The world hadn't changed when he woke up.
It was still an endless ocean of sand and stone, an unforgiving wasteland.
But something was different.
Him.
He had survived the first night. Not by luck, not by chance, but by sheer force of will. The searing heat, the bone-deep cold, the lurking creature beneath the dunes—he had faced them all and lived. And survival meant something here.
Because the system had acknowledged it.
System Update: [Shelter Mode Unlocked – New Crafting Options Available]
Strengthened Sand Brick Crafting Available
Reinforced Shelter Blueprint Available
Passive Heat Retention – Active
His body still ached, exhaustion hanging on him like dead weight. But when he pressed a hand to the sand-brick walls of his pit, he felt warmth—not much, but enough to tell him the system's heat retention was working. He hadn't frozen to death in his sleep. That was a start.
But it wasn't enough.
The creature had left him alone, for now. But it was out there. Waiting. And then there were the red eyes he'd seen before unconsciousness claimed him.
He hadn't imagined those.
His shelter—if it could even be called that—wouldn't last another night. He needed a real base. Something stronger, something secure.
However the first problem wasn't the shelter.
It was water.
His throat was dry, his head light. He had barely made it through the first day. If he didn't find a source soon, he wouldn't last much longer.
He pulled up the System Menu.
[System Menu]
Water Extraction – Active
Basic Scan – Active
Shelter Mode – Unlocked
TerraformingRank – F (5%)
New Data: Machine Core Detected (Dormant)
Water Extraction had unlocked when he had been on the verge of collapse. But it wasn't infinite—only small amounts could be drawn from the air. In the wasteland's bone-dry climate, that wouldn't sustain him for long.
He checked his available Energy Points—a new addition from the system's last update.
[Energy Points: 1.5] (Gained from Survival Feat)
If energy points were tied to survival, then making it through the night had rewarded him. And if they could be used for crafting…
He focused on Water Extraction.
A faint pressure built in the air around him. Then, before his eyes, condensation formed in the small reservoir the system had created—a palm-sized indentation in the sand, lined with a hardened mineral shell. Droplets gathered, then more, until a few precious mouthfuls of water pooled at the bottom.
It wasn't much.
But it was enough.
He drank in slow, measured sips, forcing himself to savor every drop. His throat burned as the moisture reached his stomach, his body crying out for more. But he couldn't afford to waste it. Not yet.
The system's passive water extraction would keep him alive—barely. He needed to find something more sustainable soon.
And— His next step was protection. The creature hadn't attacked, but he had no doubt it would if given the chance. His pit in the sand was temporary. If he wanted real safety, he needed walls.
The system had upgraded his Sand Brick Crafting, allowing for stronger, more durable versions. He checked the recipe:
[Strengthened Sand Brick]
Sand + Pressure + Energy Points
He placed his hands in the sand, focused, and willed it to change.
A ripple spread through the grains, compacting them into a solid, dense block—heavier and tougher than the ones he had made before. Stronger.
A grin tugged at his lips.
This? This was progress.
He spent the next few hours working methodically, stacking brick after brick, reinforcing his shelter. The system seemed to guide him, each piece locking into place with eerie precision. When the last one settled, he stepped back, breathless.
No more open-air pit. No more exposed walls.
A real shelter. His shelter.
Now—His final problem was the entrance. His shelter was secure, but without a proper way to seal himself in, it was worthless.
That's when he remembered the Machine Core.
[Machine Core (Dormant) – Detectedin Ruins]
[Reactivation Possible: Requires Terraforming Energy]
He pulled the small, dark sphere from his inventory. It was smooth, metallic, and pulsing faintly with an unseen energy—something ancient, something left behind by whatever civilization had been here before.
Whatever it was, he had no idea what it would do.
But he didn't have the luxury of hesitation.
He focused, pouring his remaining energy into it.
The core hummed.
Then, without warning, it expanded—unfolding into a sleek, hexagonal panel. A door.
[Machine Core (Modified) – Barrier Function Active]
Auto-Seals Against Intrusions
Heat & Cold Resistant
Limited Power (Recharges During Daylight)
....
His heart pounded.
The ancient tech had fused with the system. And now? His shelter had a real, functioning door.
As the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows over the dunes, the final system notification appeared.
---
[TERRAFORMING PROGRESS INCREASED – Rank F (5%)]
New Feature Unlock:
Soil Conversion (Requires Organic Matter)
---
Soil.
The word sent a shiver through him.
Not just sand. Not just dust. Real land.
This was more than just survival. More than just scraping by. This was the first step toward change. Toward transforming the wasteland into something more.
A future.
As he sat back against the sturdy walls of his new home, staring at the glowing system interface, one thought burned in his mind:
This world tried to kill me.
But I'm not dying here.
I'm going to make it mine.