C36 Chapter 34 – A Dangerous Discovery
The Wolf King wasn't giving up.
It was planning.
And somewhere deep inside the northern forest...
Its next move had already begun.
---
Aiden stood silently behind the wooden fence.
His heartbeat slowly returned to normal.
The Shadow Wolf King had been close enough to attack.
Yet...
It chose not to.
"That wasn't mercy."
"It was confidence."
The Forest Hopper climbed onto his shoulder.
Its tiny body was still shaking.
Aiden gently stroked its head.
"We're alive."
"That's enough for today."
---
The rest of the evening passed quietly.
Aiden cooked a simple meal of dried goat meat and roasted wheat.
While eating, he opened his Survival Journal.
He carefully wrote down everything that had happened.
---
Survival Journal
Day 13
- Restored the Stone Watchtower.
- Found Mana Crystal Ore.
- Defeated my first Shadow Wolf.
- Obtained a Beast Core.
- Confirmed that Shadow Wolves hunt in groups.
- The Shadow Wolf King is highly intelligent.
- The Wolf King can command other wolves.
Conclusion:
Do not fight the wolf pack directly.
Increase defenses before the Blood Moon.
---
He closed the notebook.
Writing everything down helped him organize his thoughts.
Every mistake could become a lesson.
Every lesson could save his life.
---
Before sleeping, Aiden finally examined the item dropped by the Shadow Wolf.
He took the crystal from his inventory.
It was the size of a walnut.
A faint gray light swirled inside it.
The System responded immediately.
---
Beast Core (Low Grade)
Grade: Common
Description:
A crystal formed inside monsters after absorbing natural mana for a long time.
Uses:
- Crafting
- Equipment Enhancement
- Potion Ingredients
- Building Upgrades
Current Use:
Unavailable
---
"So it's another material I'll need later."
He carefully placed it inside his storage box.
Nothing in this world seemed useless.
---
The next morning...
A loud notification echoed through the island.
Ding!
---
Weekly Mission Updated
Defeat 10 Monsters
Progress:
8 / 10
Reward:
- Weapon Upgrade Material ×1
---
"Only two more."
Aiden smiled.
"I can finish this today."
After checking his weapons, he left the camp.
This time...
He avoided the northern forest.
Instead, he headed toward the western hunting grounds.
---
The forest was peaceful.
A gentle breeze rustled the leaves.
Sunlight filtered through the branches.
Everything seemed calm.
Almost too calm.
After nearly thirty minutes...
The Forest Hopper suddenly jumped from Aiden's shoulder.
It began digging excitedly beneath an old oak tree.
"Chi! Chi!"
"What did you find?"
Aiden walked over.
The ground looked ordinary.
Still...
He trusted his little companion.
Using the Stone Axe, he dug into the soil.
One layer.
Then another.
Soon...
The axe struck something hard.
Clang!
"Metal?"
He quickly cleared away the dirt.
A small iron chest appeared.
Unlike the ancient chest near the watchtower...
This one was rusty and locked.
A System message appeared.
---
Hidden Treasure Found
Old Supply Chest
Grade: Common
Condition:
Locked
Requirement:
No key needed.
Force Open?
Yes / No
---
Aiden selected Yes.
He wedged the Stone Axe into the lock and pushed with all his strength.
Crack!
The rusty lock finally broke.
The lid slowly opened.
Inside were several carefully wrapped items.
The System listed them one by one.
---
Treasure Obtained
- Iron Pickaxe Blueprint ×1
- Iron Ore ×20
- Coal ×15
- Coins ×30
Bonus Reward:
Survival Points +20
First Hidden Treasure Discovered
---
Aiden couldn't hide his excitement.
"An Iron Pickaxe!"
Now he finally had a way to mine the Mana Crystal Ore in the future.
The bonus Survival Points were also a pleasant surprise.
---
Current Survival Points
170 SP
---
As he stored the treasure...
The Forest Hopper suddenly froze.
Its ears twitched.
"Chi...?"
This time...
It wasn't looking toward the forest.
It was staring upward.
Aiden slowly raised his head.
High above the trees...
A massive shadow circled the sky.
Its wings stretched wider than a wagon.
The creature let out a piercing cry.
SKREEEEE!
The System immediately reacted.
---
Unknown Flying Monster Detected
Analysis Failed...
Reason:
Target level too high.
---
The giant bird circled the island once.
Then disappeared into the clouds.
Aiden released the breath he had been holding.
"So..."
"There are flying monsters too."
His wooden fence wouldn't help against creatures from the sky.
Another weakness.
Another problem to solve.
---
On the way back to camp, Aiden noticed fresh hoofprints leading toward the wheat field.
He quietly followed them.
Behind a group of bushes...
A small Wild Horn Goat was peacefully eating wild grass.
Unlike the others...
This one was much younger.
Aiden slowly lowered his spear.
"If I kill every young monster..."
"There won't be any adults left."
Instead, he watched it for a few moments before quietly leaving.
The Forest Hopper looked at him curiously.
"We need food..."
"But we also need balance."
"One day..."
"This island will feed us."
"If we protect it today."
---
As the sun began to set, Aiden finally returned home.
He placed the new blueprint on the workbench.
The moment it touched the table...
A blue notification appeared.
---
New Blueprint Learned
Iron Pickaxe
Requirements:
- Builder Lv.4 ✔
- Blacksmith Lv.2 ✘
Missing Requirement:
Increase Blacksmith Profession.
---
Aiden smiled bitterly.
"So I'm close..."
"But not close enough."
He looked toward the furnace.
Perhaps...
It was finally time to learn the art of blacksmithing.
Outside the camp...
Hidden among the trees...
A pair of crimson eyes silently watched the glowing furnace.
The Shadow Wolf King wasn't watching Aiden.
It was watching the fire.
As if...
It had remembered something from a very distant past.
