Ethan trudged back to the side of the street, where a gridlock had ensued. Everyone was in a state of disarray, desperately trying to access the service road, which only added to the pandemonium.
As he stood there, multiple people rushed past him with their bags and other necessities, a group of families with fear-stricken expressions jarring into him, causing him to stumble.
"Pardon me," said the father, cradling his daughter, who had been the one to jostle him.
He helped Ethan back up, and they quickly fled.
Ethan's confidence diminished further, his sense of security completely gone. If he had been pushed down by an ordinary person, how could he possibly face a monster?
'I miss my mundane life.'
Ethan pondered the predicament and wished to find other individuals with the same responsibility as him in order to collaborate.
Fifteen minutes remained before the onslaught.
He ambled about listlessly, aware that a mere few minutes would drastically alter his life.
Contrary to his expectations, the honor of being a chosen human and entrusted with the security of his peers were not as glamorous as he had initially anticipated.
In the face of these daunting conditions, he felt that those who had invested time in honing their combat skills or even those who served in the military were more helpful than himself, who had been directly chosen by the System.
Ethan wished for a sufficient number of people to take on the task so he wouldn't have to labor too hard on it himself.
As he meandered, he encountered various pedestrians going in the opposite direction from him.
Nine minutes until the onslaught.
He had been unable to reach his mother and sister, intensifying his worries about their potential fate. Strolling ahead, he sighted several people with arms holding golf clubs, wooden blocks, and other potential weapons of combat.
Approximately twelve individuals congregated and grouped together, apparently conversing.
Ethan attempted to join in. He speculated they could be one of the select few who also received the same mission as him.
He ventured closer without any intention of interrupting them. He just stayed within the vicinity. Then a mature man, appearing to be in his late forties or almost fifty, walked up to him.
"Hey, why don't you go to save yourself?" He said.
Ethan stayed quiet, studying the man before him. He tried to articulate that he was among them but couldn't find the words. He eventually remained silent.
“I am also awakened, or whatever you may call it. Some of these people are too.” The man then pivoted and gestured toward several people standing behind him.
A few of them waved, and one of them approached Ethan. He was a youth, seemingly the same age as him, and beamed while extending a handshake.
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“I'm not the one who was chosen or anything. Yet, I feel all of us should accept the responsibility of standing against whatever is to come! My name is John."
The young man in front of him presented himself, and Ethan shook his hand and smiled back.
"My name is Ethan,"
“Okay, Ethan.“ John smiled brightly as he firmly clasped Ethan's hand.
"Let's take on the challenge and show them what we can do! Tonight is our night!" John said.
Ethan, feeling reassured by John's gesture, smiled back. ‘I guess there's no other option but to fight,’ he thought.
"I hope I can be of help to you." he replied to John.
Two minutes before the onslaught.
-
"Does anyone have an idea of where the attack might come from?"
"No, of course not. Shall we spread out to increase our chances of survival?"
"No, that would be too risky. It's best if we stay together and keep watch for military updates. Several citizens have already joined and are prepared to give information about the attack's location."
"I agree. We should stay together and minimize our chances of danger as much as possible."
"One more minute, everyone, get ready!"
“Yippee! I'm excited! We'll be able to take down a lot of monsters and level up!”
Some of the group chatted amongst themselves and shouted out in excitement. The man who had first welcomed Ethan patted him on the shoulder and smiled.
Ethan glanced back at the group before him, a feeling of determination settling in his chest.
Thirty seconds remained before the impending danger descended.
In the stillness, cars whizzed by, yet their occupants paid no attention to the heated exchange ahead.
"Come on, here comes the wretched fiend!"
"Let's go down together tonight, buddy."
"You go die first. I'll survive until the end."
Ten seconds.
Ethan steeled his nerves, preparing to withstand the initial onslaught. His resolve was firm; he had to stay alive and protect his mother and sister.
-
Ethan grasped the Mjolnir with both hands. He was determined to keep a firm grip on his weapon, feeling slightly embarrassed if anyone noticed him struggling with its weight.
Faces turned towards him in amazement and admiration, someone even whistling and announcing,
“Yuu, another awakened has arrived!”
The countdown began. Three seconds, two seconds, one second, and then -
[First Wave Begins]
[Monsters appear in various locations near you, defend your Race!!!]
Arh-Wooooooooooo
Arh-Wooooooooooo
The distant howl of a wolf echoed through the night air.
"Alright, it looks like our first foes are a pack of adorable pups," said someone as Ethan followed in the rear of the group.
At the sound of the wolves, the group sprinted in their direction. Ethan trailed slightly behind. Some ran ahead quickly before slowing to ensure they hadn't left their companions behind, then continued on at a steady pace.
"Hi, I'm Leo," the man who'd greeted Ethan earlier said cheerfully as he jogged alongside him.
"Let's keep going and look forward to a peaceful morning tomorrow, okay?"
Ethan nodded, still keeping pace with the others. The wolf's howl seemed to be getting nearer, and people could be seen running away from it.
"Help!"
Suddenly, a massive wolf with navy blue fur reared up from a store near the sidewalk, ready to attack.
The wolf leaped at a group of people attempting to escape. Its claws and powerful jaws tore through the crowd, leaving many on the ground with severed limbs.
It then approached Ethan and his group, snarling with its bloodied teeth in an intimidating manner. Most of the people in his vicinity drew their weapons and rushed forward to confront the beast.
"CHARGE!" Someone shouted.
"It's just a dog, don't go too hard on it!"
[Mutant Wolf Lvl. 5]
[HP: 1000/1000]
A glowing green inscription materialized before him, indicating that the Monster Wolf was Level 5 with 1,000 health points.