Chapter 4: Awakening Talent
The golden rays of dawn spilled generously over the forest, gently dispelling the shadows of night and wrapping Elias in a comforting warmth he desperately needed. He inhaled deeply, savoring the crisp morning air. The lingering fears of darkness slowly faded, replaced by clarity and purpose.
Stretching his stiff limbs, Elias glanced down at his disheveled appearance. His clothes—once pristine and professional—were stained, torn, and clinging uncomfortably to his body.
The thought of cleanliness suddenly became overwhelmingly appealing, prompting him to head toward the small stream he had discovered the previous day.
Navigating carefully through the underbrush, Elias brought up the system interface with a simple thought. He had discovered the gesture by accident earlier—now it appeared before his eyes like a subtle, translucent window overlaying reality.
[Map: Verdant Wilds – Local Grid]
Explored Territory: 0.5%Visible Radius: 10 meters from last known position
Note: Map updates automatically with line-of-sight and movement. Terrain features appear when entered or observed from elevation.
The map was almost entirely blank, save for a jagged outline of the nearby stream and a glowing dot where his camp was. It was humbling—and unsettling—how little he had seen.
Soon, the familiar sound of running water met his ears. He pushed through the last curtain of foliage and emerged beside the stream.
Morning light glittered on its surface.
Kneeling by the edge, he cupped cool water in his hands, drinking deeply until his parched throat was soothed.
He paused, then splashed water over his face, scrubbing away sweat and grime. The cold splash shocked his senses awake. He ran his damp fingers through his hair, relishing the simple pleasure of feeling clean again.
Small victories mattered here.
His stomach rumbled—a sharp, insistent reminder of more pressing needs.
[Status: Moderate Hunger | Mild Fatigue]
Tip: Foraging or Cooking can reduce hunger. Skill progress increases through repeated use.
Elias remembered a patch of bushes he'd noticed yesterday. With renewed focus, he made his way back toward them, scanning the dense green for the telltale burst of color. It didn't take long. The shrubs stood where he had left them, their vivid blue berries a sharp contrast against deep green leaves.
He crouched and examined them closely. The berries resembled blueberries—round, plump, and faintly glossy. But resemblance didn't guarantee safety. Hunger pressed him to risk it.
He plucked one, hesitating briefly before placing it in his mouth.
Sweetness bloomed on his tongue. Tangy. Familiar. Refreshing. He swallowed, then waited.
Five minutes passed. No nausea. No dizziness. No reaction.
[Skill Gained: Foraging Lv. 1]You've identified and safely consumed edible wild berries.
+1 XP to Survival+2 XP to Foraging
[Blueprint Unlocked: Stone Axe]
[Blueprint Unlocked: Crafting Knife]
[Blueprint Unlocked: Stone Pickaxe]
Suddenly, new information surged through Elias's mind—clear images, precise instructions, as if someone had etched primitive schematics into his memory. Alongside the new knowledge, a soft pulse brought his attention to a familiar shape:
[Blueprint Reminder: Campfire]
He sat down on a fallen log near his makeshift camp and mentally pulled up the newly acquired blueprints, almost like browsing pages of an invisible survival manual.
Stone Axe
Required Materials:
1x Sharpened Stone
1x Sturdy Branch
2x Bark Strips or Vines
Crafting Time: ~15 minutes
Stats / Effects:
+15% Efficiency when gathering wood
+5 Base Melee Damage (Blunt)
Durability: 30/30
Weight: 2.0
Description:A crude but effective axe. Useful for chopping branches, felling saplings, and basic defense against wildlife.
Crafting Knife
Required Materials:
1x Flaked Stone Blade
1x Thin Branch or Bone Shard
1x Bark Strip
Crafting Time: ~10 minutes
Stats / Effects:
Unlocks additional crafting options (e.g., hide working, carving)
+10% Efficiency when processing food or crafting materials
Durability: 25/25
Weight: 1.0
Description:A simple utility blade essential for survival. Not designed for combat, but invaluable for fine work and resource prep.
Stone Pickaxe
Required Materials:
2x Solid Stones (1 flaked, 1 heavy)
1x Forked Branch
2x Vines or Bark Strips
Crafting Time: ~20 minutes
Stats / Effects:
+20% Efficiency for mining soft rock or clay
+3 Base Melee Damage (Blunt)
Durability: 35/35
Weight: 3.5
Description:A primitive mining tool capable of breaking softer stone or compacted earth. Enables access to minerals and underground resources.
Campfire
Required Materials:
5x Small Stones
3x Dry Branches
2x Kindling (dried grass, bark shavings, etc.)
Crafting Time: ~5 minutes
Stats / Effects:
Enables basic cooking
Provides warmth: +5 Cold Resistance within radius
Light Radius: Small
Burn Duration: 30 minutes per fuel unit
Description:A simple fire pit surrounded by stones. Offers heat, light, and limited protection from creatures in the dark.
Elias let out a quiet breath. These were more than abstract ideas—they were real, actionable plans. He could build tools. Start a fire. Survive longer.
He mentally compared the blueprints to what he had already gathered: some vines, a few sharp-edged stones, and a branch that looked sturdy enough for a haft. Still, he was missing a few things—kindling, a flaked blade, maybe a forked branch.
Motivated now by clear purpose, Elias returned to the surrounding underbrush. This time, he wasn't just searching for food. Every branch, every stone, every twist of bark was inspected with a builder's eye. He tested vines for strength, weighed stones in his hands, and collected anything that fit the mental diagrams now burned into his memory.
By the time the light began to fade from the sky, his shirt was once again filled with berries and his arms full of materials.
Back at camp, he dropped everything beside the resource pile.
After taking inventory: smooth stones, firm branches, long strips of bark and vine. His thoughts shifted toward the next step—tools. Something to help him gather more efficiently. Build. Protect.
He picked up a heavy stone, rough and triangular. He rolled it in his hands, feeling its weight, imagining its potential. As he examined it, something shifted. A strange heat stirred in his chest, spreading down his arms to his fingertips. His breath caught.
The world around him faded slightly—colors dulled, sounds quieted. Focus narrowed. His thoughts sharpened.
He saw the stone—not as it was, but as it could be.
With sudden clarity, he reached for a strong branch and vine. His hands moved instinctively, wrapping, shaping, binding. It wasn't calculation. It was intuition. Precision without hesitation.
As he worked, a golden glow pulsed briefly around his hands.
[Talent Activated: Architect of Creation – SSS-Rank]
✦ You intuitively understand optimal design and material use.
✦ All crafted tools and structures exceed normal efficiency and durability.
✦ Blueprints will occasionally be generated during creation.
✦ Talent synergy detected: Crafting | Carpentry | Woodcutting | Toolmaking
Elias froze for a second.
[System Information – Talent Rankings]
Talents are divided into ranks based on rarity and impact:
F – Common, basic effect
E – Uncommon, minor boosts
D – Standardized profession-level ability
C – Skilled application with passive enhancement
B – Rare, allows exceptional specialization
A – Pinnacle of human capability
S – Extremely rare, with transformational powers
SS – Mythic tier, few exist
SSS – Groundbreaking, beyond known boundaries
Elias's throat tightened.
SSS. The highest possible tier.
And everyone could see names in the chat. If someone realized what he was capable of... it might paint a target on his back. The safest path, he decided, was not to reveal the true extent of his talent.
He completed the axe in silence, watching the fibers wrap naturally and hold better than any rope he'd tied before. The finished tool glinted faintly in the sun.
[Item Created: Hand Axe – Artisan Grade]
+25% Efficiency when gathering wood
+7 Base Melee Damage (Blunt)
Weight: 1.5
+5 XP to Crafting
+2 XP to Toolmaking
+5 XP to Architect of Creation
Next came the knife. Again, fluid motion guided by instinct. Again, perfection that exceeded his own understanding.
[Item Created: Carving Knife – Artisan Grade]
Durability: 85/85
+10% Precision Bonus
+10% Crafting Speed Bonus
He set the Carving Knife – Artisan Grade down on a flat rock, its form clean and sharp despite the primitive materials. Then he mentally pulled up the blueprint for the basic Stone Axe, eyes flicking between the imagined schematic and the real thing in front of him.
There was no comparison.
The blueprint described a serviceable, even clunky tool. His version was tighter, lighter, and somehow right. The grip was wrapped with just the right tension; the stone head aligned perfectly for swing momentum. The whole thing felt less like something made, and more like something meant to be.
He did the same with the Carving Knife – Artisan Grade, checking it against the base Crafting Knife blueprint. Again, the result was leagues beyond. The flaked blade gleamed subtly in the fading sunlight, the edge clean and precise. The fibers at the handle had molded around his grip, secure and comfortable.
He frowned slightly, glancing at the listed crafting times he remembered:
Stone Axe: ~15 minutes
Crafting Knife: ~10 minutes
Had it really taken him that long? He hadn't been rushing—just following instinct—but the sun hadn't moved much between beginning and finishing both. Maybe… five minutes each? Seven, tops?
And despite that, both items had come out better than expected.
His mind drifted back to the system message.
[Talent Activated: Architect of Creation – SSS-Rank]
SSS-Rank.
He still hadn't fully wrapped his head around it.
The highest possible talent tier. Beyond mythic.
And it didn't just boost output—it changed how he thought, how he saw things. The way his mind had cut through hesitation, leapt from need to solution without friction… that hadn't been normal.
He let out a slow breath, eyes drifting toward the faint glow still lingering around the tools.This… this was more than crafting.
But that raised a new question—how many others had talents? What kind? Were they as rare as this?
Curious, Elias reached for the system interface and opened the Region Chat,
[Regional Chat – Verdant Wilds]
Elias closed the window. He had chosen to use his real name—hoping Anna might see it and reach out—but the talent display he disabled. Let them think he was just another guy trying to get by.
He wasn't ready to trust strangers. Not yet.
He gripped the axe in one hand, the knife in the other. The sun shone down through the trees, glinting on the blades. He had power now—real, undeniable power. But what he did with it... that was up to him.
The path forward was still uncertain, but for the first time since arriving, he didn't feel powerless.
He felt dangerous.
And he would build his survival piece by piece—quietly, expertly, and without anyone ever seeing him coming.