John reflected on what he had just read. The items he could purchase from the elder were probably in the same category of collecting materials or relics. How would he be able to expand the shelter’s physical space though? In his case, it seemed unlikely, he could build something beyond the dome. But maybe he could upgrade his tent to something more robust.

  John thought about his shelter’s skills. He had a common skill, granted upon creation of his shelter and an unique skill with “Rest XP”. But was it really that good? It only applied to the pet. Sure, for a rank G pet, it allowed for a very fast progress at the lowest levels but didn’t higher rank pets require more XP per level? And how useful would this be for high-levelled pets? And would normal battles not be better once the pet was strong enough? He had a potion that allowed him to cheat the system, even in this parallel world but without that, the skill did not seem that extraordinary.

  John continued to read.

  The waterskin John had found in the shelter was pretty common, not the Everfull one. So he had two special items in his shelter, the Magical Fire and the Pot of Abundance. The pouch with gold coins he had been given seemed to function in a similar way to the Bag of Holding but restricted to money for the shop of the village’s elder. John was surprised that some items described in this chapter did not seem to be very useful inside the shelter but rather aimed at exploration beyond the safety of his cave. Could it be that they were obtainable through the shelter rather than through other means and that this was the reason, they were listed in this chapter?

  John set the heavy book aside, his mind turning to the practical matters ahead. He realized he would need to procure some weapons soon to face future challenges.

  But then, a better idea struck him—what if he could build a forge inside his shelter? This would enable him not only to craft his own weapons but also perhaps help level up the shelter by engaging in crafting tasks within.

  The thought of having a forge and gaining the ability to shape his own armaments sparked a feeling of empowerment and self-reliance. He also could train one of his unlocked crafts, namely blacksmithing. It was a goal worth pursuing as he prepared for the trials yet to come.

  John devoted the remainder of the day to bonding with Bobo, strengthening their companionship through quiet moments and shared understanding. Furthermore, he ventured into the underwater maze, exploring it in search of hidden treasures, navigating its mysterious passages with caution and curiosity.

  Despite his efforts, no useful discoveries emerged from the maze’s twisting corridors. The exploration ended without new findings.

  The following day, leaving Bobo behind, John made his way back to the village, hopeful for a new mission or opportunity to further their journey.

  John inquired of the elder about materials and knowledge to build a forge. The elder's face lit up with enthusiasm as he responded, "We are in need of someone to process monster materials for us. If you accept this task, we will provide you with the necessary equipment."

  At that moment, a system notification appeared before John.

  This new mission offered John an opportunity to deepen his skills, contribute to the village, and make substantial improvements to his shelter and survival capabilities.

  The elder smiled and said, "Here, take it." He handed John a strange orb. The moment John touched it, the orb dissolved into a shimmering mist.

  Immediately, a system notification appeared before John: "Shelter forge unlocked."

  The elder then returned inside the village and soon came back with some burly men who began transporting parts of the Jara's carcass.

  Turning back to John, the elder requested, "Craft three shovels from the bones of the beast. You may keep whatever remains after that."

  John was a bit taken aback by the elder's request. He knew how to process metal, having some experience in forging, but bone? It was unfamiliar territory for him.

  However, as he closely observed the sturdy, intricate bones of the Jara beast, a spark of curiosity and resolve kindled within him.

  Despite his initial hesitation, John felt a strong urge to give it a try—to experiment with the materials at hand and prove his adaptability in this strange world.

  With a deep breath and steady hands, he prepared to embark on this new craft, ready to transform beast bones into useful tools. This marked the beginning of John's blacksmithing tasks in the parallel world, with the shelter's forge now ready to be put to use.

  John thanked the elder politely and asked if there was another mission waiting for him.

  Suddenly, the elder’s demeanor shifted dramatically. His face grew desperate as he shouted, "Young dragon, a child from our village has gone missing. She went to play in the woods and never returned. Find her, please!"

  John was completely shocked. A child was lost, and here they were leisurely discussing blacksmithing as if nothing urgent had happened. What was wrong with this elder?

  Without hesitation, John abandoned the Jara’s body behind. He sprinted toward the forest, starting on his human legs but quickly transforming into his tiger form, gaining speed and agility to track and find the missing child as fast as possible.

  Soon, John caught a faint familiar scent of a humanoid, similar to the elder’s—a scent that led him deeper into the dense forest. Moving swiftly and silently, he tracked the trail until he reached the source: the lost child.

  But relief was fleeting. A large wyvern, imposing and ferocious, loomed over her. The beast was massive, with powerful limbs, a spiked tail, and a fierce, angular head crowned by pronounced horns. Its thick scales glimmered with a rugged, earthy hue, perfectly camouflaged in the forest shadows. The creature's eyes burned with predatory intent, and it crouched low, ready to ambush.

  John quickly realized the child was in grave danger, trapped beneath the shadow of this relentless predator. The fight to save her was about to begin.

  The beast was larger, faster, and stronger than the Jara but still no match for John. With a powerful leap, he jumped at its throat, sinking his sharp canines into the thick scales and muscles.

  With the threat subdued, John reverted to his human form and cautiously approached the frightened child. After checking carefully to make sure she was unharmed, he smiled gently and asked, "Do you want to ride a big cat?"

  Curiosity sparkled in the child's eyes. Welcoming the question, John transformed once more into his tiger form.

  He lowered himself, allowing the child to climb onto his shoulders. Securing his passenger carefully, he then grabbed the wyvern's massive neck firmly in his jaws and began dragging the formidable creature back toward the village.

  With strength and determination, John returned to carry both the child and the defeated threat to safety.

  The elder handed John a purse filled with coins as a reward for his heroism. John decided to use the money to purchase the mana regeneration shelter-skill from the shop, hoping it would aid him greatly in the days to come.

  The elder sighed and explained, "We have no means to dismember the wyvern. The Jara was difficult enough. You will have to take it with you as it is."

  As John dragged both dead creatures behind him on the journey back to his shelter, his mind wandered to the practical difficulties of managing such burdens.

  He thought how incredibly useful it would be to have a "Bag of Holding", that magical item capable of holding vast quantities of goods within a small, convenient container—something that could make carrying these massive trophies far more manageable.

  What should he do when he was back? He had many plans.