Boom!

The thunderous sound rang out, sharp enough to make their eardrums ache.

After a fierce battle, the massive tree controlled by the vine creatures crashed to the ground with a tremendous force. Dust billowed into the air, spreading like waves across the land, startling a flock of birds into flight.

"Finally, we've taken down the last of these big monsters..."

This should count toward our dungeon score, right?

Ever since they had first defeated a vine monster a few days ago, the trio had been systematically hunting them down, wiping out every vine creature in the forest. However, there was something odd. While the vine monsters' bodies were all dead, the small vines that lingered in the forest continued to cause trouble, attacking other stranded adventurers.

It seemed there was more to this forest than met the eye.

Elvynna pondered this silently.

"Stop standing around, help me move all of this to our base!" Eirik rubbed his hands together, a glint of excitement in his eyes.

Wasn't this exactly the kind of homebuilding he'd always wanted?

He had grown fond of this kind of survival gameplay.

Over the past few days, the trio had discovered a stunning valley with excellent terrain and breathtaking views, which they had claimed as their base, moving all their gathered supplies inside.

"I'm on it, I'm on it!" Elvynna eagerly replied.

Building a home with Eirik in a scenic, secluded spot—wasn't that exactly what she'd always dreamed of?

The only downside? The blonde, blue-eyed beauty, Violetta, was always around.

Wouldn't it be perfect if it were just the two of them in their own little world?

But no, Violetta always had to play the third wheel.

"This is our little home!" Eirik clapped his hands, dusting them off and grinning proudly at the little wooden cabin before him.

Since all three were practitioners, their work speed far exceeded that of ordinary people, and in just one day, they'd built a beautiful wooden cabin.

Beside the cabin, a small river meandered its way toward the valley's edge.

With Elvynna holding his left hand and Violetta draped over his right arm, Eirik kicked open the door with a gentle nudge.

Elvynna, following his instructions, pulled a rope on the left side of the cabin, and with a soft swish, a dozen small, dim lights flickered on.

These lights were small bulbs Eirik had scavenged from some discarded equipment. Though they were faint, when gathered together, they provided enough light to see. They ran on batteries, so they'd last for a month without issue.

Under the soft light, the cozy cabin was fully visible.

The first thing that caught the eye was a metal table and a small sofa—both salvaged from the first-class cabin of a wrecked plane. They looked and felt incredibly high-end.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

On the table were some fruits and cans of beer.

The walls were adorned with tasteful paintings, adding a touch of class to the space.

"Is this really where we ended up after the crash? It feels more like we're on vacation in another world," Violetta said with a laugh, plopping down on the sofa. She cracked open a can of beer and picked up a game console, ready to play some games.

"Ah..."

Elvynna, with a small knife, carefully peeled an apple. She fed a slice to Eirik before taking a bite herself, savoring the crisp sweetness.

This apple was no ordinary fruit—it had been infused with a touch of elemental magic, giving it a subtle power.

Of course, there were plenty more where that came from, stored in the cabin's warehouse.

As Eirik chewed the flavorful apple, feeling the tangy juice burst on his tongue, he glanced at Elvynna, who looked like a model wife, enjoying her snack. Then, his gaze shifted to Violetta, who was expertly drinking beer and gaming one-handed.

For a moment, Eirik was taken aback.

Wasn't she supposed to be the high-ranking priestess of the Holy Light Church? The legendary alchemist?

Now, she was just a lively, modern-day young woman.

"Ah, forget it. I'm tired. Time for a nap."

Beside the living room was an enormous wool-cashmere bed, so soft it felt like lying on a cloud. The wool was freshly sheared from the forest's own sheep, all-natural, far more comfortable than anything manufactured.

"To the bedroom?" Elvynna asked, eager to follow. "I’m coming too!"

"Hmph, clingy little thing," Violetta muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes at Elvynna. But she grabbed her game console and followed behind anyway.

By staying close to Eirik, both girls could absorb his elemental energy, which helped them recover their magical power. So, even when sleeping, they both fought for the privilege of being near him.

This situation was starting to make Eirik a little uncomfortable.

If it were just one gorgeous woman in his bed, maybe something would have already happened, but with two... it wasn’t so easy.

And they didn’t get along very well either, often glaring at each other.

It was a bit of a mess.

Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, inside a cramped and untidy cave, the sound of a nearby spring trickled through the air.

Next to the spring was a small tent.

Fennec lived in this tiny shelter. She stepped out of the tent and surveyed the other women outside, a small smile on her face.

"Now, half of us have grass mats to sleep on! That’s a huge improvement! Tomorrow, we’ll be even better! Our strength is increasing quickly, and soon we’ll be able to explore the forest. There are cows and sheep in there—we might even get blankets!"

Her words seemed to lift the spirits of the women around her.

Though they looked rough and malnourished, they all wore smiles of excitement.

"Miss Fennec, it’s not just blankets! I think there’s something useful in the plane wreckage! When I was there, I noticed it—these ordinary people may be weak, but they know how to enjoy themselves!"

One woman suddenly spoke up.

"Good point!"

Fennec nodded, her chin resting thoughtfully in her hand.

The wreckage of the plane was dangerous, but with her current power and a group of capable helpers, she was confident they could handle it.

"What's your name?" Fennec asked the woman who had spoken.

The woman, though rough-looking, still exuded an undeniable charm. There was a mature beauty to her, which made Fennec pause and look her over a second time.

"My name’s Selene, Miss Fennec," the woman replied weakly, offering a tired but appreciative smile.

In truth, Selene had originally sought out Eirik, not Fennec. But after the rising tide swept her away, she had ended up stranded and severely injured. By the time she made it back to shore, she was on her last legs, exhausted and battered. In this dungeon, she was just an ordinary person—no longer the magic-wielding sorceress from her previous life.

With no time to continue searching for Eirik, Selene had reluctantly chosen to join Fennec's camp.

"Selene, huh? I’ll remember that. Your suggestion is a good one. I think you deserve this."

Fennec smiled faintly and pulled out a half-eaten apple. Though it had started to oxidize from being cut for so long, it still held the faint traces of elemental energy within it.

This wasn’t just any apple—it contained magical power, and eating it would certainly provide benefits.

With great care, Selene took the apple from Fennec’s hands, her eyes shining with gratitude.

"Thank you, Miss Fennec. I’m so grateful to be here."

Living with Fennec meant access to magical fruits like this, something rare and precious in this world without elemental power.

Her living conditions had greatly improved. Surely, when the dungeon was over, her score would be quite impressive.

Just as Selene was thinking this, a message in the world chat caught everyone’s attention:

"What’s going on? I just found a valley where it looks like someone is living. Could it be... Eirik?"