A few days had passed since Damian left the hospital, and life had settled into an uneasy calm. Astrid remained curious about the system and his newfound abilities, but Damian kept her at arm’s length, not wanting to drag her further into his dangerous world. His parents, on the other hand, were still anxious. The news continued to focus on the chaos in the larger cities, but in smaller towns, the attacks seemed to have stopped for the most part. The creatures that had wreaked havoc remained contained within the urban large cities , leaving a fragile sense of peace for those in the countryside.

On this particular morning, Damian woke up before sunrise, lacing up his running shoes for a jog around the neighborhood.

After everything he’d been through, he was determined to regain some semblance of a routine. Running had always been his way to clear his mind, and now, with his enhanced body, it was exhilarating.

Since awakening his new abilities, his body had undergone dramatic changes. He’d grown to a solid six feet tall, and his once-average build had transformed into something out of a fantasy novel—a chiseled body honed like a superhero.

Every time he caught his reflection in the mirror, he couldn’t help but smile.

When Damian returned home, sweaty but in a bright mood , he went straight to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Pancakes were his favorite, and Damian figured it was a good way to start the day. As the smell of syrup and butter filled the air, he joined his father in the living room, where the news was running the daily coverage on what had been going on the past two weeks.

“This is Ericka McGuire with Channel Four News,” the reporter announced. “Today, we have breaking footage from Dallas. Our drones have captured what can only be described as… a lizard man wielding a spear. Take a look.”

The screen displayed shaky drone footage of reptilian creatures marching through the streets.

“In the past few days, drones had captured glimpses of what’s left in the invaded cities,” Ericka continued. “The death toll remains staggering, and while the creatures haven’t spread beyond their zones, the loss of life has devastated countless families.”

Damian’s dad shook his head, muttering, “Where did these things even come from?”

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“I don’t know, Dad,” Damian replied, sitting on the couch beside him. “But there isn’t much we can do except be ready for anything.”

His dad turned to him, frowning. “Listen, I know you’re feeling like you can do anything now, but this isn’t your fight. Leave it to the government, the military—anyone but you. I don’t need you getting caught up in something bigger than you can handle.”

Damian sighed, crossing his arms. “Dad, I’m not sitting on the sidelines. If I don’t get stronger, worse things could happen. My gut is telling me this is the right thing to do.”

“Your gut, huh?” His dad grumbled but finally relented. “Fine. But don’t come crying to me when things go south.”

“Want some pancakes?” Damian asked, deflecting the tension.

“Three,” his dad replied gruffly, though a faint smirk tugged at his lips.

After breakfast, Damian drove to Rodger’s shop, where he’d been spending most of his days. In the past week, he’d thrown himself into blacksmithing, learning to craft weapons and armor. His first few attempts had been laughably crude, but with practice—and plenty of guidance from Roger—he was finally making progress.

He now owned two decent swords, one with an attack rating of 15 and the other at 17. They weren’t rare by any means, but they were reliable. The system graded them as “Normal,” but they were far better than the scrap he’d started with. Rodger had also crafted a basic leather armor set and bracers for him. Though Damian hadn’t made them himself, the system still recognized them as useful gear, offering modest protection.

His blacksmithing skills had leveled up five times in the process, but it had come at a steep cost. The resources he’d burned through were no joke, and his funds were running low.

Still, there was more to learn, and Damian was determined. His next goal was to gather more mana stones, which he needed to strengthen his abilities.

Over the past few days, Damian had been watching live streams online. A leaked clip of someone casting a fireball in the middle of an evacuation had gone viral, sparking a wave of theories about how to awaken abilities. Most people agreed that intense stress—life-or-death situations—was the key.

Damian’s own experiences seemed to confirm this. He hadn’t learned his Blue lightning spell through training; it had happened after eating a skill stone. But awakening powers without the mana stones seemed like a dangerous gamble, often leaving people dead from what he could tell.

He’d also seen a few streams about people witnessing more creatures by a refinery near Irvin, about two hours away, where numerous creatures had been spotted. It was risky, but if he wanted to level up and find more mana stones, it was his best lead.

By late afternoon, Damian had packed his gear, camping supplies, and plenty of rations. He’d borrowed his uncle’s truck, giving a vague excuse about visiting a friend. Most roads near Irvin were closed off, but he was confident he could find a way through.

As he pulled out of the driveway, he glanced back at the house. His family didn’t understand the scale of what was happening—but Damian knew that if he didn’t act, the rest of the world would and he be left behind.