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Chapter 6: The Birth of a Town
The night in Arz Woodland was serene, broken only by the soft chirping of crickets and the occasional rustle of leaves in the breeze. Inside Ana's treehouse, the Feline Wizard's home, a simple dining table offered warmth against the chilly night. A single glowing crystal illuminated the room, casting gentle light across the wooden walls.
Ginger was confined to a small guest room, unable to speak with Ana as she remained cautious of him. "I'm just being careful," she'd said. Ginger didn't argue—staying in her home was a far better fate than sleeping in the monster-filled forest. Grateful, he accepted her terms.
The next morning, Ginger awoke early, stretching his sore muscles, still aching from yesterday's battle against the Scale-Beasts. Stepping into the main room, he found Ana seated on a handcrafted wooden chair, her pink hair catching the morning light. He greeted her warmly, and after their tense encounter, Ana accepted his explanation of who he was—a lost hunter from Barrio Tandang—and why he'd appeared in the heart of Arz Woodland.
"I don't fully trust strangers," Ana said, her voice firm yet tinged with openness. "But if you're truly lost, my home is open to those in need. Just don't give me a reason to regret it."
"Thank you, Ana," Ginger replied, relief flooding his heart. "I don't know how to repay you, but I promise I won't be a burden." In his mind, the weight of the God Creation System's Ultra-Level Quest loomed—to protect the tribes in Arz Woodland from the Dark Invasion of the Abyss. The penalty of reducing his stats to 1000 was a threat he couldn't ignore.
Life in the forest wasn't easy, Ana explained over a modest breakfast of forest fruits and grilled river fish. "I don't have enough food or supplies for two," she said, her eyes betraying a flicker of concern. "If you want to stay, you'll need to find your own food. The forest has game to hunt and fruits to pick—just make sure they're not poisonous. To the east, there's a river where the tribes and creatures draw water."
"Tribes?" Ginger asked, picking up a fruit resembling a mangosteen. "There are still tribes here despite all the monsters?"
Ana chuckled, her tail swishing slightly. "Of course. The tribes were here long before the monsters. Each has its own way of surviving—skilled warriors trained to face the forest's dangers. Otherwise, they'd have vanished long ago."
Ginger glanced around the quiet treehouse, noting the absence of other voices. "Why are you alone, then? Where's the rest of your tribe?" he asked, curiosity lacing his tone.
Ana let out a heavy sigh, her eyes darkening with memory. "I've been alone for ten years," she said, her voice heavy. "After the Great War, only I and a few other Leonin survived in this part of the forest."
"Great War?" Ginger leaned forward, eager to understand this world's history.
Sitting across from him, Ana cradled a small wooden Leonin figurine, a symbol of her people. "The Great War was when the Abyss launched an attack across the Land of Dawn. Demons swept through every continent, including Arz Woodland. For centuries, the Moonlight God protected us, but the four nations guarding the forest fell one by one. Without their protection, our tribes became easy prey for monsters."
She approached an old wooden chest and retrieved a rolled parchment. Unfurling it on the table, she revealed a detailed map of Arz Woodland, marking tribal territories and monster-dominated regions. Pointing to a large section, she continued, "Ten years ago, the Moonlight God chose me as the forest's guardian. His power saved me from the demons that attacked our tribe. But the others… most didn't escape. Only a handful of Leonin remain."
Her voice carried a pang of grief. "I've been fighting ever since, Ginger. Every day, I patrol the forest, protecting three key territories. But Arz Woodland is vast—I can't guard it all alone."
Ginger felt the weight of her story. The *Legend of Heroes* game he knew never mentioned a Great War or the near-extinction of the Leonin. This Land of Dawn felt like a darker, alternate version of the game's world, steeped in a grimmer history. Empathy stirred in him, but so did the memory of his system's quest to aid Ana. "If there's anything I can do to help, I'm in," he said, his voice resolute. "I don't know how yet, but I want to make a difference."
Ana laughed, her smile teasing. "Help? What can a wanderer like you do?" she asked, her eyes glinting with amusement.
"I'm no wanderer!" Ginger protested, a bit indignant. "I'm a hero, like you! A god granted me powers, too. I can create anything from nothing!"
Ana's laughter softened, her expression shifting to curiosity. "A hero of Arz Woodland? Really? Show me these powers."
Somewhat sheepishly, Ginger scratched his head. "I'm not sure if I'm a hero of Arz Woodland, but my mission is to fix things here. And… I can create things with my mana."
To prove it, he opened **Create Item** in the God Creation System and conjured a feast—steaming shrimp sinigang, grilled pork, and a bowl of freshly cooked rice. The aroma filled the room, and Ana's eyes widened in shock.
"Unbelievable!" she exclaimed, grabbing a piece of pork. "I've never seen power like this! You might actually be blessed by a god."
Ginger smiled but explained the catch. "I can create things, but it depends on my mana. Right now, my mana's limited, so I can only make so much."
Ana nodded, understanding. "Like my magic—it needs mana, too. Still, that's impressive."
Her eyes lit up with an idea. "If you're serious about helping, why not join my daily patrols? I spend six hours scouting the forest, protecting the tribes and fighting monsters. It's not easy, especially when the beasts get aggressive."
"You mean when they're hungry?" Ginger asked, recalling the Scale-Beasts they fought.
"Exactly," Ana replied. "Monsters don't usually attack unless they're desperate. But the Abyss's demons… they're the real threat. The beasts we fought yesterday? Nothing compared to them. That's why most tribes were wiped out—only four remain from dozens."
Ginger studied the map, his mind racing. "If your territory's this big, why not unite the tribes in one place? We could build a town—a safe haven that's easier to protect."
Ana's ears twitched in surprise. "A town? Like a city? Impossible! Each tribe has its own land, their crops, their livelihood. They won't abandon them."
"But they're too spread out!" Ginger argued. "Together, we could defend them better against the demons. If there's no place for a town yet, I can create one with my powers."
Ana laughed, thinking he was joking. "Build a town in the forest? There's no fruit trees here, no farmland, and monsters everywhere. You can't just make a town."
"That's why I'm here," Ginger said, his voice brimming with confidence despite the daunting task. "If you're okay with it, Ana, I want to transform this place. We'll build a town—a safe home for the tribes."
Ana paused, her eyes wavering between doubt and hope. "You're serious? It's a huge challenge, Ginger. But if you're willing to try, I won't stop you. Just don't touch my treehouse."
Ginger grinned, fully aware of the task's enormity. The system's 100-days deadline to build and protect nee attlement in Arz Woodland loomed, and failure would slash his stats to 1000—a setback he couldn't afford. "I'm all in," he said, his smile resolute.
They stepped outside Ana's treehouse. The morning air was crisp, dew clinging to the leaves, and sunlight filtered through the dense forest canopy. Ginger surveyed the surroundings—towering trees, serpentine roots, and a deep silence occasionally broken by forest sounds.
"We need to clear some trees to make space," Ginger said, pointing to a wide area near the treehouse. "Is it okay if we remove a few?"
"Do what you want, just don't mess with my house," Ana replied, her tail swishing as she leaned against the platform's edge.
Ginger knew he couldn't clear the trees alone. Opening **Custom Creation** in the God Creation System, he requested tools to ease heavy labor and tree-cutting.
**"Ding! Analyzing request. Options available: Mechanical Robot (Solar-Powered). Cost: 1000 mana per robot, 1000 mana for solar panel to power robots. Robot specifications: Can lift up to 3 tons, 15-hour battery life per charge. Additional tools: Chainsaw Attachment (50 mana), Heavy-Duty Axe (50 mana)."**
Ginger's jaw dropped. "Robots? I can bring Earth tech here!" he thought, but the cost—1000 mana per robot and 1000 for the solar panel—was steep. With **1350/1350 mana** and a regeneration rate of 135 mana per hour (plus 50 from the Ring of Mana Regeneration), creating enough robots to complete the project in 15 days seemed impossible.
"To finish in 15 days, I'd need at least five robots," he muttered, calculating. "But how do I gather that much mana?"
He recalled Hard-Level Quests offering mana rewards. Opening the Quest Menu, a new mission appeared:** Hard-Level Quest: Defeat 10 Arz Scale-Beasts within 12 hours. Reward: 1000 mana, 200 Hero Points."**
"Perfect!" Ginger said, but fighting would also drain his mana. He turned to Ana, who was inspecting her boomerang. "Ana, can you help me? I can gain mana by defeating monsters, but it'll be faster with you."
Ana glanced at him, skeptical. "I don't know what you're planning, but if it's fighting monsters, I'm in. Just don't slow me down."
"We need to work together to speed things up," Ginger said. "Plus, clearing monsters makes the town safer."
Ana nodded, a spark of interest in her smile. "Deal. But don't be a burden. I'm not here to play hero and save you."
That day, they embarked on their mission. The forest teemed with danger, and Ginger's **Mana Sense** detected Scale-Beast signatures lurking in the shadows. Using *Appraisal*, he confirmed their weaknesses—vulnerable stomachs and fire sensitivity.
The first group of six Scale-Beasts emerged from a dense thicket, their scales glinting in the sunlight. Each had sharp claws and swift movements. Ana leaped onto a tree, her boomerang spinning through the air. "Don't fall behind!" she shouted, striking a beast's stomach, blood spraying.
Ginger kept pace, activating **Flame Burst** (100 mana). A fiery explosion hit two Scale-Beasts, sowing chaos. With his Mana-Infused Sword, he charged another, piercing its stomach. The beast roared but lunged again, its claws grazing him. Using *Hero Agility*, he dodged and finished it with a **Basic Combat Mastery**-enhanced slash to its neck.
From the treetop, Ana unleashed pink energy, summoning rabbit-like familiars that swarmed the remaining beasts. Her boomerang struck two more, while Ginger's Earth Spike Barrage targeted their legs, toppling them.
Within minutes, the six Scale-Beasts were defeated, and the forest fell silent. Ginger panted, his mana at 1150/1350. "Four more to go," he said, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Not bad," Ana said, her tone impressed. "I didn't expect you to keep up."
They pressed on, finding the remaining four Scale-Beasts in the next two hours. The fight was tougher—the beasts were more aggressive, one nearly slashing Ana with its long claws. But their teamwork sharpened. Ginger used Tornado Strike to push the beasts back, allowing Ana to finish them with her boomerang and familiars.
**"Ding! Hard-Level Quest Complete! Reward: 1000 mana, 200 Hero Points."**
Ginger's mana surged to 2100/1350, and his Hero Points reached 500. "Enough for a robot!" he exclaimed, exhilarated.
Back at the treehouse, Ginger wasted no time. Using his new mana, he opened *Custom Creation* and crafted a Mechanical Robot (1000 mana) and a Solar Panel (1000 mana). The robot stood nearly ten meters tall, its gleaming metal arms equipped with a chainsaw attachment. The solar panel shimmered under the moonlight.
Ana's eyes widened. "What is that?!" she asked, touching the robot. "It's like a giant iron creature!"
Ginger grinned, equally stunned by its size. "This'll help us clear the trees and start the town," he explained.
Approaching the robot's control panel, an AI voice spoke: **"Please set task parameters and provide instructions. Maximum weight capacity: 3 tons. Battery life: 15 hours per charge."**
Unsure but determined, Ginger instructed the robot to clear trees and roots in front of the treehouse. It whirred to life, its metal feet shaking the ground. The chainsaw roared, slicing through a massive tree's branches, while its arms yanked roots from the earth. Wood and debris fell in heaps.
Ana watched, impressed but cautious. "Is that thing safe? It might wreck the forest!"
Ginger scratched his head. "No idea, but we have to trust it," he said, though inwardly he shared her concern.
As dusk approached, Ginger halted the robot, as the solar panel couldn't charge without sunlight. He noticed Ana kindling a fire outside. "Why the fire?" he asked.
"I light one sometimes when I eat outside at night," Ana replied. "I'll put it out before bed."
Realizing the forest lacked electricity, Ginger opted against using mana for lights. Instead, he created candles and a feast—adobo, lumpiang shanghai, and steaming rice (50 mana). The aroma soothed their weary bodies.
"Your power's amazing," Ana said, grabbing a lumpia. "You can make food anytime!"
"Yeah," Ginger laughed. "Tomorrow, we'll start shaping this place."
Exhausted but determined, Ginger lay on a Comfortable Bedroll he'd created. Clutching Aling Nida's medallion—his adoptive mother figure from Barrio Tandang—memories of Earth flooded back: family dinners, stargazing in Manila. But in the Land of Dawn, he'd found a new purpose—helping Ana rebuild a safe haven for Arz Woodland's tribes.
Gazing at the stars through the treehouse window, Ginger felt the weight of his responsibility. This wasn't just about stats or the God Creation System—it was about Ana, the tribes, and their fight for survival. Questions swirled in his mind: What was the Land of Dawn? Why was he here? What was the system's true purpose? For now, one thing was certain—his promise to Ana. He would build a town, a beacon of hope for Arz Woodland's people.
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End of Chapter