Jack had done well with the recipe. The game’s system gave its blessing.

  You’ve crafted [Molotov Cocktail].

  Crafting grade: C+

  +200XP in [Bushcrafting]

  [Innovating Pioneer] kicks in.

  Molotov Cocktail (Uncommon)

  A makeshift bomb with some incendiary potential. Handle with care.

  Effects: Deal 20(+5) fire damage in a 3(+1)-meter radius.

  [Innovating Pioneer] bonus: Expands damage and explosion radius. Forms a pool of fire in the blast zone that keeps dealing damage for 5 seconds.

  “Good item!” he muttered to himself. Jack couldn’t help but smile as the system prompt appeared. Finally, a crafted item with real damage potential. After weeks of relying on distractions and buffs, he had something he could use to deal some damage.

  He’d forgotten all about [Innovating Pioneer]. He felt just like when he put on clothes he hadn’t in a while, only to find money in one of the pockets. The additional damage and expanded radius were sizable improvements, making the cocktails hit harder.

  The best bonus was the persistent effect after the explosion. It could increase damage even further or create a barrier that would persist for a few seconds, buying him enough time to make a run for it or play a melody to buy himself even more time.

  After testing the seals on all the Molotov Cocktails, Jack packed them carefully into his inventory.

  Next, Jack grabbed a piece of wood debris from the courtyard ground. The surface was rough and splintered, but the core felt solid enough to withstand flames. Running his hand along its length, he brushed away dirt and stray fibers, then nodded—it would serve well as a torch.

  He grabbed blobs of insect fat, smeared them on a rag, and wrapped them tightly around one end of the wood. The fabric clung as he tied it off, ensuring it wouldn’t unravel. Repeating the process twice more, he crafted three simple torches.

  You’ve crafted [Basic Torch].

  +50XP in [Bushcrafting]

  “Good! This way, I can see where I’m going if I have to explore somewhere dark.” The torches, made of splintered wood, shabby rags, and insect fat, weren’t elegant, but they felt dependable in his hands.

  Before setting out, Jack made his way to the pot hive nestled against the wall at the back of the fortress. He paused, gauging their activity. The bees buzzed busily around the hive, undisturbed by his presence.

  He prompted the system to harvest whatever honey was available. The golden liquid pooled into one of the pots in his inventory.

  I wish I could save it for making mead, but I don’t have much choice here.

  Honey never went bad, and it would sustain him if he found nothing to forage during his expedition.

  This time, there were no bees dead from the cold. The enhanced version of [Morning of Spring] had boosted their resistance enough to face the cold. He grabbed the ocarina and tried to buff them again, but his thoughts kept going toward the expedition ahead, and he just couldn’t focus enough. He gave up after three tries.

  His XP bar from novice level 9 to journeyman level 1 in beekeeping was tantalizingly close—96%. Just a little more, and he’d break into the journeyman tier. He wished he could be here when the level-up happened, but he shook his head. Not now. Everyone had left more than fifteen minutes ago, and he should head out too. He’d delayed his departure long enough.

  Back in the courtyard, Jack reviewed his preparations one last time: two fermentation bomb casings, several Molotov cocktails, three torches, honey, and water. It wasn’t much, but it would have to do. He mentally adjusted the arrangement in his inventory slots, feeling the reassuring presence of his crafted items.

  Finally, he made his way out of the citadel. He traversed the first field of traps. As he climbed over the chariot, he found Riku groaning as he pried open a bear trap that had sprung on some unfortunate cockroach earlier. All over the minefield, Jack saw signs of Riku’s hard work. There was a pile of ruined traps, and some new ones were already set up.

  Patting himself on the back for finding such good help, Jack waved at the boy and proceeded to cross the three ditches and travel down the road.

  Jack opened the map. A small hologram manifested before him, courtesy of the game’s system. His eyes traced the paths marked in neat lines, confirming his route. Amari mapping out the terrain makes all the difference, Jack thought with a nod of appreciation.

  The canyon stretched out before him, its rocky walls rising high on either side. The terrain here was wider and less constricted than the narrow choke point where they’d placed the carriage and the field of traps. Jack couldn’t help but marvel at how well they’d chosen that spot—it had forced the waves of roaches to funnel through, maximizing the effectiveness of their defenses. Here, in this broader section of the pass, such tactics wouldn’t have worked nearly as well.

  As he walked, Jack’s sandals crunched softly on the dusty path. The ground was filled with the clawed marks of hundreds of roaches. Overlapping them were the clear hoofprints of Horace and Marie’s highlander horses, their deep indentations revealing the weight of the animals. Amari’s lighter footprints danced alongside them.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Jack pressed on. After about fifteen minutes, he came to the fork—a narrow trail cutting to the left. According to the map, this was the route to the forest. The trail dipped into a valley that began as a tight squeeze between rocky slopes but eventually opened into a wider stretch of sloped, green terrain—the Breach’s only forest.

  The only hint of the forest beyond was the odd pine needle or the faint scent of resin carried by the wind. Jack knelt briefly to inspect the ground. The hoof prints veered left toward the forest. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he imagined Marie and Horace already venturing among the trees. But his path lay in the opposite direction. With a deep breath, he stood and continued forward along the other route.

  The canyon began to narrow again, the rocky walls closing in. The road dipped lower and lower, the incline becoming steeper with every step. Jack steadied himself, his sandals skidding slightly on loose gravel as he descended.

  Jack consulted the map again and then looked up, squinting. Hidden within the shadows, he spotted a faint trail etched into the rock face—a narrow climb about four meters up.

  He tested the first foothold. The climb was tricky but manageable. The stone was cold and rough beneath his fingers, providing a decent grip as he hoisted himself upward. After a few minutes of careful maneuvering, Jack pulled himself up and stood on a ledge overlooking the hidden path.

  “If Amari hadn’t marked this place, I would have probably missed it. I have to ask him what bonuses rogues get while exploring,” Jack said, trying to make some noise to fight the eerie quiet.

  The trail was tucked away between jagged cliffs, a secret route carved into the mountain itself. It reminded Jack of the path to the spring near the fortress. The similarities were striking—both concealed, both requiring effort to find, and both holding the promise of something valuable at the end.

  Jack paused for a moment, catching his breath. The faint hum of wind whispered through the canyon. The path stretched ahead, rugged and uneven, inviting him deeper into the mountains. He steeled himself for whatever lay ahead and marched onward.

  The wind picked up, weaving through the narrow aperture in the road. It created a high-pitched whistle that carried an icy bite, sending chills down Jack’s spine. He glanced at the clock. Ten minutes had passed since he started following the trail.

  The canyon walls began to shift, opening up into a new stretch of terrain. Jack slowed his pace as the path narrowed dramatically: a sheer drop to his left and a towering cliff on his right. He checked the map and gulped. The precarious stretch wouldn’t last forever—Amari’s notes promised the path would widen soon. Still, the sight of the deep precipice made his stomach churn.

  Just then, he received a notification.

  Horace has discovered a new hidden package: Lazarus Herb.

  “Cool! Horace has found something in the forest.”

  Lazarus Herb

  The Lazarus herb can grow in the mountains when the conditions are just right. It’s a powerful medicine that can cure almost any illness.

  Package effects:

  If you or any of your teammates perish, they can respawn on the map with no penalties.

  “So cool!” Jack exclaimed. It wasn’t as if he was planning on dying in the Breach, but getting a lifeline like this would go a long way.

  “Horace - 1 | 1 - Jack. I’m winning,” came the sudden message from Horace.

  “In what universe are you winning?” Jack sent back.

  “I just am. Better step up your game, Squishy Jack.”

  It was all silly banter, but it ignited Jack’s competitive spirit and gave him the courage he needed to keep going. Jack opened the map and confirmed that the faint pin marking the nearby package was beyond this perilous stretch, offering a further incentive to keep moving.

  Jack turned sideways, carefully balancing himself along the thin edge of the trail. His sandals skidded slightly on the loose gravel, sending a cascade of pebbles tumbling into the abyss below. His heart hammered as he gripped the cliff wall for support.

  Don’t look down, he told himself, breathing deeply. Remember. You’re safe in your bed at home. This is just a game. This is just VR with incredible graphics.

  The wind gusted suddenly, and Jack gasped as his footing slipped. For a terrifying moment, he teetered on the edge, his arms flailing as his right foot dangled over the precipice.

  This is it. I’m going to fall, he thought, panic flooding his chest.

  Jack pressed himself hard against the rock wall, his fingers clawing at jagged edges for stability. The stone bit into his palms, but he didn’t care. Slowly, shakily, he pulled himself upright, his breath coming in short, panicked bursts.

  His heart raced as he stood still momentarily, trying to steady his nerves. For a fleeting second, the thought of turning back crossed his mind, but he shoved it aside. He thought of the package Horace had just found. Everyone was doing their best and braving dangers. If I can’t handle this, what use am I to the others?

  Regaining his composure, he kept moving slowly, steadily. At last, the cramped stretch of road began to widen.

  Oof. I made it.

  Jack’s gaze lifted as the path leveled out, and the precipice transitioned into a steep slope. Still daunting but far easier on the nerves than the sheer drop he’d left behind. Jack exhaled shakily, the tension easing from his shoulders.

  Now, he could walk more comfortably. The wind, sharper and colder than ever, sliced through the canyon with relentless force, but it no longer felt like a direct threat.

  Then, the wind shifted.

  It carried something new—not just the whistling chill of cold air but another sound, low and steady, rumbling like distant thunder. Jack froze, tilting his head to listen.

  It fluctuated, fading at times before surging back louder, like a pulse. The uncertainty gnawed at him—was it an echo, or was something moving?

  Jack pressed onward, following the trail as it continued to widen. The incline was still noticeable, but his footing felt sure. With each step, the noise grew louder, resonating through the canyon walls like a deep drumbeat.

  That’s when he saw it: an opening in the mountain ahead.

  A large, dark hole gaped in the rock. Jack checked the map, his eyes darting to the nearby pin Amari had marked. He swallowed hard. Amari did well to flag this spot. The cave practically screamed “suspicious.”

  The rumbling grew louder, vibrating through the air and into Jack’s chest. He froze, realization dawning.

  The noise wasn’t thunder. It was coming from inside the cave.

  “My goodness,” Jack muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. His eyes widened as the sound became more distinct and rhythmic, like the rise and fall of something vast.

  “Is that… something breathing?”