Chapter 3: The first wave starts

That was when Jeff began to plan out his ideas. Since he could not use the scroll to boost his plants yet due to some issues, he decided that he would have to work on his own for now.

Before anything else, he first cleared the area by removing the rocky parts to make the ground flat. However, after finishing the task, the surface still wasn't completely even.

Fortunately, a few rocky spots remained, preventing his feet from sinking into the sand.

"Aria, any ideas?" he asked.

[Yes Host, but before we start, claim this place as your base first.]

"Claim it as my base?" he repeated her word completely puzzled.

As he spoke, a glowing panel suddenly appeared in front of him, it was from the world system.

[Do you wish to claim this broken temple as your base?]

"Yes," he responded without hesitation.

[Affirmative...]

Then a blinding light came as a big red crystal appeared filled with energy. Its in the very center totally rooted in the ground.

"Hmm, that's so big," he said with a dazzle look.

It's over 6 feet tall, and its so shiny in color he could not help but take a deeper looked at it again.

[This will be your Base Core, defend it from attackers as long as you can. Remember if you let it break, you will never have it again]

With that the world system panel disappeared as the status of the base core appeared in front of him.

[Base Core

Level: 1

Health: 1000/1000

Effects: Extraordinary Buff

Extraordinary Buff: Boost combat stats by over 10%]

Seeing this Jeff felt sudden power inside of him, the effect was vivid since he felt overwhelming power coursing through him.

"System, any info about the base core?" he asked.

Since the world system did not provide any useful information, he decided to consult his own system instead.

Some important details were often hidden from the world system, so he hoped Aria could help him this time again.

[Sorry Host, it seems the information is being blocked, and I currently don't have access to it.]

[For now, Aria cannot provide an answer, but the world system states that you must protect it no matter what.]

[Also, after completing this trial, the information about the base core will appear later, so don't worry.]

Hearing Aria's explanation, he nodded in understanding before asking another question.

"So what's next Aria, after claiming this as my base?"

Jeff looked around the open area, seeing nothing but endless sand stretching in every direction.

There were no walls, and even barricades only the dry air, a glowing moon overhead, and three stone posts jutting from the ground like jagged teeth.

"Aria, we're wide open out here," he said, slowly turning his body in a full circle.

"I can't dig, can't build. What now?" he asked for some suggestion.

Because making a plan is not his best, you can say that he is not a strategist.

[Well, if you want to know there are several options exist in this current scenario, but let's keep it within your current skill level, shall we?]

[What I propose is Alternative Strategy: 'Zone Control and Target Layering']

"Speak human"

[Got it! Well you have three elevation points so let's put them into good used. Place one Sprout Shooter on each make it spread wide for crossfire coverage. Frontline is most vulnerable, so deploy the Frostbite unit there. Its slowing effect will disrupt charge formations]

"Middle platform for Jason, then." Jeff nodded since her plans seems plausible.

Even though he wasn't the smartest, it didn't mean he would act without thinking. After realizing that Aria's suggestion made sense, he decided to follow her instructions.

[Correct, make Jason cover the longest stretch of terrain. The other two Sprout Shooters should anchor the flanks because they'll serve as angle guards in case anything tries to loop around.]

So Jeff began. He carried Jason in his arms, and the little creature hugged him with its leafy hands, their touch is cold like ice.

"What a lovely fellow," he laughed.

It wasn't very heavy, and it could be lifted from the ground with ease. With that, he made his way toward the center tower, ready to set things up.

It wasn't very tall, standing at around five feet high. Raising both arms, Jeff carefully placed Jason on top of the post.

The surface was flat, so it stayed steady without any issue, he also did not question Aria's plan.

Considering Jason's slowing effects shots would stagger the first wave of enemies, forcing the rest to bunch up behind them.

He then positioned the other two Sprout Shooters on the left and right towers.

Where each was about a foot lower than Jason's perch and slightly set back.

With the base core serving as the bait point, any attackers would have no choice but to either circle around or charge directly toward it, meaning their approach was already predicted.

By positioning the shooters so that all three had a clear line of sight toward anything approaching the base core, Jeff had effectively turned the area into a kill zone.

"With this elevation advantage, the raised towers give the shooters a full 360-degree view of the flat sand, that's already a good startup," he said with satisfaction.

He then opened the system shop to purchase some weapons.

After consulting Aria on what to buy, it provided him with several useful suggestions on how to spend his remaining fifty Resource Points.

...

Weapon: MP5 (Submachine Gun) [Purchased]
Price: 20 RP

Item: 9mm Mag [Purchased]
Price: 4 RP

Weapon: Grenade [Purchased]
Price: 5 RP

Weapon: Katana [Purchased]
Price: 20 RP

[Current Resources Points: 1]

...

Holding the MP5 in his hands, its not really that heavy about 2.9 kilograms in his hand as he inspected the gun in his hand.

It looks so real making him start to doubt whether this was dream or not. He counted the magazines and saw that the bullet is over 25 so he had a total of 50 bullet count.

After fifty shots, he would be completely useless. Fortunately, he still had his sword.

Placing the weapon in his inventory earlier, he now held it in his hand, and the familiar weight brought a strange sense of comfort and renewal.

His family came from a clan of swordsmen or at least, that was what his late father used to tell him.

Jeff was never sure if the story was true, but his father always spoke with pride about their family's legendary past.

When his father passed away from illness, he was left alone to fend for himself.

Thankfully, his father had earned enough money during his lifetime to ensure that he could continue studying and support himself without needing to work.

The technique his father had taught him was called the 'True Reaping Technique', a sword style that once made their family renowned in the past.

His father used to say that mastering it would one day allow him to cut through a mountain with a single swing of his blade.

It sounded absurd and unrealistic, yet he still trained mainly because if he didn't, his father would beat him every single time.

Years passed, and through relentless practice, he eventually achieved an exceptional level of mastery.

By the time he reached high school, he had already become a champion in several sword competitions, his name well-known among young swordsmen.

From elementary to high school, he remained undefeated throughout his time in the United States.

However, after his father's death, Jeff chose to return to his hometown in the Philippines, leaving behind both his fame and the life that came with it.

Now that he was in college, he chose to stop joining any kind of sports, especially those related to swordsmanship.

He wanted to live a simple life and start anew, and in the Philippines, a place where his name was unknown, he finally had that chance.

With the swing of the katana, he was greatly familiar with it since it moved so smooth in his hand making him relished the feeling.

With that he decided to rest and sleep for the moment to conserve energy, inside his mind he could not help but starting to think this is real.

Everything around him felt tangible, the details vivid and real, nothing about it seemed like a dream at all.

Especially the sensations he felt through touch. He had already been here for an hour, yet there were still no signs of waking up.

"We'll find out later if this is really a dream or not," he muttered as he calmed his mind and began to meditate.

Time passed, and soon the sun had risen. The heat grew intense, forcing him to open his eyes. It was only six in the morning, yet the air was already scorching hot.

He could feel that the temperature was over fifty degrees Celsius, making him sweat so much it felt like he was melting under the heat.

Then out of nowhere, a small projectile shot toward him. It spun in the air before hitting him squarely on the head and burst into tiny flakes of snow, cooling his burning skin instantly.

Looking up, he saw Jason gazing down at him with a cheerful expression. Jeff couldn't help but laugh.

"Nice one, Jason. Keep shooting me with those whenever I feel hot," he said with a smile.

"Shew, shew!" Jason chirped, bouncing happily in response.

Another hour passed, and by seven o'clock, the heat had grown even more unbearable.

The cold pea layer that Jason had formed around him like a coat was now melting away under the rising temperature.

Seeing this, Jason quickly fired another icy shot at him. However, within just thirty seconds, the cool mist evaporated completely, vanishing into the air as waves of heat rolled through the desert.

Gusts of shimmering smoke and heat distorted the surroundings, making everything blur and waver before his eyes.

[First Wave is now starting]

[Since the difficulty you have chosen is the Hell Mode, the system is now adjusting your opponents status...]

[Additional Note: Resource Points, loot, items, and your army will all be lost if you are defeated. In addition to these external losses, you will also be cursed with Mana Vein Syndrome if you surrender or defeated]

[This is to ensure that every player's choice carries its own consequences. Good luck, player. May the world's blessing be with you...]

Hearing the world system's message, Jeff was left dumbfounded.

"There's actually a curse if I lose this match? If I had known Hell Mode was this bad, I never would've chosen it in the first place!"

Before he could even curse the world system management of this survival match a red panel appeared in front of him.

[Wave 1]