The morning in Aethelgard brought a sense of cautious optimism to Alex. Elara's leg, though still visibly injured and splinted, showed signs of improvement. The Healing Salve from the Basic Medical Kit had worked wonders, reducing the swelling and dulling the constant throb of pain. She could now shift more easily, and the strained lines around her eyes had softened.
"How's the leg feeling today?" Alex asked, offering her a cup of fresh water from the Basic Water Collector. The water was cool and clear, a simple luxury that felt like a miracle in this new world.
Elara took a grateful sip. "Better, honestly. Still hurts, but it's not that burning agony anymore. I can actually feel my toes." A small, genuine smile touched her lips. "That medical kit… it's incredible. And this water."
"Good," Alex replied, a sense of relief washing over him. Her recovery was paramount. He glanced at his System UI, processing the current state of his resources:
[Wood (Common): 58][Stone (Common): 10][Evolution Points (EP): 10.2][Food (Raw): 50][Glowmoss (Common): 7][Crystal Shard (Common): 5][Scrap Metal (Common): 10][Basic Medical Kit: 2x Healing Salve (Minor), 1x Splint (Basic)]
The Woodcutter's Hut, diligently worked by the first Heartwood Defender, had steadily replenished their wood supply. Stone, however, remained low. The Stone Quarry stood idle, a glaring inefficiency. Alex, the strategist, couldn't tolerate such a bottleneck when foundational resources were concerned. He knew exactly what was needed.
"We need to expand our capabilities," Alex stated, his gaze sweeping over the Heartwood Sprout and its surrounding structures. "Automating our stone production is the next critical step for our growth and security." He didn't elaborate on how he would achieve this, simply stating the objective.
Elara nodded, her expression understanding. "More defense would be good too. After last night…" She shivered faintly.
"Exactly," Alex affirmed. He focused on the Heartwood Sprout, selecting the option to generate a new unit. To Elara, it would appear as if Alex was simply concentrating, perhaps touching the Core.
[Generate Heartwood Defender?][Cost: 5 Wood, 5 Stone, 1 EP] (Price lower only for the first 2 units)
He confirmed the action internally. The Heartwood Sprout pulsed with a vibrant green light. From the ground directly in front of the Core, thick, fibrous roots twisted and intertwined, rapidly forming a second plant-based construct. It grew quickly, branches sprouting for limbs, a gnarled, moss-covered formation at its apex. Within seconds, a fully formed being stood silently beside its predecessor.
[Heartwood Defender (Unit) Generated!]
Alex quickly checked his updated resources in his UI:
[Wood (Common): 53][Stone (Common): 5][Evolution Points (EP): 9.2]
"System, assign Heartwood Defender 2 to Stone Quarry 1."
The newly generated Heartwood Defender turned, its luminous orbs acknowledging the command, and lumbered towards the Stone Quarry. It positioned itself beside the structure, and a faint, green energy pulsed from its form into the quarry. Alex watched as the "Stone (Common)" count in his UI slowly, steadily, began to tick upwards: +1… +2… +3…
"Stone production is now automated," Alex announced, a wave of satisfaction washing over him. Both primary resource gathering operations were now running efficiently. This freed him up for more critical tasks.
"Alright," Alex continued, grabbing his makeshift club. "Now that our basic resource gathering is automated, I need to go out again. We still need to find out more about this shard, and we need more reliable food sources. Perhaps even another survivor, someone who can help us build faster."
Elara's expression tightened slightly. "Alone? Even with two defenders here?"
"The Heartwood Defenders are for base defense," Alex reassured her. "They're too slow for proper scouting. And I have a better understanding of how this world works now. I'll be careful. The more we know, the better we can prepare."
He knew the risks. Aethelgard was a brutal, unpredictable place. But the need for expansion, for security, outweighed the fear. He was a strategist, and a strategist needed to gather intelligence and secure assets. His unique connection to the Genesis Core gave him insights and abilities he couldn't, and shouldn't, fully explain to others, not yet.
He moved cautiously, skirting the perimeter of the clearing, then pushing deeper into the obsidian forest, heading in a different direction than his previous foray. The trees here were even more ancient, their dark bark gnarled and twisted, their luminous leaves casting deep, shifting shadows. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and strange, sweet-smelling blossoms.
He focused on absorbing any new resources he encountered. He found more patches of shimmering Glowmoss and the energy-rich Crystal Shards, slowly increasing his EP. He also kept an eye out for any signs of water, following faint depressions in the ground that might indicate ancient streambeds.
During his scouting, the automated resource production at the Heartwood Sprout continued. By the time he had been out for roughly an hour, his resources had noticeably increased, a fact he verified by a quick glance at his internal UI:
[Wood (Common): 75][Stone (Common): 25][Evolution Points (EP): 11.8]
As he crested a small rise, a faint, metallic clang echoed from the valley below. It was an unnatural sound, distinct from the organic hum of Aethelgard. His heart quickened. It sounded like… tools.
He moved silently, using the thorny bushes for cover, peering down into the shallow valley. What he saw made him pause.
In a small, secluded hollow, surrounded by jagged rock formations, a figure was struggling. It was dressed in what looked like heavily soiled and torn Earth-era work clothes, its back to him. It was attempting to pry loose a large, jagged piece of metal from a rock face, using a crude, bent crowbar. Each scrape and clang was a testament to its frustration.
[Potential Follower Detected: Skilled Survivor - Engineer Archetype. Loyalty: Unknown.]
An engineer? Alex's mind immediately began to calculate the possibilities. Someone with practical skills, especially from Earth, would be invaluable. But it was also alone, vulnerable, and clearly struggling.
He watched for a moment longer. The individual grunted with effort, pulling at the metal, but it wouldn't budge. It let out a frustrated shout, a distinctly human sound.
Alex decided to make his presence known carefully. "Hey!" he called out, his voice clear but not aggressive.
The figure stiffened, dropping the crowbar with a clatter. It spun around, its posture defensive, its eyes wide with alarm. It was a man, perhaps in his late twenties or early thirties, with a lean build and a face smudged with dirt and grease. His eyes, though wary, held a spark of intelligence.
"Who's there?" the man demanded, his voice rough. He quickly snatched up the crowbar, holding it like a weapon.
"My name's Alex," he replied, stepping out from behind the bushes, holding his own makeshift club openly, but not threateningly. "I'm a survivor from Earth. Like you, I think."
The man's eyes narrowed, assessing him. "Earth? You're… you're not one of those things?" He gestured vaguely at the surrounding Aethelgardian landscape.
"No," Alex confirmed. "And I'm not here to fight. I heard you struggling. What are you trying to get?" He gestured to the embedded metal.
The man hesitated, then lowered the crowbar slightly. "This. It's… it's a piece of a generator. From a hydro-electric plant, I think. If I could just get it loose, I might be able to salvage some parts. My name's Marcus. I was an industrial engineer back on Earth."
"An engineer," Alex repeated, a genuine sense of opportunity rising within him. "That's valuable. What do you need it for?"
Marcus sighed, running a hand through his matted hair. "Power. Water purification. Maybe even communications. Everything out here is… organic. I need something mechanical, something I understand, to build anything truly useful." He kicked at the metal in frustration. "But this rock is too stubborn, and I don't have the right tools."
Alex considered. He had the Genesis Core. He had "Basic Repulsion." He also had the "Scrap Metal" he'd absorbed from the car wreckage. He knew the Core could absorb the essence from the rock around the generator, making it easier to extract.
"Let me try something," Alex offered, stepping closer. "I have a… unique way of gathering resources."
Marcus looked skeptical, but his desperation was evident. "Unique how? You got a plasma cutter hidden in your pocket?"
Alex ignored the sarcasm. He knelt beside the embedded generator piece, placing his hand on it, and focused the Genesis Core's "Basic Resource Absorption." The familiar green light emanated from his palm, flowing into the metal.
Marcus watched, his jaw dropping as the metal, impossibly, began to shimmer and then subtly loosen from the rock. The deep hum of the Core resonated, and the rock around the generator piece seemed to soften, allowing it to be extracted with surprising ease.
[Scrap Metal (Rare) +1][Evolution Points (EP) +5.0]
"What… what was that?" Marcus breathed, staring at the now free, albeit still heavy, piece of generator. "You… you just absorbed the rock's essence? And that green light?"
"It's my Genesis Core," Alex explained, standing up. "It allows me to absorb resources and grow a living settlement. I'm building a base, a safe zone. We have a Heartwood Sprout, a Woodcutter's Hut, a Stone Quarry, a Water Collector, and even a Basic Medical Kit." He chose his words carefully, highlighting the tangible benefits without revealing the deeper System mechanics.
Marcus stared at him, then at the generator part, then back at Alex, a whirlwind of disbelief and dawning comprehension in his eyes. "A living settlement? You're… you're building a base? With that thing?" He pointed at Alex's chest, where the Core's presence was subtly felt. "And you have a Medical Kit? My leg's been bothering me for days, a nasty cut from some of those thorny plants."
"I can help with that," Alex said, gesturing back the way he came. "But I could also use your skills. The Stone Quarry is currently running, but we need someone with your engineering knowledge to help us utilize resources like this generator piece. We need more people, Marcus. To survive, to thrive. To understand this world."
Marcus looked from the generator part to Alex, then back to the forest. He was alone, injured, and struggling to even gather basic materials. Alex was offering a secure base, automated resources, and even medical aid. It was a no-brainer.
He let out a short, humorless laugh. "You're offering a roof, food, and a chance to actually build something again? And medical supplies? Lead the way, Alex. I'm in."
A new System notification chimed in Alex's UI:
[Potential Follower Secured: Marcus (Engineer Archetype)!][Loyalty: Moderate.]
"Excellent," Alex said, a genuine sense of relief and triumph in his voice. "Welcome to the Heartwood Sprout, Marcus."
Together, they carefully carried the heavy generator piece, a symbol of Earth's past and Aethelgard's future, back through the shimmering forest. The journey felt less daunting now, with a new ally by his side. Alex already envisioned Marcus at the Stone Quarry, then perhaps at a new structure, a workshop, where the scrap metal and engineering knowledge could truly begin to transform their humble sprout into something more. The community was growing, and with it, their chances of survival.