Legendary Shelter Survival Guide

A few hours passed as Lucas worked on processing the tree. He used every tool at his disposal to craft the highest-quality planks.

He stripped all the bark from the logs before cutting them with the saw.

The process took time, and teaching the duo alongside his work slowed him down further.

In the end, however, a neat pile of ten finely cut planks, both long and small, rested against the shelter's wall.

Sweat drenched Lucas's clothes, the result of hours of lumber work. Yet, he showed no signs of exhaustion.

Barney and Sean, on the other hand, were sprawled on the ground, gasping for air like they'd just fought a war.

Lucas ignored their plight, allowing them to rest as he turned his attention to analyzing the planks they had processed.

=====

Silver Bark Plank

Uncommon

A plank made from a Silver Bark Tree, one of the hardest in its quality grade. With the craftsmanship of a master, the plank achieved one of its highest possible qualities.

Durability: 90/90

=====

'Hmm… it could have been better,' Lucas thought, rubbing his chin. 'I might need to adjust my technique for better results.'

A whining voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Lucas~ Are we done for the day?" Sean called out.

"Sean, stop whining."

The trio turned toward the western part of the forest as John approached.

"Dad, do you know how much work I did today?!" Sean groaned dramatically.

"Yes, and like every young man in this territory, you're expected to do this much," John replied sternly.

Barney elbowed Sean and shook his head. Sean, catching on to his father's serious demeanor, held his tongue.

"Is everything okay, Dad?" Barney asked, his tone matching the mood.

"Everything is fine, boys. You did a good job processing the tree today," John said, glancing at Lucas knowingly.

Lucas nodded. "Both of them were a great help, Uncle John. We're done for the day, so they can rest now."

Hearing that, Sean seemed to recover his energy instantly. He got up and sprinted inside the shelter without a word.

"Dad, if something's bothering you, you should tell me. I'll help however I can," Barney said, standing up and watching his father closely.

'He knows his dad well…' Lucas smiled, observing the serious conversation between father and son. Despite John's attempt at putting up a strong front, Barney had seen through him.

John sighed, glancing at Lucas for a moment before answering. "It's just the increased trade at the shelter, son. I'm just a tad tired, that's all," he said with a faint smile.

Barney's skepticism was evident. "Maybe I can help with that?"

"Really?" John asked, surprised.

"Wait, why are you so surprised?" Barney replied, his tone almost offended.

"Nothing, nothing," John chuckled. "If you really want to help, come to the storage room in the morning. I'll explain how everything works."

John patted Barney's shoulder with pride. Barney nodded, his expression neutral, and headed toward the shelter.

"They're finally coming together…" John muttered as he watched his son walk away. When Barney was gone, his gaze turned serious as he looked at Lucas.

"The kobolds are halfway to the shelter," John said.

Lucas refrained from questioning why John had lied to his son. Instead, he opened the map for the first time in hours, a smile creeping onto his face. "Hmm… this is good. Now we can intercept them."

"Intercept them?" John asked, startled.

"We can't let them get too close to the shelter. I've been waiting for them to approach within range. Now it's time for us to make our move."

Closing the map, Lucas turned to John with a confident smile.

"We'll form a small team—just you, me, Bill, Sarah, and Jerry. Does that sound okay?"

John took a deep breath, glancing at the shelter. "I'm okay with it," he muttered.

"Uncle John, I don't want you feeling overwhelmed. We can't afford to go in with one of our best people carrying too much concern," Lucas said, surprising John.

"I'm not overwhelmed, Lucas. I won't let you down."

"It's not that, Uncle John," Lucas replied, shaking his head. "I know what you're feeling, even if I don't want to intrude. I just want you to know this… situations like this are normal."

John stayed silent for a few moments before letting out another sigh. "It's been a while since I left my family to fend for themselves. As the man of the family, there are responsibilities on my shoulders, Lucas—" Your next read awaits at My Virtual Library Empire

"And this is one of them," Lucas interrupted with a mature smile, catching John off guard.

After a moment, John smiled faintly and sighed. "… You're right. Maybe all this peace these past few months has made me soft."

"Not soft, Uncle John. Everyone's just gotten used to peace, and that's a good thing. But some of us have to stay vigilant. Now, I'll go get Sarah and Jerry ready to leave. We'll contact Bill when we're close enough."

"No, I'll do it. Wait here for a minute," John said, heading into the shelter and leaving Lucas to contemplate.

'Am I being too authoritative with them?' Lucas wondered. 'For so many years, all I did was craft and give orders. Maybe it's become a habit… I might need to change some things. But getting the work done is important too.'

As Lucas waited and mulled over his thoughts, John finally returned, bringing Sarah and Jerry with him.

"Lucas, is there an invasion happening?" Sarah asked, her expression perplexed.

"Yes, the Kobolds have come here in our territory. I'm sorry for not telling you earlier," Lucas said, although he could tell that she was already angry about it.

"It's okay, I guess…" Sarah replied, though her lips tightened, and her gaze lingered on Lucas, betraying her hurt.

Lucas understood where she was coming from. They were supposed to be in a relationship, yet he was still keeping things from her. It wasn't anything personal—just a decision made for the sake of the shelter.

Before he could speak to her about it, a loud voice interrupted him.