House

Jack was not fighting opponents who were on the same level as him. Instead, he was fighting enemies who were significantly weaker than him. It was better to be careful than to be arrogant and die. The rate at which he was growing was also amazing, and he was able to approach the top speed of the fastest human runner, even though he had not trained specifically for running.

Jack's increased stats gave him the confidence to use larger logs for the new house he planned to build. Although the logs would not be as thick as those used for a typical cabin, they would still be substantial in size. At first, he intended to construct a house using logs that were two to three cuts in length to ensure ample living space. However, he was also aware of the possibility of extremely cold weather and considered building a smaller house

Jack's plan was to construct a wooden house that was slightly longer than his height, with enough space to move around comfortably. He also intended to include a fireplace to keep himself warm during colder weather. Jack planned to make clay bricks specifically for the fireplace, which he believed would be able to withstand the heat without cracking. He was confident that, with a fire constantly burning, the clay bricks would be able to withstand the cold temperatures without breaking.

The area where Jack was currently living provided ample space for him to construct a new house beside the existing one. He had deliberately chosen this location because it offered the most space. Jack was aware that cutting down a tree and removing its roots would be challenging, so he opted for a location that required as little tree removal as possible.

Jack went looking for trees that were the size that he wanted. When he found the area where the trees were of the size he wanted, to make it easier to cut down the trees Jack used reinforcement on his ax.

Once Jack had felled the trees, he removed the branches and cut the trunks to a length of approximately 8 feet. His plan was to build a 6 by 6 feet house, leaving a one-foot space on each side where he would connect the corners of the house.

For the next three days, Jack repeated the process of cutting down trees and preparing the logs for his new house. As he caught his breath after felling the last tree, Jack remarked, "I should have invested more points into stamina." Despite feeling tired, Jack had completed all the necessary tree-cutting and log preparation work. His next task was to clean the area where he planned to build the cabin.

Although Jack was determined to build his new home, he wished he had someone to help him. 'I hope the cabin doesn't collapse on me while I sleep,' he thought to himself. As he considered the stability of the structure, Jack remembered that he needed to add rocks to the base of the cabin. While trees might seem like a good option, they would eventually rot and sink down, compromising the cabin's stability. I should probably start doing things, got things to do, and no places to be.'

Jack found rocks to be highly deceptive due to their variable density, which could result in rocks with vastly different weights despite their similar appearance.

After getting up from his position, Jack headed towards the nearby stream to search for suitable rocks or stones. While collecting them, he pondered on the difference between the two and concluded that all stones can be classified as rocks, but not all rocks can be categorized as stones.

Since Jack planned to use the stones to build a floor and prevent erosion, he spent a considerable amount of time carefully selecting flat stones similar to the one he used for grinding, even though they weren't perfect.

He then finally tried to level the dirt as much as he could before starting to put things together. After putting all the stones together he focused on increasing his mana with the little time he had.

The next day, Jack began cutting down trees to use for the floor of his new cabin. It was a slow and careful process, as he had to ensure that he didn't crack or split the wood in the wrong way. Using a chisel he had crafted himself, he took his time and worked diligently, taking almost the entire day to complete the task.

Finally, the day had arrived for Jack to start building his small cabin. While he had considered pre-cutting the wood to size, he was concerned that doing so might result in pieces that were too loose and would cause problems later on. As a result, he decided to cut and fit the wood as he built it, taking care to ensure a precise fit and a sturdy foundation.

Over the course of the next week, Jack worked on building the exterior of the cabin. The physical demands of the work were greater than he had anticipated, especially when he had to make space for the fireplace in one of the walls, which took a long time to complete. After finishing this part of the project, Jack took two days to rest and recover before checking on the clay bricks that had been drying for about a week.

On the second day of building the cabin, Jack decided to make his own clay bricks because he wasn't sure how long they would take to dry. If they dried quickly, he would have the bricks he needed ahead of schedule. If it took longer than expected, he would be saving time by starting the process early. This decision paid off, although things got a bit messy during the brick-making process. Jack ended up taking off his shirt, socks, and shoes to keep the clay from sticking to his clothes.

Despite the mess, Jack persisted, using extra clay to ensure that the bricks would stay in place. Once he finished making the bricks, he felt relieved that he had made more than he initially thought he would need, just in case. He only had seven bricks left, but he was happy with the outcome.

In addition to making the bricks, Jack also took the time to put clay between the cracks of the logs to seal them. This would help to keep out drafts and make the cabin more comfortable.

Jack had constructed a slanted roof for the cabin, designed to allow water to slide off easily. He then spent an additional day adding features to the roof to ensure that water would not leak inside. It was a bit challenging, but he managed to build a small roof over the fireplace exit to keep water out. However, he was unable to create a net to prevent animals such as squirrels or birds from entering.

With that, Jack got a few notifications that weren't messages about him getting tired.

[ craft has leveled up ]

[ craft has leveled up ]

[ craft has leveled up ]

[ craft has leveled up ]

Jack wasn't sure how the system classified whether a task was complete or not, but it wasn't really important to him. Since his crafting skill was only one level away from reaching level 10, he decided to spend his time making more knives. He also took some goblin skin he had saved and decided to craft a satchel for his knife. To do this, Jack took a bone and sharpened it until it was as thin as possible. He then took the time to experiment with different techniques and methods until he succeeded in making the satchel. This effort paid off, as he achieved the extra level he needed to reach level 10 in crafting.

Jack found this process interesting and was even considering taking up crafting as a possible hobby. "Ha! I even got one in green," Jack chuckled to himself in the forest.

…

After building his new home Jack moved in just in time as in the night it started to rain.

Jack woke up and went through his usual routine before heading out to hunt goblins. This time, he planned to attack some higher-level goblins. Although they were not particularly intelligent, they had learned to use mana in addition to their usual attacks. However, they did not have a lot of mana and tended to use it all at once at the beginning of the fight. Their only skill was to sharpen their claws, which allowed them to inflict more damage in close combat.

[ Species: goblin ]

[ Level 16 ]

[ Health: 100 / 100 ]

[ Strength: 32 ]

[ Speed: 19 ]

[ Stamina: 19 ]

[ Magic: 20 / 20 ]

[ Skills: ??? ]

'You can do this Jack '

Jack revealed himself to the goblin, and as soon as it charged toward him with its claws, he remained still. Unbeknownst to the goblin, Jack had sent two mana tendrils underground to prepare for the attack. As the goblin approached, two vine-like tendrils covered in thorns wrapped around its legs, causing it to fall.

Seizing the opportunity, Jack quickly created a sharp, pointed boot around his free foot using a mana tendril. With a swift kick, he pierced a hole through the goblin's head, ending the fight in a single, decisive blow.

[ + 54 exp ]

While he could use this method to gain more experience points, Jack knew it would not be helpful for his growth as a fighter. Although it allowed him to defeat opponents more easily, it did not strengthen his skills in hand-to-hand combat. In the meantime, he continued to use this strategy until he was strong enough to engage in melee combat with his opponents.

Jack roamed the area and fought against some level 18 goblins. Although they were stronger than him, they were still slower. However, some of the goblins proved to be tougher opponents, requiring Jack to use his spear to defeat them. While it was a bit of a challenge.

After stabbing a goblin in the eye he looked at his stats.

[ Status ]

[ Name: Jack Roman ]

[ Race: Human ]

[ Level 10 ]

[ Exp 1363.2 /1000 ]

[ Health 95/100 ]

[ Strength: 35 ]

[ Speed: 25 ]

[ Stamina: 20 ]

[ mana:167/279 ]

[ unassigned points: 2 ]

[ skill: Appraisal lvl 18, accuracy lvl 15, Crafting lvl 10, spear mastery lvl 8, butcher lvl 6, mana manipulation lvl 17, mana recovery lvl 19, Dirt manipulation lvl 13, water manipulation lvl 12, calm mind lvl 2, focus lvl 4, reinforcement lvl 6, poison resistance lvl 3, torture skill lvl 1, stealth lvl 3 ]

"I may have over-hunted, but it's not a big deal. I had the time anyway. I should probably head back now, I'm starving," Jack thought to himself.

Although he was getting tired of eating the same food without any seasoning, he found that anything tasted good when he was hungry. It was like he was experiencing food deprivation, where even bland food tasted great.

Once he returned home, he ate a hearty meal and spent the rest of the day recovering his mana. After a good night's sleep, he woke up to find that he had leveled up. The next day, he spent two hours recovering his mana and another hour increasing it.