Raine was in his own private seminar room, sitting cross legged on the carpet floor. On his lap was a book, a rather old antique looking book that was 50 pages thick. He was concentrating in reading not budging from his spot since half an hour ago. When he starts reading he had a knack of unable to be disturbed.
Moreover a book that can grant him a skill, something that he yearn for since the beginning that he realized that this world has change. While he was in deep reading, Raine has left his classmates to a decision for them to decide.
A decision that they have to make for them to survive through all of this. But Raine didn’t leave without a proper explanation on how things are going to proceed, on the contrary he explain with the detail of what they should do and what they will be facing.
For once Raine didn’t need to bother, if they are willing he would if they are not he had no choice but to just improve himself. The bizarre thing was the others didn’t mind when he was just wearing a pair skin tight brief and leather armour more like they didn’t even notice what he was wearing. Well he didn’t mind as even he has forgotten that he was wearing such attire.
If from before the rapture he would have died of embarrassment. But luckily the important thin at that time was the food, to them food was the one and only thing in their mind right now. While he read through the book, in the other seminar room a heated discussion was on their way.
---
‘how is it guys? Should we go with it?’ queer Mirana with her face looks a bit worried.
‘me and Ling Er will go’ a confident voice carried by a lone woman. Since the beginning of the rapture these two young Chinese ladies were silent and could only wait for help. Even after all the event that happen they could only watch not help in a single thing. They were good people but they just didn’t have anything for them to do.
The one who spoke was Rao La and the one next to her was Ling Er. While they always saw how Raine could survive everytime that he went out there, a feeling of admiration start to be nurtured in their heart. The one they know as Raine was a man who likes to joke around them but too see this side of him truly brought new light into them.
With the plan that Raine suddenly propose to them made these two ladies to whole heartedly accept it without any questioning. Both of them knows that he could lead them out to safety. With the regards of them going against those monsters, they have well accepted that to survive they need to confront these monsters.
The others stared at both of them, since a while now they haven’t talked each other and hearing Rao La talk made them to believe that it was surreal. Since the rapture, hardly all of them talk to each other only those who are really close to each other make small talk. While some who are doesn’t have a close clique could only remain silent by themselves.
‘Since both of us said yes first , then we would like to volunteer to go first’ said Rao La with her reasoning.
Before Raine left, he explain the plan to them.
-flashback 30 minute before-
‘this plan would take time but the sooner the better. the first part of this plan is the safest, so you guys don’t have to worry much the problem is the second part it will be a bloody but it wont be dangerous. As long as you guys are properly train, the rest would be easy as long as you follow my instructions. The latter part I would tell you later since it would be a long time before you guys can reach there. anyway the first part can only accommodate two people only so try decide ok? By the time I arrive back if none don’t want to it would be fine,
Now before I go, another thing I want to mention to you guys. Everybody take out your mirror and see all of your status.’ A little briefing from Raine and a simple instruction for Raine to introduce something.
Mostly everyone took out their mirror staring at the blue status.
‘now since everyone have taken out all of their mirrors, I guess you all already know that each and everyone of you have their own set of status. Health point indicate your life, as long as there is one point in that health you guys will survive so be wary when its going down. Stamina point represent your stamina in other words on how you have the energy to do things mostly actions, if you deplete it to zero you wont die but you don’t have the energy to even move and feel lethargy.
Okay now we goes to the other statistical criteria. Like it said here strength represent the power that you have, it disregard your muscle mass and your own weight and built size. So for the ladies if you guys want to focus on strength don’t worry about being bulky the most it can do is toning your muscle but only in a small margin. Barely noticeable, now for agility it reflect your speed in your attack speed and also your movement speed in other word it affect how well you can run.
Two down now for vitality, it represents your body. the higher it is the better chance for you guys to survive, it increased your health point and stamina point. For now I don’t know if there is any perk if increasing it but that’s for vitality.
Next is dexterity, I don’t have any experience increasing it by myself, but based on gaming experience it reflect on how well you can shoot long range weapons. The higher your dexterity the higher your attack power for long range weapons. While if you use melee weapon, it will increase critical in other word a one hit kill attack. other than that it allow your hand to be more nimble and more ambidextrous.
Huh a quite lengthy one for that one huh, now for intelligence. I know I know all of you guys have high intelligence so you guys probably don’t know what it meant for, hmmm to be exact even I don’t know but I don’t want to put your hopes up but if there is an existence called magic or physic abilities, intelligence will take a major part in influencing it. well since this gaming capabilities is possible anything else can. So lets put that behind first, next would be attack and defense.
Attack like I explain just now is influence by your strength and dexterity if you using long range weapons. Defense is hard to say can only be influence when you are wearing an armor or so. In other word clothing that resist attack. to eventually increase your defense by itself even I don’t know it yet. The next one is points allocation. For every level that you gain you are given 5 points to be distributed. It would be advisable not to distribute evenly through all of it.
Okay so that’s about it. I will be going then. Think hard about it. See ya’ explain Raine about all the he know of
-flashback end-
‘then I will also be going’ Jalani spontaneously said it with reservation. His demeanor still maintain as always with his trademark close eyes.
The rest of the girls were still adamant on not going with Raine plan afraid of being hurt. But one of those girl step up, it was Lina.
‘I will be going!’ then she sat back silent as she use to.
Mui who was next to Biella also raised her hand;
‘im going’
Doen who was deeply thinking about also raised his voice;
‘Im going also’ his eyes show a determination that would never waver. This time he will succeed in getting out of this place.
The only left were Mas, Naina, Suba, Mirana, and Rafi. There were still not sure about this plan. Rafi who in nature was a rather timid person don’t involve herself in physical activities much less playing. But Mirana urge her, so she would also participate but to no avail, she wouldn’t budge. She was resolute on not going and just staying here.
‘hmph! Im going ! im not backing down’ Naina courageously motivate herself not wanting to run away anymore. Those experience has already cause her to lose sleep, worrying about unusual things.
‘Mas come on let do this!’ Naina tries to rope in Mas as she was also one of the victims in those lack of sleep.
Mas expression hesitates, the traumatic experience of going up against monster shakes her heart to the core. Then someone gave a helping hand nudging her a bit.
‘mas, lets go I will be there, we all will be there’ jalani approach the group and spoke those heart felt words to Mas trying to soothe her heart from the traumatic experience. It would benefit her more if she could overcome this.
‘fine, I will go sheesh cant help it I need to babysit you guys’ Mas said with a smile, and her sarcastic tone came alive again as she usual do. She knows whatever happen as long as this people are with her it would be fine.
‘eh Suba don’t just sit there you my partner right come on!’ Doen invite Suba as they two were from a tight knit group since their freshman years. Suba could only gave a smile and shake her head. she only gave a big thumbs up as she concede to Doen persuasion.
‘guys, can you take care of Rafi when im going for training?’ Mirana ask for a favour to these people she consider as friend.
‘Eh this Mirana, of course we will don’t worry, we are a group!’ Doen enthusiastically respond to her plea. Mirana turns bright on her face, and she also console the down Rafi. Rafi was feeling guilty for just because of her someone need to take care of her. but who could she blame as she was too afraid to risk it all and came close to those monsters.
As this group of people cheer and laugh among themselves, they felt that their life were saved through this plan of Raine. they know it wouldn’t come to a waste, as Raine has given his word to them. While this group of people have a positive atmosphere going on. At one part of the of the room was silent with someone sitting on the chair like a statue. It was Balan.
Unfortunate for him, he didn’t have close clique in this new class of his and by the looks of it no even bother to even ask him. he felt resentment toward this people but those attitude didn’t only came from one way but also both way. there must be a consequences if one action has been done.
Sitting alone there, he was cursing this new world. cursing on how unfortunate his luck was. Too him he was already close to becoming a doctor with only a few months left. But this thing needs to happen in this important period of time for him. he resent those that made this happen, he resent those that belittling his knowledge and he hate this new world that was not fair to him. at this moment he had decided.
“I will play along with this and when I found the moment I will leave this bunch of trash” he exclaim within his prideful heart.
Within this room, those have decided upon their own destiny with their own reason of accepting this proposal. Some are for their love, some are for their selfishness and some for the sake of others. one thing for sure this are the first step for them to survive in this post rapture world.
---
The scene change to our reading hero. Its been almost an hour since he start to read the book and his reading have come to the last page. Ending the last sentence of the book, Raine cant help but grin from ear to ear showing how excited he was about this skill of his.
The book glow in a yellowish light, with the glow slowly move toward Raine’s head, the glow from the book dissipates as if the glow of light was absorb by Raine’s brain. As the glow becoming duller by the second. The glow then fades, while Raine was astound by the sudden surge of information gather in his head.
This information in his head was as clear as the sky and he can remember it as if he have been reciting it day and night countless of time. within this very knowledge it self lie a realm that he no way of believing to be even exist until this moment.
He quickly see through his borrow mirror, opening the skill option he was once more turns wide eye as he was surprised by seeing it.
‘I have one more new skill?’ question Raine as if was in disbelief. He read it out loud not wanting it to be a fiction.
‘Blunt Weapon Mastery’ once more he was elated, who would have thought that countless time he had use his trusty steel pipe has lead him to learn a skill that benefit him in attacking power. A blessing in disguise as he knows hardwork wont betray anyone.
But this hardwork didn’t really suit Raine. its been a long time since he was this hardworking. Not wanting to waste anymore time, he was itching to try this new skill of his. An active one at that. He press on the skill too see its effect.
Skill Name:Skill Rank:Skill Level:Skill Experience:Runic Iron HideBeginner10%A magic formula that resemble the Runes of the Badger hide but not on par to the Deity given rune, long ago in the ages of Boragia, this monster was just a simple badger but due to its lucky encounter with a deity that walk on the land of Tera sightseeing with its fellow deities saw a helpless badger being eaten by a Razorfang Wolf without no way of defending itself. With the deity taking pity of this badger, it grant it a magic rune that was carved on its back hide with the purpose of giving it a chance to survive. The first runic badger carries on its new species with continuation of its kind prospering to this Runic Badger.
A variation to the common beginner defensive magic Solid Skin with a few of its own surplus effects. It bestow the chanter to increase his defense for a short while by the use of mana.
-Defense increased by 25
-Magic resist increased by 2%
-Status resist increased by 1%
Last for 10 minutes
Mana needed = 20
The once elated face turns sour as soon as he read the description of his new skill. even when he obtain one,he was still not able to use this skill. a skill that require mana and for Raine mana wasn’t really in his own status. Raine cant help but even curse to this unfortunate event, a blessing that didn’t even useful for him.
The only way for him to use it was to gain mana. But that path was clearly unable to be seen as he himself didn’t know where to start. A rather dead end for the mana searching quest. He resign to his pitiful fate but that didn’t matter as he has a surprised skill. he opens it to at least soothe this injured heart.
Skill Name:Skill Rank:Skill Level:Skill Experience:Blunt Weapon MasteryBeginner10%When wielding a blunt weapon
-increase attack by 20
-increase accuracy by 10%
It was a simple skill but it was enough to make him smile again. With the skill book his hand he flips through it to see if there was any hidden secret. To his dismay there was nothing in other words, the book was empty. The letters and images have disappear, it was left to be just an empty book with it usage not even amount to 1 dollar.
Raine throw the book at the other side seeming it to be useless. With his deed already finish that was fruitless, Raine decide it would be best to start their training right now. He didn’t expect much from them but if he was certain for a few people.
Returning back to the class seminar room. he enters with a compose face not letting any emotion seeping out wanting to look as serious as possible. With Raine’s entrance, the others watch him with a careful eye. they want to listen and see what Raine was going to do. To them Raine was the best bet for them to live this place.
Looking around the class, the atmosphere was becoming tense as everyone was silent. Raine looking at this was a bit overwhelm, he miss his usual classmate who was noisy and happy. But dire situation called for drastic measure. He then spoke with his calm voice.
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‘so who will participate?’ a question that excite those who hear it.
Almost immediately, the hands of these people raise in the air showing their resolute decision. Raine cant help but to smile a bit with his lips turn to curve upwards. Except for Rafi and Biella, the rest of them raised their hand. Rafi was in his expectation of not wanting to go moreover with a dangerous situation while Biella since she was still not stopping with that recitation, it was hopeless to even expect something.
Now another question who will be the one to pioneer these training.
‘so whose first?’ Raine cant help but grin. Usually the men would volunteer first as they know men need to show an example but once again Raine was baffle by this classmates of his. One after another they surprise him again and again. The one who steps out were none other than the least he expect.
‘Rao La and Ling Er?’ Raine let out a surprised voice of the name of these two people.
He least expected them not because both of them are chinese but both of them comes from a wealthy family. Typically most of these people who are from a wealthy family didn’t dare to risk their life without seeing the others from doing it, if they deem it as safe they would follow suit. These kind of people are also shelter and pamper and didn’t know the harsh life of others. so for Raine for these two to come out first was a surprised.
“am I being too stereotypical of others, man im a shallow person cheh” he was displeased over his narrow minded ways.
“I guess situation can change people then, and make a note Raine you watch too much movies” Raine make a mental note to himself so he could not be too stereotypical. It would be bad if he met others if he was thinking like that.
‘alright then lets go the both of you, remember, follow my orders ok?’ Raine remind the both of them as they nod.
Raine guide them through the pathway leading to the outside corridor. Behind him both these girls cant help feeling nervous and anxious. Although they were showing a brave front, being outside itself was a challenge itself. Somehow, they brave their heart knowing the one in front of them was the one who will bring them out of this chaos.
Reaching open hole in the wall, Raine gave a hand sign prompting them to stop.
‘stay’ he casually said it
Raine went out to the corridor and survey the surrounding around the stairs. They would be helpless if a sudden ambush like last night came upon them, but Raine was cautious man. With the situation clear from the monster, Raine signal them to come and proceed to venture downstairs.
It was past afternoon, and usually monsters will be lurking around the proximity looking for food. In other words them!
Slowly stepping down, both of these rich kids were already clinging to Raine not minding even rubbing with Raine’s body. on the other hand the man involve was rather awkward at the moment as he was only wearing a pair of brief and those tight leather armor. He cant help feeling the brush of these two ladies bodies as they clinging to him and their sweet scent coming off from their body.
With his face quickly at a steady rate turning to dye in pink of embarrassment. He wants to quickly let this situation be gone quickly. One was rather curvaceous in shape while the other one was rather elegant in appearance with her professional looking attire. Between these two ladies Raine cant help but feeling overwhelm, although he view them as his fellow friends but in this kind of situation all kinds of emotion were blooming in side of him.
“I need to get there fast, damn it these girls, restrain themselves don’t they know im a man” he inwardly hold on to his feelings.
Reaching the ground floor, his eye scurry out the surrounding looking for any abnormality. But like in real life, danger would lurk anywhere at anytime. Raine was rather surprised at the sudden face to face encounter with a Doberman but he didn’t panic and make cut short of it by slamming it down with his steel pipe cracking its skull.
Raine know with this one death others would surround them, Raine shout to the duo behind him;
‘run to the library now!’
Both of them nod and sprint, at the same time Raine fend off a few more Doberman on the way making sure the duo were not harm in the slightest. Reaching the door to the library, Rao La and Ling Er quickly open the door, and throw their body down to the floor of the library. Raine who was outside was standing guard at the entrance door.
Raine’s confidence level was on the high as he was confident by his new passive skill the blunt mastery dealing damage much more significant to these lowly dogs. A few minutes pass and Raine finish his massacre of dogs, collecting a few loots he ran back to the library to the amazement of the two ladies.
Both of their eyes were wide in shocked, viewing through the small glass window of the door, both of them saw how frightening can Raine be. The power he exhibit let their heart tremble in fear and excitement and one thing cross their mind, with his help they would be like him, one would survive in this harsh world.
After Raine enters both of them were still staring with wide eyes. Raine who felt things was getting weird start to explain to them the step by step of this training. He lead both of them to a white pile of comfy looking fur. Since the beginning of going out, these two are in bewilderment every time they see something.
Raine went to the center and procure two bladed horn dagger. He extend his hand to the both of them, Rao La and Ling Er didn’t hesitate and grab the hilt of the dagger. They were mixed feeling after holding such a dangerous item in their hand, to them wielding this kind of things didn’t exist in their previous life of a comfortable lifestyle.
Ignoring these two confused looking face, Raine guide them to the relaxation room where they will start their training. Entering the room, the number of pudding slime has increased before. Raine speculation came alight.
“hmm, cant help but wonder does this due to the respawn point in this room?”
Naturally after entering the room both of them hug Raine at the moment of their panic. With a wave of monsters in the room their fears were at their peak.
‘Kyahhhhh’
‘mamaaa’
In this situation soft bulge cant be felt on Raine’s body. the contour of these two ladies well shape body can be felt by Raine’s skin. Even when wearing a leather armor he can still feel the softness of their mounds. Raine was on his edge, he need to endure this. he ignore those kinds of feeling and thought of it like a comfy pillow enveloping his body. he was mentally changing these ladies body into pillows for the sake of his sanity.
‘now now don’t be afraid these things are harmless, so you guys should let me go and calm down okay’ Raine calmly explain to them.
After a moment of observing these slimes, both of the ladies release their grasp on Raine and watch as these slime monsters move around the room. their fears were still there but it was turn down to a moderate level.
Rao La curios mind led her to ask him;
‘Raine, whats are they?’
‘they are slimes, and to be exact you guys are gonna kill it’ explain Raine simply
‘ehhh!’ Rao la release a low bewildered shout while Ling er mouth was gaping wide.
‘don’t worry it would only hurt a bit, you guys only need to pierce that core in the slime. That’s the training for now’
both of their expression turns eerie, getting close to this slime was one thing but the notion of them piercing into this slimy looking thing gross them out. But Raine solve with just a sentence;
‘come on guys, you want to get out right?’ exclaim Raine with a notion of pushing them on.
Ling er who heard this began to make her move. With the dagger on her hand, she pierce the core of the slime with precision hitting it without missing. The core breaks, and the slime liquid body dissolve on the floor.
‘oh’ Raine was amazed, its was only once and she already kill it even Mui just now need to pierce it a few time before hitting it. Then looking at Rao La who approach the slime also did the same thing, her attack pierce the core in a one swift motion.
Raine’s heart shudder by the look of it if these two are at his level it would be a doubt they would be on par or more stronger than him.
‘eewww Raine this thing is slimy~’ said Rao La with her face showing grossness at the slime liquid covering her right hand. After half an hour of repetitive killing of these innocent slimes. Both of them were dead tired with sweats covering their whole body. the wet clothes stick to their skin revealing those underneath.
Rao la dressed in a sleeveless blue blouse accentuate by her black pencil skirt. It exude an appearance of a professional working class women but still withhold the elegance of a feminity. With her hair up to middle of her torso, the sweat was dampening the jet black mixed brunette hair leaving her to look a bit ruffled. Her face was oval in shape with her dark color eyes heighten her oriental beauty.
She was a friendly type of person with sometimes trying to joke with those around her, a carefree type of person who knows what her goals are. In class she was one of the two who always doze in class, but still she cant beat the laze king!
Now the sleepiness that she always felt have gone and replace by the determination of getting strong.
Ling Er on the other hand was already leaning on the wall, with sweats already pouring down all over her body. her casual round purple round t shirt was already soak and sticking through her body revealing the curves that was hidden. Although her visual appearance in term of facial features isnt as on par as Rao La, she makes up it with her bombacious body.
Ling er usually wore tight fitting cloth usually her long skinny tight pants. That was enough to attract the looks of onlooker of her rear end. Once Raine chat with her and she told about how she exercise at a gym and mainly around squats. That was enough to convince Raine that squat revolve the whole world!
While her body truly was amazing but at the moment, Raine’s eyes wasn’t glue at her body but rather they way she moves it. her movement was agile and nimble, and her aim was dead on center. Both of their accuracy was high the addition of her nimble movement caught Raine’s eye. this plus of hers had allowed her to kill half more than Rao La.
This was the reason of her already leaning on the wall.
“these two are exceptional!” exclaim Raine, with these two presence he wont have to worry about the others when he decide to leave them.
‘Rao La, Ling Er here eat this’ said Raine as he fling a few snacks at them to replenish their energy. Both of them who were already tired can only much off the snacks and leave for Raine to stare at them. With how things are progressing, Raine was sure they wouldn’t be a problem if he leave them.
‘guys I would be leaving for a bit, but don’t stop. Start training when you are not tired, and if you are feeling down just look at your status mirror then you would be motivate.’ Raine left a few instructions before he leave. Both of them look worried as Raine went out but looking around this room fill with jello their heart lightens.
‘seems like its going well then, in the meanwhile lets break some bone a bit’ said Raine with his body start stretching. A few pop and there rang out as he stretches.
Going out to the open corridor of the ground floor. an idea just pop into his head as he remember something, at the end of the corridor lies a room fill with computers as it was known as the IT laboratory. There maybe some of use if he can access the internet through it, at least he can now the current events happening if he manage to access it.
With a few obstacles on the way, his slaughter was easy and quick. Without the presence of the boars, the difficulty level was tune down a bit. Entering the IT lab, he was on his guard. The atmosphere was eerie with the lights of the hall flickering. The glass wall separating the hall and the room was clear as the sky allowing for Raine to see inside.
The airconditioner was still working but temperature was lower than he expected. It was cold as the winter comes, with his breath visible as each time he exhales. In this flickering light what he saw in the room was no doubt broke his intention of accessing the internet. As the one inside was a tall humanoid looking creature reaching up to 2.5 meters in height. Its skin was tarry black in color and its face was showing none of any normal human features.
Only the mad glowing eyes radiates the whole room. like a surge of power undulating in the whole room causing Raine to shiver in fear. His travel was cut short but his presence wasn’t big enough for the humanoid to even notice he was here. Raine was just like an ant in front of this humanoid. Raine knows and the humanoid knows that they are in each other presence but the disparity in strength between them led the one to be ignore and another to stay frozen in its space.
Raine step backward bit by bit, not wanting to even take the chance of erupting this humanoid rage. But his step stops as he notice something was happening. Around the humanoid monster, small orbs of yellowish glow was hovering and spinning around it. the number of orbs was multiplying at a steady rate until the room was glowing just by the high numbers of this orbs.
Then the unthinkable happen, the humanoid who has no mouth suddenly let out a deafening voice that could shatter eardrum of those who came near it. a hole appear on its face just at site of any normal human mouth is.
Like a vacuum, the countless orbs around it was suck into the hole. The speed of its sucking was unimaginable fast and as the numbers dwindling so does the glow of the room but one was glowing brightly and radiating as the humanoid kept sucking it out, its eyes turns bright yellow as though like it was radiating much more brighter than before.
With all the orbs gone, the gaping hole on the face was closed. Then a gush of force swept through the whole room, causing the light to flicker much more rapidly. Even Raine was affected like a force pushing him down to the floor making him incapable to stands under this invisible might.
Then half an hour past and the force pushing him lifted and vanish as it was never there to begin with. Raine look at the humanoid, but it was still maintain it silence and frozen in its place. The force and undulating energy that swept this room from before has decrease by a lot after the sudden event just now.
The humanoid bright yellow eyes take a slow glance at Raine making Raine to sweats bullet and he even felt of peeing but withstand it as he knows whatever happen he don’t want to humiliate himself. It was only a few seconds, but Raine felt like time prolong up to years being watch by those deathly yellow eyes.
Then it close, the eyes that glance at him close and the overall force and energy around the room disappear. The lights stop flickering and the temperature start to raise from the winter cold. Coming back to its usual normal state. Raine who experience this felt one thing, this humanoid was an abomination. Luckily his life was unharmed as he was nothing to this humanoid.
Its force itself manage to effect the surrounding causing him to fear this humanoid. The humanoid which stand there silently was like a sleeping catastrophe. With its eyes closed, Raine presume it to be either sleeping or hibernating. One thing for sure, it was wise to avoid getting in here.
He decided to return but as his step took him outside, his face should be expressing a rather frighten and nervous looking expression but contrary to that he was rather smiling. Smiling from ear to ear but in his mind he was shouting out of pure ecstasy.
This experience was not for naught as he received something, he received an enlightenment!
“those orbs resembles monster cubes!!”