"Nadia?"
Aa yes, my name. Nadia. I forgot this wasn't my original body.
"Yes, it's me." I still haven't let go of his wrist and I still sat with all my weight on his chest. "Say senpai, if I let go of your wrist could you not try and bash my head?" I tilted my head and leaned on his face. "Or if you want we can stay on this position I don't mind." I teasingly ran the knife on his jawline. "Kinky, I like it."
Though his face didn't heat up, I saw his ears turn bright red. "Get off. I won't try anything."
"I wasn't hoping you will." rolling my eyes I snapped my knife to my harness, and I stood up. He groans, and noticed that he's not thin as I thought, I originally thought he was one of those vain flower boys who's pale and thin enough to be mistaken as a child, but he was surprisingly lean.
Walking, I looked around the room and found hoards of canned food littered around.
"Lucky bitch..." I couldn't help but mutter. While I was a few houses away dying of hunger, this motherfucker had a whole pantry laying around.
"What are you doing here? How did you survive?" He stood up and avoided my eyes. Why is he avoiding my eyes? Well anyways. Technicaly I didn't survive but eh.
"I got up and looked around." I answered, it didn't sound like an excuse. No it sound liked pure blabber. But if you say something stupid with this much confidence it might as well be true.
I looked around and looked for the pipe. After finding it plastered with posters, I walked to it. The guy didn't stop me but instead looked at the knives that was strapped on my thighs. I started to rip the posters and started to scratch the paint.
"Hey what are you-" he was about to stop me when I threw the crumpled poster at his face cutting him off.
Before he could open his mouth again. I started to punch the metal safe. Within a punch the safe had become unhinged, I noticed that the Mana fist had eaten about 10 MP I reckon was because of the level up from 0 to 1. I quickly looked and saw that inside was somewhat similar to what I had previously looted. Except...
"Is that a gun?!" Nyxhal shouted petrified.
"Yes it's a gun." I sized the metalic sheen and noted that it looked clean enough to be safe. "Technically it's a Baretta 9mm parabellum." I unclipped the clip and looked at the bullets "9mm 124 grain FMJ, and there's only one clip." I puckered my lips before tossing it to the person beside me. "Here you can have it."
"Are you crazy?! Don't just toss it casually, what if it blows up!" Says the person who was panicking after catching the gun. "Also how do you know these's stuff?!"
"Relax Nyx, it not a bomb." I rolled my eyes at the guy, his face was scrunched. I didn't answer his question. What would I say? That I'm actually not the real Nadia and I came from a parallel universe?
"If I were you, I'd store the gun away by now." I looked through the canned foods and as expected they were expired. From the corner of my eye I could see him get a bag and putting it inside. "No you idiot, use this." I tossed the gun holder to him. He caught it before looking at me weirdly.
I saw two heating bags inside, but it was one of those things that you have to boil first in a water. I pocketed those. I didn't see some first aid kit, nor did I see a water bottle.
I Sighed before looking back at Nyxhal who was giving me side glances. "What?" I irritably crossed my arms, and faced him.
"How-"
"I looked around." I cut him off before he could asked how I survived. "Do I really look like I'd be easy to kill?" Seeing that he stayed silent I continued to look at him. Well, yeah I probably looked easy to kill, but I doubt that he would retort that.
" That blue thing.... What is that?" He stared at my fist referring to the Mana. I pursed my lips, not knowing how to answer.
"Have you heard the radio?" I plopped down on his bed. "The world's geographical features has changed. It seemed like the world is constantly expanding. Breaking the countries into mere islands." I closed my eyes. "And that was the experts managed to say from the cam satellite before all towers were destroyed."
I saw him lean on the wall. "And those creatures outside?" He muttered.
"If I recall, those came from the tombs, dungeons and the likes that was birthed after the geographical change. Inside are ferocious beast and monsters... Atleast that is what we are seeing around here. And I'm guessing, those beast have powers."
"Powers?" His face changed into surprise, before it dropped down again after knowing the severity of the situation.
"Yeah, it's seems like we have them as well. That is why could display the strength I just mustered up." I scratched my head at my own explanation. "Have you seen those games? Those fighting games where you get items and farm monsters and such? Yeah our powers are like that, probably, I just figured out mine not too long ago, so I'm not really sure. Though I think it differs from person to person. But.." I met his eyes.
"But... We can use those mysterious power too." He finished for me.
"Yeah something like that..."
I looked at him, but the look on his eyes suddenly changed. He stood up in front of me, who was sitting on his bed. "What?" Instead of answering he leaned his face near mine. I instantly leaned back in surprise. But he kept on leaning in my face. It came to the point where I'm laying on his bed and his elbows where cornering my face, and his legs were between mine. And still his face was dangerously close.
"Get off, what do you think your doing?" I calmly whispered, and my tone was cold.
"Checking." His breath fanned my my face. His voice was alluringly husky.
A sudden memory played on my mind.
A petit girl clutched a letter on her hands, her face was bright red. She shyly handed the letter to the guy who had an aloof disposition, leaning on the wall. 'I like you!' she said. The guy took the letter before handing it back to the girl. 'im not interested.' and it ended there.
The guy who in my memories was charming in the eyes of the old Nadia. In her eyes the guy was handsome, it was why she daringly confessed.
And although the guy's face was in front of me, still charming, still alluring. The 'me' now couldn't bring myself to see him in the light that the previous Luna had.
"You really don't like me anymore?" Nyxhal's face was tilted on the side, curiously, and gently he brushed his lips against mine— bitch sike! Before his lips touched mine I had already kneed his little brother down there.
His face collapsed beside mine, his hands was clutched between his legs. My hands formed into fist and his abdomen received the full burnt of my newly acquired 10 point STR. A groan was heard beside my ears.
"No, no I totally like you still." I made sure the blandness of my voice reached him. "This is just my way of expressing my love to you." I punched him again. He groaned louder before laying beside me curling.
"Brute." He gasped out.
"Pervert." I bit back at him. "Do you need to check more?" I ran my fingers on his spine, his curling figure suddenly snapped straight at my touch. "Your way of checking is really unique Nyx." I called out his nickname. "You've probably done it plenty before huh?" My fingers ran back up his spine. I could feel him shiver, as though it feels good.
"You idiot." My voice snapped coldly " we are in a apocalypse and the first thing you check is whether I still like you or not? What the fuck." His body quickly faced me when my tone changed, his hand loosely protect the area between his legs and his abdomen. I eyed him in disgust. "Get your mind out of the gutter."
"But I like your sheets though, May I take them?" I teasingly climbed on top of him, he laid stupefied on his bed.
Just to set it straight, I may not like him. But he's way too easy to tease. He's cute I'll give him that.
"Ye,yeah" he slowly nodded.
But there is no way I'll let him do things without my consent.
"Good." I yanked his comforter, and lo and behold he landed on the floor his face bright red. "I'll also take some of these," I grabbed plenty of canned food and stuffed them on my bagpack. I rolled the navy comforter and strapped it on my backpack.
"Hey!" Nyxhal stood up, his face was confused but he didn't stop me from taking the canned food nor did he try to do anything else.
"What?" I was now strapped with the necessary things I needed and I didn't plan on staying here.
"Can I come with?" He seemed hesitant to actually speak his mind.
"Why?" I watch him open and close his mouth like a gaping fish. "If your thinking about protecting me, don't bother. I don't think I need your protection." His mouth closed after I hit a bullseye.
"Of course not!" He hurriedly denied. "I'm just interested on how you got your powers.. you know? I'm interested in those.."
"You want to have those as well?" I looked at him up and down, sizing him up. "Then pack up."
"Yes!" He excitedly grabbed two backpacks from underneath his bed and seemed follow my style. He got his comforter some canned food and some clothes.
'system is it possible to see if he can aquire powers like I said? Honestly I didn't think it through when I said that humans can have powers too.' I asked briefly in my head.
⟨⟨S C A N N I N G ..... It is possible for him to aquire powers.⟩⟩
'how exactly?' I waited for a few moments before the system window floated before my eyes.
⟨⟨ᛏᛟ ᚨᚲᚢᛁᚱᛖ ᚦᛖ ᛈᛟᚹᛖᚱᛊ, ᚺᚢᛗᚨᚾᛁᛏᛃ ᛗᚢᛊᛏ ᚠᛁᚱᛊᛏ ᛈᛖᚱᛁᛊᛃ. ᛏᛟ ᚨᚲᚢᛁᚱᛖ ᛁᛏ ᛟᚾᛖ ᛗᚢᛊᛏ ᚠᛁᚱᛊᛏ ᚲᛁᛚᛚ, ᛟᚾᛖ ᛗᚢᛊᛏ ᚠᛁᚱᛊᛏ ᚲᛟᚾᛊᚢᛗᛖ.
-excerpt 1⟩⟩
I looked at the words and a cuss came out of my mouth. Nyx looked up to his bag and found out I was looking at a blank space.
'hey hey hey, I can't read that. Give me something that I can actually understand'
⟨⟨Level too low...⟩⟩
'fucks sake'
"I'm done" Nyx had a backpack mounted on his back. The cans in the room was cleared out the extra futon was gone, and the gun hung on his hips. "What now? I want to also have some kind of power."
"Power your ass," I rolled my eyes at the eager guy in front of me. "I only have one skill at the moment and I don't think I can do much about those pack of wolves outside." I flexed my wrist at Nyx.
"I think I'm going to level up the skill before I'm going out and actually dealing with them. For now, I think I'm going to go to the basements of our neighborhood." I pointed at Nyx "And you, stay here."
"Why do I get to stay here? I want to go outside. Also how would you know that the basement in our neighborhood didn't cave in?" He leaned on the wall putting down his bag.
"You didn't know? Before these houses were built these were bunkers for the military. Which was taken oven by the government and then handed out and sold." I patted the knives on my thighs. "See these? And that gun? These I think were hidden emergency equipment before they were bolted down."
Nyx pursed his lips. "If we find some survivors what would you do?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"Yes," I turned and looked a Nyx. "Listen, just because I'm said you can come it doesn't mean I would be responsible if anything happens to you. You asked me if you can come and I let you come, if they would ask me if they could come I would not mind but I would do nothing to help them if they ask. They are responsible for themselves just like you are responsible for yourself."
I patted my chest, "I'm responsible for myself, and myself only. I do not have much power to help even if I want too, so instead of helping with risks that I myself couldn't bear. I'd rather do nothing." I raised a brow. "You get me?"
He nodded, "But don't you think that's just a little too harsh? In times where humanity is perishing shouldn't we band ourselves and help each other? We would have a chance to defeat those monsters outside. We could survive" He frowned and asked.
"That's on you, if you really want to play hero then go ahead I would not stop you. But even if you want to seek out the people that survived, how would you take care of them? How would you protect them? Do you have powers? Are you strong enough? Do you have enough resources to give to them to survive?" I sat on the carpeted floor looking at Nyx. "Think about that sometimes. If you have powers take your responsibilities, if you think you have responsibilities, then get powers."
"Your really going to do nothing? Are you just going to watch them die?"
"The world isn't fair, it's a give and take cycle. If they have the abilities then they can survive, and if they don't....." I stayed silent after that. Taking responsibility, protecting, Nyx may have some guilt not helping. But unless I want to survive, rather than relying on someone. I'd rather rely on myself.
"Alright the ground has stopped shaking I'm heading out." I stood up from the carpeted floor.
"I'm going with you...." The guy reached his hand out and mounted his backpack and grabbed his baseball bat.
I didn't reply but instead I headed out to the entrance of the basement. Opening the door I hastily went behind a fallen log. There were numerous fallen debris, which was a rather nice thing to have while sneaking around.
⟨⟨ Congratulations! You have earned the skill «Stealth» ⟩⟩
'what does this do?'
⟨⟨«Stealth» Lv:0-
Increases the chances of the enemy not finding the position. Can not work If the enemy has a high Lv. Higher Lv, may earn better results. ⟩⟩
I didn't expect the system to be that direct. So with this I can basically hide from the enemies? Then what about the Mana fist?
⟨⟨«Mana Fist» Lv:1-
When punching, the strength is increased to do damage. Strength may vary to how much MP it can consume.⟩⟩
Aa, straight forward as I thought, I walked around the debris with a much more comfortable state. I do not know if it was because of the new skill but my body moved as if it was alright to be this comfortable. Soon enough even Nyx could not follow me as I slither past him.
I looked around the surroundings, and noticed that there were no signs of the wolf pack that I had just encountered. But instead there were sounds that felt like water was moving. It wasn't a 'splashy' sound it was more like a 'glob glob' sound. And repeatedly so, it was moving in a quite fast.
"Are those slimes?!" There were many colorful blobs of water roaming around. If I would have described it, those video games that I have played a while back— the slimes that those games have, would be the exact replica of the real ones.
"Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue— so many colors and so many different sizes." with me stopping, Nyx was by my side in a matter of seconds. He gaped in awe, and he looked at the foreign creatures.
I smacked my lips, and fiddled with my knives. If the same logic applies, then these slimes would only die if I break those cores that moves along with the mass body of moving water.
After looking for a while I spotted a red slime jumping away from the herd. It accupied a pretty desolate area. I quickly made my way to the red slime.
⟨⟨«Stealth» Lv: 0 → Lv: 1⟩⟩
The stealth skill leveled up as I made myself an enemy by attack head on with my knife. The thing wobbled for a bit before dodging my attack with ease. My second hand quickly followed through the slimes movements, and sliced a portion of the mass body of water.
And as I expected it didn't harm it one but as that piece of thing dropped on the ground and disappeared.
'how to kill this shit-' I couldn't help but think as I dodge the incoming slime.
⟨⟨It can only be killed by an awakened. Normal weapons can't damage the 'slime'⟩⟩
Surprisingly the system had answered my rhetoric question. By awakened means people with power, then normal people can't kill these things. "Shit my knives can't do shit to- THIS SHIT???" my nose scrunched up in annoyance. I snapped the knives back into my harness and readied my hands.
The Mana surged towards my fist coating it with blue mist. The moment the slime had tried to ram itself into my body, my Mana covered fist had sinked itself I to the slime's body and connected into the core.
The slime had burst into liquid the moment it's core cracked.
⟨⟨MP: 90/100⟩⟩
⟨⟨Earned 1 coin⟩⟩
⟨⟨Earned 5 EXP, for killing a 'slime'⟩⟩
⟨⟨System's store has opened⟩⟩
After I had killed the slime, I quickly retreated into where Nyx was hiding. On his hands was the gun, I waved to him to put it down. He puts it down after I told him so. After all that, did I then place my attention to the notifications that popped up. I quickly opened my status.
⟨⟨ Name: Diyana Susas Tuban--» Nadia Romanov
Race : Human
»Lvl: 0
Exp: 25/50
HP›› 100 / 100
MP›› 100 / 100
» STR: 10
» END: 10
» SPE: 10
» AGI: 10
» ACC: 6
» CHA: 6
:: SHOP:::
Coins: 1
Skills:
«Mana Fist» Lv: 1 «Stealth» Lv: 1
Status points: 0 ⟩⟩
Nothing much had changed but the skills, shop, and coins was added. I asked the system to open the shop, and as I thought it displayed game like characteristics. Weapons, armors, items— all of those were sold in the system's shop.
"Oh my go- these things are expensive!" I skimmed through the lists, and the only thing that I can manage to attempt to buy was about 20 coins weapons. Those were wooden and was made of poor quality. I closed the shop and smacked my lips again.
"So how did you kill that slime?" Nyx finally asked.
"Apparently it can only be killed by an awakened," I briefly told him what my understanding of an awakened was. "Normal weapons can't harm those creatures. Only those with powers can.... Meaning that gun would be useless for the time being."
The guy looked crestfallen for a second, before nodding. "It's like those games..." Nyx had muttered to himself. Then he held his hand up and aimed for the nearest slime behind the large debris they were currently hiding on. The gun I his hand gave a backlash for every bullet he fired. As the bullets missed for every shots Nyx fired, one did manage to hit the core. A loud bang could be heard as the slime flew back, but nonetheless the slime didn't die.
"Stupid , did I tell you that normal weapons would not work on those monsters?? Why wouldn't you just listen." I berated Nyx, but he didn't reply and only nodded sadly.
"Now you just wasted a whole ammo, that would've been useful you know." I quickly stood up the moment the slime that Nyx had shot came back and attacked. And just like the first one I killed the moment it's body tried to ram itself to me I readied my fist and hit the core of the slime.
⟨⟨Earned 1 coin⟩⟩
⟨⟨Earned 5 EXP, for killing a 'slime'⟩⟩
⟨⟨«Mana fist» Lv:1→Lv:2 ⟩⟩
The body of the slime had dissolved like a water being evaporated. On it's place was a shiny rock, if I stare at it for long enough I might say that it was a shiny gem. It's color was the same color of the slime that I just killed, red.
I pocketed it.
⟨⟨You have obtained a core, would you like to convert it into a status point?⟩⟩
"A core?" I looked at the thing on my hand, and looked up to see Nyx staring at it too. I puckered my lips before tossing it to Nyx, who caught it in a hurry.
"Hey why are you givin-" He didn't finish was he was saying before he suddenly became quiet. The core on his hand had long gone dissapeared the moment he hand touched it. "I suddenly feel a lot stronger." He opened his mouth suddenly muttering in surprise.
I observed his every action finding out what changed around him.
⟨⟨ Congratulations! You have earn the skill «Apraisal» Lv:0 ⟩⟩
I quietly tried the skill on him.
⟨⟨Nyxhal Tyr Zephyr Lv: 0 [MAX LV: 20]⟩⟩
"It's because you finally bacame an awakened." I rolled my eyes at him.
"Wait really?!" Chuckling in surprise he held my hand and shook it. I slowly nodded and yanked my hand back.
"Yes." I pursed my lips, "but your only level 0, you have level up to get stronger."
"How do you know I'm level 0?" He asked quietly as he trailed behind me.
"It's a skill I learned, you can say it's one of my abilities." I approached a group of slimes. And with the same strategy, I had killed all three. Two of which dropped cores.
"Convert." I whispered and the cores dissapeared and became a status point.
"Why did you give it to me anyways?" He suddenly appeared behind me.
"Because I wanted to see if it was alright for it to be converted. Who knows, maybe when the moment it would touch an Unawakened that person would die."
"Hey! does that mean you used me??"
"Yes, if you really would die I would tell those Unawakened to not touch it. Your death would've saved countless lives." I rolled my eyes.
"I can legit feel your sarcasm rolling in waves." Nyx waved his arm and rolled back his eyes at me.
"Why? Didn't you want to be a hero?" Laughing I punched another slime. And it dropped a core.
"Yeah but not like, you know. Dying?" He laughed as he saw the crystal on my hand dissapeared.
⟨⟨You have leveled up! Lv:0→ Lv:1
Please choose of the following:
•Fire arrows
•meditation
•50 coins ⟩⟩
I unhurriedly chose the first one with just a thought. The names were pretty much explanatory, so of course I chose something that I currently needed; offensive power.
⟨⟨ Congratulations! You have earned the skill «Fire arrows» Lv: 0⟩⟩
I didn't have to know how the spell works, by the time the notification had closed I can feel the new surge of mana and the natural instinct that came with my new abilities.
⟨⟨ Name: Diyana Susas Tuban--»Nadia Romanov
Race : Human
»Lvl: 1
Exp: 0/100
HP›› 150 / 150
MP›› 150 / 150
» STR: 10
» END: 10
» SPE: 10
» AGI: 10
» ACC: 6
» CHA: 6
:: SHOP:::
Coins: 6
Skills:
«Mana Fist» Lv: 2 «Stealth» Lv: 1 «Apraisal» Lv:0 «Fire arrows» Lv: 0
Status points: 4 ⟩⟩
I opened my status, and dumped all my status points to accurancy making it jump from 6 to 10. I can feel Nyx staring at me and the slime that is getting closer. My MP jumped making me feel like I haven't used any MP with my skills yet.
Raising my hand, the Mana in me lets out a humm before a ball of fire appeared and turned into a flaming arrow. The slime as if sensing danger tried to hop away before ultimately the flaming arrow closed the distance and hits it dead center on it's core.
⟨⟨Earned 1 coin⟩⟩
⟨⟨Earned 5 EXP, for killing a 'slime'⟩⟩