Novels2Search

Chapter 10

We ran away at a breakneck pace, Black Star never once slowing down. I clung to his back, my heart racing with fear and adrenaline.

"Why did you run away?!" I asked, my voice shaking.

"Hey, Unlike certain people, I'm not an imbecile," he said through gritted teeth, "I know when to cut my losses and get the hell out of dodge. That thing was way too powerful for us to take on, especially without you knowing how to transform yet."

"But what about the soldiers? We left them to fight that monster alone," I protested.

Black Star snorted, "Soldiers are expendable. Their job is to fight and die so that we can live."

I felt a wave of anger and disgust wash over me at his callous words, but I didn't say anything. I knew he was probably right, but abandoning those men to their fates still felt wrong.

We kept running until we reached a narrow alleyway, and Black Star finally stopped, setting me down on my feet. I stumbled, feeling my legs shaking from the adrenaline dump.

"Easy does it, let those nerves settle," Black Star said jovially.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. My mind was still reeling from the chaos of the battle, and I could feel the weight of my inexperience pressing down on me. I glared at him, still angry about his uncaring attitude towards, well, everything.

"Are you okay?" Black Star asked, his voice finally showing a hint of concern.

I nodded, still feeling a little dazed. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks for saving me."

Black Star shrugged, "Don't mention it. I'm not really one for heroics, but I also don't like to see people getting killed."

Panic seized me as I realized that Albert and hundreds, if not thousands, of survivors, were stuck underground in that bunker. If the soldiers guarding it died, they would be trapped.

"What about the people in the underground bunkers?" I asked, my voice trembling with fear.

Black Star shrugged, "Shit. I guess they either ride it out or they die. Not much we can do about it now."

My heart sank at his words. I couldn't believe he was willing to abandon innocent civilians to their fate. I clenched my fists, feeling a surge of anger towards him.

"No... I won't let that happen," I said firmly, my voice filled with determination.

Black Star raised an eyebrow, "What, you mean go back and fight that thing? You're not serious, are you?"

I shook my head, feeling my resolve harden. "No, I mean we have to find a way to fully secure the place or get reinforcements. My childhood best friend is down there, and I won't let him die because I didn't do everything in my power to protect him and the others."

Black Star chuckled, "Sheesh. You really are a hero, aren't you? Fine. How about this? I'll go back with you if you can find reinforcements and come up with a proper plan. God knows I have nothing better to do while the world is on fucking fire around us."

I nodded, feeling a glimmer of hope. "Thank you. We have to at least try."

Black Star rolled his eyes, but I could see the hint of an amused smile on his lips.

I looked down at my arm, quickly checking the wound the faceless creature inflicted on me when I tackled it. Thankfully, it had already healed over entirely.

Everyone had a personal protective aura that would shield them from minor bumps, scrapes, and bruises. However, a sufficiently impactful blow could pierce through an individual's aura and wound them. Usually, a non-fatal wound would be healed by their natural aura's regenerative properties. Still, some individuals could consciously control and manipulate their aura to boost their physical abilities, heal wounds more quickly, shrug off bombs, bullets, and missiles, and even perform supernatural feats.

What made these creatures so terrifying to me was that it seemed most people were just screwed the second their auras were pierced by these monsters. The alien blue energy they used to attack seemed to disrupt the natural order of things, corrupting and decaying everything it touched. It was like a disease that spread through the body, consuming it from the inside out and zombifying them.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"So, I take it you leveled up a few times from all that?" Black Star spoke up, scrutinizing me with bemused brown eyes.

I nodded, still feeling a bit lost from the whole thing.

"Yeah, I did. Of course, I still have a lot to learn about my powers though," I said softly.

I had been thrust into this world, and now, more than ever, I knew I needed to get stronger if I wanted to protect the people I cared about.

"How about we take a breather so you can assign those skill points? I know it's stressful and overwhelming but trust me, it'll make a huge difference," Black Star suggested.

I nodded my agreement since we found a relatively safe spot in the alleyway to sit down and take a break.

Civilians usually didn't need to develop their auras — it was mostly Magical Knights and professional soldiers that refined their fighting abilities.

Typically, it took a lot of work to gain a couple of levels through the [System] with dedicated training. Still, that didn't stop those dedicated enough to pursue their paths to try. However, three types of people made up the gifted people who were granted accelerated routes. You would be hard-pressed to find even one of these people among hundreds of thousands of people.

The first type was the Paragon. An individual who had created a personal skill, idea, or general masterpiece so great that it stood out in the annals of history. The Leonardo da Vincis, Alexander the Greats, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, Zhuge Liangs, and Sasaki Kojiros of history were all vaunted Paragons, and their names still echoed throughout the ages.

Then there were the Magical Knights. The process for selection was a well-kept secret. Still, it was said that those chosen possessed unique personality qualities that made them stand out from the rest. I was chosen today, but I never felt exceptional. It was like winning the lottery and suddenly being thrown into a world of responsibility and danger.

Last but unfortunately not least, there were the Villains. Often, they were people that had experienced something rare and bizarre at the lowest points of their lives. Whether it was a budding Paragon that watched their families die before their eyes and committed themselves to a path of vengeance, or a serial killer on death's row struck by lightning and imbued with incredible powers, they were almost always bad news. Sure, some were hilarious and ineffectual, like Dark Princess Eris, who served almost like training dummies for new Magical Knights. Still, Villains were generally feared and despised by ordinary people.

"Okay, let's see here," I muttered as I opened the [System] interface.

Profile

Name: Sienna Russo

Occupation: High School Student [Magical Girl]

Level: 18

HP: 191 / 276 (??)

MP: 51 / 520

SP: 122 / 248 (??)

Status effects: None

Skill points: 16

Attributes

Strength: 4

Constitution: 6

Agility: 7

Intelligence: 17

Charisma: 11

Magic: 21

Skills

Luminary Conversion

Luminary Bolt

Luminary Beam

Transformation

??

I blinked in confusion at my MP pool — had I drained it to such a degree in such a brief battle? Maybe Black Star was in the right to pull us out after all.

"Okay, so how do I access my level-up options?"

Black Star yawned, "Everyone's personal interface is different, but I access mine just by thinking [Level Up]."

I closed my eyes, concentrating on the thought of leveling up. Suddenly, a new menu appeared before me.

I furrowed my eyebrows, trying it out for myself. To my surprise, it worked. The interface changed, showing me various options for my skill points.

"Whoa, this is cool," I muttered, scrolling through the menu.

Level-up Options for Sienna Russo

1. Increase attribute points (2 points) - Cost: 1 skill point [Cost will increase upon taking this option]

2. Increase MP pool and regeneration (20 points) - Cost: 1 skill point

3. Learn new skill: Luminary Shield - Cost: 4 skill points

4. Learn new skill: Luminary Nova - Cost: 6 skill points

5. Learn new skill: Aura Sight - Cost: 3 skill points

6. Upgrade existing skill: Luminary Conversion (Rank 2) - Cost: 6 skill points

7. Upgrade existing skill: Luminary Bolt (Rank 2) - Cost: 6 skill points

8. Upgrade existing skill: Luminary Beam (Rank 2) - Cost: 6 skill points

9. Emergency aura and luminary energy restoration - Cost: 1 skill point

I frowned, debating my options. There weren't any apparent explanations for what everything did, although the MP pool and attribute options were self-explanatory.

However, as I read through the options, I couldn't help but feel drawn to the idea of learning a new skill. Luminary Shield sounded like it could be incredibly useful in battle, especially since I seemed to have a naturally high magic attribute. But Luminary Nova also sounded intriguing - it seemed like a potent offensive ability that I could use to take down hordes of zombies easily.

So, do I focus on getting more powerful or developing my skills?

"Hey, Black Star, what do you think I should prioritize?" I asked, turning to him. "Raising my attributes, learning new skills.

He shrugged lazily, "I don't know, it's your choice. But I do want to say you can raise your attributes with exercise, nutrition, and practice. Skills can be learned and improved through practice as well — I sure as hell had to learn my mentor's moves the old fashioned way. If you had to ask me, I'd prioritize your skills in a situation like this, and hope to every fucking god we think of that civilization isn't going to crumble around us."

I nodded, considering his words. It made sense - attributes could be improved over time with effort, but skills were something that could be learned and developed at a faster pace.

It was a matter of life and death - I needed to be as prepared and powerful as possible, no matter the cost.

In the end, I made my decision.