And so came another deep dive into deviance, as observed by the System administrator. They were both talking about replenishing Miko's very
full supply of mana as if she had none left. What a strange pair of Players he'd chosen.
“Fully restored resources, no physiological need for replenishment… and yet they persist in this ‘mana recovery’ ritual. The System does not mandate it, and still they return to each other as if compelled by an unseen mechanic. How troublesome. If intimacy becomes their preferred optimization loop, I may soon lose the ability to predict where their growth will lead,” the overseer observed. He had much watching to do when it came to this pair, but surely they would make a very interesting final product. For now, the administrator supposed he'd just have to wait another hour or three for the next progress. . .
In truth, it was more like an entire day later that something else of note happened. Miko seemed so disheveled, but that didn't come from the very same session they started by the river. No, it was instead downstream a bit... and next to a dome-like structure reminiscent of a beast's shell. Throughout the process of killing a herd of gentle giants and some other creatures classified as easy pickings. Indeed, they had already fashioned a home out of the common beasts in this area. The new home rose from the forest floor like a natural outgrowth of the land itself, built around the hollowed Shellback Bulwark carapace they had claimed as their foundation. Its curved, stone-textured shell formed a sturdy dome, reinforced with woven branches, river reeds, and smooth planks harvested from the driftwood they found nearby. A small opening served as a doorway, softened by hanging moss that swayed gently with the breeze. Crude, simple, and undeniably cozy ─ it was unmistakably their first real shelter. Apparently, the two had gone through the 'night' taking out creatures, building a shelter... and fucking each other stupid between every step as usual. Even now, Yugi was sporting half a shirt and pants that didn't even fit anymore as he placed the final awning atop the shelter's doorway.
"Gah! There; all done... and... level seventeen," he said.
[LEVEL UP!] That notification appeared immediately after Yugi spoke. Why? They hadn't defeated any enemies, but...
[QUEST COMPLETED]
Sub-Quest: “Claim a Place to Stand”
Objective: Establish a functional base of operations.
Status: Completed.
Reward Granted:
• Base Core (E-Rank) — A stabilization artifact that anchors a respawn point and enables future upgrades.
Additional Note:
A foundation has been laid. Survival begins the moment shelter becomes choice rather than chance.