"Haa... Haa... Haaa..."
A skinny man was running from zombies that were chasing him from behind. The car that his team was driving was overturned by a Level 5 zombie.
With his quick wit, he ran away from the car that was starting to be surrounded by zombies.
They were going back from a big haul in collecting new supplies but he'd rather give it up than his life, though the others seemed to think otherwise. There were a lot of powerful ability users in their team but they were still not powerful enough to hunt the level 5 zombie.
The man ran away with all his strength towards the building which was far away from the car.
But before he could enter the building, the skinny man was stopped by a rotting hand. The zombie dragged him away from the building that he thought his only salvation.
The others didn't even last long. It was only a few minutes.
"Rooooar!"
The skinny man felt his insides were being crushed by the grip of the level 5 zombie. The team he was before thought that the level 5 zombie that they encountered was a strength type but it was actually a dual ability zombie.
If it was only a dual ability type zombie, they might have stood a chance against it. But, reality was cruel. It was a fire variant type zombie. The ability of variant type ability users were greater than the normal ones. Not only their physical aspect greater than the normal ones, the ability of the variant superpowers have at least one or more function.
The distance that the skinny man ran away with all his life was easily crossed by the variant zombie. The skinny man knew that he would die. The skinny man gathered all his power and tried to kill the zombie variant.
At least he tried. The ability of the skinny man only wet the zombie which angered it. The zombie variant raised the man and bit him slowly, like relishing his favorite snack. Every bite, the skinny man felt an intense pain, he'd rather die quickly than slowly. The skinny man burned the zombie's face in his heart.
If he could have another chance... he wanted to be strong! That was the last thing he wished for before he accepted his fate...
...
...
The man should've died... yet he could hear something on his left side.
[Hey, owner~ Congratulations on your successful rebirth~]
The skinny man opened his eyes, what met him was a floating pink fairy with white dress. With every flutter of the fairy's four wings, dust-like lights were produced as an after effect of the fluttering wings, it looked magical and mesmerizing.
The skinny man looked at his surroundings, what greeted him was a wooden house that felt unfamiliar with only simple furniture and some clothes that littered the floor.
The skinny man turned his eyes again on the fairy, throwing an inquisitive look, waiting for an answer.
[Eh~ Why was I given to a stupid owner~ Hiik I want to go home~]
The fairy acted cute and fake cried while still fluttering her wings moving from left and right of the skinny man.
The skinny man stretched his hand and caught the fairy.
[O-Ouch! You monster!]
"Who are you and what are you?"
The voice of the skinny man was low like he just woke up. The skinny man didn't seem affected by it. Although he felt weird and strange, he threw it in the back of his mind. The skinny man's first goal was to find out the truth about the fairy floating around him and his 'successful rebirth'.
[Eh! Let go of me first!!]
The skinny man let go of the fairy and looked at it pointedly. The fairy could only continue to introduce herself.
[I am called Vinnie and I am your helper that will help you survive the apocalypse.]
"What can you do for me?"
[Your world calls us System.. do you understand now?]
"You are a system? Aren't you a fairy?"
[I am a fairy and a system at the same time, Owner~ This is the most ideal look for us. Our creator wanted to help those people that prayed before they died~ With his ability the future is endless. But, if you die again, you will truly die.]
"So, I didn't die before?"
[Yes~ my creator saved you and turned back time.]
"So, what can you do for me? Will you give me items and cheat ability? Will I receive quests like in the anime and novels?"
[No~ all I could do was give you advice for your better chance of survival~]
"Aren't you useless then? If I come back in time, then I also know what will happen."
[Heh~ Naive! Although you came back in time, your body was no more, and you are given a new identity~]
"Why not my own body?"
[Well, let's just say that everything has an equivalent exchange. It was forbidden to know the truth. As long as you don't know the truth, you can continue to live, but in a different body, of course~ Also, you can't tell anyone about your real identity nor the system.]
"I see. So, it's like a confidentiality agreement. And even if I wanted to know the truth, knowing it will only harm me. Then will you help me awaken?"
[Of course~ through me, I can predict the best way for your survival including the ability you will get in the future.]
"Then, will I have the strongest ability?"
[Of course! Who do you think my creator is?]
"Good! Then help me awaken now."
[Eh... according to the data...]
The Fairy, Vinnie, pulled a book out of thin air. The book was too small for the skinny man to read.
"What is that book?"
[This book is your life, starting the moment you woke up~ Depending on your different choices the story will unfold~ And I can peek into the future~]
"Eh? Aren't you truly useless then?!"
[Owner, trust me! Ah! Before I forgot. You should familiarize yourself with your new body and identity~ You only have 3 days left before the apocalypse arrives~]
"Fuck! How do I do that?!"
[That.. I couldn't help~ hihihihi!]
"Useless system!"
The skinny man went first towards the bathroom to look at his appearance.
When he arrived, he saw a young man, maybe in his early twenties, looking straight at himself. The young man has medium length black hair, almond shaped brown eyes, pointed nose, small pink lips, and especially a healthy body. The young man wasn't skinny like his real body before he was given a second chance.
Over all, the young man was too good looking for his health. In the apocalypse, the sexuality of the survivors didn't matter anymore. Weakling with a good face and body will cling to the strong people with abilities. In his past life, the man wasn't strong nor handsome.
In fact, he looked below average and with his skinny body, it only made him unwanted despite the low numbers of survivors in their base. The man also didn't want to be anyone especially with men.
Though the man was weak, he was still useful. The man's ability was water. Due to infection, water ability users were both wanted and protected by strong teams because of the fresh water they could produce out of thin air.
Yet, the man didn't want to be a water ability user anymore. Though it was useful in living, it was weak against zombies. The man never even killed a single zombie using his water ability. It was useful and useless at the same time.
The reason why he wanted to be awakened and knew his ability was to plan ahead what he would do to survive. If he could get strong abilities like lightning, ice, fire, or even metal, then he'll be able to fend for himself.
But, if his ability was wood and water, then he'll be only useful in the later part because it was useless in the early part of the apocalypse.
The man who was now a young man, rummaged through the cabinet near the bed of the owner of the body to identify himself.
Name: Lucas Flores
Date of Birth: April 6, 2001
Status: Single
[O-Oh! Owner~ I got something!]
Daniel, now Lucas, looked expectantly at the fairy, flying around him.
[Owner~ I just got some good news and bad news for you. What do you want to hear first?]
"The bad news first."
[Oh~kay you'll be awakened as a water ability user on the first day of the apocalypse.]
"What? Why? You told me that your creator heard my wish?" Daniel grabbed the fairy and shook it. "Don't tell me you're not supposed to be my system?"
Vinnie averted her gaze, her wings fluttered slowly as if embarrassed.
"Urk! Whyyyyy!"
[Hihihi~ Owner you don't want to hear the good news?]
"What's the good news then?"
[You will be a water variant ability user~]
"Oh! Oh! So can I shoot high pressure water then?"
[Umm... no~]
"Then what?"
[You can drain the water on other people's bodies~ Kyaaah! Isn't it exciting?]
"Fuck! Although I ran away from my team to sacrifice them, I wasn't a murderer! I'm a pacifist!"
[Eh?! You are? According to heaven above you aren't a pacifist but you didn't have the ability to do so~ So, you are now able to release your pent up anger on the people who trampled you! Kyaaa~ I like it more.]
"Don't tell me you're a useless evil system?! Mommy! I wasn't only given a useless system but it will lead me to become a villain which was more hateful than the zombies!"
[Owner~ Calm down~ Don't shake meeeeeee~]
"Ahhhh!"
[Ahhh~~~~]
After the two calmed down they felt a little closer because their personality was alike.
"Huuuu... Hey, Vinnie, is there a way for me to be a dual ability user? I want something that can kill zombies! I want to kill those disgusting mother-father that killed me!"
[Oh~ Of course~ With me here anything is possible!]
"Eh? I thought you only have the ability to peek in the near future?"
[Hehe~ Owner, it was also good news that I want to tell but you didn't let me finish~ Now I'm mad. Hmp!]
"Oh~ You're mad?"
[Yes, Owner~~]
Daniel grabbed the fairy and shook her faster than before.
[Ahhhhhh~~~~~ I concede! I concede!]
"... you, are you ready to tell me now?"
[Anyways~ I got connected to the main system~ Now, I can finally be a true system with a cheat like ability ~]
"Ohhh! Great, so let's start! Make me a dual ability user!"
[Got it!]
Daniel looked at the fairy expectantly, while the fairy raised her two hands towards Daniel like she was pushing something out.
"..."
[...]
"Why don't I feel something has changed?"
[Because nothing has changed~ ahihihi!]
"Fuck! I want a refund!"
[Owner~ Please be good a lot of other fairies are watching us~]
"What do you mean?"
[Eh~ you don't know? Eh.. Ah! I was supposed to tell you that~ Ahahaha! Well, to be honest Owner, the price for having a system was to be a study material for other fairies like me~ So, in the future it would be of use to us~]
"Then did you learn something when you watch other systems?"
[No~ I'm actually not yet certified to be a helper~]
"Ahhhh! I really want a refund."
Vinnie put her small hand on Daniel's' face as if she was comforting him.
[Owner, if you die, I will also die, so let's do our best together!]
"Vinnie!"
[Owner!]
"..."
[AHHHHHHHH! WHY ARE YOU SHAKING ME~~~]
"Fuck! Do you think I care if you die? If I die it's your fault! Give me back my powerful cheat~~~~"
[Owner~~~]
The stomach of Daniel growled as to protest that it needed to be fed.
"Ugh! Where am I really? Why is he living in this place with only bare minimum furniture. He didn't have any television!"
[Owner, I think something happened.]
"What?"
[Owner... I think it's not 3 days before the apocalypse but only 1 day before the apocalypse... and you might awaken at any moment after midnight...]
"..."
[...]
A long silenced past before the two came back to their senses.
"Then, are you telling me that I don't have enough time to prepare for the apocalypse and the only solution was to go outside and look for my food in the first day of apocalypse, not only that, but any time, I might awaken and lose consciousness?"
[Yes...]
"Vinnie!"
[Owner!]
"What do we do?!"
[I also don't know, Owner~~ I'm scared!]
"Ahhh is this how my life will end after rebirth?"
Daniel sat down on the bed that was small. Daniel only realized it at the moment, that his surroundings were dark rather than bright. It was already night time. Then, it only meant that tomorrow, Apocalypse would arrive and he wasn't sure about his safety.
'If worse comes to worst, I'll be stuck here not knowing where the fuck I am.'
He was especially scared of zombies especially at night. At night zombies hearing were exceptional and their speed increases like they were a creature of the night. Though the primary zombies were weak and could be killed easily. Daniel knew that he didn't have any experience to kill one.
All he could do was run. The reason he wanted an offensive ability was to kill zombies because in his past life, he hadn't killed even a single zombie.
[Ding~ Quest has arrived!]
Daniel looked at Vinnie who talked like a true system, but it wasn't Vinnie, it only sounded like her voice spoken monotonously. Then Daniel and Vinnie's eyes met each other, a sudden realization hit them.
[O-Oh! A quest has arrived, wait let me read it.]
Quest: Procure your own food (0/3)
Clear Reward: 5 Coins
"Coins? What is the use for it?"
[Ahem! Owner, have you forgotten? Every system has its own shop~ Of course, every helper also has their own shop~]
"Oh~ So what can I buy with 5 coins?"
[Hmm, for 5 coins you can't purchase anything...]
"..."
Reading the mood of her host, Vinnie decided to list the available products in the shop.
[This is the list of available products with level 1 Shop:]
1 Coin: 100K Peso
20 Coins: Random Sweet (x1)
25 Coins: Food Supply (water, random meal)
75 Coins: Knife
100 Coins: Random Lvl 1 Nuclei (x1)
150 Coins: Lvl 1 Nuclei of your choice (x1)
200 Coins: First Aid Kit (Healing Spray x1, Bandage)
200 Coins: Pistol Magazine (17 bullets)
250 Coins: Pistol (17 bullets)
300 Coins: Random Lvl 2 Nuclei (x1)
375 Coins: Lvl 2 Nuclei of your choice (x1)
500 Coins: Desert Eagle (Water Gun Version)
"Desert Eagle Water Gun Version? What is that?"
[It is mainly used as a gun with your water ability as the bullet. It empowers your weak water ability... was the description... Owner~ I think they are dissing you.]
"I don't want to curse anymore... You told me that all I could do was to buy on the Level 1 Shop... then how do I increase the level of the Shop?"
[By consuming coins~ For level 1, you need to consume 2,000 coins. Level 2, 4,000 coins. Level 3, 6,000 coins. Level 4, 8,000 coins. Level 5, 10,000 coins~ The coins you consume will be back to 0 after leveling up. In short to upgrade your Shop into level 5, you have to consume 30,000 coins~]
"Do they sell revival pills in level 5 Shop?"
[Maybe? Because I'm not a certified helper, I only knew the basic information about the system~]
"Then we need to earn coins to improve our survival."
[That's the spirit, Owner~ We can do this!]
"Yea.. first let's check where we are."
Daniel stood up and slowly studied the place where he was. Now that he gave more time to study the interior, it looked like the original owner of the body wasn't poor but rich.
The reason why the place has the bare minimum furniture was because it was a cabin. The walls were made up of thick and strong woods. Daniel didn't know why the original owner was at the cabin when the apocalypse arrived but, if he stayed here for a month, not only will he die, but it would be a brutal death.
A month after the apocalypse arrived, the missing animals mutated. They were more intelligent and scary than they were normally. There were even rare mutant animals that also have abilities like humans and zombies.
Daniel exited the bedroom and looked for food. When he saw some uncooked eggs and meat on the fridge, he quickly made his own food with 3 dishes because his quest was to procure 3 different foods.
[Ding! Quest Cleared, Acquired 5 Coins.]
[Ding~ Quest has arrived!]
Quest: Replenish your energy
Clear Reward: 5 Coins
"Eh? That simple? Then, I'll eat first. Vinnie do you want some?"
[Hmm, I haven't eaten human food but lemme try~]
At the same time...
[Flash News! It was identified that the water in the rain has a new virus. The goverment advised people to stay in their homes and stay away from the rain. The doctors and researchers are trying to invent a cure with the said virus. Thus, the government advised that everything will be fine.]
A man with black hair, red piercing eyes, was watching the television seriously. When he thought that he died from the hordes of zombies because of the betrayal of those he thought were his family, he came back to the start of the apocalypse.
Fortunately, he awakened earlier than his fated awakening and he still had a choice to use the stone that he found when he awakened before. Not only that, but he woke up the day before the apocalypse. He didn't have enough time to procure food, the only choice was to fight out with zombies on the day of the apocalypse.
Turning off the television, the man wondered where he should go and build his future base...