"God, it smells like blood in here." I joke with a small chuckle while stretching my back out and putting my very, very, bloody gloves into my inventory for me to wash off later. 'Now what do I want to do, should I bury the skeletons or try and figure out how to properly make pelt out of dragon hide.' I think deciding one of those is significantly easier to figure out than the other.
Which then leads me to walking out of the cave and a relatively decent spot to go digging for these skeletons. Finding such a spot took longer than I expected but having gotten there eventually. Though the hole having taken up the rest of the day and a little more leaving me with only burying the Nadder and having to bury the Zippleback at a later date.
—----------------------------
Having returned to the cave after burying the Nadder I went straight to bed as it would be better to prep the meat and dissect the organs when the sun is out. With it not really needing to be out but more so preferring it and putting my mind at ease.
The night having quickly gone by and thankfully not having been woken up by anything. As there is no quicker way to anger and annoy somebody than wake them up from a good night's rest. Especially after a day of hard work.
'I need to learn so many things.' I think as I drag my hands down my face. I need to learn brewing, blacksmithing, glassworking, and so many more things. 'Also I need to figure out how to make this hide usable.' I think while staring at my inventory and all the hide I have.
'Maybe I should try and make a boat.' I think knowing it would be significantly easier to learn these subjects from other people than figure it out from scratch. Especially blacksmithing and brewing. "Has glassworking even been invented yet?" I mutter to myself and try to remember the time period how to train your dragon takes place in.
'I need glass and liquor to preserve organs and I can't source either of those two at the moment.' I think as I check the system if I can get any help there to see I have two tickets for some reason making me check my achievements.
[Achievements]
Skin and Butcher a Deadly Nadder
Rewards: one Gacha ticket
Skin and Butcher a Hideous Zippleback
Rewards: one Gacha ticket
'I'll take it.' I think with a small nod but quickly focus back to the topic and scroll through the giant achievements list to see if I can try and meta-game my way around figuring out everything. But nothing showing besides the thousands of icons that are greyed out.
'It was worth a shot right.' I groan as I swap over to gacha and spin twice. Hoping I get a for dummies book or something so I don't have to wander in the dark. With the wheel slowing down and not showing the most promising of options.
[Gacha]
Bone Needle
Flagon
"The hell am I going to use a flagon for, I don't even have liquor yet. At least the Bone Needle is somewhat useful." My hands flying up as the distaste for gambling grows more and more by each wheel spin. 'If not for the fact I need this gacha to advance faster I would never use it.' I think cursing the gacha wheel for giving me a flagon.
'Okay, okay I need to calm down. My luck will have to get better eventually.' I think as I walk out of the cave that way I can go bury the Zippleback skeleton like I did with the Nadder. Finding a decent spot having been a lot quicker than yesterday making me want to lose it for a moment but deciding I have better things to spend my energy on such as this hole.
A couple hours of digging later I finally get the Nadder skeleton in the ground and buried. 'Check up on the Dragon Root farm then go home.' I think as I head over to the farm and water the dragon root before wondering what I should work on today.
'Try to cure the hide I have, or salt the copious amounts of meat I have.' I think as I walk through the forest listening to the swaying branches and birds. 'Should I just turn the organs into fertilizers since I don't have what I need to study them.' I think and look into my inventory.
The walk back to the cave not really having helped me decide on what I should work on so I once again flipped a rock and let it decide what I do. With heads being to salt meat and tails being to make fertilizer.
With the rock landing to show tails making me groan and wonder how to make fertilizer. 'It should just be me grinding up the organs and mixing it with dirt and leaves.' I think, not really sure but somewhat confident.
'I guess I should start by making a mortar and pestle so I can grind it all down.' I think as I go digging through my inventory for a good rock and surprisingly find one. 'The next dilemma is how to make a mortar and pestle.' I think and pull a stone chisel out of my inventory.
'I'm going to assume water and a lot of grunting.' I think as I do exactly that starting to chisel into the rock and splashing it with water occasionally to help. Not really knowing how it helps but just knowing it does and that's enough for me to work off.
"I should have salted the meat." I mutter my arms aching a bit as I stare at the rock with there being somewhat of a dent into it but not nearly enough for it to be considered a mortar. 'I blame my indecisiveness and that damn rock.' I think as I keep going at it not knowing how much time I've already wasted into making it.
Several hours having gone by before I decide I need a break on working on the mortar as I've made it deep enough to barely fit my hand. With even that being overly generous. "I'm just going to salt the meat for a bit and come back to this." I'm definitely not giving up on this project for the time being.
With me then pulling out several self made barrels that aren't the best quality but should work. Then followed by a log that's been carved out like a tub which I then fill with salt. Salt which I have been making since I first got here since it was one of the few things I remember how to make.
With me occasionally throwing meat into the salt and thoroughly covering the meat to make sure every side has been covered and layered. Then set into one of the barrels with me repeating this process continuously until I've finished salting all of the Nadder meat.
'The Nadder alone took eleven goddamn barrels.' I think absolutely shocked by how much meat I actually got out of a single Nadder. Not having even touched the Zippleback meat which is probably twice the amount if not more.
'What do I even do with eleven barrels of salted meat.' I think knowing I now have enough meat to feed myself for at least a year. 'I only have two barrels left.' I think not even knowing what I should do with all the Zippleback meat now and being pretty sure I'm almost out of salt.
'I really need to start farming as well, but I have no access to potatoes or grains.' I think knowing that If I have a diet consisting of just meat I'm likely to get sick and become unhealthy. "My immortality may give immunity to disease, but it says nothing about being unhealthy." I mutter as I face another problem I have to deal with.
'Should I turn the Zippleback meat into fertilizer like I'm going to with the organs.' I think trying to figure out the best way to work with everything I have and really wishing there was a market I could go to sell it all.
'Back to the mortar then since I'm done with that.' I think as I put the barrels into my inventory which I have learned works like a fridge which is both a good and a bad thing. Such discoveries aside I go back to the painful work on the mortar.
Several hours later I finally get the mortar to a point I'm acceptable with and hope it's actually good enough for me to grind the organs down. 'I should have just made one out of wood.' I think with a loud groan to then realize I need to go through all of that again to make the pestle.
"Damn it all.' I yell as I throw the mortar into my inventory and painfully get working on the pestle which goes significantly faster but still slow as hell. With it taking me at least two hours to get the pestle made but not as bad compared to the seven to eight hours the mortar took.
'I hate shaping rocks.' I think as I throw my pestle into my inventory and head over to the area I sleep. "Next time I'm making a wooden one." I mutter as I wrap my deer pelts around me and mumble about random things trying to go to bed.
—----------------------------
"I'm tired of this shit." practically yelling as I finish more compost. My eyes moving over to the coals and pot I set up for tallow. Wondering if it's done yet or if it needs another five minutes. 'I wish tallow was quickly made.' I think as I stand up from the mortar and pestle.
Having been constantly making both compost and tallow for the last week. To the point I'm starting to lose it from the same repetitiveness. With the only good thing having been the achievements I got over the week.
[Achievements]
Successfully make and use Tallow
Rewards: one Gacha ticket
Successfully make usable Compost
Rewards: one Gacha ticket
'Even if it is only two achievements, they are slowly becoming more frequent.' I wonder if I should use the two tickets now, or wait so I can have a bigger haul. The thought sitting in my head for a bit but deciding not to use it more at once will feel like I got more out of it.
'So much to do, so little I can do by myself.' I groan as I throw the latest batch of compost in my inventory so I can check on the tallow properly. "I wanna go out and do something but I have to wait." I mutter looking at the tallow and deciding that it's good enough.
Quickly picking up the pot and straining the tallow to remove any unrendered fat. The rest pour down into small tree trunks fashioned into cups. 'Let it cool for five to fifteen minutes and it should be good.' Contently smiling at the tallow and making my way out of the cave.
'Should I go check the bones.' I think as I take a deep breath of the air. Enjoying the smell of sea salt and trees which I will never grow tired of. "No dragon shit smell this time." I chuckle as I look over where I found a giant pile of shit a couple days ago.
'Still don't know what kind of dragon it was.' I think with a shrug as I make my way to where I buried the Nadder. Then pulling out a shovel to get to work but it not taking long to see that the body has barely been touched.
"Its to cooled, I should have figured." I mutter and decide whether I should even try and dig up the carcass or just let it stay there and hunt another Nadder. 'I don't want to deal with all the meat again though.' groaning at the sheer thought of another eleven barrels of salted meat.
My eyes then widening as the alternative would be grinding it all down to make more compost. 'I'm just about done with the Zippleback meat, I'm not dealing with that.' I think my body shivering at the idea of sitting at the mortar for another week.
'I'm not digging it up though.' Deciding that the best choice is to not make one at all. As I then put the dirt back over the Nadder skeleton and make my way to the Dragon Root farm. 'Should take another three weeks before I can harvest again.' I think but even that being when they hit the bare minimum of maturity.
'They would probably be more potent if I let them grow for at least two or three months.' Not really knowing if it would but taking an assumption. A good assumption hopefully. 'It could possibly not matter.' I think as I look up at the sky and see rain clouds off in the distance.
I then shake my head trying to focus back on what I need to work on. Which is literally everything to have ever been invented. 'I still need to learn how to tan a hide.' I think looking at my inventory to see the hide from both the Nadder and Zippleback being completely untouched.
'I don't even know if they are good to use now.' I think with a groan and finally arrive at the Dragon Root farm. The stalks seem to be growing quite well. 'I'll start using the compost in the next batch.' I think while checking the stalks to make sure there isn't anything messing with their growth at all.
'Have to make sure they stay healthy.' I think as I then make my way back to the cave. My thoughts jumping across several different things and yet always coming back to how much I need to do and learn. With the list ever expanding.
'Let's do tanning instead of how to make clay.' I think remembering a random video I came across of a guy turning dirt into clay with a pillowcase and water. 'Maybe if I do it right I can make a kiln or furnace.' I think with a small smile as I walk into the cave.
"I also need to actually make the soap I was so excited about." I mumble as I look at the now cooled tallow and throw it in my inventory. Looking around my cave I see how bare it is and let out a sigh. 'I miss technology, at least a survival guide would be nice.'
Though such thoughts aside I sit in my usual spot and pull out my pelts. 'I should finally sew the fox pelt into a pillow.' I think and realize I can't because I have no thread. 'Maybe I can strip the outer layer of a vine and cord it.' I think and decide to try it cause what could possibly happen.
{A/N: he was then struck by lightning}
A bit later of stripping the vines and coiling the stripped pieces around each other I get a rather thick thread but still much better than a vine in itself. 'Its kind of like my bowstring.' I think as I examine it. "Its just another bowstring." I groan as I toss it in my inventory and move to the next possible material.
Which for some reason being in my head is sinew or tendons. 'It works for muscles and why not sew right.' I think with a shrug after all I have a lot of it and nothing to use it for. Pulling the tendons from my inventory and into my lap having already had blood washed off it but it still thick.
'Maybe if I slice it like string cheese.' I think with it working a lot better than I expected. To the point I'm starting my own ability to do this all. 'I feel the creeping of an identity crisis.' I think but knowing I can't afford such a luxury and need to set up to a degree where I can make metal after that the identity crisis can come if it wishes.
That strange line of thoughts though having distracted me enough to finish slicing the sinew thin enough to be used as thread and making me question my skills again. 'I need to ask Lumenweep questions when I see them, if I ever see them.'
Such thoughts were pushed aside as I put the extra sinew away and pulled out my bone needle starting to sew the sides of the fox pelt. Making sure it's rather loose so I can fill it with nadder feathers. Said feathers hopefully not poking through the newly made pillow later.
After finishing all but one side I start slowly stuffing the pillow making sure its only feathers and not quills. Which surprisingly led to a rather nice pillow letting me sew the other end and it being finished. 'Much better than I expected.' I think with a grin.
Deciding that I should try and do it again this time using my deer pelts to make them into a sleeping bag because why not. Going through the same process of making sinew thread and sewing the pelts together loosely to make a sleeping bag.
"I finally have a pillow and sleeping bag." I celebrate and decide to get comfortable even pulling out the dragon manual to read while I lay down. 'The closest thing I'll get to home while living here.' I think my joy turning self-depricating rather quickly at the thought.
'Still better than possible soul annihilation.' I joke to myself trying to feel better with it working somewhat but not as much as I would hope. The rest of the night was spent with me simply reading through the manual on the basic four.
Which would be Gronckles, Deadly Nadders, Monstrous Nightmares, and the Hideous Zippleback. Mostly consisting of their habitats, temperament, and diet. Such as Deadly Nadders apparently being dragons that are rather solitary for most of their lives.
Only living together when raising children or being raised. Otherwise living alone in their territory. With females apparently being the ones that hold territory with males acting more like lions and going wherever they wish.
Only ever staying in one spot when their mate has laid eggs. With the males then staying behind in the females territory to protect the hatchlings while the mother hunts for whatever can be found. With some things having transferred from the shows and movies.
Such as a Deadly Nadder being vain. Where they will pick at their plumage and scales to make sure they're as bright and colorful as possible. With it showing physical fitness to live with such bright colors as well as make a mesmerizing dance to entice the opposite sex.
Such dances actually go both ways. With whoever that messes up or does something disliked not being able to choose how the next step proceeds. The one that performed adequately deciding whether to leave. Like the male leaving if the female does poorly or the female driving off the male if a mistake was made.
Though it is common for the two to meet a middle ground if they are still desirable despite their dance skills. This leads to the obvious coupling and hopeful possibility of incubated eggs. If such, the male will teach them how to grow adjusted to the body.
This usually being how to fly, walk, eat, and many more things. Most importantly though being how to use their magnesium blast and tail quills. While the male teaches all of these things it is up to the mother to teach hunting and mating rituals.
After the hatchlings are raised and know how to do all of these things they leave the nest with the father following suit not much long afterwards. Leaving the mother alone and to possibly find another mate and start the process anew.
'Rather insightful I would say.' I think as I close the book where it starts to say where they can be found and are more densely populated. Deciding it is now time to go to bed and work myself to the bone once more tomorrow.
With such things having come to pass the next day and the day after that as well. Working on figuring out how tanning worked by trial error. Such as soaking the hides in saltwater, charcoal, and lots of prayers. With it taking a rather long time for it to get to a pliable point. But removing the scales is rather easy.
The first step of tanning the hide having been easy such as removing all the membrane left on the inside. The second being weird to figure out and annoying to wait for. While the third step being easy as well but slightly annoying to peel off the scales.
In the end though, giving me a dragon hides to work with as well as their scales. Though not as durable as they were before. But like all things it once more ends up in my inventory and proceeding to the next project.
With that having taken up both of those two days aside from making the last batch of compost and more tallow. Which left me to work on my canoe between waiting on tallow and the tanning mixture for the hides.
'Overall I would say this was fruitful.' I wonder what I should work on next, which is to make clay so I can make bricks. But also wanting to make soap and candles from the tallow. Then there is me needing to make better arrows with the Nadder quills.
'My motto at this point is so much to do, so little time.' I think with a groan as I decide that the easiest would be arrows. Right I was with me being able to turn all the Nadder quills into arrows in little under four hours which is quite fast all things considered.
'Now I need to coat these in dragon root.' I think that being the last step needed for the arrows to be fully done. With the next full month managing to pass like this with me constantly jumping back and forth on projects I need to do and a lot of achievements being made because of it.
Having finished the canoe, I made a kiln so I can have more charcoal as well as bricks. But most importantly having been able to make soap, precious precious soap. As well as candles, fishing nets, and a bigger cave for when I cut stuff open.
[Achievements]
Successfully make a Canoe
Rewards: one Gacha ticket
Successfully make a Kiln
Rewards: one Gacha ticket
Successfully make Soap
Rewards: one Gacha ticket
'Sad that candles don't count for anything or fishing nets. But we take what we can get.' I think as I look at the now five tickets I have before seeing another Achievement suddenly pop up confusing me for a moment.
[Achievement]
Kill a Gronckle
Reward: five Gacha Tickets
Kill the common four
Rewards: two gacha tickets
'I didn't kill a Gronckle though.' I question as I try and recall anything I did for me to have possibly killed a Gronckle but the only thing being a pit I dugout to collect dirt for clay. Then remembering I filled it with wooden spikes out of boredom and covered it in a sinew net with leaves and branches.
"I now understand." I mutter feeling a bit bad about how the Gronckle died considering it's the only one I killed without actually doing anything. 'I guess I have a Gronckle to go collect, or should I finally spin first since I now have twelve tickets.' I think and then realize what I just thought.
"Was I really about to value gambling over an animal I just killed and now need to take care of." I say in disgust towards myself. "The hell is wrong with me." I spit out as I now consider not spinning at all and walking out to go grab the Gronckle.
A bit of a walk past the Dragon Root farm I find the pit to see an impaled Gronckle. 'It's not even a fully grown Gronckle.' I think feeling worse about the trap as I climb down carefully and drag the Gronckle in my inventory before filling the pit with dirt.
'If I'm going to kill dragons I'll at least do it with my own hands, not traps.' I think grabbing the sinew net I used for camouflage before leaving for the cave. 'Trapping is immoral.' I think then chuckling a bit at that thought.
'As if me hunting dragons to study them isn't bad in itself.' I think as I let out a long breath and stare at the sky through the trees. The wide open sky is beautiful as ever. 'I need to make a proper boat so I can talk to other people.' I think I'm truly losing it.
Not nearly as bad as it could be since I could mentally prepare for this. Even if it was only a small time I was given. The perks are also helping such as the system to help me stay focused and prevent the loss of sanity.
'I'm going to end up finding people and becoming a moron who doesn't understand a word they are saying.' I chuckle at the thought of doing charades to try and communicate. After the silent walk back I decide to spin the wheel after all my survival is still key.
'I need to learn tracking so I can go after dragons properly instead of just wandering around. Though they typically find me pretty easily.' I think as I spin the wheel seven times. The wheel blurring as usual the list both smaller and larger at the same time somehow despite how paradoxical that is.
[Gacha]
Chitin Boots
Bear Pelt
Tongs
Lasso
Gronckle Iron Chisel
Dragon-Proof Metal Sword
Gronckle Iron Ingot
'Chisel would have been helpful for the mortar and canoe. Other than that everything is pretty standard. Some not being usable until later though.' I wonder how I'm supposed to use a lasso before spinning the Random wheel to see if I can get a usable out of world item like the Guardians Tail.
[Gacha]
RC-7 Strigoi (Cyberpunk 2077)
'A what.' I think as I swap to my inventory to see a gun attachment a muzzle to be more specific. "Now thats definitely what I needed to move on in the world." I sarcastically joke with a clap of my hands and a pursed face.
'Stick to item, that is the smart life choice.' I think as I close the gacha and make my way to the dungeon or lab. There really isn't a difference between the two. The room being a good bit larger since I've been in here. Well to use it at least.
I make my way over to the post so I can tie up the Gronckle making sure the rope is secure before pulling out the recently deceased Gronckle and tie the rope around the base of the tail. Then promptly pull out Shitsticker to see if I can repeat what I did last month with the Nadder and Zippleback.
Which I end up being able to prove quite well with skinning being relatively the same. Though cutting out the meat was different since there was much more fat and blubber than muscles besides around the wings and tail. With those two spots having extremely tough muscles to an insane degree.
Thicker and denser than the Zippleback and Nadder. Now leaving me with more meat to probably make into compost. Hide to tan, fat to render into tallow. Lastly but not forgotten but pick clean the skeleton as well so it can be used.
Since burying the body around here will preserve it due to how cold the weather is. With Hiccup's words from the first movie. It snows for three months and hails the other nine. While exaggerated it does mostly snow and hail but there still is plain rain.
Side tangents aside I have more to work on which led to me now rendering tallow while I remove the membrane from the hide before throwing it in a bucket of charcoal and saltwater. This process is going much faster now that I know what I'm doing.
Though there is a massive amount of meat for me to work with again making me wonder what things I can do with it all instead of just compost at this point. With there not being much that comes to mind besides chumming the water or using it as bait to study other dragons.
"I'll figure it out when I get there." I mutter, deciding to just make more compost for the moment while trying to think of other things I can use the meat for.
—----------------------------
{A/N Hello good people, I apologize for the late post first of all. Second please tell me if this chapter feels a bit odd or paced weirdly. Also I would like to make a small apology for if this chapter feels more clunky or worded poorly as I won't have time to proofread it as I usually do so this chapter can go up at all.
So it will be a temporary drop in quality, since I finished writing this chapter at 1 since I knew it was make it now or make it never. But I implore you to tell me what feels weird. I will also start using time skips more that way I'm not constantly dragging you through boring events.
Like I was going to originally explain him making clay from dirt to make the kiln. How he was making compost which is more like fertilizer. How he fletched the Nadder arrows and spears with the spears not even being brought up. Also wanting to say how he made a tanning area and how he made that work.
The only thing I wasn't going to really explain was tallow since it really is just a splash of water rather than pieces of fat rendering down at 130 to 140 fahrenheit for three to six hours. Though I was going to explain how he made soap and candles with the tallow.
Also how to use it as a sealant for wood products and other things. So in short I shortened the hell out of this chapter because I can only be so autistic and adhd focused. I also need to plan out an actually storyline since we are currently just free flying and calling it a day.
All things aside I apologize for the worse quality and next weeks will hopefully be posted at the proper time. So I will leave the status and gacha below.
[Status]
Name: Erik
Age: 18
Title: Lumenweeps Champion
Tickets: 0
[Gacha]
Bone Needle
Flagon
Chitin Boots
Bear Pelt
Tongs
Lasso
Gronckle Iron Chisel
Dragon-Proof Metal Sword
Gronckle Iron Ingot
RC-7 Strigoi (Cyberpunk 2077)