The morning forest was still, veiled in fog that clung low to the underbrush as Ken ventured out alone, basket on his back, heart full of anticipation. Today was his first solo trap check—his chance to truly prove he could provide, not just cook.
He moved quietly through the brush, tracing the loop he had laid with his father's guidance. His fingers brushed against familiar landmarks: the knot of split bark, the triangular rock pile, the scent of disturbed earth.
At the first snare, he found success: a rabbit hung from the spring trap, thrashing weakly. Ken moved quickly, dispatching it with a swift, respectful strike.
The second trap—a funnel between two woven fences of thorns—had captured a quail, feathers fluffed and squawking low. Ken untied the trap gently, calming the bird before ending its suffering.
By noon, he had retrieved two rabbits and the quail. He slung the game into his basket, feeling a satisfying weight press against his back.
But it was the fourth trap that would change his day.
Just beyond a deadfall trap that had misfired, Ken noticed something odd: a broken patch of moss, and beneath it, a twisted root nearly glowing with color. It had an amber hue that shimmered slightly even in shadow.
He knelt and pulled the root free—it was thick and multi-pronged, almost shaped like a human figure.
No… could it be?
The scent was sweet and earthy with a sharp, almost electric note.
---
You've discovered: Imperial Ginseng (Ultra Rare – Ancient Root)
Extremely rare wild ginseng known for its vitality-boosting properties. Once revered as a cure-all and traded for gold in the old empires.
+1 Permanent Luck
+2 Levels Worth of EXP (Bonus)
+40 EXP
Ken EXP: 75/60 → LEVEL UP to 4
Remaining EXP: 15/80
+5 Attribute Points Gained
+Bonus Trait: Forest's Favor – Slightly increased chance to find rare ingredients
---
Ken carefully wrapped the ginseng in soft moss and cloth, sealing it in a leather pouch. His parents could sell it in the market, no question—it would pay for winter supplies, tools, and ingredients he couldn't yet grow.
---
That Evening — Butchering Practice
Ken laid out the game on the chopping block with steady hands. He washed and plucked the birds, skinned the rabbits, and began the careful work of separating meat from bone, preserving as much usable flesh as possible.
He used sharp stones and a knife, cutting along the muscle lines, separating organs, saving the fat for rendering.
As he worked, the system pulsed:
---
[New Skill Unlocked: Butchering (Lv. 1)]
Butchering EXP: 0% → 9%
Fire Control EXP +4% → 40%
Ingredient Prep EXP +6% → 60%
---
He smoked half the meat with seasoned leaves over a low fire. The other half he prepared as stew—rabbit, wild garlic, crushed arrowroot, and a dash of lemon balm.
As his parents devoured their meal, savoring each bite, Ken's mother gently set down a small pouch containing the ginseng.
"This root you found," she said. "We can trade it in Greybrook next week. It'll be enough for months of provisions."
Ken nodded. "Just make sure to keep the moss on it. It needs to stay moist."
---
Late Night – Post-Dinner Project
While his parents slept, Ken sat outside beneath the moonlight, working with branches, cord, and vines.
He was building something… longer. Hollow. Like a tube woven from split willow branches.
The fish trap.
He'd seen something like it before—basket-like, with a narrow funnel entrance. Fish could swim in, but they'd struggle to find their way out.
He soaked vines to make them pliable, bent ribs into shape, and interwove smaller twigs like a lattice.
By midnight, it was finished:
Length: 3 feet
Diameter: 1 foot
Entrance: One side, funnel-shaped, narrowing inward
Exit: Sealed tight with twisted reeds
Bait Compartment: Small pouch made of twine, placed at the far end
Lashing: Hemp cord reinforced with forest resin
He set it aside, ready to place it in the stream near his garden the next morning.
---
[Crafting Milestone Achieved: Primitive Fish Trap Built]
+5 EXP
Butchering EXP +3% → 12%
Fire Control EXP +2% → 42%
---
KEN — STATUS
Level: 4
EXP: 15/80
Unspent Attribute Points: 5
ATTRIBUTES
STR: 7
DEX: 9
INT: 11
END: 8
CHA: 7
PER: 6 (+1 bonus)
LCK: 10 → 11
TS: 3
SS: 4
---
SKILLS UNLOCKED
Ingredient Prep (Lv. 1 – 60%)
Fire Control (Lv. 1 – 42%)
Seasoning Sense (Lv. 1 – 60%)
Ingredient Identification (Lv. 1 – 48%)
Basic Gardening (Lv. 1 – 15%)
Basic Trapping (Lv. 1 – 34%)
Butchering (Lv. 1 – 12%)
Meal Preservation (Lv. 1 – 5%)
---
Ken leaned back, staring up at the stars, his hands scratched and stained but steady.
I'm catching my own food. Preparing it. Preserving it. Selling what I can. I'm not just surviving anymore.
I'm building something.
And soon, the village would taste it.
--------------------------------------------------