By the time his feet touched the sand again, the sky had begun its slow transformation from bright tropical blue to a wash of amber and molten gold.
First order of business: Build his shelter.
He already had enough food and water courtesy of the coconuts he collected so the only thing needed was a place to sleep. It would be better if he could build one in a secluded/hidden area of the island.
He didn't want to get slimed out while taking a sleep after all by a shitty territorial dragon, or sacrificed to some gods if this island had any meaningful form of civilization.
Following his line of thought, he retraced his steps until he got back to the shallow ravine he hid in to avoid the Monstrous Nightmare when he first got to the island. There was still a path of fallen trees and scorched timber leading to the ravine but it was better than sleeping out in the open.
As he approached the ravine, he slowed his pace and crouched briefly to examine the disturbed soil near its entrance. He climbed down carefully this time rather than falling into it like an amateur, crocks crunching softly against dried leaves as he reached the bottom and turned in a slow circle, evaluating the space.
The stone walls rose on either side at a modest incline, uneven but sturdy, and one end narrowed into a natural choke point where he could theoretically place obstacles to slow or redirect anything that tried to push through, while the opposite end sloped more gradually upward toward the jungle floor, making it an easier escape route if retreat became necessary.
It wasn't perfect by any stretch, yet perfection was a luxury for those with resources and time, and he had neither in abundance, so practicality won out.
Collin opened up the Crafting Interface, the menu flicked into existence before his eyes. Building was easy enough with his Crafting System, he could place down imaginary "blueprints" which he could then fill up with the required materials in order to complete it.
He placed down the blueprints for some wooden ceilings, a trapdoor, and some support beams for more structural integrity, crafting a stone axe. He began chopping down nearby trees for the materials needed, it took around half an hour before he finally filled in his last blueprint, turning the entire structure solid.
*Level Up!*
+1 Perk Point
Pick a Perk
[1. Reef Runner]
Increases Swimming Speed by 20%
[2. Strong Hide]
Increases skin defense by 20%
[3. Lumberjack]
Increases wood yield by 20%
This was... interesting to say the least, this completely overhauled all of his thoughts and plans about the system. Collin thought that the system would be limited to crafting and inventory only, although he noticed the perks window, he didn't think that they'd have such a big impact.
Twenty percent boost for a level one perk? An actual steal!
Collin contemplated the uses of each perk carefully, Reef Runner was pretty useless in his current situation, an extra twenty percent in swim speed wouldn't help him outswim Scauldrons, it'd just make him a slightly faster snack.
Lumberjack while seeming useful at first, was only good if he started building large scale projects and bases. Meanwhile, Strong Hide was a immediate effect, although he'd probably just be a slightly tougher toothpick to a dragon - it would help him reduce indirect injuries such as sprained ankles, scrapes, splinters, and more which would be a death sentence in a island where such wounds could be infected easily.
Collin selected Strong Hide without a moment's hesitation. Almost instantly, he felt tiny pinprick sensations across his entire body, along with a slow heat spreading underneath his skin, after the process was done, there was no noticeable difference in how he felt after the process but that was to be expected from a mere twenty percent boost.
After the perk selection, he made sure to sprinkle the top of the wooden ceilings with some dirt, mulch, and leaves to camouflage to make his underground base blend more into the environment.
[Quest Completed! Back to Basics]
Objectives:
(Find edible food) Completed!
(Secure a clean water source) Completed!
(Construct a basic shelter before nightfall) Completed!
Collin was a bit surprised considering the System counted finding a Palm Tree as finding a clean water source. He wasn't complaining though, he'd take what he could get.
Before long, knowledge started entering his mind at a rapid pace.
The food sources of the island, the wildlife, the water sources, the dangers, and everything in between.
Looks like this was the reward for completing the quest, which was basic knowledge about the Island he was staying in currently.
He entered the Shelter, satisfied. He immediately stubbed his toe on a nearby rock before bumping into random things due to the darkness.
Next priority, add a campfire or hearth of some sort, although he'd have to construct a chimney or smoke dissipation hole of some kind or else he'd suffocate in his sleep.
He crafted a simple bed made of leaves and grass tied together with some rope for sleep, at this point, the sun had already set and he could hear the crickets chirping amidst the shrubbery outside.
It wasn't comfortable but it better than sleeping on the natural stone floor of the ravine.
//////////////////////
Random Hunter's POV:
It started out as any other day.
They managed to capture multiple dragons from a infested island, preparing to sell them off for gold at the auction house, yet just as they were celebrating their victory, disaster struck.
Dragon Riders, sorry excuses for Vikings attacked them, they struck hard and fast, raining dragon fire across their ship, freeing all the dragons and crippling their sails in the process.
Damned bastards were famous across the entire archipelago for disrupting Dragon hunting operations and dooming countless hunters to death by thirst and starvation in the process.
Due to their intervention, the hunters were cast adrift in the open sea with no food and water, no sail to catch the winds, and morale slowly dwindling. They've been drifting for weeks at this point and most have already succumbed to the lack of water.
Flashback
The scene changed to a large but homy cabin in the middle of a village, there was currently a middle-aged man standing near the doorway, a young girl, and an older woman who was standing next to her.
They wore simple linen clothes yet seemed pretty well off considering the size of the cabin they lived at. Meanwhile, the middle-aged man was wearing a simple outfit made with leather along with a regular iron helmet. He was armed with a crossbow and a rudimentary dagger.
"Dad? When are you coming back?" The innocent young girl asked the burly man who was presumably her father.
"I'll come back soon, Eir." The man replied with a smile while taking off his iron helmet and crouching down to reach his daughter's level.
"Do you really need to keep doing this line of business, Ivan? We have all that we need, we have a house, warm food on the table, even our own personal ship. There is no need to continue risking your life capturing such foul beasts when we have so much to lose..." The woman cupped his cheeks, worry clear in her eyes yet Ivan remained firm.
"I will not stop until our daughter can get an education in one of the main continents, I simply cannot imagine her being in the battlefield or as a house-wife with no purpose other than cooking meals" Ivan replied, eyes steeled in determination.
Flashback End
At this point, he'd have to resort to something drastic to survive...
The others had long succumbed to thirst with nothing to drink, and he was about to join them very soon if he didn't do anything about it with no signs of land in sight.
Looking at the corpses of his former brothers and comrades, he didn't feel any warmth, he only felt the extreme urge to live on. Before long, he took a nearby blade and started dissecting one of the corpses.
He must survive, he must.
Authors Note: Sorry if this seemed like a bit of a dark turn lol, I just wanted to show the indirect consequences of the Dragon rider's "heroism" and humanize the npc-like Dragon Hunters of httyd, maybe some of yall can already guess the path the mc's going to go down based on the last part of this chapter.