HC: Handyman | Ch. 201 - Motivation Boost

Jack and Rob rejoined the others by the fire just in time. Two red bars blinked ominously above the large pot—an in-game warning that the stew was on the verge of burning. Jack lunged forward, pulling it off the flames with seconds to spare. The savory aroma hit him as he began ladling portions into bowls.

The first servings went to Esther and Riku. Esther sat stiffly, eyes fixed on the fire, her expression unreadable. She hadn't spoken much since the deserters admitted that they’d abandoned their comrades—her husband among them. Jack wasn’t sure if she noticed, but serving her first felt like the least he could do. She’d been the first NPC to stand by them in the Breach. Before the soldiers. Before anyone.

Next, Jack handed out bowls to the team. Amari gave him a nod of thanks; Rob offered a thumbs-up. Only when everyone else was fed did he turn to the soldiers.

He poured the next bowl slowly. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the soldiers watching his every movement. Their eyes were locked on the stew, unblinking, jaws clenched. The intensity of their hunger radiated off them, silent but suffocating. Jack shifted his weight and handed the bowl over with more urgency than he meant to, just to break the tension.

They tore into the food like starving beasts. A few coughed from eating too fast, others winced as the hot broth scalded their mouths, but none of them slowed down. Hunger had reduced them to something primal. One of them muttered a raspy “thank you” between gulps, barely audible over the slurping and chewing.

Jack leaned toward Amari. “How long do you think it’s been since they last ate?”

Amari shrugged. “No clue. I saw no supplies at their hideout. Maybe their backstory includes a long fast—another built-in challenge to stretch our resources.” He clapped Jack on the shoulder. “But with you cooking, we’re in good hands.”

Jack managed a laugh. “Food’s not the problem. Gear is.”

“I know you’ll figure something out,” Amari said with calm certainty.

“I’ll try,” Jack murmured, but his voice felt thin even to his own ears.

The truth gnawed at him. He’d spent two hours carving pendants, which only offered a couple of attribute boosts. It wasn’t nearly enough to protect the soldiers. Not against shagrats. And not against whatever else came after them.

How was he supposed to outfit an entire squad with armor and weapons? Bone carving was slow work. Maybe he should revisit rope-weaving. At this point, even a tangle of vines seemed like a viable starting point.

“Psst.” Marie nudged him with her elbow.

“H-hi, Marie. What’s up?” Jack tried to sound casual, but after hearing Rob mention that he liked her, he felt suddenly self-conscious. His voice cracked a little.

“Thank you,” she said, handing back the pendant.

“What did you think?” he asked, trying not to fidget.

Marie smiled. Not her usual sharp grin or smirking tease—this was something else. Warm. Genuine.

“It’s beautiful,” she said. “I love the detail and the sense of movement you put into it. Nicely done.”

The words hit Jack harder than he expected. He wasn’t sure if it was admiration or pride in her voice, but either way, it struck a chord. Something settled inside him, quiet and steady.

“Thanks, Marie. I couldn’t have done it without the professor’s guidance. And your help.”

“I hope you don’t mind, but I already sent him a picture.”

Jack blinked. “You did? W-what did he say?”

Marie pulled up her menu and shared the message.

“You were right. There’s something special in him.”

Jack stared at the words. Speechless.

“High praise,” Marie muttered. “He doesn’t say that about just anyone.” Then, more softly, “Keep up the good work, Jack.”

Before he could find something to say, she turned and fired a snarky comment at Rob. He fired back with a groan, and their banter resumed.

Jack just stood there for a moment, dazed. Marie was a talented sculptor in her own right. She didn’t hand out compliments lightly. And the professor… he was a bone carving pro. He worked for the number 1 guild in the whole game! For him to say that he had something special?

Jack clenched the pendant in his hand and slid it back over his neck. Maybe this pendant really was that good.

Amari had believed in him. Now the professor and Marie did too.

Jack drew in a deep breath, steadied his heart, and locked his eyes on the work ahead.

He would find a way. He’d outfit these soldiers with the best bone gear the Breach had ever seen. Armor so good, they'd march like living tanks.

And when the boss wave came, they’d be ready.

Jack scanned the group around the fire. The soldiers had been the first to finish eating. Now, they were starting to realize just how much they’d spilled in their haste—and judging by the way they winced and licked their lips, they were also beginning to feel the burns on their tongues.

Most of the team had nearly finished their meals too.

“Guys, I made something,” Jack said, addressing his team. “Wanted to know if you’re interested.”

“Really? What is it?” Marie perked up, eyes flicking toward the pendant around his neck. Jack noticed the glint of excitement—and winced inwardly. She was about to be disappointed.

He pulled out three pendants from his pouch—the best of the batch besides the one he was wearing.

“Here. I made these. Would you like one?”

Her smile dimmed just a little when she saw the simpler pendants, but she took one anyway.

“Nice stats,” Horace said, already examining one with interest.

“The Intellect will help when I’m mixing poisons,” Marie added, looping hers over her neck.

Amari took his without a word and slid it on. “Thanks, Jack. These are solid.”

A warmth spread through Jack’s chest. They were actually wearing them—his work. His hands had made something that mattered. He caught Rob eyeing them curiously.

“Sorry, Rob. It’s probably too low-leveled for you,” Jack said.

Rob waved it off. “No worries! When you craft something closer to my level, I want one too.”

Amari stood and stretched. “Alright. Time to move. The wave’s almost here.”

The soldiers rose with him on instinct, readying themselves—but Amari raised a hand.

“Sit this one out.”

“But, sir,” Edric began, “we’ve come to fight. To restore our honor—”

“You know as well as I do that wars are won in the forge,” Amari said. “Look at your gear. It’s in tatters. And you were starving when we found you. Eat more. Recover your strength. Rest. Jack’s working on getting you outfitted.”

Jack gave a thumbs-up, offering an encouraging smile.

The soldiers hesitated. Shame still clung to them like mud. They wanted to prove themselves. But one by one, they sat back down, heads bowed.

“Okay, sir. We’ll wait.”

“Good. In the meantime,” Amari said, “maybe you can do me a favor.”

Edric looked up. “What kind of favor, sir?”

“I wonder if it’d be too much trouble to set up patrols. Keep watch. Make sure no surprises sneak up on us.”

A spark flared in the soldiers’ eyes. They straightened. Purpose filled the vacuum left by shame.

“We’re on it, sir.” Edric snapped into action, voice sharp. “Girard, Garen—eastern wall. Keep it tight.” He turned to two more. “Lyle, Carrin—west perimeter. Standard sweep. Move.” 

Then a final nod to the youngest. “Jorrin, stay central. Relay anything weird. Let’s keep this place secure.”

Jack watched as the soldiers spread out across the fortress, falling into patrol routes.

“The patrol thing—it’s just to help them feel useful, right?” Jack asked, casting a glance at Amari.

Amari shrugged. “Sure. But morale’s important—especially with NPCs.”

“Got it. Makes sense.”

As Amari turned toward the gate, Jack added, “Mind if I sit this wave out? Last time, I barely helped. I’d rather use the time to get started on gear.”

“Sounds good to me,” Amari said.

He returned to his workstation while the others went to defend the wave. Sitting down, he opened the game menu and scrolled through his list of unlocked recipes.

“Hmmm… these two are probably the right choice.”

Two new entries had appeared in his recipe list, unlocked at levels 3 and 4 of [Bone Carving]:

Recipe for [Half Bone Greaves]:

Ingredients:

• 1× [Bone]

• 1× [Binding Cord]

Instructions:

• Cut the bone cleanly at both ends.

• Split lengthwise into halves.

• Drill holes along the sides for binding.

• Smooth the inner surface to avoid chafing.
  
  

Requirements:

• [Bone Carving], lvl. 3

Recipe for [Half Bone Armguards]

Ingredients:

• 1 × [Bone]

• 1× [Binding Cord]
  
  

Instructions:

• Cut bone to forearm length.

• Split down the center.

• Drill fastening holes near edges on both pieces.

• Fasten them together.

• Shape ends for better fit.
  
  

Requirements:

• [Bone Carving], lvl. 4

• [Tool Handling], lvl. 3
  
  

They were simple pieces—large bones split in half and drilled for straps. Basic armor.

If I skip all ornamentation, I can produce them fast

Right now, speed mattered more than aesthetics.

Jack pulled out the shagrat bones. Thick, weighty things—dense as beef bones and just as heavy. Shagrats were large creatures, all muscle and menace. Their bones made for excellent raw material.

He set the first one down on the rubber cloth that kept it from slipping.

Then he picked up his saw—one of the tools he’d bought. 

He scored the top of the bone, right where the joint would’ve been, and sawed it. Then the other end. Once the length was right, he marked grooves along the sides—guides for the saw to follow.

Then he began.

Slow, steady strokes. Back and forth. 

The saw teeth bit into the bone with a dry rasp, each stroke vibrating faintly up his arm. Bone dust floated up like ash. Shavings curled off the sides.

Beyond the walls, the sounds of battle raged—shouts, bear roars, the concussive thump of grenades—but Jack tuned it all out. 

The work was hard. His hands cramped, his focus narrowed to the saw’s rhythm. Before long, his stamina bar dipped into the red.

He paused, wiped the sweat from his brow, and reached for a ladle of stew. One gulp. Two. A flicker of warmth and strength returned.

Then he got back to it.

The steady rhythm of sawing settled him again—until a soft ping from the system menu interrupted his concentration.

Wave 28: Cleared.

Jack blinked at the notification. 

Already? So fast. They didn’t even need him.

He set down the saw, exhaled, and leaned back slightly as footsteps and voices echoed from the outer gate. Moments later, the team returned to the courtyard.

Jack raised a hand to Rob, beckoning him over.

“Hey, Jack. What’s up?”

“Listen, Rob—you’re a herbalist, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Does that mean you can pick up grass?”

“Sure. It’s a low-level material, no problem. Why?”

“I need grass to make cords,” Jack explained. “Would you mind gathering some for me?”

“Yeah, absolutely.” Rob turned to go, then paused and glanced toward Marie, who was standing a short distance away.

“Hey, Marie—you’re a herbalist too, right?”

She nodded. “Yeah. Why?”

“Jack needs grass. Want to come with me? We might be able to bring back more if we combine our inventories.”

Marie pursed her lip, pretending to weigh the decision. After a while, she shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”

Horace, who was watching the exchange, turned to Jack, eyebrows raised. They exchanged a look—but Jack just gulped and glanced down, pretending to double-check his tools. He couldn’t give his cousin’s secret away.

“See you in a bit, Jack,” Rob called.

“I’m gonna go, too!” Amari said.

The rest of the team spread out to explore the map.

Once they were gone, Jack went right back to work. He needed to saw two bones per soldier—ten soldiers meant twenty bones total. And each one took time.

Cut. Drill. Smooth. Repeat.

His fingers ached, but he kept going. Hopefully, by the time Rob and Marie returned, he’d be ready to finish everything off.

Ch. 200 - Artistry

INDEX

Ch. 202 - Supermom