Chapter 6 - How to Survive
Suddenly, a new blue notification appeared in the corner of Lucas's vision.
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Melodious Tone
Rank B
A voice imbued with a natural soothe and seen quality. Speaking or singing can calm, inspire, or subtly influence others. Skills or spells that use sound gain enhanced effects.
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Late Bloomer
Rank F
Growth may occur at a slower pace compared to others, but when triggered, potential can surpass ordinary limits.
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"How did you do that?" Samantha exclaimed, her eyes wide with curiosity.
Chloe gave a shy smile, "I just thought about showing them to Lucas, and it popped up."
Frowning, Samantha concentrated. Moments later, another translucent blue screen materialized before her.
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Programming Expert
Rank C
A natural affinity for programming and coding. Writing, modifying, and optimizing codes feels as effortless as breathing.
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Lucas glanced briefly at their Talents before sharing his own as well. His Talent description floated into view.
Samantha raised her brows, smirking as she read Lucas's Talent. "So… you're just good at reading?"
Lucas grinned, a glint of confidence in his eyes. "Good at reading, yes. But it's not just about reading, it's about applying what I learn. You'll understand soon enough."
Chloe giggled softly. The tension eased as each of them casually shared their unique abilities. For a moment, the group felt a semblance of normalcy amid the chaos.
"Now, finally, let's talk about Skills," Lucas said, focusing on the girls. "Right now, we probably don't have any. But Skills can be acquired either through consistent training or by using something called a Skill Book."
Tilting her head curiously, Chloe asked, "So… if we keep swinging our sticks hard enough, we could get a skill related to that?"
Lucas chuckled, "In short, yeah. But I imagine there are other factors involved too, like techniques, efforts, and maybe even something more abstract like intent."
"Okay, but how does the system decide? Is there a rule or something?" Samantha frowned in thought.
Grinning, Lucas shrugged playfully. "Through Terryology, I guess? But in all seriousness, the system probably has its own set of rules and criteria. We shouldn't get too caught up in it for now. Let's focus on what we've got."
Lucas paused before continuing. "Right now, you've got 5 Free Points to spend. In the early stages, I would suggest you put those points into your physical stats, especially until you unlock your first class. Or, if you have a specific type of build in mind, it might be worth investing early. For example, if you're thinking about being an archer, boosting POW and AGI would be smart. A mage would with INT and WIL, POW, and VIT for a warrior. Something like that."
"So, what class should we get?" Samantha asked, looking expectantly at Lucas.
Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, Lucas replied, "Judging solely from your talent, a mage would be the most fitting for you. As for Chloe, to be honest, I'm not entirely sure. Her talents are pretty unique, especially with those two combinations."
"What do you mean by that?" Chloe asked, her curiosity piqued.
Lucas took a moment, contemplating how he should word it. "Well, with Melodious Tone, you could lean toward something like a Bard or even a Commander. The Late Bloomer might mean you'll experience a huge growth spurt later on."
However, Lucas didn't share his deeper thoughts out loud. The combination of those Talents seemed to make Chloe more suited for something beyond typical classes, like some kind of Hero. A charismatic, ever-growing Hero who would constantly grow stronger in the face of adversary.
But that was just a theory, a wild theory.
"Come on, use those points however you feel the most comfortable, but try to allocate one point into your INT every time you level up, they will be helpful," Lucas encouraged, gesturing for them to proceed with distributing their Free Points.
The girls nodded and did as instructed. Moments later, their bodies shivered involuntarily. It wasn't out of fear, but rather a strange sensation, something akin to ecstasy.
"Lucas, that felt amazing!" Chloe exclaimed, a wide smile spreading across her face as she marveled at her new strength. "I feel strong! Like I could take on anything!"
Samantha, too, was intently staring at her hands, flexing her fingers as if feeling the subtle power coursing through them. "This is… unreal," she muttered, her voice tinged with awe.
"Yeah, I know," Lucas said with a smirk, satisfied with their reactions. "Now, come on. Our time is limited." He gestured for the girls to follow him as he began heading toward the cafeteria area.
On their way, they encountered several more goblins aimlessly walking around. Most of the monsters seemed disoriented, lacking any real strategy or organization, their goal was just to find and attack prey.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
But for the trio, the goblins were little more than minor obstacles. With their newly gained strength, they swiftly dispatched the monsters without breaking a sweat.
Chloe and Samantha, now more confident in their abilities, struck with accuracy. Their attacks, once hesitant and uncertain, were now executed without faltering. The girls were no longer recoiling at the sight of blood, they simply wiped the blood off their weapons and carried on.
The distance between their lecture hall and the cafeteria was just a brief walk. However, the journey felt longer due to the shift in the environment.
Goblins' corpses lay strewn across the ground, the scent of blood and decay hung in the air, but the trio had long since grown accustomed to it.
Furthermore, each of them gained a single level out of this slaughter path.
"Right, we're at the cafe now. So, we just take everything?" Samantha asked, eyeing the locked stalls and wondering how they would go about acquiring food and supplies.
The cafeteria's layout was rather simple. Five food stalls lined up side by side, with the eating benches set up in front of them. Since it was Saturday, all the stalls had their roller shutters shut tightly. They probably wouldn't have any customers coming anytime soon.
"Basically," Lucas shrugged, walking toward the back door usually reserved for cafeteria workers. The door was locked, but the lock gave way with a crack as Lucas forced it open.
The layout was rather simple, with a connecting corridor that granted access to the other stalls. Each had its own cooking area, a cashier counter with shelves of snacks, and storage for ingredients.
Spotting a loose brick on the floor, Lucas picked it up and propped the door closed, to ensure no uninvited guests stumbled in.
"Okay, focus on nonperishable," Lucas instructed. "Grab instant noodles, canned goods, biscuits, anything that'll last. If you see any tools that might be useful, those as well. Think of it as scavenging for survival."
Looking at Chloe, he chuckled, "Your favorite genre, zombie apocalypse survival."
"There's zombies? Then I'm going to give a good smack," Chloe cracked her fingers and sounded confident.
Samantha just shook her head at her friend's foolish antique before starting to gather supplies. She rummaged through a drawer and pulled out a sharp-looking kitchen knife. "This could be a decent weapon, right?" she asked while holding it up.
Chloe glanced at the knife and answered, "It's better than the sticks we have. Should we grab some cooking utensils too?"
While the girls were discussing what tools they should bring, Lucas pulled out his phone. Navigating through his saved files, he opened one titled "Wilderness Survival Guides."
His fingers moved quickly, scrolling past the introductory pages until he reached the section detailing must-have tools for survival.
Through his
***
'Saucepan, kitchen knife, matches, lighter, cutting board, zip lock bags, and seasonings. This should do, right?' Lucas thought, scratching his head as he reviewed the items he had gathered.
These were all things he managed to locate based on the recommendations from the survival guide he had just read. It also listed several other tools, but with limited space in his bag, he had to prioritize and make do with what was available. While he was at it, he also grabbed some edibles and bottled water, so he wouldn't go starving.
Once he confirmed he had everything he could reasonably carry, Lucas nodded to himself. Turning to the girls, Lucas asked, "Done grabbing stuff you need?"
Chloe and Samantha nodded slightly. "Some foods, drinks, and tools that might be useful. Just like you asked," Chloe replied.
Lucas gave a quick nod of approval. "Alright then, let's go to our next station."
Before either of the girls could what their next station was, the entrance burst open with a loud crash.
Instinctively, Lucas grabbed his sticks and stepped in front of the girls, ready to assault. The girls followed suit, gripping their weapons tightly.
To their surprise, the intruders weren't the goblins they had come to expect. Instead, two disheveled human figures stumbled in.
Widening his eyes in recognition, Lucas blurted out in surprise, "Kang, Jesse?"
The intruders turned out to be Lucas's housemate, Kang, and his girlfriend, Jesse. Both looked shaken but mostly unharmed.
"Lucas, Chloe, Samantha," Kang greeted with a slight nod, his arm protectively holding Jesse back as he surveyed the room.
Recognizing familiar faces, Chloe and Samantha let out a breath of relief, lowering their weapons. Lucas followed suit, relaxing his grip on the sticks.
"You should close the door first. It would be bad if those freaks saw us," Lucas suggested, pointing his chin at the wide-opened door.
Kang nodded apologetically and shut the door. Since the handle was already broke by Lucas previously, Kang just picked up the brick and placed it down, preventing the door from swaying around.
Chloe stepped forward hastily, concern evident in her voice. "Are you alright?" she asked, her eyes examining them for any signs of injury.
"Just some scratches, nothing big," Kang replied as he waved his hand, though he winced slightly as he moved his arm.
"Hey, hey! These aren't just scratches! These cuts look deep, and those bruises!" Chloe exclaimed, already rummaging through her bag for anything useful.
Despite her unassuming demeanor, Chloe had picked up a variety of skills during her high school period thanks to her involvement in extensive co-curricular activities.
Basic first aid was one of those skills, though she admitted she wasn't an expert, but still, it was still useful for the current situation she was in. Spotting a clean apron in the kitchen, she quickly ripped it into strips to use as bandages.
"Here, saltwater," Lucas interjected, handing her a bowl of solution. "It's not much, but it'll help disinfect the wounds."
"Thanks," Chloe said, taking the bowl. She began cleaning the couple's wounds with the saline solution, carefully dabbing at the cuts and wrapping them with the makeshift gauze.
Jesse flinched slightly but managed a weak smile. "You're a lifesaver, Chloe."
"Thank you, Chloe, Lucas, and Samantha," Kang said earnestly, his voice was calm despite the fatigue etched on his face. He then helped Jesse to her feet, ready to leave.
But before they could go, Lucas spoke up, "There's still some food back there. Bags too, and knives. You should grab what you can."
Pausing as if stunned, Kang glanced at Lucas before giving a solemn nod. "Thank you."
As Kang adjusted his grip on Jesse's hand, Lucas's gaze lingered on the bruises across Kang's knuckles. It was clear he had fought hard, probably to protect someone he cared about. Lucas understood that sentiment deeply and found his eyes briefly drifting to Chloe.
"Hey, Lucas, " Samantha broke the silence. "Why don't we take them with us? It could be safer if we all stick together."
Chloe hurriedly agreed, "Yeah, it would be better for everyone."
Lucas considered their suggestion, weighing the pros and cons. Although he didn't know Jesse that well, Kang was a tough guy and he had some learnings in martial arts. That alone was worth something at the current stage.
However, before Lucas could voice his thoughts, Kang shook his head. "Thanks for the invitation, but we've got our plan," he said, his tone polite but firm.
Lucas caught a flicker of something within Kang's eyes. Conflict and hesitation. Despite that, Kang stood by his decision.
Understanding the unspoken struggle, Lucas took a glance at Jesse and gave a silent nod. "Alright, sure. Be careful out there," he said quietly.