You’ve played [Clay Dome].
Success rate: D-
+300XP in [Bard]
Audience bonus: 150XP in [Bard]
All ceramics in the area are shielded from durability loss.
“Oh my goodness, this is what Clay Dome does?” Jack exclaimed, a smile breaking across his face. The melody shielded ceramics from durability loss! The system had graded his performance a measly D-, and the red shield faded almost as soon as the song ended.
Determined to improve, Jack played the melody again. The amphorae began glowing red once more, their surfaces pulsing faintly in time with the music. This time, his ocarina shone brighter, matching the rhythm.
You’ve played [Clay Dome].
Success rate: D+
+300XP in [Bard]
Audience bonus: 150XP in [Bard]
All ceramics in the area are shielded from durability loss.
With a better performance grade, the buff lasted significantly longer. Even twenty seconds after the melody ended, the shield persisted around the amphorae, the cooking pot, and his ocarina. Jack set the ocarina down, his thoughts racing.
Durability—how critical was it in brewing? Probably not much. However, several potential uses for this skill have already come to mind. Intermediate melodies like Dance of the Turtles ate away at ocarinas’ durability at an absurd rate. With Clay Dome, he could shield his instruments, extending their lifespan.
And then an old recipe sprang to mind—XP-boosting vases. Every time someone gained XP near them, their durability drained so fast they weren’t worth crafting. But Clay Dome changed everything. If Jack could perfect the melody...
His mind whirred with ideas. What if he continuously played Clay Dome to protect vases while grinding XP in his bard profession? Or paired it with his beekeeping setup? He pictured his pot hive glowing alongside a cluster of vases, the hardworking bees buzzing in harmony with his melodies. The XP gains would be incredible!
But the biggest combo idea hit him like a lightning bolt. If he placed vases near the backline while his friends fought enemies, shielding the pottery with Clay Dome could double—or even triple—the XP they earned during a hunt. It was practically cheating!
Of course, this was all theory. He had no idea how much stronger the melody would become with a higher performance rating. Still, the possibilities made him giddy. Who would have guessed pottery could synergize so well with the bard profession?
Jack couldn’t wait to see his friends’ faces when they realized what he could do. Horace’s wide-eyed disbelief, Amari’s skeptical smirk, Marie’s quizzical head tilt—it would be priceless.
The melody unlocked for advancing to the journeyman tier in his bard profession was incredible. The leap in power between novice and journeyman was staggering. It opened doors and opportunities Jack hadn’t even considered before.
Still, he frowned slightly. Alternating between Clay Dome and other songs, managing vases and hives—it sounded incredible in theory, but executing it would be another story. The melody was tricky to play.
At least handing off brewing duties to Esther had freed up his schedule. That extra time had allowed him to stumble upon this potentially broken combo sitting in his arsenal.
Jack picked up his ocarina, ready to dive back into practice. He was just about to play another round of Clay Dome when a sharp ping interrupted him.
The ninth wave comes. Beware.
“Already?” Jack yelled, the words escaping him before he could think.
Moments later, the distant rumble of explosions echoed through the fortress while flashes of orange and red lit up the cliff walls of the mountain pass beyond the battlements.
Esther didn’t flinch. If anything, the chaos seemed to sharpen her focus. She continued methodically mixing water and honey. It was as though she believed the battle’s outcome depended on her task, even if the connection wasn’t obvious.
Jack took a deep breath, forcing himself to refocus. He set the ocarina down and strode over to inspect Esther’s progress. The rows of stoneware amphorae stood proudly in the corner, each displaying a glowing progress bar above it. Thirty vessels, nearly filled, were lined up neatly. The mead had finished fermenting and was now aging.
He crouched beside the amphorae, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. The vessels filled earliest were just moments away from crossing the threshold into the first tier of mead. Jack’s excitement bubbled up. Not only would he get to taste his own mead for the first time, but the XP gain promised to be substantial—maybe even enough for a couple of levels in the brewing profession. He could almost feel the bonuses already.
Jack stood there, watching the progress bars climb for the last few moments. Then, it finally happened.
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3x[Mead] has aged successfully!
+90XP in [Brewing]
Congratulations! You’ve reached level 3 in [Brewing].
You’ve learned a new skill: [Enduring Flavor].
Enduring Flavor (Common)
Skill Level: 1
Description: Your refined palate allows you to vividly recall the tastes and nuances of spirits you’ve brewed, even long after the last sip.
Effects: Buffs from spirits you brew last 50% longer on yourself.
The skill was simple, but as far as Jack was concerned, a little useless to him. Mead primarily boosted attack damage. He would have preferred to grant longer bonuses to his colleagues who fought on the frontlines. Still, there might be a way to make it worthwhile—if he brewed spirits that granted different buffs down the road. The thought stayed in the back of his mind as he turned back to inspect his mead.
Mead I (Common)
An amateur brewer’s first attempt. Simple, sweet, and unrefined.
Effects: +1% attack for 10 minutes.
It was the same mead effects he’d gotten when crafting his first batch with Gretchen. He grabbed the ladle, took a tiny bit, and put it in his mouth. There were the neutral tones of wildflowers coming from his honey. There was a crisp freshness from the spring water, and then there was a certain depth he hadn’t tasted before. Maybe it came from the amphorae? He wasn’t sure. Either way, he couldn’t wait to see what happened once it aged a little more.
“Thank you for your hard work,” Jack said, offering Esther an encouraging smile.
“You’re welcome,” Esther replied, nodding slightly, though her hands never slowed as she continued working.
“I’ll take all the amphorae down to the well later,” Jack decided aloud. “In the meantime, keep up the good work. You can take a break once you’ve used up all the honey I gave you. After that, please run to the spring and fill the water containers. I’ll need water for cooking.”
At the mention of another meal, Esther’s eyes lit up. She perked up slightly, a telltale reminder of the hunger still gnawing at her. Jack winced internally—he’d been so consumed with practicing the new songs that he hadn’t checked on their two malnourished newcomers.
He made a mental note to prioritize food distribution more evenly and ensure everyone was taken care of before losing himself in tasks again.
Leaving Esther to her task, Jack walked to the back of the fortress. His gaze lingered on the amphorae for a moment longer as he thought about his brewing strategy.
She’s an excellent worker. I wonder if going all in on mead is the best approach. I also have those fermentation bombs and the Molotov cocktail recipes. However, doesn’t Marie already bring enough explosions to the battlefield? No. I think I made the right call.
Jack found the green pot hive resting near the foot of the wall. The sturdy little hive stood out against the rugged stone. He crouched down, carefully inspecting it before pulling up his notifications.
The hive had yielded one stack of honey since he’d placed it here, which he eagerly collected into a pot. So far, the beast waves had only brought insect fat. His team was running on stews made from this honey.
Most notifications were routine: new bees were born, and more nectar was harvested. But one line made him pause.
A bee has died. Cause: cold.
Jack frowned. The mountain chill was noticeable, but he’d assumed the bees could manage. Evidently, even they had limits. Still, the notification seemed rare enough not to spell doom for the colony. Only one death in several hours—it was a manageable loss.
I wonder if I should keep a fire burning here next to them, Jack mused. Or maybe bring them closer to the well. But then they’d have to fly farther to reach the slopes where they gather nectar.
Relocating the hive might keep the bees more comfortable. Perhaps he could move the entire mead-making operation here or find a sheltered spot among the ruins. The idea of building a small mud hut for the hive crossed his mind. It wouldn’t take much effort, and it could better shelter the hive.
His eyes then turned to the progress bar in the beekeeper profession. It hovered at 90%. Just a little more, and he’d reach journeyman tier in beekeeping. The thought made his pulse quicken. His earlier success with Clay Dome showed how transformative the leap from novice to journeyman could be. What upgrades awaited here?
Jack’s mind raced with possibilities: more hives, better honey production, even candles. He couldn’t wait to see where it led.
Wave 9 cleared.
+1 breach point.
"Marie worked through this wave faster than the last one," Jack noted aloud, watching the notification fade. He turned toward the fire, where four hungry faces awaited him, their expectant eyes flicking between him and the large cooking pot simmering by the flames.
Jack sighed, pulling out his supplies. The honey he’d collected earlier wasn’t much, but it would have to do. He poured the golden liquid into the pot, watching as it pooled, and began to bubble gently over the heat, filling the air with a faintly sweet aroma.
“When are we getting something we can actually chew?” Riku complained, his voice cutting through the quiet.
Jack turned to Riku, who sat cross-legged near the fire, arms crossed and a pout firmly in place. “Very soon,” Jack replied, forcing a reassuring tone. Then, eager to shift the focus, he looked at Marie. “By the way, I noticed you cleared this wave faster than usual. What happened?”
Marie adjusted the straps on her armor, her expression tightening. “There were so many of those big roaches, I had to use the heavier bombs. I’ve been trying to save the big stuff for later, but I didn’t have a choice. If I hadn’t, they would’ve reached the carriage.”
Jack nodded, frowning slightly. “I see…” His gaze drifted to the wall beyond the fire. The waves are getting tougher.
“Riku here did good work with the traps,” Horace added, his tone warm with praise.
The boy flushed under the attention, mumbling a quiet, “Thanks.”
“Esther, too,” Jack said quickly, making sure to acknowledge the NPCs’ contributions. The pair exchanged a weak but grateful smile. Jack couldn’t help but feel relieved they’d found these two. A good aid package made all the difference. Which reminded him...
“What about Amari? He should be coming back soon, right?”
“Haven’t you seen the messages?” Horace asked.
Jack blinked, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. “Uh, no… I might’ve been a little distracted.”
“He’s already on his way back,” Marie said.
“Already? He’s still got over an hour until the boss spawns.”
“Right, but he wants to brief the team. He’ll be here in about fifteen minutes.”
Jack’s curiosity piqued. What has Amari been up to all this time?
After serving the meal—a thin, honey-sweetened broth—Jack stood and dusted off his hands. He didn’t take a portion for himself. His stamina bar was low, but he could replenish it later by playing Sitting Wind. Right now, there was still a field to clear.
“Be right back.”
The team barely acknowledged him as he left.
The ungrateful bunch… Jack thought, a flicker of annoyance crossing his mind. Now that they’ve been fed, they couldn’t care less.
Shaking it off, he crossed the courtyard, heading toward the newly repaired wall. The structure looked even sturdier now; its clean lines and reinforced beams starkly contrasted with its battered state when they first arrived. Beyond the gate, Jack paused, taking in the transformed landscape before him.
The stretch of land between the gate and the carriage had changed dramatically.
