The bunker hummed with a low, steady power, secure, reinforced, and fortified. It had taken them hours to establish defenses, but the effort was worth it. For the first time since the outbreak, Leon, Eric, and Dr. Carter had a safe place to regroup.
However, something was happening.
A deep, pulsing headache throbbed at Leon’s temples. His vision flickered, not with exhaustion, but with something else. His body heated up, a strange energy flowing through him like an electric current.
Then...
[System Activation: Synchronization Complete]
His entire body tensed. A familiar yet distant voice echoed inside his mind, as if awakening from a long slumber. His eyes widened.
“The system…”
The same interface he had encountered when he first absorbed a mutant core was back—but this time, it was more detailed, more structured. A translucent blue screen materialized in front of him, lines of data flashing rapidly.
> [Leon Carter – User Interface]
>
> Level: 9
> Title: First Awakener
> Abilities:
> – Electrokinetic Control (Tier II) – Manipulate and discharge electrical energy.
> – Enhanced Reflexes (Tier I) – Reaction time increased significantly.
> – Core Absorption (Tier I) – Can absorb and refine certain mutant cores for enhancements.
>
> Physical Attributes:
> – Strength: 32
> – Agility: 30
> – Endurance: 24
> – Intelligence: 27
>
> System Message: The Final Awakening has begun. All individuals with compatible genetics will now receive the Personal Interface. Evolution is inevitable.
Leon took a step back, blinking rapidly. The system was upgrading, adapting.
Then, as if on cue.
“Leon! Something’s happening to me too!”
Eric clutched his head, his breathing ragged. His veins glowed faintly, pulsating with a strange golden light. A blue screen flashed before his eyes, his body trembling from an unseen force.
> [Eric Matthews – User Interface]
>
> Level: 6
> Abilities:
> – Kinetic Enhancement (Tier I) – Increased physical strength and momentum-based power.
> – Accelerated Healing (Tier I) – Rapid regeneration of wounds over time.
>
> Physical Attributes:
> – Strength: 20
> – Agility: 18
> – Endurance: 22
> – Intelligence: 21
Eric clenched his fists, the newfound power radiating from his body. He looked at Leon, his eyes sharp with realization. “I, I can feel it. It’s like… my body is adapting.”
Dr. Carter, who had been monitoring the security system, suddenly staggered, gripping the edge of the desk as a holographic display manifested before her.
> [Dr. Allison Carter – User Interface]
>
> Level: 5
> Abilities:
> – Neural Synchronization (Tier I) – Enhanced cognitive function, rapid data processing, and increased learning speed.
> – Tactical Vision (Tier I) – Can analyze and predict enemy movements within a limited time frame.
>
> Physical Attributes:
> – Strength: 14
> – Agility: 16
> – Endurance: 20
> – Intelligence: 35
She gasped, her mind racing faster than ever before. “This… this is incredible! My neural activity, it's heightened. I can process information at least three times faster than before.”
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Leon exhaled slowly, piecing everything together.
The system had fully activated.
Not just for him—but for everyone with the potential to evolve.
After the initial shock, the three gathered around the bunker’s central table, each staring at their new personal interface.
Dr. Carter was the first to speak, her eyes alight with curiosity. “This system… it wasn’t just meant for the infected. It’s affecting survivors too.”
Leon nodded. “It must have been part of the virus from the beginning. Only certain people are able to absorb the cores and trigger this ‘awakening.’”
Eric smirked, flexing his hands. “Well, whatever it is, I feel stronger. Faster.” He punched the air, a shockwave rippling from his fist. “This power, it’s real.”
Dr. Carter adjusted her glasses, analyzing the data on her interface. “The system is categorizing our abilities, ranking them in tiers. The more we grow, the stronger we become. If we can find more cores…”
Leon finished her thought. “We evolve.”
With their abilities now manifesting, their preparations took on a new urgency.
Leon tested his Electrokinetic Control, channeling electricity into the bunker’s defense grid, reinforcing the perimeter.
Eric enhanced his physical abilities, reinforcing doors and welding metal barriers into place.
Dr. Carter developed tactical strategies, using her enhanced cognition to predict possible infiltration routes and attack patterns.
The bunker was not just a hideout anymore, it was their stronghold.
And they wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon.
But as the final outbreak approached, a new notification flashed before them...
> [System Notice: Incoming Threat Detected]
> [Time Until Final Mutation Wave: 72 Hours]
Leon’s fists clenched.
Three days.
That was all the time they had before hell truly began
***
The bunker’s security system hummed softly, the reinforced doors sealed shut, protecting them from the horrors outside. For the first time in weeks, they had stability.
But the countdown loomed over them.
[Time Until Final Mutation Wave: 71 Hours, 26 Minutes]
Leon exhaled, watching the holographic display flicker in the dim bunker light. Three days. That was all the time they had before the next cataclysmic evolution of the infected.
They had to be ready.
Eric was reinforcing the outer steel barricades while Dr. Carter mapped out potential supply routes when.
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
The bunker’s motion sensors triggered an alert.
Leon spun toward the security monitors. The exterior cameras picked up movement near the entrance tunnel. A lone figure moved swiftly through the ruins of Blackwood Facility, dodging debris and sprinting toward their bunker.
Not infected.
The person was fast, controlled, precise.
Leon narrowed his eyes, adjusting the camera angle. Who the hell was that?
Then, the figure looked straight at the camera, directly at them.
A woman, mid-20s, clad in a reinforced tactical suit, her dark hair tied back in a low ponytail. A rifle was strapped across her back, and her movements were fluid, trained. Not just a survivor, she was a fighter.
Then...
She raised a hand and made a symbol, a universal military distress signal.
Eric noticed it too. “She’s not a civilian. She knows what she’s doing.”
Leon didn’t hesitate. He grabbed his rifle and moved toward the entrance.
“I’m letting her in.”
The bunker doors hissed open, just enough for the woman to slip through before Leon sealed them again. A rush of stale air followed her in.
She staggered slightly, chest rising and falling heavily, but her sharp eyes locked onto them.
Then—she straightened, gripping her rifle with steady hands. Composure. Training.
Leon kept his weapon lowered but firm. “Who are you?”
She didn’t hesitate. “Riley Hayes. Former Recon Specialist, Blackwood Military Division.”
Leon, Eric, and Dr. Carter exchanged glances. Blackwood?
Riley exhaled, shaking off her exhaustion. “I was stationed at this facility before everything went to hell.” Her expression darkened. “I know what’s coming. You have no idea how bad it’s about to get.”
Dr. Carter frowned. “You’re talking about the mutation wave?”
Riley’s jaw clenched. “It’s not just a mutation. It’s a full-scale evolution. The infected outside? They’re just the beginning.” She stepped forward, eyes flickering between them. “The virus is adapting. We’re about to see a whole new breed of monsters.”
Silence.
Eric exhaled. “Great. That’s exactly what I wanted to hear.”
Leon, however, studied Riley closely. She knew something. Something valuable.
Finally, he nodded.
“Welcome to the bunker, Riley.”
Over the next few hours, Riley shared crucial intel.
Blackwood’s secret experiments, how the virus was artificially enhanced.
The “Phase Two” mutations, faster, stronger infected that were already emerging.
A hidden underground facility where the virus originated.
But what stood out the most was her combat expertise.
Riley wasn’t just another survivor, she was a specialist.
And now, she was one of them.
As the countdown continued...
> [Time Until Final Mutation Wave: 70 Hours, 10 Minutes]
Leon realized something.
They weren’t just surviving anymore.
They were preparing for war.