The last of the zombies crumpled to the floor with a dull thud, their grotesque bodies piling up in the corner of the warehouse. Evan stood in the center of the room, breathing heavily, sweat dripping from his brow. The crowbar in his hand felt weightless now, like an extension of his body. His mind was buzzing, still overwhelmed by the surge of power that had coursed through him only moments ago.

He couldn’t explain what had just happened. The Genesis Level-Up System, the voice in his head—it was like something had awakened within him. He had gone from a terrified bystander to the center of the fight in the blink of an eye. His movements had been fluid, instinctive, almost as if he had done it all before. Every swing of the crowbar had landed with precision, every strike more devastating than the last.

But with the adrenaline beginning to wear off, a sinking feeling gnawed at Evan’s insides. The thrill of power had been intoxicating, yes, but it left him with a sense of unease. This wasn’t normal. It wasn’t supposed to feel this way.

"Impressive," Jake’s voice broke through his thoughts. The man stood a few feet away, his eyes narrowed as he surveyed the bodies of the fallen zombies. "You handled yourself well. Didn’t think you had it in you."

Evan didn’t know how to respond. His mind was still reeling from the strange, unnatural feeling of strength that had surged through him. His gaze flickered to Claire, who was cleaning her crossbow with practiced efficiency, her face unreadable.

"You’re stronger than I thought," Claire said, her tone calm but with an edge of something else—something Evan couldn’t quite place. She didn’t seem surprised, but her eyes lingered on him for a moment longer than necessary. "But don’t get cocky. This is just the beginning."

Jake snorted, but his grin didn’t reach his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. But we’ve got bigger problems than your newfound muscles." He waved a hand toward the stack of crates near the back of the warehouse. "We need to get to the supply stash before more of them show up. No time to waste."

Evan nodded, his mind still grappling with the implications of what had just happened. His thoughts were a whirlwind, trying to make sense of the experience. How had he become so... capable, so fast? The crowbar had felt like an extension of himself, like he could control every movement with ease. That wasn’t just instinct—that was something else entirely.

And then there was the system. The Genesis Level-Up System. What was it? Why had it chosen him? Was it some kind of glitch in the world, or was this the new reality?

But before he could dive deeper into his thoughts, Claire spoke up again, her voice low. “Stay sharp. There are still more zombies in here. Let’s move out.”

Evan snapped back to reality, forcing his mind to focus on the task at hand. They couldn’t afford to be distracted. The group was relying on him now—not just as a survivor, but as someone who could help them navigate this apocalyptic nightmare.

The next few minutes passed in tense silence as they made their way through the warehouse. The once orderly space was now a maze of overturned shelves, scattered debris, and shattered windows. It felt like a ghost town, empty and abandoned—except for the occasional shuffle of undead creatures in the far corners.

Evan couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. His heightened senses—whatever they were—had picked up on something in the distance, a faint but unmistakable sound. He turned his head, eyes narrowing, scanning the dark corners of the warehouse.

Claire seemed to notice, too. She raised a hand, signaling for the group to stop. The others froze, their eyes darting to her for guidance.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“What is it?” Jake whispered, his hand hovering near the pistol at his side.

Evan’s eyes flickered to the far end of the room, where shadows danced beneath the dim light. The sound was growing louder now—a soft shuffle, like footsteps dragging against the concrete floor. Not a zombie, but something else. His instincts were screaming at him to stay alert.

“I heard something,” Evan murmured, barely able to keep his voice steady. “Something’s moving.”

Claire didn’t waste time. She motioned for Kara and Lila to take the rear and cover their exit, then silently signaled for Evan to follow her. “Stay close,” she whispered, her voice a sharp command.

The two of them crept forward, their movements quiet and deliberate. Evan’s mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation. The warehouse was full of undead, but it wasn’t just them that made him uneasy—it was the unknown. There was something else here, something that didn’t fit the pattern of the zombies.

They rounded a corner, and Evan’s heart skipped a beat. A figure stood in the shadows, its back turned to them.

The figure was tall, gaunt, and wrapped in tattered clothing. It was human—barely. Its eyes were wide, glazed over, but there was something different about it. Something that made Evan’s skin crawl.

Claire raised her crossbow, motioning for Evan to stay back. "Don’t move," she whispered, her voice tight with caution. "It’s not a zombie."

Before Evan could ask what she meant, the figure turned around.

Its face was covered in blood, a patch of skin torn away to reveal the raw tissue beneath. But what made Evan’s stomach drop wasn’t the blood—it was the eyes. They were wide and filled with a strange, knowing intelligence.

The figure’s lips parted in a slow, deliberate grin.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” it rasped, its voice low but clear. “None of you are.”

Evan’s breath caught in his throat. The figure wasn’t just some survivor—it was something else. The tension in the room thickened, and for the first time since his arrival in this world, Evan felt truly afraid.

The figure raised its hands, and suddenly, Evan felt the air around him crackle with an unnatural energy. It wasn’t the same kind of power he had felt when he used the crowbar to fight off the zombies. This was darker—something old and dangerous.

Claire’s expression shifted, her crossbow still trained on the figure. "Stay back, Evan," she hissed, her eyes never leaving the stranger. "This is bad. Whatever this is, it’s not something you want to get involved with."

Evan’s heart raced, and a strange sensation surged through him—an overwhelming sense of urgency. The system inside him buzzed, a low hum that seemed to echo in the back of his mind.

“Genesis Level-Up System – New Challenge Detected. Power Transfer Initiated.”

A wave of energy surged through him, and suddenly, Evan felt something different, something that was beyond the usual fight-or-flight instinct. It wasn’t just his body reacting—it was like the system itself had recognized the threat and had begun to prepare him for it.

“Skill Activation: Perception Enhancement.”

The world around him sharpened, every detail becoming vivid in his mind. The figure’s movements were slower now, more deliberate, and the strange aura around it was clear. Evan’s eyes narrowed as he focused, the weight of the situation pressing on him with a force he had never felt before.

“Get down!” Claire shouted, pulling Evan out of his trance and shoving him to the ground. A burst of dark energy shot past them, the air sizzling as it missed by mere inches.

Evan barely had time to react before the figure lunged, its eyes gleaming with malice.

It was faster than anything Evan had seen. But this time, he wasn’t just reacting out of instinct. He felt the power surge within him again, and with a snap, his body moved before his mind could fully process it.

His crowbar lashed out, the steel connecting with the figure’s side with a sickening crack. But it wasn’t enough. The figure staggered but recovered in an instant, turning toward him with that same twisted grin.

“Skill Activation: Strength Boost.”

A wave of power coursed through Evan’s limbs, and with a renewed force, he swung the crowbar again. This time, the strike landed with devastating impact, the force enough to send the figure stumbling backward. The air around them crackled as the figure’s energy faltered, its grin turning into a snarl of frustration.

For the first time since his arrival in this new world, Evan felt in control. The power was his—he could feel it, could taste it. But at the same time, there was a gnawing realization in the back of his mind.

This wasn’t just about survival. It wasn’t just about getting by.

This power came at a price. And Evan wasn’t sure if he was ready to pay it