Gasping for breath, Jiang Yi watched the now lifeless zombie hanging on the door, blocking the wooden hole, before finally exhaling in relief.
Zombies themselves had no intelligence, and the ones outside had no idea that removing the body would open the gap. Instead, they just kept slamming into different spots...
Just as Jiang Yi thought he could relax, a strange thing happened. A white light suddenly appeared on the dead zombie's body, and it condensed into a glowing orb that shot straight toward Jiang Yi's exhausted body!
Startled, Jiang Yi tried to dodge, but he was too weak and could only watch as the light orb entered his chest and disappeared. "Huh? I don't feel anything?" He touched his chest in confusion and slowly sat up.
Clearly, this was the first time he had encountered such an event! Since the apocalypse, Jiang Yi had killed zombies before, but this was completely new. It was obvious that the sudden change had something to do with the power he had gained.
Summoning the light screen on the wall again, this time, the displayed data had clearly changed. "Level 1, Body 1 point, Mind 1 point, Strength 1 point, Speed 1 point, Defense 1 point… Note: Each time the warrior level increases, the body is restored to optimal condition for that level, and five free attribute points are gained!"
Jiang Yi furrowed his brow. He clearly remembered that when he materialized his weapon earlier, all five of his attributes had been consumed, leaving only a miserable 1 point. Having just 1 point in attributes was almost like being reduced from a healthy adult to a newborn! If it weren't for his desperate effort to kill a zombie, leveling up to level 1 would have restored his energy and mind, but otherwise, killing another zombie would have exhausted him completely.
And looking at the note, it seemed that he still had five free attribute points to allocate. Fully aware of his current situation, Jiang Yi eagerly tapped on the light screen to try to allocate the points. But nothing changed. Instead, the screen flipped, revealing a long list of options. "Please choose your future attribute allocation... Note: Once selected, it cannot be changed. Warriors, choose carefully."
The options on the screen made Jiang Yi dizzy, but he gritted his teeth and examined each one carefully.
"'Unlimited Battle Upgrade' system attribute options are as follows:
Balanced Enhancement Warrior - A balanced and moderate development, but too balanced will make you blend in with the strongest and become unremarkable.
Physical Enhancement Warrior - Indestructible, with the fastest physical recovery. But while your recovery ability is unmatched, your combat strength as a warrior suffers.
Mental Enhancement Warrior - Powerful mental energy provides abundant stamina and high precision. But the weakness is your frail body and vulnerability in close combat.
Strength Enhancement Warrior - Great strength makes you a brave warrior, but without speed and physical endurance, you're left vulnerable to being outplayed by enemies.
Speed Enhancement Warrior - Unmatched speed can help you survive longer, but if you're hit by an enemy, death is inevitable.
Defense Enhancement Warrior - Excellent defence allows you to survive longer than anyone, but you're as slow as a turtle and can only take hits.
Custom Enhancement Warrior - A tailor-made approach that lets you choose the best attributes for your strengths. Don't settle for mediocrity—create your own path!"
Jiang Yi realized with a shock that, as he had suspected, his newfound power had actually created a system for him!
"An Unlimited Battle System? As expected, my ability isn't as simple as it seems." A trace of excitement stirred in Jiang Yi. In this chaotic apocalypse, the strength of one's abilities would determine whether they joined the ranks of the strong or were crushed by the masses.
There was no time for Jiang Yi to get lost in his thoughts. Quickly analysing the available options, he now had a general understanding of the paths for future growth and the directions in which his attributes could be enhanced.
Having played countless games, Jiang Yi quickly made his choice. The balanced approach was not viable—it would only make him mediocre, blending in with everyone else.
The other enhancements all seemed extreme, and none of them met his ideal outcome. Finally, Jiang Yi settled on the Custom Enhancement option.
Without further hesitation, he clicked on it. However, the screen didn't immediately let him distribute his points freely as he had expected. Instead, five attributes appeared again, each followed by a number of 20. Looking at the crumbling wooden door, Jiang Yi hesitated but instinctively dragged his finger across the percentage numbers next to each attribute. As he moved his finger, the numbers changed accordingly. When one attribute's value increased, the others would decrease, always totalling 100.
The path ahead was difficult, but Jiang Yi had a clear goal: to make the best use of the limited points he had and build himself into a formidable force in this perilous world.
Jiang Yi, understanding the gravity of the situation, cursed under his breath. Drawing from his countless hours spent in games, he quickly chose the future path he envisioned for himself. He didn't need to guess—his future profession was undoubtedly going to be that of a warrior.
First, his manifested weapon was a blade, not a staff, dagger, axe, or anything else. Only the warrior class could wield such a weapon.
Second, it wasn't just a coincidence; Jiang Yi felt that the ability he had gained was closely tied to his love for playing games. His experience in choosing and enhancing a warrior character in games had a direct connection to the abilities he had acquired now.
Warrior classes were his favourite, and even in games, he had a unique approach to allocating attributes that was distinct from the mainstream.
After carefully deciding on his attributes, Jiang Yi was still a bit dazed. This was real life, not a game. Could his experience truly apply here? After all, this choice was permanent and could never be altered again.
The relentless banging of zombies against the door reminded him of the urgency of the moment. The zombie corpse lodged in the door was being torn piece by piece. Had its neck not been stuck in the wood, it would have been dragged out by now, reopening the gap!
With a firm grip on the eerie black blade, Jiang Yi gritted his teeth and clicked "Confirm." The screen flashed: "Speed 40, Defense 20, Strength 15, Mind 15, Body 10."
This was his final allocation—an unusually strange approach for a warrior. Sacrificing strength and body for speed and defence, especially the 40% allocated to speed, would make most people think Jiang Yi was making an unorthodox, extreme choice.
The screen continued to display: "Level 1, Speed 3 points, Defense 2 points, Strength 1.75 points, Mind 1.75 points, Body 1.5 points..." The sudden surge of changes made Jiang Yi feel like his body was floating. While he wasn't fully restored to his previous state, it was clear that he was no longer as weak as he was immediately after manifesting the weapon.
With the decision made, Jiang Yi didn't hesitate to act. The wooden door hadn't been breached yet, so he stood up and took another look at the odd black blade he had summoned, one that had drained all his attributes and energy to manifest.
Previously, he hadn't had the time to inspect it closely. But now, with his body recovering, he could examine the weapon more thoroughly. As his eyes fell on the blade, a light screen appeared above it, showing detailed information about the weapon.
"Cranial Cutter - Left-Handed Sword! A soul weapon forged from all of your energy and blood, it is unique, indestructible, and irreplaceable... Note: The appearance is that of a black Chinese sword, with a left-handed grip. The Cranial Cutter is a growth-type weapon, and only souls killed with it count toward experience. More functions can be discovered on your own."
Jiang Yi held the sword in his left hand and gently touched the blade with his right. An inexplicable feeling of intimacy washed over him as he muttered, "Cranial Cutter, huh?" Swinging the blade with ease, Jiang Yi felt as if the sword was an extension of his arm, perfectly complementing his movements.
"From now on, please take care of me!" Jiang Yi said, each word filled with determination. To his astonishment, the Cranial Cutter seemed to respond, vibrating slightly in his hand. Then, the long leather strap attached to the hilt began to float up, wrapping itself around his left wrist in spirals.
"What's going on?" Jiang Yi stared, stunned, at the black leather strap now coiled around his arm. Could the Cranial Cutter really have a consciousness?
Before he could investigate further, a loud, guttural roar interrupted his thoughts. The zombie corpse finally gave way to the pressure from outside and was dragged out. The force was so great that the zombie's neck snapped, exposing its stark white bones.
The zombies, eager to feast, scrambled to squeeze through the narrow gap, pushing in from all directions. Jiang Yi tightened his grip on the blade, watching as another zombie head poked through the hole. A wicked grin spread across his face—this was the perfect chance for an upgrade, and he wasn't about to let it slip by.
With both hands on the blade, Jiang Yi raised it high, aiming for the exposed zombie neck, and swung fiercely.
"Thud!" The blade connected with a sickening crunch. Unlike before, where only the skin and flesh were cut, this time, with his increased strength, the sword sliced deep, spilling dark blood everywhere. The black blade trembled in his hands, but it still cleaved through the zombie's neck, dealing a devastating blow.
Though it wasn't a clean cut, the zombie's spine was severely damaged, and it could only let out a final roar before its head drooped lifelessly.
Having fought zombies for days, this was the easiest kill Jiang Yi had experienced. As he looked at the blood dripping from the blade, he couldn't believe it. Could this truly be his doing?
Before he could fully process it, another surge of white light shot into his chest. This time, though, there was no sensation of power surging through him. It was clear that he hadn't levelled up this time.