go to Trupat, our Smith. He has a workshop uphill."
"Alright. I'll try my best."
"That's good enough kid…" He said as he walked outside
"Erm… Do you need help going back up?"
"I'm fine. I'm not that old yet… But don't expect to see me down here anytime soon… Until later kiddo."
"... Later…"
Namon watched in silence as Karutz climbed uphill with his cane, and for a moment, a thought rose in his mind:
'Maybe I can make a step or change the road a little so it's less steep. It's not like we lack space for that…'
'But that's for another time. For now I should go check that bridge.'
"This Quest was rather sudden but it could be a solution to my biggest issue… The ever increasing cost of technologies."
'I can't rely on achievements forever. There has to be a way to gather Development Points outside of them and this Quest may just be what I've been looking for.'
'Time to work.'
/Clack!/
Closing the door behind him, Namon went to work.
…
.
.
.
Notes
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