The sea stretched forever.
Jaxon Vale stood near the edge of the top deck. The cruise ship was huge, strong, and built like a floating city. Some people called it a modern Titanic. Jaxon didn't care. He didn't come for fun. He just wanted space. Quiet. Time to think.
He held a book in his hand. How to Rebuild the World. It talked about survival. Fire. Clean water. Tools. Shelter. Most people would laugh at it. But not Jaxon. He read it in silence, page by page.
"This stuff is useless out here," he muttered. "Still… interesting."
He leaned against the rail, feeling the wind. Most passengers were inside, drinking and laughing. Jaxon liked it better here. Just the ocean and the sound of pages turning.
Then the deck shifted.
It was small at first. Just a slight tremble. But it made him stop reading.
"What was that?" he whispered.
He glanced around. No one else on this side of the deck. It was too quiet.
Another tremble. Stronger.
Then a deep sound came from below. Like metal being ripped open. Screams followed. Distant at first, then louder.
He looked over the side. Something huge moved in the water. A shape. Fast. Dark. Sharp.
Then the ship jerked.
Jaxon dropped his book. It slid across the deck. His feet slipped. He grabbed the railing, held on tight.
"What the hell is that?"
The deck cracked.
He heard people shouting. Footsteps pounding overhead. An alarm rang. The ship was breaking.
He turned to run, but the floor beneath him gave way. Water burst up. Cold and violent. He didn't have time to scream. The sea swallowed him.
His body ached.
He opened his eyes slowly. Light burned. His mouth tasted like salt and sand.
He coughed hard and rolled to his side. Sand stuck to his face. He groaned and sat up.
He was on a beach.
The waves moved gently. His clothes were soaked and torn. The sun was hot. The trees ahead swayed in the wind. His limbs felt heavy.
He blinked and looked around.
Pieces of wood and metal floated near the shore. A broken life ring. A crushed bag. Nothing useful.
He tried to remember.
"The ship…"
He rubbed his forehead.
"Did I survive? How?"
He had no phone. No bag. Just the wet clothes on his back.
He stood slowly. His legs shook. "Okay," he said, voice low. "Don't panic. Think."
Then something strange happened.
A voice echoed in his head.
System booting...
Welcome, Jaxon Vale
Basic survival mode: ACTIVE
Jaxon froze.
"What?"
He looked around. No one. No speakers. No rescue team.
New task: Find food
Reward: 1 Coin
Extra: Shop unlocks after task complete
"What the hell is going on?"
He wasn't the type to joke or imagine things. But this… this was insane.
"A system?" he whispered. "What does that even mean? Like… software? But in my head?"
He waited. No answer.
He stepped forward. The screen floated in front of him, glowing. Still there.
"I hit my head," he said, trying to stay calm. "This is a dream. Or a hallucination. Something broke inside me."
But deep down, it didn't feel like that.
It felt real.
Too real.
He took a breath. "Fine. If it wants food, I'll find food."
He walked past the beach and into the trees. The ground was soft. His feet sank into dirt and leaves. Every sound made him turn. Birds. Branches. Insects.
He stayed alert. Quiet. Careful.
After a while he found a short fruit tree. Yellow fruit hung from the branches. He checked one. Soft skin. No smell of rot. No bugs.
He bit it.
Sweet. Like a mix of mango and pear.
He finished the fruit.
Task complete
+1 Coin
Shop unlocked
Another screen appeared. Items and prices.
Stone Knife – 2 Coins
Rope – 1 Coin
Tent Frame – 3 Coins
He had 1 coin. Not enough for most things.
"No signal. No help. And now I have a shop in my head."
He sat down on a rock. The tree shaded him a little. The breeze felt better now. But his body was still weak.
"What happened to the others?" he said. "There were hundreds on that ship."
He looked at the sea.
"Are they dead?"
The thought felt cold. Heavy.
He leaned forward. Hands on his knees. "I don't understand any of this."
He stared at the glowing screen again. A floating shop. A task system. Like something from a sci-fi movie. But he didn't know anything about those. He never cared for games or tech. He worked a normal job. Lived a quiet life.
He looked at the tree again. "I need more food. Tools. Shelter. Water."
He said it like a checklist.
No fear in his voice.
Just calm.
Because panic wouldn't help.
Thinking would.