This chapter took quite some time to write so I hope you enjoy it. I also had to keep on revising some parts of the chapter which further delayed its upload. This chapter is about 6000 words long. I’m going to split this chapter into 2 so just a heads up. I might have actually had too much inspiration when writing this chapter that's why it took even longer. Sometimes you just can't stop or you'll lose what you thought. Anyway thanks for reading.
Chapter 3.1 – A chance
(Hayden)
*DING* A sound appear in my head as I see this giant blue screen appearing in my face as I open my eyes.
AnnouncementThis is a system announcement, life forms in this planet, designated name Earth would experience tremendous pain for a period of time soon. This will allow lifeforms on Earth to be able to adapt to the changes being made to this universe. Due to the destruction of most of your planet’s technologies, the system deems that all life forms on earth would receive a portion of the translated knowledge found on the internet. Please also take care of your lives as creatures and lifeforms not found in your world currently will start to emerge. This is your warning.
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You have been assigned the growth perk.Growth PerkThis perk allows the user a growth of 2 times a normal individual detected in the system
I was overwhelmed with this knowledge, I mean I woke up in an unfamiliar place and suddenly have this floating holographic blue screen in front of my face. Is this real? I wonder if everyone is getting this same message, I’m guessing there’s different perks too. I try not to move in case it’ll disappear or something like that.
My eyes glance around the room first trying hard to look, it’s still dark but at least I vaguely make out shapes in the room. I think what knocked me out was shelves or something that fell from the wall of the cellar. I better concentrate on the blue screen first before deciding what to do.
The growth perk actually seems very attractive to me, I mean doesn’t that mean I just have to work hard to become twice as strong as someone? Or smarter?
I’m actually scared to touch the holographic screen, or move for that matter as I’m afraid it’ll vanish before I’m done reading. Hmm, I can’t see any hidden meaning or clues anywhere in these messages. I mean I know for a fact now that this message talks about how monsters would appear. This is really a disturbing news, I pray that this message is lying. What do they mean by not found currently too? Does the system mean aliens? Monster aliens or like monsters that used to exist maybe from legends, dragons? I mean we don’t know for sure that they didn’t exist? Also dinosaurs’ maybe? Then there’s also this thing about receiving a portion of translated knowledge, I think this is talking about the perks? Maybe. What about the pain damnit I really don’t like pain. This all feels so surreal.
I wonder what would happen if I touch it.
*WEUP* It disappeared like I thought, luckily I thoroughly remembered everything on the screens.
*DING*
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Status WindowName:HaydenAlignment:NeutralLevel:0Class:-Race:HumanGender:MaleTitles--Health:150 / 150Health Regen:0.015 / SecMana:120 / 120Mana Regen:0.15 / SecStamina:150 / 150Stamina Regen:0.015 / Sec-Strenght:11Agility:18Vitality:15Intelligence:12Wisdom:15Leadership:5Luck:15-Physical Resistances--Elemental ResistancesFire:-Water:-Wind:-Earth:-Light:-Darkness:-Unused stat points-
This all feels so surreal, like a game. I mean monsters, stats, perks? What are they gonna say something like you can become strong enough to be god? This…. This is madness… I still can’t believe I survived the meteor. I mean I know for certain that this is not a dream considering my clothes are still damp from all that running, also including the fact that I can currently feel the aching in my legs.
“What the hell?” what is this shit? I mean physical? elemental resistance? Would there be monsters with those elements? Damnit my head hurts so badly with all this new info to take in.
“ARGH!! FUCK!! WHY!!” I started crying, I know it’s not manly but seriously I just saw countless of people died and I just can’t help myself. I wonder what happen to the others, are they…..dead? What about my parents? My family? I know I need to be optimistic but I can’t help but be worried.
I take a deep breath and calm myself, obviously crying isn’t going to help but at least it will keep my emotion in check for now. I check my stats carefully this time and saw that nearly all my stats are above 10, usually in games a person starts with 10 in all stats. I think I may be above average in a few stats. That’s good news, it means it increases my chances of survival now. I have to test the limits and range of what this stats cause later.
The system said something about monsters appearing. So I look around and my eyes had just fully adjusted to the darkness of the cellar. I can’t tell how long I’ve passed out, I don’t even know if it’s night or day. I guess I’ll know when I leave the cellar. Before that, I need to get a weapon.
First I try to find something like a switch, I mean cellars usually have lights right? I hope.
I found something that could be a switch but the power seems to be out. Must be that darn meteor. Sigh
I glance around, with my eyes widen in hopes of it helping me see better in the dark, trying to search for something that can be used as a weapon. Whoever had own the place seemed like they were using this cellar for both as a wine cellar and a storage, I see lots of equipment and junk in here.
“Shit!” I actually forgot I had my phone with me the whole time, I can use the flashlight! Maybe get a signal and call my parents. Fuck its low on battery and there’s no signal. I’ll worry about that later, I have to find a weapon first since I don’t know if monsters are out there now.
So, I went around the room and brought a few things back with me to the floor where I laid a moment ago. A hammer, a baseball bat, a saw, a shear, and a machete is all I found. I’m actually surprised that this cellar had this much equipment. Must be my luck playing a role huh?
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Trying to decide a weapon now is hard, I mean I thought I would only be able to find 1 or 2 objects that could be used as a weapon but this is plentiful. I mean a hammer would probably be good for damaging but so is a baseball bat, and the baseball bat had a greater range. I’m actually not even going to take the saw and the shear but if I did some handywork and them they might actually turn out to be good weapons? Lastly for the machete, I think this has to be one of the best weapons I can use now but it’s rusty. How bad I don’t know and my phone flashlight is sort of weak in here. Damn its gonna run out of battery soon so I turn it off.
*Ding*
“FUCK!!! Holy shit that scared me” as I saw that blue screen appear in front of my face all of a sudden.
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AnnouncementChanges would be apply now. This is your only warning
Shit the pains going to come, I hurriedly sat on the ground in a lotus position while trying to meditate in hopes that it help lessen the pain that is to come.
*BIZZZZ* I felt waves of wind surrounded my body as a sharp pain runs all over me.
“ARGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!” This pain is so mortifying. I feel my bones breaking, my body creaking, I feel like insects are running under my skin, moving my organs and tissue about. In conclusion, I feel terrible .
“FUCK!!!!!!” I don’t even understand how I’m still conscious. I want to pass out so much right now!
“LET!!! ME!!!! PASS!!! OUT!!!!!!!! FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!”
It felt like my blood was boiling and turning to magma, my ear drums felt as if it was constantly popping, my eyes their so itchy and burning 100 times more worse than when shampoo enters your eyes. I felt like I was being stabbed in the heart like once every second. It was a pulsating kind of pain. Torture….pure torture. This pain continued on for what felt like hours to me.
The previous situation seem nothing when compared to this pain. FUCK.
*DING*
And the pains gone
“ha…..ha……..ha………” I’m out of breath, gasping for air. OHH That ding sound it brings joys to my ears and also suffering if you considered the pain wrenching moment which happen a while ago.
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AnnouncementSurvivors changes to the body has been made, stats previously seen are now in effect. Good luck survivors.
Holy shit what an experience, no wonder I felt the stats was weird. I mean for the strength stat, I know I shouldn’t be above average strength. I go to the gym and see guys my age lifting twice as much as I can. Maybe for my size I’m above average but for the entirely of humanity? No way. I actually feel much stronger now, faster. My vision feels clearer, my sense of smell, hearing all seems better. Maybe it’s just my mind playing tricks on me. I mean I just came out of a hell like experience.
*DING*
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You are one of the few survivors that managed to stay awake throughout the entire process of the change. You will be rewarded an upgrade in your perk and a bonus stat pointsGrowth perk has been upgraded to 3 times the growth of a normal individual detected in the system
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5 bonus stat points awardedGrowth perk detectedTotal bonus stat points awarded 15
“holy shit” what a cheat perk, I’m actually hoping I’ll be overpowered. Haha this perk, I love it. But this makes me wonder would the system consider this overpowered? Or do we survivors really need this much help. I mean obviously I’m not the only one in the world to get a huge benefit from this right?
That’s when my eyes started glancing around the cellar which was when I noticed that I can actually nearly see in the dark. It’s still a little hard but definitely better than with my phone. Was that due to the change? Or is it due to my slightly superior vitality? Holy shit! That machete is full of rust…. I don’t know how much that would affect the weapon but I think it should still suffice as a good weapon for now.
*GROWL*
In case, you’re wondering what that sound is, that’s my stomach. I’ve been so caught up with everything that I basically forgotten my basic needs. I’m still thirsty from all that running and now I got hunger to deal with. I wonder if there’s anything I can drink in here…….annnnnd there’s nothing, I mean there’s wine but I don’t think that would be a wise choice right now.
There’s also this red flashing I keep seeing right now on the side.
*DING*
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You are suffering from hunger and thirst. Stamina will not regen.
DAMN that’s not good, I have to find food and water fast. Also does the system count this as 2 separate ailments? What would happen after hunger and thirst? Would there be a max stamina decrease or like a constant decrease in stamina? I hope I would never have to find out.
Gotta go out and find some food I guess. Now I think I time, I chose which weapon to bring along.
Hmmm, I think I’m more inclined to bringing more than one weapon along 2 the least. It’s just the problem is that I need to carry them and having too much weapons with me would be detrimental. I could probably take the baseball bat and the machete.
I’m not exactly worried I can’t carry them since I found both of them next to a duffel bag that I can use.
I should probably consider using this cellar as a hideout solely because I think this is a good spot. It’s sort of hidden. I mean when I was looking for a place to take cover from up there, I only noticed this cellar because the metal handle of the cellar had reflected light into my eyes at that moment. The cellar door is inconspicuous because it was painted brown which was about the same colour of the ground. It will suffice for now.
Okay time to move out.
I climbed out of the cellar and all I see is destruction, mass destruction for that matter. My surroundings look like something out of a post-apocalyptic game/movie/tvseries.
“Damn, this is just sick...” I see bodies here and there, there’s this guy who’s body has been split into 2 across the road, there’s bodies crushed under houses. Isn't this the moment where a protagonist in movies/animes or something like that would feel their stomach rumbling and soon vomit their guts out?
For me however…… I feel nothing. Just disgust but that’s it….. I’m not sure if it had anything to do with the change or am I always this heartless? I mean to understand my train of thought, you have to know that I’ve known people who were close to me, that died and I felt nothing…… No tears, no depressed state just maybe slight emptiness…. Maybe you would be wondering why I’m having this thought since I was just in tears a moment ago. I actually think the reason why I cried was because I was just terrified, terrified of being alone. Alone in this world. With monsters?
I ignore that thought and check my surroundings for houses that still look stable and possibly won’t crush me by suddenly crumbling. I also noticed that everything is so quiet. There’s no birds, insect, anything. It’s sort of like a ghost town. This is weird but I should hurry get the food and water and just return to the cellar.
The first house I chose was a nice looking yellow painted double story bang-low. This house is in pretty good condition still and it’s just across the road from the cellar. I don’t know if the owners of this place is still alive so I knocked the door out of respect, possibly etiquette, and all I got was silence. I guess either the owner’s left or their dead. So I ransacked the place and empty it of everything, food, water bottles, and clothes. My bag got so full I don’t think I can fit anything in it anymore. I also check if the water was still working and filled a couple of empty bottles I found.
Okay now that I have everything packed, I can’t wait any longer .I quickly proceed to have a light meal too relieve my hunger and thirst. Raw eggs, ham and good old milk, yummy.
Anyway the first floor of the house was just like every other usual house, guest room, living room, sitting room, kitchen, laundry. The second floor was where all the bedrooms and toilets were. I might as well use the toilet and the shower quickly cause I think I won’t have a chance when the water runs out. I don’t want to waste too much water so I did a quick one and while I was still naked and dripping wet I heard something.
I shut the water and focus my hearing more. I hear something rustling in the hallway outside.
Fuck.