Kaelen had finally built something that didn't immediately fall apart. Progress. Kind of.
His half-finished shelter stood there like it wanted to be a house but got distracted halfway through. The blueprint hovered again.
[Shelter Progress: 75%]
> Needed: 1x Mystery Core
5x Processed Stone
"Mystery Core? What does that even mean? Did someone drop their magic battery out here?"
Still, it was something to chase. Sitting around waiting for plot wasn't his thing. He grabbed his stick-spear and headed deeper into the trees.
The forest was quiet. Too quiet. Like the trees were judging him.
Something glowed ahead—slime. But this one had a cube floating inside. Weird. Slightly shiny. Suspiciously smug-looking.
Kaelen squinted. "If you drop what I need, I'm sorry in advance."
The slime wobbled toward him. Then… it spoke. Not out loud, but he understood it.
> "You dare approach, soft-flesh?"
Kaelen blinked. "Did… did you just insult my skin?"
> "You look weak. Probably taste bad."
"I can't believe I'm getting bullied by a jelly."
He poked it. The slime jiggled angrily.
> "That all you got?"
"Okay. Your funeral."
Three quick stabs later, it popped like an overripe fruit. The glowing cube fell into the grass.
[Item Acquired: Mystery Core]
Kaelen picked it up. It was warm, pulsing gently in his palm like it had opinions.
"Great. It's alive. I have a sassy rock now."
Back at his shelter, he dropped the core into the floating blueprint. It absorbed the item and beeped.
[Progress: 90%]
> Needed: 5x Processed Stone
"Now it wants processed rocks? What's next? Hallow blocks?"
He pulled up the crafting menu.
[Workbench - Basic]
> 10x Wood, 6x Stone, 3x Vine
It felt like crafting in a bootleg game, but he built it anyway—just a lopsided table that smelled like wet moss.
Using nearby stones, he chiseled out five uneven bricks. They looked more like rejected toast slices, but the system accepted them.
[Shelter Blueprint Complete. Begin Construction? Y/N]
"Finally. Yes. Build the damn thing before the rock gets bored."
The materials floated. The frame sealed. A basic hut formed—walls, door, tiny window. It wasn't pretty, but it was his.
Kaelen stepped inside.
It didn't leak.
It didn't wobble.
It didn't insult him.
He could cry.
He laid down on the wooden floor and sighed. "Alright. That's something."
Then the notification popped up.
[Quest Complete: Build Shelter]
> +100 EXP
+New Skill: Beginner Builder
+Perk: Field Repairs (Minor)
[Status - Kaelen]
•Level: 2
•HP: 45/60
•Skills: Beginner Builder (Passive)
•Perk: Field Repairs (Minor)
Still no class. No flashy titles. But at least now he wouldn't freeze to death in the rain.
He lit a fire outside and started boiling roots in a pot he found earlier. It smelled like wet socks, but he was too tired to care.
Then, right on cue… it returned.
The squirrel.
Fat. Loud. Confident.
It peeked in through the window with the casual arrogance of someone who never paid rent a day in its life.
Kaelen didn't even react. "Of course."
The squirrel hopped onto the windowsill and scanned the room like a landlord.
"Wow. You actually finished something."
"I should've built a door that locks."
"You call this a shelter? I've seen better in tree stumps."
Kaelen stirred the pot. "Want to eat or just criticize?"
The squirrel sniffed the stew and made a dramatic face.
"Is this poison? Are you trying to kill me?"
"Now I am."
It leapt inside, circled the fire like it owned it, then plopped down beside Kaelen's bag.
Kaelen stared. "You just gonna live here now?"
"Got a better offer?"
He sighed. "Fine. But you're sleeping by the wall. And if you poop in here, I will build squirrel traps."
"Noted."
They sat in silence.
The pot bubbled.
The Mystery Core buzzed faintly in the corner, like it didn't want to be forgotten.
Kaelen glanced at it. "Yeah, I know you're important or whatever. Can you chill?"
No response. Just a soft hum.
He leaned back against the wall.
A house. A fire. A talking squirrel. And a glowing cube that probably held secrets.
"Still better than my old life," he mumbled.
Outside, the forest murmured.
Tomorrow, he'd look into farming. Maybe defenses. Maybe figure out what that core really did.
But for now?
He had shelter.
He had weird soup.
And he had a squirrel with attitude.