Yu kept his arms wrapped around Marin, holding her close as he waited for the intense aftershocks to subside.
Finally, Marin’s breathing slowed, the frantic rise and fall of her chest gradually evening out.
She shifted slightly, lifting her face from his shoulder.
“Are you okay?” Yu asked softly, his voice a gentle murmur.
He lowered his head, his nose brushing against her damp forehead.
“What…
happened just now?”
“I don’t know…” Marin’s voice was soft and husky.
She unconsciously nuzzled into the crook of his neck.
“It was just…
suddenly…
my mind went completely blank…
everything just turned white…”
Yu realized he had found one of Marin’s most sensitive spots.
But he also knew not to overdo it.
Giving up the idea of another forceful assault, he began to move again.
…
“Huff…
hah…”
Marin buried her burning face in the crook of Yu’s neck, panting heavily.
Her body felt so soft and boneless she didn’t even have the strength to lift a single finger.
She could clearly feel the searing warmth of Yu’s essence flowing into her body, then slowly trickling out.
It left her feeling utterly languid from the inside out, wishing she could just cling to him like this until the end of time.
“So tired…” she murmured incoherently.
Yu’s own breathing was still heavy.
He lowered his head to kiss Marin’s sweat-dampened blonde hair, tightening his hold to support her more securely.
“I’ll take you back.”
He carefully lifted Marin, standing up from the icy river water.
The water cascaded down their soaked clothes in a heavy rush.
Yu let Marin drape herself across his back, his hands gripping the supple flesh at the top of her thighs.
Marin compliantly wrapped her soft arms around his neck, entrusting her entire weight to him.
Her thighs were firm and supple, her skin smooth and glistening with water droplets.
Holding her felt so good that he couldn’t resist giving her flesh a few extra squeezes.
Yu carried her to the riverbank, stopping at the spot where she had gathered her supplies.
Using large, sturdy leaves, he bundled the Stone and Clay together as securely as possible.
He carried the heavy bundle with one hand while supporting Marin on his back with the other, then began walking toward the cabins.
Their soaked clothes clung uncomfortably to their bodies.
Carrying an adult woman and a bundle of Stone and Clay was no light burden, but Yu’s enhanced Constitution made the weight and exhaustion manageable.
He retraced their path through the woods and across the Grassland.
When the drenched pair reached the edge of the clearing, Togawa Sakiko happened to straighten up and wipe away her sweat.
She had been chopping a small tree beside her cabin when her gaze drifted toward them.
Sakiko saw Yu carrying an equally soaked Marin while holding an overstuffed bundle.
Water dripped from both of them, leaving a trail of wet footprints across the ground.
She froze, her brows drawing together slightly.
‘They are soaked.
It looks as though they were in the water.’
‘Is there a water source nearby?
A river, perhaps, or a pond?’
Sakiko stopped chopping and watched Yu carry Marin into his fully repaired cabin.
After cutting trees all day, she was thirsty, exhausted, sweaty, and sticky.
‘If I can find clean water, I could wash myself and secure more drinking water.
That would be useful for everything I do from now on.’
After hesitating briefly, Sakiko leaned her axe against the tree and decided to investigate.
Meanwhile, Yu carried Marin into his cabin.
He gently placed her on the straw bed in the corner and let her rest against the wall.
The moment Marin touched a dry surface, she released a comfortable sigh and curled up slightly.
She seemed genuinely exhausted, and her breathing soon became steady as she closed her eyes.
Yu placed the large bundle of Stone and Clay beside the Starter Core, then immediately opened its screen.
He was ready to build the Fireplace.
Yu took out the [Blueprint: Simple Stone Fireplace] and gently moved it toward the floating Starter Core.
The moment the Blueprint touched the faint glow surrounding the sphere, it dissolved into countless pale-blue particles and was absorbed.
A shining new option appeared at the top of the [Crafting] page.
[Simple Stone Fireplace]
Yu selected it.
A three-dimensional image of a square Fireplace appeared before him.
It stood roughly half a person tall and moved according to his thoughts.
The projection was red, indicating that it could not be placed in its current position.
Yu moved it toward the center of the cabin, but it remained red.
After thinking briefly, he shifted it toward the eastern wall.
The moment the projection approached the wall and touched the floor, its color changed from red to blue.
It automatically adjusted its angle, pressing its back firmly against the wall while leaving its opening facing the cabin’s interior.
Yu confirmed the position.
The blue projection stabilized at the junction between the wall and floor.
An interface similar to the one used while repairing the cabin appeared.
[Stone ×15]
[Clay ×10]
[Construction Progress Bar]
Yu immediately removed the required quantities of Stone and Clay from the bundle.
As he placed each material into the [Material Slot], they transformed into streams of light and merged with the projection.
Yu picked up the [Crude Wooden Hammer] once more.
This time, his target was the blue Fireplace projection.
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
As with the cabin walls, every strike made the blue image more solid while advancing the [Construction Progress Bar].
When the bar reached its end, light flashed.
A sturdy stone Fireplace appeared against the eastern wall.
It reached roughly to Yu’s waist and had been crudely assembled from gray-brown rocks of different sizes.
Dark-brown Clay filled and smoothed the gaps between the stones.
It was hardly beautiful, but its structure looked remarkably solid.
The firebox had a wide opening, with several thick branches serving as a crude grate for making ash easier to remove.
A simple chimney rose from the back and extended outside the cabin.
A label from the [Eye of Omniscience] appeared.
[Simple Stone Fireplace]
[Status: Intact]
[Description: A simple stone Fireplace that provides a stable source of heat and light while unlocking the Cooking function.]
[Effect: Effectively increases indoor temperature and comfort while dispelling dampness and cold.]
[Usage Requirements: Requires a continuous supply of fuel, such as Wood, Wooden Planks, or Coal.
An Ignition Source and Tinder are required to light it.]
[Current Fuel: None]
[Current Status: Unlit]
“An Ignition Source and Tinder…”
Yu studied the information.
Tinder would be easy to obtain.
Resin was an excellent fire accelerant, while dry leaves and small dead branches from outside would also work.
The problem was the Ignition Source.
He would have to use the most primitive method available—Friction Fire.
Fortunately, Yu had watched plenty of wilderness survival programs featuring Bear Grylls and Ed Stafford in his previous life.
At the very least, he understood the theory.
He immediately got to work.
Yu retrieved one [Wooden Plank] from [Storage], then collected a straight, dry branch of suitable thickness from outside.
Using his axe, he trimmed it into a spindle.
He then opened his personal status panel.
[Strength: 10]
[Dexterity: 10]
[Constitution: 10]
[Intelligence: 10]
Friction Fire required speed and sustained friction, making Dexterity the most important attribute.
Yu transferred most of his available points into [Dexterity].
[Dexterity: 10 → 30]
He placed the tip of the spindle into a small groove he had carved into the Wooden Plank with his axe.
Pressing his palms together around the spindle, Yu began rubbing them back and forth with force.
Scrape—!
With thirty points of Dexterity, his hands moved so quickly that they nearly left afterimages.
The spindle spun at astonishing speed, grinding violently against the groove and producing a sharp sound.
Within seconds, pale smoke began rising from the groove.
The intense heat charred the wood dust into black powder that collected at the bottom.
The smoke grew thicker, but Yu did not dare stop.
He maintained his extreme speed.
Soon, a dark-red ember appeared at the center of the charred powder.
‘Now is the moment!’
Yu immediately stopped spinning the spindle.
He carefully covered the smoking wood dust with dry leaves and a little Resin that he had brought from outside.
Lowering his head, he gently blew upon the bundle.
“Whoo…
Whoo…”
The smoke suddenly thickened and spread through the air, carrying the distinctive scorched scent of Resin.
Pop!
Under Yu’s steady breath, a tiny orange flame sprang from the gaps between the dry leaves and Resin, dancing cheerfully.
“It worked!”
Delighted but still cautious, Yu used two branches to lift the precious flame along with its burning Tinder.
He quickly placed it inside the firebox, atop the small pieces of firewood he had already arranged.
The flames found more fuel and spread greedily, producing soft crackling sounds as they grew stronger.
Yu immediately added a [Wooden Plank] to the firebox.
The dry wood quickly caught fire.
Orange light illuminated the formerly dim cabin, while warmth and the faint scent of burning wood began driving away the damp chill.
Only then did Yu release a long breath.
He wiped his forehead, unable to tell whether the moisture came from sweat or the nervous tension of starting the fire.
Watching the warm flames dance inside the Fireplace filled him with an immense sense of accomplishment.
“All those years of watching Bear Grylls and Ed Stafford finally paid off…”
“So warm…”
A soft, satisfied voice came from nearby.
Marin had awakened without Yu noticing.
She sat on the straw bed with her knees hugged against her chest, the dancing fire reflected brightly in her eyes.
She moved closer to the Fireplace and extended her hands toward it.
The warmth gradually drove the damp chill from her body, drawing a comfortable sigh from her lips.
Marin turned toward Yu with a broad, radiant smile.
“You are amazing, Yu-kun!”
…
It encourages me!