The System's Warning
The first message had been cryptic, a whisper in his mind that felt too surreal to be true. Rade Ash had thought it was a hallucination or some twisted glitch in his exhausted brain. He had been returning from a long day at the repair shop, his hands still stained with the grease of the latest circuit board he'd fixed. It wasn't until the second and third warnings came that reality began to shift in ways he couldn't ignore.
He had learned quickly that the System wasn't just some abstract construct—it was his only hope for survival. The messages it delivered were short, clipped sentences, devoid of emotion but brimming with purpose. Each message brought him closer to the understanding that the world wasn't just changing—it was unraveling.
Preparing the Safehouse
Rade worked tirelessly for the next ten days, transforming their small apartment into a fortress. The System's camp setup ability was a miracle. The first time he activated it, a shimmering dome, barely visible, enveloped the room. He could feel its protective energy buzzing faintly, like an invisible barrier separating them from the chaos outside.
"Clare, this is the only place we'll be safe," he had told his younger sister as he demonstrated how the camp worked. The supplies within the area were unlimited, but only if they were placed inside before activation. He stocked everything he could find—canned food, water, medical kits, and the old hunting rifle their father had left behind.
Clare watched him with quiet determination. She was only seventeen, but the years of hardship had made her wise beyond her age. Her soft brown eyes, so much like their mother's, reflected a mix of fear and trust.
"You always figure it out, Rade," she said softly, her voice steady despite the looming dread.
He didn't respond, but her faith in him felt like both a burden and a gift. He couldn't fail her. Not now.
The Discovery of Void Tokens
The first monster he encountered had been a grotesque thing—a twisted amalgamation of limbs and teeth that seemed to defy nature. Killing it had been pure luck. The old knife he carried had barely pierced its leathery hide, and the battle had left him battered and bleeding.
But it was worth it. The creature had dropped a strange, glowing object—a Void Token. When he picked it up, the System's interface lit up in his mind, revealing a marketplace of supplies and upgrades. Weapons, armor, tools, and even survival manuals were available, all for the price of Void Tokens.
The realization hit him hard: every monster he killed wasn't just a threat—it was an opportunity.
"One step closer to safety," he muttered, clutching the token tightly.
The next few days were a whirlwind of preparation and experimentation. He learned that each monster carried tokens of varying value, depending on its rank. F-rank monsters were the weakest and the easiest to kill, but they offered little reward. As the ranks climbed, the danger and the rewards increased exponentially.
Rade found himself growing stronger with each fight. The System granted him small boosts with every kill—better reflexes, sharper senses, and increased endurance. But the cost was steep. The monsters grew more vicious, and the toll on his body and mind was relentless.
Clare's Healing Ability
Clare had always been special. Even as a child, she had an uncanny ability to mend small injuries with a touch. At the time, Rade had dismissed it as a coincidence or a stroke of luck. But now, with the world on the brink of chaos, her gift was undeniable.
During one of their training sessions, Rade accidentally nicked his arm on a jagged piece of metal. Blood trickled down his forearm, and Clare instinctively reached out. Her hand glowed faintly as she pressed it against the wound, and within seconds, the cut was gone.
"How long have you been able to do that?" Rade asked, his voice low with awe.
"I'm not sure," she admitted. "It's been getting stronger lately. I think... I think it's because of the System."
Rade nodded, the gears in his mind turning. Her ability could be their greatest advantage—or their greatest vulnerability if the wrong people found out.
"Don't use it in front of anyone else," he warned her. "We can't trust anyone."
New Year's Eve
By the time New Year's Eve arrived, the world was already descending into madness. Reports of strange creatures attacking people flooded the news. Cities were in chaos, and the government was eerily silent.
Rade and Clare barricaded themselves inside their camp, listening to the distant sounds of sirens and screams. The dome around their apartment shimmered faintly, a constant reminder of the fragile barrier that separated them from the horrors outside.
"Do you think we'll be okay?" Clare asked as they sat by the flickering light of a lantern.
"We'll survive," Rade replied firmly. "We always do."
But even as he spoke, he felt the weight of uncertainty pressing down on him. The System had warned him of the monsters, but it hadn't told him what would happen when the clock struck midnight.
Midnight
The moment the clock hit 12:00 AM, the world seemed to hold its breath. Then, with a deafening roar, the apocalypse truly began.
The ground shook violently, sending furniture crashing to the floor. Outside, the sky turned a deep, unnatural red, streaked with black lightning that crackled ominously. The air was heavy, charged with an oppressive energy that made it hard to breathe.
Rade grabbed his rifle, his heart pounding. "Clare, stay close to me."
The first wave of monsters appeared just beyond the camp's barrier. Dozens of them, their grotesque forms illuminated by the blood-red sky. They clawed at the invisible dome, their shrieks piercing the night.
But the barrier held.
Rade took a deep breath, leveling his rifle at the nearest creature. "Let's see how far this camp can take us."
The First Battle
For hours, Rade fought relentlessly. The F-rank and E-rank monsters were manageable, their movements sluggish and predictable. He quickly learned their patterns, using his limited ammunition sparingly and relying on makeshift weapons when necessary.
Clare stayed behind him, her hands glowing faintly as she healed his wounds between fights. Her presence was a constant anchor, keeping him grounded even as exhaustion threatened to overwhelm him.
By dawn, the ground outside the camp was littered with the remains of countless monsters. Rade was covered in blood and grime, his body aching from head to toe. But he had survived. They both had.
The Monster of Rank A
As the first light of day broke through the crimson sky, a deep rumble echoed across the city. The ground trembled, and the remaining monsters scattered, their screeches turning to terrified whimpers.
Rade's heart sank as he turned to face the new threat.
From the shadows emerged a massive beast, its hulking form dwarfing the creatures that had come before. Its body was covered in thick, black armor that glinted menacingly in the dim light. Its eyes burned with an otherworldly fire, and its claws were like jagged blades.
"A rank-A monster," Rade whispered, his grip tightening on his rifle. "Clare, get back inside. Now."
"But—"
"Go!" he barked, his voice leaving no room for argument.
Clare hesitated, her eyes filled with fear, but she obeyed. She retreated to the safety of the camp, leaving Rade to face the monster alone.
The beast roared, a sound that shook the very air. It charged, its movements impossibly fast for its size. Rade barely had time to dodge as its massive claws swiped through the space where he had been standing moments before.
He fired his rifle, the bullets sparking harmlessly off the creature's armor. Desperation clawed at him as he realized the futility of his attacks.
"Think, Rade," he muttered to himself. "There has to be a weakness."
But before he could come up with a plan, the monster lunged again, its claws slamming into the ground with a force that sent him sprawling. Pain exploded in his side as he hit the ground, his vision swimming.
The monster loomed over him, its fiery eyes filled with malice. Rade struggled to get to his feet, but his body refused to cooperate.
Facing the Monster
Rade forced himself to his feet, his legs trembling under the weight of exhaustion and fear. The rank-A monster stood before him like a living nightmare, its massive frame casting a shadow over the battlefield. Every fiber of his being screamed for him to retreat, but he couldn't—wouldn't. Clare was watching, and he had to protect her at all costs.
The beast roared again, a sound so powerful it seemed to vibrate through his bones. Rade steadied his grip on the rifle, knowing it was useless but unwilling to give up. He had one final grenade left—a crude, homemade explosive he had crafted during the preparation days. It wasn't much, but it was his last hope.
He took a deep breath, his mind racing as he calculated the monster's movements. It was fast, but its size made it slightly predictable. If he could just—
The monster charged, its claws tearing through the earth as it closed the distance between them. Rade rolled to the side at the last second, narrowly avoiding being crushed. He pulled the pin on the grenade and hurled it at the creature's exposed underbelly.
The explosion was deafening. Flames erupted from the point of impact, engulfing the monster in a blinding inferno. For a brief moment, Rade allowed himself to hope. But as the smoke cleared, his heart sank.
The monster emerged from the flames, its armor scorched but intact. It snarled, its fiery eyes locking onto him with renewed fury.
"Of course," Rade muttered, clutching his side where the earlier blow had left a deep bruise. "Because why would it ever be that easy?"
Clare's Intervention
Inside the safety of the camp, Clare watched the battle unfold, her heart pounding with every move her brother made. She wanted to rush out and help, but she knew the camp's rules: once she left its boundaries, she would be vulnerable to the monsters.
But as the rank-A beast prepared to strike a killing blow, something inside her snapped. She couldn't just stand by and watch Rade die.
Clare closed her eyes, focusing on the warm, healing energy that flowed through her. She didn't fully understand her power, but she knew it was stronger than it had ever been. This time, she wouldn't use it to heal. This time, she would use it to protect.
The moment she stepped out of the camp, a surge of energy rippled through her body. The monster turned its attention to her, sensing her presence. It roared, but Clare stood her ground, her hands glowing with a brilliant light.
"Get away from him!" she shouted, her voice echoing with a power she didn't recognize.
The light from her hands intensified, forming a barrier between her and the beast. The creature hesitated, its fiery eyes narrowing as it tested the limits of the new threat.
Rade took advantage of the distraction, scrambling to his feet. "Clare, what are you doing? Get back in the camp!"
"I'm not leaving you!" she yelled, her voice breaking with emotion.
A Strategic Retreat
Rade realized they couldn't win this fight—not yet. The rank-A monster was too powerful, its armor impervious to their current weapons. Their only chance was to retreat and regroup.
"Clare, listen to me," he said, his tone urgent but calm. "You've got to use your barrier to hold it off while I set up a trap. Can you do that?"
Clare nodded, though her legs trembled with fear. The glowing shield around her expanded slightly, pushing the monster back a few steps. It roared in frustration, clawing at the barrier, but the light held firm.
Rade moved quickly, using the last of his Void Tokens to purchase a high-damage explosive from the System's interface. It cost him nearly everything he had earned so far, but it was their only shot.
"Clare, on my signal, drop the barrier and get back to the camp!" he called out, positioning the explosive near the base of the monster's feet.
The beast growled, sensing the trap, but it was too late. Rade activated the explosive and shouted, "Now!"
Clare released the barrier and sprinted back to the camp, just as the device detonated. The explosion rocked the ground, sending a shockwave that knocked both siblings off their feet.
When the dust settled, the monster was still standing—but it was weakened. Deep cracks marred its armor, and its movements were slower, more labored.
The Cost of Survival
Rade didn't wait to see if the monster would recover. He grabbed Clare's hand and pulled her into the camp, activating the dome as soon as they crossed the boundary. The protective barrier shimmered to life, sealing them inside.
The rank-A beast roared in frustration, slamming its claws against the invisible shield. But the camp's defenses held, and after several minutes, the creature retreated, limping back into the shadows.
Rade collapsed onto the ground, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. Clare knelt beside him, her hands glowing softly as she healed the worst of his injuries.
"We did it," she whispered, her voice shaky with relief.
Rade nodded, though his expression was grim. "For now. But that thing will be back, and next time, it might not be alone."
A New Resolve
As the sun rose over the devastated city, Rade and Clare sat together inside the camp, their thoughts heavy with the weight of what lay ahead. The battle had been a harsh reminder of just how unprepared they still were. If they were going to survive the apocalypse, they needed to be stronger, smarter, and faster.
Rade opened the System's interface, scanning the list of available upgrades. There were weapons and armor far beyond anything he could currently afford, but they were within reach if he could collect enough Void Tokens.
"We'll need to start hunting again," he said, his voice steady despite the exhaustion in his eyes. "Every monster we kill brings us closer to being able to fight back."
Clare nodded, her determination mirroring his own. "And I'll keep getting stronger. My healing ability... it's changing. I can feel it. Maybe one day, I'll be able to do more than just heal."
Rade placed a hand on her shoulder, his expression softening. "We'll figure it out together. Just like always."
Outside the camp, the world was descending further into chaos. Monsters roamed the streets, and the sky remained an ominous shade of red. But inside the dome, there was a flicker of hope—a small, fragile light that refused to be extinguished.
Rade tightened his grip on his rifle, his resolve hardening. The apocalypse had begun, but it wasn't the end. Not for them.
This was just the beginning.