“Okay, old man. Lead the way,” I said, standing and following him.

  Where he led me wasn’t far from the original camp. It was still by the river, but clear of any debris, in a wide, empty area.

  If any monsters approached, our alarm would still catch them, hopefully. And even though I had not seen any big enemies yet, I still did not like the idea of those Zbio creatures wandering where we slept for the night, with or without the locking mechanism the shopkeeper told me about.

  Eyeballing the area, I guessed it was about the size of a McDonald’s, minus the parking lot and the pimple-faced teens taking your order. It was quiet too, because the only sound was the river rushing by.

  Cashius began checking every spot with that overcautious old man energy. When it felt right, he settled his hands on his hips and released a cautious breath.

  “Looks like this will do,” he said, rubbing his hands together. “Far from any dangerous creatures, next to fresh water, and somewhat peaceful. Just how any campsite should be. Now, if you will pull out the kit and set it on the ground, we will begin. And remember, be careful, because those little things, if I recall, pack a wallop when they expand.”

  A little nervous, I fished it out, and my body instantly jerked downward from the weight. The damned thing had to be at least a couple hundred pounds. Without the Strength

  I focused my eyes and read the description.

  Luxury Camping Kit

  The kit was made of leather, bound by four straps, two across the top and two wrapped around the sides. The energy packed inside made holding it a struggle.

  “Sheesh, this thing is something else,” I said, trying not to drop it.

  Cashius turned his head to me. “Just don’t drop the damn thing,” he muttered.

  My arms trembled as I held on, wrestling the little box, grunting like I was riding a mechanical bull. The way it bounced and jerked made the cabin kit almost as annoying as Cashius staring at me.

  Walking to the area Cashius had marked out, the kit jolted one last time, nearly jumping clean out of my arms. Luckily, I caught one of the straps before it could launch itself out of my hands entirely.

  Startled, Cashius exhaled in relief. “Boneheaded boy, if you hadn’t held on to that thing, it would’ve crushed us,” he said, shaking his head. “Set the damn thing on the ground and stop playing around before it kills us both.”

  “But I read the—”

  “But nothing. Why do you think I led us out to this open space? For shits and giggles?”

  Who did he think he was talking to?

  I snapped. “Holy hell, you crusty old bastard. This is my first time doing anything like this. A little warning instead of bitching at me would’ve been way better.”

  Cashius shot me a quick smirk and clasped my shoulder, pulling me in. “Sorry, my boy, but if you don’t handle that thing with some sense, it might expand. And trust me, we do not want to be near it when it does.”

  “I got this,” I reassured him. “Now step back, and I’ll get it set up.”

  Cashius took several steps back, giving me more than enough room. The box was still twitching in my hands like an irritated baby.

  I grunted, held on tight, and bent my knees to lower it onto a patch of grass.

  After setting it down, I glanced in Cashius’s direction. “Here we go,” I whispered, pulling the warm leather strap through the first buckle. As I did this, heat radiated from the box, along with a bit of steam.

  I waited. Nothing happened. The box just sat there, fidgeting and releasing thin clouds into the late afternoon air.

  Next, I undid the second and third straps. More blue light spilled from the cracks as if it couldn’t be contained. A lot more steam followed, accompanied by hissing.

  Cashius cleared his throat. “Now, after you do the last one,” he yelled across to me, “you’ve got about five seconds before the whole thing expands. If you’re in the way, you’ll be flattened.”

  Irritated, I looked up. “Okay, Cashius,” I said, shaking my head.

  Now for the final strap.

  I gripped the leather. The box started moving more erratically. Carefully, I undid the latch and slowly pulled the strap through. Then I hopped from the grass and bolted in Cashius’s direction.

  My heart tried to escape through my shirt as I ran. In fact, I was so frightened I didn’t even sneak a glance at the thing while I took off. When I finally turned around, all I saw was the box collapsing in on itself as a tiny black ball rocked in a circular motion.

  Next, the ball transformed. It grew in size and let out an awful sound that I was sure would attract monsters. A deep wood texture oozed from the sides, a door formed, and the other panels solidified, becoming more defined by the second.

  The shape moved with a rhythm, rocking in place, expanding, and becoming more structured. More solid and tangible.

  To be honest, the whole process was pretty neat.

  In what seemed like seconds, the tiny black ball had become a full-sized cabin, complete with windows, two chairs on a small porch, and a welcome mat.

  “Incredible,” I said, walking toward it. “A portable home.”

  I had never even been in a cabin before, and now I had a portable one I could carry around. Witnessing that transformation in under a minute, my mouth hung open in amazement.

  I climbed the two stairs leading to the front door, feeling them buckle slightly under my feet, then ran my hand across one of the railings, noticing the texture of the wood beneath my fingers.

  Taking his time, Cashius followed behind me, pausing on the first step. “Nice, what this world allows you to experience,” he rubbed his chin. “A whole cabin contained in a box the size of your hand. Every time I see it in action, I’m in awe.”

  I could barely hear him because I was too thrilled by what I was seeing. “Is it furnished inside?” I asked, placing my hand on the doorknob.

  “I believe so. You did get the right kit, didn’t you?”

  “I believe so. But even if it wasn’t furnished, this whole experience is unbelievable.”

  “What are you waiting for? Go on and open the door,” he said.

  I twisted the knob and walked inside. The interior was just as impressive as the outside, with deep mahogany wood grain and small crystal lamps hanging on the walls to light the space. An expansive area stretched before me, with an animal skin I had never seen draped across the floor.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  I scanned the rest of the area and saw a couch with a rocking chair next to a fireplace, which served as the heart of the room.

  At the rear was the kitchen, complete with a table for two and a stone pit with a swinging pot suspended by two steel chains. To the right were two bedrooms, identical in size, each with a pair of clothes neatly folded on the bed. Clean and sharp. I would check their descriptions later.

  Between the bedrooms sat the bathroom. Nothing to call my mom about, but it was practical. It did raise a question, though. Why did the programmers mix modern technology in some areas and go prehistoric in others?

  I stood over the porcelain toilet and let out a stream of piss, pondering it. Not for too long, though, because I was anxious to see the rest of the cabin.

  “Lamont, I’ll give you time to explore while I head out to grab the fish we cleaned and the rest of my things.”

  “Okay, fossil fuel,” I said. “And hurry back so we can get dinner started.”

  After that, I walked into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed, giving it a few light bounces, not to be childish, but to test how comfortable it was and see if it was as sturdy as it appeared.

  “Decent,” I mouthed. “Could be a bit fluffier, but this’ll do.”

  That’s when a dialogue box hovered in front of my eyes, glowing in all its 8-bit glory.

  Mattress Setting: 1–10

  A pixelated hand pointed at the number 3.

  I moved it to 7, a pleasant chime sounding with each number I passed. Beneath me, the mattress softened.

  “Now that is luxurious.”

  I returned the setting to 3, then settled on 6 before standing and heading toward the chest I had noticed tucked in the corner.

  The way I saw it, it was a trick of the eye. One second, it was there, like those ads that change depending on the angle you’re standing.

  The only difference was that there were no ridges. It was only visible in my peripheral vision; if I turned to look at it directly, it vanished.

  This wasn’t a regular chest like the ones I’d seen before. This one was big and clunky, blinking with shifting colors and bathed in a yellowish light, as if someone were shining a spotlight on it. The lights pulsed in hues of blue, green, and purple, and the metal hinges were polished to perfection. They sparkled and twinkled, practically inviting me to come closer.

  I stepped toward it, tilting my head at an odd angle. The chest twitched, similar to the camping kit earlier, and the floor beneath me creaked and groaned under the sudden weight.

  The closer I got, the darker the room became, until everything around me faded to black, leaving just me, the chest, and a flurry of confetti that fell through the air and vanished whenever it touched something solid.

  Anticipation stirred a mix of emotions in me, but the strongest was a childlike giddiness, like a kid about to unwrap a PS5 on Christmas morning or waiting in line at an amusement park.

  With my pulse pounding, I reached out, cupped my hand beneath the lid, and tossed it open.

  Suddenly, trumpets and music erupted, and a loud voice that sounded like James Earl Jones on way too much caffeine boomed around me.

  Congratulations, Champion.

  For finding the Sentinel’s Chest, you have been invited to take part in a special quest to locate the remaining loot boxes left by the legendary Ice Thompson, scattered across Orbralis.

  Each chest contains unique items designed to help you on your mission to defeat The Nameless One. There are twenty special chests in total. If you find them all, you will receive the ultra-rare, never-before-worn Ring of Invincibility and Endearing, along with 10,000,000 gold pieces and an unlimited supply of extra-fast mana regeneration.

  As a reward for discovering the first chest, you’ve been granted a dose of slow mana regeneration. Now, when you use a spell or an ability that drains mana, expect it to replenish itself over the next 4 hours. Enjoy your prize, and good luck hunting down the rest.

  The room brightened, then the trumpets, music, and confetti vanished as quickly as they had appeared, leaving me blinking in silence.

  Once the feeling of “what the hell just happened” wore off, I looked inside the chest and found a jumpsuit, a new weapon, and a glowing gem.

  The material of the jumpsuit felt like gripping a cloud, soft and weightless yet surprisingly durable. The colors shimmered in the lightest shades of blue, accented with crisp streaks of white that gave the entire set a sleek, almost enchanted look.

  The shirt reminded me of something from back home, a sweater, but elevated in every way. The cuffs were narrower and more tailored, and the hood featured two white cat emblems embroidered into the fabric, shifting subtly when the light hit them.

  The joggers were simple in design but clearly crafted to match, stitched with the same precision and care. The shoes completed the look: white sneakers with those same twin cat emblems etched along the sides.

  Was Ice Thompson from Earth, or had the game thrown me a bone?

  Like a few other things in this bizarre world, it mimicked something from back home. Either way, the jumpsuit was nice and had a clean, sharp look.

  I held it and read the description.

  Blue Mystscarper Jumpsuit — Unique — Level 25

  

  

  

  I pulled out the weapon next, a set of claws made of steel. They were gloves, really, with razor-sharp tips at the ends of each finger that gleamed under the light.

  Slipping them on, I gave a fake scratch, and a sound effect followed, with streaks of light shooting from every point.

  “Holy shit, these are serious business!” I exclaimed.

  I swiped them downward in a motion that mimicked a cat’s strike, and electrical flashes appeared. The faster I moved, the more electricity sparked, crackling through the air like tiny bolts of lightning with each slash.

  The gloves were made of black leather and hugged my hands perfectly. On the back, the same two cats from the outfit were stitched in, but on the gloves, one smiled while the other roared.

  Whoever made this weapon knew exactly what they were doing.

  Electric Mystscraper Claws — Rare — Level 25

  

  

  

  As for the gem, it allowed me to slide through the floor and slash my opponent from above with a devastating overhead blow.

  Dropstrike Prism — Rare

  Effect: Phase-and-Drop Attack (Cooldown: 3 minutes)

  I summoned Havoc Maker and slotted the Dropstrike PrismMeditation StoneSlice ‘em and Dice ‘em

  My feet tingled strangely when I equipped the prism, as if the floor had turned to water beneath me. A dangerous new trick to add to my arsenal.

  I put the gear in my inventory, left the room, and continued my inspection of the place.

  As soon as I stepped into the kitchen, a dialog box appeared in front of me.

  Adjust ventilation?

  I picked Yes

  “That’s so the fish won’t stink up the place,” Cashius said from behind me.

  I nearly jumped out of my skin.

  The old man moved like a ghost when he wanted to. One second, I was alone; the next, his breath was warm on my neck, carrying the stench of cigar smoke. I nearly launched myself through the ceiling.

  I clenched my chest. “What are you doing back so fast?”

  “How old do you think I am?”

  I replied, “Eighty-something?”

  His head shook from side to side. “Don’t put me in the grave so early, sheesh.”

  “How old are you then?”

  “I can’t be sure,” he said, rubbing his chin. “But I’d say sixty… though my bones feel younger.”

  “Sorry, Cashius. To a kid, anything over forty is old.”

  “You’re nearly twenty and not a spring chicken yourself. Still calling yourself a kid,” he said, blowing out a breath. “You’re a fucking man and need to act like one.”

  That silenced me.

  And you know what? He wasn’t lying.

  I was close to being an adult. I felt like it. The creatures and monsters I’d been defeating didn’t treat me like a kid. I had a job back home and was handling duties my dad used to take care of.

  Turning to face Cashius, I nodded. “You’re right, old man. And I guess… thank you for seeing me that way.”

  “I know I’m right. Now move out of my way so I can cook us something to eat.”

  I stepped aside as Cashius began preparing our meal. Not wanting to crowd the cooking area, I lay down on the plush couch. Before long, I dozed off and drifted into sleep.

  When Cashius shook me awake, I looked around, briefly forgetting where I was. Once I settled in, the smell of the food hit me like a rocket launcher.

  I blinked, listening to the soft hum of the ventilation fill the room while rubbing my stomach.

  Cashius beckoned me to join him at the table for dinner.

  I made my way to the small table, wiping my eyes and yawning.

  Scooting the chair back, I plopped down. Still half asleep, my arms felt like they were stuck in a jar of jelly. I searched the table for something to drink.

  Spotting a pitcher of ice-cold water, I grabbed the nearest cup, poured a healthy dose, and drank it all in one gulp.

  The way it cooled my insides felt strange but welcome.

  Cashius handed me a plate of wild chicken and more of those potato-like root vegetables. The ones we had eaten earlier by the fire.

  Sweet, succulent chicken stacked in layers and slathered in gravy sat on the warm plate. A cloud of steam carrying that rich aroma helped shake the sleep from my head, and Cashius’s loud smacking like there was no tomorrow brought it all together.

  I took two drumsticks, a wing, and a scoop of vegetables and began to dig in, noticing how the meat melted in my mouth.

  Closing my eyes to savor every bite, I began to tell Cashius what a wonderful job he had done and that I needed to learn how to cook like this, just in case we were ever separated.

  He looked at me with a piece of food hanging out of his mouth and grinned. “Boy, all you have to do is not burn it and season everything.”