HC: Handyman | Ch. 189 - The Glean

The rescue strategy had been laid out. Even though his cousin was still being camped, Jack felt lighter after they’d devised their plan. It almost felt like Rob was already here with them.

Jack tried calling him again, but there was no response. He was probably getting some real sleep tonight. There was no reaching him for now—he’d have to wait until morning to share the good news.

That left time. Time to plan—and more importantly, to prepare.

Jack opened the team’s shared map. Pins marked everyone’s position as they scoured nearby locations.

Amari was on his third sweep through the fortress, still looking for proof that the “patrolling soldiers” he’d found hiding in a cave were actually deserters. Horace was scaling the canyon walls outside the fortress, while Marie had returned to the slopes behind the gate—back to where she’d originally found the flag.

Jack didn’t have high hopes they’d find many more packages this close to base. But then again, he'd been wrong before. Amari had discovered [Armory] after Marie had already cleared the citadel. Jack himself had found the gene-rewriting pinecone in the woods after both Marie and Horace had passed through—three times.

He opened the Breach Store.

Breach Points: 45
Aid Packages:
[1000-Year Old Ice] – +5 cold resistance
[Armory] – +50 durability to worn equipment
[Flag of the Fortress] – +50% trap damage, +20% durability to defenses, +1 HP regeneration per second for all defenders
[Gene-Rewriting Pinecone] – Snowy has mutated
[Heracle Moles Outsourcing] – Dig where you plant seeds
[Lazarus Herb] – One free respawn
[The Lone Hunter] – Christoff is at your service
[Mother and Son] – Esther and Riku are at your service
[The Short-Faced Bears’ Mating Season] – Four bear allies attack each wave

Some of these had been crucial to their progress so far. Christoff and the bears had eased the pressure considerably. The four bears, in particular, did a great job diverting part of each wave.

But it wasn’t enough anymore.

With how much harder the waves had become, they all had to stay near the fortress for now. The days of clearing waves in under a minute were already in the rearview mirror—it had taken them nearly fifteen minutes to repel the shagrats. Factor in the time needed to eat before and after each battle, and that left only ninety minutes to explore.

Not even Amari, with his ninja speed, could make it to the borders of the map and back in that time.

Even though the best aid packages likely waited further out, they had no choice but to search nearby—again.

The current goal was clear: wait five more waves, hit 50 Breach points, spend it all on what they hoped would be a super package, and pray it was enough to ease the pressure—enough to give them room to breathe and explore again.

Jack dismissed the map projection and started toward the battlefield. Halfway there, he caught a flicker of movement—Riku, already hard at work.

After the last wave had pushed past the ditch, Horace had adjusted their trapping strategy—Riku was now prioritizing the area between the carriage and the fortress, laying down traps with lower durability.

The sturdier ones—those that might last through several waves—were reserved for the outer stretch between the first ditch and the carriage. 

This way, they made the most of each trap—and when the boss came, there’d be coverage from the first ditch all the way to the gate, whittling its HP the entire way.

Jack lingered a moment, watching the boy work. Riku moved quickly, alternating between bear traps and mouse traps, setting each one with practiced efficiency before darting to the next spot.

The kid’s fast, Jack thought, a little impressed.

He left him to it and kept moving.

He arrived at the ditch beside the carriage, where another pile of shagrat carcasses had risen. It wasn’t quite enough to form a ramp that could carry a wave over the carriage—but it wasn’t far off.

He climbed down carefully. From his inventory, he pulled out a cluster of vases and placed them on the ground.

He glanced at the carcasses around him and wrinkled his nose. Being in this position felt a little too much like standing in a mass grave.

Then he took out his ocarina and played a short, steady song.

You’ve played [Clay Dome].

Performance grade: B-

+800XP in [Bard]

+2450XP in [Bard]

All ceramics in the area are shielded from damage.

As the vases shimmered with a soft protective shield, he quickly approached the pile of carcasses. His hand glowed faintly as [Luck of the Hunter] activated.

You’ve harvested the carcass of a Brown Shagrat.

You’ve picked up 1 silver, 2 coppers, and 1x[Shagrat Steak].

+20XP in [Butcher]

+63XP in [Butcher]

Jack raised his brows. One silver per carcass? That meant nearly two gold in coin alone. Sweet.

And the meat… it looked promising.

Shagrat Steak (Common)

A dense, marbled slab of meat with a slightly gamey aroma. While tougher than romie meat, it holds flavor well and responds nicely to prolonged heat. Best grilled, seared, or slow-roasted.

Durability: 31

He had to make the most of Clay Dome while it lasted. He kept moving down the mound.

You’ve picked up 1 silver, 2 coppers, and 1x[Shagrat Fat].

+20XP in [Butcher]

+63XP in [Butcher]

You’ve picked up 1 silver, 2 coppers, and 1x[Shagrat Bone].

+20XP in [Butcher]

+63XP in [Butcher]

You’ve picked up 1 silver, 2 coppers, and 1x[Shagrat Pelt]. 

+20XP in [Butcher]

+63XP in [Butcher]

Jack glanced at the pelt and compared it with the one he currently wore.

Cobalt Ischychromys Hide (Rare)

Smooth to the touch but layered like natural armor, this hide shimmers with a faint metallic sheen. Taken from a matured Ischychromys apex, it's prized for gear that balances mobility and resilience.

Item effects:

+3 constitution

+2 strength

+7 jump

+5 cold resistance

+5% movement speed

+4 block

+9 defense

Gear-Grinder: When attacked, an opponent’s equipment loses durability at an accelerated rate.

Durability: 42

The regular shagrat hide didn’t come close. Jack stuffed it into his inventory without a second thought.

He was also collecting bones. Those had promise. They were dense and heavy, reminding him of the beef bone Professor Masse had carved during the lecture. Jack ran his thumb over the surface of one. Yeah. These’ll do nicely for crafting.

He continued touching each carcass, the mound shrinking with each fading pulse of light. Thanks to the vases, his XP gains remained steady—making the process not just worthwhile, but efficient.

At least they pile up in one place, Jack thought, moving from one end of the trench to the other. Saves me time.

When the ditch was clear, he crossed the stretch of land between the two ditches and repeated the process near the first pile of carcasses—activating more vases, harvesting, and collecting the loot.

On his way back to the fortress, Jack couldn’t help but think about what he might do with all the bones he’d collected. How would he carve them? What kind of sculpture could he make?

Even though he wanted to give bone carving a go, he had other priorities to attend to. First on the list: checking his cellar.

He made his way to the well and climbed down. A few amphorae sat nestled in the earthen shelves—his first batches of mead, made from honey harvested right here in the Breach, aging in silence.

He knelt beside one and inspected it.

Mead II (Common)

An amateur brewer’s batch. Simple and sweet.

Effects: +3% attack for 10 minutes.

Same baseline effects as the wildflower batch, for now.

From experience, Jack knew that special bonuses only started to appear from tier IV onward. In the case of mead brewed with wildflower honey, the bonus was to survivability, granting a small burst of recovery after taking damage.

I guess there’s nothing I can do but wait.

The aging process was going smoothly, at least. If he wanted a shot at a tier IV brew, he needed more amphorae aging at once.

The smell of fermenting honey followed him faintly as he climbed back up into the daylight.

Jack headed toward Esther, who was still sitting patiently near the fire, waiting for her next assignment.

“Hi, Esther. Here’s all the honey I’ve got,” Jack said, handing over the jars. “I know it’s not a lot, but can you get another batch of mead going for us?”

“Of course,” she said, standing up right away with her usual calm smile.

Jack nodded. “As for me… I’d better get a new set of vases going.”

To be able to leave the Breach and then come back again, he needed another set of vases with the [One-Eyes and the Bears] etching.

He moved to his crafting bench and set out the necessary tools. But just before shaping the first lump of clay, something made him pause.

A flicker of memory.

The before.

The day of training at the professor’s house flashed before his eyes. Jack exhaled slowly and closed his eyes.

He visualized the four vases from his last batch—remembered how they felt in his hands, the areas that gave him trouble, the times he’d rushed through the carving, all those slips of the knife or mistakes with the wax resist technique.

Jack let the images sharpen in his mind. The shapes, the process, the sensations. The rhythm. The mistakes. The tension in his grip.

What would I change? Make the mouth tighter? Round the middle a bit more? Leave more surface for carving the pattern?

He sat there in silence, simulating each improvement in his mind. A breeze stirred the fire’s smoke nearby. He ran through the whole process from start to finish before even touching the clay.

Finally, he opened his eyes.

“Okay, professor. I’ve done ‘the before,’” he murmured. “Let’s make the vases, then.”

This time, he designed them with a two-level form. The base was narrow, but halfway up, he let the walls expand outward into a wide, flared bowl—something reminiscent of a trophy. That eased curvature should make the etching stage easier, giving him more control with the carving knife.

He pinched the first vase to completion, then moved on to the next. Clay took shape under his fingers, each form echoing the last. One by one, he shaped the set—twelve in total. More than needed, but he wanted spares in case of mistakes.

By the time he finished, Horace was back.

“Hey, Jack!”

Jack looked up from his bench. “Hey, Horace. Is it time already for the next wave?”

“That’s right!”

Jack set the vases in the shade to dry, then made his way to the basin to rinse the clay from his hands. After that, he headed toward the cooking station. He poured the last of his rendered oil into the stewpot and set it on the flame.

While it heated, he grabbed a second pot and tossed in a pile of [Shagrat Fat] to render more oil for future meals. That, and for [Terracoat]. Making the slurry required a large amount of oil, and since he was going to temper several items, it was smart to get started now.

“What are we having?” Horace asked, peering into the pot.

“Hmmm… We’ve been getting decent buffs from eating meat from the beasts we’re fighting. I’ll just use what I harvested from the shagrats.”

“Smart! Can’t wait.”

Jack cut the steaks into chunks and dropped them into the pot, stirring until the pieces began to brown and sizzle. The pot bubbled steadily as the stew thickened. By the time Amari and Marie returned, the meal was ready.

Everyone gathered near the fire, bowls in hand.

Jack inspected the system panel hovering before him.

Congratulations! You’ve crafted [Survival Stew].

+500XP in [Bushcraft]

[Camping] and [Mud Hut] empower the meal.

Crafting grade: C

Ingredients: [Shagrat Steak], [Shagrat Steak], [Shagrat Steak]

Item description: A nutritious, tasty meal made from ingredients gathered in the wild.

Item effects:

+1 stamina per second for five minutes

+1 HP per second for five minutes

Beefy Strike: Deals 1% of the enemy’s max HP damage per strike. Doesn’t work on elites or bosses.

Rodent Vitality: +150 HP and +50 stamina for 20 minutes

The HP boost was solid—better than what the romies gave. The stamina gain was slightly lower, but still respectable. The 1% HP damage effect wouldn’t work on elites, sure—but for a wave filled with normal mobs? That could go a long way.

And the best part? There was still plenty of room for improvement. He hadn’t had time this wave, but once he pickled the meat and made broth, the recipe would get even better.

They ate in satisfied silence, the fire crackling gently beside them.

As the others finished their bowls, Amari stood and stretched.

“All right, guys. Let’s go.”

They filed out of the fortress together, weapons checked and bellies full.

Just another wave. Just another day on the job.

Ch. 188 - Shagrats

INDEX

Ch. 190 - Tomorrow