Chapter 10 : The Door Part 2

With the morning sun casting its warm glow, Arthur swiftly awoke and set out for his hunting routine. Today, he managed to catch two hamsters, devouring them for breakfast and opting to skip lunch. The taste of raw meat had become a familiar sensation in his mouth, the newfound comfort of the shower allowed him to cleanse away any lingering traces of blood or fur.

Upon returning to the cave, Arthur resumed his dedicated work on carving the door. The laborious task consumed nearly six hours, but he persisted with unwavering determination. The satisfaction of seeing his creation take shape fueled his perseverance.

Two more hours passed, and he skillfully added the essential holes in the door, ensuring they were perfectly placed for the gears to grasp and operate.

Moving forward with his project, Arthur approached the entrance of the cave. Given the challenges of securing the separated rocks, he decided to create the rail system directly at the cave entrance. Memories of articles he had read about making concrete from animal bones flitted through his mind, but the necessity of fire for the process hindered any immediate use of that knowledge. Nevertheless, he delved into the task, carving the rail system meticulously over the course of five hours.

Normally, at this point in his routine, Arthur would be hunting for dinner and attending to personal needs. Thus, he ventured out of the cave to find sustenance and relieve himself. Returning approximately an hour later, he indulged in a quick refreshing shower before resuming his work.

With the shower revitalizing his spirit, Arthur focused on creating the gears required for the door's mechanism. Four gears in total were necessary—a small gear to be attached to the treadmill, providing the required power, a larger wheel to offer mechanical advantage, and two additional gears to interact with the door. Each gear's precision was vital for the smooth operation of the machine, and Arthur devoted his full attention to their construction. The prospect of seeing the door finally come to life spurred him on as he immersed himself in the intricate work.

As the final rays of the sun faded into the horizon, casting the cave into darkness, Arthur had made considerable progress. He successfully fashioned the small gear and the two gears essential for the door's interaction. However, the larger gear still required additional work to reach completion. Despite the encroaching darkness, Arthur felt a sense of accomplishment that fueled his determination to see the project through.

With the cave enveloped in darkness, Arthur decided to call it a day. His body and mind needed rest after the extensive work he had undertaken. He retreated to a corner of the cave, curling up to find comfort and relaxation in sleep.

With a sense of eager anticipation, Arthur greeted the rising sun. The most time-consuming aspects of his project were now complete, filling him with excitement to see it all come together. Forgoing his usual hunt, Arthur set to work, determined to finish the large gear that had remained unfinished. With focused determination, he carefully crafted the gear until it seamlessly fit into place.

With the gears now ready, Arthur turned his attention to constructing the means to power the entire system. Utilizing the branches and ropes he had gathered earlier, he devised a crude yet effective treadmill. He arranged the small branches in a pattern resembling the wheels of a tank, forming an elliptical shape. The ropes were attached to these branches, ensuring that when Arthur moved on the treadmill, the branches were pushed backward, causing the ropes to rotate. This motion, in turn, spun the small gear he had previously fashioned.

In the span of an hour, Arthur meticulously assembled the treadmill and skillfully connected it to the rest of the system using ropes. The anticipation built up within him as he carefully positioned the door on the rails, ensuring it aligned perfectly with the gears. With everything in place, Arthur's heart raced as he hopped onto the treadmill, ready to set his creation into motion. As he started moving forward, the door responded to the turning gears, gradually closing before his eyes. Within a minute, the door had completely shut, sealing the cave entrance securely.

Overwhelmed with a sense of accomplishment, Arthur couldn't contain his joy. He couldn't resist but take a moment to savor the success of his hard work. With a satisfied grin, he licked his paw and raised it slightly, feeling the faint but refreshing airflow seeping through the holes in the closed door. This small detail filled him with a sense of pride in his clever design.

Brimming with excitement, Arthur couldn't help but jump up in jubilation. The culmination of his efforts over the last five days had led to this triumphant moment – a door that provided both protection and ventilation. His cave had transformed into a safer and more habitable abode, and he knew he had achieved a significant milestone in his wild world survival journey.

After the exhilarating success with his door, Arthur's moment of pride was interrupted by the growling in his stomach, a stark reminder that he had skipped breakfast in his excitement. Eager to fill his hunger, Arthur jumped onto the treadmill again, opening the door and venturing out to find food. As he roamed the plains, a slight noise caught his attention. Engaging his 'Shadow Walk' ability, he stealthily approached the source of the sound, and there, before him, was a rare sight – two hamsters moving together, perhaps friends or even mates.

To seize this opportunity, Arthur decided to employ his 'Illusionary Eye' skill. As the hamsters gazed into his eyes, he deftly swapped his real body with a simulated one, taking control of the illusion in the virtual world. With utmost concentration, he guided the simulated version of himself, aiming to deceive the unsuspecting hamsters.

With his simulated self still in action, Arthur re-focused on his real body, employing 'Shadow Walk' to silently close the distance between him and the hamsters. Just as he was about to pounce on them, a novel idea sprang to his mind. The recent transformation of his 'Poison Fangs' skill, altered by absorbing the essence of 15 snakes, flashed through his memory. Curiosity getting the better of him, Arthur decided to test the skill's new effects.

Swiftly activating 'Poison Fangs,' Arthur bit one of the hamsters while firmly gripping the other with his paw. To his surprise, this time, there was no familiar blackening as he had observed in the past. Instead, a remarkable change occurred within the simulated world, a sensation difficult to articulate but one that hinted at the hamster becoming more 'integrated' into that virtual space.

Baffled by the unexpected outcomes, Arthur's focus wavered, allowing the clever hamsters to react quickly. They activated a skill of their own and hastily burrowed into the earth, escaping his grasp. The simulated space quickly transformed, representing the earth as the hamsters disappeared into the ground, bringing Arthur back to reality. Regrettably, they had already scurried far beyond his reach.