Jeff knelt in the sandy area where the ocean's drift couldn't reach. Remembering the fire plow technique his teacher had demonstrated during camping, he decided to give it a try.
He found a dry piece of driftwood and carved a straight groove in it using his axe. He then selected a straight stick as the plow, its pointed end fitting into the groove.
He pressed the stick into the groove slightly and began rubbing it back and forth. Despite his efforts, the stick merely slid across the wood without generating much heat.
"This is actually harder than I thought," frustration began to creep in as his hands started to blister and his grip slipped on the makeshift plow.
Sweat dripped down his face as he pushed harder, the memory of how easily the expert had done it playing in his mind.
The sand beneath his knees was abrasive, making the process even more uncomfortable. He paused, taking a deep breath, and adjusted his stance, applying more downward pressure.
Minutes felt like hours as he continued, his movements becoming more desperate. Just as he was about to give up, a faint wisp of smoke began to curl from the groove. Excited, he intensified his effort, while his arms trembling with the exertion.
Finally, the most awaited thing happened as an ember formed. Jeff carefully transferred it to a nest of dry leaves and tinder he had prepared.
He blew gently, coaxing the tiny ember into a flame. A sense of relief and accomplishment washed over him as the fire began to grow, casting a warm glow in the beach.
"Finally," he said filled with happiness, what a huge accomplishment this is.
[You just made a fire. You have gained 5 experience points & 2 points.]
[5/100 exp. Remains to unlock a skill]
Seeing this, Jeff was very excited. If he unlocked this skill, then it must be related to making fire.
Since making fire was really important for surviving on this island, he decided to cook the fish first since he was starving.
Suddenly, another notification popped up, making him look at it.
[You killed a fish. You received 2 level up points & 2 points]
This made him awe in understanding, "So this is how to get level up points. It's about killing creatures," he muttered, which did make some sense.
The fish, already dead from drowning on land, was pierced by a stick from top to bottom. He then put it in the fire to be cooked.
As the smell of cooked fish lingered in the air, he took a bite, burning his tongue and lips.
"Damn, that's hot," he said with a burnt lip.
After blowing on it for a while, he took another bite. Even though the flavor wasn't on par with the fish back in the city, it was still delicious, even without any ingredients.
He was very thankful to have something to eat out here. As he finished the fish, leaving only the bones, he opened a coconut and drank its juice.
He knew that drinking coconut water wasn't all good since it had drawbacks as well. Even though coconut water is excellent for hydration due to its natural electrolytes like potassium, sodium, and magnesium.
Drinking it exclusively might not provide enough calories for his body in long-term sustenance.
It could also cause a nutrient imbalance since relying solely on coconut water can lead to a lack of other essential nutrients found in a varied diet.
Another problem with it is tooth decay. Since the natural sugars in coconut water can contribute to tooth decay if consumed in large amounts without proper dental care.
*Burp
As he made a sound full of satisfaction, after resting for a while and saw that the sun was about to set, he stood up.
He needed to gather more branches and firewood to help the flame stay alive throughout the night.
After gathering a lot of dry branches, he decided to cut the upper and lower part of the palm tree and make a triangular zone in his spot. This will be his current spot for a while.
[You just chopped a tree. You have gained 1 experience points.]
[4/500 exp. Remains to unlock a skill]
Seeing the large required amount of experience points, he only nodded his head, since this seemed to be fair.
He could only drag it with his strength while gritting his teeth. After placing the first part of the wood, he cut the upper part of another palm tree, making him receive another notification.
After he was done, he slumped back to the ground, filled with sweat, since it was very heavy, and his arms were trembling like crazy.
He could see that the sun was going to set, and the night was going to be dangerous.
As night fell, he sat in the palm tree, looking at the fire that was radiating with flame. He could not help but sigh in wonder.
"Am I the only person living on this island?" he mumbled with his eyes blank.
"I should rest for the night to have more energy in the future," he mumbled to himself, as he put more wood and branches in the fire place, so it could last longer.
He also took those palm leaves, arranging the palm fronds on the ground to create a more comfortable and insulating layer to lie on, keeping him off the cold sand.
He also used the palm fronds to create a barrier against the wind, using it as a windbreaker or quilt providing some protection while he rested for the night.
He closed his eyes and finally drifted to sleep.
- Day 1
As the early morning light struck, his eyes slowly fluttered open. His ears perked up when he heard some slow whispers.
When his eyes finally darted open, he was stunned on the spot. He saw three girls looking at him while he was lying in the ground sleeping.
He slowly sat up and looked at the three of them while narrowing his eyes. His hazy and sleepy eyes were now wide awake.
The three girls were also stunned when they saw him wide awake. He slowly stood up. While the three girls were seated in the palm tree where he had placed it.
They also stood up, and he saw that one of the girls was holding his axe, making him narrow his eyes.
"Please, give me back my axe," Jeff spoke without any motion as he held out his palms to the girl with black hair.
Jeff wasn't very familiar with these three, so he was very cautious. As the three girls looked at his actions, the one with the black hair was hesitating whether she should give it back or not.
The girl with yellow hair, who was placed in the center of the group, spoke.
"Ariana, hurry up and give him back his axe. It's not ours in the first place," she said to the girl in black who was just beside her.
The girl in black, whose name was Ariana, nodded her head. She walked a few steps and passed the handle towards him.
He took it in his hands, while looking at them blankly, wondering why they were sitting in his campsite, observing him while he was sleeping.
"Is there anything you girls need? Since you've been observing me sleeping for a while now, right?" he muttered, looking at the three.
The girl in yellow walked closer to him, not afraid. She brushed the back of her hair, making it flutter in the wind as she walked gracefully.
"Hello, I am Jessica Martinez. We are looking for survivors to make a small group to survive this island and wait for the rescue. Do you want to join us?" she replied, stating her purpose.
Jeff just looked at the trio and after pondering for a while, he concluded that maybe staying alone was much better, since the resources he could get would last him longer when the rescuers arrived on this island.
This would make his chances much higher compared to the others, since he had a system, and that chance just soared to new heights.