The fifth morning broke over the clearing with a sharp, resinous scent of wet pine and charred cloth. Fog hung low, diffusing light into a pallid gray that rendered all movement spectral. Most people had grown used to fragmented rest—uneven snatches of sleep interrupted by shifting watch duties and night terrors.

  Marcy was already awake, kneeling by the fire pit. She worked in practiced silence, coaxing embers to life beneath a battered metal basin where a mixture of nettles and root shavings simmered slowly. Her eyes were fixed on the treeline, not out of curiosity, but calculation. Every morning now, she seemed more like a sentinel than a cook.

  Alex sat nearby, chewing through a strip of dried meat—rabbit or squirrel, likely. It was tough, but warm. Ellie sat next to him, huddled in her oversized jacket, sleeves pulled over her fingers. Everyone had lost weight. Hunger thinned them all.

  "Think we'll have enough left for dinner?" she asked, voice hoarse.

  Alex swallowed and replied without inflection. "Depends on what we pull from the traps. Hopefully we can get something bigger, finally fill our bellies."

  Across the fire, Jared stirred. He rubbed sleep from his eyes and shifted into a sitting position, joints cracking with the movement. "Or we get a surprise goblin attack."

  Ellie’s face darkened. "Camila said there isn't anymore near us though."

  "And what does that mean, that we can just sit back and relax. Yes there may not be Goblins near us now, but for how long." Jared muttered as he stood. "Its best to be prepared."

  --

  David had been busy trying to scrounge up enough points to unlock haki, though some of the item choices are interesting to him as well. He's been making some progress since his unlock of the One Piece path, but he's still a fair bit off from unlocking either armament or observation.

  Miriam was hoping that he would reach that level soon, returning to assigning responsibilities. Routines had formed—hunting parties, water collection crews, perimeter guards, and structural teams improving the lean-tos and stake lines. Productivity was increasing, but so was tension. Majorly Miriam had also earned enough points, having sacrificed her 3 rings for 9 total points and her phone for 7, with this and some other minor sacrifices, she has recently reached the 20 point mark and is thinking on what to choose. If most would be willing to forgo their own items most could take a large step to unlocking a path, but its hard to get rid of anything from Earth, especially something like a phone with images of family back home.

  Vin and Wren, ever the cynics, spent their time maintaining the still-unsuccessful garden. The soil resisted their efforts with stubborn hostility. Nearby, Raj, Roger and Theo were reinforcing the southern perimeter with sharpened stakes and repurposed metal fragments. Their handiwork had progressed beyond symbolic defense to something with functional merit.

  Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

  Around the Obelisk, a different kind of ritual unfolded. Survivors came bearing items to sacrifice—some mundane, some formerly precious.

  +0.03 Points — Tin Can

  +0.6 Points — Pocket Radio (Broken)

  +1.1 Points — Digital Camera (Low Battery)

  Points accrued slowly. Every item added to a person’s individual total—unseen by others, quietly transforming personal value into an invisible currency.

  Camila approached around midmorning, her gait steady, her belt adorned with a fixed-blade knife. She found Alex and Yusuf sitting under the half-constructed overhang, sharpening crude spears.

  “You two busy?” she asked.

  Alex looked up. “Not really. What’s up?”

  “Hunting trip. Long range.”

  Yusuf glanced at Miriam, who was coordinating with Ellie and Marcy. “We’ll check in first. Give us ten.”

  Camila nodded and disappeared toward the western treeline.

  Having checked in they headed towards Camila.

  David was considering joining them, they seemed to be a pretty successful group, and he needed points, plus it wouldn't hurt to get some meat for the group.

  Miriam intercepted him.

  “You planning on joining them ”

  He stopped "Yeah, I mean I was. What's up?”

  "I need someone to head out with Jason and Matt, apparently they've come across a small lake of some sorts, would be good to check it out"

  "Alright yeah, can do."

  --

  Camila, Alex, and Yusuf headed west. The forest thickened quickly, trading the open clearing for tight canopies and an uneven floor riddled with roots and decay. Sunlight filtered in dappled shards.

  After an hour of careful tracking, they reached a glade. The silence here was almost oppressive. Yusuf found dung nearby—deer or possibly wild boar. Camila inspected a flattened patch of leaves.

  “Something big slept here. Likely a stag.”

  "How are you so good at tracking" Alex asked.

  "Well, I had a lot of time on my hands, Husband was busy and all with work. Just something I took up"

  They moved methodically, communication reduced to gestures and murmurs. Eventually, they spotted movement—a deer slipping through the trees.

  Camila signaled a halt. They crouched low. Alex’s breath slowed to a crawl.

  “One clean shot,” Camila whispered. “Miss the heart, go for a leg.”

  The throw came fast. Yusuf’s spear struck the hind leg. Camila followed immediately, driving the animal to the ground with a practiced lunge. A single thrust ended it.

  “Good throw,” Alex said quietly.

  Yusuf wiped sweat from his brow. “We’re eating tonight.”

  --

  They returned carrying the carcass suspended between two thick branches. Murmurs followed them into the clearing. Starved eyes tracked every step.

  “Is that—” Vin began.

  “Deer,” Alex confirmed.

  Within minutes, Jared was skinning the animal with practiced efficiency. Marcy and Ellie prepped the few pots they had, luckily someone had been on utility shop having been buying things for their new house. Nothing was wasted—bones, sinew, hide.

  Camila kept only a thin strip of hide for herself. She tied it around her wrist, a silent trophy.

  That night, the stew was thick and savory, with the deer, a few rabbits and squirrels, it was a fairly hefty meal, compared to what they had grown used to. Conversations resumed over small bowls. For the first time in days, people smiled.

  As spoons scraped bottom, the focus shifted back to the Obelisk. A few stood nearby.

  Ellie stepped forward.

  She placed a cracked e-reader against the surface.

  +2.7 Points — Mid-Tier Electronics (Non-Functional)

  No one clapped. No one cheered. But Miriam, watching from the firelight’s edge, nodded quietly. She had been speaking a fair bit to Jake, 21 years of age. He's been very helpful in giving her an idea of each of the respective anime worlds and their powers, including what each powers mean. After getting the information from David concerning the the One Piece path, they could theorise about the other paths as well.