Jack wiped the sweat from his brow as he admired the new set of gear laid out on the floor. Bulrush grass was a definite upgrade over ordinary grass. His favorite thing about it was how its fibers bonded with a natural, glue-like quality when wet, and once dry, they held together firmly, leaving no stray threads or rough patches.

  He’d taken extra care trimming stubborn fibers and meticulously tied each knot. The result was a sleek, streamlined suit of armor. If Ariadne tried to find a little piece of rope to pluck from, as she had with his last suit, she’d have a much harder time now. More importantly, this armor should be a lot less itchy.

  “Snowy, come here.” Snowy trotted over, sleepy-eyed.

  Jack removed the old saddle and saddle bags and put the new saddle over her back. Jack chuckled as Snowy let out a pleased grunt.

  “This should itch a little less,” Jack said, patting her comfortingly. His ground sloth looked even cooler now—and had become a little faster, too!

  Bulrush Rope Saddle (Common)

  Description: An upgraded saddle, sturdily crafted from bulrush grass and bark, designed for both comfort and durability. The natural adhesive properties of bulrush grass enhance the saddle's structure, making it smoother and longer-lasting.

  Crafting grade: C

  Durability: 56

  Effects:

  +12% movement speed when riding a mount;

  +8 satiation;

  Grass and bark satiate more;

  Resting near ponds and lakes passively replenishes satiation.

  Snowy seemed visibly relieved by the change in material. She did a little lap around him, inspecting the new saddle like she’d won a prize, occasionally pulling at a scrap of leftover bulrush with her teeth as if to test its strength. Jack chuckled at her reaction; she looked a bit like a tailless dog chasing her shadow.

  “Hey! Get back here. I still need to add the saddlebags.” Snowy stopped long enough for Jack to carefully fasten the bags in place. “There!” he said with a proud smile. The baskets had turned out even better than the last ones, and thanks to the improved materials, they now offered an additional effect.

  Bulrush Saddlebags (Common)

  Description: Reinforced baskets woven from bulrush grass, designed to attach securely to a saddle. These saddlebags offer improved stability and protection, ideal for transporting both standard goods and live cargo.

  Crafting grade: B

  Effects:

  Can be used to transport live goods;

  +1 inventory space;

  Durability of perishable goods does not decrease for the first 45 minutes of transport.

  B-grade bonus: +45 minutes of durability protection.

  The saddlebags had boosted his inventory space! After getting Snowy to chip in, Jack couldn’t remember how he’d ever managed with only 25 slots. Now, he had a spacious 54! It was hard not to feel a little proud. He turned just in time to catch Snowy eyeing her old gear as if she wanted to snack on it.

  “No, no. These are going to be sold at the market so that someone else can feel itchy when wearing them,” Jack said. He did a quick mental calculation, trying to decide whether to sell in the marketplace or on the auction website.

  Snowy snorted in protest. He wondered whether she wanted to get revenge on her old saddle or if she was just angry.

  “You can just munch on whatever grass is here,” he said.

  Snowy stared blankly at him. Jack interpreted her look as: Does that mean I can eat the bulrush grass, too?

  “Sure. Eat the bulrush grass, too. I’m done with it.”

  With a few satisfied snorts, Snowy began munching away. Not only did it seem better for crafting, but if Snowy’s reactions were any indicator, it was tastier, too.

  Jack turned toward the rest of his armor, inspecting each piece.

  Bulrush Rope Hat (Common)

  Description: A finely woven hat made from bulrush grass. The smooth, adhesive quality of the fibers provides improved comfort and defense.

  Crafting grade: C+

  Effects:

  +4 constitution;

  +8 defense;

  +5 block.

  Requirements: Lvl. 20+

  Bulrush Rope Sandals (Common)

  Description: Lightweight yet sturdy sandals crafted from bulrush grass. Perfect for quick movement and moderate defense.

  Crafting grade: C-

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Effects:

  +5 agility;

  +15% movement speed;

  +4 defense;

  +3 block;

  Requirements: Lvl. 19.

  Bulrush Rope Overall (Common)

  Description: A durable tunic woven from bulrush grass, providing strong protection while keeping the wearer light.

  Crafting grade: C

  Effects:

  +5 constitution;

  +50 HP;

  +15 stamina;

  +10 defense;

  +6 block.

  Requirements: Lvl. 20+.

  Not only was this armor better in terms of stats, but it looked neater and cooler, too. Jack had made the hat’s brim a little wider—not just for added shade or rain protection, but because it gave him a more mysterious wanderer look. The rope overall and the sandals looked sharp, too. And despite this being his first attempt at working with bulrush, he’d achieved at least a level C.

  “Sadly, I can only equip the overalls and the hat once I reach level 20,” Jack muttered. Still, he could already equip the sandals. Even though they had a slightly different color from the rest of the ensemble, he decided the extra 5% movement speed was worth it. He wanted to get to the rendezvous point Amari had sent him just a few minutes earlier as soon as possible.

  Satisfied with his work and the high-quality resources he’d used, Jack nodded and beckoned to Snowy. “Come on, Snowy, it’s time to get moving.”

  Snowy ambled over, cheeks stuffed with as much bulrush grass as possible, clearly gearing up with a snack for the ride. Her flexible cheeks puffed out like one of the frogs living in the nearby pond, and Jack couldn’t help but chuckle as he hopped onto her back. He took out his ocarina and began playing.

  You’ve activated [Swing Step].

  +10% movement speed.

  Jack started playing A Morning of Spring, nudging his bees to work a little harder. Getting beekeeping from level 9 to 10 would be a grind, more so than all the previous levels. Despite the hours he’d spent here with his bees foraging and gathering nectar, they still had a long way to go before he could reach the journeyman tier.

  At least the progress bar for beekeeping kept moving. The same couldn’t be said for his progress in Bard. True to real-life musicianship, the Bard profession seemed to demand relentless practice. Jack could almost hear his middle school music teacher’s voice reminding him, “Practice, practice, practice.”

  There was so much left to do. He needed one more character level, he had to get his professions to level 10 to reach the next tier, and he still needed to decide on his next two minors. With so much on his plate, he could use a win—and hopefully, Amari’s promise of an easy level-up quest would come through.

  A soft chime interrupted his thoughts.

  Someone has tried to access your video data. Is that you? If so, here’s your access code: 81247.

  With a quick swipe, he forwarded it to Amari, satisfied to see his director so eager to gain access to all his recorded adventures. Jack couldn’t wait to see what Amari would do with the footage. He chuckled to himself, imagining how Amari might add epic soundtracks or slow-motion effects, turning a simple trek like this into a highlight reel, and continued on his way.

  *

  “Is this really where I’m supposed to go?” Jack asked with a frown. He had expected the rendezvous point to be somewhere in the city. Given how many missions Amari and the rest of the gang took from the zoo or similar institutions, he assumed that’s where they’d be heading this time.

  However, he was surprised to find himself still in the Between Ring.

  From a distance, it looked like an ordinary farm, but up close, the place felt different. What he’d first thought was a simple cellar had a few unusual features: long, low buildings with curved roofs, tripwire fences, and a farmhouse standing quietly in the background. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think this was some kind of prison, Jack thought, eyeing the structures warily.

  The layout made him wonder what else he’d missed in the other farms he’d passed. Maybe there was more to this part of the Between Ring than just peaceful countryside. There’s no way it’s all just chickens and barns. He felt a strange itch to explore a little further. Or it could be that the bulrush saddle made him itchy, too.

  In the grassy field around the farmhouse, Snowy was eyeing the tall grass eagerly, looking ready to snack, while Jack’s attention drifted to a cluster of strange buildings towering over the treetops of the nearby woods. Tall, cylindrical silos loomed like watchtowers. The more he looked around, the less this farm felt like a simple operation.

  “Looks like you found your way alright.”

  Jack turned to see Amari and the others emerging from within the compound.

  “What is this place?” Jack asked, his voice carrying over the fence.

  “It’s a chicken farm,” Amari answered simply.

  “Chicken farm?” Jack raised a brow, glancing around. “I thought we were here to gain a level.”

  “That’s right,” Amari said, grinning. “This is where you get the quest.”

  Just then, a shriek pierced the air—a strange, jarring sound, somewhere between the call of a crow and the bark of a dog.

  “What in the world?” Jack muttered, startled. The sound seemed to thrum through the ground. Jack felt his pulse quicken as he pinpointed the source through the heavy, pounding footsteps approaching.

  A massive bird strode into view. It walked on two powerful legs, almost as tall as the fence itself, with a beak like an axe blade and strong legs ending in wickedly sharp talons. Jack remembered seeing this creature used as a mount in Ember’s Gate. Now, it was chasing a small orange fox that yipped and dashed toward the treeline, desperate to escape.

  “What is that?” Jack asked.

  “Oh, just some hound-elephant birds to keep the foxes away.”

  Jack grinned. If these birds were half as dangerous as they looked, it wasn’t a bad way to keep foxes away from chickens. Imagine being a fox, all excited for an easy chicken snack, only to find a giant, prehistoric version waiting for you instead. Jack chuckled to himself.

  “Shall we?” Amari offered, motioning for Jack to follow as he opened an unlocked gate in the fence.

  Jack dismounted Snowy. “Go graze, girl.”

  Snowy took off, eager to try the grass, while Jack followed his gang, curiosity starting to build. What kind of quest does a place like this have in store?

  The clucking of chickens grew louder as they approached the long buildings. Judging by the noise, there had to be hundreds of them in those buildings, though they were all hidden behind tin-sheeted walls. Only the sound and a faint smell of poultry hinted at their presence.

  Amari and the others walked as if they owned the place, moving with a confidence that made Jack feel even more like an outsider. I wonder when I’ll know my way around like these three. Is there anywhere in New Earth they haven’t been to yet?

  He followed them to the warehouse at the back of the property.

  “You can wait here,” Amari told Marie and Horace. The two sat down on the ground, clearly comfortable with the idea of waiting.

  Inside, the scents of straw, grain, and poultry mingled in the dusty air, forming a thick, earthy aroma. Dust motes drifted in the beams of sunlight breaking through the small windows, casting a soft, muted glow over the rows of shelves. Each tray was filled with straw, cushioning hundreds of eggs. If Snowy were here, she’d probably be chewing through half this room by now, Jack thought with a grin.

  As they walked further in, Jack began hearing a rhythmic sound. Clack, clack, clack. It reminded Jack of a director’s clapperboard on a movie set. He half-expected someone to call “Action!” at any moment.

  “What’s that sound?” Jack asked.

  “Cleavers,” Horace explained from the other room.

  “Cleavers?” Jack blinked. “Are they…?”

  “Yep. Butchering chickens. Come on, the NPC is in the next room.”

  They reached a tiled room. A tall, hunched man in a worn, red plaid shirt and jeans with suspenders moved with practiced efficiency, feathers, and bits of straw clinging to his clothes. Each flick of his wrist sent a puff of brown feathers into the air as he worked.

  On the far side of the room, the clacking of the cleavers was even louder. A young man dressed similarly to the NPC plucking feathers entered from a side door, carrying a tray stacked with freshly slaughtered chickens.

  “That’s the NPC,” Amari said, nodding toward the older man.

  “Who’s he?” Jack asked.

  “His name’s Jerry,” Amari replied. “He’s the owner of this chicken farm.”