The forest air was thick and damp, saturated with the scent of wet earth, moss, and decaying leaves. It clung to Lucas's skin as he carefully moved through the shadow-strewn woods, cradling five Moonwood branches tightly in his arms.
Above him, towering trees blocked most of the moonlight, letting only scattered shards of silver spill down like fractured ribbons.The world around him was silent—eerily so.Only the soft, solitary crunch of dead leaves beneath his boots reminded him he hadn't gone deaf.
He glanced down at the branches in his arms and sighed.
"Five lousy sticks... barely enough for a half-decent shelter," he muttered, keeping his voice low, as if speaking too loudly might shatter the fragile quiet.
Just then, a long-delayed mechanical chime echoed softly in his mind.
[System Prompt: Novice task - Additional reward settlement completed.][Energy Points +5. Current EP: 5/50.][Hint: Energy Points can be used to unlock system functions. Continue to accumulate through exploration, gathering, and survival actions.]
A faint translucent screen slid into the edge of his vision.
[System Interface]Energy Points (EP): 5/50Unlockable Function: Basic Storage Module (Requires 50 EP)Current Task: Locate Edible Resources (In Progress)
Lucas raised an eyebrow.
"Strength points get credited instantly, but energy points need to wait in line?This system's got a bit of an attitude," he muttered dryly.
Still, a small sense of reassurance stirred in his chest.Effort, no matter how small, actually meant something here.
He tightened his grip on the Moonwood branches and continued deeper into the forest.
Soon, he came upon a collapsed ancient tree blanketed in moss.Nestled around its gnarled roots were several rough-looking branches.Their surfaces were damp, dark, and carried the heavy scent of rot.No shimmer, no glow—just lifeless wood under the moonlight.
Lucas crouched and picked up one of the thicker branches.With a sharp twist, he snapped it in two.
Crack.
The sound echoed unnaturally loud.He looked up, waiting for a system prompt.
One second. Two. Three...
Nothing.
Finally, a cold, flat line of text appeared:
[System Prompt: Ordinary material gathered. No energy feedback detected.]
Lucas froze for a moment, then looked from the dull stick in his hand to the faintly glowing Moonwood branches in his arms.
The difference was obvious.
Ordinary wood, though sturdy, might still be useful—for a quick fire, maybe, or a rough shelter.But in the system's eyes?
It was empty. Dead.
Moonwood, though…The light it gave off wasn't just decorative.There was something inside it. Something that stirred the air around it like ripples in still water.
Lucas quietly made a note of it.He tucked the plain stick under his arm as backup and pressed forward.
As the night deepened, the chill set in.Damp air clung to his skin and crept beneath his clothes like invisible fingers.
He paused, glancing up at the moon, now veiled by clouds.Everything around him had dimmed to deep, formless gray.
The silence felt heavier now.More than that—he could feel it. A presence.Not close, not obvious... but something was watching from the shadows.
"I need a fire," he whispered. "Not just for warmth."
He crouched down and scraped together a small pile of dry grass and twigs.From under his arm, he pulled the ordinary stick and began the slow process of sparking a flame.
After a few failed attempts, a tiny ember finally caught.
Lucas carefully fed in the plain wood.The flames flared hungrily for a moment—then quickly died back, leaving only a dim, sputtering glow.
He frowned, hesitated for only a breath, then took out one of the Moonwood branches.With deliberate care, he placed it into the dying fire.
The effect was immediate.
The flame brightened. Steadied.It burned slower, deeper—almost alive.
And in that flame, he saw it: a faint silver mist curling upward, like power being breathed into the air.
[System Prompt: Special material - Moonwood. Primary energy release trait detected. Potential for future skill derivation.]
Lucas blinked.
So Moonwood not only burned longer...It released energy?
A new thread of possibility bloomed in his mind.If this was just the beginning… what else could be done with it?
The firelight flickered across his face, chasing back the worst of the cold.Lucas crouched beside it for a while, letting the warmth soak into his chilled limbs.
But he didn't stay long.
After a few minutes, he stood again.Then, with careful sweeps of his boot, scattered the coals and snuffed the flames.
In a place like this, light could be just as dangerous as darkness.
He dusted himself off, adjusted the Moonwood branches in his arms, and walked once more into the forest's deep shadow.
Not long after, he clambered over a low hill tangled in vines.As he slipped through the underbrush, a soft chime rang again in his mind:
[System Prompt: New area discovered – Edge of the Glimmering Forest.Reward: Energy Points +5. Current EP: 10/50.]
Lucas smirked.
"As long as I keep moving… I'll carve out something of my own."
He bent low, sweeping aside a curtain of thick vines.
And then, the grass ahead rustled—just once.
Every muscle in his body locked up.He gripped the Moonwood stick like a weapon, eyes narrowing.
The wind had stopped.The tree shadows danced faintly beneath the moonlight.
And in the darkness just ahead...Something was moving. Quiet. Watching.