My Demonic Farm: A Progression Fantasy LitRPG

As evening approached and the sun began to dip below the horizon, the makeshift camp had taken shape. Lorian and Theo constructed their tent from branches and leaves beneath a sturdy tree, with members of the guardian team setting up nearby.

Elara and the other teams had pitched their tents a bit further away, including a carefully constructed storage tent. This one was dug into the ground to create a makeshift cellar covered with branches and leaves, ideal for storing their gathered resources.

In the camp's center, spaces were left open, perhaps for future gatherings or necessary campfire meetings.

As everything settled, practical concerns began to surface among the students. "What are we going to do about water?" one student voiced his worry. "We can endure hunger for a few days, but thirst will become unbearable. We need to find a water source as soon as possible."

Violet responded sharply, "Just endure. It’s dark already, and it would be foolish to venture out now. It's our first night, so we need to be extra cautious. We'll search in the morning when we can ensure the king's safety."

"But why would anyone attack us on the first night?" Felix interjected. "They’re probably just as busy setting up their camp and securing their own resources."

His question was met with Violet's sharp gaze, her eyes like daggers, making Felix instantly regret his words.

Sensing the growing tension, Elara stepped in to smooth things over. "There’s a chance their camp is near a natural water source, which could give them an advantage. Just like we're near the beach, others might be close to a river or mountainside."

Felix clamped his mouth shut, now understanding Violet's caution and Elara’s logic.

As the night deepened, the students gathered around a small fire in the middle of the camp. It emitted only a faint glow, barely illuminating their surroundings—a strategic choice by Elara who had argued that a dimmer fire would make them less likely to be spotted by other sections. The flickering flames cast shadows on their weary faces as they settled into their first night in the wilderness.

"I never realized how hard it is to go without water," one student murmured, his voice tinged with weariness. "And without food, it's even worse. I've never had to endure something like this before."

Nods and murmurs of agreement spread through the group, each student feeling the pangs of hunger and the dry scratch of thirst. The reality of their situation was hard to bear—away from the comforts of the academy and their home, they were truly at the mercy of the wilderness on their first night.

Elara, sensing the their anxiety, spoke up with a calm assurance, "I know it's tough, everyone. We're all feeling the strain, but sunrise isn't far off. Just a few more hours and we can start looking for water and maybe even find some food."

Her words seemed to steady some of the nerves. "Her highness is right," Felix chimed in, trying to support her words. "We've gotten through the night so far. We can make it a few more hours until morning."

Elara continued in a gentle tone. "We knew this expedition wouldn't be easy. But remember, we're not just here to survive; we're here to learn how to overcome challenges like these. By morning, we'll start our search, and I'm confident we'll find what we need."

The conversation around the fire shifted as Felix, looking to lighten the mood a bit, brought up a future ambition many of them harbored. "So, who here is aiming for the inner court?" he asked, his tone light but curious about their shared ambitions.

A gray-haired student scoffed slightly, "Do you really think it's as easy as just saying it?"

"No, Kevin, but it's not a sin to hope and set our goals high," Felix countered with a hopeful smile.

Kevin sighed, a shadow of concern crossing his face. "It’s good to be optimistic, but both of the requirements are tough to meet. Acquiring 200 silver points while you’re still under 22? You should know most of us will turn 20 this year, and it’s going to be a challenge to rack up that many points when we are in our second year. So, It’s hard for most of us," he explained, his voice tinged with a hint of bitterness.

Most students nodded in agreement with Kevin's assessment, yet a few others displayed a glimmer of determination in their eyes, the goal of joining the inner court appearing not just achievable, but merely another milestone to conquer.

Observing the varied reactions, Felix commented, aiming his words at the group's more formidable members, "But we have Violet and her highness who should be able to get into the inner court easily."

At his words, Violet just huffed dismissively, not wanting to engage in what she might have felt was mere speculation. Elara, on the other hand, offered a soft smile, appreciating the faith Felix had in them.

Lorian, who was sitting beside them, found the conversation tedious. His disinterest was visible, almost as if he were miles away in thought.

Spotting Lorian's indifference, Felix tried to engage him, trying to draw him back in. "So, where’s your brother? I can't see him around."

This prompted Violet to scan the area, realizing that Theo was indeed missing. "Leywin should have informed us before leaving," she muttered, concern lacing her tone.

Kevin, seizing an opportunity to stir some controversy, quipped, "It shouldn’t be a problem, actually. Even if he gets captured or eliminated from the expedition, it won’t make any difference. He’s of no use to the team anyway."

His mocking words struck a chord, and while most students seemed to agree, Lorian felt a surge of annoyance. He was about to retort when a rustling noise nearby caught everyone's attention, abruptly halting the conversation.

The sudden sound in the darkness heightened their alertness, shifting their focus to the immediate, mysterious disturbances around their camp.

As the rustling grew louder, Students held their breath. Some reached for their weapons lying nearby, their eyes darting towards the source of the noise. Violet, quick to take charge, raised her hands in the air, signaling everyone to stay quiet and remain on alert.

Within seconds, a silhouette emerged from the darkness. The moonlight caught his whitish cyan hair, casting a ghostly glow as he approached the group. Over his shoulder, he carried a three-foot bag, woven from thin vines, that bobbed slightly with the step he took.

As Theo neared the firelight, Felix couldn't contain his curiosity. "Why are you lugging around a bag in the middle of the night?"

Elara, recognizing the contents, quickly stood from her seat. "He has coconuts with him," she murmured in surprise.

At her words, a wave of movement swept through the students as they rose to get a better look. Their eyes, wide and hopeful, fixed on the bag on Theo's back, seeing it not just as a bag, but as a treasure trove that could quench their thirst and sate their hunger.

It was a well-known fact that the coconuts were not only food but a source of nutritious water, a precious commodity in their current situation. In that moment, Theo seemed nothing short of an angel descended from heaven.

Reaching the center of the circle, Theo carefully set the bag down with a thud, the coconuts audibly shifting inside.

Violet asked the question on everyone's mind, "Where did you find them?"

Pointing toward the forest, Theo responded in a deliberately deepened voice, attempting to obscure his identity from Elara, "It was nearby."

Felix, caught off guard by Theo's response, couldn't help but comment with a hint of relief, "Oh, so you can speak?" However, his remark was quickly met with sharp glares from both Violet and Lorian, their looks sharp enough to silence him instantly.

Unperturbed by Felix's comment, Elara pressed on with a hint of hope coloring her tone, "Are there more?"

Theo met her gaze with an impassive expression and slowly shook his head, signaling that this was all they had for now.

Despite the slight disappointment, the mood quickly shifted towards gratitude. Felix added, breaking the brief silence, "That should not be a problem. We can search for more in the morning. For now, this should be more than enough to help us. We should thank Brother Leywin."

Theo raised his eyebrows slightly when Felix referred to him as 'brother,' but he didn't dwell on it. He took out three coconuts from the makeshift bag, handing one each to Lorian and Violet, and keeping one for himself.

Violet accepted the coconut with a nod, unsurprised that Theo had chosen to give her one.

Turning to Elara, Theo spoke in a nonchalant tone, "You can distribute the rest among the others."

Elara counted the remaining coconuts; there were fourteen left. With a total of seventeen students excluding the three who already had theirs, the math was straightforward but the distribution would need to be careful.

Kevin and the other students exchanged glances. Some felt the allocation was unfair, but no one voiced their concerns, recognizing that Theo had brought the coconuts and it was his prerogative. Besides, Lorian was his brother, and Violet the group leader, so their priority was understood, if not entirely accepted.

Taking charge of the situation, Elara directed her elven comrades to begin the preparation. They skillfully used sharp daggers to peel the coconuts. Once the outer shell was removed, revealing the fresh fruit within, they carefully made holes in the eyes of the coconut to extract the water, which was then stored in a makeshift wooden container they had crafted from available resources. After collecting all the water, they gathered the coconut meat on fresh leaves.

As the elven girls worked, the other students watched greedily, their eyes fixed on the coconut meat. For many, this simple meal was a luxury given their growing hunger and unfamiliarity with fasting.

Once everything was ready, Elara began the distribution. She approached the task with a fair mind, ensuring everyone's needs were considered.

"Alright, everyone, we have enough to go around, but we need to manage it wisely," She announced as the elven girls started handing out the shares. "If you prefer more water, you'll get a bit less meat, and vice versa."

The girls moved from student to student, asking, "Water or meat? What do you need more of?"

As the students made their preferences known, the girls adjusted the portions accordingly. "Here you go, two slices of coconut meat and a smaller portion of water for you," they would say to one, or "More water for you, so one slice of meat," to another.

This equitable distribution helped maintain a balance, ensuring that each student received their share according to their needs, and subtly teaching them the value of resource management in a survival situation.

As the students savored the coconut, their eyes turned towards Theo, filled with gratitude. On this first day in the wilderness, he had proven himself unexpectedly vital for the team.

For Theo, securing the coconuts was not a challenging task. Despite having access to immense resources through his golden vault, he chose not to use them, wary of raising suspicions. It would be peculiar, after all, to stumble upon enchanted crops in the forest, and even ordinary ones would be difficult to find. Opting for something naturally available was the most logical and discreet course of action.

Additionally, Theo was mindful of how direct favoritism could impact Lorian. If he shared resources only with his brother, it might foster resentment among the other students. With Lorian new to this academy life, Theo hoped to facilitate some friendships for him, thus he decided to share with everyone. Also, keeping the team in good shape by providing food was critical, even if it didn’t improve his personal standing; after all, this was a group mission.

As the students relished the fresh coconut meat, savoring each bite as if it were a rare delicacy, Felix broke the silence. “So, how does our leader know Brother Leywin’s name but we don’t?”

Lorian, quick with a retort, replied, “Because the leader is not as ignorant as you are…” His comment elicited giggles from some of the girls around the fire.

Felix sighed dramatically. “So, the king knows how to be sarcastic…” He then mused aloud, “That makes me think, even her highness has to do civilian duties in this expedition for our king… This guy is really lucky…”

His words drew a chorus of laughter from the group, lightening the atmosphere further. As the laughter died down, the students began to share jokes and stories, gradually drawing closer in the shared warmth and camaraderie of their small circle. The flickering firelight cast playful shadows on their faces as they relaxed into the night, momentarily forgetting the wilderness around them.

However, their light banter was abruptly cut short. A sudden, intense flash of light swept across their faces, painting each startled expression with fleeting brightness. The unexpected interruption drew gasps and wide-eyed stares as the students turned towards the source of the bright flash.

*Boooooooooom!*

A resounding explosion echoed through the forest, startling everyone to their feet. The students scrambled up, their earlier relaxation replaced by alertness and fear as they stared in the direction of the blast.