CH 5 - First Purchase
As Fret's contemplation ended, he thanked the elder and quietly left the office. The elder, engrossed in reading a scroll, remained oblivious to Fret's departure. Immersed in his own thoughts, Fret failed to notice the grim expression on the elder's face.
Exiting the office, Fret allowed himself a brief glance at Alise, appreciating her beauty before leaving the library. He then made his way back to the forest where he had woken up. Despite the potential dangers, the risk of being seen creating soldiers or items out of thin air outweighed the threat posed by a few wild animals.
Recalling the path they had taken to the town, Fret retraced his steps, moving quickly to avoid being caught in the dark. As the sun began to set, he pushed himself to reach the forest before nightfall, testing his stamina in the process.
While he walked, Fret mulled over his future plans, now that he had a clearer understanding of the world's geopolitical landscape and potential conflicts. Staying in the kingdom to accumulate system points seemed like a viable option, but the looming threat of two powerful nations posed a grave risk. Despite his system's capabilities, even he couldn't single-handedly counter the might of the Ironreich and the Rovinia Empire.
He considered using underhanded tactics to delay their advances, but the prospect of being quickly overwhelmed by their superior firepower was daunting. Another option was to leave the kingdom, yet his map revealed that the Ironreich and the Rovinia Empire completely encircled the Herady Kingdom, leaving only one viable escape route: the northern sea. The northern European kingdoms might offer refuge, though Fret wasn't certain if they were vassals of the Ironreich or the Rovinia. The only hope of evading these superpowers was to reach the far northern sea.
Forming a resistance was also on his mind, but Fret lacked information about the kingdom's total population and the scale of the Ironreich's military. Ideally, the Ironreich would underestimate the kingdom's resilience and send a few hundred thousand troops, providing an opportunity to inflict heavy losses. However, he had no way of knowing if the Ironreich's technology was advanced. If they possessed tanks, bombers, or heavy artillery, the kingdom could fall within days or even hours.
He realized he needed to gather more information about the Reich's military and the kingdom's defenses. The former was especially challenging, as infiltrating or acquiring reliable and accurate information was nearly impossible. The Reich was likely a tightly guarded fortress, impervious to prying eyes. Even if someone managed to uncover secrets, they were probably decoys designed to mislead any would-be intruders.
.
.
.
Ten minutes later, after Fret had concluded his analysis, he arrived at the jungle where he had previously been. With the sun's light fading, the forest had grown darker and more foreboding. The sounds of predators prowling in search of prey filled the air, but Fret remained unperturbed, his confidence bolstered by his weapon.
Setting up his camp with the equipment provided by Kane, Fret made himself comfortable in the encroaching twilight. Once settled, he opened the system interface and began checking the shop, ready to explore his options and execute his next steps.
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Personnel Shop Available SP: 20
Basic Soldier Types
Infantryman - 2 System Points
Equipment: Semi-Automatic rifles, sidearms, basic armor.
Rifleman - 3 System Points
Equipment: Assault rifles, grenades, and light body armor.
Sniper - 2 System Points
Equipment: Sniper rifles, camouflage gear, binoculars.
Machine Gunner - 4 System Points
Equipment: Light or heavy machine guns, extra ammo.
Engineer - 5 System Points
Equipment: Explosives, tools, repair kits.
Medic - 5 System Points
Equipment: Medical kits, first aid supplies.Advanced Soldier Types
Special Forces Operative - 5 System Points
Equipment: Specialized weapons, advanced gadgets, tactical gear.
Heavy Weapons Specialist - 7 System Points
Equipment: Heavy machine guns, rocket launchers.
Demolitionist - 5 System Points
Equipment: C4, dynamite, breaching tools.
Recon Specialist - 5 System Points
Equipment: Long-range semi-automatic rifles, surveillance equipment, stealth gear.
Combat Engineer - 5 System Points
Equipment: Light weaponry, engineering tools, explosive devices.
Anti-Tank Specialist - 10 System Points
Equipment: Anti-tank rifles, anti-tank missiles.
Elite Soldier Types
Shock Trooper - 20 System Points
Equipment: High-caliber assault weapons.
Airborne Trooper - 10 System Points
Equipment: Parachutes, aerial drop gear, compact weapons.
Elite Marksman - 15 System Points
Equipment: Custom sniper rifles, advanced optics.
Battle Medic - 15 System Points
Equipment: Combat medical gear.
Support and Specialist Units
Communications Specialist - 10 System Points
Equipment: Radios, encryption devices, signal boosters.
Logistics Officer - 10 System Points
Equipment: Inventory management tools.
Field Technician - 10 System Points
Equipment: Toolkits, diagnostic devices.
...
[Special Note: Be advised that the soldiers you purchase will arrive with only one magazine per weapon, including but not limited to missiles and explosives.]
[Reminder: You are currently at the bottom of the food chain and unable to use the system to its full extent. Currently, you are limited to utilizing weaponry from the 1940s. As more tasks are completed, you will receive notifications regarding upgrades to your technological limitations.]
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"Yeah... I knew it," Fret muttered as he saw the prices of various soldiers and the little notes attached beneath the shop. Summoning a single cybernetic required killing thousands of boars, not to mention the conditions needed for unlocking them. With his current balance, all he could manage was summoning a few basic infantrymen. He had hoped for more, to be the strongest by suddenly summoning a few modern tanks, but the current restraints imposed by the system made it seem impossible.
"At first, let's buy two infantrymen, two riflemen, and two basic snipers," Fret decided, intending to scout the area, hunt, and protect himself. He was curious to see if his soldiers killing a few boars would earn him points. After making the purchase, his balance was deducted by 14, leaving him with 6 SP. In the next moment, six individuals emerged from the bushes near him.
Startled, Fret quickly pulled out his gun and was about to shoot, but hearing the other party, he sighed in relief. "We greet the Grand Marshal," all six of them said in unison as they saluted. Fret's grip on his gun relaxed, and he returned it to his holster.
"At ease," Fret said without hesitation. He had no reason to believe they were anything other than his summoned soldiers, as no one else could call him with that title except entities of the system. These thoughts were soon confirmed as the status of the six appeared before him.
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Name: John Miller
Age: 29
Role: Infantryman
Equipment: M1 Garand Rifle, M1911 Pistol
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Name: Robert Johnson
Age: 31
Role: Infantryman
Equipment: Karabiner 98k, Webley Mk VI Revolver
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Name: Edward Davis
Age: 25
Role: Rifleman
Equipment: M1928A1 Thompson Submachine Gun, P08 Luger
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Name: Michael Smith
Age: 28
Role: Rifleman
Equipment: PPSh-41 Submachine Gun (Drum Magazine), Tokarev TT-33
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Name: William Brown
Age: 33
Role: Sniper
Equipment: M1903 Springfield Sniper Rifle, M1911 Pistol
Camouflage: WWII U.S. Army Sniper Uniform
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Name: Alexander White
Age: 27
Role: Sniper
Equipment: Lee-Enfield No. 4(T) Sniper Rifle, Webley Mk VI Revolver
Camouflage: WWII British Army Sniper Uniform
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After reading the statuses of the six soldiers, Fret pondered their origins and whether they had any knowledge of their current situation. "William, do you know where you are?" he asked, directing his gaze toward the soldier dressed in a U.S. Army sniper uniform.
"I only know my purpose is to serve you, sir," William replied, standing at attention despite Fret's instruction to be "at ease."
Fret continued, "What do you remember before arriving here?"
"I recall being a soldier, advancing towards the enemy on the beach where we had landed. Then I found myself in an abyss, floating, before a voice contacted me. It offered me the chance to live again under the condition of serving the Grand Marshal and fulfilling any mission assigned to me, sir," William recounted, his tone a mix of confusion and acceptance.
Fret deduced, 'It's probably related to the famous landing on the coast of Europe,' given the 1940s-era weaponry the soldiers carried. He then asked the same questions to the other soldiers. Each gave a different account, but all shared a common element—a communication with a mysterious being. Fret speculated that this being was either the system or its creator, but why he possessed the system remained a significant mystery he needed to unravel.
"Alright, that's enough questions for today. I'll be sleeping in my tent. You are free to scout the area and hunt for food, but do not harm any humans without my explicit orders. While we are in friendly territory, causing trouble could lead to us being pursued by local military and police forces," Fret instructed before settling into the tent he had set up. "Yes, sir!" the six soldiers replied in unison, their voices forming a harmonious chorus of compliance. Though Fret was not driven by a thirst for power, the authority he wielded filled him with a sense of purpose and vigor.
Fret slept peacefully through the night, dreaming of becoming a world leader and leading humanity into the cosmos. Such dreams were common among people, yet technology often posed a barrier to their realization.
Throughout the night, the quiet of the forest was occasionally disrupted by distant gunshots, but the considerable distance from the town ensured that the sounds did not cause alarm.
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.
.
.
When the sun rose and the birds began to chirp, Fret emerged from his tent, surrounded by his six soldiers, who stood guard to protect him. Despite being unfazed by the gunshots from the previous night, he was now aware of their success. He saw three dead wild boars, a wolf, and more than ten rabbits neatly arranged near the tent. Opening his system, he was greeted by a series of notifications.
[Wild Boar killed, 10 SP]
[Rabbit killed, 10 SP]
[Wolf Killed, 10 SP]
...
His balance, previously reduced to 6 SP after his initial purchases, had now risen to 146 SP. Fret's suspicion was confirmed: he earned points even when he wasn't the one doing the killing. Though he couldn't grasp the exact method of point calculation, he suspected it was a fixed system. He noted that a deeper understanding would come with time, particularly when it came to taking human lives. The thought of killing someone unsettled him, a stark contrast to his otherwise untroubled demeanor.
"I see you all had quite a productive night. I trust you didn't sacrifice too much sleep?" Fret asked, glancing between the six soldiers. He was pleased with their haul but concerned about their rest. "We took turns, sir," one soldier responded, acknowledging Fret's concern for their well-being.
"Did anything unusual happen during the night?" Fret inquired, aiming to ensure everything was in order. "There was nothing out of the ordinary, sir." William replied, and with his response, Fret felt relieved that nothing unusual had happened during the night.
"What should we do with these bodies, sir?" John, armed with his M1 Garand rifle, asked as he looked at the dead animals they had hunted.
Fret examined the carcasses for a few moments, considering their options. After a brief pause, he decided that the best course of action would be to sell them and earn some money. After all, he thought, having some extra funds could be useful, especially since he couldn't predict when he might need them.