With the katana still firm in my hand, splattered with the dried blood of the monster I had just killed, I moved through the store with slow steps. The heat of battle still pulsed beneath my skin, but I knew I had to keep moving.
I looked around, evaluating the available options more carefully this time.
Swords… I didn't need another one. The one I held had already proven its worth. But… a single blade wouldn't be enough.
That's when I saw it, at the very back of the store, leaning between two toppled boxes, a spear. Its shaft was made of dark wood, sturdy, reinforced with worn leather strips. The metal tip, though simple, still held a sharp gleam. I picked it up with my other hand, testing its weight. Slightly unbalanced, but nothing a bit of practice couldn't fix.
"This'll help keep enemies at a distance…"
Right next to it, there was a rack with some handheld crossbows. For a second, I almost gave in to temptation. It was a comfortable weapon, familiar. I had used one years ago when my aunt taught me how to shoot during a summer camp.
But a closer look made me back off.
No bolts. Or rather, there were a few, but not enough. Taking a crossbow meant also carrying a stockpile of bolts, and I barely had enough room to carry my own body, let alone an arsenal. Backpack space was limited, and right now, mobility was more important than firepower.
"It'd just be dead weight…" I said, stepping away.
After finishing organizing everything, I took a deep breath. The spear was now strapped to my back with an improvised leather strap, firm enough not to interfere with my movements. The backpack, lighter than I would've liked, held the essentials, just enough to keep me alive a bit longer.
With the katana still in hand, I walked toward the store's other exit. The automatic door had jammed after the power outage, so I pushed it open with my shoulder, the metallic creak echoing like an unsettling whisper in the silence outside.
As soon as I stepped onto the sidewalk, I looked up, and that's when I noticed it.
The sky, once covered by dense gray clouds, was now darkening. The pale blue of late afternoon dissolved into a deep purple, as if the world itself were sinking into darkness.
"It's getting late…"
I tightened my grip on the katana and took a step forward. I needed to get home as quickly as possible.
As I walked in the direction of my house, a thought suddenly popped into my mind.
"Alter… is there any way for me to learn how to wield these weapons more precisely?"
During the fight with that creature, one truth had become painfully clear: I had survived by instinct. My movements were impulsive, almost feral, a primitive reaction driven by adrenaline, not skill. If I had faced something faster… or smarter… I'd be dead.
["Hmm… I can't say for sure..."]
Alter's voice sounded more thoughtful than usual.
["Maybe… once you reach level 15 and unlock your Class… something might change. There might be a way to learn combat techniques, like martial arts or swordsmanship… I don't know exactly how… I just know that I know."]
"I see…"
I murmured, letting the words escape along with a tired sigh.
As I walked through the shadow-drenched streets, my mind wouldn't stop racing. I already knew that reaching level 15 would unlock a Class, something that would better align with my path, my combat style. A true specialization. But until then… I was on my own.
"So that's it..." I whispered to myself.
"I have to figure it out by myself."
Even with Alter by my side, the truth was that my body was still inexperienced, and time wouldn't wait for me to learn at my own pace. Every step outside could be my last, and if I wanted to survive until I unlocked my true potential… I'd have to push myself. Make fewer mistakes. Learn faster. Observe, repeat, adapt.
Thud.
A dry sound echoed through the empty street, yanking me from my thoughts. The metallic clatter reverberated like a warning. Instinctively, I turned in the direction of the noise, my eyes straining against the darkness.
"Night Vision."
Instantly, my vision shifted. Instantly, my vision shifted. A bluish-gray glow filled my field of view revealing details once hidden. Shadows gained shape, objects became clear, the world, now seen through another lens, revealed its hidden dangers.
That's when I saw it.
A creature crouched beside a parked car, using its claws to try and pry open the door as if something were inside. Its posture was aggressive, and its eyes glowed an intense red, reflecting the dark aura around it. A low growl rumbled from its throat, deep and full of fury.
It was similar to the creature I had killed in the store. As I thought that, a translucent screen appeared before me with a soft beep, projecting the creature's information:
[
Level: 1
Name: Canis Abissum
Strength (STR): 7
Stamina (STA): 5
Intelligence (INT): 1
Charisma (CHA): 1
Mana: 2
Skills:
(Night Vision — D)
(Savage Bite — E)
]
It was a bit stronger than the last one. My interest peaked when I realized it was trying to force the car door open.
"It can see in the dark too…" I murmured.
I gripped the katana tighter, feeling the rough leather against my fingers. The adrenaline surged through me again, but this time, it was different. It wasn't fear. It was focus.
I had faced a creature like this before. I knew what to expect. But now… I wanted to test what I had learned.
My feet moved slowly, silently. Each step was calculated. My breathing—controlled.
This was my moment. I couldn't waste it.
Sneaking behind the cars, I crawled carefully, keeping my body low and eyes locked on the creature. When I was close enough, I lunged with all the speed I could muster—the katana raised above my head.
SHNK!
A clean slash.
The blade cut through the air and decapitated the creature in a single blow.
Blood splattered like a crimson wave, staining the asphalt and splashing against my arm. The headless body dropped with a dull thud.
And then, the familiar purple screen appeared before my eyes:
[
{Attention!}
Would the host like to Extract a Skill or Collect Experience?
]
Without thinking, I answered instinctively:
"Collect Experience."
The creature's body began to dissolve, breaking into thousands of blue particles that hovered in the air for a moment before being pulled into my chest, like dust sucked into a vacuum.
A warm, comforting sensation filled me. It was like sinking into a hot bath after spending a whole day in the rain and cold.
My body trembled slightly, not from pain, but from pure physical pleasure. As if something inside me had been energized, reinforced.
Another notification appeared:
[ +1 Level ]
[ +5 Attribute Points ]
A faint smile formed on my lips.
With light steps, I walked over to the car that had nearly been torn apart—the metal frame bent, the windows shattered, covered in deep claw marks.
I approached cautiously, grabbed the twisted handle, and with a metallic creak, pulled the door open.
And inside… I found nothing. Absolutely nothing.
"What a dumb creature…"
"Makes sense its Intelligence stat is that low…"
Sighing in disappointment, I turned away and resumed my path home.
The silence of the city was still absolute, but it wouldn't last. Along the way, I encountered more creatures of the same species, Canis Abissum.
But now, with my adrenaline in check and my confidence solidified, each battle became more precise.
With accurate movements and clean strikes, I took down five more of those creatures without much trouble.
Unfortunately, the first two enemies were level 1, too weak for my Extraction ability. I gained nothing from them. The next three were level 3, slightly stronger, with firmer blows and a bit more resilience, but still within reach.
As they fell, I felt their essence being pulled into me, like sparks feeding a hidden flame. My core pulsed, glowing a vivid red, and a wave of heat surged through my body. Then, the notification appeared before my eyes:
[Ding!]
[ +1 Level ]
[ +5 Attribute Points ]
As I approached home, I began to reflect.
After killing the fifth creature, I leveled up again… and I noticed something important: to go from level 1 to 2, it only took killing a single level 1 creature. But to go from level 2 to 3, I had to defeat three level 3 enemies.
That made it clear, progression wasn't linear. With each level, the amount of experience needed increased. Hunting weak creatures might help early on, but soon it would become a waste of time and energy. If I wanted to truly evolve, I'd need to find stronger targets.
Click.
I unlocked the door and stepped inside.
I organized the few supplies I managed to recover and went straight to the bathroom. A refreshing shower was exactly what I needed. The water ran down my shoulders, and as steam rose around me, I started to reflect on everything that had happened.
I needed to level up.
As fast as possible.
Before my eyes, the familiar translucent screen appeared. The purple letters pulsed softly.
[
Level: 3
Name: Noah Maxwell
Race: Arkhon
Age: 19
Titles: The First
Fragments: 1/6
Strength (STR): 10
Stamina (STA): 10
Intelligence (INT): 10
Charisma (CHA): 10
Mana: 25
Luck: 100
Attribute Points: 10
Skill(s):
(Extraction — EX), (Appraisal — EX)
]
A new option was glowing faintly just below the list:
[Attribute Points]
"Attribute Points…" I whispered to myself.
This was where the magic of evolution happened. Before that floating screen, so simple at first glance, lay the true power of the Awakened. It wasn't just an interface, it was a key. A gateway that separated the weak from the strong, the living from the dead.
This was what set us apart.
It wasn't enough to just survive. To endure in this new corrupted world, I needed to adapt, evolve, and become something more.
It was with these attribute points that limits were shattered. Superhuman speed, strength capable of breaking concrete, senses beyond any predator, that's how the Awakened defied natural laws.
That's how they reached levels that once seemed impossible.
And now… I was about to become someone far more dangerous.