Caelen sat frozen in his wobbly chair, one hand gripping his stone axe, the other holding onto the table like it might save him from death-by-something-outside.
The forest outside had gone full nightmare mode. Every branch crack sounded like footsteps. Every gust of wind sounded like whispering. And something out there just made a noise that sounded like a cat being stepped on—if the cat was forty feet tall and possibly on fire.
He slowly nudged the leaf-door closed. It fluttered open again like, Nice try.
He sighed and propped it shut with a stick. "This is fine. This is shelter. This is what winning looks like."
Sniff sniff.
Caelen froze. Something was sniffing the hut again.
Sniff... SNORT.
He didn't breathe. Didn't blink.
His entire body screamed, Don't move. Don't exist. Maybe it'll leave if you're boring.
Then silence.
Eventually, the sniffing stopped. The sounds faded into the woods. Whatever it was... lost interest.
Caelen exhaled like he'd been holding it since Chapter 1.
"Still alive. Still sitting. No bite marks. That's a win."
Then his stomach made a noise that could've rivaled the monsters outside.
He looked down and whispered, "You're supposed to be quiet."
Time to use the brain.
He activated Googel Brain.
Search: How to get food
[Answer: Hunt animals. Gather wild fruits. Warning: Some berries are liars.]
[Bonus Tip: You can also try fishing. You'll need a rod or sharp stick. Good luck.]
"Hunting sounds hard. I can barely hit a bush."
His stomach growled again.
"Okay, okay. Sharp stick it is."
He grabbed some leftover wood and jammed it into the crafting menu.
[You have crafted: 1x Pointy Stick. Damage: Questionable.]
He placed it next to his axe. The Pointy Stick gave off serious backup weapon in a comedy movie energy, but it was something.
Then came another issue.
It was pitch black. The only light was the glowing leaf in the corner, and he still wasn't convinced it wasn't sentient.
Search: How to make light
[Answer: Basic torch = 1x Stick + 1x Resin or Cloth + Fire source]
Caelen blinked. "Fire source?"
Search: How to make fire
[Answer: Try flint + stone or rubbing sticks. Results may vary. If this takes more than 30 minutes, consider crying softly.]
He groaned and slapped his head against the table. "I don't have flint. And rubbing sticks sounds like a lie cavemen told each other."
Then he remembered the glowing leaf.
It pulsed gently in the corner. Innocent. Suspicious.
Caelen approached it with his axe. "Please don't explode."
CHOP.
[You have acquired: 1x Glowleaf. Emits weak natural light. Not edible. Stop trying.]
He held it up.
It lit up just enough of the hut to make the shadows scarier.
Still, he tied it to the wall with vines. Boom: Mood lighting.
Now, sitting at his janky table with a glowleaf nightlight, a pointy stick, a growling stomach, and a shelter made of sadness, Caelen looked up at the stars through the roof hole.
"I died in my chair, and now I'm surviving in one. Honestly? I call that growth."
Then his chair creaked ominously.
He patted it gently. "You're doing great, buddy. Hang in there."