Chapter 14

Rob returned to base camp. It was late afternoon now.

He took off his Lizard Hide backpack and dumped out all the loot he’d acquired from his hours of hunting.

He had piles of lizard bones, lizard hide, lizard scales, and even a few lizard skulls. He’d also made sure to collect more crafting materials such as vines, leaves, and even filled up a few more bamboo slots with mud he’d hoped to use as a bonding agent.

With the amount of crafting materials Rob had gathered, he had a feeling he would be able to craft quite a bit.

Rob figured he’d craft the next most important piece of equipment first, and he decided that would be some kind of chest armor. It was where he was most exposed and likely to get attacked. If he created a good chest piece, he’d be getting the most bang for his buck defensively.

He quickly got to work. He laid out the lizard hide, and layered them with bone splits shapes into a crude rib-cage frame. Then with sinew and thin pieces of vine, he stitched scales to the chest as plates. He then used vines and sinew to tie the chestpiece at the sides and shoulders.

Just as Rob finished, the item before him began to glow. The ethereal light of the system binded Rob’s piece of equipment together, bringing with it a finished polish that his original creation lacked.

Rob grinned. The stat bonuses from the new Lizard Bone Chestguard were fantastic and it made Rob excited to craft more of the set and watch all the similar stats continue to rise and improve his power.

With every new piece of lizard-based equipment built, Rob felt like he was getting closer to taking on the Jungle Lizard Queen.

He lifted up his new piece of armor over his head and then slipped his head and chest through. The equipment immediately responded to his body, taking shape around his muscular chest.

As soon as he put the new armor on, he felt more like himself. The scraggly white t-shirt he’d spawned on the island with represented old Rob, and it didn’t fit with his new lifestyle and mindset. It didn’t fit with hunter and survivalist Rob. Wearing the Lizard Bone Chestguard made him feel more attuned to his jungle environment. It also showcased how much his body had already changed over the last day and a half. Between his bracers and his chest guard, the exposed muscles were sculpted-looking and tight, showing he was well on his way to becoming a character who would fit in with the cast of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure.

More system messages were waiting for him in his retina.

Only three more pieces of the set until it’s complete, Rob thought, excitedly.

After the wonderful feeling of taking off his white t-shirt, Rob then knew exactly which piece of equipment to craft next.

A few minutes later, he had primitive and flexible pants. Each leg was wrapped in softened hide strips, overlapping like bandage layers from ankle to thigh. The hide was naturally mottled in jungle colors, making the leggings looked camouflaged. At the front of each thigh and shin, scale patches were stitched into place, giving added protection against brushes with thorns, rocks, or claws. Thin bone shards reinforced the knees, tied down tightly and smoothed so they wouldn’t catch on movement. The lower legs were darker, smeared with mud and charcoal to reduce scent and reflectivity.

Rob stood up and paced around in his new armor and trousers. He stretched and admired how he was looking more and more like a seasoned hunter of the jungle. He felt stronger, safer, more durable with each new piece of equipment.

More messages waited for him in his vision.

More than halfway there, Rob thought.

He continued his crafting session. He took off his black sneakers and began to focus on creating something new for his feet.

The end result was a pair of rough, survival-forged boots built from hide, vines, and scavenged padding. The boots rose just above the ankle, constructed from folded and shaped hide, its surface textured like thick reptile skin. Inside was a layer of compressed moss and leaves to provide cushioning and keep his feet dry. The toes were capped with small scale plates and sharpened bones, giving the front of the boots a clawed, armored look. Twisted vines crisscross up the boot’s length as laces, their knots hardened with resin drips. Mud stains and dried jungle dust clung to the boots, blending them into the terrain.