CUBE WIZARD OF MIDDLE - EARTH

Chapter 3: To Get Rich

That afternoon, Bilbo hurried to the warehouse and retrieved a variety of sausages in different flavors, announcing that as a native of the Shire, it was his duty to treat Levi, a friend who had traveled so far, with the finest hospitality.

Levi, of course, could not refuse.

The two of them enjoyed a lavish "afternoon tea" together.

As Levi savored the meal he had prepared himself, a sense of worry began to stir within him.

Despite having read The Lord of the Rings countless times and being deeply familiar with the story, the reality of living in this world was a different matter entirely. There were countless details of the places not described in the books, and beyond the key storylines and general plots, everything else felt like vague prophecies. The specific circumstances of the world outside the central events were unknown to him.

He needed time to adjust and gather information.

After they had finished their meal, Bilbo graciously declined to offer his special Shire tobacco, and the two of them sat back in the small yard, gazing into the distance in comfortable silence.

For a while, the air was peaceful, the quiet stretching between them like an unspoken bond.

Then, breaking the stillness, Bilbo asked, "Levi, do you have anything important planned for the next few days?"

Levi turned to him, raising an eyebrow in mild surprise.

Bilbo stood up, took a deep breath, and continued, "Don't get me wrong, I'm not prying into your affairs. I'm just wondering—if you don't have anything pressing to do, perhaps you might consider staying here a little longer."

He gestured to the idyllic landscape of the Shire. "You know, the scenery here is quite nice, don't you think? You could take a leisurely stroll and unwind a bit."

Levi looked at Bilbo, who was now standing with his hands placed on his hips, his eyes wide with anticipation. Bilbo had the look of someone who had already convinced himself that Levi was an esteemed guest—a chef of great renown, perhaps even a royal one.

The offer was not only an invitation to enjoy the land but also, clearly, a plea to indulge in more of Levi's culinary expertise.

Levi took a moment, weighing the request, and quickly saw through Bilbo's intentions. People with skills in the kitchen, he realized, rarely worry about where they go.

With a chuckle, Levi replied, "Well, since you've put it that way, I'll have to shamelessly accept your offer for a few more days."

"Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Bilbo," he added, smiling.

Bilbo beamed with relief, nodding fervently. "Oh, you're most welcome! It'll be a pleasure to have you."

Levi made his way back to the house, and for the first time, Bilbo experienced the anxiety of having invited a complete stranger to stay in his home. But Levi's words had put him at ease, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Though their time together was fleeting, Levi made the most of it. After dinner, in the spirit of "learning," he quickly mastered several new recipes, and before long, all of Bilbo's dishes had been devoured by Levi, while the system-level delicacies crafted by Levi were carefully placed before Bilbo.

The Hobbit felt a pang of shame, realizing he had indulged in such exquisite food, while his own rough cooking was merely filling the void for the masterful chef before him.

Levi, however, seemed to take it all in stride, and Bilbo could only marvel at the ease with which his guest consumed food that, in any other situation, might have been considered far less refined.

After the meal, Bilbo seemed lost in thought, likely reflecting on how he would never be able to replicate the kind of dishes Levi had prepared. Levi, on the other hand, pondered something else entirely: his newfound abilities in this strange world.

Despite his usual limitations in the My World game—where once the hunger bar was full, eating had no further effect—he had discovered that here, in Middle-earth, his hunger bar could be extended.

He could continue eating even after feeling full, with the excess food converting into a second hunger bar that appeared brighter than the first. It was a surprising and intriguing discovery.

As he tested this out, Levi found that his hunger bar could extend only so far, a second full bar being the maximum before it reset to the normal feeling of being stuffed.

That night, after saying goodnight to Bilbo, Levi slipped away quietly, making his way to the nearby forest. He had something he'd been meaning to do for a while.

Making sure the area was deserted, Levi raised his hand and struck the trunk of the nearest tree with a solid blow.

Dong.

The sound was dull but echoed through the forest, and as Levi's fist made contact, a crack appeared on the tree's bark. He struck again, harder this time.

Dong dong dong.

The sound continued, and with each blow, the tree began to splinter. Finally, with a loud pop, a sizable chunk of the tree broke off and fell to the ground with a crash, startling a flock of birds into flight.

However, the piece of wood that landed at his feet didn't look much different than it had when it was part of the tree.

Levi picked it up and checked his inventory.

Oak Log.

Unlike the usual in-game mechanics, the log did not appear to be a standardized item. It maintained its shape, size, and individuality, which was intriguing to Levi. Curious, he decided to break more trees down, collecting pieces of wood and other materials, all while wondering how the system would process these different raw materials.

After several strikes, Levi discovered a new feature.

Unlocked synthesis formula: Standard Oak.

He understood instantly. Items that were naturally broken into pieces could not be stacked because each individual piece had its own specific shape and size. But with the synthesis formula unlocked, he could now standardize the wood, turning it into a uniform material—one that could be stacked and stored.

By placing the raw wood in the synthesis grid of his backpack, he could convert it into standardized logs, a much more manageable and efficient resource.

The system chimed, announcing his achievement: Standardization!

Levi smiled to himself. It was as if the world had just presented him with a small but significant tool to help him navigate the challenges ahead.

With this new knowledge, he continued his work, felling trees and gathering resources. As his backpack filled, more synthesis formulas unlocked, leading to the creation of essential tools. First, the workbench, and then, a wooden pickaxe.

He set to work right away, using the pickaxe to mine stone directly from the ground beneath him. The mining process was rough and unrefined, but effective nonetheless.

Hours passed as Levi continued to dig, gathering materials and crafting a set of stone tools. Eventually, his hard work paid off with an achievement: Stone Age unlocked.

He also crafted several furnaces and began burning charcoal to make torches. Realistically speaking, the ores he needed for more advanced tools weren't readily available in the area, so he had to make do with what he had.

Despite the challenges, Levi's progress felt satisfying, and his level finally reached one. While there were no immediate signs of transformation, he knew that the deeper he delved into this world, the more it would reveal.

As night descended upon the Shire, Levi looked up at the sky. Stars twinkled brightly above, and a crescent moon cast a silvery glow over the land. It was a beautiful sight, one that made him pause for a moment.

"It's stunning," he murmured, savoring the tranquility of the night.

It was almost time to return to Bilbo's house. After all, Bilbo would likely be waiting for Levi to prepare a midnight snack.