So…

Everything is gone?

Vince lay in a corner as he tried to rest, but those words repeated like a broken tape, torturing him with each passing moment.

After the revelation of Vince’s death, Vic left him to his thoughts and turned to the rock blocking the entrance. Drowners climbed the cliff and tried to force themself into the blocked caves where survivors take shelter.

Every now and then, screams echoed in the night, fights began through the cliff, and tremors of battles drew near.

It was just a concern of time before Drowners found their cave.

But it didn’t matter anymore, at least for Vince.

Everything was gone. His family and friends were no more. His life was no more.

“We need to hold on until the sun rises. After that, Drowners will enter the passive state and let us rush to the Sanctuary. At least, that is what I hoped for,” Vic murmured and looked at his left arm before sighing, “Six hours to go.”

The silence descended to the cave again. Vic looked at Vince's lying figure in the corner and frowned.

Vic slowly walked and stood before Vince before saying. “Hey, kiddo. We need to talk. About how you are going to preserve yourself in what comes next. If you want me to take you.”

A murmur was the reply.

Vic’s frown deepened as he asked, “What did you say?”

Vince murmured again, “Everything is gone.”

Vic lifted an eyebrow and wanted to clarify, “What is gone?”

“My friends. Mom. Dad. Even that bitch twin is gone. They are dead.” Vic murmured with a dead voice.

Something clicked in Vic’s mind as he rubbed his face with frustration. He silently said to himself, “That is why I don’t like to say Extincts about the truth. They are damn ignorant.”

*Bam!*

Vic kicked Vince’s ass and crashed him to the wall. Vince winced with pain as his nose throbbed with pain. He felt fresh blood starting to leak.

After the shock passed, Vince angrily turned to the Vic as he held his bleeding nose and started to yell, “What is wrong with—”

But greeted by Vic's dead serious expression.

“Good. You came to yourself,” Vic nodded his head slowly and continued, “I don’t know what happened before you're dead or give a damn about it, but there is a way.”

Irritated, Vince asked, “Way for what?”

Blood dripped between his fingers. It damn hurt.

Vic, dead serious, stated. “To know the whereabouts of your beloved.”

Vince was taken aback before retorting ridiculously, “But they are dead!”

Vic ridiculed, “As you were. But you are here standing before me.”

Then something thundered in Vince’s mind. He suddenly stood up, and his mind felt dizzy, but it didn’t take him away from asking.

“You are saying they are like me? Resurrected by System?”

Vic shuddered and wrapped his arm around his chest, “Probably. But still alive? I don’t know. But there is a way to know that.”

A flame of hope flickered in Vince’s heart as he asked the question, “How?”

Seeing life returned to Vince, Vic dropped his seriousness and smiled wickedly, “For that, you need to reach the Sanctuary, but I don’t know if I want to take you with me after you're sulking. I don’t need liability.”

His eyes shone as he looked at Vince.

Vince’s stomach dropped as he heard the man.

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He opened his mouth to say that he could give him his lifespan, Vic raised his hand.

“I have two conditions. You will listen to my orders no matter what, as it should be. And, state to certain people that I am your caretaker, I have never abandoned you, and I am the only reason you are alive. You will understand when to say that when the time comes.”

Vince looked into Vic’s eyes and slowly nodded, “I accept.”

Vic, satisfied by the answer, turned to the entrance where the sounds of fights and screams were coming. Fights were getting intensified.

He then turned back to Vince and said, “Let’s talk about what you should do with the lifespan you looted from Sophia. Open up your status window and tell me your stats. All of it without leaving a detail.”

Name: Vincent D’Raan

Age: 5 hours

Rank: Extinct

Citizenship Tier: T1 [+] (1 Years)

Remaining Lifespan: 1 year 4 months 22 days

Talent: Dormant [+] (6 months)

Path: [None.] (Seek a Monolith of Power.)

Skill(s):

* Dormant (Select a Path to Unlock Skills.)

Basic Attributes:

* Strength: 10 [+] (1 Days)

* Agility : 33 [+] (3 Days)

* Endurance: 10 [+] (1 Days)

* Vitality: 8 [+] (12 hours)

Special Attributes:

* None.

Vince said his stats as Vic listened and nodded along the way while looking at the entrance.

After Vince was done, he asked, “What should I do? Flat every [Attributes] at 50?”

Vic glanced at Vince and scoffed, “No. That would be stupid. What is the use of having 50 points in all [Basic Attributes] when can’t use it? You have no experience in fighting, not to talk about in this situtation where one bite means certain death. Only useful [Attributes] in this situation will be the one that allows you to keep running faster and longer, but that will not be enough when cornered.”

He turned back to the entrance and continued, “Your only chance to actual survival is a useful [Talent] and [Special Attributes] coming with it. We will distribute your lifespan after we see them.”

Vince digested the answer and nodded, “So, I am awakening my [Talent].”

Vic confirmed, “Do it.”

Vince took a deep breath and focused on the plus sign next to [Talent]. Then, a notification popped up.

[Do you wish to spend your 6 months of life span in order to awaken your Talent? Y/N]

Vince confirmed and immediately felt the dormant lifespan in his body become dynamic. His lifespan started to boil and slowly changed. It no longer felt lively and energetic but wild, aggressive, and uncontrollable, like a living cancer. The changed lifespan turned toward his cells and assaulted every one of them, changing something fundamental. Vince grunted in pain as his whole body washed, changed, and became something different.

After the process came to an end, Vince was sweating on the ground, taking short pained breaths. He read the notifications as he tried to collect his breath.

Congratulations, Extinct Vincent! You have successfully awakened Supreme Talent, [Invoker of the Sigils]!

Invoker of the Sigils

* Rank: Supreme

* Features: [What is underneath], [Language that is forbidden], [Shape the Reality]

* Sigils: (Rosh)[Sigil of the Power], (Fâhn)[Sigil of the Freedom]

* Current Invoked Sigil(s)[0/1]: [None.]

* Current Invokable Skill: [None.]

[What is underneath: Your mind and senses evolved to perceive the mysteries hidden behind the curtain. This feature will be further enchanted by increased [Intelligence].]

[Language that is forbidden: Understand and speak the forbidden language. This feature will be further enchanted by increased [Intelligence].]

[Shape the reality: Call upon the [Sigils] that you perceived and use them to shape the reality! This feature will be further enchanted by increased [Will].]

[Because of [What is underneath] and [Language that is forbidden] you unlocked Special Attribute, [Intelligence].]

[Because of [Shape the reality] you unlocked Special Attribute, [Will].]

Vince felt the world changed, and everything became more potent. The shadow he cast became darker and more ominous, and the flame on the ground became more bright as it felt warmer. The air in the cave suddenly became damper and colder as the taste of dust strangely appeared on Vince’s tongue. Sounds of fights and screams became more ethereal and magnificent, like some kind of grant orchestra.

Vince felt the whole world was more… close? He couldn’t put the words as the feeling was something he never experienced.

“Kiddo? Are you alright?” Vic softly asked with a frowned expression.

But to Vince it was more like someone screamed to his ears.

Vince held his ears in pain and whispered, “Can you not make a sound or move? I… Something about my body changed.”

Vic frowned but was compelled into silence. After a couple of long minutes, Vince was good enough not to wince at any sudden change, he said.

“I think I am good now. I hope.”

Vic turned to Vince and asked in curiosity, “What did you get?”

Vic whispered the notifications while his own voice felt weird to him. Was this his voice really? It was deeper than he remembered. After he was done, Vic was frowning while muttering himself, but thanks to his new senses Vince heard it like he was next to him.

“Supreme Rank? I thought Transcendent was the last rank.”

Vince didn’t comment as Vic continued, “Alright, kiddo. Let's try to crack down your [Talent] before Drowners start knocking.”