"Yes," I say with a bit of anticipation. Immediately, my vision was covered by a bright light before I appeared in front of a giant open doorway leading to a room with a white marble floor, golden sparkling walls, and thick silver pillars that showed opulence. Walking into the room, I heard the door shut behind me, and suddenly, the large empty golden throne where I saw the Rat King sit in the holographic screen glows a blue light before the giant figure of the rat king appears with his scepter in his left paw.
His eyes glint, and he gives a scheming grin as he looks at me. He spoke, "So the champion has finally arrived! I really did love watching your battle. How about this: I will let you live if you surrender to me, and you could join my kingdom. It would be great to have such a powerful fighter like yourself!"
Seeing his interest in me, my face turned to disgust, and I gave him the middle finger. "How about No, you rat bastard. Who would ever want to work with you?" He fumes at that and gets up, slamming the scepter onto the floor. "You're going regret saying that," he screeches. I see the staff glow a red light, having an ominous premonition; I an and threw myself behind a nearby silver pillar. A few moments later, I heard a bang and a heat wave. The top of the pillar was utterly obliterated, and the remnants felt hot. The beam just missed me by a few inches.
"Shit! Isn't that supposed to be a final attack!?" I scream internally. Peaking over the pillar, I see him glaring in my direction, the scepter glowing again. Panicked, I picked myself up, dashed to the nearby pillar, and glanced around the room. Looking at the ceiling, I spotted several large chandeliers, and even one was atop where he stood. I grinned as an idea came to mind, and as I sensed danger, I used swifter boots to increase my speed forward. I felt heat on my back but ignored it, infusing mana into my ring and creating two fireballs that I sent flying at the chandelier above the Rat King.
I saw the rat king trying to escape, so I lifted my shotgun and shot four. A few hit and made him stumble backward, and I saw the flaming chandelier drop on top of him and knock the scepter out of his hand. Creating three more fireballs, I sent them hurdling toward him, and as he struggled to get out, he was hit and blasted backward into the wall.
Seeing him struggling to get up, I reloaded my shotgun and approached him. I was about to shoot him when he screeched, "Wait. WAIT! Please don't kill me. I will become your slave." After he said that, I saw a notification appear before me.
Do you wish to make a contract with the Rat King? Y/N
Looking at the notification, I felt something was off and shook my head. “No need,” I said before lifting the shotgun and shooting at him. Suddenly, a translucent barrier appeared before him, blocking my shot but cracking slightly.
He cried out, and I ignored the notification popping in my vision and shot several more times. He cried angrily as the barrier broke, and as I was about to take my last shot, he screamed, “Damn you! Why are you so ruthless?” I thought a few moments before smirking. “I hate perverts.” He made a stunned and outraged face, and I shot him. Seeing him dissipate in a bright blue light, I couldn’t help but sigh in relief. Taking a glance at my status, I cringed.
Name: Alicea Grey Sex: Female
Level: 2
Race: Blood Fae
Evolution Points: 0
Health 19/40 Mana 48/60
Stats
Body: 22 (26)
Nimble: 22 (26)
Vitality: 20
Magic: 30
Perception: 15
“That annoying barrier! I lost more than 20 health points just trying to break it. I’m lucky I had some health stored in vital storage. I really wish I could beat that damn rat black and blue!” Suddenly, a screen appears, interrupting me.
Congratulations, User, for defeating the Boss! Now, please find the scepter to get your reward.
“Really,” I groan. Looking at the now messy throne room, I grumble before searching and finally finding the scepter that had slid behind a pillar.
Picking it up, I hugged it with tears of relief. “Finally, I found it. I thought it was destroyed!” A notification then popped into my vision.
Congratulations on completing the dungeon! Your body will be fully restored, and you will gain 300 evolution points, 1,000 system coins, and access to the system shop!
Leaving dungeon in 3:00 minutes
Feeling warm and comfortable, I sat on the floor and decided to allocate my stats while waiting.
Name: Alicea Grey Sex: Female
System Coins: 1,000
Level: 2
Race: Blood Fae
Evolution Points: 95
Health 60/60 Mana 60/60
Stats
Body: 30 (34)
Nimble: 30 (34)
Vitality: 30
Magic: 30
Perception: 30
Novice Leech Infusion: With this ability, you can infuse four of your attacks with mana, allowing you to drain your opponent's health. Each attack siphons away six health points from your foe while consuming four mana per infusion.
Novice Shadow Walk: This skill allows users to seamlessly merge with shadows, rendering them undetectable to foes with a perception skill of 30 or lower. However, engaging in any form of attack will immediately deactivate this skill. The utilization of this skill consumes three units of mana every five minutes.
Novice Vital Storage: Allows the user to store 10% of overall health points to heal in and out of combat situations. This skill can be used three times. (Stock 0/36)
Novice Level Blood Weaponization – This skill allows the user to control blood and turn it into two chosen weapons under thirty pounds. Uses two health points to resummon or change.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Novice Night Vision: This skill bestows the user the innate ability to perceive their surroundings with exceptional clarity. In low-light conditions, the user can see clearly within a 20-meter radius, while in total darkness, their vision extends to a 10-meter radius.
Entry Analyze Skill: With this skill, you can discern the level, race, health points, and mana your adversaries possess.
Looking at my updated status, I had complicated emotions. I’m happy that I reached the peak of level 2, but I’m a bit frustrated that I need 400 evolution points to reach level 2. “Why do you even need evolution points to level up?” Suddenly, my vision turned black before I appeared where the dungeon once was.
A little dizzy, I struggle to get up. As the dizziness faded, I grumbled, “A little warning would have been great.” Shaking my head, I checked the timer.
9 days 12 hours 50 minutes
Seeing that time hardly passed, I gave a sigh of relief. “Great, at least I wouldn’t miss too much time when entering a dungeon.” Thinking momentarily, I decided to head to my room and start looking through the System Shop.
Several moments later, I had a brew of coffee in my hands and began browsing the shop. Goods were separated into eight grades. But focusing on Common-grade items, I saw that food and drinks were 5 system coins, supplies, and medicines were 10 system coins, weapons and ammo were 20 system coins, and then there was armor and accessories at 40 system coins. I also saw an exciting option that allowed me to upgrade items.
For a moment, I thought about the jacket Lucas bought me before dismissing the idea as I saw the upgrade required an additional 40 evolution points. “I’ll upgrade it later. First, I need to find some supplies for dungeons. After getting those sweet rewards, I can’t help but want to enter again; however, this time, I will be prepared.
After a while, I bought a Rare Grade Storage Bag to store 6 square meters of storage space to preserve food, an Uncommon-grade tent that Camouflage itself and could defend against level 3 beings, and a health potion. Common grade cooking stove that heats up using mana, a watch to tell the date, weather, and time using mana. Then there was an item I always wished I had: a Common-grade cleansing bracelet that can keep you dirt-free.
In all, everything cost 490 system coins. Looking at the stuff on the table, I picked up the silver cleansing bracelet, and as I put it on, I felt a soothing aura wash over and looked down at my once dirt clothes from sand and debris, which were now clean as if brand new even my skin gave off a healthy sheen.
“Okay, this is officially my favorite item.” With a smile, I picked up the watch and checked the time.
Date: December 6th, 2150
Time: 6:20 p.m.
Weather: Heavy Snow
"To think that it has been a whole day since this…wait, what should I call this? Let's just go with Cataclysm, I guess," I said while scratching my head. Ignoring those thoughts, I grabbed the storage pouch, which looked like a plain brown leather sack and began storing the items I bought from the shop along with my bag. Looking around, I decided to fill my bag with my pantry items and the mementos I had. A couple minutes later, I was done.
Yawning, I looked at my bed for a few moments before deciding to get some sleep. Storing my health into vital storage, I took my boots off and dismissed my shotgun before promptly flopping onto the bed and falling asleep.
Time passed before I woke up feeling refreshed. Checking the watch, I saw that it was only 10:00 p.m. Thinking momentarily, I groaned, "Let's explore the apartment now. After that, I will know if it's safe outside. "Getting up from bed, I stretched before taking a brush out of the storage bag I had secured to my waist. Brushing my hair to untangle it, I returned it to my storage pouch. I quickly checked my status and found that my health was full; I spoke.
"Let's go exploring!" I say, trying to pump myself up. Summoning my pistol, I marched towards the door. Opening the door, I looked down the hallway and calmly surveyed the room. On the left were two fire exits at each end of the hallway, while in the center were two elevators.
On the right side of the wall were eight doors that lined my right side and one at the end of my room opposite my apartment. Five of the nine other apartments had the doors ajar with blood stains; if I remember, those neighbors opened the doors. Looking at the remaining doors, I found that light was peeking from under the doors. I paused for a moment. "Could the lights under the doors not be lights being turned on inside but a sign that the room is a safe space? It would make sense since most people would be in bed now." Turning around, I saw my door had a glowing light peeking from under even though my lights were off. "Well then, now I know those rooms with lights are safe."
Thinking for a moment, I knocked at the door 104 closed. I heard some shuffling before I heard a young female voice from the other side. "H-hello? Who's there?"
Hearing a voice, I smiled and spoke excitedly, "Hello! I'm the neighbor from 100. I was checking if everyone is alright." I heard a click, and the door opened, revealing a tall woman wearing a long green skirt and a red turtleneck sweater. Her long brown hair was a bit messy, and her brown eyes showed surprise as she looked at me.
"Wait, are you really my neighbor? I remember I was taller, and she had a more mature appearance. Also, what's with that outfit," she asked. Hearing that, I rubbed the back of my head and gave a bit of a rundown on my adventure, and after I was done, she looked shocked. "So, that message really wasn't lying! I'm happy I created a safe room when I did, or else I may be food for those rats."
I saw her shutter and spoke, "I'm going to leave soon. Do you need food or water for the rest of the countdown?" She paused and shook her head. "No, I stocked up recently as I heard that this month would have a lot of heavy snow. So, I have enough to last for quite a long time. If anything, I think everyone would stock up since there was a probability of snowing in."
Hearing that, I wanted to slap myself. I had forgotten how bad the snow would be m for this week. Everyone should have stocked food already since the weather was reported, as it would snow quite heavily for these three days. I sigh and say goodbye, telling the woman I will check the apartment building for other monsters.
Hearing she gave a nod and a goodbye before closing the door. I decided to systematically enter all opened apartments to check for anything interesting. Stepping away from the door, I went to check rooms 102, 103, 105, 106, and 107, which had wrecked doors that I hadn’t checked. After finding nothing, I decided to head downstairs to head down to the 9th floor.
Ignoring the two elevators, I take the fire exit near my apartment. Going down a flight of stairs and walking up to the 9th-floor fire exit, I put my ears to the door. Hearing nothing, I open the door and sweep my eyes over the floor. I see nothing in the hallway. I enter the floor. Looking under the doors, I noticed every door had its lights on. “Huh, these guys were luckier than us on the 10th floor.”
Turning around, I returned to the fire exit to look through the other floors. After a while, I found the 8th, 7th, 6th, and 5th floors were clear, and all the rooms on those floors were safe. As I stood on the fourth floor, I had many thoughts swirling in my head.
“Could it be that those who couldn’t adapt were those who were critical? It would explain why so many would live during the change. However, if that is true, why would those who are sick would be more likely to change into monsters? Wait, the hospitals! If that’s true, those hospitals must be overrun with monsters. If I remember, there was a hospital called Grace nearby. Maybe I should check it out.”
Putting that thought aside for now, I put my ear to the door and, after a few moments of shuffling. My eyes narrowed, and I used shadow walk before opening the door as quietly as possible. Gun ready, I peeked inside to find a humanoid creature in the hallway. It looked like a pale child with
A short humanoid creature with pale and bruised skin appears in my vision. There was blood crusted all over parts of its body, and even though its face was not looking at me, I felt its profile looked familiar to me. This creature looks similar to a child I saw in the foyer not too long ago. I remember seeing him in a wheelchair; his mother was arguing over the phone about paying the medical bills.
A sense of realization suddenly overtook me when I noticed that the creature had a large mole on its neck, just as the kid did. With a quick scan, his data appeared.
Level 2 Mutated Human: Health 60/60 Mana 60/60
Seeing the mutated human, I was stunned at the level. Looking around the hallway, I noticed that only three rooms were wrecked, and if everyone was level one, the creature would need more experience to reach the peak of level 2. This means these mutated humans may already have been at peak level two. Then, could all mutant humans have their levels increased beyond one or is this one special?
Shaking my head I silently entered the hallway and as I prepared to shoot him I hesitated momentarily, unsure how to feel about killing something that once was human. It was a big mistake as somehow the creature had sensed me and turned its head my way. Its pitch black holes for eyes looked at me with hunger, and its face twisted into an animalistic grin. Stunned, I moved backward and shot three times, and to my surprise, shadowy tendrils blacked my bullets.
Some tendrils appeared below me, locking my legs, and as it pounced, I switched my pistol to a shotgun and aimed it toward its head. The thing's head exploded with a deafening boom, splattering inky black blood all over the hallway.
I gagged a bit from the stinking smell coming from the body. After a few moments, I looked at the notification.
The user has defeated Level 2 Mutant Human.
Gain ten evolution points and 10 system coins.
If my eyes could, they would have turned into dollar signs at this moment. With a huge grin, I spoke, "Well then, it's kill on sight if I ever encounter monsters!" Take a moment to check the other three rooms. I then began my descent to the lower floor. After a while, I stepped into the foyer. "Well, that was a whole lot of nothing…well, that might be a good thing since that means that mostly everyone is alive here."
Looking at the door double door leading outside, I saw that the door was packed with snow. "That better not be snow that high, or else I just might scream!" Stomping towards the door, I pulled the hand, and to my relief, it wasn't that bad. The snow was packed to the door, making it look high, but it was just a couple inches.
Looking at the dark night with high winds and heavy snow falling in the sky, I paused. "Do I need to go out? No. Will it be dangerous to go out? Probably. Do I want to be stuck stir-crazy in my apartment building? Hell no!"
This may be a stupid decision, but I'm impatient and don't feel like waiting several hours for daylight. Taking a few steps in the snow, I closed the door behind me before making my way through the streets, which were mostly empty save for the several cars stopped in the middle of the road.
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