You’ve looted [Mother Roach].

  +1 gold and three silver.

  You’ve looted:

  18x [Exquisite Roach Meat];

  63x [Insect Fat];

  3x [Mother Roach Chitin];

  [6-Leg Slash];

  +500XP in [Butcher].

  As expected of a boss, the drops were far more generous than those from an elite. While the first Manipulator Roach had only dropped a single skill book, this boss had delivered a skill book and then some.

  “Eighteen meat from one beast,” Jack muttered, shaking his head. “And sixty-three fat? That’s uncanny.”

  Curious, Jack decided to inspect the [Exquisite Roach Meat] and compare it to the regular roach meat he’d harvested earlier.

  Roach Meat (Common)

  A hunk of meat harvested from a roach, surprisingly dense and slightly oily. It has a faint earthy aroma and a toughness that suggests it’s best cooked thoroughly.

  Durability: 16

  Exquisite Roach Meat (Uncommon)

  A premium cut of roach meat, richer in nutrients and flavor. It carries a subtle sweetness under its earthy aroma and is notably tender for insect protein. When cooked, meals made with this meat yield enhanced effects.

  Durability: 45

  The difference was striking. The durability of the exquisite meat was nearly triple that of the regular cut. Sadly, given how quickly perishable ingredients degraded, the meat would spoil by the time the next wave hit.

  Still, the potential was undeniable. He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of buff meals cooked with this rare ingredient might provide.

  Next, Jack examined the skill book. His brows furrowed as he read through the description, and he quickly clicked his tongue. It was an incredible skill—but not for him.

  6-Leg Slash (Uncommon)

  Skill level: 1

  Skill description: You’ve observed how an insect overlord uses their six legs in quick succession during fights and have managed to mimic the technique.

  Skill effects: Active. Perform eight slashes in rapid succession. Each strike deals 10% more damage than the last.

  Finally, he turned his attention to the Mother Roach’s hard shells.

  Mother Roach Chitin

  A fragment of the Mother Roach, useful for reinforcing items to make them sturdier.

  Effects: Boosts the defense of any item by 30%. Only effective within the Breach.

  Jack immediately thought of Horace, whose defensive playstyle would benefit the most.

  He turned toward his teammates, holding up the items. “Here’s the skill book. Amari, I think this one’s for you.”

  Amari accepted it without hesitation. “Let’s see what this can do,” he said, stepping to the side. In a blur of motion, he unleashed a flurry of strikes, each faster and harder-hitting than the last. When he finished, he turned back to the group with a wide grin. “This is going to be fun.”

  Jack pursed his lip. Compared to the skill he’d acquired earlier—a modest boost to nearby allies—Amari’s was much cooler. It was pure offense designed to turn Amari into a damage-dealing powerhouse.

  Next, Jack held up the chitin fragments. “What should we do with these?”

  Horace stepped forward, inspecting the pieces in Jack’s hands. “I can probably reinforce my shield or chestplate with this. Since we’ve got three, I’ll use one for myself, and the other two can go toward strengthening the gates of the wall.”

  Jack tilted his head. “Can you do that? Use it on the gates?”

  "There's only one way to find out," Horace replied, already turning toward the gates.

  As much as Jack wanted to follow and see how Horace would use the fragments, his work wasn’t done. He gestured toward the battlefield, a mountain of roach carcasses littering the ground.

  “You guys go ahead,” Jack said. “I still need to finish looting the field.”

  With that, Jack pivoted back to the sea of corpses, rolling up his sleeves and preparing to get to work.

  The battlefield was a chaotic mess, littered with roach carcasses and battered traps. Caltrops were buried under the weight of lifeless giant roaches, while bear traps clamped onto thick limbs, their metal frames bent and twisted. Stakes that had been once sharp were now dulled and broken.

  The air carried a strange mix of smells—damp earth, burnt wood, and something Jack could only describe as “wet bug.”

  The wave had pushed dangerously far. The line of destruction crept uncomfortably close to the second ditch. Jack’s stomach tightened. If this was just the first boss wave… how much stronger will the next boss be?

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  He shook his head, forcing the thought away. No point worrying about something I can’t control. He had work to do. At least this time, he didn’t have to worry too much about the traps, which made the cleanup easier.

  Touching each carcass, Jack activated the looting game mechanic, the familiar system notifications popping up as he worked.

  You’ve gathered:

  7x [Insect Fat]

  1x [Exquisite Roach Meat]

  +1XP in [Butchering]

  Jack blinked in surprise, a grin spreading across his face. “The exquisite bug meat isn’t just because of the Mother Roach!” he exclaimed, his voice breaking the battlefield’s quiet. “It’s because of my new song!”

  Tenderizing Repercussions wasn’t just about staggering enemies—it seemed to improve both the quality and quantity of his meat harvests. Even the amount of insect fat was noticeably greater.

  He couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride. This song’s awesome. The idea of stacking it with Soulful Performer made his pulse quicken. Just imagining the effects made him eager to practice it more.

  Each critter dropped fat, meat, and a handful of copper coins. While none of it was particularly flashy, it would all add up. As Jack moved systematically across the battlefield, he came across two elites. One of them yielded a welcome surprise: a pair of boots.

  Manipulator Carapace Boots (Uncommon)

  Boots crafted from the vibrant, chitinous shells of colorful manipulator roaches. Lightweight yet reinforced for durability, they enhance mobility and precision, making them ideal for those who thrive on calculated chaos in the heat of battle.

  Durability: 31

  Effects:

  +8 agility;

  +5 explosion radius;

  +10% movement speed;

  +4 defense;

  +5 block;

  Requirements: Grenadier, lvl. 20

  Jack sighed, holding the boots up to the light. “Argh. These are surely for Marie.”

  A pang of frustration hit him. Everyone else seemed to walk away with something valuable from this wave, while he felt stuck with crumbs.

  He huffed, shaking his head. “What’s the point of getting upset?” he muttered, tucking the boots into his inventory.

  It was pointless to sulk. The boots would still be useless to him if they hadn’t come with a class restriction. Jack couldn’t equip gear he hadn’t crafted himself. That was the reality of being a handyman. Besides, they were all in the same boat—if anyone on the team became stronger, it ultimately benefited him too.

  We’re all on the same team, Jack thought, his frustration fading as he got back to work.

  About a third of the way through the carcasses, a notification popped up:

  Congratulations! You’ve reached level 5 in [Butchering].

  You’ve learned: [Meat Salting].

  Meat Salting (Common)

  Skill level: 1

  Skill description: By salting meat, you can preserve it for longer.

  Skill effects: If you have salt in your inventory, meat will not spoil at the expense of salt consumption.

  Jack grinned. It was an amazing skill, and the timing couldn’t have been better. With this, he could preserve meat for much longer. Amari had once mentioned that some professions had perks to keep their materials from spoiling, so it made sense that his minor would include something similar.

  The only downside? Jack didn’t have much salt. He carried just enough for cooking, but it wouldn’t last long. As he mentally tallied his supplies and considered where he might find more salt on this map, another notification appeared:

  Synergy detected between [Butchering] and [Bushcrafting].

  You’ve learned: [Fat Preservation].

  Fat Preservation (Rare)

  Skill level: 1

  Skill description: By storing meat in fat, you can extend its shelf life.

  Skill effects: If you have fat in your inventory, meat will not spoil at the expense of fat consumption.

  The notification popped up before Jack could finish weighing his options for salt. His grin widened. With this, he didn’t even need to worry about his limited salt supply. Between the two new skills, he now had a complete solution.

  With preserved meat at the ready, he and his team could head into future battles stronger and better prepared. I’m practically a walking pantry now, Jack thought with a smirk as he resumed harvesting.

  When Jack finally finished looting the field of carcasses, his inventory was filled to the brim with meat and fat. He rolled his shoulders, feeling the ache from what felt like hours of work, and turned toward the fortress.

  Time to rejoin the party.

  As Jack approached the wall and the gate came into view, he stopped in his tracks. The previously broken gate—once patched with wooden planks and whatever Horace could scrape together—was now covered in a smooth black sheen, gleaming faintly in the dim light. It looked like the entrance to an alien spaceship, sleek and impenetrable.

  Jack examined the gate with an approving look. It finally looked sturdy enough to withstand an assault. Until now, he hadn’t felt like he could fully trust the fortress’s defenses, but after this transformation, the place was finally living up to its name.

  On the other side of the wall, Jack found his companions huddled around the fire, their eyes lighting up as they spotted him. They were clearly waiting for him to replenish their health and stamina. Jack sighed. He was starting to feel like everyone’s mom around here. Esther and Riku, too, were seated eagerly, eyeing him like hungry puppies.

  “Hey. I found these for you,” Jack said, tossing the boots to Marie.

  She caught them easily and examined them with a raised eyebrow. “Didn’t they come in another color?”

  “Ha, ha,” Jack replied dryly, rolling his eyes.

  Without further ado, he approached the pot and grabbed some oil from his inventory. He still had enough to cook a few dishes, but he’d soon need to render more fat into oil. That could wait—right now, he had a hungry party to feed.

  Jack pulled out the exquisite meat. Even in its raw form, the square chunks looked far more appetizing than the stale, oily meat he’d been using before. Esther and Riku’s gazes sharpened, their eyes glued to the meat as though it were a treasure.

  With a grin, Jack tossed the meat into the pan. A satisfying sizzle filled the air as the oil greeted the premium cut. Almost instantly, the courtyard was filled with a rich, savory aroma with hints of caramelized sweetness. Jack stirred the meat with a wooden stick, watching as the pieces browned on one side before flipping them to reveal a perfect golden sear.

  Finally, I can save the honey for mead, Jack thought as he worked. With my new skills, I can just keep feeding meat to the party.

  Congratulations! You’ve sautéed the ingredients of your [Survival Stew].

  The flavors grow stronger.

  +500XP in [Bushcraft]

  “Woah! The XP is huge. Is it because I’m using exquisite meat?” Jack muttered to himself, impressed.

  Jack filled the pot with fresh spring water once the meat had gained a rich, caramelized color. The water hissed as it hit the hot pan, sending up another wave of fragrant steam. Jack added a pinch of salt and pepper from his inventory, stirring carefully to mix the flavors.

  The stew began to bubble softly, the simmering broth transforming into a deep amber hue. Every so often, Jack gave it a stir, ensuring nothing stuck to the bottom and that the ingredients blended evenly.

  As the stew simmered, the aroma became even more inviting. Jack’s stomach growled, and he wasn’t the only one. Marie tapped her foot impatiently, while Esther practically vibrated in her seat.

  “Almost ready,” Jack said with a small laugh, pleased with their reactions.

  The pot gave a gentle gurgle, the stew thickening as the meat softened, releasing even more flavor. Jack couldn’t help but smile. This was shaping up to be the best [Survival Stew] he’d ever made.