After Natsuyu added his free attribute to Physique, he experienced that novel sensation often described in web novels: "a warm current surging through the body, feeling a distinct growth in strength."
It was as if he had just finished a scrub at a Northeast bathhouse, put on brand-new cotton underwear for the New Year, and slept in an incredibly comfortable Simmons bed until waking up naturally. His entire body felt light and warm; it seemed he could leap two meters high with a single bound.
Increasing the attribute by only 0.1 resulted in such a noticeable improvement!
Natsuyu was pleasantly surprised as he felt the lightness of the weight shedding from his body.
On second thought, 0.1 points was one-ninth of his previous Physique; the enhancement was by no means small.
He checked his Inventory again.
[Natsuyu: Level 1 (Experience 0/15)]
[Physique: 1.0 (A very healthy adolescent youth)]
[Soul: 1.3 (Relatively high level of mental fortitude)]
[Charm: 1.3 (Hostile to All Living Beings)]
[(Average attribute for an adult in peak condition is 1)]
[Ability: Resource Acquisition.]
"It seems very necessary to farm some attributes."
Natsuyu's gaze swept toward the Colorful Clockwork Door. He suspected this was the very Portal that had brought him here.
However, he wasn't sure if touching this door would allow him to return to his original world or if it would lead to danger.
Natsuyu withdrew his gaze, deciding not to risk contact with this Doorway that clearly possessed transcendent power. He turned his attention to a four-meter-tall Oak Tree nearby and walked over.
"I should be able to do this."
Natsuyu raised one hand, clenched it into a fist, and gave the trunk of the Oak Tree a tentative, light punch.
Thump.
The Oak Tree made the sound of being struck and shook slightly, but nothing else happened.
Natsuyu's eyes lit up. The power he had used was minimal—nowhere near enough to make an Oak Tree tremble. This Rule-based Ability, Resource Acquisition, actually worked!
Following the mechanics of Minecraft, Natsuyu began to strike the trunk repeatedly.
Will the tree fall and crush me later?
In the game, getting hit by a tree only costs a bit of health, but in reality, being crushed by a tree would result in heavy injury if not death.
Natsuyu's mind wandered for a moment before he refocused. He bent his knees slightly, preparing to dodge, and continued to swing his fists. He struck it a total of twenty times.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump!
The middle section of the trunk, where it had been struck, suddenly turned into a rounded Log and dropped to the ground.
The remaining parts of the Oak Tree also abruptly collapsed into two Logs and two Oak Fruits, falling from the sky.
Natsuyu quickly ran some distance away. Feeling the dull thud of the earth vibrating, he returned to observe.
The Oak Tree was gone, leaving only a stump, three Logs—each one meter long and twenty-five centimeters in diameter—and two Oak Fruits the size of fists.
As for the leaves and Twigs, they had all vanished.
"It really is a Rule-based Ability."
Natsuyu marveled. He picked up a Log with both hands, exerted his strength, and slowly lifted it onto his shoulder.
[Congratulations on achieving the Achievement "Getting Wood." Please shout the incantation "To get rich, punch a tree first!" to claim your reward: Wooden Crafting Table Crafting, Experience 10.]
[New achievement unlocked in the Basic Achievement Tree:]
[Open Inventory —— Getting Wood —— This is? A Crafting Table! —— ?]
I know this one!
Four wood makes a Crafting Table, and then you can make axes, pickaxes, swords, and armor.
Natsuyu was quite excited. This joy was incomparable even to the first time he played Minecraft.
Because in reality, his attributes actually increased.
No matter how powerful you are in a game, it's fake; the power after crossing over is real!
Recite the incantation, recite the incantation.
Natsuyu couldn't wait.
The first time, he was still green and shy, feeling very embarrassed.
Now, he felt that reciting the incantation was no big deal. After all, after reciting it, he could gain abilities and Experience; he even began to enjoy the sense of ritual.
Anyway, Kushida Kikyo was still sleeping. As long as no one saw him, there would be no social death.
With this thought, Natsuyu shouted excitedly:
"To get rich, punch a tree first!"
[You have received the reward: Wooden Crafting Table Crafting, Experience 10.]
An instinct was born within Natsuyu's heart.
Like the basic common sense that 1+1 equals 2, the knowledge that one Log decomposes into four planks, and stacking them together can generate a Crafting Table, became fundamental common sense as well.
[Natsuyu: Level 1 (Experience 10/15)]
The experience bar required for leveling up had increased, so he didn't level up this time, nor did he gain attributes.
But for the next Achievement, "This is? A Crafting Table!", he only needed to make a Crafting Table.
He would be able to complete the level-up soon and then craft equipment.
Natsuyu looked at the Logs with burning eyes, unable to wait.
"Um... what are you doing?"
A confused, soft, and cute female voice came from behind him, causing Natsuyu's entire body to freeze. Like a wound-up doll, he turned his head bit by bit and met Kushida Kikyo's watery, purple-red eyes.
When did she wake up?
How long had she been watching?
She didn't hear me recite the incantation, did she!
Natsuyu put himself in Kushida's perspective. Seeing a guy with a Log on his shoulder shouting "To get rich, punch a tree first!" with excitement was already embarrassing enough for the other person.
The tragedy was that the person performing the strange behavior was himself.
Natsuyu acted as if nothing had happened, returned to the front of the Colorful Clockwork Door, and said to Kushida:
"You're awake."
Kushida didn't look at him like he was an idiot; perhaps she had just woken up. Natsuyu felt a sigh of relief in his heart.
"Um, excuse me, can you tell me where this is?"
Kushida stood up, her expression tense. Her large eyes looked up at the man who was a head taller than her, her gaze pitiful like a frightened small animal.
In reality, Kushida was screaming internally:
Damn it, where the hell did I get dragged to!
This guy looks a bit familiar. He doesn't have any weapons on him, so he probably didn't kidnap me.
Forget it, I'll think about that later.
In any case, I'll act cute first and make friends with this guy...
Seeing this, Natsuyu was almost certain that Kushida hadn't seen his embarrassing moment. He felt relieved and spoke with a gentle attitude:
"I don't know where this is either. Someone was talking in my head before I slept, and I was here when I woke up, only a few minutes before you. What about your side?"
Kushida recalled, her fingertip touching her delicate lips as she subconsciously acted cute and said:
"It seems to be the same for me. When I was getting ready for bed at night, a voice appeared in my head. It was so scary."
"It asked me, 'Do you crave the meaning of life? Do you want to make friends with everyone?' Since my dream is to become friends with everyone, I replied with a 'yes.' I didn't expect to end up here..."
"Did you also answer 'yes' because you wanted to make friends with everyone? My name is Kushida Kikyo. Let's be friends!"
Kushida leaned in close, her soft and cute face completely non-threatening. She didn't make him feel uncomfortable; her soft hands grabbed one of Natsuyu's hands, raised it, and held it in front of her. Her two large purple-red eyes sparkled, looking up expectantly.
Hiss~
Even the maids in the Rurikawa family who wanted to climb the social ladder weren't as good at this as Kushida Kikyo.