When the first light of dawn crept through the cracks of the cave, the group stirred from their restless sleep. The tension in the air was palpable, as the reality of their situation continued to settle in. They had no choice but to press on, and the time for planning had arrived. Ayan, the de facto leader, knew that survival would require more than just mere hope—it would take strategy, skill, and a lot of hard work.
The group gathered around in a circle, each one still nursing the physical and emotional strain from the previous day's battles. Haruto, though his body had started to heal, still looked tired. Ayan took charge, clearing his throat before beginning.
"Listen up, everyone. We've got a lot of things to take care of if we're going to survive out here and get back to Earth. First and foremost, the ship—our way home—is in terrible condition. The primary engine is destroyed, and the secondary one is barely functional. There are holes all over the interior, and most importantly, our gravity machine is completely gone. We're stuck here until we can fix it, but that's only part of the problem. To fix the ship, we need materials, and we don't have the parts to make those repairs right now."
Ayan paused, his gaze sweeping over his team. They understood the magnitude of the situation. "Second, we need to make sure we can survive long enough to fix the ship. Our food is going to rot if we don't hunt and gather, and our power supply is shot, meaning there's no way to preserve food. We'll be hunting daily starting tomorrow. But we're not just hunting for food—we'll need to get stronger and train ourselves. This isn't a novel where we just level up and get stronger. We need tactics, we need physical training, and we need to fight smarter."
He glanced around again, noting the serious expressions on their faces. "Now, let's go outside for training. Today, we train hard, and after that, we'll go on our first hunt."
The group stood, each one carrying the weight of what was about to come. They stepped outside into the alien landscape, the fear of the unknown creeping in. Any monster could be lurking nearby. But hours passed, and still, no monsters appeared. It felt almost like a safe zone, a strange relief from the chaos that had consumed them since they arrived.
By midday, the training was complete, and they sat in the shade of the cave to have a brief breakfast. Their stomachs grumbled, reminding them of the urgency of their situation. The food from the spaceship wouldn't last forever, and they had to find a more sustainable solution.
After a quick planning session, they decided to venture into the nearby jungle to find their first monster. Their goal was to find a small, weak creature—something they could handle. They set out, staying close to the river and avoiding the deeper parts of the jungle where larger, more dangerous monsters could be lurking.
They didn't have to search long. After half an hour of trekking, they came across a creature that resembled a turtle. Its shell was hard, and its movement slow. Ayan, ever the strategist, was quick to assess the situation.
"Alright, listen up," Ayan whispered, his voice low but firm. "This monster looks like a turtle, which means its shell is probably tough. But if we can flip it over, it won't be able to move. Once it's on its back, we go with the usual plan—stab it until it's dead. Haruto, you distract it by throwing a rock into the river. When it turns, I'll go in and flip it."
The plan was simple but effective. Haruto nodded, his hand tightening around the rock he had picked up. With a swift throw, the rock splashed into the water, and the turtle's head snapped in the direction of the sound. Ayan moved quickly, ducking behind a tree and running towards the monster. In a fluid motion, he grabbed the turtle's shell and flipped it onto its back. The turtle struggled, but it was no match for Ayan's strength.
Ayan drew his sword and stabbed the creature once, then again, and a third time. It was dead. He stepped back, wiping his sword clean. He handed it to Charlotte, his eyes watching her closely.
It was Charlotte's turn now, and she hesitated. She had never killed anything before, and the thought of taking a life weighed heavily on her. But she knew there was no other choice.
She took the sword with trembling hands and moved cautiously toward the turtle. She closed her eyes, unwilling to look at the creature's face as she drove the blade into its body. The first strike came with a hollow thud, and she felt a shiver run down her spine. She stabbed again, and then again, until the turtle was still. But when she opened her eyes, she was confronted with the horrific image of the monster's wide-open stomach, white liquid oozing from its mouth. A tear slipped down her cheek as she backed away, overwhelmed by the sight.
"Charlotte, it's alright," Ayan said gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You did what you had to do. We all have to make sacrifices to survive."
Through her tears, Charlotte managed to speak. "I… I didn't want to kill it. But I had to."
Ayan nodded. "You did well. Now, let's see what we got."
He inspected the creature's remains, and as expected, a notification sounded in their minds.
[You killed an ordinary class monster "Black Turtle."] [You got a killing reward "Wooden Shield."] [You gained 100 experience points. You leveled up.]
Charlotte's hands were still shaking, but she handed over the shield to Ayan. He examined it, testing its durability by striking it with his sword. After five strikes, it held firm. The shield was sturdy—enough to withstand some monster attacks. It would be useful in future encounters.
"Looks like this will work," Ayan said. "Now, let's move on."
The group set off again, continuing their search for another monster. They were fortunate—this particular area seemed to have only weaker creatures that didn't travel in groups. Soon, they found another Black Turtle.
This time, the strategy was the same. Ayan flipped the turtle, and Tanisha stepped forward to take her turn. She had seen Charlotte's reaction and was prepared for what lay ahead. With a deep breath, she stabbed the turtle until it was dead. This time, the system message was slightly different.
[You killed an ordinary class monster "Black Turtle."] [You did not get any killing reward.] [You gained 100 experience points. You leveled up.]
Tanisha's face hardened as she turned to Ayan. "I didn't get any weapon," she said, her voice quiet.
"Same as last time," Ayan murmured, processing the information. "It seems the weapons aren't guaranteed. It's all chance-based. If we're lucky, we get a weapon. If not, we move on."
After a brief discussion, they noticed the sun sinking low in the sky, its golden rays casting long shadows across the landscape. The day was drawing to a close. Ayan gave the signal to head back to the cave before darkness set in.
They returned to the safety of their shelter, the weight of their survival pressing heavily on their shoulders. Despite their victories, they knew that this was only the beginning. There were still many challenges ahead—more monsters to face, more resources to gather, and more training to endure. But for now, they had managed to take their first steps toward survival.
As they sat down to eat their meager dinner, Ayan couldn't help but feel a sense of determination rising within him. They might be stranded on this alien planet, but they were alive—and they would fight to stay that way.
The night settled around them, and they rested, knowing that the real trials were only just beginning