Morning in the forest was never peaceful.
Birds chirped. Squirrels screamed. Something exploded in the distance.
Kaelen sat up fast, spear in hand, half-expecting goblins or flying raccoons.
But it was just thunder. Clear sky, no clouds. "Huh. Guess the weather's broken too."
He stretched and looked at his little shack—four walls, no roof, and a vine hanging like a lazy snake.
It was enough to keep animals out.
Barely.
But now he had tools. And a loot bag to open.
He popped it open, ready for disappointment.
Inside was a rolled-up scroll, glowing slightly.
[You have acquired: Basic Shelter Blueprint]
[Do you wish to learn this blueprint?]
Kaelen didn't hesitate. "Yes, yes, one hundred times yes."
The scroll vanished in a flash of blue.
[Blueprint Learned: Basic Shelter (Lv. 1)]
Materials Needed:
-Wood (10)
-Vines (5)
-Stones (5)
-Optional: Roof (strongly encouraged)
"Okay, that's not so bad. Except I have, like... one of those things."
[Montage of Mild Suffering]
Kaelen spent the next five hours gathering.
He broke sticks. Collected vines. Argued with a log. Almost dropped a rock on his foot.
"Why is everything in this world either heavy, angry, or stuck?"
Eventually, he had what he needed. Sort of. His vines were half-torn. The rocks were chipped. But the system didn't complain.
He placed everything in a small clearing beside his original hut.
[Do you wish to construct: Basic Shelter?]
Estimated Time: 1 hour (with 0 help)
Begin construction?
"Yes, start it. Please. Before something eats me."
A faint glow surrounded the area. The system guided his hands. The blueprint wasn't just instructions—it was like ghostly shapes hovering over where each wall should go.
He hammered, tied, lifted, and groaned.
And after an hour of near-death from splinters and a rogue ant bite—
[Basic Shelter Completed!]
It stood before him. A tiny wooden cabin. Actual roof. Door with hinges. A dirt floor, but that was fine.
Kaelen stared in awe.
"It has a roof," he whispered. "A freaking roof."
A bird landed nearby and squawked, "Congratulations. You've built a box."
Kaelen threw a pebble at it. Missed. The bird laughed and flew off.
He stepped inside.
The shelter was small, but it was his.
The air was cooler. The light filtered in through small cracks. The place smelled like pine and sweat.
And for once, it felt like he had made real progress.
Later that afternoon, the system chimed again.
[New Quest: Foundation of a Future]
Upgrade your shelter with one addition:
-Storage Box
-Sleeping Cot
-Cooking Area
Reward: Construction Skill (Lv. 1), Random Blueprint, +System Favor
Kaelen rubbed his chin. "Alright, let's see... I can either sleep better, eat better, or hoard garbage."
He picked Storage Box. He needed somewhere to put all the weird things monsters dropped.
It took an hour to build. Mostly vines and wood again. It looked like a toddler's idea of a chest, but it held together.
[Construction Complete: Storage Box (Lv. 1)]
+Construction Skill Acquired (Lv. 1)
+New Blueprint Acquired: "Mysterious Device (Untranslated)"
"Mysterious device?" Kaelen opened the blueprint scroll.
The text was in a weird language—squiggles, symbols, a few runes that looked like dancing frogs.
[Language Unlocked: Ancient Builder's Script (Lv. 1)]
Due to your Class: "Trash System Host," you can partially understand ancient blueprints.
"…Really?" Kaelen sighed. "Not 'Hero.' Not 'Master Craftsman.' Just 'Trash System Host.' Great."
Still, he managed to decipher part of the blueprint.
[Untranslated Blueprint: Modular Foundation (Lv. 3)]
Extends living space. Allows attachments. Boosts comfort rating.
Materials Required:
-Reinforced Wood (x5)
-Processed Stone (x5)
-Mystery Core (x1)
-"??? Fabric" (x2)
Kaelen stared.
"What the hell is a Mystery Core? Do I kill a monster? Open a portal? Shake a tree and hope something falls out?"
The system stayed silent.
Of course.
"Fine. I'll just build more basics. Maybe something normal drops it."
Night fell. He cooked rabbit over his new firepit, sitting outside his tiny cabin.
He was sore, tired, and smelled like sweat and leaves.
But he was proud.
Yesterday, he had nothing.
Today, he had a roof.
A weapon.
A goal.
And a blueprint that looked like it came from alien IKEA.
Kaelen leaned back, watching stars peek through the canopy.
"Okay. Let's be for real. I'm not a hero. I'm not some chosen one."
He paused.
"But I have a hut. A spear. And a handsome face."
He grinned.
"That's a start."