"..."
It took a while, but Zac was finally able to calm down and accept his fate.
"..."
[Passive Skills:
Basic Info: Once an intelligent life form intentionally, voluntarily, knowingly, willfully, and genuinely comes in contact with your bodily fluids, their Affection level towards you will increase. The effects will vary depending on the type of bodily fluid and where it touches > More skills will be unlocked once you reach a certain level.] There were still two skills that haven't shown themselves — Hidden Skills. And as their name suggests, they were skills that he wouldn't be able to use until he performed the requirement to unlock them. In this case, the requirement was fairly obvious — gain Affection. How he was going to do that right now, he had no idea. Intentionally, voluntarily, knowingly, willfully, and genuinely? This… means what it means, right? Did the goddess give this power to him because he was able to satisfy her? But that was completely by accident, he didn't even know what he was doing. He specifically told her that he wasn't going to be a degenerate, and then she went and gave him a System like this… …that goddess, really is playing with him. "..." Zac could really only sigh at his fate. It was already here, the only thing left for him to do was fully accept it… and the fact that he was naked. He seemed to have lost his robes and any of his decency along the way inside the Curtain. Although he didn't really mind running around naked, other people do. And so, Zac made his way to the nearest shopping center. He had already scouted the area while preparing for the arrival of the Curtains — he had the entire vicinity mapped in his brain so he would know where to go if he needs anything. But now that he was inside the mall, he found himself surrounded… by absolutely nothing. "...Why isn't there anything here?" Everything has been emptied out, even the clothes were all gone — not even a bath towel was left. Some of the shops were even caved in, hinting at signs of battle. It… shouldn't be like this. Zac doesn't remember much about his past, but he was sure that there should at least be some items left inside the mall. He was sure… because he was one of the people hiding here at the start of the apocalypse. They hid here for months; it was slowly coming back to him now… even with the System, he hid with the others like a coward. And by the time he decided to act… people were already dead — a monster was able to get inside because someone forgot to roll down the doors. "..." Zac let out a small sigh as the memories of the tragedy started surfacing in his mind; but after a few seconds, he shook his head and started to check further. Where… were all the people? Did him changing what should have happened altered everything that much? He became the first to close a Curtain. He gave his mother the [Tome of Mage] that was supposed to be his. And then he entered a Gold Curtain to meet a god. …Were those enough to change things drastically? Did… they get wiped out because… Adam Lee did not get the first clear? "..." This is a problem. He couldn't continue walking without any clothes — he also couldn't buy anything from the [Shop] because he consumed all of his zenny back in the Gold Curtain. Should he just— Zac's eyes then slightly squinted as he glanced to the side; and with a small but deep breath, he suddenly kneeled to the ground. "..." He then looked up, only to see a shadow brushing above him; carrying a set of eyes that might as well be marbles made of blood. And before this four-legged shadow could completely pass over him, he grabbed it by the ankle on its left hind leg… and then struck its knee with his fist. A sharp yelp whistled in the air as the beast's knee completely shattered — and with its momentum continuing, its leg completely twisted in a way that it shouldn't as it landed on the ground. "...A Black Wolf?" Zac squinted his eyes as he looked at this… feral-looking beast– A wolf whose fur seemed to have been badly shaven, revealing its dark hide, "...Identify." And as soon as Zac uttered those words, a translucent window popped up in front of him. [???] And it showed nothing — something that only happens if one were to "Why… is something like this here?" The apocalypse just started — and if anything, the nearby area should have been considered as a Beginner's zone; there shouldn't be any strong monsters here yet. And very soon, a conclusion was slowly forming in his mind… and he wasn't liking it. "..." Zac decided not to think about it for now, as he suddenly leaped into the air like a cat. And as soon as he did so, another shadow passed — this time, beneath him. He already knew there was going to be another one. Black Wolves always hunt in pairs. "..." Zac then gripped the stone in his hand – something he grabbed on the ground before jumping in the air. And with a slight squint of his eye, he threw the stone… not on the wolf, but on the ground. One would think he missed, but no. The stone bounced and hit the wolf right on its throat; the wolf violently rolled on the ground because of this, but then swiftly recovered as it ran straight to its partner. "..." The two wolves did not really attack, and just stared as Zac landed back on the ground. "..." Zac returned the wolves' glares, and then very slowly… a small smile grew on his face; his red eyes almost seemed as if it was glowing. He just solved his zenny problem, he thought as his smile grew even wider. And as soon as the two wolves saw this, they whimpered and slightly backed away. They knew that what was in front of them was prey — but at the same time, it felt like there was a huge shadow growing behind him… about to swallow them at any moment. The two wolves then glanced at each other… before turning around and running away. "...Damn it," Zac could only sigh as he immediately chased the two — but even injured, Zac couldn't keep up with them. "Pull all my remaining Status Points to Dexterity." And as he said that, Zac was able to dash toward the two wolves. But alas… the gap between him and the beasts did not diminish, with him just barely catching up. And soon, he lost the two as they turned to a hallway. "..." Zac could really only groan as he tried to hasten his steps even faster. Even as a Mage in his previous life, Zac was as fast as a 600cc sportbike — and that was without any buffs. But now, he could barely even chase cannon fodders. Zac didn't really let it bother him too much as he picked up a pole that was resting on the wall just a few steps before he would turn into the hallway. And as soon as he reached the corner, he leaped and raised his hand, but before he could throw the pole… he saw a group of people… …surrounding the two wolves that were now lifelessly sprawled on the ground. "..." "This should be the last of them." "It should be safe for the civvies to walk here again, let's go to the next area." "...Identify," Zac then whispered as the group was busy talking to themselves. [Name: Unknown, Lv. ??] [Name: Unknown, Lv. ??] And once again, Zac couldn't get any information about the individuals in front of him. There were four of them and judging by what they were wearing and their weapons… they should be at the Lv. 30s. To reach Lv. 30 in the first month of the arrival of the Curtains — Zac was once again having a bad feeling. And then, finally, someone noticed Zac casually standing on the edge of the hallway… completely naked. "W… what the fuck!?" It was a woman, who completely covered her eyes with her hands — but it was obvious that she was peering in between her fingers. Zac wasn't surprised… the goddess seemed to have 'upgraded' his little brother. "You!" As for the others, they all raised their weapons and pointed them at Zac. "Who are you!?" "The hell, why is a Lv. 4 here alone… and naked!?" "State your name!" The one that seemed to be the leader of the group, stepped forward as he pointed his spear toward Zac. "...I'm going to place my weapon on the ground, okay?" Zac then looked the group leader in the eyes while he slowly crouched to the ground, "I'm placing it now, okay? You children should relax, no one needs to get hurt today," he then said as he gently placed the sharp pole he was holding on the floor. He then raised both his hands in the air, before slowly standing up. "Who are you!?" "Calm down, kid," Zac sighed as the group leader stepped forward, "My name is Zac Baker. I… live about a mile away from here." "Check if he is in any of the systems," the group leader looked at one of his men, who quickly grabbed a phone and started fidgeting with it. "..." "..." "There… is a Zac Baker," the man then said as he looked at Zac, "But… it should be him. This is a missing person's report from 20 years ago." "That's… the first year the Curtains appeared." And as soon as Zac heard their words, he immediately let out a short and deep breath as he lowered his hands. He didn't want it to be true… …but it would seem he spent 20 years inside the Gold Curtain. "...Fuck." _________ [Zac Baker, Level 4 | Class: Eros Strength: 15 Vitality: 27 Stamina: 20 Dexterity: 31 Mana: 5 Remaining Status Points: 0]