1. Catching Their Breath Beneath the Tree
The morning after the Blood Moon was unusually clear.
The sky had returned to its normal blue, yet a faint smell of ash and blood still lingered in the air.
Link and the Guide didn't move right away.
Instead, they leaned against a half-damaged tree, sitting silently side by side.
The wind passed through the field, carrying the remnants of last night's chaos.
Link pulled out a waterskin and took a long drink. The cool water slid down his throat, easing the tension that had been building all night.
He handed it to the Guide.
"Still alive," Link said quietly. "Guess we got lucky."
The Guide took the waterskin and gave a bitter smile.
"Last night… wasn't normal."
Link lowered his gaze to the corner of his vision.
[HP: 19 / 120]
The thin red bar was slowly rising.
"Blood Moon," Link said. "A recurring event, right?"
The Guide stayed silent for a moment, then nodded.
"Yes. But that was only the beginning."
He looked up at the distant sky.
"If you keep getting stronger… one day, you'll see it."
Link paused.
"...The Eye of Cthulhu?"
The Guide froze.
"You know that name?"
Link didn't answer. He simply gave a faint smile.
"If last night was just the appetizer… I think I know what's coming next."
The Guide looked at him, his expression growing complicated.
"Then you'd better be ready."
The wind blew again.
Neither of them spoke.
For a brief moment—
there was no battle, no monsters.
Only the quiet relief of surviving.
2. A Day of Recovery
Link didn't rush into action.
He chose to rest.
An entire day.
He returned to the ruins, cleared a small area, and lay down against a broken plank.
His body slowly recovered.
The exhaustion buried deep within his bones began to fade.
By the time the sun reached its peak—
[HP: 120 / 120]
Fully restored.
Link opened his eyes.
His condition had completely changed.
3. Spoils of the Ruins
After recovering, the first thing he did was sort through last night's loot.
Amid the blackened ashes, faint metallic glimmers appeared.
"Clink—"
The sound of coins rang clearly.
[Coins Obtained]: 3 Gold, 88 Silver
[Materials Obtained]: Lens ×6
Then—
his fingers brushed against something different.
Cold. Solid.
He pulled it out.
[Obtained: Shackle]
[Effect: +1 Defense]
Link blinked.
"...Dropped by a zombie?"
Without hesitation, he equipped it.
[Defense: 9 → 10]
A small increase—
but in this world, even a single point could mean the difference between life and death.
4. Back into the Mine
Without stopping, Link picked up his pickaxe and headed back into the cave.
This time, his steps were steadier.
More controlled.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
The sound of metal striking stone echoed through the underground.
Large amounts of Stone Blocks were mined and stored away.
At the same time, he uncovered additional resources:
Iron Ore ×28Copper Ore ×42
His efficiency had noticeably improved.
5. Forest Resources
Returning to the surface,
Link switched to his axe and began chopping trees.
Massive trunks fell one after another.
Wood piled up quickly.
In a short amount of time—
he completed a full restock of basic materials.
6. Nine Stone Rooms
Then, construction began.
Blue light flickered.
Stone blocks refined into clean bricks.
One room.
Two rooms…
Soon—
nine neatly arranged stone houses stood in formation.
Each one fully furnished with:
A wooden tableA wooden chairA torch
All meeting habitation standards.
Link stood in front of them and let out a slow breath.
This was no longer just a shelter.
It was—
a base.
7. The Wall
He didn't stop there.
Around the perimeter, he began building a wall.
Layer by layer, stone blocks stacked into place.
When the final brick was set—
a complete defensive barrier surrounded the compound.
Link tapped the wall lightly.
"Won't stop giants," he said casually, "but it'll keep zombies out just fine."
The Guide frowned.
"Giants?"
Link smirked.
"Just a joke."
8. The Merchant Arrives
[Time: 5:45 PM]
A figure slowly appeared on the horizon.
The Merchant—
had arrived.
9. Merchant Alfred Moves In
A hunched figure carrying a massive pack approached from the distance.
The old merchant, Alfred, adjusted his monocle, his eyes immediately locking onto Link's coin pouch.
"Oh… what a rich scent of gold."
Without hesitation, he walked into the largest stone house and laid out his goods.
Merchant Alfred's Inventory
Link stepped closer, examining the items—each one extremely valuable in a 3D survival setting:
Piggy Bank (1 Gold) – Independent storage; coins won't drop on death.Mining Helmet (8 Gold) – Hands-free lighting; extremely valuable.Iron Pickaxe (40 Silver) – Faster mining speed.Iron Axe (40 Silver) – More efficient woodcutting.Shuriken (15 Copper each) – Piercing ranged weapon.Throwing Knife (50 Copper each) – Fast and precise.Lesser Healing Potion (3 Silver) – Restores 50 HP.Lesser Mana Potion (1 Silver) – Restores mana.Bug Net (25 Silver) – Capture critters.Torch (50 Copper) – Basic lighting.Glowstick (10 Copper) – Underwater lighting.Rope (10 Copper) – Vertical exploration.Sickle (60 Silver) – Harvest hay.Status Summary
Status: [Territory Established]
Wealth: 3 Gold, 88 Silver
Structures:
Stone Brick WallNine Standard RoomsHeavy Iron Anvil
Materials:
Lens ×6Remaining ores and wood
Link stared at the Piggy Bank (1 Gold), then at the Mining Helmet (8 Gold).
He fell into thought.
In this brutal world—
money…
was never enough.