Alex wasted no time and executed a 180-degree turn, before sprinting off.
As soon as the cockatrice felt Alex touch its neck, it wriggled with even more intensity and finally yanked its beak free.
The cockatrice feeling wronged, screeched loudly and immediately gave chase, taking powerful strides, with each step kicking up a cloud of dust as it rapidly closed the distance to Alex.
Alex could hear the cockatrice thundering footsteps and his eyes widened in shock. Even with the headstart and his agility being at 20, he still wasn't fast enough to outrun the cockatrice.
He just needed thirty seconds. Thirty seconds and his ability would take effect.
He was panting wildly and his chest burnt in exhaustion, but he kept pushing
"You stop you die" he yelled to motivate himself, but he could feel the cockatrice's presence loomed behind him.
It would catch him before the timer ended. Unless he did something about it.
Alex veered sharply towards a tree and the cockatrice followed kicking up the gear. Its beak snapping viciously inches away from the back of his head.
Just as it was about to strike, Alex leaped to the side, rolling across the dirt as the cockatrice's beak missed him by a hair's breadth.
The cockatrice raised its head, confused as to what had happened, and suddenly saw a gnarled tree looming in front of it, far too close to avoid. The beast screeched, talons digging deep into the ground as it desperately tried to slow down.
But it was too late.
With a thunderous crash, the cockatrice slammed headfirst into the tree, the impact sending a violent shudder through its body. Dust and leaves exploded into the air as the beast crumpled against the trunk.
Alex, on the ground, quickly sat up, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath.
He turned his gaze toward the cockatrice, watching intently.
The beast lay sprawled against the base of the tree, its body twitching as it tried to rise, but the aftershock of the collision was still rippling through its body.
It staggered to its feet, wobbling as it stood tall again. Its scales quivered, and its wings flexed as if trying to shake off the daze.
As soon as its bloodshot eyes caught Alex, it screeched in a hateful manner, pawing the ground.
Alex's heart pounded in his chest, but he didn't flinch. Instead, he glanced at the countdown ticking away in the corner of his vision.
A slow grin of satisfaction spread across his face as the timer for [Exploding Touch] hit zero.
"It's time."
The cockatrice, still blinded by rage, was about to charge. But just as it lunged forward, its feet erupted in an explosion.
A burst of blood and dust filled the air, and the beast let out a gut-wrenching screech as it collapsed, its body crashing to the ground in agony.
Before the cockatrice could even comprehend its fate, the second detonation followed—this time along its neck.
The blast was fierce and unforgiving. The cockatrice's head shot off its body with brutal force, soaring through the air before landing with a dull thud in the dirt.
Alex's grin widened, his breath steady, as he whispered to himself:
"Game over."
He watched as the cockatrice's charred body fell to the ground. Smokes oozing out of the seared flesh. The burnt skin giving off the smell of roasted chicken.
Alex stood to his feet feeling a sense of victory.
He hadn't died, and his plan had worked perfectly.
He knew it was a close call, as he would have lost his head if it wasn't for the tree,
The cockatrice's body dissipated into the light, and then a familiar mechanical sound chimed.
Ding!
[You have defeated Cockatrice]
[Level Up!]
[You have been rewarded with: ]
[+5 Stat points]
[1 Power Stone]
[+5 coin]
[2 pieces of meat]
[Scalewalk Boots]
"Nice." Alex grinned, but then the system rang again.
[Title: Apocalypse Baby is now taking effect]
[Reward doubled]
[You have received an additional +5 Stat Point, +1 Power Stone, +5 coin, 2 pieces of meat, and another pair of Scalewalk boots]
"So this was the effect of the 'Apocalypse Baby'."
Alex grinned heartily, his title was really a privilege, giving him double every reward one would normally get.
[All rewards are available in your inventory.]
Inventory? Alex asked, and the system brought up a wide box in response. This box was made up of an even smaller box, and in the first row, all his rewards were lined up.
Alex first took out the Power Stone.
It looked like a regular stone but this one had a deep crimson glow with a glassy feel.
[Power Stone (D): Intelligence]
[Break to raise intelligence by five points]
Alex's lips parted and he grinned. before he hurriedly used it. The power stone looked solid, but the moment he squeezed, it cracked like an egg.
Alex watched as his previous ten mana points rose by twenty five.
It seemed a single point in intelligence, equates five points to his mana point.
Since his title gave him an additional power stone, he used the second one as well and watched as his MP rose and sat at sixty points.
Name: Alex Knight
Rank: E
Title: Apocalypse Baby
Class: None
Level: 2
Hp: 100
Mp: 60
[Stats]
Strength: 10
Agility: 20
Intelligence: 20
Vitality: 10
[Stats points: 10]
Next, Alex took a piece of meat and realized it was the cockatrice meat from the smell and It was already cooked too.
He wondered whether the cockatrice explosion cooked the meal, or if the system handled it.
He was hesitant to eat it, but his stomach grumbled urging him on
In the real world, he hadn't eaten that morning and didn't get to eat lunch either because of his cheating girlfriend and the descent of the system.
Alex bit into the meat, and his eyes widened as the rich, savory flavor flooded his senses. The tenderness of the meat melted in his mouth, carrying a perfectly balanced blend of spices that danced on his tongue. It was so delicious, he knew it had to be the system at work.
He ate two more pieces of meat and left the last one for later even though the temptation to consume it now was strong.
Alex then took out the golden coins and as usual, a description popped up.
[Coins: Could be used to buy items, equipment, consumables, or weapons in the shop.]
"Shop...there's a shop?!"
Alex exclaimed, and the shop panel opened.
There was an option to buy or sell which Alex thought was pretty convenient as he had another boot to dispose of.
He focused on [Buy] and saw there were five different categories of things he could get:
Consumable, Clothing, Weapons, Equipment, and Items.
Alex scanned through and saw different things like blankets, sweaters, a bowl of rice, soup, swords, and daggers, all in their own category.
But when Alex's eyes fell on the prices, his expression soured.
[Buy]
[Categories:]
[Consumables: [✔] Bowl of Rice – 500 Coins[✔] Hot Soup – 600 Coins[✔] Healing Potion – 1500 Coins]
[Clothing: [✔] Wool Blanket – 750 Coins[✔] Sweater – 1000 Coins[✔] Leather Jacket – 2500 Coins]
[Weapons: [✔] Iron Sword – 8000 Coins[✔] Steel Dagger – 10000 Coins[✔] Bow and Arrows – 7000 Coins]
[Equipment: [✔] Steel Armor – 20000 Coins[✔] Wooden Shield – 5000 Coins[✔] Iron Helmet – 4000 Coins]
[Items: [✔] Empty Backpack – 2000 Coins[✔] Camping Tent – 3000 Coins[✔] Cooking Set – 1200 Coins]
'Bowl of Rice: 500 coins, Sweater: 1000 coins, Dagger: 10000 coins.'
Alex shook his head in dissatisfaction. They were way just too expensive.
The numbers felt unfairly steep, especially for something as basic as a bowl of rice.
Killing a single cockatrice had earned him a mere ten coins and this was even because he had the special title.
If he wanted to eat a single bowl of rice, he was going to have to kill fifty cockatrices to get the coins he needed.
Was a bowl of rice worth going through all that danger?