HC: Handyman | Ch. 78 - Red Lake (Patreon)

When Jack’s eyes fell on Red Lake, he immediately understood why it was called that. The water was so still it mirrored the crimson mountains beyond, painting the lake in hues of scarlet. But even though the waters were tranquil, its shores were anything but peaceful. Players clashed with dinosaurs all around, the sounds of battle echoing across the water.

Jack was drawn to a nearby skirmish just ten meters away. About twenty players were locked in combat with four large dinosaurs, about four meters tall, their bony ridges shaped like tomahawks. The dinosaurs thrashed their tails and headbutted their attackers, trying to fend off the relentless assault, but the players pressed on, steadily whittling down their health. The air was filled with the shouts of commands and weapons clanging.

“Frontliners, hold the line! Archers, focus fire on the left one!”

Jack sat down to watch. After playing alongside Horace, Marie, and Amari, he could identify some of the skills and strategies used in the hunt. He noticed a group of warriors, much like Horace, holding the front line, pinning down the ornithopods to keep them away from the squishier members of the party.

Like Amari, other players darted in and out of the fray, delivering swift, precise strikes before retreating to the backline, waiting for the next opportunity to attack. Grenadiers like Marie threw vials and bombs from a distance, boosting allies, debuffing the dinosaurs, or unleashing explosive damage.

That was just what he could recognize. The more he watched the battle, the more new things he found. Among the large group, he began to recognize new classes. For instance, unlike Horace, who was fully clad in metal armor and wielded a shield and war hammer, some of the frontline warriors attacked the dinosaurs with twin swords. Their pelt-clad bodies emphasized speed and damage over defense. From what Jack had heard from Rob, these were probably berserkers.

Three other warriors fought from horseback. They broke formation, gained distance, and charged the dinosaurs with lances and spears, retreating after each assault to regroup for another charge. These had to be knights.

Not all the players darting in and out of combat were ninjas like Amari. Some wielded daggers instead of metal claws, marking them as assassins. One player used a small shield and a thin sword—likely a swashbuckler.

The grenadiers looked all the same to Jack, even though Marie had explained the different variations of her class. Archers and crossbowmen launched volleys from the backline, chipping away at the dinosaurs’ health. Occasionally, an arrow streaked through the air, leaving a trail of green smoke behind it and restoring the health of the frontliners.

Other animals fought alongside the players—large dogs, wolves, bears, and hawks, likely the companions of beastmasters in the party. Overall, it was mesmerizing to watch the different classes work together in harmony.

After several minutes of coordinated attacks, the first dinosaur fell. The remaining ornithopods fought desperately, but they, too, were eventually overwhelmed. The hunting party swarmed the fallen creatures, eager to claim their loot.

As the party was still collecting their spoils, another pack of dinosaurs emerged from the forest nearby, heading toward the lake to drink. The lake was a watering hole, drawing dinosaurs from the surrounding hunting grounds. No wonder so many players were hunting nearby. This was the perfect place to ambush these creatures.

Seeing that the hunting party was already pointing at the new group of dinosaurs, Jack walked away from the new battle that was about to begin. As he made his way, he saw a small camp nestled between a cluster of trees near the water’s edge. Jack’s jaw dropped. It was a bushcrafter!

The camp was simple but efficient. A lone bushcrafter was busy at work, tending to a makeshift workbench under a large, weathered tarp. The woman, dressed in a mix of leather and furs, looked up as Jack passed and gave him a nod of recognition before returning to her tasks. She kept a fire with skewered meat over it.

Jack gulped. He didn’t recognize the workbench, the tarp, or how she skewered meat over the fire. These were all recipes he didn’t know! This bushcrafter was leagues ahead of him. A party arrived and sat around the fire, passing over a handful of coins to the girl who began serving them food. Jack realized that this bushcrafter had already established himself among the hunting parties.

Feeling a mix of admiration and a twinge of competition, Jack continued, eager to learn new recipes from Erwind. He soon spotted a rocky outcrop, free of dinosaurs but crowded with players holding fishing poles. A grin spread across his face—fishermen. He climbed the rocks, making his way to the other side.

As he hopped from rock to rock, he almost fell over, startled by a loud shout from one of the nearby fishermen. Their fishing rod was bending almost to the breaking point. The other fishermen quickly gathered around, their faces lit with excitement.

“Keep that line steady!”

“Pull, man, pull!”

The fisherman, a burly figure with a scruffy beard and tattered hat, gritted his teeth as he fought to reel in his catch. His muscles strained against the weight of whatever was on the other end of the line. The others cheered him on.

Instead of a fish, a large creature surfaced—a long-necked, finned beast the size of a large dog. Its sleek, scaly body shimmered in the sunlight as it thrashed, trying to escape. Far from being frightened, the fishermen were thrilled.

“Don’t let it slip away!”

After a few intense moments, the fisherman finally managed to pull the creature out of the water, his triumphant shouts echoing across the lake. The burly fisherman held up his catch, grinning from ear to ear as the others clapped him on the back, celebrating their success.

Even as Jack stopped and admired the fishermen’s happiness, his bees kept returning, carrying nectar, and he received a pleasant notification.

You've reached beekeeping, level 3!

You’ve learned a new skill: Brood Breeding, Lvl. 1.

Brood Breeding, lvl. 1

Description: The colony's queen is busy laying eggs, and the workers can’t wait to feed the young.

Effects: Passive. Your colony will spawn new bees every day. Scales with intelligence. Requires enough nectar.

Current rate: 10 bees per day.

Jack joined the nearby fishermen in their celebration for a different reason. With [Brood Breeding], he could expand his colony exponentially! The more bees he had, the more experience he could gain. If all went well, his progress in beekeeping would snowball.

Now that the novelty of the landscape had passed, it was time to locate Erwind, the Hermit. According to the coordinates he’d found online, Erwind lived on the opposite side of the lake. Jack began making his way through the battles scattered along the shore. 

A large dinosaur emerged from the forest and reached the water in just a few steps. Jack froze, his path suddenly blocked by a large ornithopod. The creature was hunched over the water, sipping calmly, while Jack held his breath. 

After a few moments, the dinosaur lifted its head and locked eyes with him. The ornithopod's massive body, towering over him, reminded him of just how small and vulnerable he was. His heart pounded in his chest as the dinosaur breathed, its nostrils flaring and his hot, moist breath passing through him. Jack took a cautious step back, his muscles tensing, ready to sprint if the creature showed any signs of aggression.

Instead of charging, the ornithopod snorted and returned to drinking from the lake, seemingly uninterested. Jack exhaled the breath he didn’t realize he was holding and proceeded cautiously, giving the creature a wide berth. His mind raced, recalling how even the most peaceful-looking dinosaurs could turn deadly instantly. He couldn’t afford to let his guard down.

As he continued along the shore, Jack noticed more signs of bushcrafter’s activity—small clusters of smoke rising above the treeline further down the shore. They had set up camps in intervals, each one marked by neatly arranged tents, organized fire pits, and racks of smoked meat. A few of them were busy preparing food or tending to the needs of the passing hunting parties. One bushcrafter was expertly carving a piece of wood into a sturdy tool while another stirred a pot of stew over a roaring fire.

Jack continued, feeling uneasy. If he wanted to carve out his niche here, he’d have to step up his game. Still, this also presented an opportunity to learn from others and maybe even collaborate. For now, though, he needed to reach Erwind and see what he could glean from the hermit.

After a few minutes of walking, he passed a group of players on the brink of finishing off a pack of ornithopods when something massive crashed through the tree line. An Allosaurus—larger and more terrifying than Jack remembered—charged toward the weakened dinosaurs. 

It was the first time that Jack could see an allosaurus under the daylight, without the cover of trees. It had scales in shades of dark green and brown, and its muscular frame rippled with every movement. Its powerful jaws, lined with razor-sharp teeth, opened wide as it let out a thunderous roar that shook the ground.

The memory of being devoured by this very creature flashed in Jack’s mind. He crouched, hoping to go unnoticed, and dismissed as a bush. Jack had expected the players to take off running from the allosaurus, but instead of panicking, they responded with unexpected enthusiasm.

“An Allosaurus! Finally!”

“Beastmasters! Tanks! Pin him down. Grenadiers, smoke him out! Knights, charge!”

The party leader quickly reorganized the group. Rather than defending their current prey, they welcomed the Allosaurus’s charge, rallying to attack the beast with renewed vigor. Jack was stunned—was this Allosaurus the local boss of the lake? Its drops had to be incredible for the players to throw themselves at it zealously.

Jack seized the opportunity as the battle erupted. Keeping low and using the chaos to his advantage, he circled wide around the fight. The creature’s thunderous roars and the clash of weapons filled the air, but Jack focused on putting as much distance between himself and the battle as possible. 

Jack finally spotted his destination. The first thing he noticed was the fire. It was barely visible from the shore, but the coordinates he’d found on the forums hadn’t failed him. The flames flickered through the dense foliage. As he drew closer, he saw the fire more clearly.

Rocks circled a fire pit containing flames that roared with an intensity Jack had never seen before. The fire seemed almost alive. A thrill of excitement bubbled up in Jack's chest—this had to be one of the advanced recipes he could learn from the NPC.

Sitting by the fire was Erwind, the Hermit, casually roasting an animal—perhaps a rabbit—skewered on a stick. He slowly rotated the spit, ensuring the meat was cooked evenly. The juices sizzled as they dripped into the fire, releasing a delicious smell.

Jack had expected to find someone rugged and stern, like Saul, his bushcraft instructor. But instead of a military-type survivalist, Erwind looked relaxed, almost leisurely, as if he were simply enjoying a long holiday in the wilderness. Dressed in well-tailored animal pelts, he seemed more at ease than Jack had imagined, exuding the air of someone who thrived in this environment rather than merely survived.

Beyond the flames, the shimmering air, and the NPC was a shack—or at least something that could pass for one. The structure was crude but functional, blending into its natural surroundings. Sturdy trees and a large rock formed half of its walls, and ivy and straw filled the remaining gaps, creating a small enclosure. The roof was a patchwork of huge leaves and straw. Inside, Jack could make out a few rudimentary pieces of furniture: a thatched bed, a small table, and various tools scattered about. 

Jack rubbed his hands happily. He’d finally found the hermit. It was time to take a look at the recipes from the bushcraft XP store.

Ch. 77 - Honeybaked Jack

INDEX

Ch. 79 - Bushcraft 2.0