Chapter 10 - Basic of Survival 3 Starts

“Okay, we still got, at most, another hour. Here's the plan. We are going to make bombs,” Lucas stated bluntly without any hesitation.

“What?!” Chloe and Samantha exclaimed in unison.

Unfazed by their reactions, he continued, “You heard me right, bombs. If my guesses are correct, we're probably going to face a horde of monsters soon, at least a hundred of them. We need something that'll give us the upper hand.”

“Lucas, do you even know how to make a bomb?” Chloe eyed him skeptically.

Lucas smiled broadly and announced, "Maybe? We'll just have to wait and see.” With a casual shrug, he started guiding the girls out of the library, on their way to the next stop.

Currently, Lucas was leading them to the chemistry lab’s general direction. Fortunately, they still had nearly an hour to spare before the quest began.

“Alright, Chloe, Samantha. You're going to help me gather some necessary ingredients. Chloe, head to the workshop and grab any petrol or motor oil, anything flammable will work. Samantha, you go to the engineering lab and collect as many metal pipes or soda cans as you can, and if possible, nails or anything small and sharp. Once you have everything, meet me in the chemistry lab. Got it?” Lucas outlined their tasks.

Both girls nodded, their expression was serious now. “Got it,” Chloe confirmed.

Exchanging a final nod, the girls darted off toward their respective locations. Lucas, himself, also went to gather the ingredients he needed.

***

By the time Samantha reached the chemistry lab, she found Lucas already busy at work. He was carefully mixing something in a large container, while Chloe stood nearby, watching him with a mix of curiosity and unease.

“Here are some metal pipes and soda cans for you. Also grabbed some nails,” Samantha said as she placed her findings on the nearby table.

“Just in time,” Lucas replied, grabbing one of the metal pipes. He carefully poured the mixture he had prepared into it while the liquid was sloshing slightly.

Next, he added a handful of nails and metal shards into the pipe. Then, he stuffed something inside. Finally, he capped the pile with a makeshift seal before wrapping it tightly with duct tape, ensuring everything stuck in place.

Chloe, unable to hold back any longer, asked, “Are you sure this will work? It seems dangerous.”

Grinning, he handed her the finished improvised explosive. “The more dangerous the better. But theoretically, it should work.”

Samantha raised an eyebrow as she took the bomb from Chloe and examined it. “I'm surprised you even know how to make one. Did the books teach you that?”

Lucas shrugged casually, “The books only gave me the procedure. I have to run a few simulations in my imaginary world before attempting it.”

Pouring the mixture into another metal pipe, he repeated the process. “These aren't precision-engineered or anything, but they should be enough to cause chaos.”

***

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Quest - Basic of Survival 3

Proper rest and thorough preparation are crucial for any impending battle. Your final trial as a rookie player is to endure and overcome an onslaught of monsters.

Form alliances or fight alone. Survive the relentless assault. Defeat your enemies. Persevere until none remain standing.

Task: Eliminate the monster horde.

Failure: Death.

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The moment the sixty-minute countdown reached zero, a system notification materialized before the trio.

A low rumble began to shake the ground beneath their feet. Chloe and Samantha exchanged tense glances, while Lucas darted out of the lab to investigate.

Outside, in the distance, the air of the stadium was cracking open like an eggshell. It was as if a pair of unseen hands had ripped apart the space itself. From the jagged fissure poured a wave of goblins.

Most of the goblins wielded primitive weapons, such as crude clubs, chipped swords, and splintered spears.

Trailing behind them were a dozen goblins mounted on wolves. The riders were clad in mismatched scraps of animal-hide armor while their steeds were snarling and baring their razor-sharp teeth.

Finally, a massive figure emerged from the crack, towering over the rest. The leader of the border was a hulking goblin, standing over two metres tall. Its muscular frame was encased in thick leather armor, and a jagged great sword rested across its shoulder gleaming ominously under the sunlight.

The girls’ faces showed clear signs of unease and anxiety as they saw the scene unfolding before them.

“How are we supposed to defeat that many monsters?” Samantha muttered, her voice tinged with nervousness.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

“Quite the welcoming party, huh?” Lucas chuckled, though his tone was serious as he glanced at the items he had crafted. “That's exactly why we made those, right?”

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Home-made Explosive

Rank: Common

An improvised explosive made from common materials. For an unseasoned crafter, the craftsmanship is surprisingly clean. Shrapnel added to the mix will increase its lethality.

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“Lucas?” Chloe tugged gently at his sleeve as concern was clear in her eyes.

“Don't worry, I'm here,” Lucas smiled reassuringly, patting her head before turning his attention to the distant horde. His mind was already calculating their next moves.

Surprisingly, the goblins weren't mindlessly charging around, searching for prey. Instead, they were uprooting nearby trees with crude tools and gathering massive rocks from nearby botany gardens, stacking them into a makeshift structure. It didn't take long for Lucas to realize they were building a throne for their king.

This gave Lucas an idea and some breathing room. Since the monsters weren't preparing for a full-on assault, Lucas still had time to implement their plan.

“Okay, here's the plan,” Lucas gestured to the girls to huddle up, whispering something softly.

“Do you understand?” Lucas asked, looking at the girls. Their expressions varied. Chloe seemed thrilled by the plan while Samantha stood there speechlessly as if trying to process what Lucas had just laid out.

Still, both nodded in agreement to his plan.

“Good,” Lucas grinned. “Let's give them a bang they won't forget.”

***

In the distant stadium, a bizarre sight unfolded. Goblins scurried around, hauling logs and rocks toward the center of the field.

Piles of rocks and logs leaned against each other, stacked upon one another, forming an uneven yet solid structure. It was crude, but it was clear that the goblins were intent on building a throne. A throne befitting their ruler's seat of power. The work was grueling, but the king's command was absolute.

From a distance, the massive goblin grunted in satisfaction as it oversaw the chaotic construction. Its eyes gleamed with pride as his minions worked tirelessly to fulfill its vision.

Around the vicinity, a group of goblin riders were patrolling the area. Their wolves sniffed the air, nostrils flaring as they tested the wind for any sign of threat. The goblins on top remained alert as their eyes scanned the surroundings.

Once the construction of the throne was completed, a cheer rumbled through the crowd. Although the growls were unintelligible, the pride and excitement were unmistakable.

The crude throne that stood before them was a symbol of their strength and loyalty to the goblin king.

With a slow deliberate stride, the giant goblin king marched toward the throne. Driving its sword into the ground, the goblin king stood tall, grunting satisfyingly as its eyes locked onto the throne.

Gripping the armrests, it carefully lowered itself onto the throne. The moment it sat down, it let out a triumphant roar while beating its chest in a display of dominance and power.

The goblin horde below it responded in kind, their voices rising in a cacophony as they cheered for their king. Even the wolves beneath the goblin riders joined in, howling fiercely into the air.

Their howls echoed across the campus. A primal symphony of strength and pride.

But their celebration was short-lived. Just as the monstrous horde basked in their newfound sense of pride, several cylindrical objects suddenly fell from the sky.

The goblins paused, their growls turning into confused grunts as they stared up at the strange objects descending from the heavens.

Curiosity took the better of a few of them, and they approached the cylinders. One goblin picked up the object, but before it could inspect it, the cylinder in its hand cracked.

Several deafening booms shattered the air.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

Discord spread like wildfire through the monster horde as the explosions detonated one after another. Each blast sent shockwaves rippling through the stadium, shaking the very ground beneath the goblins’ feet.

Gory bits of goblins and wolves were blown to pieces, scattering across the field.

Weaker goblins were mercilessly obliterated, reduced to charred remnants or torn-apart pieces. Those who managed to survive were barely clinging to consciousness, limbs missing, eyes wide with disbelief and fear.

The goblin king stood amid the chaos, its massive body trembling and bleeding with numerous wounds. Shards of metal had pierced its thick hide, searing burns covered its skin from the explosions that raged so close.

Its ears were bleeding from the roar of the blast, its breath was ragged and labored. Miraculously, it was still clinging to life.

Glowering at the scene of devastation, its eyes were burning with anger. The throne it had just claimed as its own was blasted into a smoldering pile of debris.

Facing the carnage, the goblin king let out a bellow of wrath. Its shrapnel-laced wounds and burnet wounds only intensified its already terrifying appearance.

As for the culprits, Lucas was hiding in one of the spectator stands, watching the chaos unfold below. When he saw the goblins begin to gather in groups after finishing the construction of the throne, he knew it was his best chance to rake in multiple penta-kills.

With a smirk, he had already lit his homemade explosives and lobbed them into the heart of the goblin horde. His goal was clear, create as much destruction as possible.

He even aimed specifically at where the goblin king was, hoping that the explosion would blow it into pieces.

Unfortunately, the goblin king was tougher than it appeared to be. Despite the massive amount of damage inflicted, it was still standing, though barely.

Nevertheless, the countless explosions had done their work. What had once been a horde of over a hundred goblins was now reduced to a ragtag group of only twenty-something survivors, and that was only counting those who could still manage to stand on two legs.

Unfazed, Lucas ignited another pipe bomb in his hand. He aimed and hurled it at the goblin king.

Another explosion reverberated through the stadium. This time, however, it wasn't designed to cause more damage, but a signal.

At that very moment, Lucas dashed forward and leaped off from the spectator stands. He charged straight at the goblin king, ready to finish what the explosion had started.

Chloe and Samantha, emerging from their respective hiding spots in different spectator stands, followed suit. They began to slay the remaining goblins, cutting through the disoriented and demoralized monsters with swift strikes.

This time, their weapons weren't just a bunch of sticks. Each of them had a new weapon, courtesy of Lucas's ingenuity and knowledge gleaned from countless books.

Chloe wielded a machete that Lucas had sharpened to a razor's edge using a grinder he picked up from the geology lab. On the other hand, Samantha was armed with a makeshift spear. A two-meter-long metal pipe served as the shaft, with a sturdy knife securely fastened to its tip.

As for Lucas himself, he opted for dual-wielding metal pipes wrapped tightly in barbed wire, styled like escrima sticks.