The excruciating pain still echoed in my mind as I stumbled back, disoriented and gasping for breath. The abrupt transition from agony to the cold, smelly underground caught me off guard.
"Wh-What the fuck was that?"
Still a bit dazed, I looked at my surroundings, and remembered where I was, the sewer.
Although a bit difficult to make out, I could see the signs of my previous struggle as the wall behind me was slightly dented and covered in my dried up blood, while the most obvious sign was the goblin I had killed, lying in front of me, peacefully rotting away.
The only distinction from the last encounter was my improved physical state. No longer plagued by a stabbing wound, I stood in a pristine condition, physically speaking. My clothes were still tattered, and checking myself, I found that none of the hides or daggers I had in the trial had traveled along with me.
While I wanted to check out my status, as I guessed the boiling from the inside had something to do with the apparent class I gained, but I knew I first had to find a safe place, and goblin infested sewers were not one of them.
Remembering where the exit was located, as it was only a single right and left turn following the long corridor to the end.
Truly, if the goblins had shown up a minute later, I would have made it out of here with Lily, which reminded me…. I should probably figure out where she was or if she was even still alive.
I had promised to reunite her with her mother after all, although thinking back on it now it was a bit stupid and if the situation outside was still the same as last time, then it became practically impossible. But making sure she was alright was at least the decent thing to do.
Quickly following the path, luckily not encountering any goblins, it ended at a ladder ascending to above ground. Going through the manhole, I found myself on an abandoned street, and hid behind a car as I scanned my surroundings.
Other than the obvious state of chaos that seemed to have engulfed the area with abandoned and wrecked cars littering the road, I was at the edge of the city, and could see a forest emerge in the distance. Luckily, the road I was on seemed to be heading in that general direction as well.
Although I couldn't spot any monsters at the moment, I highly doubted the military had cleared the area, as the eerie quietness and spotting of the occasional human corpse showed that the issue likely hadn't been resolved.
"What is the army even doing?"
I would have understood that for the first few days the military might have been busy, considering the catastrophe was widespread. But currently, 15 days had passed or at least I assumed according to the system, and Dallas being a pretty big city, should logically be a priority target for securing.
Deciding to follow the road leading towards the forest, my contemplation was abruptly disrupted by the sudden eruption of gunfire. Looking back at the city, I could make out two humanoid figures desperately running while firing behind them as 20 or so horned rabbits chased them.
The figures eventually decided to hole up in a car, which the bunnies began viciously attacking.
"Pretty sure that was the military."
Already hidden behind a vehicle to make sure no situation like in the sewers would happen again, although I thought the soldiers would have more tact than involving a civilian in such a fight, but it was better to be careful.
Seeing the struggling soldiers, as rabbit horns managed to penetrate the car's plating, I pondered on what to do, "Although I don't really want to involve myself and twenty bunnies are way too many for me to deal with, so I should go my own way …. but those soldiers probably have a base of operations nearby and that would save me the hassle of searching for it, and I wont have to potentially sleep in the wilderness again.
Ahh well, it all actually depends on if I still have that skill."
Opening my status for the first time since the tutorial, although I wanted to do an in depth analyses on my class, I didn't have time for that now and looked for the important information.
_____________
Name: Aeron
Level: 5. (F)
Class: [Savant Of The Empty Husk]
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Class skills: [Husk Maker]
Skills: [Lesser Fire Ball]
Health: 1076
Mana: 124
Strength: 13 , Agility 16 , Vitality 10
Endurance: 10 ,Intelligence: 16 ,Sense: 9
USP: 0
_____________
I briefly glanced at the new class and class skill I had gained but had already decided to look at it later and instead looked for the fire ball skill, which I was relieved to still retained. After losing all my equipment I had in the trial, I feared the skill would also have been lost, but seeing it wasn't the case, I made up my mind and quickly dashed to help the soldiers.
Soldiers' POV
Two men in military outfits, adorning bulletproof vests and helmets, had made it to an abandoned black SUV. Entering hastily, they closed the door shut and sat near the center as rabid bunnies started pounding the vehicle, with some holes forming through the car doors.
With the soldiers staying in the middle, the horn's reach wasn't enough to get them. But as more bunnies began piercing the vehicle, it was only a matter of time.
Both men were on a reconnaissance mission when the incident occurred, their job to stay in the outer area of the city and try to find out the situation inside and potentially find survivors.
Although the job was dangerous, it wasn't a death warrant as long as you were a bit careful, and with the monsters concentrating in the middle of the city, scoping out the perimeter was doable.
Which held true for both men until they suddenly turned a corner and encountered a rabbit that noticed them, unable to avoid confrontation both men took out their tactical knives, knowing that a firearm would alert the other creatures in the area.
Working together they managed to expertly dispatch the foe, as they had done a few times before.
The real issue was that another rabbit had managed to sneak up on them and just when the fight was finished, decided to show itself, jumping and aiming straight for one of the unaware soldiers.
Noticing the attack but unable to reach his comrade in time, the soldier had taken out his rifle and shot the creature in the air.
After that, chaos ensued as more bunnies showed up and they decided to make a run for it. They had actually done quite well for themselves, managing to more than halve those chasing them, but twenty still remained and they were now severely low on bullets.
Having no other option, they rushed to a car, leading to the situation they were in now.
Inside, both men were freaking out, fearing for their lives, One shouted to the other,"Dammit Mark! Why did you shoot!?"
"What! If I hadn't shot, you'd be a shish kebab right now Jeff! Anyways, let's focus on getting out of this situation, how many rounds do you have left?"
"Tch," Jeff sneered before replying downcast, "You should have saved yourself Mark. I'm out of ammo, only got the dagger."
Mark hearing his response was disheartened, and his face aghast as he himself only had 5 bullets remaining in his handgun, while his assault rifle had long run out.
Knowing there was no way either would make it out alive, Mark shouted out hysterically, "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I can't die Jeff! I still need to find Kelly and the kids, I-I need to know they are ok, that they are safe!"
Hearing his comrade and long-time friend's tirade, Jeff could only look sympathetically at Mark.
Ever since the world turned to shit, Mark had been split from his family, being on active duty while his wife and kids went to the Dallas parade. That was also the main reason Mark had decided to accept a reconnaissance mission in enemy territory.
And that is why Jeff, who had no wife and kids, was angry at Mark. Honestly, Mark should have just let the rabbit skewer him, although he would have probably died. Mark could have dealt with the bunny alone and escaped, but alas Mark was a good person and naturally, didn't think twice about saving him.
Sighing, Jeff said, "Give me the gun. I'll try and distract them while.."
BOOM!
Before Jeff could finish his sentence, a loud explosion erupted near the car, flinging two rabbits in the air who hit the ground dead. A few seconds later, another explosion occurred and then another and another.
The two men could see what seemed like a ball of flames hitting the rabbit horde every so often, but due to their vision being blocked by other cars and fire coming from the explosions, they couldn't see who or what was causing this destruction.
The rabbits by now were also freaking out, but not knowing where their opponent was, they were confused and began to group up, making the ball of flames only more lethal.
Eventually, after 7 of such explosions, only 5 rabbits lived, but only two were still in good condition while the others were hurt and bleeding.
Seeing the hurt rodents, the soldiers regained a bit of hope as they could even deal with the rabbits now. But suddenly, the rabbits all looked towards a particular direction and began to growl before running towards it.
After that, the sound of sticks cracking and whimpers of the rabbits were heard before it became quiet.
The soldiers, not knowing what to do, as whatever might be out there could be even more dangerous, decided to stay in the car filled with trepidation as they hoped that whatever was out there would pass them. Whispering, with a quake of fear in his voice, Mark asked, "Jeff, what do you think that was?"
"How should I kno…"
Before Jeff could answer, a sudden, knocking sound reverberated through the car. Both men froze, their eyes now glued to the window, where an eerie silhouette appeared.
In shredded clothes, and blood sprayed across his body, a teenager stood outside. He knocked on the car window and motioned for them to exit as he uttered, "You're safe now; you can get out."
The soldiers, seeing the kid, didn't comply and just looked at each other as something felt off about this situation that unnerved them. It wasn't the fact that the kid had tattered clothes or blood sprayed over himself, or even the fact that he was the likely culprit behind the rabbits demise. No, It was the vacant, uncaring expression etched onto the teenager's face, and the hollowness in his eyes that sent shivers down their spine.
A prolonged silence stretched between Jeff and Mark as they weighed their options, both knowing what the other was thinking. With a reluctant nod, an unspoken agreement formed, and they decided to unravel the mystery outside, doubting that the car could have stopped the figure anyway.
The door creaked open, revealing the unknown human that awaited them in this changed world.