Uther stood at the edge of the village, watching the sun dip below the horizon. The new houses had been built, the smithy and inn were functioning, and the fields were starting to yield crops. The village was growing, but something nagged at the back of his mind — the System had its limits.
He activated the interface, wanting to check on the next step.
> [Village Status: 5 People | 2 Houses Completed | Inn and Smithy Functional.]
[Expansion Requirement: 1 km Radius. Upgrading the System to Expand Village.]
[System Expansion Cost: 100 Wood, 200 Stone, 50 Mana, and 10 Rare Materials.]
Uther stared at the screen, eyebrows furrowed. The words didn't make sense at first. He thought it might be some sort of glitch or mistake.
"Rare materials?" Uther muttered to himself, shaking his head. "Where the hell am I supposed to find those?"
The System responded immediately:
> [System Expansion Requires Rare and Hidden Materials.]
[These Materials Can Be Found in Dangerous Regions Beyond the Village.]
Uther let out a heavy sigh. He knew what that meant. The System wasn't going to make things easy for him.
---
Recruiting for New Roles
Before he could start his hunt for rare materials, Uther needed to expand the village first. They needed more houses and structures that could help manage the growth. But that meant more people.
First, Uther sought out Borin, the innkeeper. The inn was doing well, but it was a small space, and if they wanted more travelers or workers, they needed a better setup.
"Borin," Uther called out as he approached the inn, "I need you to help me expand this place a little. We need a guild for adventurers, workers, and builders. It'll also serve as a place where we can recruit new people."
Borin, wiping his hands on his apron, looked up. "A guild? Well, that's a bit ambitious, but I'm with you. If we're going to expand, we'll need somewhere to organize things. I can handle that."
Uther nodded. "I'll get the materials. Just make sure it's a place people can gather and sign up for tasks."
The System confirmed:
> [New Structure: Guild – Unlocks Hiring of Adventurers and Skilled Workers.]
Next, Uther went to Garrick in the smithy. They needed more than just houses to keep the village going.
"Garrick," Uther said casually, "I think we need to hire a bartender or someone to run the tavern for the guild. You know, keep things lively, get people talking. That way, when adventurers come in, they'll have a place to gather and trade information. What do you think?"
Garrick rubbed his chin, eyeing the idea. "Hmm, a tavern, huh? Sounds like a good way to keep people around. I can help set it up once we've got the basics laid out. But it's going to take some time."
Uther grinned. "Time is something we have plenty of. Let's get to work."
---
The Hunt for Rare Materials
With the guild and bar on the way, Uther turned his attention back to the expansion. It wasn't just about building; it was about upgrading the System — and that required materials that were no easy feat to gather.
The System gave him the next task:
> [Objective: Hunt Monsters and Find Rare Materials to Expand the Village.]
[Warning: Rare Materials Located in High-Risk Zones. Be Prepared for Danger.]
Uther stretched, cracking his neck as he thought about what he needed. Monsters. Dangerous zones. Hidden resources.
"Guess it's time to start hunting," Uther muttered to himself.
He made his way toward Mara, the village's newly recruited hunter, who had been scouting the outskirts for monsters.
"Hey, Mara," Uther greeted her casually. "I need your help. We need to gather rare materials to upgrade the village, and I'm pretty sure we won't find them around here. Do you know of any dangerous areas nearby?"
Mara looked up from cleaning her bow, her sharp eyes scanning Uther's face. "Dangerous areas? You mean beyond the forest? I've heard there are beasts near the mountains to the east. But what kind of materials are you looking for? I don't know much about the magic of this area."
Uther raised a brow, giving a casual shrug. "Ah, you know, just some mana stones and such."
Mara frowned. "Mana stones? Aren't those things pretty rare around here? I didn't know you could get them so easily."
Uther scratched his head and let out a chuckle. "Oh, they're not exactly easy to find. But there's a Mana Core deep within the village. A bit of ancient magic, you know? It helps control the houses and the buildings. It makes it possible to build everything without needing to haul tons of materials around. But, if we run out of mana stones, then we'll have to rely on manual labor. Luckily, I've got people to help with that."
Mara raised an eyebrow, clearly suspicious but not questioning him further. "A Mana Core, huh? That's pretty convenient, I guess. But how does that work exactly? If it's so important, wouldn't it be under constant threat from other people or monsters?"
Uther shrugged again. "Well, yeah. It's a pretty well-kept secret, and we'll keep it that way. But we need those mana stones to keep things running smoothly. So, any help hunting monsters in those dangerous areas would be much appreciated."
Mara narrowed her eyes slightly, still unconvinced but choosing not to press further. "Alright, well, you lead the way, and I'll keep my eyes peeled for those stones. I've got your back."
Uther smiled, relieved she didn't push further. "Good. Let's go see what's waiting for us in those mountains."
---
The Dangerous Hunt
Uther and Mara ventured east, crossing the dense forests and heading toward the mountain range where the rare materials were said to lie. The deeper they went, the more the forest became a dangerous place, full of wild beasts and hostile monsters.
After several hours of trekking, they arrived at the foot of a towering mountain. The air felt colder here, and Uther could feel the presence of something nearby.
Suddenly, the rustle of leaves broke the silence. Uther's hand instinctively went to the sword at his side as a large beast — a gargantuan wolf — emerged from the shadows, eyes glowing with a predatory gleam.
"Get ready," Uther warned, voice calm. "It's coming right at us."
Mara drew her bow in one swift motion, releasing a piercing arrow that hit the wolf in its side. The creature let out a furious growl, charging straight at them.
Uther moved quickly, his sword flashing in the moonlight as he slashed at the beast, cutting through its tough hide with ease. The fight didn't last long — Uther's speed and skill proved enough to take down the wolf, but not without effort.
As the beast fell, Uther felt a strange glow coming from its body. He knelt beside it, inspecting the remains.
A rare, glowing shard sat inside the wolf's chest, pulsing with magical energy.
"Found one," Uther said, a grin spreading across his face. "This should be enough to upgrade the village."
Mara raised an eyebrow. "That's one. But you'll need more of those if we're going to get the System to upgrade."
Uther nodded, his gaze steely. "I know. We're just getting started."
---
Current Status:
Village Population: 5 (Garrick, Elena, Borin, Mara, Joren)
Guild: Under Construction
Bar: Planning Phase
System Upgrade: Requires 10 Rare Materials (1 Collected)
Monsters Defeated: 1 Gargantuan Wolf
Hunt Progress: Ongoing