Chapter 4.
[System advises the host to build a suitable shelter]
[Staying out in the open in an unknown area poses several safety concerns including but not limited to wild animals, hostile entities, and unfavorable weather conditions]
[Would host like to build a shelter with the system?]
Richard read the notification carefully, tapping his foot against the forest floor as he considered his options because the system was absolutely right about one thing, he had no idea where he was, and wandering around looking for someone to talk to or ask for directions right now wasn't exactly the safest idea he could come up with.
Who knew what he might run into halfway through his journey, especially since this was an entirely new world with who knows what kind of creatures lurking in the shadows, and given his recent luck with being stabbed to death by his own girlfriend, he wasn't exactly feeling like testing the universe's patience any further than he already had.
"And how much SP are we talking about exactly?" Richard asked, figuring he should get a clear answer before committing to anything, because if there was one thing he had learned from his brief time with this system, it was that nothing came for free.
[Depends on what the host has in mind]
[System can complete virtually any wish or request, so long as the host is able to provide the suitable funds, in this case SP which stands for System Points]
"But what if I don't have enough SP?" He asked with a raised brow, because that seemed like the obvious concern given that he had just borrowed money from the system to buy clothes and was already in debt before he had even taken his first real step into this new world.
[Like the system stated before, all the host needs to do is gather resources from the environment and convert them to usable SP through the system interface]
[Might i also add that gold coins are a preferred resource for SP conversion, host]
'Where on earth am I supposed to get gold coins this deep in the woods?' Richard shook his head softly, because this wasn't the first time the system had gone on about this gold stuff, and he was starting to suspect that whoever or whatever had designed this thing was more of a money-loving merchant than an actual impartial system designed to help him survive.
[As for the host's wish, simply input your description into this interface and leave the rest to system]
The system added this final notification, and the next moment, a blank panel with a blinking cursor at the top emerged before Richard's eyes, waiting for him to type out whatever shelter he had in mind.
'Alright, since I'm out in the woods, the first thing I'm going to need is a fence,' Richard pondered while staring at the trees surrounding him, because a good solid fence should keep most animals at bay while he slept, assuming the animals in this world behaved anything like the ones back on earth.
'A wooden one should suffice for now since I'm low on SP and don't want to blow through my remaining balance on something of a higher grade.' he continued thinking, his fingers hovering over the interface as he planned out his new home. 'Also, I'll need at least a house with not too much space but just right for one person, so for now, let's go with a simple log cabin.'
Once Richard was satisfied with his mental design, he typed out the descriptions as best as he could and clicked the OK button on the interface, watching as the panel processed his request in no time at all.
[Analysing request]
[Log cabin: 4 SP]
[4x4, 20mx20m Wooden fence: 4 SP]
[Request Acknowledged]
[Creation requirements: 8 SP total]
'Oh? It's actually within range,' Richard thought to himself, feeling a wave of relief wash over him because he currently had only 9 SP left to his name after the clothing purchase and the loan he had taken out, which meant this shelter would cost him almost everything he had but would still leave him with just enough to scrape by.
[Would host like to finalize request?]
[Y/N]
'Sure, go right ahead,' Richard gave his go ahead to the system without much hesitation, because the sooner he had a roof over his head, the sooner he could stop worrying about his own safety.
[Error...]
[Notice: Request cannot be finalized due to insufficient room in the designated area]
[Correction: Host is required to clear out the obstructions in the area including trees, rocks, and uneven terrain, or would host prefer to create the requested structures around said obstructions?]
'Hmm...' Richard pondered while glancing at the trees all around him, because to be honest, there was plenty of space in between them if the system just worked around the trunks instead of trying to bulldoze everything in sight.
'Safety first,' he decided, because he could always deal with the trees later on once he had a secure place to sleep and store his things. 'Also, it wouldn't be too late to try converting those trees to SP from within the fence once the shelter is already up and running.'
He smiled upon coming to such a realization, feeling quite pleased with himself for finding a solution that didn't involve doing any actual manual labor, and gave the system permission to continue with the creation around the existing obstructions rather than through them.
The moment he did, the fence and log cabin he had designed emerged out of thin air, materializing from nothing in a shimmer of blue light that slowly faded to reveal solid wood and sturdy construction that looked like it had been standing there for years rather than mere seconds.
Fortunately, the cabin emerged inches away from being pressed in between two large trees that would have made the whole structure look awkward and cramped, which caused Richard to sigh in relief as he realized how close he had come to living in a home that was literally hugging a pair of trees.
With the fence now surrounding him on all sides and the cabin standing ready behind him, Richard felt a lot safer than when he had been standing out in the open with nothing but the clothes on his back.