The first thing Ken's voice cut through the silence.
"Wake up, sleeping beauty, or do you want me to kiss you?"
Avi groaned and forced his eyes open, glaring at Ken's broad grin. "You even think about it, and I'll make sure your face looks worse than those imps."
Ken's grin widened as he clapped a hand on Avi's shoulder. The muscles still ached from the recent fight. "Glad you're awake. You've been out long enough."
"How long?" Avi muttered, pushing himself up slowly. The headache throbbed in his skull, but the room wasn't spinning anymore.
Emily leaned over him, her smile small and reassuring. "Seventeen hours. You were the last to wake up. Most of us were only out for a few hours, but you…" Her voice faltered, and she glanced at Ken.
"…slept like a baby," Ken finished, smirking.
Avi rolled his eyes, ready to fire back, but a familiar chime cut him off.
[Rewards Distributed]
"Right on cue," Ken said, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "While you were drooling on yourself, we got some updates. The system's changed a bit."
Ken's tone remained light, but there was an unspoken weight behind his words. The guilt was there, unspoken but palpable.
"First off, there's the System Store. Costs 200 SP to unlock, and it's pretty basic—just raw materials like ores, herbs, leather, and wood. Useful, but we'll need crafters to make the most of it."
Emily joined in, her voice softer. "Then there's the Dimensional Inventory. That's 400 SP to activate. It's a personal storage space, tied to each player individually. No sharing, but it's convenient."
"And the Comrade System, only 50 SP," Ken added, a hint of enthusiasm creeping into his voice. "It lets players link up and communicate better. Good for group safety."
Avi rubbed his temple, trying to process it all. "So... upgrades cost points we don't have?"
Ken grinned, that ever-present spark of mischief in his eyes. "Exactly. That's why we're pooling points for now. The System Store's our priority—food, construction materials, and weapons are top of the list. Civilians will need help until they can stand on their own."
Emily's voice grew softer, a hint of worry in it. "It's not gonna be easier."
Ken stood up straighter, his warm tone shifting to something more serious. "We've got to step up, Avi. Come on, the others are waiting."
They made their way to the gym, where Alex stood at the center, his presence commanding attention and focus. Lena was beside him, a notebook in hand.
"Here's what we know," Alex started, his voice calm but firm. "After the first wave and the reward distribution, our capable players are rising in numbers. We now have 52 Fighters, 47 Supports, and 32 in the Production Class. Some civilians are still unclassified, but we're monitoring their potential."
Alex gestured to Lena, who picked up the briefing. "The System Store only sells raw materials. That makes the Production Class crucial—they'll turn those materials into weapons, armor, potions, and food. Without them, we won't be able to sustain ourselves."
Avi opened his menu to check his SP.
[SP Total Updated]
[Player Contribution Ranking]
1st: Avi = 1000 SP
2nd: Ryan = 500 SP
3rd: Ken = 300 SP
4th: Tyler = 200 SP
5th: Mia = 150 SP 6th and below = 70 SP]
[Current SP: 1062]
Not bad, he thought. Most of it came from ranking points, but his kills had added a decent chunk too. Still, unlocking upgrades wasn't cheap. The Dimensional Inventory alone would set me back 400 SP. And as for the store…
Tyler's sharp voice cut into his thoughts. "I worked hard for my points," Tyler argued. "Why should I hand them over so some useless crybabies can sit in the corner and leech off us?"
Ken's expression darkened, but his tone remained warm, almost disarmingly so. "You want to try saying that louder, Tyler? Maybe to the faces of the people you're calling useless?"
Tyler stiffened, a nervous glance cast at Alex for support. He didn't push further, muttering under his breath.
Alex intervened, his voice steady and measured. "Not all points will be shared. Civilians contribute 20 SP as a protection fee. Fighters and stronger players pay 50 SP. It's fair and ensures everyone benefits. Those who refuse are free to leave and fend for themselves."
Avi smirked, the warmth gone from his expression. "Good luck with that, Ty-Ty."
Alex added, "Points aren't just for kills. Leadership, support, and crafting matter too. Everyone has a role to play."
After the discussion, the group returned to their spot in the gym.
The six of them—Ken, Emily, Ryan, Mia, Sophia, and Avi—sat in a loose circle. The air was thick with tension, but a thread of hope wove through it.
"Let's set up the Comrade System first," Ryan suggested, his voice steady. "Better safe than sorry."
They pooled their SP and activated it. As the system synced and upgraded, Avi decided to use |clairvoyance| to look at the others' profiles.
Ryan (Level 3)
New Skill: Holy Body – Enhances physical resistance and adds the Faith stat.
Mia (Level 2)
New Skill: Purify – Removes status ailments or provides cleansing magic.
Sophia (Level 3)
New Skill: Barrier – Creates a protective dome for herself or a group.
Ken (Level 3)
New Skill: Reinforce – Temporarily boosts equipment defense to match his natural resistance.
Emily (Level 2)
New Passive Skill: Mana Proficiency – Allows manual skill casting at a higher mana cost.
They were all progressing well. Even Emily had reached Level 2 and gained a passive skill. After scanning their updates, Avi checked his own profile.
Avi Eques (Level 3)
Stats:
Strength: 16.943 → 17.104
Defense: 11.007 → 11.130
Stamina: 9.080 → 9.143
Agility: 14.047 → 14.110
Intelligence: 8.034 → 8.090
Skills:
|Clairvoyance|
|?a??k??|
The cryptic skill caught his attention again, now with a synchronization rate.
|?a??k??|
Synchronization: 0.8%
|Battle Instinct| Predicts certain enemy moves. Fighting proficiency enhanced based on stats.
Avi frowned at the description. "What are you, really?" he muttered under his breath.
Ken's voice broke through his thoughts. "You good, Avi?"
He looked up, meeting Ken's concerned gaze. "Yeah. Just thinking. Thanks for checking."
Ken smiled, his usual warmth returning. "That's what I'm here for."
As the others settled in for the night, Avi leaned back, his thoughts a whirl. The system, the alliance, the skills—it was all a puzzle. And he was determined to solve it, even if it took every ounce of mental energy he had.