The fleeting blue glow from the Ancient Cache Box was a potent reward, more invigorating than any XP notification. Kael felt a thrill course through him – the thrill of discovery, of a puzzle slowly yielding its secrets. He spent several more minutes trying to replicate the exact sequence – the pressure on the deep groove, the specific tilt, the tracing motion – but the blue light didn't reappear. He wasn't disheartened; he knew he was close. The box had acknowledged him.
However, the fading daylight and the persistent rumbling in his stomach reminded him of more immediate concerns. He couldn't afford to spend all his time on the box, no matter how intriguing. Survival still came first.
He reluctantly set the cache box aside, carefully propped against a rock near his fire, and went to check his snares. He approached the game trail with a mixture of hope and trepidation. The first two traps were empty, the loops undisturbed. His spirits began to sink. Had he chosen the wrong spot? Were his traps too crude?
Then, at the third trap, he saw it. The vine loop was pulled taut, and caught within it, struggling feebly, was a plump, grey-furred rabbit.
A surge of triumph, mixed with a pang of something akin to regret, shot through Kael. He had successfully trapped his first real meal. It was a significant step up from beetle larvae.
[System Notification: Crude Snare Trap successfully captured 1x Forest Rabbit (Level 0).]
[XP Gained: 10 / 100 for Level 2.]
[Current XP: 85 / 100 for Level 2.]
The XP was welcome, bringing him closer to Level 2. He approached the trapped animal cautiously. It was small, its eyes wide with fear. He knew he had to dispatch it quickly and humanely. It wasn't pleasant, but it was necessary. His sharpened stick, though crude, served its purpose.
The task of skinning and cleaning the rabbit was messy and unfamiliar. His 'Basic Crafting' skill didn't seem to apply here, and he fumbled, making several mistakes. But his INT and the memory of diagrams from old survival guides helped him through it. He managed to salvage most ofthe meat and the pelt. The pelt, once cleaned and dried, could be useful.
He cooked the rabbit meat over his fire, skewering pieces on his stick. The aroma was rich and enticing, a world away from the blandness of the larvae. Eating fresh, properly cooked meat was a revelation. It filled him with a warmth and energy that nuts and grubs never could.
[Cooked Forest Rabbit consumed. Hunger status resolved. Well-Fed buff gained (Duration: 6 hours. Effect: +1 to STR and CON).]
A buff! A temporary +1 to STR and CON was a significant boost. His STR was now 4, and his CON 3. He felt noticeably stronger, more resilient.
With his hunger sated and the Well-Fed buff active, Kael felt a renewed sense of optimism. He reset the successful trap and one of the others, hoping for similar luck.
As night fell, he returned his attention to the Ancient Cache Box. The fire cast dancing shadows across its tarnished surface, making the etched patterns seem to writhe and shift. He recalled the sequence he'd stumbled upon: the pressure, the tilt, the tracing motion along that specific groove.
He picked up the box, his fingers finding the deep groove. He carefully replicated the tilt, applied gentle pressure, and began to trace the swirl. As his finger reached the end of the groove, the faint vibration returned, the soft hiss of escaping air, and this time, the knot-like design in the corner glowed with that same internal blue light.
But it didn't stop there.
A second later, another swirl adjacent to the first pulsed with a similar blue light. Then a third, then a fourth, each one lighting up in a distinct sequence, like a hidden pathway being illuminated. The lights were faint, visible only in the dim firelight, but they were undeniably there.
Kael watched, mesmerized, his heart pounding. He wasn't touching the box anymore, but the sequence of lights continued, five… six… seven pulses in total, each highlighting a different part of the intricate design. After the seventh pulse, all the lights faded simultaneously.
He waited, but nothing else happened. The box remained sealed.
He tried to replicate the initial tracing motion, but the lights didn't reappear. Had he missed something? Was the sequence of seven lights a clue itself? Did he now need to press those illuminated spots in the order they had appeared?
His 'Keen Mind' was working overtime, recording the pattern, the locations. This was no longer a matter of random experimentation. The box had given him a direct clue, a sequence to follow.
The puzzle had deepened, but now, he had a clear path to pursue.