A week had passed, though time seemed to have slowed to a crawl within the office , every second being squeezed for its maximum potential. Xander stood at the edge of the stairwell, gazing down the dim, crumbling corridor. The air was stale, a faint rotting scent lingered through the entire building.
The survivors had been moving with renewed purpose. Their faces, once hollow and pale, now carried a sharpness, an alertness that hadn't been there before.
Even Greg, whose arm had been shattered, was back on his feet, the once swollen, discolored limb now flexing with newfound strength.
It was working.
Xander's gaze drifted to Mike and Jared, who were inspecting makeshift weapons by the corner. Just days before, they were barely clinging to life—pale, wheezing, shadows of their former selves. Now they moved with speed, a fluidity to their actions that hinted at enhanced agility. The monster meat was changing them, just as it had changed everyone here.
Xander rolled his shoulders, the motion effortless. The constant aches were gone, replaced by a sense of vitality that bordered on unnatural. His body felt lighter, faster. Stronger. It was like his limbs were finally obeying him, no longer burdened by fatigue or pain.But the change went deeper than that. His reflexes had sharpened. His perception, his awareness—they were all heightened. It was as if the building itself was slower, his thoughts quicker than the world around him.The cost of survival... He still wasn't sure if they were paying with their humanity. But the results were undeniable.
Xander thoughts brightened as he looked down at the system panel.
[Xander Knox]
Title : Ward of [Redacted]
Time : (1200/1200)
Strength : 16
Constitution : 20
Intelligence : 15
Agility : 15
Innate abilities : Time stop, Time skip, Temporal shift, ???
The meat had stopped increasing his stats a few days ago, but his intelligence refused to budge.Xander let out a bitter sigh. Of course, it would be his intelligence that hit the wall.
"They're improving fast," Laura's voice cut through his thoughts. She leaned against the cracked wall, arms crossed. Her eyes were locked on the others, her expression cautious. "I barely recognize them. Hell, I barely recognize myself."
Xander looked at her, noticing for the first time how the exhaustion that once clung to her was gone. Her movements were precise, deliberate. Even her breathing was steady and controlled.
"That makes two of us," he admitted, a dry chuckle escaping his lips. "Eating monsters. Who would've thought it'd be the key to surviving this place?"
Laura's mouth twitched. "You really are a terrible motivational speaker."
He shrugged, the crooked smile returning. "I never signed up for this leadership crap. Just trying to keep us alive."
She didn't argue. Silence fell between them, they had seen hope from the past week , but there was no guarantee it would be enough.
Xander's mind drifted back to those first few days. The hesitation, the fear in their eyes as they forced down the burnt, charred flesh of monsters. But hunger and desperation had a way of erasing moral lines. And when they began to feel the effects—the boost in strength, the fading fatigue—all doubts were cast aside.
They'd adapted. They had no choice.
He looked back at the others, his jaw tightening. "We're not done yet. That final floor... those things are still waiting for us. If we're going to survive, we need to be stronger. Fast enough to avoid their attacks. Strong enough to break through."
Laura's expression hardened, her resolve returning. "Then we keep pushing. We train, we fight... and we get out of this hellhole."
Xander nodded, his gaze distant, determined. "No matter what it takes."
His fingers clenched, the familiar warmth of power surging through him. There was no room for hesitation. Not anymore.
They would escape this building. And they would do it by becoming stronger than the monsters that hunted them.
Even if it meant becoming monsters themselves.
"Anyway," Xander said, a faint grin tugging at the corner of his mouth, "I think it's about time we see what everyone can really do."
Laura raised an eyebrow. "You mean…?"
"Yeah. Let's see just how much the past week has changed them." His eyes gleamed with curiosity—and a hint of anticipation. "Bring Greg, Mike, and Jared to the other room. I want to see what they're capable of now."
Laura's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Showing off, huh?"
Xander shrugged, the confidence in his posture unmistakable. "Might as well. No point in holding back anymore."
Waiting for the group to gather , Xander leaned against the crumbling wall, his fingers brushing over the cold metal of the pendant hanging from his neck. It felt heavier than it should, a weight that went beyond its physical form. He knew all too well how unreliable its abilities could be—fickle, unpredictable, and - according to its own description - prone to backfiring.
He couldn't rely on it. Not when their lives were on the line.
His eyes shifted to the glowing system panel, the reward options still waiting for his choice. He needed something that could give him a definite edge in their next encounter, something he could trust to work when he needed it most.
His eyes flicked to the glowing system panel hovering before him.
[Reward Options]
Reaver Dagger : A small dagger that weakens enemy defences.
"A Special Rock" : …A special rock.
Tempest Bow : Deals damage in a small area.
[All magic item effects vary based on attributes]
Xander's brow furrowed as he studied the choices. He hadn't picked one before the anomaly hit, and now they were more important than ever.
The Reaver Dagger was tempting—weakening enemy defences could be useful, especially against those 'elites.'
The Tempest Bow sounded powerful, good for controlling groups of enemies.
Then , the Special Rock... What the hell is it? The system had to be screwing with him.
His fingers hovered over the panel, hesitating. He was tempted to pick something practical, but his gaze kept drifting back to the rock. It was stupid, pointless... and yet, the vagueness of its description gnawed at him.
Xander huffed, a wry grin crossing his face. "A rock, huh? You better be worth it."
His finger tapped the option."Lets see just what I'm working with. " Xander chuckled as he opened the item description for the Special Rock.
Xander stared at the panel, his eye twitching.
["A Special Rock"]
Item Type : Rock
Grade : Epic
[Effects]
Heavy : Surprisingly dense for its size. Hard to carry for long periods of time.
System Guidance : It's a heavy rock.
He blinked once. Twice. The words didn't change.
"...Are you kidding me?"
He reached into his inventory and pulled out the item. It materialized in his hand with a dull thud, a plain, grey rock about the size of his fist. It was... just a rock.
Xander's grip tightened around it, his fingers digging into the rough surface. He half-expected it to transform, to glow, to do anything other than just sit there. But it didn't. It was as lifeless and ordinary as any other rock he could've picked up off the ground.He could almost hear the system laughing at him."You've got to be kidding me," he muttered, running a hand down his face. "I passed on a dagger and bow... for a rock?"
A voice broke his indignant thoughts. "Xander?"
He looked up to see Laura standing in the doorway, eyebrow raised. "Greg, Mike, and Jared are ready. You still wanna see how they've improved?"
Xander looked back down at the rock, his jaw tightening. "Yeah. Be there in a second."
As Laura walked off, Xander sighed, shoving the rock into his pocket. Maybe he'd figure out what to do with it later. For now, he had to see just how much his teammates had changed—and if they stood a chance against what was waiting on that final floor.
Casting his depressing thoughts away, Xander followed Laura. Unbeknownst to Xander , his stride faltered just a bit, his pocket becoming slightly heavier with each step.