Harem Survival System: Stranded On An Island With Beautiful Women
Chapter 34: A Short Break

I apologize for the fakes but it fell under my Mass release for Harem Investment and I couldn’t juggle two at once, will be fixing them all up now!

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The first blow sent a deep, jagged cut into the bark. Splinters flew, and the echo of metal against wood rang in their ears.

"Alright," the PE teacher said, stepping back. "Your turn."

Lucas exhaled and stepped up, planting his feet before lifting his axe.

How hard could it be to swing it down? It couldn’t be that hard right?

He swung with all the force he could manage.

CRACK.

His blade dug into the tree, but it wasn’t as deep as the teacher’s.

The resistance sent a dull vibration up his arms, but it wasn’t terrible. Satisfying, even.

Leo went next, muttering, "This is so stupid," before swinging his axe.

It barely left a dent, and he scowled. "Okay, well, that was embarrassing."

The other boys followed one by one, taking turns hacking away at the tree. Some were stronger than others, their blows sending deep gashes into the bark, while others struggled to make any real progress.

The steady rhythm of chopping filled the air, along with grunts of effort and the occasional curse when someone’s swing went off course.

Leo, ever the comedian, groaned after his third turn. "Dude, can’t we just, like, push it over?"

Lucas wiped sweat from his forehead. "Yeah, sure. Why don’t you try shoving a couple tons of solid wood and see how that goes?"

"Ugh," Leo muttered. "Fine. But I’m filing a complaint when we get back to civilization."

The chopping continued, but progress was slow.

After about an hour, the PE teacher finally called for a break. "Alright, take five," he said, stepping away from the tree. "Stay hydrated."

The boys practically collapsed onto the ground. Some leaned against nearby trees, while others just sprawled out in the grass, their arms feeling like jelly.

The math teacher, who had been observing quietly, walked over to a duffel bag that had been left near the edge of the clearing.

He unzipped it and pulled out several cans of water, tossing them to each of the boys.

Lucas caught his and cracked it open, downing a few gulps before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

The cool liquid felt like heaven after all the exertion.

Leo let out a dramatic sigh as he popped open his own can. "I swear, if I survive this, I’m never complaining about gym class again."

Oliver, who had been unusually quiet, spoke up. "You think we’re actually gonna be able to drag this thing out of here?"

Lucas glanced at the half-cut trunk and exhaled. "It’s gonna be a nightmare. But we don’t have a choice."

The boys sipped their water in silence for a while, the weight of the task ahead of them settling in.

Then, just as Lucas was starting to relax, he heard something.

A rustle.

His eyes flicked toward the trees. The sound had come from deeper in the forest, away from their group. It wasn’t loud, but it wasn’t the wind either.

He stiffened slightly.

"Did you hear that?" he muttered.

Leo, mid-sip, raised an eyebrow. "Hear what?"

Another rustle. This time, it was a little closer.

Lucas’s grip tightened around his can. It could’ve been an animal. Maybe a bird, or a small mammal. But something about it felt... strange.

The PE teacher must have noticed their sudden stillness because he turned toward them. "Something wrong?"

Lucas hesitated, then shook his head. "I thought I heard something, but... it’s probably nothing."

The teacher’s sharp eyes scanned the treeline before he exhaled. "The forest is full of noises, don’t let it distract you. Finish your break. We still have work to do."

The boys pressed on after the break, hacking at the thick trunk with a rhythm that, while unsteady at first, became more synchronized as time dragged on.

Each swing of the axe sent chips of bark flying, coating the ground around them with a layer of wood shavings.

The weight of the task settled into their bodies — sore arms, sweat dripping down their faces, blisters forming on their hands despite the rough grip on their axes.

At first, some of them had thought this would be a three-hour job at most. A little hard work, some teamwork, and by mid-afternoon, they’d have a tree ready to be hauled out of the forest.

That illusion had been shattered long ago. It had been hours, and they still weren’t even close to bringing it down.

Lucas wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, exhaling sharply. His arms burned with exhaustion, but the thought of quitting never crossed his mind.

Not when they needed this tree for the rafts. He adjusted his grip and brought his axe down again.

THWACK.

Nearby, Leo let out a groan, pausing to stretch his back.

"I swear, if I see another tree after this, I’m gonna — ugh." He let his arms hang at his sides, his axe dangling limply. "Why did I sign up for this?"

"You didn’t," Oliver grunted as he swung his axe, barely making a dent.

Leo sighed dramatically. "Right. We were voluntold for this."

Despite the pain in his arms, Lucas managed a small smirk. "Don’t worry, buddy. Only a few more hours to go."

Leo glared at him. "You shut your mouth, man."

The PE teacher, who had been hacking away in silence, suddenly stopped and let out a huff of frustration.

He stepped back, glancing down at his sweat-soaked shirt. With an annoyed grunt, he peeled it off and wrapped it around his waist, revealing a broad chest and sculpted abs that looked like they were carved from stone.

The sheer definition of his muscles was enough to make even the most athletic boys in the group feel inadequate.

"Damn," one of the students muttered under his breath.

The teacher barely paid them any attention as he adjusted his grip and brought the axe down again — this time with even more force.

The impact sent a deep, satisfying crack through the tree, echoing through the forest. The cuts were deeper now, cleaner, as if the lack of fabric allowed him to move more freely.

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