Outside of a particular building, two people were sitting side by side inside a car. Their eyes were focused at the entrance of the building waiting for someone to come out.

“I’m still not okay with what you did to Mateo,” said Hakeem as his glance didn’t leave the building entrance.

“Get over it,” said Jason.

Then there was silence. Then someone came out of the building and it wasn’t only one person. A group of men dressed in a thug like attire stepped outside with swords in their grasps.

Hakeem tapped Jason’s shoulder as Jason scanned the entire group of people with his ‘Scan’ ability. His eyes narrowed as he was a bit surprised over what he had found.

There’s a few Awakened among them albeit their levels are too low, but that guy.

Jason maintained his sight at a particular person and judging by his action as well as demeanor, it was none other than Antonio.

Level eight, not bad at all. I wonder how he reached that level.

This group of people went inside their own vehicles as they left the parking lot.

“Where the hell is Mateo? They’ve already left,” said Hakeem.

Then Mateo popped out from the entrance door as he ran to the car. He got inside with huffing for his breath.

“So how did it go?” Jason asked.

“Terrible, they paid below the intended price,” said Mateo.

“I see,” said Jason.

Hakeem slammed at the steering wheel a few times catching both Mateo's and Jason’s attentions.

“Are we going? We’re going to lose them,” said Hakeem.

Jason waved his hand and Hakeem pushed down the throttle. In a matter of a few seconds, the car was down on the main road.

“I see them,” said Mateo as he pointed to the front.

“Don’t lose them, Hakeem,” said Jason.

“Got it,” said Hakeem.

The trio chased down these cars tailing them from behind like in a police pursuit. Before long they reached the secluded part of Portland. Not many cars nor street lamps, only a place abandoned during the night.

“Keep your distance, we don’t want them to notice us,” said Jason.

“Should I turn off the headlights?” Hakeem asked.

Jason nodded and the front went black. Mateo was looking around left and right hoping for no sudden cars. The multitude of cars drove by Antonio and his gang stopped by the street as they came out armed with swords.

“Stop,” said Jason.

The car stopped.

“Turn off the engine,” said Jason.

Hakeem did as instructed. Jason unwound the window and heard Antonio and his gang shouting to the top of their lungs pumping themselves up for what was about to come.

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“I don’t think this is a gang fight,” said Hakeem as he saw none of the so-called rival gang. Even Mateo was confused by this.

“Then it might be the thing we hope for,” said Jason. He got out first leaving the two behind.

Hakeem was about to step outside but Mateo held Hakeem's shoulder back.

“Wait, what did he mean by that?” Mateo asked.

“Monsters,” Hakeem said. He got out of the car leaving Mateo speechless by himself. Mateo took a few seconds before snapping back into reality. He got out of the car and joined with the two who were already walking a few steps ahead.

Mateo managed to catch up with the two as he heard their conversation.

“I see more cars over there,” said Hakeem.

Jason looked around and saw the same thing, those cars weren’t the same one as Antonio’s gang.

It might be those rival gangs, but shouldn’t they at least start fighting by now? Why am I not hearing anything?

“Wait a second,” said Jason.

Hakeem and Mateo stopped dead on their tracks as they stared at Jason.

“I think it’s better to equip ourselves first,” said Jason.

“You don’t want to look around first?” Hakeem asked.

“I don’t mind about it but what about you two,” said Jason.

“Bro, I’m at level sixteen, I think I can handle whatever inside,” said Hakeem.

“Oh, starting to get cocky huh,” Jason said with a smirk.

“Although I’m far from reaching your current state, but I guess I’m not that bad,” said Hakeem.

While these two were exchanging banters, Mateo was still worried about this whole excursion. He thought that these two would at least be nervous and wary but contrary to his expectation, they were kinda lax in a way, devoid of any fear.

“This dude needs it more than we do,” said Jason.

The trio went back to the car as Jason opened up the trunk. Jason handed out swords to Mateo and Hakeem.

“I’m good, the wooden mallet you gave me is pretty sweet and besides I’ve got Basic Blunt weapon mastery, so I’m gonna stick with the mallet,” said Hakeem.

Mateo grabbed the sword without hesitation and he could felt the heaviness in his grasp. Despite that, he could hold it in his hand pretty well. All those hammerings he did in the smithy really did wonders to his strength.

“Then you’re probably going to need this,” said Jason. He grabbed something big and handed it out to Hakeem.

Hakeem grabbed it in his hand. It was a round steel shield and the only one made by Jason. He made it to complement Hakeem’s tanker build and he also felt bad since Hakeem lost his previous shield back in the days.

Steel Shield

Category : Shield

Grade : Normal

A normal steel shield made by a budding blacksmith.Good for defending albeit it was quite heavy. Only those who are strong enough shall wield it. Can be used for offensive purposes.

Defense: +17(+2)

“You made this?” Hakeem asked.

“Of course, who else would do it for you,” said Jason.

Hakeem felt touched as he stared at the shining round shield. The metal material of the shield was quite contradicting to the wooden blunt weapon that he held. Definitely didn’t look good in picture but useful in application.

“Here,” Jason took another few of these out, and this time both Mateo and Hakeem couldn’t help but be surprised.

“Where did you get this?” Hakeem asked.

“I made it of course,” said Jason nonchalantly.

Hakeem stared at the pair of leather arm braces. This friend of his had really surprised him time after time again. Not only was he good at smithing but also good in leatherworking.

Leather Arm Bracers

Category : Armor

Grade : Inferior

A poorly made arm bracers from an amateur tailor. Despite its shortcomings, it still can be used for defensive purposes. Useful in a sense.

Defense : +3(+1)

“Wear it, in case you can’t defend yourself you might as well let any of those monsters bite the bracers,” said Jason.

He wasn’t proud of his creation but nonetheless it was better than nothing. From a logical standpoint, anything is useful as long it protects the wearer from harm.

Jason closed the trunk as he wielded the rare-grade steel sword in his hand. It had been a while since he last used a sword and the feeling was never better. It made him nostalgic as he remembered the time he used a horn of a monster as a sword. It almost felt like yesterday. Yesterday that he wished he would forget.

“Let’s go,” said Jason.

The trio moved together and as they reached the front of the abandoned factory, they heard screams coming from the inside.

“Ahhhh!”

Mateo froze in place hearing that scream. Soon, a whole other commotion started to broke inside.

“Don’t rush, let’s keep it quiet,” said Jason.

Hakeem and Mateo nodded. The trio went inside the abandoned factory with Jason taking the lead. It was pitch black as there was no light shining inside. Jason could see perfectly clear with the aid of his Night Vision.

“I can’t see a thing,” said Hakeem.

“Relax, just follow my voice,” said Jason.

Jason led the two behind him as he whispered silently. They went further inside and before they knew it they reached an open door. The trio went inside a vast space of the factory, with a few rusted machinery left untouched.

Jason could see everything but the two behind them were nervous as hell as they couldn’t see a thing. The commotion they heard outside was even louder in this vast open space. They could vaguely discern what these people were screaming about and as they took a sharp corner, the trio saw multiple flashes of lights in front of them.

There was a group of people over there with numerous sources of lights flashing in different directions. Their screams were even louder and Jason could hear one particular voice shouting.

“Fucking fight them back!” it was Antonio.

Jason could saw it clearly that only a few responded to Antonio’s call. Yet most were already running and scrambling on the floor.

“What’s going on there?” Hakeem asked.

But as soon as he said it, a sudden flash of light appeared a few feet in front of them. The three of them didn’t notice it as the huge machinery blocking their view and along with the light came a shrill voice.

“No, no, no! Stay away!” a plea of a helpless man. The flashlight he held dropped on the floor. The flashlight rolled on the floor and coincidentally flashed in the direction of the helpless man.

The three of them saw the helpless man lying on the floor backing away from something in a frantic manner. Hakeem was about to help but then something pounced over the helpless man and mounted right on top of him.

They saw what it was with the aid of that flashlight but Jason could see it clear as day.

“No!!!!” the last word of the helpless man rang in the factory as the thing on top of it took a bite right at his neck.

Blood splattered as a chunk of that man’s neck was being chewed by this humanoid with blood dripping over the corner of its lip. A nasty snarl rang from this humanoid as it continued to devour the helpless man who kept jerking on the floor inching away towards death.

All three of them witnessed it, a gruesome sight. Mateo already puked on the floor while Hakeem couldn’t believe his eyes.

“The fuck is that?” Hakeem asked and to that question, Jason responded.

“Zombies.”