Free Web NovelChapter 31: Future King, Current Taxi
(Next Morning)
Nuan woke up well before Kael. Moving with absolute precision, she carefully wiggled her way out of his heavy arm, unrolled herself from the giant elephant-blanket burrito, and touched the fabric to send it straight back into her inventory.
"Uhn..." She stood up, raising her arms over her head for a massive, satisfying morning stretch. She looked down at her injured ankle, gave it a little wiggle, and sighed. It was healing, but still not quite ready for high-impact running.
Stepping out of the mouth of the den, she breathed in the crisp, cool air. The sky was a pale, dusky grey—dawn was just breaking.
The entire territory was beautifully calm and silent, save for the rhythmic chirping of a few early-morning insects.
"Ah, now this feels like a proper survival show intro," Nuan murmured happily.
Wanting to maximize her efficiency, she started scouting the immediate area for a durable, straight fallen branch.
When she finally spotted one that perfectly matched her own height, she sat down on a smooth boulder, pulled out her hunting knife, and began meticulously shaving down the wood, sharpening the tip.
"If I’m going on a hunt with an ego-bruised Alpha, I might as well have my own long-range logistics ready," she murmured, carving the wood into a flawless, aerodynamic spear.
When she was finished, she blew the stray wood shavings off the tip and closed one eye, checking the alignment.
Durable, not too heavy, balanced weight distribution, and lethally sharp. "Yeah, perfect."
Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in her head. "Hey, Blue Buddy!"
[ Good morning, Host! ]
"Yes, morning! Show me the data on last night’s quest reward. What exactly does Craftsmanship Hands do?"
[ Ability: Craftsmanship Hands ]
[ Details: The Host can select any single tactile craft and instantly become a Master of that specific craft for a duration of 2 hours. ]
[ Note: This skill can only be activated once per day. ]
"Ah, that is a beautifully practical skill!" Nuan grinned. "Show me the available catalog. What can we choose from?"
[ There are more than a few hundred sub-skills available, Host. Please narrow down your request to a specific medium. ]
"Eh..." Nuan tapped her chin, looking around the campsite until her eyes landed on a crude, hollowed-out stone that the wolves used to collect rainwater. It was rough and completely inefficient.
"Right! Pottery!" Nuan declared. "If I’m going to store water in that bamboo flask, I need proper, smooth clay containers for the den next."
[ Craftsmanship Hands: Activating ’Master Pottery’ skill... ]
[ Skill Activated! Countdown: 01:59:58 ]
She looked at the soil and somehow knew it was wrong. Too sandy. Too loose. Not enough clay.
"Ohh!!!" Nuan gasped. Leaning on her newly carved spear for physical support, she started pacing along the treeline, searching for the perfect material. ƒгeewebnovёl.com
She wandered a bit deeper into the woods, but soil out here was also way too sandy and full of loose loam. No good for structural clay.
Then, her academic brain lit up. Duh! The river delta! High clay deposits are always found near flowing water borders. She groaned. Ugh, but by the time I hike all the way to the river on this foot, Kael will be awake and the skill timer will be halfway gone.
Just as she was calculating the travel logistics, her survival senses violently triggered.
Through the crisp morning air, she felt a sudden, distinct ripple in the environment. Three separate figures were rapidly closing in on her position from three different angles in the brush behind her.
But strangely, her brain didn’t register a threat response; instead, she felt a wave of curious, deeply mischievous intent. Even without turning her head, she could vividly map their exact locations in her mind like a radar screen.
Wait... why do these psychological signatures feel so incredibly familiar?
Nuan gripped her wooden spear tightly, shifting her weight into a flawless low-stance, ready for immediate defense or offense.
[ Pack Sync skill has activated automatically, Host, due to unified pack proximity. ]
Ah, I see! The howling link!
Through her heightened radar, she sensed one specific figure break from the brush, moving silently yet incredibly fast, aiming right for her blind spot from behind.
"And I know exactly where you are, Koda!" Nuan smirked.
With lightning-fast master precision, she spun around on her good heel, leveling her spear directly ahead.
Thwip!
Koda froze dead in his tracks, his wide wolf-puppy eyes staring directly at the sharp wooden tip hovering barely an inch away from his throat.
"Trying to scare the host of a survival show? Nice try, kid," Nuan chuckled, smoothly pulling the spear back and resting it against her shoulder.
From the thick brush, two more younger wolves—the usual suspects who always trailed behind Koda—stepped out, looking completely disappointed that their ambush had failed so miserably.
Koda let out a heavy sigh, a soft puff of smoke engulfing him as he transformed back into his scrawny human beastman form. He crossed his arms, pouting. "What are you doing out in the jungle alone, Witch?"
"Oh, you arrived at the absolute perfect logistical time, Koda!" Nuan chirped, her eyes gleaming. "Tell me... are you strong?"
"Yes! Very strong!" Koda barked proudly, instantly throwing his chest out. "I’m going to be the Alpha of my own pack one day!"
"Yes, yes, I’m sure you will, future king," Nuan smiled sweetly, stepping closer. "Then prove it! Let me ride on your back. Can you quickly run me down to the river?"
Koda’s proud expression instantly shattered into pure panic. "The river?! On my back?! No way! The Alpha will be absolutely furious if he catches you riding another wolf!"
"Oh, come on, I can handle Kael’s ego. Don’t worry about him," Nuan coaxed, waving her hand dismissively. "Transform back, hurry up! The clock is literally ticking on my pottery logistics."
"No! Alpha will kill me."
"No he won’t."
"He absolutely will."
"I’ll explain."
Koda swallowed hard, looking at her with deep skepticism. "You... you promise you will handle the Alpha?"
"Yes, yes, I’ve got it covered. Worry not about him." Nuan then turned to the other two young wolves, using her best commanding voice. "You two, head straight back to the main den. If Kael wakes up and asks where we are, just tell him Koda and I went for a small, casual stroll near the river. Clear?"
"Yes, Witch!" The two boys nodded in unison, completely submissive to her authority, before turning and bolting back toward the safety of the camp.
Koda let out one last nervous whine before shifting back into his sleek, agile silver grey wolf form.
Nuan didn’t waste a second; she hopped nimbly onto his back, gripping his thick neck fur securely with her left hand while her right hand held her newly carved spear horizontally at her side.
As Koda launched himself forward through the trees, the wind rushing past her face, Nuan couldn’t help but grin widely, lifting the spear slightly.
Oh yeah... now this actually feels like a high-fantasy warrior promo shoot.
