HC: Handyman | Ch. 99 - Hyah!

Jack stood atop Snowy outside the gate. “Hyah!” he shouted dramatically, pointing toward Red Lake.

Snowy responded with a quizzical grunt, then set off at his usual, unhurried pace. A couple of onlookers laughed at Jack’s bravado, and he chuckled along with them. He’d done it more out of excitement than anything else—there was no way to get Snowy to go faster, no matter how much flair Jack added. 

Even if his ground sloth didn't leave a cloud of dust as it ran, riding her was a welcome improvement over walking. Even with Snowy’s steady pace, Jack was traveling faster than on his last trip, back when the 20% speed debuff from lugging his [Pot Hive] had slowed him to a crawl. 

The more he read about it, the more he realized how useful [Stubborn Slowness] was. 

Stubborn Slowness (Uncommon)

There’s no point in telling a sloth how fast to move. It will move when it wants to move, and that’s it.

Effects: Passive. This animal can’t be slowed.

Restrictions: 50 affection

Weight debuffs didn’t affect Snowy. That, in fact, was the whole reason he was in a hurry to reach Red Lake. After his conversation with Beeatrice, Jack had a hunch there was something interesting he could try with Snowy and the pot hives.

Whether or not he could pull it off depended on a couple of things: the recipes he’d skimmed at the XP store and whether they’d help him bring his idea to life. Even though he wasn't sure about it yet, he was itching to find out.

Snowy trudged along the jungle. For the first few minutes, Jack stayed alert. Every time he ventured into the jungle, he had to stay cautious—small dinosaurs could jump out at any moment. But this time was different. The gentle giant’s presence seemed to make Jack almost invincible against the smaller creatures that roamed the jungle. Porkies, compies, archies, and other small critters Jack usually tried to avoid, scattered at the sight of the sloth’s size and weight.

This, too, sped up the journey. Instead of zigzagging to avoid the wildlife, Jack could follow a much more direct path. After confirming that Snowy would follow the destination coordinates he’d set even if he wasn't actively guiding her, Jack relaxed. He pulled out one of his yellow ocarinas and began to play.

A cheerful tune echoed through the jungle, drowning out the distant sounds of skirmishes. His bees, already buzzing through the jungle in search of flowers, seemed to pick up the pace, energized by his bard skills.

You’ve played [A Morning of Spring].

+200XP in [Bard]

Your bees work harder!

A bee returns with pollen.

+10XP in [Beekeeping]

A bee returns with pollen.

+10XP in [Beekeeping]

Jack kept the song going on a loop. His plan relied on leveling up beekeeping. He needed to reach the journeyman tier in the minor if he wanted to test out his theories.

Moreover, after Beeatrice pointed out the potential in candle-making, Jack became quite excited about the prospects in the minor. Who knew what new synergies he might discover once he had wax as a crafting material?

About halfway through the trip, a notification popped up.

You’ve reached level 7 in beekeeping!

You’ve learned a new skill: [Sturdy Sting].

Sturdy Sting (Common)

Level: 1

Skill description: A sting is a bee’s ultimate attack, but when it uses it, it’s a death sentence. Or is it?

Skill effects:

Passive: Bees deal 10% more attack when defending their hive.

Passive: 20% chance that stinging won’t kill a bee.

It was the first time Jack had come across a combat ability for his bees. However, instead of getting excited about the prospect of commanding his own swarm, the description of the skill hit him hard. 

He hadn’t realized that every time a bee stung, it was giving up its life. He thought back to how his bees had defended the hive when patrons had visited his impromptu diner. He hadn’t realized they were sacrificing themselves.

He couldn't help but stretch his hand out toward one of the arriving bees. It landed on his hand.

Maybe Beeatrice was right. There was something special about these little creatures. At least now, they wouldn’t always die after defending their home.

“You are a brave little soul, aren't you?”

He let the bee fly away and enter the pot hive on his back.

As he reread the description of the skill, something felt off. His hive had never been attacked. Now that he thought about it, hadn’t Beeatrice also said something about hives being vulnerable to disease? His bees hadn’t gotten sick either. Why was that? Was it because he just had the one hive? Or was it because he kept the hive on the move, never stopping for too long?

It had to be only a matter of time, though. At the prospect of his hives facing an invasion or an epidemic, Jack shuddered. He just had to keep leveling up to make his bees healthier and stronger.

Taking a break from playing the same tune over and over, Jack leaned back and opened his character sheet.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

Name: JackofDiamonds

Level: 19

Fame: 17

Class: Handyman

Mount: Snowy, the Ground Sloth

Minors:

[Bushcraft], lvl. 10

[Pottery], lvl. 10

[Bard], lvl. 8

[Beekeeping], lvl. 7

Titles: [Consistent Quality], [Embersgate Civil Servant], [Junior Craftsman]; [Museum Donor], [Novice Explorer], [Novice Firekeeper], [Overreacher], [Pride of the Inovator], [S-Grade Adventurer], [Slayer of Monsters], [Uniqueness]

ATTRIBUTES

Hit points: 100/130

Stamina points: 87/125

Movement Speed: 101%

Attack: 1

Strength: 6

Constitution: 5

Agility: 26

Intellect: 6

Stealth: 15

Luck: 5

RESISTANCES:

Defense: 6

Block: 0

Fire: 2

EQUIPMENT

Right-Hand: [Empty]

Off-Hand: [Empty]

Head: [Empty]

Torso: [Moss Suit]

Pants: [Beginner Slacks]

Gloves: [Empty]

Shoes: [Empty]

Cape: [Moss Cape]

SKILLS:

Fighting: [Blocking Stance], [Dash], [Heavy Strike], [Minor Synergy], [Unbound Knowledge]

Bard: [A Morning of Spring], [Angry Void], [March of the Embers], [Ocarina Mastery], [Self-Taught], [Sitting Wind], [Sonic Valley].

Beekeeping: [Brood Breeding], [Friendly Scent], [Honey Harvesting], [Hive Ownership], [Nectar Harvesting], [Sturdy Sting].

Bushcraft: [Bush Immunity], [Camping], [First Aid], [Forage], [Kindle], [Rope Weaving], [Sticksmithing], [Survival Cooking]

Pottery: [Clay Drying], [Clay Gathering], [Clay Molding], [Clay Tempering]; [Pot Firing], [Pottery Glazing], [Touch of the Potter]

He had come a long way in such a short amount of time. As he read through the long list of skills, titles, and attributes, Jack couldn’t help but sit a little straighter, puffing his chest with pride. If only his parents could understand how meaningful these numbers were. If he were to show them, they would probably think it was a waste of time, but they represented his hard-earned progress. Maybe telling them he wasn’t going to vocational school after all would be easier when he could explain the practical value behind it all. The way his stats translated into real-world income wasn’t something they could ignore.

Still, he had to remind himself—he was just getting started. Compared to some of the veteran players, he was still a noob. His biggest weakness at the moment? Equipment. Most of his attributes came from titles or the free points he’d invested as he leveled up. His gear was embarrassingly basic.

But he was excelling at something that surprised even him—fame. Amari had mentioned how hard it was to grind that stat, yet here he was, already at 17. He wondered just how much influence he could wield with that number. Was it enough to unlock new opportunities or get his hands on some more rare quests? Just as he was about to shoot Amari a message and ask him more about it, Snowy stumbled upon a group of dinosaurs.

The creatures huddled around a small ornithopod, several times their size, feasting on its remains. They were bigger than compies, with dark brown and navy blue scales. What struck Jack the most was the eerie intelligence in their eyes. The raptors’ gaze lingered on Snowy, assessing.

Jack’s heart started to race. He wasn’t sure what they were, but he knew one thing—they looked dangerous. He tightened his grip on Snowy’s fur, his whole body tensing. He could feel Snowy, too, was tense. The creatures eyed Snowy carefully, and Jack felt a lump form in his throat as he thought, Snowy is roughly the size of that ornithopod. Shouldn’t its weight have prevented the hunters from attacking it?

His mind scrambled for explanations. These creatures moved like they were used to hunting together. Could it be that they had a skill that canceled [Largeness], the skill that kept lighter animals at bay? Jack held his breath, trying to make himself as small and unthreatening as possible, his muscles coiled and ready to flee.

The jungle seemed to grow quieter around him, the tension thick in the air. For a long, nerve-wracking moment, the creatures continued to stare, weighing their options. Was it Snowy’s size that kept them at a distance? Or maybe they were already satisfied with the carcass at their feet. Whatever the reason, they turned their attention back to the ornithopod, digging into their meal without giving Jack a second glance.

He exhaled slowly, but the tension didn’t leave his body. That was too close, he thought. His heart still pounded in his chest as he gently nudged Snowy forward, hoping to put some distance between them before anything changed.

Once Jack was sure the dinosaurs weren’t following him, he allowed himself to breathe. The tension slowly drained from his body, and he slumped forward slightly on Snowy's back. The only sounds now were the steady buzz of his bees, Snowy's heavy, rhythmic steps, and the distant, faint calls of other animals deeper in the jungle.

We made it, Jack thought, his heartbeat finally starting to slow. He stole one last glance behind him, just to be certain, but the predators had faded into the trees, uninterested in him or Snowy.

Now that the coast was clear and his nerves had settled, Jack reached for his yellow ocarina, wiping his sweaty hands on his trousers before bringing it to his lips. As the cheerful tune of [A Morning of Spring] filled the air again, it cut through the quiet jungle, bringing a sense of normalcy back to the journey.

His bees, buzzing in time with the melody, darted ahead, eager as ever. Jack smiled to himself. He wasn’t just playing for fun—he needed to level up his beekeeping to reach level 10, and every bit of XP mattered. 

*

The moonlight shimmered on the still waters of Red Lake, casting silver ripples as the wind gently stirred its surface. The lake stretched out like a polished mirror, reflecting the distant silhouettes of trees and packs of ornithopods. As Jack and Snowy approached the shoreline, he noticed a group of herbivores gathered near the water’s edge. They drank cautiously, their long necks dipping into the lake as they kept a wary eye on their surroundings. The soft lapping of water against their beaks blended with the night sounds.

Scattered along the shoreline, bushcrafters had set up temporary camps. The glow of their fires formed a series of bright dotts around the lake, like lighthouses, demarcating the boundary of where the water met the land. The unmistakable scent of grilled meat carried on the breeze. Those who had unlocked [Survival Cooking II] were hard at work, skewering small animals over the open flames. 

The scene was a mix of serenity and survival—dinosaurs drinking by the lake while fighters and crafters gathered in their camps, preparing for another hunt.

When Jack and Snowy reached the shores, Jack’s grinding proved its worth. He had leveled up his beekeeping and bard professions, even though it came at a price: He was sick and tired of the repetitive tune of [A Happy Morning of Spring]. 

While beekeeping gave him nothing new this time, reaching level 9 in bard unlocked an exciting new skill! 

You’ve reached level 9 in [Bard]! You’ve learned a new skill: [Swing Step].

Swing Step (Uncommon)

Level: 1

Skill description: When the music starts playing, you become unstoppable and can keep going.

Skill effects: +10% movement speed when playing a song.

It was a simple but powerful buff—perfect for avoiding trouble while strengthening his allies or weakening enemies. The prospect of being more nimble excited Jack.

Beep. Beep.

“Already?” The alarm reminding him to go to vocational school buzzed. He hadn’t yet told his parents what he was really doing with his time, and for now, he would stick to his ruse. 

Jack sighed and logged out of the game, his thoughts already on his next shopping spree at the XP store, which would have to wait until he logged back in.

Ch. 98 - Flora

INDEX

Ch. 100 - Swim