Chapter 6 - Chapter 06: Strangers

Darkness clung to Dai Zen like a shroud as he walked down the passageway leading to the terrace. The thick stench of putrefying blood assaulted his nostrils.

Stepping out into the open field, a frigid gust of wind whipped across Dai Zen's face. The sunlight painted the grassy terrace with a harsh glare as his eyes quickly scanned the area.

"Watch out!" The Fairy chirped.

In that instant, primal instinct screamed a warning. Dai Zen's body reacted with supernatural speed, and his sharp perception recorded every detail in his mind as a metal bat sliced through the space where his head had been.

Had he taken the blow, his skull would have shattered like fragile glass.

A cold shock ran down Dai Zen's spine as he realized how close he had come to death. Without hesitation, he squatted and delivered a fierce kick.

His boot crashed into flesh and muscle. An agonized scream filled the air as bones crunched under the impact. Dai Zen stood up and saw his attacker lying on the grass, chest heaving and gaze lost in the sky.

The man had a sturdy build and a face marked with raw ferocity. Yet, Dai Zen saw no trace of the corruption that afflicted the Badly Evolved, only the effects that some esoteric power had wrought upon a human body to make it reach 220 cm in height.

"Don't pay too much attention to him. It's probably due to the awakening of his ." The Fairy said in a bored tone: "Some beings are simply lucky enough to have a mystical connection to Mana, the energy that flows through everything. Those who awaken this connection due to exceptional circumstances, whether through exposure to a magical event—such as the Apocalypse— tend to develop abilities that help them survive and thrive."

He wondered if this little Fairy could really read his thoughts, as her insight answered his doubts as soon as they formed.

'A ... I have one too. Nullity, although I don't know its use,' he thought to himself.

"Or it could also be from a or ."

"Skill Runes?" Noticing that strange term for the first time, Dai Zen asked.

The Fairy allowed herself a yawn, then climbed onto Dai Zen's head, using his hair as a luxurious seat. She then explained:

"Unlike a , which grants benefits like an item, these provide Passive or Active Skills that can be invoked by breaking them. Evolved always get one when they kill their first enemy as a reward for their achievement, giving them the power to prevail in the apocalypse, something you should have done too."

Dai Zen's thoughts drifted back a few minutes, remembering when he obtained a mysterious black rock with strange runes carved into it.

'Something so inexplicable and supernatural. This whole new reality feels like a dream...'

"The strength of your first fallen enemy also makes a clear difference in the quality of the Skills. If you defeat a level 1 enemy at the beginning of the apocalypse, you are likely to have, at best, a mediocre Skill. On the other hand, if your enemy's level is much higher than yours, this first Skill will be very powerful."

The first to die at his hands was a Level 4 Badly Evolved. At the time, Dai Zen was barely Level 1, so under normal circumstances, he would have perished without even knowing where the attack came from.

However, when he changed races, his Stats increased substantially in all parameters. An ordinary human would hardly exceed 8 points in each, and only the most formidable would reach such a figure.

At the onset of the apocalypse, Dai Zen gained 5 additional points in each Stat, making him much stronger than any man.

Had it not been for such an increase, he would never have been able to defeat such a Badly Evolved or obtain the Skill.

Dai Zen let out a tired sigh and sheathed his sword. Then, he heard light footsteps approaching. Quickly, he stepped towards the center of the terrace to put some distance.

He saw two people approaching; a beautiful woman and a handsome young man.