1. A Noisy Territory
[Time: Day 15, 10:00 AM]
Link stepped out of the main house.
Morning sunlight fell upon his silver armor, reflecting a cold, blinding glow.
There was a time when this land held nothing but silence—
Only him and the Guide, Kevin, standing in awkward quiet.
But now… everything had changed.
Nine stone houses stood side by side, no longer empty.
The air carried strange scents—
Gunpowder.
Cheap tobacco.
Alcohol.
Herbs.
It was noisy.
Alive.
Link stood there, watching.
For the first time since arriving in this dangerous world—
He felt something unfamiliar.
A sense of territory.
2. The Greedy Merchant: Alfred
The first house had its door wide open.
An old man in a brown robe was hanging up a wooden sign.
White beard. Sharp eyes.
"Ah! My dear landlord!"
Merchant Alfred turned as soon as he saw Link.
His eyes lit up—
Like he was looking at a walking pile of gold coins.
Link walked to the stall.
The old man sold more than just basic supplies.
Torches. Ropes. Tools.
Everything needed to survive.
"Give me a stack of glowsticks," Link said, placing several silver coins on the counter.
"The kind that still works underwater."
"No problem!"
Alfred leaned closer, lowering his voice.
"Interested in a piggy bank?"
He tapped the counter lightly.
"Trust me. Carrying too much gold on you? One mistake—and you'll cry harder than a zombie."
Link paused.
Then nodded.
He bought it.
A small, pink ceramic pig.
Without hesitation, he stored his remaining 12 gold coins inside.
Here, money wasn't just numbers anymore.
It had weight.
Risk.
Consequence.
3. The Sharp-Tongued Savior: Nurse Molly
The second house was spotless.
Too spotless.
The faint smell of disinfectant lingered in the air.
Nurse Molly stood inside, neatly organizing stacks of bandages.
She glanced at Link—then scoffed.
"220 HP?"
Her tone was dry.
"Looks like you've been busy underground."
She crossed her arms.
"Don't get cocky just because you're wearing silver armor."
"If you crawl back here missing a limb next time—"
"Make sure you can afford the treatment."
Her words were sharp.
But Link understood.
She was his only safety net.
In this world, injuries were real.
Pain was real.
One mistake in battle—
And everything could collapse.
But Molly's healing…
Was almost miraculous.
She was the difference between survival—
And death.
4. Beauty of Destruction: Demolitionist Derek
BOOM—!
A muffled explosion shook the third house.
Black smoke poured out.
A short, muscular man stumbled outside, coughing.
"HAHA! Landlord!"
Derek waved his hand, clearing the smoke.
He held a black iron sphere in his palm.
"These stone walls of yours—pretty solid!"
"Almost didn't break through!"
He laughed loudly.
Wild. Unrestrained.
"Heard you're heading into that purple hell?"
"The Corruption?"
"Forget that pickaxe."
He grinned.
"Buy some bombs."
"Trust me—nothing survives explosions."
Link didn't hesitate.
In a 3D world, explosives meant range.
Control.
Safety.
He purchased:
30 bombs50 grenades
Heavy.
Cold.
Dangerous.
Perfect.
5. The Dye Trader and the Guide
The Dye Trader, Seth, stood elegantly outside his house.
A silver pipe in hand, casually showcasing colors like they were art.
Meanwhile—
Kevin, the Guide, remained near the outer wall.
Silent.
Watching the forest.
Like a lighthouse in the dark.
With five NPCs now settled—
Link's base was no longer just a shelter.
It had become a stronghold.
6. The Calm Before Battle
[Time: 23:00, Midnight]
After a long day of preparation,
Link returned to his house.
He removed his helmet.
Cold metal left his skin.
He sat by the window.
Outside, distant sounds echoed—
Zombies growling.
Demon Eyes flapping in the night sky.
But under the torchlight—
None of it felt threatening anymore.
For the first time since arriving—
He wasn't rushing.
He lay down on the wooden bed.
Soft. Warm.
The Band of Regeneration pulsed faintly.
Warm energy flowed through his muscles, easing the fatigue.
He closed his eyes.
"…Two weeks ago," he murmured,
"I was just a programmer… staring at a screen."
Silence followed.
Outside—
The wind shifted.
Something in the darkness…
Was watching.