Outside the protective dome, the wheat fields appeared dark and gloomy, the golden warmth of the village light fading beneath heavy skies. Suddenly, from the shadows of the tall grass, a large rat as big as a dog emerged, its fur pitch-black and slick, with glowing red eyes that glinted menacingly in the dull light.

  The creature was too powerful for Bobo, who shrank back nervously. But John, feeling the strength restored within him, stepped forward without hesitation. With a swift, strong kick, he sent the rat flying through the air, far beyond the horizon, where it disappeared into the distance.

  For a moment, the fields fell silent again, as John realized that although he was out of the safety of the dome, he was ready to face whatever threats lurked beyond, his restored power standing firm by his side.

  John wondered how he could train Bobo when it was too weak to fight even a rat. His thoughts shifted to the shelter he needed to find, wondering if in this parallel world he would come across spots similar to those in the real world.

  Bobo looked as if it was cold, shivering as it stood there. John squatted down in front of the fragile pet and asked if he could help, hoping Bobo would understand. The small creature pointed toward the pet storage artifact in one of John's pockets.

  Without hesitation, John took it out, and in a stream of soft white light, Bobo disappeared into the artifact. A system notification appeared stating that John would need to hold the artifact in front of himself and call Bobo’s name to summon the pet. This at least gave John some peace of mind that Bobo was alright after the sudden disappearance.

  Though surprised at first, John soon realized it was for the best—it would allow him to move more freely, with Bobo safely tucked away until the time came to train and journey together once again.

  John wondered to himself, where would be the best place to seek shelter? And more importantly, what did he really need shelter from? If the monsters in this world were anything like the rat he'd just faced, the threat seemed minimal. It struck him that, while sleeping in the open wasn't exactly comfortable or secure, he was strong enough now—even if he was ambushed by creatures as weak as that rat, there was little real danger.

  The thought was both comforting and cautionary; it suggested he had some freedom while scouting for shelter, but he couldn't shake the feeling that the world might be hiding greater hazards. For now, the fields felt quiet and open, and John felt little urgency—confident that such minor obstacles wouldn't endanger him, even in his sleep, his most vulnerable state.

  John made up his mind to explore the area around him. If this place in the parallel world shared similarities with Cloudroot, perhaps he could find the underwater cave he remembered from his past adventures. With a spark of hope and curiosity, he began walking steadily toward the distant mountains, eager to uncover familiar landmarks and secrets that might guide him on his journey.

  John reached the foot of the mountain chain and began to ascend. His climb was effortless, a far cry from the struggle he remembered having as a powerless little boy making his first attempt. Now, strengthened and confident, each step felt natural and sure, the mountains welcoming him rather than resisting his progress.

  John searched diligently for the opening of the cave he remembered from his past. The task proved challenging, as the rocky environment was monotonous and confusing, each crag and crevice blending into the next. It took time and patience to orient himself amidst the indistinguishable stone formations, the cave entrance not immediately evident in the rugged landscape.

  But finally, a faint smell of saltwater reached John's nose. Encouraged, he pressed on and soon discovered an opening in the rock face. Without hesitation, he leapt inside.

  He found himself once again in a dome-shaped cave, the familiar sight of a pool of water welcoming him. Grateful for his regained water breathing skill, he dove into the shimmering pool and swam through the underwater maze with ease.

  Eventually, John reached what should have been the underwater cave—the chamber of the blue crystal. But to his dismay, there was no crystal in sight. Only a hollow space remained in the wall where the crystal should have been, an empty void hinting at some unknown change or theft within this parallel world.

  Despite the absence of the crystal, John made a firm decision. He swam over to the hole in the wall and carefully placed his shelter artifact inside.

  Immediately, a series of system notifications appeared before his eyes:

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  The artifact adapted swiftly to the underwater setting, preparing a comfortable resting place and activating a special effect while resting there. John felt a sense of relief and progress, knowing he had secured a special safe haven, even in this altered parallel world.

  John soon found himself enclosed within a dome-like structure. The walls surrounding him were composed entirely of water, obscuring any view beyond their shimmering, bluish surface. These liquid walls formed a half-sphere around him, measuring approximately 5 meters in radius, or 10 meters in diameter.

  The bluish light permeating the dome lent a calm, surreal atmosphere as John settled into his new refuge.

  Inside the dome, the ground was rocky and dry beneath his feet, providing a stable and secure footing. In the center stood a small tent, cozy and inviting, a perfect refuge in this unique shelter. In front of the tent, there was a burning campfire. An unusual sight in such a confined space. Next to it was a pot and some utensils.

  A system window appeared before him, displaying the shelter’s status:

  Shelter

  John glanced at his own experience bars but noticed they weren’t moving at all. Then an idea struck him. He pulled out his pet artifact and summoned Bobo.

  The little pet appeared to be quite happy in this new environment and began to clumsily wander around, exploring every nook and cranny. John brought up his stat screen once more and observed something intriguing—Bobo’s XP bar was slowly rising.

  It became clear that the Rest XP skill wasn’t applying to John himself but to his pet. The shelter allowed Bobo to gain experience even while resting, a helpful boost for the weak creature’s growth. This realization gave John renewed hope for training Bobo and making the most of their bond.

  John decided there wasn’t much more to do inside the cave for now. He searched for anything useful to take with him but in the end, just grabbed a waterskin laying around next to the fire and the pot, in front of the tent. Concerned for Bobo’s safety, he instructed his pet to stay away from the water walls, fearing that something unpredictable or dangerous might happen if the pet got too close.

  Bobo nodded in understanding, and John made the decision to leave him safely inside the shelter where he could grow stronger undisturbed.

  With a final glance back, John exited the cave and headed back toward the mountains, ready to continue his journey and face whatever lay ahead.

  John left the mountains behind and made his way to the nearby forest, its edges grazing the borders of the village reminiscent of Cloudroot. As he ventured deeper, a sudden flurry of movement caught him off guard—he was attacked by a pack of rats.

  Reacting swiftly, John dispatched the rats with ease, his strength and skills proving more than enough to handle the threat. Once the danger had passed, he began his search for ingredients among the underbrush and trees.

  He wondered quietly to himself: Would it be possible to find the necessary components for his special potion in this parallel world? The thought spurred him onward, his eyes scanning the forest floor with renewed determination.

  Fortunately, John came across some bluecap mushrooms growing near a mossy patch. He also found fresh stream water, which he carefully filled into his waterskin. Nearby, bees hummed around a cluster of wild honeycombs rich with golden honey.

  He gathered these ingredients and used large leaves to wrap them into a makeshift package. Carrying the honey proved tricky—it was sticky and dripped out from the package. John realized he would need some utensils or containers to transport it more easily. Apart from the pot and the waterskin, there was nothing in his shelter which could help with this task though. Maybe once the village opened again, he could obtain something useful there.

  With his supplies packed, John set off back toward the village. As he walked, he wondered if he might soon be given one of those famous missions the elder had mentioned—tasks that could shape his destiny in this parallel world.

  John reached the village once again but found himself unable to pass through the protective dome surrounding it. He called out for the elder, but there was no response—24 hours had not yet elapsed.

  Glancing at his timer, John noticed it was still displaying an error. He resolved to wait a bit outside the village’s dome, thinking he had enough time to spare.

  Suddenly, a system notification appeared.

  John was taken aback by this unexpected message. This parallel world certainly had strange mechanics of its own. He wondered if he was strong enough to resist the acid rain, but knowing these trials were designed for dragons, he figured it was wiser not to take the risk.

  Without hesitation, he sprinted towards his shelter in the underwater cave hidden among the mountains, hoping to reach safety before the deadly rain began.

  Inside the cave-shelter, John was pleased to see that Bobo had leveled up to level 2. However, his spirits sank as he examined the pet’s stat progression—it was dishearteningly slow.

  Despite the increase in level, the improvements in Bobo’s attributes were minimal, leaving John concerned about how effectively he could train and strengthen his pet in this challenging parallel world. The modest gains underscored the uphill battle ahead, requiring patience and perhaps new strategies to unlock Bobo's potential.

  John wondered whether his special potion would be lethal to Bobo. Ordinarily, only he himself could consume it, but he questioned if their unique bond through the system might permit Bobo to drink it as well.

  Determined to find out, John entered the tent and retrieved a rudimentary pot. Fortunately, the system had supplied some basic cooking utensils as part of the shelter's provisions.

  He carefully brewed his potion and then studied it intently, watching for any system notifications or hints that might indicate whether the concoction would pose a danger to Bobo. This moment of cautious experimentation was a small but vital step in their shared journey.

  Sadly, there was no indication or notification from the system about whether Bobo could safely drink the potion.

  However, shortly after, another system notification appeared:

  At the same moment, the shelter's level increased—John had reached Shelter Level 2.

  This advancement brought a small sense of accomplishment and hinted that new benefits and features might soon become available in the shelter, offering hope for both John and Bobo's journey ahead.

  John carefully read the description of the Pot of Abundance skill. It promised to automatically regenerate whatever had been prepared inside the pot, replenishing the supply without additional effort.

  Though this mechanic was obviously intended for cooked meals, John realized he had nonetheless activated it not actually making food but rather concocting his negative XP potion. Even though the potion was very easy to brew, he thought it might be a good use for this special pot instead of traditional meals.

  Seeing the potential advantages, John decided to accept and activate the Pot of Abundance skill, hopeful it would provide a continuous supply of his potion to aid him and maybe Bobo in their journey.