Rewinding Time, Two Days Ago

Two days earlier, after Han Ji-woo had assessed the number of survivors remaining.

Thud thud thud thud thud!

Osgeelro's hammer strikes echoed relentlessly through the Hidden Space. He had forsaken food and sleep, sweat pouring from his brow as he devoted himself entirely to forging the weapon.

For a dwarf like him, dragon bone was a legendary material he might touch only once in a lifetime. That artisan spirit had surged to the top of his head, plunging him into a trance. Han Ji-woo had expected him to demand endless feasts in exchange for promising the finest gear, but nothing of the sort happened.

Instead, worried that Osgeelro might collapse from hunger, Han Ji-woo took it upon himself to prepare meals and serve them.

Lunch that day was steamed freshwater crabs.

The crabs caught from the lake were impressively large. Even the smallest were half the size of an adult man's palm, and the biggest were fist-sized. He cleaned all the crabs he'd gathered so far, loaded them into the steamer, and cooked them.

The steamer was something Osgeelro had made alongside various kitchen tools not ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠long ago.

A total of fifty crabs were sacrificed for this hearty meal. If Han Ji-woo, Pao, and chubby Seibier each ate twelve, and Lucy had two, it would be perfect.

As the crabs steamed to perfection, Han Ji-woo got to work on the fridge and freezer.

First, using Creation skill's crafting mode, he shaped two two-pyeong spaces with doors.

"Chubby! Your turn!"

Kyurruk!

At Han Ji-woo's command, chubby Seibier unleashed white breath into the two spaces. In one, it filled the floor, ceiling, and both walls thickly with unmelting ice. In the other, it coated only the walls and ceiling thinly.

And thus, the fridge and freezer were born.

"That's it. Unmelting ice for a fridge and freezer!"

He beamed with joy, rubbing Seibier's cheeks this way and that. But Lucy, who had sidled up unnoticed, let out a displeased mewl.

Nyaaooow.

Her eyes burned with jealousy as she glared at Seibier.

The oblivious owner kept kneading Seibier's cheeks until something felt off.

"Huh?"

The puffy cheeks seemed even plumper, like he'd gained a bit more weight. Suspecting as much, Han Ji-woo checked the fields.

Sure enough, the potato patch was dug up everywhere.

"When the hell did you dig up and eat the potatoes?"

Everything he ate seemed to turn straight to fat. Seibier was living up to his name a little too well. Still, with his inherently cute baby dragon looks, it only added to his fatally adorable charm.

"Guess that's why they say fashion's ultimate accessory is your face."

Pao, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠overhearing from the side, tilted his head.

"What's that mean, Master?"

Han Ji-woo shot Pao a wistful, bittersweet smile laced with inexplicable sorrow.

"You don't need to know. I'll make sure you live without envy, my Pao!"

"Yeah! Sounds good, Master!"

Watching the innocently beaming Pao, Han Ji-woo hoped he'd turn out handsome among goblins.

"Still, he might collapse at this rate."

With a worried glance at Osgeelro, Han Ji-woo murmured.

At that moment, Lucy bolted off with a thud thud thud!

Jealous of her owner fawning only over Seibier, she was off to do something cute for attention!

Grabbing a small wooden basket Han Ji-woo had made ages ago with her tail, Lucy dashed to the fields. She scampered around, filling the basket, then headed to Osgeelro.

Deep in his own world, Osgeelro kept hammering away oblivious.

Lucy shoved veggies fresh from the field right into his mouth.

Osgeelro, in his trance, chewed and swallowed unconsciously.

Crunch crunch!Gulp!

But then his face started turning beet red?

Nyang!

Lucy kept feeding him more.

"Hey, is our Lucy doing a good... Huh?"

Watching from afar, Han Ji-woo sprinted over and yanked Lucy away.

"L-Lucy! How could you feed him ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠raw peppers?!"

Nyaang?

Lucy had jammed hot peppers into Osgeelro's mouth nonstop, no time to breathe.

The peppers in the field were pretty spicy—even Han Ji-woo ate them with other food—but gulping them down one after another? His mouth must be on fire.

Sure enough, Osgeelro's breathing grew ragged, his face flushed crimson, eyes bloodshot. Sweat poured like rain.

Han Ji-woo quickly gave him water to douse the flames, then brought the freshly finished steamed crabs.

"Pao, you feed this to Osgeelro."

"Got it, Master!"

Nyaaoo...

Robbed of her task, Lucy drooped, ears flopping.

"Aww, good girl, Lucy, good girl."

Han Ji-woo scooped up the dejected Lucy to comfort her, then turned back.

But then—

Crunch!Grind!Munch!Gulp!

"Huh?"

From behind came not the sound of eating crab, but chewing plastic?

Turning suspiciously, he saw Pao feeding Osgeelro whole steamed crabs shell and all.

"...Pao, stop."

Blood trickled from trance-bound Osgeelro's lower lip. Han Ji-woo decided to feed him himself.

* * *

Han Ji-woo savored the pure crab flavor after ages, lost in dizzying bliss.

The meat was soft, moist, sweet. Plus the umami and rich shellfish aroma.

With his rising Cooking skill, his dishes gained completion bonuses. This steamed crab was perfectly cooked—not overdone—with spot-on flavor and a melt-in-your-mouth texture that was insane.

And the thick, orange roe? Compressing nuttiness over and over? Mind-blowing.

"Master! This is so good! First time eating crab!"

Kyurrr~!

Nyang!

The pets beamed happily too. Finishing the satisfying meal, Han Ji-woo opened the fridge door.

Inside sat a few watermelons and a large iron pot.

Swallowing hard, he lifted the lid. Glossy crabs submerged in dark soy brine gleamed.

Soy-marinated crab. He'd boiled chopped peppers, onions with soy sauce and water for ten minutes, cooled it slightly, then poured over prepped crabs.

Two days in the fridge, and it'd be perfection. Closing the door, he eagerly awaited that day.

* * *

Unable to resist lunch's temptation, dinner was crab again.

This time, he picked out the sweet steamed meat, mixed it with rice, soy, sesame oil, sage honey, and a fried egg.

True to form, the reliable flavor turned his mouth into a festival throughout the meal.

Osgeelro's hammering hadn't stopped. Pao, now versed in spoon-feeding, personally fed him crab bibimbap.

As night fell, something like full-body armor took shape beside Osgeelro.

Of course, gear couldn't be forged by hammering alone. But Osgeelro's unique dungeon-acquired skill made it possible.

'Taking forever.'

Watching from afar, Han Ji-woo thought. A full day for one suit? Two weeks for fifteen? Maybe ask the dungeon folk to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠linger via shop letter?

"Worry not! All done by morning after tomorrow!"

Osgeelro, sensing his thoughts mid-swing, grunted.

"Possible?"

"First is hardest! Rest same shape, quality!"

Then he cut off again. Hot-tempered but earnest in smithing, Han Ji-woo trusted and withdrew.

"How big's the Dungeon Tree now."

Murmuring, he approached the sapling.

To boost Dungeon Tree growth, clear quests. Quest progress rose with fertilizer like eggshells, scraps, pet droppings—but agonizingly slowly. Still, steady effort paid off.

Haaawn.

A yawn escaped unwittingly. Post-dinner, darkening sky made eyes heavy. Like a country farmer's life.

He spread a mat on the dirt, lay back for his nightly ritual.

'Any new constellations tonight?'

Stargazing nightly yielded nothing since Ogre. No high hopes today either—

'...Huh?'

One constellation in his mind aligned perfectly with stars in view. Light seeped into his body, system message popping.

'Trait?'

No such message for upper-grade Ogre.

Opening his status window, Han Ji-woo whistled in awe.

"What lucky day is it?"

Dragon power from Dungeon Prison wasn't enough—now Necromancer jackpot too. Base stats over 250 average, plus undead control skill!

Reading skill details closely:

"Dominate existing low-grade undead for 10 minutes, or summon my own."

Summons halved his control—likely mana cost for summoning.

Itching to test his new skill—

Sudden message. Six black pigs snorting steam appeared.

Due to Ferrofero's rule: '20% chance nightly for small low-grade monster spawns.'

Bolting up from the mat, Han Ji-woo welcomed the hostile pigs with glee.

"Poooork!!!"

They flinched, then scraped the ground and charged.

Thud thud thud thud!

Pets moved to block, but—

"Hold!"

They froze like statues.

By then, pigs rammed, bit, clawed.

Splat! Crunch! Stab!

Nearly zero damage to Han Ji-woo. Sky-high base stats.

But he had more defense buffs.

From Dragon Tomb, new skill activated.

Shwoooaaah!

Brilliant dragon scales of light covered him.

Splat! Splat! Cruuunch!

Now, piglet attacks did zilch.

Han Ji-woo smirked, arms crossed.

"From now on, not twitching a finger against you."

Then chained his fresh skill.

Skills burst repeatedly.

Grrrroooar!

15 undead—skeletons, zombies, ghouls—erupted from earth, encircling the assaulting monsters with feral aura.

Han Ji-woo grinned.

"Guys. Spare one male-female pair. Turn the rest into your kind. Go."

Undead tilted heads, confused. Han Ji-woo bellowed awkwardly.

"Argh, just kill 'em!"