Apocalypse Architect: A Tower Defense LitRPG

Jax frowned at the glowing mission panel, his eyes drifting to the penalty clause.

“EXP? Does this thing work like a game character?”

A quick scan of the help menu confirmed his suspicion. Killing monsters yielded Experience Points. EXP leveled up his [Builder Class], which in turn unlocked higher-tier blueprints. The system wasn’t just a shop; it was a progression tree.

He glanced at the reward again. Ten units of Wall. In the wasteland, reliable cover was worth more than gold.

Satisfied, Jax slid down from the rock formation to the valley floor. Barney was standing exactly where he’d left him, shifting his weight nervously in the sand.

“You scared, big guy?”

Barney nodded vigorously, wringing his massive hands.

Jax sighed and clapped a hand on the giant’s shoulder. “Easy. I’ve got your back. Here, get some food in you. The sun’s dropping fast.”

He glanced at the horizon. They were deep in the desert, but their position in the far north meant the days were short. The sky was already bleeding into a bruised purple. Night was coming, and with it, the cold.

Jax dug into his pack and tossed Barney a dry flatbread and a water bottle. “Eat up. Save me a sip of water, though.”

Barney caught the food but didn’t eat. Instead, he carefully tore the bread in half and held out a piece.

“Jax. You eat.”

Jax smiled, a rare warmth touching his tired eyes. “I’m good, buddy. Ate at noon. It’s all yours.”

“Then… I eat half.”

Barney stuffed the rest into his pockets and wolfed down his share. The dry bread caught in his throat, and his eyes rolled back as he gagged on the crumbs.

“Drink!” Jax barked, shoving the bottle at him.

Barney took a swig—just enough to clear his throat—then stopped immediately. Years of starvation in Redrock Bastion had hardwired a painful frugality into him, even with his mind broken. He capped the bottle and handed it back.

Jax didn’t argue. He took a small sip to wet his lips and stowed the water.

They sat in silence until the shadows lengthened into long, dark fingers across the sand. Jax stood up and pointed at the ten-meter rock formation.

“Barney. Time to move. Can you climb that? We’re sleeping up top.”

Barney looked up at the sheer rock face, terror written all over his face.

“Don’t worry,” Jax promised. “I’ll catch you if you fall. Go.”

It took courage, but Barney eventually grabbed the first handhold. Jax stood directly below him, coaching every movement.

“Left hand… hook that crevice. No, up a bit. Good. Now lift your left foot. Higher. There.”

“Right side. There’s a knob of rock above your chest. Grab it. Tight! Careful now.”

“Don’t rush. Breathe. Right foot up… perfect. You’re almost there.”

By the time Barney hauled himself over the lip of the plateau, Jax was sweating just from watching. I need to get him to a doctor once we have the cash, Jax thought, wiping his forehead. Stress like this is going to kill me before the bugs do.

Jax scrambled up after him, the enhancement potion making the climb effortless.

Barney was staring at the Bastion and the Sentry Tower, wide-eyed and confused.

“Jax… did someone leave this here for us?”

Jax grinned. “I’ll tell you a secret. But you can’t tell anyone. Not even Elena.”

“Not even sister?”

“Especially not her. Not yet.”

“Oh. Okay.”

Jax tapped his temple. “A magic helper gave them to me.”

Barney gasped, his hands flying to his own head. “Inside? Does it hurt? Is the little man gonna eat your brain?”

Jax laughed, the sound echoing off the rocks. “No, he listens to me. My brain is safe.”

Barney accepted this with childlike faith. He ran over to the Sentry Tower, running his rough hands over the cold, smooth stone.

“Jax, this tower… it’s not like the ones in the city.”

“Damn right,” Jax said, pride swelling in his chest. “Ours is way better than that junk in The Sprawl.”

In truth, Jax had no idea if it was better. He knew the stats, but numbers on a screen were different from combat performance. He had yet to see if 100 Attack Power was enough to pierce a Sandworm’s carapace.

Watching Barney fawn over the tower, Jax’s thoughts drifted to Elena.

She was two years older than him, and in the old world, she would have been a supermodel. Tall, fierce, with legs that went on forever. Jax had met her when he drafted a thirteen-year-old Barney into his scavenger squad. After Barney’s accident left him simple, Elena had dedicated her life to protecting him.

Jax felt a sudden, sharp heat rise in his chest. He shook his head, forcing the thoughts down. Focus. Not the time.

He looked around. The sun was gone. The canyon was pitch black.

“Crap,” Jax hissed. “I forgot torches.”

He was blind. He couldn’t see the road, let alone the enemy.

Suddenly, the wind picked up—a cold, biting gale that dried the sweat on his skin instantly. But beneath the howl of the wind, there was another sound. A dry, rhythmic rustling. Shwip-shwip-shwip.

Jax threw himself flat against the edge of the platform, straining his eyes against the dark.

[System Alert: Hostile lifeforms detected. Sentry Tower requires energy source to activate.]

“It runs on batteries? Makes sense.”

Jax scrambled to his feet. He fumbled a [Tier 1 Energy Shard] from his inventory and rushed to the tower.

“Where’s the slot… come on…”

He circled the base until his fingers brushed against a panel. He pried it open and jammed the glowing crystal inside.

Hummmm.

The stone structure vibrated with power. Gears ground together, followed by a heavy, mechanical tension.

Thrum.

The sound was like a massive rubber band snapping. A streak of cold light tore through the darkness.

Thwack. Squelch.

Two sounds, distinct and visceral.

[System Notification: Killed Tier 1 Sandworm. +1 EXP.]

“It works!” Jax pumped his fist. “It has night vision!”

He didn’t need to see. The tower was his eyes.

Two seconds later. Thrum.

The arrow whistled into the dark. This time, there was no wet impact sound. A miss.

Two more seconds. Thrum.

Squelch.

[System Notification: Killed Tier 1 Sandworm. +1 EXP.]