As the five reached Iris's home, they all paused for a moment.
"Wait here; I'll ask Lira to come out."
Iris said, before heading inside. He wanted Lira to have some company, especially since she was close with both Mark and Claire.
After all, in troubled times, the greatest threats often come from people, but such times also reveal the best in humanity.
The others didn't object; they were hoping to see Lira too.
"Lira, I'm coming into the basement."
Iris called, slowly opening the heavy metal door.
Lira, who had been anxious all this time, suddenly felt her heart ease at the sound of her brother's voice.
In times like these, Iris was the only person she could truly rely on in the village, the one person she trusted without a second thought.
She couldn't help but rush to him, wanting to make sure he was alright.
But Iris suddenly took a step back in alarm, nearly stumbling over, leaving Lira stunned.
"What happened, Iris? Is something wrong with me?"
She asked, concerned. In these dangerous times, no one could predict what might happen to anyone.
Her mind raced, her thoughts spiraling. For a fleeting moment, she even wondered if she'd somehow become an early-stage zombie, like the ones in the movies she'd seen.
"Nothing, I just felt a little dizzy. You should head out… Claire and the others are waiting for you."
Iris said, quickly regaining his composure as he moved past Lira and sat down on the bed.
"Oh, alright… get some rest. I'll talk to them for a bit and come back soon."
Lira replied, a hint of concern in her voice, but not pressing further.
Once Lira left, Iris lay back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, as though he was seeing a ghost.
He wasn't seeing a ghost, he was focusing on a sleek, black, futuristic panel hovering in front of him, its simple interface displaying information only he could see.
The moment he'd entered the basement, this panel had appeared right in front of his eyes.
That was why he'd been so startled when Lira rushed up to him, passing through the panel's projection. Her face had come so close, so suddenly, that he'd instinctively stepped back in fright.
"This isn't some kind of illusion, right?"
Iris muttered, still studying the black panel hovering before him.
He knew he wasn't one to lose his wits just because the 'apocalypse' had begun. And he certainly recognized what this black panel likely was.
Just as Lira had fleetingly worried she'd become a zombie, he immediately understood, that this was a 'System Panel,' straight out of countless stories.
Movies and books have left a deep influence on this world, and Iris was no exception. He'd read plenty of system-sama stories in his teens, but never once did he think they could be real. He was the type to enjoy fantasy while keeping his thoughts grounded in reality.
Yet, here he was not overwhelmed but feeling a mix of surprise and a bit of excitement.
After all, the past four years had been far from ordinary. Earth itself had changed: animals and even people had grown to unnatural sizes, black walls had appeared, a massive portal now stood at the village's center, people had developed special abilities, and, on top of it all, there was that eerie voice.
Weird things had been happening for years now, so Iris wasn't exactly shocked—if anything, he felt more excitement and a strange sense of comfort.
After all, who wouldn't be excited? A system panel in times like these could mean survival at the very least, making you as resilient as a cockroach. And if it turned out to be a powerful one… well, you could even end up like Godzilla in a children's park.
It took Iris about five minutes to calm down, letting the adrenaline settle as he focused on the panel before him.
Panel Close.
Iris thought slowly in his mind, wanting to check the system's navigation. After all, if this panel kept hanging in front of him, it would become a real nuisance.
As he commanded, the panel disappeared, and Iris nodded in satisfaction.
Panel Open.
Once again, the black panel reappeared in front of him.
Personal Stats:
Strength: 12 ( Average current ordinary humans, 10)
Agility: 13 (Avergae current ordinary humans, 10)
Skills:
- Intermediate-level Mixed Martial arts (3/5)
- Intermediate-level Firearm Mastery (4/5)
- Basic Knife Mastery (1/3)
Abilities: None
Panel System Rewards[Tier 1(0/30)]:
Daily Rewards: 2 stat points.
Weekly Rewards: 10 stat points and 2 skill points.
Novice Gift Pack (Single Use): Ready to Open.
Examining the panel closely, Iris found it fairly straightforward to understand.
"My strength and agility are pretty solid, thanks to the past four years of effort."
He muttered with satisfaction as his achievements were displayed in numerical format.
'I just didn't expect my skills to reach a decent level. Even my knife skills have reached basic mastery.'
He reflected. Indeed, he had trained for years, and achieving even a basic level of mastery was difficult, some might not reach it even after years of practice.
"Iris! What do you think will happen when the timer ends?"
Just as Iris was about to examine the rest of the panel, Lira's voice called out from outside before she stepped into the basement.
"We'll have to find that out tomorrow. But most likely, the portal will open for us to explore."
Iris shook his head, knowing no one was completely certain about anything anymore.
"Are you planning to go in if it does?"
Lira asked, sitting beside him, her voice tinged with worry.
"I don't think it's a good idea, and I don't want anything bad happening to you."
Lira voiced her concern after a moment of silence.
"Don't worry too much just yet. I might go in, or I might not. It'll depend on the situation. But with all the training I've done over the past few years, I'm pretty sure I'm not weaker than anyone here, aside from Claire and maybe that other person in the village."
Iris spoke thoughtfully, uncertain about his choice once the portal opened.
Before he gained access to the panel, he'd been keen to enter the portal. Since early birds usually reap the best rewards. Now, with his panel system, he is not sure. The system would help him grow stronger over time, rewarding him daily as long as he managed to survive each day.
"Yes, I just... I'm afraid."
Lira was sharp and intelligent, fully aware of the importance of entering the portal. But wit is one thing, and feelings are another.
"Don't overthink it for now. Just get some sleep. Tomorrow, we'll head to the portal and decide what to do."
Iris said reassuringly.
Despite her lingering worry, Lira tried to talk him out of taking unnecessary risks. Instead, Iris gently persuaded her to rest, leaving her a bit downcast as she reluctantly headed out.