[The first monsters will appear at any moment. Stay alert! For surviving until now, you receive 10 Spirit Shards. These shards can be used to buy a booster. Quests have just been unlocked—congratulations to all!]
Aaron stood still for a few moments, completely unsure. He expected a monster to leap at him at any second. But as nothing happened, he felt a slight relief… though tension still lingered in the air, as if the cavern itself were holding its breath.
Patch: Apparently, the monsters haven't detected your base yet. That gives us a little time to catch our breath.
Aaron nodded and immediately opened the system shop. His eyes scanned the available boosters. One stood out: Field Booster. Price: 10 shards. He had exactly enough.
The system also displayed additional info, like rare loot probabilities and special cards for each type of booster, but he chose not to dwell on it for now.
The booster appeared in his hands. He opened it hastily, almost feverishly.
[Cards obtained]1 x Root1 x Capture1 x Tomato Seed1 x Potato1 x Watering Can1 x Farmer's Gloves1 x Compost1 x Log1 x Common Mushroom1 x Stone
Nothing particularly exciting… but at least he would have something to plant. The Capture card, however, seemed especially interesting. It could turn an enemy monster into an ally… under certain conditions of strength and willingness.
He automatically activated the gloves card. A warm current ran through his hands before the gloves materialized, as if appearing directly on his skin.
Farmer's Gloves:Chance for a higher-tier harvest +3%Defense +1
The gloves, slightly rough, gave him a feeling of security. He squeezed them for a few seconds, savoring this small sense of protection in a hostile world.
He then checked his current quests.
[Peasant Quest #1]Harvest 20 crops of any type in your base.
[Community Quest #1]Kill 20,000 monstersProgress: 3 / 20,000
[Survivor Quest #1]Defeat your first monsterTime limit: 1:48:00
Rewards were not shown, leaving the system shrouded in mystery. 3 / 20,000 monsters was no small feat… Some had already ventured out, perhaps out of desperation or to gather resources faster.
Aaron checked the timer. He didn't feel ready yet. So, instead of panicking, he planted the two seeds he had received, spacing them carefully in the soil.
Once done, he crafted a small rudimentary spear for Patch, reinforced with a piece of wood hardened by friction.
Patch: Let's try not to die, okay…Aaron: That's the plan.
Aaron took a deep breath and left the base with his companion. The magical light floated behind him, casting a trembling bluish glow through the dark tunnels.
After about ten minutes, a massive shadow appeared at the next junction. A huge body armored in segmented gray plates. Dozens of legs moved beneath a heavy, shiny abdomen. A creature that would normally be a few centimeters long now measured over a meter.
A giant isopod.[Analysis in progress…]Creature: Cave IsopodEstimated Level: 2Special Traits: High defense, rolled attack, vulnerable to piercing impacts on joints and unprotected areas.
The monster hadn't noticed them yet. It moved slowly, occasionally crushing small stones beneath its chitinous legs.
Aaron signaled Patch to stay back. Slowly, he circled the creature. Each step was calculated to avoid gravel that could give them away.
The spear sank between two plates, only a few centimeters.A metallic screech rang out.
The isopod growled deeply and contracted violently. Its shell closed like a natural shield. Then it rolled into a ball.
Patch: Aaron! Watch out!
The chitinous mass lunged. Aaron leapt aside at the last moment. The creature slammed into the wall, shaking the tunnel. Fragments of stone fell from the ceiling with a sharp crash.
Before it fully recovered, Aaron attempted a second strike, aiming for a more exposed joint. His spear scraped the shell, sending out sparks.
The isopod pivoted suddenly and swept the ground with a powerful body slam.
Aaron was thrown against the wall. The air rushed violently from his lungs.
Patch, trembling but determined, charged next. He thrust his spear into a joint. This time the point penetrated more deeply.Dark fluid spurted out.
But the spear remained stuck.The monster partially righted itself and, with a violent movement, flung Patch into the wall.
A sharp crack echoed.
Aaron: Patch! Are you okay?!Patch: I… I think a rib is cracked… I won't last long…
The ground vibrated again. The isopod retracted, ready to strike once more.
Aaron stepped back, searching for a solution. His eyes caught the jagged ceiling of the tunnel, where several weakened stalactites hung.
He grabbed several stones and hurled them at the shell to provoke the creature. The impacts rang through the tunnel like hammer blows on hollow metal.
The isopod grew agitated, contracting even more… then rolled directly toward him.
Aaron waited… too long.
The mass brushed past him, slightly tearing his sleeve. He lunged forward at the last second, feeling the heavy breath of the monster pass behind him.
The creature smashed into the wall beneath the stalactites.A sinister crack resounded.
The rock gave way. Several stone spikes collapsed, piercing the shell already weakened by previous attacks.
A muffled roar vibrated through the cavern.
The shell cracked further. Luminous lines ran across the creature's body… then it disintegrated into glowing particles that floated for a few seconds before vanishing.
[Monster defeated]Rewards calculated…[Loot obtained]1 x Isopod Shell2 x Tough Meat1 x Mineral Core
Aaron rushed to Patch and activated his card.
[Healing Magic activated]Charges remaining: 2
A soft light enveloped the rat. His breathing gradually steadied. The pain lessened progressively, though the healing was not instant.
Patch: We… we won?Aaron: Yes… but just barely.
Patch struggled to get up. Pain still lingered slightly. Aaron held his arm to help him walk.
Then he opened the quest tab.
[A reward is pending. A new survivor quest will be available when the timer ends.]
He clicked it and received a bronze-quality card. This surprised him, as he had only obtained copper cards until now. For him, no higher rarity existed… until now.
Zone Expansion: Increases base area by 10 m².
In the long term, this would likely be a useful card. For now, all he wanted was a reliable water source. He sighed lightly, almost defeated, then continued toward the spring.
So far, he had only encountered these giant isopods… which were surprisingly peaceful if you didn't shove a spear into their shell. Aaron almost regretted the earlier kill.
Along the way, he gathered some resources. Among them, a particularly nice stone caught his attention. He analyzed it immediately.
Pyrite: It is said that striking this stone against flint can create sparks to start a fire.
They finally reached the spring. They refreshed themselves and filled everything they could: the metal watering can, a plastic bottle, even a tin can. It might be heavy for the return trip, but luckily all objects could revert to card status.
Before heading back, he decided to clean some mushrooms to serve as today's meal with the isopod meat.
After transforming them, he checked his base settings. The base's energy points had recharged overnight.
Patch: Oh no… don't tell me you plan to use teleportation magic again!
Patch barely finished his sentence when Aaron grabbed him and clicked Teleportation. Once again, everything spun around them. Patch moved away, back against the wall, nose slightly raised, looking displeased.
Aaron: I see you're mad, but it's not that bad… We weren't going to walk another hour anyway!
The rat sighed, not even bothering to respond. Aaron decided not to push further.
His stomach growled; he hadn't eaten since yesterday. He took out the mushrooms and sliced them. He did the same with the meat. It was slightly slimy and barely edible, but smelled acceptable once cooked.
He split the roots into small pieces, arranging them like a tipi. He struck the pyrite against flint. Sparks flew, but no fire… Several tries later, a small flame finally ignited.
He blew gently to intensify it. Then he placed the mushrooms and meat over the fire. A faint aroma rose.
Saliva dripped from Patch's mouth as he approached, looking slightly guilty.
Aaron removed the cooked pieces and let them cool.
Aaron: Go ahead, help yourself. You've earned it.Patch: You're forgiven this time.
He dove into the food, and Aaron ate as well, though more slowly, lost in thought.
Was this what his new life boiled down to? Risking death, farming, and surviving? Strangely, the idea didn't bother him. After all, in the real world, he had lost the will to live. So fighting to stay alive was… oddly thrilling.
He thought of his parents. Were they still alive? Would he see them again? He had never really gotten along with them, yet he worried for them nonetheless.
Unbeknownst to Aaron and Patch, something had been watching their every move for hours…A silent, patient presence, breathing slowly in the shadows of the tunnels.