I wake up.
The cool air brushes against my face as I open my eyes. I stretch, groaning slightly as the soreness from building the house hits me. I glance around. The moon's still up, but I can see the first light of dawn creeping over the horizon.
"Shit, did I really just sleep through the night?" I mutter, rubbing my eyes.
I sit up, brushing leaves and dirt off my clothes. The fire from last night is down to embers, still faintly glowing.
I start my daily routine: a 10km jog followed by an intense workout. Doing whatever I can—push-ups, sit-ups, crunches, burpees—pushing my body past its limits.
I take a deep breath, sitting under a giant tree, looking at the pile of material's that I collected yesterday.
After resting, I continue to build my house.
This shouldn’t take long, right?
***
"We should get going. The earlier we finish this, the better," a man clad in armor speaks up.
"Hey, you there, advisor—what's your name again?"
"Kenta.. My name is Kenta, Sir jaer" Kenta say's quietly.
Jaer looks at him briefly, then asks, "Kenta, how long until we reach that forest?"
Kenta glances ahead, thinking for a moment. "Two days, Sir. If we keep a steady pace."
"Two days... huh," Jaer mutters, looking ahead into the distance. His face hardens as he mentally prepares for what lies ahead.
***
Finally... my house, IS HALF WAY DONE!
I stand back, taking in the sight of my progress. It’s rough, but it’s a solid start. A feeling of accomplishment swells in my chest, though I can’t help but think of all the work still left to do.
The house is half-built, with rough stone walls and wooden beams for the frame.
The roof isn't finished yet, just a few beams placed to mark the structure.
The entrance is open for now, no door in sight. It's simple, but it's a start.
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That should be enough work for today. I look up to the sky, the sun almost setting
I prepare my dinner—the same goblin I killed yesterday.
As I take a bite, the tough texture hits my tongue. Still not great, but food is food.
After eating, I head into what I now call "home" and sleep on the floor.
The next day
I wake up, and I start my daily routine: a 10km jog followed by an intense workout. Doing whatever I can—push-ups, sit-ups, crunches, burpees—pushing my body past its limits.
I again take a rest under the big tree.
continue to build my house.
eat.
"Nothing exciting is happening.. I mutter to myself drifting to sleep"
sleep.
The next day
I wake up, and I start my daily routine: a 10km jog followed by an intense workout. Doing whatever I can—push-ups, sit-ups, crunches, burpees—pushing my body past its limits.
I again take a rest under the big tree.
I stand there, gazing at the house I built with my own hands. Every piece, every corner feels like a part of me.
"This... this is my home," I whisper to myself, a smile creeping across my face.
"Finally," tears of joy drip down my face. My house... it's built.
WHOOSH!
The sharp crackle of flames fills the air.
"Huh?" My eyes widen in disbelief, unable to fully comprehend what’s happening in front of me.
My house... why is it on fire?
I stumble backward, my heart racing. Panic sets in as the flames dance higher, swallowing the structure that I had just completed.
"Destroy that house... THIS LAND IS OURS!"
A knight on horseback shouts, his voice carrying over the roar of the fire. His armor gleams under the sunlight, reflecting an aura of authority as he points toward the remnants of what was once my home.
Tears well up in my eyes as I watch everything I’ve worked for burn. The flames lick at the sky, and in that moment, I can do nothing but watch.
"NO!" I shout, rushing toward the inferno, but I’m stopped by the looming figure of the knight.
My face hardens, like stone, as I glare at the knight.
"Do... you know how long it took me to build this?" I mutter under my breath, my voice barely audible, but the anger in it is clear.
The knight smirks, clearly unfazed by my words. "Does it matter? It’s not your land, and it never was."
"Land?... LAND???"
I thrust my toothpick towards the knights neck with a swift motion.
The knight blocks my toothpick with his hand as if it were nothing more than a nuisance.
"Are you really trying to kill me with a mere toothpick, huh?!" he laughs mockingly, his voice dripping with disdain. "Do you have a death wish or something?!"
My face filled with anger.. I mutter.
"Pier—"
"Huh?" the knight replies, his grin widening. "Are you trying to say something, rat?" His voice grows even more mocking, as if I’m nothing but a nuisance to him.
"PIERCING STRIKE!" I shout out
With a burst of force, the knight’s hand and torso are torn apart. His body drops to the ground, blood pooling around him.
Knight defeated +100xp
LEVEL UP!
The other knights quickly notice.
"Knights.. ARREST HIM." Kenta screamed.
I sprinted toward my house, heart pounding, but the knights moved quickly, blocking my path.
They grab me, their hands tightening around my arms, holding me firmly in place, not allowing me to move any further.
They struggle to force a sack over my head as I thrash, trying to break free from their hold.
“My house... MY HOUSE!!! I’M GONNA KILL YOU ALL, I’M GONNA FUCKING KILL YOU—” My words are cut off as everything suddenly goes dark.
“That should keep him asleep for a while,” one of the knights mutters, his voice tinged with both relief and satisfaction.