I couldn't help but release a sigh; however, I quickly regained my spirits. At this moment, defeating a zombie earned me a point. Though it seemed that stronger enemies with better rewards would come next. After all, the bracelet had announced this as the first wave – more would follow.

I need to check the store for anything that could help me. With that in mind, I began to review the weapons and items that could aid me in the upcoming fight.

It turned out that basic weapons and armor started at 100 points, all labeled with the description "horrible quality." I suppose they weren't meant to last. Yet, considering the state of my bat, I would soon need to buy something. I wasn't sure how the potions worked or how long they'd take to take effect. The basic versions of these were being sold for 20 points each.

As each passing moment brought more students into the main hall, it became increasingly suffocating to be here. I attempted to form a group to go out and earn some points, but the mere mention of leaving instilled panic among the other students. I quickly abandoned the idea and decided to venture out alone.

"Who Dares Wins" I repeated to myself as I left the hall. Other students looked at me with consternation, yet none dared to speak up or offer to join me.

Outside, things were calmer. The zombies only moved when they saw a person; they didn't seem to react to sound or other stimuli like light reflections. This made it easier to deal with them.

My technique was the same as before. I sought groups of up to five zombies and approached as stealthily as possible. Generally, I could kill them with two blows, though sometimes one was enough. When I had around 80 essence points, however, my bat was completely destroyed.

I began to think about how to proceed. Basic weapons cost 100 points. While it would be a gamble to buy one that might not last any longer than the bat, I needed to have some minimum level of trust in this strange system. After all, it sold some really extraordinary things, so these weapons must be designed to deal with these creatures.

"Anyway, let's take care of this." Using whatever I could find, I managed to gather 120 points. But eventually, I grew too exhausted to continue what I had started calling "the hunt." So, I decided to return to the hall to rest and buy myself a weapon.

It was becoming clear that I couldn't achieve my goals if I continued like this. I needed something that could help me dispatch them more quickly. It was also becoming evident that without the help of others, I couldn't reduce the numbers of zombies, let alone consider the matter of the infection zone. That issue was still gnawing at the back of my mind.

Back in the main hall, I noticed a great commotion. Many groups had formed, engaged in heated discussions. Apparently, during the time I was away, some kind of meeting had taken place. Its purpose was to discuss how to handle the situation and share information about the system.

Just like before the event, the groups had formed based on each one's social status before it happened, so I didn't hesitate to approach one of the groups that I knew would be marginalized.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Solis, could you tell me what's going on?"

In response to my question, the young man turned around. At first, he furrowed his brow in response to the interruption, then shifted to disbelief, and finally to relief.

"Thank God, James, could you help us?"

"I don't know unless you tell me what's happening."

"Oh, of course, I'm sorry, I got carried away. You see, there was a meeting recently to discuss how to deal with what's happening, as well as to share the information that each one of us has about this system."

"Oh, I'm interested in knowing what they've discovered about the system."

"Well, it seems the enemies don't come near this place. That's why it's been called the central base or just 'the base.' Also, weapons haven't been verified since no one has more than 100 essence points. However, the potions have turned out to be quite miraculous."

"You mean the 20-point potions? What do you mean by 'miraculous'?"

"Well, it's not like they can regenerate a lost limb. Instead, it's just as the description says: they accelerate recovery at an astonishing speed. It's been speculated that they're at least 20 times faster than the normal recovery time based on how quickly a guy healed from a fairly severe cut."

"That's pretty useful. Well, what about the other matter? Why do you need my help?"

"The council decided that each student should contribute in some way. The clearest method is through essence points, or as they call them, 'points.' An amount was assigned per person or group."

I felt a headache coming on. It had been just over an hour, and they'd already found a way to profit from the misery. They were truly impressive.

"And how much is this fee, and what happens if you don't meet it?"

"The fee is 15 points per person, and if you don't meet it, they threatened to kick you out of the refuge."

They're clearly going all out, exploiting others. These bastards are willing to sacrifice others and squeeze every drop of value out of them, even in these life-or-death situations. No, maybe because they felt their own lives were in danger, they panicked. That thought brought a small chuckle out of me.

"So, you want me to help you and your group earn the necessary points?"

I saw Solis's face light up for a moment, and then a pleading expression took over.

"Please, James, help us with this. I swear, when it's over, we'll never consider you inferior again."

Upon hearing the plea, I couldn't help but sigh. These people were wretched even in the face of death. I was sure that in their minds, they hadn't said anything wrong. They had always considered me inferior. Nevertheless, just as they wanted to use me, I could use them too. I didn't mind giving them a slight hand since I needed to eliminate as many zombies as possible to face the infection point.

"Alright, I'll rest for about 15 minutes, then head out to fight. You have that time to get ready and gather your group."

Without waiting for a response, I turned and headed to a secluded corner where no one could see me. There, I opened the store with the prospect of buying a weapon and a stamina potion. If this thing was indeed going to help me recover all my energy 20 times faster, then it was worth it.

As for the weapon, the store had a wide variety to choose from. There were all kinds: maces, swords, spears, staves, daggers, and various subvariants or similar items.

My father had taught me how to shoot from a young age; he had even taken me to some training sessions. As I grew, he adapted certain circuits for my training. However, in hand-to-hand combat, we always fought with our bare hands. No, come to think of it, there was one session where he made me participate in a sort of bayonet charge.

The bayonet, being a sword mounted on a rifle, functioned more like a spear. This actually made sense since I didn't want dangerous creatures to get close to me. Though the fighting style I had employed thus far required a blunt weapon, something like a war hammer or mace would certainly be more appropriate than a spear for quickly dealing with the current zombies.

I think a mace would be better for now. It's easy enough to deal with the zombies, and with the right weapon, I can earn another 100 points more quickly to obtain another weapon if necessary.