Tropical Island ⭐⭐
The next morning, the sun had only just risen when Rangga was already standing in front of his house.
His appearance was completely different from those first few days.
The simple leather armor fit snugly around his body. Thick leather shoulder guards trimmed with animal fur made him look far sturdier. A pair of leather boots protected his feet, while a leather belt around his waist held his stone knife.
Rangga slowly clenched his fists, a smile spreading across his face.
"Now this... feels like a real adventurer."
He picked up two stone axes and slipped them into the back of his belt.
Two stone pickaxes were secured to his simple backpack.
His Composite Alloy Bow rested across his back, while he carefully checked that his quiver of alloy arrows was firmly in place.
Rangga inspected everything one last time. Axes. Pickaxes. Bow..Arrows.
"All set."
He nodded in satisfaction. Unlike before, when he always felt anxious before setting out, this time his mind was much calmer.
The new armor wasn't just protection. It gave him confidence.
"If I run into monsters... I shouldn't be as helpless as before."
With steady steps, Rangga walked toward the dock.
The moment he boarded his Level 2 Ship, the exploration menu appeared once again.
Choose Exploration Destination
Stone Island ⭐ (1-Star) A rocky island filled with steep cliffs and abundant mineral resources. Time Remaining: 20 Hours
Swamp Island ⭐⭐ (2-Star) A much larger swamp with dense vegetation and far more dangerous threats. Time Remaining: 18 Hours
Tropical Island ⭐⭐ (2-Star) A tropical island with thicker forests, richer resources, and stronger creatures. Time Remaining: 18 Hours
Rangga rubbed his chin as he read through each option.
"Stone Island... not yet... Two-star Swamp... not yet either."
His eyes stopped on the final option.
Two-Star Tropical Island.
A faint smile appeared.
"I've got my new bow... my armor's finished too... Time to test them... and look for hardwood while I'm at it."
Before making his choice, Rangga checked his equipment one final time.
"Two axes... two pickaxes... bow... arrows... okay."
Without another moment of hesitation, he selected Two-Star Tropical Island.
The Level 2 Ship vibrated gently.
Its automatic propulsion system hummed to life once more.
Slowly, the ship left the dock, cutting across the sea toward the two-star tropical island—an island no one had ever explored before.
During the voyage, Rangga opened the chat feature again. This time, the atmosphere was much calmer than yesterday.
Arguments still broke out from time to time, but nowhere near as badly as before. More and more Pioneers had begun exchanging information.
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His eyes scanned the endless stream of messages.
Andre (Garuda Nation): Major Deri, what did you unlock after upgrading your ship?
Deri (Garuda Nation): Three exploration options became available.
Deri (Garuda Nation): Two new two-star islands appeared.
The chat immediately became lively again.
Siska (Garuda Nation): So the two-star islands really do unlock.
Fajar (Garuda Nation): Are they more dangerous?
Andre (Garuda Nation): Has anyone gone there yet?
A moment later, Deri typed again.
Deri (Garuda Nation): Rangga, have you already explored a two-star island?
Rangga, who had been quietly reading, raised his head.
"Major Deri hasn't gone yet?"
Before he could answer, Fajar sent another message.
Fajar (Garuda Nation): I bet Rangga has.
Fajar (Garuda Nation): He hardly ever opens or replies in chat anyway.
A small smile appeared on Rangga's face.
"So they noticed."
He finally typed a short reply.
Rangga (Garuda Nation): On my way there now.
The chat suddenly fell silent. No new messages appeared for several seconds. Then Deri replied.
Deri (Garuda Nation): Understood.
Deri (Garuda Nation): If possible, please share whatever information you discover there.
Rangga stared at the message for quite a while.
"...Information?"
He rested his chin on one hand as he thought. The monsters' weak points? No.
He had no intention of revealing those.
That information was simply too valuable to give away so easily—especially while Broto and several suspicious people were still in the chat.
But general information? That should be fine. Besides, he had already promised to cooperate.
After thinking for a while, he finally typed,
Rangga (Garuda Nation): Sure.
Deri's reply came almost immediately.
Deri (Garuda Nation): Thank you, Rangga.
Rangga said nothing else.
He returned to simply reading, quietly observing as the other Pioneers exchanged survival experiences while waiting for his Level 2 Ship to reach its destination.
After roughly an hour of sailing, Rangga's ship finally began to slow down.
Before him stretched a tropical island far larger than the one-star tropical island he had visited before.
"Holy..."
Standing at the bow, Rangga stared ahead. The shoreline stretched endlessly in both directions.
Not far from where his ship docked, a calm river flowed across the island.
It was about five meters wide—far larger than the small stream he had discovered on the one-star island.
"Nice... At least finding water won't be a problem."
As soon as the ship came to a stop, Rangga stepped ashore. His leather armor creaked softly as his boots sank into the sand.
He looked left then right. Carefully checking his surroundings.
The beach was quiet. Only the sounds of crashing waves and rustling wind filled the air.
After confirming there were no immediate threats, Rangga slowly entered the forest.
Barely a few steps past the sandy shoreline—
Rustle...
The sound of bushes shaking instantly tensed his entire body.
Almost on instinct, he grabbed his Composite Alloy Bow, nocked an arrow, and aimed toward the source of the noise.
Several seconds later, a Mechanical Compsognathus emerged from the bushes.
The little creature stopped for a moment, stared at Rangga, let out a short mechanical chirp. Then turned around and sprinted deeper into the forest.
Rangga let out a relieved sigh.
"Whew... A Compy... Still the same."
Knowing the creature wouldn't attack first, he lowered his bow and returned the arrow to his quiver.
"I'll just take a look around first."
Carefully, Rangga ventured deeper into the forest. Not long afterward, his eyes settled on a massive tree unlike anything he had ever seen before.
Its trunk rose straight into the sky, colored a rich reddish-brown.
A golden window immediately appeared.
Mahogany Tree
Description: A hardwood tree that grows slowly in tropical forests. Its dense timber produces high-quality charcoal and construction material far stronger than ordinary wood.
Weakness: Can be chopped down using an axe, though stone axes wear out much faster due to the wood's extreme density.
Rangga's eyes immediately lit up.
"Hardwood..."
He reread the description then remembered the recipe in the Kiln.
"This is exactly what I was looking for... So I can finally make charcoal."
Without hesitation, Rangga slung his bow across his back again.
He drew one of the stone axes from his belt.
Gripping it tightly, he walked toward the towering mahogany tree with a satisfied smile.
📢 Author Shoutout
If you're looking for another story to dive into while waiting for the next chapter of Global Pioneer, I'd love to recommend a fellow NovelFire author!
🔥The Cursed Vessel by Nasser🔥
What if your curse... was the only reason you survived in this world?
He wasn't summoned to become a hero...Nor did he choose this world.
Something slumbers within him—A power feared by gods, kings, and monsters alike.
As the entire world hunts him down...Will he become the savior of the world, or its greatest disaster?
Will he survive the war that will decide the fate of this world?
If you enjoy:
🌑 Dark Fantasy
⚔️ Action
🧙 Magic & Ancient Secrets
🐉 Dragons
🌍 Isekai
📈 Character Progression
then be sure to check it out!
NovelFire: https://www.NovelFire.com/fiction/177777/the-cursed-vessel
Please give the story a try and consider supporting the author if you enjoy it!