Kaito checked his towers, out of breath. Grendel's health was at 60%, Tor's shield was damaged. "Yuna, healing is a priority." Yuna nodded, activating Mira and Aria. Saren approached Kaito, chuckling, "Hey, Varis, you're quite handsome when you give commands like that." Kaito raised his eyebrows, but did not smile. "Focus, Saren." Saren stuck his tongue out, but returned to his position.
System: Wave 4/10. Enemy: Shadow Wolves.
The map was plunged into darkness. The sky was covered in purple clouds, the stars had disappeared. Gravity had returned to normal, but the meadow was filled with flickering shadows. Kaito said, "These wolves can be invisible. Lila, be careful."
The Shadow Wolves appeared at the end of the path. Their black, smoky bodies were visible only by their red eyes. Their howls were bone-chilling. Kaito tightened his towers. Lila drew her bow, but the wolves disappeared into the shadows. "Targets… moving," she said, a slight edge to her voice. The first wolf charged at Grendel, claws emerging from its body like smoke. Grendel growled, slashing at the wolf with his claws, but the wound was closing.
Saren summoned his storm. "Let's blow the shadows away!" The grains of sand made the wolves visible, but their movements were rapid. Tor raised his shield, but the wolves swept past him. Kaito tapped his screen, pulling Tor back. "Saren, bring the storm closer to the crystal!" Saren gathered the sand around the crystal like a barrier.
Daichi's towers grappled with the wolves. Gorr swung his fists, but the wolves dispersed like smoke. Vark swung his flame sword, burning the wolves. Yuna's healers held the towers. Riku's towers were in chaos again. Skell speared the wolves, but missed. Ember fired an arrow, but the wolves were too fast. Sylph shouted, "This Varis is useless!" She struggled to hold her shield up.
Kaito saw a wolf slither into the crystal. "Lila, now!" Lila called out her ultimate. "Shadow Storm!" A barrage of arrows pinned the wolves to the path. Saren's storm crushed the rest. Grendel clawed the last wolf. The wave ended.
Screen: Wave 4/10 Completed. Reward: 25 Crystals, 12 XP.
Kaito looked at his towers. Lila stood tall, but tired. "Good commands, Varis," she said, a glint of appreciation in her eyes. Saren chuckled. "A little more action, huh?" Kaito turned to Riku. "If you do that again, we're all dead." Riku shrugged, but there was a hint of hesitation in his eyes.
Kaito Asamura stood in the changing meadow of the tutorial map, listening to the crystal's buzz. Four waves had passed, but each victory showed the cruelty of this world more clearly. The sky was covered in purple and orange clouds, spiral trees flickering like shadows in the distance. Gravity shifted between waves; sometimes light, sometimes heavy. The meadow seemed alive with metallic dust and flecks of shadow. Kaito's mind worked like he was planning moves on a chessboard. Riku's negligences were putting the team at risk, but Kaito kept his cool. Survival required strategy.
Next to him, Yuna Mizuki scanned the system with her tablet, Daichi Tanaka glared at the crystal, and Riku Sato barked random orders at his towers. Kaito's towers—Iron Claw Grendel (Trash, savage growls), Shadow Archer Lila (Common, analytical, and calm), Sand Mage Saren (Common, cheerful, and flirty), Steel Shield Tor (Common, autonomous, and silent)—had taken up positions around the crystal. Yuna's Water Priestess Mira and Wind Healer Aria were providing support, while Daichi's Stone Fist Gorr and Flame Blade Vark were in the front lines. Riku's towers—Bone Warrior Skell, Fire Archer Ember, Stone Golem Grund, Wind Mage Sylph—were in disorganized chaos.
The system screen flashed, a new message appeared:
Wave 5/10. Enemy: Mechanical Scorpions. Equipment Reward: Trash Armor and Sword.
Another notification popped up on Kaito's screen:
Equipment System Active. The heirs can support their towers by participating in battles. Reward: Garbage Cloth Armor (Defense +5), Garbage Rusty Sword (Attack +3).
Kaito tapped his screen. A burst of light produced a rusty sword in his hand and a worn cloth armor on his shoulders. The armor was like an old tunic, the sword a blunt piece of iron with a dull tip. "Not very impressive," he muttered, but its weight was real. Yuna, Daichi, and Riku also took the same equipment. Riku waved his sword in the air. "Hah, RPG!" Yuna said, tugging at his armor. "This is… uncomfortable." Daichi gripped his sword tightly, "It'll do."
Kaito studied the map. The meadow was now a metallic desert; the ground was covered in fine iron dust. Gravity had become heavy, his boots sinking into the soil with every step. In the distance, spiral trees buzzed, like a mechanical pulse. "This wave is physical," Kaito said. "The scorpions will be armored. Lila, target the vulnerable points. Saren, intensify your storm."
Lila drew her bow, her gray eyes scanning the shadows in the desert. "Joints and tails. Got it." Saren chuckled, sending grains of sand flying. "Let's get this desert party started!" Grendel dug his claws into the ground, his snarls furious. Tor raised his shield, moving robotically into position.
System: Wave 5 Begins.
A metallic buzz rose at the end of the path. Mechanical Scorpions emerged, their steel shells shining like the sun. Each one was the size of a dog, their tails brandishing poisonous stings. Their legs were sharp as knives, leaving deep scars in the ground. Kaito gripped his sword tightly. "All in position!"
Lila fired her first arrows. The shadow arrows hit a scorpion in the joint, its leg snapping off with a mechanical crack. "Target weakened," he said, drawing his bow again. Saren raised his hands, a sandstorm rising like a tornado. The storm eroded the scorpions' shells, but the poisonous tails still threatened. Grendel lunged forward, his claws crushing one scorpion, but another scorpion stabbed its stinger into Grendel's shoulder. The monster growled, ripping the stinger out with its claws, but the wound was bleeding.
Tor slammed his shield down, stopping two scorpions. The steel shells sparked as they hit the shield. Kaito tapped his screen, strengthening Tor's shield. "Yuna, heal Grendel!" Yuna guided Mira with trembling fingers. Mira, emitting a blue light, dressed Grendel's wounds. "Please hang on," she whispered, her voice full of compassion.
Daichi drew his sword and lunged forward. "Sit down, you damned ones!" The rusty sword struck a scorpion in the leg, leaving only a nick. Gorr slammed his fists into the scorpions, the shells cracking. Vark swung his flame sword, splitting a scorpion in two. The flames ignited the dust in the desert, smoke rising.
Riku's towers were in chaos again. Skell swung his spear mechanically, but the scorpions passed him. Ember fired flame arrows, "Aim... hit!" she muttered, but the hits were weak. Grund crushed one scorpion, but her slow movements did not stop the others. Sylph raised her air shield, but due to Riku's random commands, the scorpions approached the crystal. The crystal's health dropped to 85%.
Kaito shouted, "Riku, move your towers to the entrance!" Riku chuckled. "Calm down, we'll pass!" Kaito clenched his teeth, but focused on his own towers. "Lila, Saren, combined attack!" Lila rained shadow arrows down on the scorpions, Saren's storm made the arrows faster. The scorpions scattered in a storm of sand and arrows. Kaito drew his sword and slashed at a scorpion, the rusted blade impaling his joint. The scorpion fell to the ground with a crack.
The wave ended. Screen:
Wave 5/10 Completed. Reward: 30 Crystals, 15 XP.
Waves 6-7: Desert Bandits and Sand Golems
Kaito checked his towers, out of breath. Grendel was at 50% health, Tor's shield was damaged. "Yuna, healing is a priority." Mira and Aria repaired the towers. Saren approached Kaito, chuckling, "Hey, Varis, you're not bad with a sword. Can I get a closer look?" Kaito raised his eyebrows. "The wave is coming, Saren." Saren stuck his tongue out, but returned to his position.
System: Wave 6/10. Enemy: Desert Bandits. The grassland had turned into a desert, the sand dunes rising. Gravity had returned to normal, but the air was filled with searing heat. The Desert Bandits were hooded human silhouettes carrying curved swords in sheaths. Their eyes burned with a red glow.
Kaito tightened his turrets. "Lila, target the bandit leader." Lila drew her bow. "The leader? Got it." His arrows hit the leader in the chest, sending him sprawling to the ground. Saren summoned a sandstorm, blocking the bandits' vision. Grendel snarled and clawed at one bandit, but the curved blades wounded his arm. Tor raised his shield, deflecting the bandits' swords.
Kaito drew his sword and charged at one bandit. The rusty blade hit the bandit's hood, but his armor was weak. The bandit fell to the ground with a scream. Daichi, Gorr, and Vark cut down the bandits. Yuna's healers held the towers up. Riku's turrets were causing trouble again; Sylph shouted, "This Varis is a disaster!"
Wave 6 ended: Reward: 35 Crystals, 18 XP. Wave 7 came with Sand Golems. Giant sand statues slowly advanced down the path. Kaito led Lila and Saren in a combined attack. The golems were slow but resilient. Kaito slashed at a golem with his sword, his armor scattering grains of sand. The wave was tough but successful: Reward: 40 Crystals, 20 XP.
Waves 8-9: Winged Demons and Flame Elementals
Wave 8 came with the Winged Demons. The map turned into a volcanic wasteland, pools of lava melting the desert sand. Gravity eased, demons floated in the air. Kaito kept his towers away from the lava. Lila stabbed her arrows into the demons' wings, taking several down. Saren mixed his storm with the lava, clouds of steam blinding the demons. Kaito slashed at a demon with his sword, cutting off its wings.
The wave ended: Reward: 45 Crystals, 22 XP.
Wave 9 was deadlier with the Flame Elementals. The elementals, beings of pure flame, danced on the path. Kaito forced Saren's storm to be water-based, boosting Mira's healing. Lila aimed her shadow arrows at the elementals' cores. Kaito struck an elemental with his sword, but the flames burned through his armor.
The wave ended with the crystal's health reduced to 70%: Reward: 50 Crystals, 25 XP.