But then, Ash's attention was drawn to a group of people gathering at the edge of the settlement. Four individuals stood at each corner, moving their hands upward from the ground in sync.
Suddenly, the ground began to rise, forming flat, rectangular shapes in front of each of them. These rectangles then joined together to create a tall, solid box with even sides.
It created a wall for a house!
Ash's eyes widened in awe. His mind instantly recalled the animated film Avatar and the incredible earthbenders.
'That's so cool!'
Albert put his arm around Ash's shoulder as they watched the construction of a house carried out by the villagers. He then said, "Cool, right? With this, building a house can be done in just a few hours."
"Yeah, super cool," Ash replied, nodding enthusiastically.
"They're called Earthbenders. Almost everyone here has mastered the ability to control the earth element, and most of them practiced since a little kid." Albert explained.
Ash immediately turned around and asked, "Why are they called Earthbenders? You know, Earthbender is a term from a movie in the real world."
"Movie? Real world?" Albert replied, his face showing confusion.
Seeing Albert's puzzled expression, Ash said, "Nevermind. I forgot you've lived here your whole life."
"You're forgetful young man," Albert chuckled, walking with him toward Gabriel and Liliana, who were speaking with an elderly woman. She was the elder of Bristlehold and the leader of the Earthbenders in the Eastern Region of Finding Objects.
"Hello, Madam Alberta," Albert greeted her warmly.
"Hello there, young Albert," the elderly woman replied with a kind smile. Her gaze then shifted to Ash, and she asked, "And who is this? I don't recall seeing him in Sassi before."
"That's Ash," Gabriel answered on his behalf. "He arrived here just last month. And he is John's nephew."
The elderly woman looked surprised, her eyes scanning Ash from head to toe. "Wow. What a strange coincidence. I lived in Sassi in my youth, and seeing that lonely man now has a family, makes me happy as well," she smiled.
"Hello, Madam. Nice to meet you," Ash greeted politely, though feeling slightly uncomfortable under her scrutinizing gaze.
The old woman nodded in acknowledgment and then said to everyone, "Alright, go ahead and rest in your usual place. The night is getting late."
Gabriel replied, "Thank you, Madam. And we'd also like to take this chance to say goodbye, as we'll be leaving early tomorrow morning."
"Very well. Rest well," she said with a gentle smile before retreating into her house, which was also made of earth.
Ash and their companions then headed toward a house situated at the back of the settlement. A wooden plate was placed upon its door 'Guest House'.
The house had been specially constructed by the residents of Bristlehold for guests staying in the settlement. Of course, it came with a price set by the locals.
***
The entire team had dinner together and rested in the house, sharing jokes and laughter, Ash included.
Ash sat on the dirt floor beside Jagu, who coiled up next to them and slept peacefully, while the others sat in opposite of each other, sharing their foods and drinks.
The house was simple, measuring only about six by eight meters, but it contained several basic wooden beds. A small table and chairs were placed in the corner of the room.
During dinner, Ash occasionally glanced at Liliana. A few times, she noticed and glanced back, smiling.
And each time, he quickly averted his gaze.
However, this time, his heart didn't race like it had the first time they met. Instead, a strong sense of suspicion began to creep into his thoughts about Liliana's true nature.
On the other hand, she assumed he was still interested in her and trying to flirt.
***
Ash's desire to observe the community of Bristlehold went unfulfilled, as they had to leave early the next morning.
They had already wasted too much time due to their broken Jeep, so they needed to set off quickly again, especially now that they were traveling on foot.
This time, they walked through grasslands resembling the savannahs of the real world. Many animals typically found in Africa roamed freely across the area.
Since they were on foot, several predators like lions, cheetahs, and others attempted to attack them.
Even large herds of elephants ended up chasing them.
Gabriel forbade Ash from using Jagu to fend off the attacking animals, intending for him to train and improve their skills.
He also prohibited other team members from assisting him.
Though grumbling and cursing under their breath, Ash managed to fight off the wild beasts, though not without sustaining injuries—especially during the battle against a pack of hyenas.
However, upon checking his System on the fifth day, Ash felt a sense of satisfaction. His Shadow Sword skill had leveled up rapidly, reaching level #12, while his player level advanced to #2.5.
'Not bad,' he thought with a long sigh. 'But still not fast enough.'
He never imagined he would have to fight wild beasts every single day for the first eleven days of their journey across the savannah.
His Shadow Sword had leveled up to #39, and his player level was now 3.2.
Ash's entire body felt broken, and every night he slept like the dead from sheer exhaustion.
Luckily, this world had healing potions, so he didn't suffer too much.
By the end of the eleventh day, the air grew colder, and they began entering the snowy mountain region in the northern part of the game Finding Objects.
The number of wild beasts in that region began to dwindle, giving Ash a sense of relief as he no longer had to "train" as relentlessly as he had in the savannah.
However, Gabriel still insisted that he fight the bears and wolves inhabiting the area.
Determined to level up, Ash forced himself to battle these creatures, momentarily distracted from his suspicions that Liliana might be a spy.
Meanwhile, Liliana stood smiling, gazing at the snowy mountains of BriezzViel.