The morning after reaching Level 2 dawned crisp and clear. Kael felt a subtle but definite difference in himself. His thoughts, already sharpened by his increased INT and WIS, seemed to process information even faster, and the world around him appeared more defined, its details more vivid. The Well-Fed buff from the previous night's rabbit feast had worn off, but he felt less vulnerable than before.
His first task was to check his traps. One was empty, but the other held another Forest Rabbit. This was a good sign; his chosen location and trap design were proving effective. He dispatched and prepared this rabbit with more confidence and skill than the first, the process feeling less gruesome and more like a necessary task. The promise of another nourishing meal was a significant morale booster.
[Cooked Forest Rabbit consumed. Hunger status resolved. Well-Fed buff gained (Duration: 6 hours. Effect: +1 to STR and CON).]
[XP Gained from successful trap: 10 / 150 for Level 3.]
With food secured for the day, Kael turned his attention to his 'Basic Crafting (Rank E)' skill. The description had mentioned attempting "slightly more complex simple recipes" and a "small chance of creating items with minor positive quirks." This was his opportunity to improve his living conditions and perhaps create better tools.
His current shelter was a flimsy lean-to. He needed something more robust, especially if he was going to be in this area for a while longer before attempting to find the Whisperwood. He also desperately needed better clothing; his current rags were barely holding together.
He decided to start with tools. His sharpened stick was better than nothing, but a proper hand axe or a sturdy knife would be invaluable. He didn't have metal, but he had flint from the stream, and plenty of wood.
"System," he queried, "with 'Basic Crafting (Rank E)', what are the possibilities for crafting a stone axe or knife using flint and wood?"
[System Query: Accessing 'Basic Crafting (Rank E)' recipe list. Available materials: Flint, Wood (various types), Strongvine.]
[Recipe Found: Crude Stone Hand Axe. Materials: 1x Suitable Flint Shard (Large, Sharp), 1x Sturdy Wooden Haft, Strongvine Lashing. Crafting Time: Approx. 2-3 hours. Difficulty: Moderate for Rank E. Chance of 'Minor Positive Quirk': Low.]
[Recipe Found: Simple Flint Knife. Materials: 1x Suitable Flint Shard (Small, Sharp), 1x Small Wooden Handle (optional), Strongvine Lashing (optional). Crafting Time: Approx. 1-2 hours. Difficulty: Easy for Rank E. Chance of 'Minor Positive Quirk': Very Low.]
A hand axe and a knife. Perfect. He spent the next hour carefully selecting a large, relatively flat piece of flint and a sturdy, straight tree branch for the axe haft. Shaping the flint into a usable axe head with another stone was slow, painstaking work, requiring patience and precision. His increased INT helped him visualize the process, and his 'Basic Crafting' skill seemed to guide his hands, making his strikes more effective, wasting less of the precious flint.
After much effort, he had a reasonably sharp flint axe head. He then carefully split one end of the wooden haft, inserted the flint head, and bound it tightly with Strongvine, using a technique he vaguely recalled from a survival documentary.
[System Notification: You have successfully crafted 1x Crude Stone Hand Axe.]
[Item: Crude Stone Hand Axe. Quality: Common. Durability: 30/30. Damage: Low. Special Properties: None.]
[Due to successful crafting of a moderately complex item, 'Basic Crafting (Rank E)' proficiency increased. XP Gained: 15 / 150 for Level 3.]
[Current XP: 25 / 150 for Level 3.]
It wasn't a masterpiece, but it was a solid, functional axe. He tested it on a smaller branch, and it bit into the wood far more effectively than his old sharpened stick ever could. This would make gathering firewood and building a better shelter much easier.
Buoyed by his success, he then crafted two Simple Flint Knives. One was larger, for general utility, and the other smaller, finer, for more delicate work like skinning or carving.
[System Notification: You have successfully crafted 2x Simple Flint Knife.]
[Item: Simple Flint Knife. Quality: Common. Durability: 15/15. Damage: Very Low. Special Properties: None.]
['Basic Crafting (Rank E)' proficiency increased.]
With new tools in hand, Kael felt a surge of empowerment. He was no longer just a scavenger, but a builder, a shaper of his own small reality.
His next project was a more permanent shelter. The lean-to was too exposed. He decided to try and build a small, A-frame hut, using his new axe to cut sturdier branches for the frame and gathering broad leaves and more moss for the walls and roof. It was a much larger undertaking, and it took him the rest of the day and a good portion of the next.
His improved crafting skill and the new axe made a huge difference. He was able to cut and shape the wood more efficiently. He wove smaller branches together to create a more solid framework, then thatched it thickly with layers of leaves and moss, hoping to make it reasonably waterproof and well-insulated. He even fashioned a crude door from woven vines and branches.
Finally, after nearly two days of hard labor, his new shelter was complete. It was small, just big enough for him to sleep in and store his few belongings, but it was sturdy, dry, and far more secure than the lean-to.
[System Notification: You have successfully constructed 1x Basic A-Frame Hut. Shelter Rating: Moderate (Protection from elements, minor protection from small predators).]
[Due to successful construction of a significant structure, 'Basic Crafting (Rank E)' proficiency greatly increased. 'Basic Survival (Rank F)' proficiency increased. XP Gained: 30 / 150 for Level 3.]
[Current XP: 55 / 150 for Level 3.]
Kael stood back and admired his handiwork, a deep sense of satisfaction warming him. He had a home, however humble. He had tools. He had a reliable food source (for now). The parasite infection was almost gone, the system timer indicating only a few hours left.
He was surviving. More than that, he was building. The Whisperwood and its mysteries still called to him, but he knew he was better prepared now, stronger, more capable. Each crafted item, each small victory, was a step towards not just enduring this new world, but perhaps, one day, thriving in it.