Creation system

Mitch rummaged through the scattered backpacks, his fingers working methodically despite the exhaustion weighing on his shoulders.

The fabric of his current clothes clung to his skin, sodden with perspiration and stained a deep crimson that had long since obscured their original earthy brown.

The metallic scent of blood mingled with the forest's pine-fresh air, creating an unsettling contrast.

The backpacks yielded a treasure trove of survival gear: a well-used flint and steel set, its metal surfaces polished smooth by countless strikes; a peculiar metal vessel adorned with a brilliant sapphire that pulsed with inner light; a sturdy iron knife with a leather-wrapped handle; several monster cores of varying grades, their surfaces gleaming with trapped mana; strips of salted jerky wrapped in oiled cloth; a small glass bottle filled with an ominous green powder; some spare clothes; and a folded piece of parchment that crackled when touched.

He stripped off the ruined garments without ceremony, the cool mountain breeze raising goosebumps across his scarred torso. The replacement clothes, a simple cotton tunic and worn leather pants, hung loose on his frame, clearly meant for someone broader, but they were clean and whole. That was enough.

Mitch's system interface flickered to life as he examined two of the items.

[Glass bottle filled with impurities]

[Water container - Generates fresh water when infused with mana, crafted by a novice crafter]

Unfolding the parchment with careful fingers, Mitch read the contents aloud, his voice carrying a mixture of curiosity and unease:

"It seems that you little addicts keep hiding from my men. You have until the end of the week. Bring the gold, or else I'll deal with you personally. Signed M"

The realization struck him like a physical blow, the writing was in English, as clear and familiar as if he'd penned it himself.

The people they'd encountered had also spoken English, their words perfectly comprehensible despite this being an entirely different world. I got lucky yet again, he thought, his eyes drifting to the status panel [Divine Luck].

Leya selected one of the sturdier backpacks, its leather straps darkened with age but still functional.

She changed into the spare clothes, pulling them over her undergarments as her previous outfit, a simple dress that had been reduced to little more than strategic tatters, fell away.

The robe transformed her appearance entirely, lending her an air of mysterious authority.

"Here, Leya, read this," Mitch said, extending the threatening letter.

She studied the parchment, her emerald eyes scanning the rough handwriting. "Oh, they were desperate then. I think they thought we had storage rings and tried to rob us to make a fortune."

"What makes you so certain?"

"They watched us for some time. I could feel their eyes on us from the treeline. We didn't have any backpacks to carry our things, yet we clearly had supplies.

They might've seen you store those cores inside your storage skill and assumed you used a storage ring.

Only awakeners with considerable wealth can afford even the smallest storage ring. It's at least a tier 3 item, worth more gold than most people see in a lifetime."

"That makes perfect sense," Mitch nodded, then held up the green powder. "What about this dust?"

"Drugs, I think," Leya said, her gaze sliding away from his, discomfort clear in her posture.

"Should we keep it or dispose of it?"

"We'd face heavy fines if we were caught with it. The authorities don't ask questions first. Besides, we couldn't sell it easily without connections to the underground markets."

Without hesitation, Mitch tossed the bottle to the ground, where it shattered against a rock, releasing the green powder to scatter on the wind.

He methodically stored the remaining supplies in his pocket dimension, watching them disappear into the void-like space with a familiar sense of satisfaction.

They both shouldered their new backpacks, adjusting the straps for comfort. Mitch claimed the summoner staff, a gnarled piece of darkwood topped with a crystal that hummed with latent energy, but they were forced to abandon the spears.

Once again, they began their trek toward the imposing mountain, its snow-capped peak piercing the sky like a titan's spear. With each step, the ancient stones seemed to loom larger, more foreboding.

Their journey was punctuated by fortunate discoveries: tier 1 silverleaf flowers hidden in shadowed crevices, their petals shimmering with healing properties; bloodroot herbs that grew near fallen logs, their crimson stems valuable for mana restoration potions. Each find was carefully harvested and stored.

Combat came in the form of tier 2 wolves, lean, hungry beasts with intelligence gleaming in their amber eyes. But after their recent trials, these creatures felt almost mundane.

Mitch's mana balls found their marks with deadly precision, while Leya's sword slashed them with impunity.

They reached the mountain's base just as the sun painted the sky in brilliant shades of orange.

The mountain face rose before them like a wall of weathered stone and determination, its surface scarred by countless millennia of wind and rain.

Dozens of paths zigzagged up its slopes, some wide enough for merchant caravans, others barely goat tracks that disappeared into shadow.

The prospect of navigating such treacherous terrain in darkness was daunting. Neither wished to face the mountain's nocturnal predators while exhausted and half-blind.

"Now that we have clean clothes, I want to wash myself of all this grime," Leya said softly, her voice carrying a note of vulnerability that made Mitch's heart skip.

"Can you help me with your water spell?" She looked deep into his eyes, and he saw something there, trust, perhaps, or maybe something more.

He knew she could use the enchanted water container they'd looted, but the request felt like more than practicality. It was an invitation, a moment of intimacy in a world that had shown them little kindness.

"Sure," Mitch replied, meeting her gaze with equal intensity, a smile spreading across his face like sunrise.

The night passed peacefully, though they were serenaded by the distant howling of creatures higher up the mountain. Sounds that spoke of ancient hunger and primal wildness.

But in their small circle of warmth and safety, such threats felt distant and manageable.

They woke wrapped in each other's arms, the morning sun filtering through the trees' canopy. Both felt refreshed, renewed, ready to face whatever challenges the day might bring.

Selecting the most promising path, one that switch-backed up the mountain face with reasonable stability, they began their ascent.

The air grew thinner with each step, and the temperature dropped noticeably. But their bodies, enhanced by their tier two power, adapted quickly.

Combat intensified as they climbed higher. The tier 1 wolves gave way to more formidable tier 2 variants, their coats pristine white and their movements accompanied by the crystalline tinkle of ice magic. These creatures wielded frost mana in their claws, leaving trails of frozen air with each swipe.

Mitch's harvesting skills proved invaluable after each victory.

[16 x Tier 2 Ice Wolf Claws - Crafting ingredient with excellent mana conductivity, prized by weapon smiths]

[8 x Tier 2 Ice Wolf Fur - Crafting ingredient with natural ice resistance and moderate mana conductivity, sought after by armorers]

They had climbed nearly halfway up the mountain when they discovered a cave, a dark mouth in the stone face that seemed to exhale cool, stale air.

Mitch peered inside, his enhanced vision adjusting to the gloom. Rather than a tunnel boring deep into the mountain's heart, this was a single large chamber, its ceiling lost in shadows above.

But it was what waited at the chamber's far end that made his pulse quicken: a golden chest, its surface gleaming with more than mere metal.

The precious container was guarded by a sleeping white bear, its fur seeming to absorb the cave's dim light. Several ice wolves lay curled around it like loyal hounds.

"Do you think we can handle them, Leya? The bear is emanating the pressure of a middle tier 2, that's significantly stronger than anything we've faced."

"I think we should take the chance," she replied, her eyes bright with excitement and avarice. "You've proven yourself quite capable in combat. And I've never opened a golden chest before! I want it!"

The hunger in her voice was almost palpable, and Mitch found himself caught up in her enthusiasm.

"I'll eliminate the wolves quickly, try to occupy the bear with your shield work, Leya."

They prepared methodically: checking their mana reserves, ensuring their weapons were properly gripped, reviewing their tactical approaches. Then, moving with the careful precision of seasoned hunters, they approached the sleeping guardians.

The moment they crossed the chamber's halfway point, the bear's eyes snapped open, glacier-blue orbs that seemed to hold the weight of winter itself. It rose to its full, imposing height and charged with surprising speed for something so massive.

Mitch's mana balls found their targets with practiced accuracy, two wolves falling before they could fully react. The third, however, managed to flank him from the left, its claws wreathed in numbing frost as they descended toward his shoulder.

In the close quarters, another mana ball would risk catching Leya in the blast. Instead, he drew his sword and channeled fire aura along its edge, the blade becoming a streak of orange light as it carved through the wolf's jaw.

The creature's maw split open, fire magic racing down its throat even as its natural ice resistance fought against the invasive heat.

The wolf's dying counterattack left deep claw marks across Mitch's torso, but another fiery slash ended its suffering permanently.

A quick glance showed Leya performing admirably, using her superior speed to stay just ahead of the bear's devastating attacks.

Her shield had absorbed one mighty blow, the impact sending her skidding backward but leaving her unharmed.

Mitch approached the bear from behind, launching a mana ball that struck its thick neck, followed immediately by a sword thrust aimed at the same spot.

But the creature's hide was incredibly tough, his blade penetrated only a few centimeters before stopping against what felt like stone.

This was clearly a middle-tier 2 monster, worthy of its classification.

Its claws radiated an ice aura far more potent than the wolves', and its body seemed almost impervious to conventional attacks.

The bear roared, a sound that seemed to shake the very stones of the cave, and spun toward Mitch with surprising agility.

Leya seized the opening, her ice blade slashing across the creature's back, though the attack seemed to barely register against its thick hide.

As the bear's massive claw descended toward him, Mitch activated his shield ability. The translucent barrier materialized just in time, absorbing the incredible impact completely. The shield held firm, uncracked despite the tremendous force.

Mitch created distance between himself and the beast, then unleashed two more mana balls at its neck.

The combined impact was devastating, the bear's throat exploded in a spray of blood and ice, leaving its massive head hanging by mere strips of flesh.

The great creature toppled like a felled tree, its death throes sending tremors through the cave floor.

"That was considerably easier than I anticipated," Leya said, her eyes already fixed on the golden chest with undisguised longing.

But the moment those words left her lips, reality seemed to shift.

A vortex of mana and swirling snow began forming in the cave's center, the air itself becoming thick with power and possibility.

The temperature plummeted, and both adventurers felt the hair on their necks rise as something far more dangerous than a simple bear began to manifest before them.