Chapter 12: Mystery Mechanism

Paul found himself in the old ruins of a large building. He began searching for anything that might be useful in the future. The ruins consisted of around five rooms, though some walls had been destroyed long ago. In front of Paul was a large room; to the right were the remains of a wall that reached his knees, while the front walls were intact, with space for a door. To the left, the wall was completely gone, and the area was overtaken by trees. There were no unpleasant smells, only the fresh scent of nature. Paul liked the smell and was pleased to see no bugs so far.

He first headed left, exploring among the roots and weeds. He found only pieces of rock and planks of wood, nothing of particular interest. Next, he went right, jumped over the small ruined wall, and discovered some old bookshelves. Although some were still standing, they held no books—just more moss.

The smallest room was the last he explored. It had all four walls and a roof. Inside, Paul saw only a chair and a table, both weathered by time. As he walked around the room, he noticed a hollow sound coming from under the floor whenever he approached the table. Examining it closely, he discovered a hidden trapdoor made of stone. Using a dagger, he cut away some moss and cleaned the gap between the floor and the door.

Once the door was clear, Paul used the dagger as a crowbar to lift the heavy stone. Pushing it aside, he found a hole about one square meter in size. An old, damp smell wafted from the hole. Deciding to let the air circulate before climbing down, he cleaned himself up a bit, as he was still covered in blood. He also checked his stats, noting the recent gains from his battles with the wolves.

**Name:** Paul Silver

**Title:** Noble Peasant

**Guild Level:** G

**Guild Points:** 987

**Strength:** 297

**Agility:** 369

**Endurance:** 188

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**Stamina:** 440

**Wisdom:** 424

**Intelligence:** 446

**Charisma:** 125

**Leadership:** 0

**Luck:** 328

**Fighting Spirit:** 379

**Fame:** 1005

**Skills**

- Humble Mask: -

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- Aura Shift: Intermediary LVL.3 (99%)

- Memos: -

- Identification: Intermediary LVL.5 (12%)

- Mana Sight: Beginner LVL.8 (40%)

- Creature Tamer: Beginner LVL.7 (0%)

- Perception: Intermediary LVL.3 (99%)

- Parkour: Intermediary LVL.2 (99%)

- Naturas: Beginner LVL.5 (20%)

- Detective: Beginner LVL.6 (93%)

- Deception: Beginner LVL.6 (23%)

- Stealth: Intermediary LVL.1 (64%)

- Listening: Intermediary LVL.3 (99%)

- Iron Will: Intermediary LVL.9 (99%)

- Insight: Beginner LVL.9 (86%)

- Dual Wielding Daggers: Intermediary LVL.1 (29%)

- Survivalist: -

- Crafting: Beginner LVL.8 (20%)

- Archery: Beginner LVL.5 (90%)

- Bookworm: Intermediary LVL.1 (25%)

Paul then took out his blacksmithing and tailoring tools to repair his armor and weapons. After eating a bit, he began examining the bodies of the wolves, salvaging everything useful. A few hours later, he put everything back except for a pelt, which he placed on the ground to sit on as he meditated. He reviewed everything that had happened in the last 24 hours using Memo and thought about ways to improve his arsenal and safety.

He remembered a weapon he hadn't yet crafted or used: a crossbow. He needed to think about how it worked and what parts were necessary. After a few hours, he had a mental plan for the crossbow. Using all his skills and resources, he created a prototype. It could shoot an arrow but lacked power. Paul made several improvements and eventually crafted a crossbow that met his standards.

The final crossbow was compact and looked like a small gun. It could shoot five small iron arrows without needing to reload and had the power to penetrate and get stuck in a rock from 15 meters away. Paul used iron for the mechanisms and a combination of bone and wood for elasticity. The string was made from part of the Alpha’s fur. Although not perfect, it would serve until he found better materials. He made two identical crossbows and salvaged what he could from the prototypes.

**Mystery Mechanism (2X)**

*Damage:* ???

*Durability:* 250/250

Description: A mechanism created by its inventor, capable of launching small iron arrows. It can shoot five arrows before needing to reload. Reloading time depends on various factors.

He also created two gauntlets with built-in arrow launchers. They looked like ordinary gauntlets, but pulling back a finger would release an arrow. Effective only up to 2 meters, they had the same power as the crossbow at 15 meters.

**Modified Gauntlet (2X)**

*Damage:* ???

*Durability:* 550/550

Description: A mechanism created by its inventor, capable of launching a small iron arrow while offering arm protection. Reloading the arrow takes at least 10 minutes.

Satisfied with his creations, Paul felt they might one day save his life if used properly. He also found that his archery skill applied to crossbows as well, given their shared use of arrows.

Paul then decided to explore the underground room, now presumably ventilated. He found a broken ladder, too weak to support his weight, so he jumped down.

To his surprise, the room was undamaged. The walls were intact and covered with unfamiliar writing. The only items in the room were a book and a bed. Paul was excited to see the bed, which looked comfortable and soft. It had no smell, which added to his relief. The book, though old, was in good condition.

Paul made some torches and placed them around the room. He ensured proper ventilation to avoid suffocation. He picked up the book and began reading. It contained parts written in the same language as the wall inscriptions. He read quickly, learned some words, and reread the book several times. A notification appeared:

**Skill Update**

You have learned the basics of a new language, Ancient Eldorian. Continue to read and learn to master the language.

**Memos**

This skill is innate and allows you to memorize everything you experience. You can relive any experience from the last 24 hours and learn languages faster.

**Languages Known:**

- Human (100%)

- Elven (100%)

- Runean (100%)

- Ancient Eldorian (20%)

**Warning:** This skill will not change no matter how much you use it.

Paul examined the wall inscriptions and recognized some words. "I recognize a few words, but I still can't understand everything. This one means 'mana,' that one means 'ward,' and that one means 'protection.' I need to identify the most frequently used words and make sense of them."

After a few minutes, he gave up for the night, as he was tired. He covered the hole with leaves and branches, extinguished the fires, and went to bed. The bed was so comfortable that he fell asleep almost immediately.

The next day, Paul woke up and returned to the ground level. Nothing had changed. He enjoyed a quiet meal, sitting on a pelt and savoring the peace of nature. Afterward, he went back down, lit some torches, and resumed studying the walls. After a few hours, he could understand simple sentences. Taking a break, he went outside for fresh air and appreciated having a peaceful resting place.

Paul gathered rocks, branches, and moss to build a small shack—more of a sleeping nook than a full-fledged shelter. It was about the size of a bed, constructed from rock and wood, with the wood hidden beneath a layer of rock. He covered the structure with moss, using mana to make it spread and blend with the surroundings. The entrance looked like a natural cave opening. Inside, he used wolf pelts to insulate the walls and sealed the entrance with a hollow rock. From the outside, it resembled a large rock embedded in the ground.

“There’s still something missing… Ah, yes, the bed.”

Paul retrieved the bed from the hole. It was too big to fit through the entrance, so he absorbed it into the ring and then reintroduced it inside. It fit perfectly. After a light meal, he went back down to study the rest of the writing.

After several hours, he could understand the entire text. It was a lesson on crafting a rune to create a protective field. This rune caused sickness in anyone who entered, depending on the amount of mana used and the distance between the runes.

**Ward - Beginner LVL.1 (73%)**

Using ancient runes, you can create a protection field that makes anyone sick upon contact. The field’s minimum distance is 1 meter per 100 mana spent. The effects vary with mana usage and distance between runes.

Paul had learned everything he could from the room and used his skills to reinforce his new house. Unsure if it would work, he decided to test it

later. After a light meal, he entered the house and sealed the entrance, using Memo to review what he had learned before falling asleep.

The next morning, he absorbed the house into the ring, unsure if it was possible given its size. After eating, he left the ruins and continued west. A short distance away, he encountered creatures resembling eyeless horses. Disturbed by their appearance, Paul decided to test his new arsenal using stealth.