In the forest of an uninhabited island…
Mio was carefully searching for suitable vines, while Warwick, his newly "cultivated" companion, followed close behind with a blank, honest expression—like a big, simple-minded kid.
Although Warwick was a gene fusion of Dire Wolf, Berserker, and Mondo, when it came to intelligence, he seemed to have inherited the most from Mondo. He wasn't exactly dumb—but definitely not sharp either. Like a child, he could follow basic commands, especially when it involved fighting or smashing things, but anything more complex? Not a chance.
Earlier, Mio had asked him to keep an eye out for large, sturdy trees that could be used to build a raft. Then he began looking around himself. When he turned to check on Warwick's progress, he found the guy squatting on the ground, drawing circles in the dirt with a stick, a big dopey smile plastered on his face.
Mio slapped a hand to his face in despair. "This system doesn't just train creatures—I've got to teach them everything too. Can't even leave them alone for five minutes…"
Resigned to his fate, Mio started a hands-on tutorial.
"Look closely. The tall, thick trees—those are the big ones we want. The short, skinny ones next to them? Those are small trees. Got it?"
"Warwick knows. Warwick learned it," Warwick replied seriously, nodding like a student in class. His expression was innocent, but paired with his wolfish face and sharp fangs, it looked more terrifying than sincere.
"Alright, good. Then let's keep going." Mio gave a small nod of approval and moved on, feeling a bit more hopeful.
The two of them wandered the outer edge of the forest, careful not to venture too deep. Along the way, they found several trees that seemed suitable for a raft. Mio wasn't a boatwright by any stretch, but on an uninhabited island, waiting to be rescued wasn't an option. A simple raft would have to do. Plus, he was getting hungry.
It was a good chance to look for some fruit—or better yet, rabbits or wild animals to roast.
"See this?" Mio pointed at a thick vine wrapped around a nearby tree. "Long, thick, and tough to tear. That's what I want. Understand?"
Warwick nodded, grabbed a vine, and casually gave it a tug.
Snap.
"It broke," Warwick said, holding up the two pieces.
Mio sighed and held his forehead. "Don't pull it that hard, you brute…"
After a while, they finally emerged from the forest. Mio carried a bunch of fruit in his arms, while Warwick dragged a bundle of tree trunks lashed together with vines.
As for how the trees were cut down?
Warwick had simply clawed them down. His strength was insane—far beyond what Mio had expected. One of the trees was so thick that it would take two people just to wrap their arms around it, but Warwick swiped his claws and it fell like it was made of paper.
If he grabbed a human like that… well, it wouldn't be pretty.
The only real disappointment? No rabbits or wild animals to be found. Maybe Mio had scared them off with all the noise. If they'd found something, Warwick could've easily caught it, and Mio—using his newly invented "rub-two-sticks" fire-starting method—might've had a tasty meal. Now, they had to settle for fruit.
Once at the beach, Mio tossed the fruit down and started arranging the logs, directing Warwick as he began to build the raft.
It wasn't that hard: lay the logs side by side, tie them up with vines, and repeat to make it stable. Just in case, Mio tied the logs together multiple times for added security. After checking its sturdiness, he gave the raft a firm pat.
"Phew… finally done."
He wiped the sweat from his brow, then tossed a fruit to Warwick. "Alright, time to eat."
"Eat, eat!" Warwick exclaimed cheerfully. He bit into the fruit—no, swallowed it whole—then frowned. "Warwick doesn't like this. Warwick wants meat."
"There's a whole forest behind you. Go find something," Mio replied without looking up, pointing toward the trees.
He wasn't surprised. Of course Warwick wasn't a fruit lover—he had wolf genes, after all. Even if Mondo and Berserker's genes softened the edges, he was still a carnivore through and through.
And with that Mondo-brained personality, Mio had expected this exact complaint.
"Warwick go now!" Warwick howled, then spun around and dashed back into the woods. His speed was terrifying—he disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Mio blinked in surprise, then shrugged and munched on another fruit. "Hopefully he brings something back…"
Time passed. Half an hour went by. Still no sign of Warwick.
Mio had rested enough and was about to push the raft into the water when something caught his eye.
Far on the horizon—a black dot.
He squinted. "A… boat?"
Looking back down at the raft he spent all morning making, Mio's lips twitched.
"If I'd known a boat was coming, I wouldn't have wasted all that effort…"
The vessel seemed to be heading straight toward the island. If he waited, it might just come right to shore.
"Do I set sail alone with Warwick, eating fruits and hunting fish, drifting day and night? Or do I wait for the ship, hop on board, and enjoy a life of grilled meat and cooked meals?"
He frowned, torn.
Warwick was strong enough to pull his weight on any crew. Mio was sure of that. And traveling with other people? That didn't sound so bad either.
The black dot was getting closer now. Mio could see the outline of the ship.
"It's definitely coming here…"
He looked down at the raft again, then slowly raised his right foot—and stomped.
Crack.
"Oh no, what a shame! The raft broke. Guess I can't use it now," Mio said aloud, voice thick with theatrical sadness. He stared at the clearly broken plank and sighed. "All that effort… gone."
He even tilted his head slightly and added, "Warwick helped build it too…"
If anyone were nearby, they'd probably call out: "What a drama king!"
"But since the raft's broken, I guess I'll just wait for the ship." With a resigned shrug, Mio plopped down on the sand.
And so, he sat under the sun, watching the ship draw closer.
Goodbye, handmade raft. Hello, new adventure.