Finn took a breath to calm himself.
'Two panels down. Two more to go.'
He focused again, this time on the third panel, the Builder Panel.
The moment he thought of it, the Mission Panel dissolved into golden sparks. A soft pulse of warm light spread outward as a new golden interface appeared before him, wider and more complex than the others.
The words glowed at the top of the panel.
[BUILDER PANEL]
Then, something extraordinary happened.
A detailed map of Riverwood Village unfolded in the air. It hovered clearly in front of him, glowing faintly as if drawn with golden ink. Every path, every hut and cottage, every fence, everything was there.
Finn's eyes widened.
'That's the village. It's exactly how it looks from above.'
It felt like he was standing over Riverwood itself, like a planner or a strategist from the old stories.
Below the floating map, several golden tabs appeared. Each one was labeled and waiting to be explored.
He looked at the first and gently focused his thought on it. The tab opened instantly, revealing a list of buildings under that category.
=====
[Management]
[+] Village Hall (Tier 1)
[+] Resource Depot (Tier 1)
[+] Command Center (Tier 1)
[Operation]
[+] Lumber Mill (Tier 1)
[+] Stone Quarry (Tier 1)
[+] Water Well (Tier 1)
[Food Production]
[+] Crop Field (Tier 1)
[+] Chicken Coop (Tier 1)
[+] Goat Pen (Tier 1)
[+] Cow Shed (Tier 1)
[+] Animal Farm (Tier 1)
[Economy]
[+] Market (Tier 1)
[+] Workshop (Tier 1)
[+] Trading Post (Tier 1)
[+] Storage Barn (Tier 1)
[Education]
[+] Reading Hut (Tier 1)
[+] Village School (Tier 1)
[+] Apprentice Shelter (Tier 1)
[Safety]
[+] Guard Post (Tier 1)
[+] Watchtower (Tier 1)
[+] Emergency Bell (Tier 1)
[+] Stone Wall (Tier 1)
[+] Stone Gate (Tier 1)
[Military]
[+] Training Grounds (Tier 1)
[+] Barracks (Tier 1)
[+] Armory (Tier 1)
[Residential]
[+] Cottage (Tier 1)
[+] House (Tier 1)
[Heroic Development]
[+] Hero Altar (Tier 1)
[+] Hero Academy (Tier 1)
=====
Finn didn't know where to look or read first.
There was simply too much.
So many buildings. So many categories. Each tab looked like it could take him hours to explore. He felt like someone who had been handed a map to a treasure hoard but didn't know which chest to open.
'Let's not get lost in all this now,' he told himself. 'I'll skim through everything quickly and study them properly later.'
He let his thoughts brush over each category, opening and closing tabs, skimming the building names again just to register what existed.
He didn't dive into details yet. Not until he understood more about how the system actually worked in practice.
'Before I build anything… I need to look at Riverwood itself.'
His eyes drifted to the golden map floating before him. The layout was accurate, the farms to the west, the cottages clustered at the center, and the makeshift fence running around the village's edge like a fragile thread.
'So this is where everything starts. If I'm going to help the village… I need to know what it really needs.'
Finn stood in silence for a moment, thinking.
The villagers had food. Not much, but enough to survive.
There were too many small and old cottages. They could be improved later.
The guards tried their best, but the walls? They were barely there.
He clenched his fists lightly. 'If a wild beast or bandits attacked… we wouldn't last an hour.'
He focused his thoughts again, this time on something specific.
[Stone Wall (Tier 1)]
A new window appeared instantly, golden letters glowing in the air.
=====
[Stone Wall – Tier 1]
Height: 3.5 meters
Durability: Withstands Level 5 and below attacks
Resistance: Basic defense against low-tier wild beast, Heroes, and other beings
Function: Creates a strong perimeter to protect the village. Can be connected to gates and towers.
Build Cost: 1 Builder Point per 200 meters
=====
Finn read it twice.
'A real wall. Tall enough to stop a charging beast. Strong enough to hold against more than just sticks and rocks.'
The description was clear. It would cost 1 Builder Point for every two hundred meters built.
'That should cover the entire village for the start.'
The thought of surrounding Riverwood with real stone—sturdy, dependable, protective—sent a chill through him.
It wasn't fear but something else.
He could see it now. A village with high walls. Watchtowers rising above the treetops. A safe place where people could sleep without fear.
'I'll need more Builder Points even for safety alone. A lot more.'
But at least now, he knew where to begin.
He closed the window slowly, eyes returning to the golden map of Riverwood.
"Let's protect the people first," he said softly. "Then… we build everything else."
As the window closed and the golden map came back into view, a new question entered Finn's mind.
'How does the system even know I'm from Riverwood?'
He hadn't told it anything. No names, no directions, no location. Yet somehow, the Builder Panel had mapped out the entire village with perfect accuracy.
'Is this place just assigned to me as a starting point? Or... can I choose anywhere I want to build in the future?'
He tapped his finger gently against his leg, eyes narrowing.
The idea excited him.
But then, his expression grew more serious as a very real concern surfaced.
'Wait… how am I even supposed to build anything without the villagers freaking out?'
Stone walls don't just rise overnight in a place like Riverwood. Not without question. Not without fear. Not without someone demanding answers.
He sighed and slowly sat down, crossing his legs beneath him. His elbows rested on his knees, and one hand cupped his chin in deep thought.
'If I suddenly create a wall around the village, what are they going to think? That I'm a sorcerer? That I've made a pact with something?'
His mind ran through dozens of reactions, most of them bad.
'Old Hann would question me. Thom might defend me, but the others…'
He took a slow breath.
'Unless… I don't take credit for it.'
He looked up at the forest canopy above him.
'Let them think it's a gift. Something divine. A blessing from the gods. People believe in that kind of thing, especially here.'
A wry smile touched his lips.
'I could just make the walls appear little by little. Quietly. Bit by bit. Let them wonder. Let them think the forest spirits are protecting them.'
It wasn't lying, exactly. He didn't need to say anything. Just… not correct them.
He nodded slowly, the plan settling into place.
"Let the miracles speak for themselves," he whispered.
For now, that would be enough. No need to complicate things. No need to claim power. Just protect the village, one silent wall at a time.