[NR] Skilled Construction - Chapter 568

Over the next two weeks, the girls would make quick trips out into the forest, returning with various goods for the clearing. All the while, Jason focused on getting their house built. Yes, he was around more and so could have used a house sooner, but they needed a place to keep things they didn’t want to haul around nor keep in the same room he slept in. Plus, on the more selfish side of things, Jason would have more practice making a house when he gets around to his own.

Though somewhat unexpected by all, once he did finish Rosha and Courtney’s house, he got a lot more “skilled” at building.

{Wilderness Construction

You’ve proven yourself capable of building yourself a new life out in the wilds. While you might not be the best at using any fancy tools and materials that city folk might find normal to have, the wilderness has proven itself more than ready to supply what you need. Whether it is a small hut or a large homestead, you’ve got what it takes to construct whatever large-scale project you set yourself too.

Novice Level 3 - 00.00%

Rarity: Uncommon

Type: Passive, Construction

Effects:

• Makeshift Material Mastery - When using unprocessed materials or materials you personally processed to construct things, the penalty to the final product’s quality is reduced, with the possibility of it becoming a bonus

• Unsophisticated (Farming Settlement) - You gain a bonus or penalty to using tools and materials depending on how sophisticated they are compared to the average farming settlement

• Homecrafter - When making or maintaining the homes of those close to you, meaning in this case those who are in your party for more than a month and direct family, your efforts are boosted

• Eye For The Lay Of The Land - When planning a new construction in an area recognized by the System as wilderness, you more easily spot what areas are best for said project

}

The ladies, after learning of this new skill, both decided he would be remaking their house. And to be honest, Jason was more than willing. Though that was mostly because he noticed through the use of the skill’s last effect, that where he had placed their house was actually perfect for a greenhouse.

While for most things, such a fancy building wouldn’t be needed, they would certainly come across mystical herbs or what have you that will need something more. Either way, he readily agreed and started work on a new house for them. A house that right away, they could tell was much better.

Now, not that his first attempt was bad. It is just that this skill really showed its worth in Jason’s hands. While not noted on the skill itself, some effects fall under System Nonsense, as the players like to refer to it as. Well, they tend to substitute “Nonsense” for a spicier word, but you get the idea. The System, in assisting, brings about an effect that wouldn’t normally happen despite any knowledge the user of the skill might have.

A good example in this case is the gaps in the wall where the material meets. No matter how good a person is at building something, if two pieces don’t fit together, there will be a gap. With skill effects like “Makeshift Material Mastery”, the System actually warps the construction material in those areas to close up the gap.

Another obvious result of this sort of thing is how smooth and level the floor ends up being. Jason doesn’t exactly have sandpaper and a level to work with. Despite that, the second attempt at making them a house has floors you can set a marble in and it won’t start rolling to one side. Oh, and you can run your hand across the floor and not get splinters, even if it is textured so it has some grip. Which is really nice, even if you’re putting down rugs as those rugs won’t slide around nor get tore up.

However, this doesn’t go into why such skills are so much better in Jason’s hands. Though the answer to that is simple and just another reason the System really doesn’t want people to get into Energy. All those fancy effects are being done by the Energy in the person that the System has put there.

So not only does Jason just have a ton more Energy for these effects to work with. But he also can observe and learn from them as well. By the time he finished the house for a second time, he had figured out how to make slight changes to stuff like stone and wood using his Energy. Sure, he couldn’t mold the stuff into whatever shape he wanted like it was clay, but he could certainly attach two pieces together as if they were super glued. That and smooth the surface out real good.

The biggest limitation and yet at the same time, boon, was that these effects were limited by concepts. Jason couldn’t just take any random chunk of wood and smooth it. He had to be actively trying to construct something. As for why this was a boon, even if it did limit him?

The concepts being used for this effect actually lined up with two of his own concepts, that of [Civilization] and [Substance]. In fact, Wilderness Construction seemed to tap into the origins of civilization, that of one man going out and breaking ground to open up the wilds. And well, substance was an obvious enough connection as the effect allowed the manipulation of certain substances.

Jason even managed to gain a percent of a percent in [Substance] as the connection was so much more straightforward. Though he could definitely see the more abstract concept that boiled down to something like “Homesteading”, ending up providing the most room for growth. If only because it wasn’t so directly connected and within the differences there would be a lot to learn.

Not that he would be sad if the only gain he got was that small bit of growth to Substance. While every little bit counts, that particular little bit actually ticked his understanding of [Substance] over from 0.19% to 0.2% which was enough to add another point to his non-Energy auxiliary stats. Maybe going from 382hp to 383hp isn’t the most exciting, but also going from 71 defense to 72 defense was a lot more impactful.