The morning sun broke over the horizon, casting long shadows across the lake. Sincere stood in the clearing, staring at the System interface, his brow furrowed as he reviewed the requirements for his new Golem Creation skill.
Skill: Golem Creation (Level 1)
Mana Cost: 150
Materials Required: Stone, Wood, or Clay
Effect: Summons a basic golem with combat and utility capabilities.
He looked at his Mana Pool and frowned.
Current Mana: 80/150
“Of course,” he muttered. “Why would it be simple?”
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UNDERSTANDING MANA AND RECOVERY
The System offered a detailed breakdown of his stats as he opened the Attributes Menu:
Intelligence: 8 → Each point provides 10 maximum mana. Current total: 80 mana.
Mind: 9 → Determines mana regeneration rate: 9 mana/hour.
At his current rate, it would take nearly eight hours to reach the 150 mana required to summon a single golem. The realization made him groan in frustration.
“Looks like I need to get a lot smarter—or a lot more patient.”
He checked the rest of his stats to understand his limits further:
* Vigor: 6 → Each point provides 10 maximum health. Current total: 60 health.
* Endurance: 7 → Determines health regeneration: 7 health/hour.
While his regeneration rate was decent, his overall resources felt woefully inadequate for the challenges he’d faced so far. The Night Stalkers had nearly killed him, and summoning a golem—a potential game-changer—was out of reach for now.
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RETURNING TO BASE
Deciding to focus on more immediate priorities, Sincere began the trek back to his base near the ruined shack. The forest was eerily quiet, the occasional rustle of leaves or distant birdcall the only sounds breaking the stillness. As he walked, his mind churned with questions.
“What even is a golem?” he thought. “The System said it can fight and help with utility, but how strong is it? How long does it last? Can it think for itself, or is it just a puppet?”
The lack of answers was frustrating. If golems were his only way to gain allies in this hostile world, he needed to figure out how to use them effectively. But first, he needed mana—and time.
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COMPLETING THE BASE
When Sincere reached his base, he took stock of the situation. The shack, though no longer a complete ruin, still needed work. It had four walls and a roof, but the gaps in the structure let in drafts, and the single door barely held together.
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The System chimed as he surveyed the base.
Quest Objective: Complete the Base.
Materials Required:
* Basic Wood: 10
* Stone: 5
He checked his inventory. He had gathered enough resources earlier to finish the task. Using his Basic Craftsmanship skill, he patched the gaps in the walls with planks, reinforced the door with stone braces, and secured the roof with additional wood.
When the last nail was hammered into place, the System flashed a notification.
Objective Complete: Repair and secure the Base.
+200 Experience Points.
The shack was still modest, but it now felt like a proper home. Sincere sat on the newly reinforced floor, staring at the flickering firelight as his thoughts wandered.
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PONDERING GOALS
His stomach growled, a reminder that the food from his stasis pod wouldn’t last forever. He had a small supply of protein packs and water purifiers, but they were finite—meant for emergencies, not long-term survival.
“I need to hunt,” he muttered, staring at the knife in his hand. “Find some kind of sustainable food source.”
Hunting would require preparation: weapons, traps, or maybe even tools for fishing. He added it to his mental list of priorities. But beyond basic survival, a bigger question loomed.
“What’s my goal here? What am I working toward?”
Surviving day-to-day wasn’t enough. He needed a purpose—something to guide him in this unfamiliar world. Back on Earth, he had been part of the Eos Project, humanity’s last hope. But here, there were no humans, no sign of civilization—just monsters and endless wilderness.
His Strategic Thinking skill sharpened his focus, distilling his chaotic thoughts into actionable ideas. He needed to prioritize.
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IMMEDIATE GOALS:
1. Survival: Secure food, water, and shelter.
2. Map Exploration: Learn more about the surrounding area and any potential threats or resources.
3. Strengthening Stats: Improve Intelligence and Mind to meet the mana requirements for golem summoning.
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LONG-TERM GOALS:
1. Find Civilization: Are there other humans—or intelligent life—on Aeros?
2. Uncover the Truth About Golems: What are they? How can they help?
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FIRST STEPS TOWARD STRENGTH
His first move was clear: figure out what a golem was and how to use it. He couldn’t afford to wait for his mana to regenerate fully, but he needed to try summoning one as soon as possible.
He opened the Skill Menu, staring at the Golem Creation icon. The description didn’t offer much detail beyond its mana cost and basic utility. He sighed, closing the menu and staring at the ceiling.
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FRUSTRATION AND RESOLVE
“This place is going to drive me insane,” he muttered. “I’ve got monsters trying to eat me, barely enough food to last the week, and now the System gives me a skill I can’t even use.”
The thought of golems gnawed at his mind. What could they do? How strong were they? Would they be a game-changer—or just another liability?
As the fire crackled and the night settled in, Sincere leaned back, staring at the glowing blue interface of the System. For now, all he could do was wait, plan, and prepare. Tomorrow, he would hunt, gather, and continue pushing forward. But one question lingered, refusing to let him rest.
“What the hell is a golem?”