C34 Chapter 32 – Restoring the Watchtower
The Shadow Wolf King lowered its head.
As though greeting something far older...
And far more terrifying than itself.
Far beyond the ancient stone gate...
A pair of crimson eyes slowly opened.
Then...
Silence returned.
---
The next morning, Aiden woke before sunrise.
Although he hadn't seen the mysterious cave himself, an uneasy feeling lingered in his heart.
He couldn't explain why.
Perhaps it was instinct.
Or perhaps...
Hope Island itself was trying to warn him.
The Forest Hopper was already awake.
It sat outside the hut, watching the eastern horizon.
"Chi!"
"Good morning to you too."
Aiden smiled, tossing it a small piece of dried rabbit meat.
The little creature happily caught it before jumping onto his shoulder.
---
After a simple breakfast, Aiden opened his notebook.
He crossed out one objective.
✔ Build Drying Rack
Then he looked at the next priority.
Restore the Ruined Watchtower.
"If I can finish it..."
"I'll finally be able to monitor the northern forest."
A lookout tower would give him an enormous advantage.
Knowing where danger was coming from could save his life.
---
Before leaving, Aiden checked his materials.
Current Resources
- Wood ×186
- Stone ×248
- Plant Fiber ×71
- Iron Nails ×34
- Copper Ore ×12
- Goat Hide ×2
- Rabbit Fur ×4
He nodded with satisfaction.
"I have enough."
He packed only the required materials into his inventory and headed toward the northeastern ruins.
---
The journey was peaceful.
Forest Hoppers bounced through the grass.
Birds flew overhead.
For a brief moment...
Hope Island felt almost ordinary.
Until Aiden reached the ruined watchtower.
The broken structure stood exactly as before.
Half collapsed.
Covered in vines.
Weathered by countless years of wind and rain.
Aiden placed his hand on the ancient stone wall.
Immediately...
The Island Core reacted.
---
Ding!
Building Restoration Available
Ruined Watchtower
Requirements Met ✔
Builder Level 4 ✔
Materials ✔
Would you like to restore this structure?
Yes / No
---
Without hesitation...
Aiden selected Yes.
The materials inside his inventory disappeared one after another.
Wood.
Stone.
Iron Nails.
A brilliant blue light burst from the Island Core.
The ruined tower trembled violently.
Broken stones floated into the air.
Collapsed walls slowly rebuilt themselves.
Cracks disappeared.
Rotten wooden beams transformed into sturdy new supports.
Even the broken staircase repaired itself.
The restoration continued for several minutes.
Finally...
The blue light faded.
Standing before Aiden was a completely restored stone watchtower.
It was nearly three stories tall.
A wooden platform surrounded the top floor.
A bronze bell hung beneath the roof.
A narrow staircase spiraled upward inside.
It looked sturdy enough to withstand powerful attacks.
---
Special Building Restored
Stone Watchtower
Grade: Rare
Island Prosperity +10
Vision Range +300%
Nearby Monster Detection Enabled
Emergency Warning Bell Unlocked
---
Aiden stared in amazement.
"So this is the real watchtower..."
The ruined version and the restored version were completely different.
---
He climbed to the top.
The view was breathtaking.
Almost every corner of Hope Island was visible.
His hut looked tiny from this height.
The pond shimmered beneath the morning sun.
The wheat field swayed gently in the breeze.
Then...
The System Map suddenly expanded.
Large sections of unexplored fog disappeared.
---
Exploration Updated
Hope Island Explored:
26% → 39%
Reward:
Common Resource Chest ×2
---
Aiden laughed.
"I didn't even have to explore."
The watchtower itself had revealed hidden terrain.
---
Just then...
A faint red flash appeared on the System Map.
It disappeared almost instantly.
"What was that?"
Aiden focused on the location.
The map zoomed toward the northern forest.
Nothing.
Only trees.
He frowned.
"I definitely saw something..."
---
The Forest Hopper suddenly squeaked.
"CHI! CHI!"
It pointed toward the sea.
Aiden quickly turned.
Far away...
Near the horizon...
A black ship slowly sailed between thick layers of fog.
There was no flag.
No sails.
Yet it moved steadily across the water.
"What..."
"...is that?"
The ship remained visible for only a few seconds.
Then the surrounding mist swallowed it completely.
---
World Phenomenon Recorded
Ghost Ship
Information:
Unknown
Threat Level:
Unknown
Collection Book Updated.
---
Aiden felt a chill.
This world contained far more mysteries than monsters.
---
As he descended from the tower, a new notification appeared.
---
Watchtower Function Unlocked
You may now assign guards to this building.
Current Guards:
0
---
"Guards..."
Aiden looked around silently.
"I'm still alone."
The feature was useless for now.
But...
It hinted at the future.
One day...
Hope Island would no longer belong to only one person.
---
He stored the reward chests inside his inventory.
"I'll open these after I get home."
Opening treasure in the middle of the forest wasn't a good habit.
Who knew what kind of attention it might attract?
---
The return journey was calm.
However...
When Aiden reached the edge of his camp...
He stopped.
His smile disappeared.
One of the hidden wooden spike traps had been triggered.
The leaves covering it were scattered across the ground.
Fresh blood stained the sharpened stakes.
But...
There was no body.
Only enormous wolf footprints leading back into the northern forest.
Someone...
Or something...
Had tested his defenses.
And now...
It knew exactly where he lived.
