Reborn in the Survival Adventure Game-Chapter 24: Crystals and Crafting

Within the hut, Caelen stooped over his workbench, holding a glowing blue crystal. It radiated softly in the subdued light, emitting a peaceful, magical hum. He'd discovered it deep within a cave on one of his final excursions, and it hadn't ceased glowing since.

[Google: What is this glowing crystal?]

[Result: Mana Crystal — holds magical energy. Employed for enchantments, crafting, and spellcasting.]

"Huh... magic," Caelen murmured, tipping the crystal. "I might use it later."

He put the crystal away and opened his inventory. Besides stone, metal scraps, and chopped wood, one thing was prominent: a vial of latex.

"Oh yeah," Caelen recalled. "That rubber tree Zira discovered."

She had spotted a tree releasing white sap when chopping wood earlier. She'd summoned Caelen, intrigued by the viscous liquid seeping from incisions in the bark.

[Google: How to harvest latex?]

[Result: Tap rubber trees with a wooden tap. Harvest sap in a container or cup. Latex is processed into rubber.]

Caelen had made a wooden spout in haste and set it on the tree. Within a few hours, the sap began to drip into the cup he'd set underneath.

Holding the cup of latex now, Caelen smiled. "Rubber tools, here we come."

Zira stuck her head into the hut, arms loaded with firewood. "What's that sticky stuff again?"

"Latex," Caelen said. "We can use it to make rubber. It'll help upgrade our tools and armor."

Zira's face lit up. "Nice. I'll go find more rubber trees."

As Zira left, Caelen set the latex down and returned to the glowing mana crystal. He wasn't ready to mess with magic yet—one strange thing at a time. For now, upgrading his workbench was more important.

[Google: How to upgrade workbench?]

[Result: Needs wood planks, copper, iron, and latex.]

He set to work. He started by melting iron and copper in his stone oven, which he'd constructed days before. He pumped the bellows and tweaked the fuel, maintaining high heat. It was a slow process, but before long, the molten metal was ready to mold.

With a bit of latex mixed in, the result was a tougher, more flexible material—perfect for crafting upgraded tools. Caelen added new reinforced planks to the bench and built compartments for storage.

By afternoon, Zira returned with more sap and a small grin.

"I followed your trick with the tap. Got two more cups," she said proudly.

Caelen took the latex and added it to his stash. "We're stocked. Let's finish this."

Together, they worked into the evening, finishing the upgraded workbench. It looked sturdier, with smoother surfaces and more slots for new tools. Caelen tested it by crafting a stronger axe with iron and rubber grip.

"Not bad," he muttered. "This'll make chopping trees less of a nightmare."

Zira chuckled. "You say that like you're not obsessed with chopping trees."

"I'm not obsessed," Caelen lied.

Zira raised an eyebrow.

"...Okay, maybe just a little."

Later, over roasted mushrooms and boiled roots, Zira surveyed the surroundings and said, "You really built a life here. In a dangerous location like this?"

Caelen leaned back against the hut wall. "Yeah. Took a lot of work. But if I didn't begin somewhere, I'd be dead."

Zira nodded slowly. "Still... monsters, bad weather, no humans. Not easy."

"That's why I'm getting ready," Caelen said. "Little by little."

As darkness fell, Caelen applied finishing touches to the workbench and stowed the remainder of the materials. He had the glowing crystal still, and now he had improved tools and rubber. It was all coming together slowly.

He gazed at the crystal once more, speculating on what sort of magic it contained. But that was tomorrow's business.

For the time being, it was sufficient to have tools that did not break every five minutes.