Ken rose with the golden light of dawn brushing against the window. Today was packed—salt, soil, and string.
He stepped outside with a bucket in each hand and made his way to the shoreline. The tide had just begun to recede, and the early morning mist clung low to the ground. He filled both buckets with ocean water, each one sloshing heavily with every step back toward home.
"Off to the woods after this, right?" his mother asked as she met him by the fire pit.
"Soon as I check the garden," Ken said, setting down the buckets.
She rolled her sleeves and smiled. "Go on. I'll keep the water simmering and scrape the salt when it's done. Don't come home empty-handed."
---
Ken stepped into his fenced garden, now a modest but flourishing 6x8 meter plot enclosed in vine-woven wood and topped with angled slats to deter rabbits. Rows of crownroot, sweetgrass, wild garlic, and green onions waved gently in the breeze. He weeded and watered carefully, loosening soil around the stems and checking for pests.
---
[Basic Gardening EXP +5% → 43%]
---
Soon after, he met his father, who stood by the house stringing two longbows. One was his own—scarred and polished smooth by years of use. The other, a little rougher, had clearly been refurbished from scraps.
"Not a thing of beauty," his father said, handing it over, "but it'll send an arrow straight."
Ken gripped the bow tightly. "What's first?"
"Stance," his father said without hesitation.
They started at the edge of the forest, where tree stumps and cleared underbrush gave them room to move. His father explained how to square his shoulders, how to anchor the string at his cheekbone, and how to breathe low in his belly.
"Draw too fast, you'll shake. Aim too long, you'll miss. Bow hunting's patience, not power."
Ken nocked his first arrow and pulled.
"Back straight. Elbow high."
He let the arrow fly.
It spun awkwardly and flopped to the dirt a few feet away.
"You'll get there," his father said, grinning. "Next."
---
Ken tapped his chin. Bow hunting was all about steady hands, accurate shots, and staying alert in the woods.
"I need to be able to draw a bow, stay hidden, and hit where I'm aiming."
He made his choices carefully:
+3 Dexterity – for quicker reflexes and better hand-eye coordination
+2 Perception – to help him hear and spot game more easily
+2 Focus – to steady his nerves and maintain aim
+2 Vitality – to endure the long treks and physical labor
+1 Strength – just enough to handle heavier draw weights
---
> Updated Attributes:
Strength: 8
Dexterity: 12
Vitality: 10
Perception: 9
Focus: 9
Attribute Points Remaining: 0
-----
Thanks to his enhanced Dexterity, Ken found the positioning easier to maintain, the draw smoother than it would've been just days ago. His Focus kept his aim steady as his father walked him through the basics—stance, anchor point, release timing, and breath control.
They practiced until the sun crested above the trees. Arrows thudded against bark, whipped through leaves, and finally—finally—hit a target.
Not dead center. But solid.
---
[New Skill Unlocked: Basic Archery (Lv. 1 – 4%)]
---
By afternoon, they moved deeper into the woods. His father taught him to listen—for wingbeats, branch rustles, and footfalls.
"Eyes don't hunt. Ears do."
Then, as they crept past a low ridge, they spotted it: a pheasant, pecking through the brush, its copper feathers gleaming in the sun.
Ken froze. His father tapped his arm twice.
Two steps. Two breaths.
Ken raised the bow, kept his breathing steady, and released.
The arrow struck just below the wing. The bird flailed, then fell.
He ran over, cradling the still-warm body in his hands.
"I got it," he whispered. "I actually got it."
His father laughed—a deep, proud sound. "You're a hunter now."
---
[Basic Archery EXP +6% → 10%]
[Ingredient Identification EXP +2% → 72%]
---
They returned home just as the sun dipped low. The buckets of seawater had boiled down to crusty white crystals, which his mother was now sweeping into a cloth pouch.
"Smells like dinner's waiting on you," she said, handing Ken the pouch of salt.
He nodded and headed for the hearth.
---
In the kitchen, Ken butchered the pheasant with steady hands, peeling away the feathers and slicing into the breast with practiced precision. He marinated the meat with a light brine and sweetgrass, then pan-seared it and served it over a nest of wild greens and garlic.
He added a bit of crownroot mash on the side and served it on a flat wooden board.
The family gathered quietly.
One bite—and their faces lit up.
"The texture," his father murmured. "You don't even need more seasoning."
Ken smiled. It tastes this good… because I worked for it.
---
[Butchering EXP +5% → 55%]
[Seasoning Sense EXP +3% → 74%]
[Meal Preservation EXP +2% → 48%]
---
> KEN — STATUS (End of Chapter 15)
Level: 5
EXP: 0/100
Unallocated Attribute Points: 0
SKILLS UNLOCKED:
Ingredient Prep (Lv. 2 – 0%)
Fire Control (Lv. 1 – 92%)
Seasoning Sense (Lv. 1 – 74%)
Ingredient Identification (Lv. 1 – 72%)
Basic Gardening (Lv. 1 – 43%)
Basic Trapping (Lv. 1 – 67%)
Butchering (Lv. 1 – 55%)
Meal Preservation (Lv. 1 – 48%)
Food Packaging (Lv. 1 – 55%)
Clay Crafting (Lv. 1 – 4%)
Basic Archery (Lv. 1 – 10%)
---
Ken lay in bed that night, arms sore and fingers stained with salt and soil. His bow leaned against the wall. Tomorrow, he would prep again for market.
But tonight?
He was satisfied.
And full.
----