Legendary Shelter Survival Guide

"You've seen that almost anything seems possible in this world. I lived in another reality for 15 years when only one month had passed here. Crazy, right? But it was real. What can be real here is far beyond what we understood back home."

The motivation was peaking for many, and Lucas decided it was time to wrap things up.

"Strive to achieve what you want, and believe me, you will get it. But to reach such dreams, you'll have to work even harder than you are now. That will help us grow both as a group and as individuals."

There were smiles on some faces, including, surprisingly, Ella's. Others, however, still seemed undecided, which was perfectly fine.

"You don't need to know what you want right now," Lucas continued. "I'm just saying you should find your goal. And believe me, whether you choose to stay here or go back, I'll help you achieve that goal once you've made your decision. After the meeting, if anyone wants to talk more about this with me, feel free."

Lucas nodded at John, who was looking at him with newfound admiration. Nearly everyone was looking at Lucas with determination, offering nods and approving glances. Phil wore the expression of a devoted follower, almost like a prophet gazing at Lucas.

"We will now move on to the main topic of this meeting. Full attention is expected at all times."

"In the ongoing third phase, our goal is to establish a territory that meets the standards set for us. The first task was to claim land, which we've done. The second was marking it as our own, and we've completed that as well. The third involves infrastructure development.

The mission requires us to meet certain standards—having shelter, food production, a stable water supply, and basic defensive structures."

"Haven't we already completed all of that?" Mike asked.

"You're right. For all the standards given to us, everything has been checked off as completed."

"Doesn't that mean we've already finished the mission?" Haley asked. Lucas was pleased to see that, even after being thrown off by 'the talk,' Haley was still focused on the important matters.

"It's all thanks to the advantages we have, like Lucas's shelter skill, the canal we dug a while ago, and the skinning business that gives us a surplus. These things don't come so easily to other territories. I'd say we've completed 50% of the work just by continuing what we've been doing."

"By assigning roles to everyone in the territory, we've also completed an additional mission. Now, all we need is to form an alliance with another territory and recruit new people."

"And after that, we're done?" Sean asked.

"Yes, we'll have completed everything required," John said, turning to Lucas for him to take over.

"We could finish the basics and reach 100% completion within the next month or so. But that doesn't mean our work is done."

Many gave him confused looks.

"There's a ranking of territories that will begin in six months. The ranking will be based on how developed a territory is. So, after we hit that 100%, we'll push beyond it until we reach the first rank."

"First?!" Barney asked, dumbfounded.

"First is a bit…"

"Listen," Lucas interrupted, "we already have so many advantages. We have shelter, multiple water sources—Sandra's ability, besides the canal—and more food than we can eat. If we don't aim for first place, who will?" He smiled.

Everyone seemed to be on board now. It might be overkill for other territories, but for them, with so many advantages, it wasn't an impossible goal.

"We need to understand something else. While I've completed my personal quest and gained a lot from it, there will be many others—hundreds or even thousands—who complete their personal quests too. That means the competition will be fierce, and it might get dangerous. Completing these quests gives people a boost in power, and these powers don't distinguish between good and bad.

They're given to anyone with the ability to complete the quest. That means bad people could end up with unbelievable powers."

Many felt dumbfounded at the thought. Even the mere idea of someone slaughtering humans like ants for their own enjoyment or domination filled them with fear.

"And that's why it's urgent to get stronger, to secure better resources by excelling in the rankings, and to fully utilize all the resources available within our own territory."

"To start our development, I'll personally help each of you improve your specialized skills. We'll take it one person at a time. Today is all about planning for the future. I'll call you one by one to talk about your abilities. The meeting is over now," Lucas said with a smile.

There were looks of awe on almost everyone's face.

"You're going to help us all improve our skills? Just what did you learn in the quest world, Lucas? It makes me want to attempt it too," Sean said, his curious eyes lighting up. It reminded Lucas that Sean was John's son, they had the same curious gaze.

"I learned more than I mastered. I know the basics of almost everything in that world and believe me, if you all can learn the basics well, you'll keep progressing as long as you're passionate about what you're doing."

Everyone began talking amongst themselves, and Lucas answered a few random questions. He was happy to engage with them, but after ten minutes of relentless questioning, he finally started the one-on-one meetings.

"Alright, Sean. You're up first. Tell me all about the skills you possess."

"My main skills are 'Strength Enhancement' and 'Runesmithing.' The others are just random."

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"So, a buff skill and a trade skill. Which one do you like more?" Lucas asked, inscribing Sean's name and the two skills on a small slate. His handwriting was so precise that Sean couldn't help but stare at it.

"Sean?"

"Oh… I'm not sure about favorites, but runesmithing feels more important than strength enhancement."@@novelbin@@

"To each their own. Runesmithing might seem important, but a buff skill can be the best thing in a war. I met a Knight some time ago, a War Hero who single-handedly decimated the enemy army. And it was all thanks to the various buffs he had while he fought."

"On the other hand, runesmithing can help you create things you like, as long as you research properly. If you do it right, you could even reinvent a phone system with the help of runes one day."

"Holy crap, that sounds amazing! I've decided, runesmithing is the best!" Sean exclaimed with excitement. Lucas didn't appreciate the unnecessary cussing but was happy to see his comrade so passionate about something that could greatly benefit their territory.

"Starting tomorrow, before sunrise, we'll meet in your workshop for an hour each day. I'll teach you everything about what runes are and some basic runes you should learn."

"You bet! See you, boss!" Sean said as he stood up, grinning, after Lucas told him they were done.

'And to think I thought he was the problem child,' Lucas mused.