HC: Handyman | Ch. 170 - The One-Eyes and the Bears

Wave 19 had come and gone. According to Marie’s account afterward, it had been just as easy as Wave 18, with the bears doing most of the work.

Shortly after the wave cleared, high up on the Snowy Peaks, Horace had unlocked yet another package.

Horace has found a hidden package! [1000-Year Old Ice]

Hidden Package Description:

1000-Year Old Ice

Ice holds memories. At the peak, where the ice has stood undisturbed for over a thousand years, you've discovered a place of timeless beauty. The sight has granted you a deeper appreciation for the cold, and it doesn’t bite as harshly anymore.

Effects: +5 cold resistance in the Breach.

Horace, of course, wasted no time gloating about his discovery. Between a never-ending stream of taunts and boasts about how he was now leading his little competition with Jack, he’d mentioned in passing that he had stumbled upon a breathtaking spot at the summit. Just by standing there, taking it all in, the package had unlocked.

Meanwhile, Amari had finally found what he’d been searching for—a hidden tunnel buried beneath the carcass of one of the larger beasts in the courtyard. After marking it down, he and Marie set off to tackle a nearby pin, leaving Jack behind.

Jack, however, barely registered any of it. He hadn’t even bothered to collect the spoils of battle. Normally, he would have taken the opportunity to boost his butchering XP with the vases, but he’d sent Esther instead. His focus was locked entirely on finishing the etching recipe.

Marie’s suggestion to frame the design had worked wonders. Segmenting the image into four distinct parts made it easier to track his progress. No more lost details. No more missing strokes.

To his side, three completed vases sat in a neat row, each depicting the first three scenes of the etching recipe: Peace, Preyed Upon, and Battle.

Jack was on his sixth attempt at the final scene—Retreat.

He inhaled deeply and pulled the vase from the slip-filled vat, watching as the excess liquid dripped away. His heart skipped a beat as he studied the details.

The One-Eyes slipped into the deep crack in the rock, their hunched figures pressing close together. Outside, the bears snarled, pacing at the entrance but unable to follow.

Everything was there, in the right place. It had worked.

Jack rolled his shoulders and reached for the other three vases. He carried them to the fire. One by one, he placed them into the flames.

Heat swelled, licking at the stoneware. The slip hardened, crystallizing against the surface as the base of the vases, once a muted gray, deepened into a rich, earthy brown. The wax resist beaded and melted, running in glistening rivulets down the sides like sweat. As the fire did its work, the etched patterns slowly emerged, darkening into an almost ink-black contrast.

Jack watched, anticipation thrumming in his chest.

I wonder what this recipe does.

The worst-case scenario? This was nothing but an aesthetic experiment. A waste of time. He searched his feelings, testing his own disappointment.

Would I be okay with that?

No. It would sting.

Some better scenarios? The vases acted as some kind of hidden aid package—a buff that activated only within the Breach. It wasn’t a stretch. He had found the recipe inside the Breach. He had unlocked it in the context of tackling a hidden package.

Or maybe—maybe—it did something else entirely. An over-the-top XP boost? An improved version of his current vases?

Whatever it was, Jack was dying to find out.

He had a feeling about this one. Maybe it was because of that exhibit in the museum—the four vases showing the blacksmith and the lightning statue. Or maybe it was just the sheer effort involved in bringing these pieces to life.

Even if this turned out to be nothing but a visual upgrade, at least he’d gained something. Now that he’d learned the wax resist technique, his ability to etch intricate details had improved. If nothing else, he was walking away from this more skilled than before.

The progress bars reached their final stages, filling to completion.

Jack held his breath.

Then, the system chimed.

Congratulations!

You’ve crafted a named set of vases!

+5000XP in [Pottery]

Another notification followed, and Jack’s breath caught as his gaze locked onto the words.

You’ve unlocked a new title: [Named Artist].

His eyes darted lower, scanning the item details.

The One-Eyes and The Bears (Rare)

Description: A set of four vases depicting a touching story of tragedy and resilience from Pyramidian mythology.

Crafting grade: C+

Effects: Grants a house owner [Retreat] if placed inside a house. Breaks upon use.

[Pride of the Innovator] bonus: Skill user can teleport three additional players.

Jack blinked. “Uh? It grants a skill?!” That hadn’t been anywhere in the possibilities he’d considered.

His fingers twitched as he tapped the skill for more details.

Retreat (Rare)

Description: There’s no shame in leaving a battle if it isn’t going your way. Sometimes, taking a step back is the greatest feat of courage.

Effects: Active. Channeling time: 1 minute. Teleports you to your house.

A wave of dizziness hit him as he processed the implications. Most games had some kind of recall system, a hearthstone or fast travel feature, but New Earth didn’t.

Travel was a core part of the experience. Every mile, every step mattered. That was why bushcrafters and chefs had jobs, why stamina management was crucial, why mounts were so expensive. 

This changed things.

There were limits. Crafting the set had taken nearly two hours. If the vases had to be destroyed to activate the skill, it would only be worth using if the return trip was longer than that. But it wasn’t just about returning—it was about making controlled retreats, pulling teammates out of danger, and bypassing obstacles entirely. With the Pride of the Innovator bonus, he could even bring others with him.

His attention shifted to the new title.

Named Artist (Uncommon)

Title description: You make art pieces worthy of being given a proper name.

Title effects:

Reduced stamina consumption when crafting;

+1 fame.

Jack let out a slow breath. A simple effect, but the stamina reduction especially was gold.

His fingers flexed unconsciously, recalling the last time he had crafted Terracoat. His arms had trembled, his lungs had burned, and by the time he was done, his body had practically collapsed. It would've eased the burden if he’d had this title back then.

The star of the show, though, was the [Retreat] skill. He couldn’t wait to see the look on his colleagues’ faces once he shared the news with them.

A glance at the clock pulled him back to the present.

With everything that had happened, time had slipped away faster than he had realized. The countdown to Wave 20 was almost over. This wasn’t just another swarm—it was a boss wave.

Maybe it was the way his colleagues spoke about boss waves. Or maybe it was the memory of the Mother Roach. Now that he no longer had a project to keep his mind occupied, unease crept in.

It was time to prepare.

Jack rolled up his sleeves and set to work, making the best stew he could. His hands moved with practiced efficiency, adding ingredients, stirring, seasoning. The rich aroma of simmering broth filled the air, carrying warmth and familiarity.

Then, one by one, people started to arrive.

The first to show up were the NPCs. Riku, Esther, and Christoff settled into their usual spots by the fire, but their expressions were more subdued than usual. They weren’t as chatty this time.

Jack’s gaze flickered between them, noting the way they sat a little straighter, their hands resting tensely on their laps.

They know.

Maybe they couldn’t read system notifications, but they felt it. The shift in the air. The weight pressing down. The way the world seemed to be holding its breath before something big.

Then came Horace.

“Hi, Jackie! What’s going on?!” he boomed, striding in like he didn’t have a care in the world.

Jack turned, raising an eyebrow. “Horace! You seem full of energy.”

“Haha! Your pickles kept me alive and kicking, man.” Horace patted his stomach. “Besides, after I helped the One-Eyes catch their bear, they let me visit the village. Whenever I needed to recover stamina, I just sat by the fire and ate. Easy! Speaking of which. I need a refill, please.”

Jack eyed him carefully. That was a solid way to recover, but it couldn’t be just that. His mind drifted to the package Horace had unearthed in the peak. A 5-point cold resistance boost went a long way in alleviating the harsh weather of the peak.

Then came Amari and Marie.

“Horace! Jack!” Amari called as they walked in.

Marie’s gaze locked onto Horace, and a teasing grin spread across her face. “I thought I recognized you,” she said. “You’re the abominable snowman.”

Horace groaned. “Ha-ha. Funny, Marie.”

Jack smirked as Amari settled by the fire—then noticed the shift. Amari’s eyes had landed on the finished vases, sitting neatly off to the side. His posture straightened.

“Jack. You finished those?”

Jack hesitated, then let out a short laugh. “Haha. Yeah, I did.” He crossed his arms, feigning nonchalance.

Marie stepped closer, tilting her head. “They look beautiful.”

Jack nodded. “Wanna see what they do?”

Amari’s gaze flicked to him. “You sound way too pleased with yourself.” His fingers tapped against his knee. “It must be something good. Give it to me.”

Jack chuckled and sent the system notifications to the group. A familiar chime echoed in the air as their interfaces updated.

Then—

Silence.

Horace and Marie stared at the notification. The color drained from their faces. Their heads snapped toward Amari, who sat frozen, his eyes darting back and forth between the messages.

Jack leaned forward, waiting. “So?”

Amari’s mouth opened. Then closed. He turned to Jack. Then back to the system notification.

Then back to Jack.

“Jack… You… This…”

Jack’s grin widened. It was the first time he had ever seen Amari at a complete loss for words. That alone made this entire thing worth it.

“It’s good, huh?!” Jack finally said, unable to hold back his amusement.

Amari still seemed stunned, but it was Horace who snapped out of it first.

“It’s incredible!” he blurted.

Marie nodded so fast it looked like her head might pop off. “Incredible!” she echoed.

“I’ve heard rumors that some top guilds have skills like these, but I never imagined you’d be giving it to us too. This opens up a lot of possibilities.”

Silence stretched for a beat, everyone still processing the implications. Then, Christoff stood up and started toward the gate. The movement shattered the moment, and the weight of what was coming crashed back into place.

“Alright, everyone. We’ll talk more about this later. Finish up, quick. The boss is coming.”

No one argued. The team obeyed, downing the last of their stew. Jack watched, satisfied with the list of buffs from the meal.

Tree Climber: +20 jump for 30 minutes.

Woodland Vitality: +125 HP and stamina for 30 minutes.

Forest Strength: +7 defense for 30 minutes.

Not bad.

The group packed up and moved swiftly, following Christoff down to the first layer of defense—the outermost ditch. Jack’s breath came steady, his mind already cycling through plans. He checked his inventory, eyes landing on two amphorae of aged mead.

He hesitated. Would they really need to use this now?

His gaze flicked to the others. Amari’s jaw was tight, Marie’s usual grin subdued, and even Horace was uncharacteristically quiet. It was the same gravity he’d seen in their eyes before the fight with the first boss, but he’d assumed they’d be more relaxed because of all the packages they’d unlocked since then. 

But they seemed just as nervous. No. More nervous even.

Decision made.

Jack reached into his inventory and pulled out one of the amphorae. “Here, everyone. I’ve got one more buff to help us along in this fight.”

He poured the rich, golden liquid into cups, the aroma hitting him first—deep, smooth, and complex. This was leagues beyond his earlier batches. 

Jack also poured himself a cup and took a sip. Where younger mead had been sharper, this was mature, refined, with a lingering warmth that clung to the throat like an ember before settling into a pleasant, rolling heat. His body reacted immediately. A rush of warmth spread through his limbs. 

You’ve drunk [Mead IV].

+20% attack for 20 minutes;

+2 HP and stamina per second for 10 seconds after receiving damage.

“Wow! This is awesome! Thanks, Jack!” Marie beamed, swirling her drink in appreciation.

Even Christoff, usually the composed one, grinned. A rare sight.

Jack packed the emptied glasses back into his inventory just as the ominous message came.

Wave 20 comes! Beware!

It was time to fight the second boss of the Breach.

Ch. 169 - Imbuement

INDEX

Ch. 171 - The Boss' Tune