The morning haze had barely lifted when the first tremors rolled across the scorched plains.
Ethan stood on the watchtower, his eyes locked on the horizon. The ground was churning—distant shadows moved like ripples through dust. The Tide was coming.
Below, the shelter buzzed with tension. Final checks were in place. The defense grid shimmered faintly, energy cells fully loaded. Turrets whirred in anticipation. The newly reinforced bunker walls gleamed with the recent SC-funded upgrades—dense poly-alloy plating merged with older masonry.
The missile launcher, mounted and cold from the previous day, now sat like a silent guardian atop the west battery. And inside Ethan's HUD, the system hummed to life.
[System Alert: Beast Tide – Day Three Initiated]Current Threat Level: Tier 4 – Adaptive Pack ClassIncoming Hostiles: 72 (Confirmed) | Initial Wave ETA: 04:15]
Preparations Completed:• Missile Launcher: Ready (Ammo: 4)• Defense Turrets: Fully Charged (x6)• Shield Battery: 87%• Auto-Reinforcement Barrier: Primed• Reinforcement Squad (Kenji, Aria, Jun): Assigned Perimeter Roles• Medical Bay: Prepped• Power Grid: Stable
"Positions!" Ethan barked, voice cutting through the tension like a whip.
The gates sealed. Watch posts lit. From the inner courtyard, Rei directed a group of younger survivors moving crates of rations and water to the underground refuge.
Sima's drone hovered beside Ethan, feeding threat movement data in real-time.
[Wave One Incoming – Proximity 600m]
From the ridge to the east, the first forms emerged. Dozens of chitin-clad beasts galloped across the cracked earth, their jaws split by rows of serrated fangs. Spitter variants flanked the pack, hissing acidic bile.
"Here they come!" Milo shouted, bracing himself at the eastern turret.
The battle began.
[Enemy Detected: Chitin Mauler – Type B – Tier 3][Threat Eliminated – +2 SC | Drop: Hardened Shell Fragment x1, Chitin Gland x1]
Milo unleashed a burst of turret fire, shredding the lead Mauler. It collapsed, legs twitching in death spasms.
Another surged forward.
[Enemy Detected: Acid Spitter – Variant I – Tier 3][Threat Eliminated – +2 SC | Drop: Acid Gland x1, Spore Membrane x1]
Aria's shot tore through the creature's swollen throat mid-spit, causing a burst of green vapor to hiss into the dirt.
From the west side, a screech echoed.
[Enemy Detected: Clawback Raptor – Tier 3][Threat Eliminated – +3 SC | Drop: Monster Claw x2, Core Fragment (Low)]
Ethan drove his alloy blade through its side as it leapt, twisting the blade and kicking off the twitching corpse.
The system alerts continued in Ethan's ear, matching every kill, every impact.
[Wave One Neutralized – Remaining Hostiles: 46]
But then the earth split open.
A massive beast, scaled and barbed, erupted from the sublayer.
[Mini-Boss Detected: Earthripper Brood Alpha – Tier 4]HP: 4800/4800Special Traits: Burrower, Regeneration, Plate Carapace
"That thing's going to punch through the western barrier!" Kenji yelled.
"Use the launcher!" Ethan ordered.
[System Access: Missile Launcher – Manual Override Engaged]Target Lock: Earthripper Brood Alpha – 94% ConfirmedMissile Launched… Impact in 3… 2… 1—
BOOOOM!
The shell landed square on its back, tearing through its plates. The beast screeched and writhed.
Ethan dashed in with Milo at his flank, using its stunned state.
[Enemy HP: 1800/4800]
Ethan slashed one leg clean off.
Milo followed with a shock pike into its maw.
[Enemy HP: 200/4800]
Then Aria fired.
[Mini-Boss Defeated – +35 SC][Drop: Earth Core Crystal, Alpha Hide x3, Reinforced Spine Plate, Mutant Liver]
[System Reward: Unique Blueprint Acquired – "Cryo-Napalm Missile Variant"]
[Note: Compatible with Installed Missile Launcher System]
The battlefield grew silent for only a breath.
Then the system buzzed again.
[Wave Two Initiated – Incoming Hostiles: 38][Type Detected: Adaptive Runners – Tier 4, Intelligence Imprint Confirmed]
Sima frowned. "They're learning. They're flanking."
New monsters slithered and swarmed with purpose, avoiding turrets and weaving into blind spots.
Kenji quickly reprogrammed the northwest turret rotation.
Meanwhile, Jun began heating the secondary plasma array near the secondary gate.
[Enemy Eliminated: Sliverback Lurker – Tier 3 | +2 SC | Drop: Lurker Membrane, Bone Spike x2][Enemy Eliminated: Crawling Howler – Tier 3 | +2 SC | Drop: Howler Vocal Cords, Core Fragment][Enemy Eliminated: Crimson Fang – Tier 4 | +3 SC | Drop: Venom Sac, Fang Crystal]
The battle stretched until the horizon bled orange and the last of the pack fell beneath the storm of missiles, blades, and gunfire.
Smoke rose from the perimeter.
Aria leaned against the wall, face smeared with ash.
"Everyone okay?" Ethan called out.
"Jun's arm's bruised. Minor. No major injuries," Rei replied, helping patch a turret wire.
Sima updated the display.
[Beast Tide: Day Three Completed]Total Hostiles Eliminated: 72Total SC Earned: +109 SCDrops Stored in Central InventoryMissile Stock Remaining: 2 | Cryo-Napalm Variant: Available for CraftingShelter Integrity: 93% – Minor Repairs Needed (Turret 3, Wall Segment B5)Updated SC Balance: 132 SC
Ethan leaned against the tower rail, watching the dusk settle.
A quiet spread through the fortress, broken only by the soft thrum of automated repairs and the distant chirping of mechanical crickets.
Another day survived.
But tomorrow, the storm would rise again.
And they would be ready.