In an eerily empty street, flashes of light burst forth from multiple spots simultaneously, painting the area with a spectral glow. Moments later, people were thrown out from these glowing fissures as though discarded trash, landing unceremoniously onto the hard asphalt. Among them was Leon, his body hurtling face-first toward the road.
Leon's instincts, honed from years of life-or-death missions, kicked in.
Twisting mid-air, he landed on his elbows instead of his head. The impact sent a sharp sting through his arms, but it was better than a cracked skull.
He let out a dry chuckle as he pushed himself upright.
"Good way to start a death mission," Leon muttered, brushing the dirt off his once-pristine suit.
The familiar weight of his cigarette pack in his pocket brought a small wave of comfort. Slipping a cigarette between his lips, he lit it with the lighter from his other pocket and inhaled deeply, savoring the brief solace.
"Status," he murmured, exhaling a thin plume of smoke.
A translucent screen materialized in front of him, its glowing text illuminating his face.
[Hero's Eye: F-rank talent!]
[Class: Heroic class]
Leon's lips curled into a sardonic smile.
"F-rank talent and Heroic class. What a brilliant start." His mind replayed the chaos earlier—the mad scramble toward the door, his narrow miss, and the burly man who had held him back.
Despite himself, he chuckled bitterly.
"All that effort, just to end up with this crap."
As he prepared to close the screen, another notification appeared.
[The Seer has granted you blessings!]
[You have unlocked ten unique talents!]
Leon's eyes widened as he read the message. The disappointment on his face melted into a sly grin.
Taking another drag of his cigarette, he exhaled and muttered, "Guess it wasn't all for nothing."
The moment of triumph was short-lived.
A deep, guttural voice growled from behind him. He turned to see a familiar figure: the burly man from earlier, stomping toward him with an enraged expression, his nose visibly misshapen.
"Hey, you! See what you caused! You ruined my nostrils!" the man bellowed, his voice echoing through the empty street. His imposing stature cast a long shadow over Leon.
Leon regarded him coolly, taking another puff of his cigarette.
"What is it now?" he asked, his tone dismissive. His focus remained on his system screen, eager to explore his newfound talents.
"You bastard! Let's see if you'll still be able to talk after this!" the man roared, throwing a punch aimed at Leon's face.
Leon's reflexes snapped into action.
He sidestepped the attack, grabbed the man's arm, and twisted it with practiced precision.
In one fluid motion, he delivered a punishing blow to the man's already broken nose.
The sickening crunch of cartilage echoed in the air as the burly figure stumbled back, blood streaming from his nostrils.
His nose barely visible as it sunk into his head.
The scuffle drew the attention of the others who had been thrown into the street.
Their eyes locked onto Leon, silently acknowledging that he was not someone to cross.
Before the tension could escalate further, an inhuman growl shattered the uneasy silence. Leon's sharp gaze snapped toward the source of the sound.
Emerging from the shadows of a nearby alley was a creature that defied logic.
Its head was partially torn open, oozing a sickly green fluid. Its jaundiced eyes glowed with malice, and its mouth revealed rows of jagged, yellowed teeth.
Its elongated fingers ended in claws that scraped against the pavement as it moved. The thing had once been human, but now it was a grotesque amalgamation of flesh and decay.
The creature's presence sent a wave of fear rippling through the group. Their breaths quickened as they froze in place, unable to look away from the monstrosity.
It moved with terrifying speed, lunging at a nearby woman.
"Wait! Wai-"
Her scream was cut short as the creature tore into her flesh, ripping her apart with brutal efficiency.
Blood sprayed across the pavement as the beast feasted, cracking her skull open with its fists, like a coconut and devouring the contents within.
The street erupted into chaos.
People screamed and scrambled, their newfound talents forgotten in their terror.
The angel's warning about an apocalyptic world filled with monsters had become a horrifying reality. And the nightmare was only beginning.
As more creatures emerged from the shadows, the survivors scattered in every direction.
Leon remained rooted, his eyes narrowing as he analyzed the situation.
"Zombies? I was expecting monsters, but this too is just as worse. Now how do we deal with these creatures?"
From the corner of his vision, a nearby window shattered, a female zombie leaped out, landing atop the burly man who had just regained his footing. She pinned him down, her black, matted hair obscuring her face.
Disoriented, the man opened his eyes, only to see her head near his waist.
"If you need to ride on my cock, you don't have to do it openly, le—" His crude remark was cut off by a blood-curdling scream as the zombie's jaws clamped down. A sickening crunch echoed as she tore through his flesh.
Leon's frown deepened as he observed the transformation.
The man's body convulsed violently, veins darkening as a sickly yellow hue consumed his eyes.
His flesh warped, twisting into something monstrous. Within moments, the burly man was no longer human—he had become one of them.
[New Entity Identified: Ather Zombie]
[Level 1]
[Talent Points: 10]
The system notification confirmed Leon's suspicions.
"So we can get infected," he muttered, flicking his cigarette away.
He turned his attention back to the creatures now advancing on him—the burly man-turned-zombie and the female monster that had infected him.
Both snarled, their predatory gazes locked onto Leon. He clenched his fists, his mind racing.
"This is going to be harder than I thought," he murmured. Flexing his muscles, he prepared himself for the fight of his life as the two creatures lunged toward him.
".... But bring it on" He smirked