Sam trudged through the freshly expanded zone, his legs still sore from the earlier battle with the sentinel construct. The rolling hills and dense forests around him felt eerie yet beautiful, a strange blend of serenity and foreboding. He carried his axe in one hand, his eyes scanning the area for anything useful.
“Alright,” he muttered, kicking a rock out of his path. “HUD wants me to survive. Let’s see what kind of random crap this place has lying around.”
The first thing he noticed was a dilapidated barn on the edge of the expanded zone. Its wooden frame sagged under the weight of age, the roof partially caved in. Sam approached cautiously, his axe at the ready. The barn didn’t look like it was hiding another sentinel or swarm of rugglemites, but he wasn’t about to take any chances.
Inside, sunlight streamed through broken slats, illuminating piles of junk. Rusty tools, shattered crates, and forgotten bits of farming equipment were strewn about. Sam let out a low whistle.
“This is a DIY nightmare,” he said, stepping over a collapsed beam. “But maybe there’s something useful here.”
New Objective: Scavenge and Craft.
Tip: Improvisation is key. Combine unlikely materials for unique results.
“Improvisation,” Sam repeated, eyeing the pile of junk. “Sure, why not? Cause there is so much here that I already know.”
He began sorting through the mess, pulling out items that caught his attention. The first thing he found was an old, rusted pitchfork. The tines were bent, but it was still mostly intact. He hefted it experimentally, then set it aside.
Next, he uncovered a broken camera tripod, its legs wobbly but still functional. He turned it over in his hands, trying to imagine how it could be useful.
“Alright, tripod, you’re coming with me,” he said, tossing it next to the pitchfork.
He kept digging, uncovering random odds and ends: a coil of wire, a cracked lantern, a couple of horseshoes, and a tin of what looked like nails. None of it seemed particularly promising.
Back at the crafting station, he laid out his haul and opened the HUD menu. The interface displayed a crafting screen, prompting him to combine items. He stared at the mess of materials, scratching his head.
“Okay, brain,” he said, “what can I possibly make with a tripod, a pitchfork, and some rusty wire?”
The HUD chimed, offering a suggestion.
New Recipe Unlocked: Impaler Staff
Materials: Pitchfork (1), Camera Tripod (1), Wire (1)
Description: A long-range melee weapon with enhanced reach and moderate durability.
Sam blinked. “Impaler Staff? That sounds... kind of badass.”
He selected the recipe, and the materials shimmered, merging together in a swirl of mana. The pitchfork affixed itself to the top of the tripod, and the wire coiled around the connection, reinforcing it. When the glow faded, Sam held the finished product in his hands.
The Impaler Staff was crude but effective. The tripod’s extended legs gave it impressive reach, and the reinforced pitchfork tines glinted faintly in the sunlight.
“Alright,” he said, giving it an experimental swing. “Not bad. This might actually work.”
Feeling a spark of confidence, Sam returned to the barn to continue scavenging. He found an old shovel head, its wooden handle snapped in two, and a rusty wrench. On a whim, he grabbed the cracked lantern as well. Back at the station, the HUD lit up with another suggestion.
New Recipe Unlocked: Sunder Torch
Materials: Shovel Head (1), Lantern (1), Wire (1).
Description: A heavy, blunt weapon that emits light. Ideal for dark environments.
Sam smirked. “Okay, this is getting fun.”
The crafting process repeated, and the Sunder Torch emerged. The lantern had been fitted onto the blunt end of the shovel head, its cracked glass repaired with mana. When Sam channeled a bit of energy into the weapon, the lantern flared to life, casting a warm, golden glow.
He swung it experimentally, the weight satisfying in his hands. “A weapon and a flashlight? I’ll take it.”
For the next hour, Sam scoured the area for more materials, his scavenging taking him beyond the barn and into the forest. He found a length of chain tangled in a tree branch, a bundle of rope, and even an old, rusted mailbox.
At the crafting station, he pieced together another invention.
New Recipe Unlocked: Chainfang
Materials: Chain (1), Rope (1), Horseshoe (1).
Description: A flail-like weapon with high impact damage. Effective against armored targets.
The Chainfang was brutal in its design. The horseshoe had been sharpened into a wicked blade, attached to the chain with the rope acting as a grip. Sam swung it experimentally, the blade whistling through the air.
“I’m starting to feel like MacGyver,” he said, slinging the Chainfang over his shoulder.
By the time the sun began to set, Sam had a small arsenal of improvised weapons and tools. He leaned against the crafting station, surveying his handiwork.
Inventory:
Impaler Staff
Sunder Torch
Chainfang
Stone Axe
“Not bad for a day’s work,” he said, wiping the sweat from his brow. “Now let’s hope I don’t need to use all of this at once.”
The HUD pinged again.
Objective Updated: Prepare for Nightfall.
Warning: Hostile activity increases after dark.
Sam sighed, hefting the Sunder Torch as the lantern flickered to life. “Of course it does.”
He glanced out at the darkening horizon, the trees casting long, shifting shadows that danced like specters in the fading light. For a moment, he felt a pang of unease. This world was strange and dangerous, but for the first time, Sam felt a flicker of confidence. He had weapons, and maybe; just maybe a growing sense of how to survive.
The tranquil moment shattered as a faint cry echoed through the forest, followed by the sound of snapping branches and frantic footsteps. Sam froze, gripping the Sunder Torch tighter. The glow from the lantern cast an eerie light across the boundary of his tutorial zone.
The figure burst into view moments later; a man, ragged and out of breath, sprinting through the trees. His wild eyes darted behind him, terror etched into every line of his face. His clothes were torn, and his hands clutched what looked like a crude wooden club.
“Help! Someone, please!” the man shouted, barreling toward Sam’s position. His footfalls were erratic, stumbling as if exhaustion threatened to overtake him.
Sam took a step forward, instinctively raising his weapon. “Hey! Over here!”
The man’s head snapped toward Sam, relief washing over his face. But as he closed the distance, a shimmer in the air rippled between them, stopping the man dead in his tracks. He slammed into an invisible barrier with a heavy thud, stumbling back and clutching his shoulder.
“What the—?!” the man gasped, pressing his hands against the unseen force. “Let me in! Please, they’re coming!”
Sam’s heart raced as he scanned the trees. The chittering sound came first, faint but unmistakable. His blood ran cold as the creatures emerged from the shadows.
They weren’t the small, furry rugglemites he had first encountered. These had evolved horrifically so. Their bodies were leaner, covered in jagged, bony plates. Spindly arms now carried crude weapons, sharpened sticks, rusty blades, and even what looked like a broken saw. Their eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, locked onto the man like predators sizing up their prey.
Warning: Evolved Rugglemite Pack Detected.
“Of course it’s them,” Sam muttered, gripping his weapon tighter. He turned his attention back to the man, who was pounding desperately on the barrier.
“I don’t know what this is!” the man shouted, panic rising in his voice. “But you’ve got to let me in!”
Sam opened his mouth to respond, but the HUD interrupted with a chime.
New Tutorial Prompt: An unknown individual is attempting to enter your protected zone.
Access to the tutorial zone is restricted. Do you wish to allow entry?
Sam blinked at the glowing prompt. “You’re kidding me,” he muttered. “I can allow people in?”
The man’s pounding grew more frantic as the creatures drew closer, their weapons clinking ominously. Sam didn’t have time to think. He selected Yes with a quick swipe of his hand.
The air shimmered, and the barrier dissolved with a faint hum. The man stumbled forward, his momentum carrying him into the zone. He collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath.
“Thank you,” he panted, his voice hoarse. “Thank you.”
Sam stepped past him, his gaze fixed on the advancing pack. The creatures had stopped at the edge of the now-reformed barrier, their clawed feet scratching the ground as they snarled. One of them; a particularly large specimen with a broken sword in its grip raised its weapon and struck the forcefield. Sparks flew, but the barrier held.
“Looks like they can’t get in,” Sam said, lowering the Sunder Torch slightly. “At least for now.”
The man staggered to his feet, leaning heavily on his club. “They’ve been chasing me for hours,” he said, his voice trembling. “I—I thought I was done for.”
Sam glanced at him, noting the desperation in his eyes. “What’s your name?”
“Daryl,” the man replied. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but I owe you my life.”
“Well, Daryl,” Sam said, eyeing the creatures, “you’ve got a lot of explaining to do. Like, for starters, why those things look like they’re ready for a war.”
Daryl shuddered, gripping his club tighter. “They weren’t always like this. They—they change every time they get a piece of you. If they’d caught me, I’d be dead. Or worse.”
Sam didn’t need the reminder. The memory of his own encounter with the rugglemites and their evolutionary escalation was still fresh. He turned back to the snarling pack, their weapons tapping rhythmically against the barrier like a grim countdown.
“Great,” Sam muttered. “Just great.”
New Objective: Defend the Zone.
Tip: Use improvised tools and mana-powered weapons to eliminate external threats.
The HUD’s calm tone grated against Sam’s nerves, but it spurred him into action. He hefted the Sunder Torch, glancing at Daryl.
“You can fight, right?”
Daryl swallowed hard, nodding. “Yeah. I mean, I’ll try.”
“Good,” Sam said, his eyes narrowing at the creatures. “Because they’re not giving up anytime soon.”
Sam kept his eyes on the pack outside the shimmering barrier, their glowing eyes and makeshift weapons a stark reminder of just how dangerous this world could be. Beside him, Daryl leaned against his crude wooden club, catching his breath. His face was pale, sweat dripping from his brow as he stared at the creatures.
“Alright, Daryl,” Sam said, sparing him a glance. “You said they’ve been chasing you for hours. What’s your deal? How did you end up out here?”
Daryl exhaled shakily, his gaze flicking to Sam. “We didn’t get any of this; no tutorial, no instructions, nothing. Me and my friends were just out on a hike. You know, a normal weekend thing. We liked to go off the beaten path, find places most people don’t.”
Sam raised an eyebrow but kept silent, letting Daryl continue.
“We’d just reached this ridge overlooking a valley,” Daryl said, his voice hollow. “That’s when everything… changed. One second, the sky was normal. The next, it was like… like someone flipped a switch. The air felt heavy, the sky was brighter, and all our electronics stopped working. Phones, GPS, even my friend’s watch…all dead.”
Sam nodded, gripping the Sunder Torch tighter. “Yeah, sounds familiar.”
Daryl gave a weak laugh. “At first, we thought it was some kind of freak solar flare or EMP, but then we saw them. Just one at first. It was small, looked harmless, like a squirrel or something. We joked about how weird it was.”
His voice dropped, haunted. “Then it bit Jason.”
Sam frowned. “Let me guess, it evolved?”
Daryl nodded grimly. “We didn’t even know what was happening at first. One second it was biting Jason’s leg, and the next, it… changed. It grew these jagged teeth, stood on its hind legs, and attacked him again. Every time it got him, it changed more. By the time we realized what was going on, there were more of them.”
He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, his eyes unfocused. “We fought back with whatever we had- branches, rocks. It didn’t matter. Every bite made them stronger. They got faster, meaner. They started attacking in waves, like they were coordinating. Jason didn’t make it. Neither did a lot of us.”
Sam’s stomach churned at the thought. “And the rest of your group?”
Daryl shook his head. “I don’t know. We got separated. I kept running, but I could hear them screaming. I think they tried to fight, but...” His voice trailed off, his face falling into his hands.
Sam clenched his jaw, his gaze shifting back to the pack outside the barrier. The creatures seemed to be testing it, poking and striking with their weapons, but so far, the forcefield held.
“Alright,” Sam said, his tone firm. “You’re safe in here for now, but those things don’t look like they’re giving up. We need a plan.”
Daryl looked up at him, his expression desperate. “You seem to know what’s going on. You have this… this system or whatever. Is there a way to kill them? For good?”
Sam hesitated. His system had given him tools, weapons, and a crash course in mana manipulation, but it hadn’t exactly come with a detailed user manual. He gritted his teeth and glanced at the HUD, silently hoping for some kind of guidance.
Query Recognized: Rugglemite Evolution.
Solution: Prevent further evolution by eliminating threats before contact. Overwhelming force recommended for advanced stages.
Sam read the prompt, his lips tightening. “Yeah, I’ve got some ideas. It’s just not going to be pretty.”
“What do you mean?” Daryl asked, his grip tightening on his club.
“These things are bad news. The longer they’re alive, the worse they get. We can’t let them evolve anymore.” Sam raised the Sunder Torch, its lantern casting a flickering glow across the barrier. “We’re going to have to take the fight to them.”
Daryl blanched. “You mean… out there? You’re crazy! They’ll tear us apart!”
“Not if we’re smart about it,” Sam said. He motioned to his improvised arsenal: the Impaler Staff, Chainfang, and his trusty Stone Axe. “We’ve got weapons, and this barrier keeps them out. We can pick them off, one by one, if we’re careful.”
Daryl hesitated, his fear palpable. But he looked at the creatures outside, their glowing eyes and relentless tapping on the barrier, and seemed to realize there was no other option.
“Alright,” he said finally, his voice trembling. “But if this doesn’t work...”
“It’ll work,” Sam said, gripping the Sunder Torch. “Because it has to.”
The creatures outside hissed and snarled as if sensing the challenge. Sam steeled himself, his mind racing with strategies.