Chapter 3: The First Night
The mansion was silent, save for the occasional creak of its wooden floors and the soft rustling of wind through the trees outside. Haruto Takeda, the self-appointed leader of this fledgling group of survivors, stood in the center of a grand but dilapidated foyer, his senses on high alert. The mansion's age was evident—dust-coated furniture, faded portraits hanging on the walls, and the unmistakable smell of abandonment—but for all its wear and tear, it was far safer than the desolate city they had just left behind.
He turned to face the two girls, Sakura and Miyu, who were anxiously exploring the first floor of the mansion. Their faces, pale from the shock of what they'd seen, now reflected exhaustion as much as fear. Haruto understood. The reality of their situation was beginning to set in, and he was certain it was only a matter of time before it hit him too.
"Everything looks clear for now," Haruto said, his voice steady despite the weight of the uncertainty hanging over them. He had no idea what the coming days would bring, but he couldn't afford to show any hesitation. Not now, not with his family and friends depending on him.
Sakura gave a small, relieved nod. "I didn't think we'd find anything like this out here. I thought we'd have to camp out in the woods."
"I'm not sure how much longer this place will stay safe," Haruto admitted. "But for now, it's our best shot."
The mansion was large, with multiple rooms and a winding staircase that led to the second floor. They'd only explored the ground floor so far, checking for any signs of danger. Despite the eerie silence, they hadn't found anything threatening—no monsters, no strange creatures. Just the mansion's stillness.
Miyu, still gripping her backpack tightly, was the first to break the silence. "Do you think there are others out there? Survivors?" Her voice was quiet, though her eyes were wide with curiosity and fear.
Haruto hesitated before answering. "There must be. There's no way we're the only ones left. But where they are, or if they're still alive…" He trailed off, shaking his head. The truth was, he didn't know. No one knew.
The only thing that was certain was that they were alone, for now. Alone, and dependent on one another.
As the afternoon stretched into evening, Haruto led the group to the mansion's kitchen, which was surprisingly well-stocked with canned goods, dry food, and a few bottles of water. Whoever had lived here—if anyone still did—had been prepared. It was a small blessing in a world that had quickly become unforgiving.
Sakura sat at the kitchen table, running her fingers through her hair, clearly trying to process everything. Her usual calm demeanor had been shattered by the events of the day, and Haruto could see the strain in her eyes. He didn't blame her. He felt the same way.
Miyu, on the other hand, was more active, rummaging through the cabinets and pulling out what she could find. "We can probably stretch this for a few days," she said, her voice more practical than before. "We'll need to ration it carefully, though."
Haruto nodded. "We'll need to head out tomorrow. Find more supplies and figure out what's going on in the world. The system said we should gather allies, but I'm not sure where to even begin."
"Yeah," Miyu said, taking a seat at the table across from Sakura. "What do you think the system actually is? It feels like we're in some kind of game."
"That's what it seems like," Haruto replied, glancing down at the small holographic screen that had appeared in front of him earlier. "But the monsters... the creatures we saw today… it doesn't feel like a game. It's real, and we're stuck in it." He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the weight of the responsibility bearing down on him.
"Speaking of the system," Miyu said, her voice filled with curiosity, "what are those points for? I saw the menu, but we don't really know how it works yet."
Haruto hesitated, before pulling up the system's interface once again. The holographic screen flickered before him, showing the various options in the shop, which had now expanded with new items available for purchase.
Shop Points: 150
Emergency First Aid Kit: 10 points
Water Purifier: 15 points
Food Rations (3 Days): 30 points
Basic Armor Set: 20 points
Weapon Upgrade Kit (Gun): 50 points
Weapon Upgrade Kit (Sword): 40 points
GPS Tracker: 25 points
Miscellaneous Supplies: 5-50 points
A new tab had appeared as well: Achievements.
Haruto scanned through the list of achievements that had unlocked since his arrival in the new world:
Survive the Apocalypse: 50 points
Lead the First Group: 100 points
First Kill (Monster): 20 points
Locate Shelter: 30 points
"I think we can use these points to buy supplies," Haruto said, tapping the screen. "But the more we do, the more points we earn. The system's definitely giving us resources, but I'm not sure how to use it to our advantage yet. We'll need to explore more."
"I still can't believe this is happening," Sakura muttered, her voice low. "I've been reading about apocalyptic scenarios in novels, but this… this is different."
"You're telling me," Haruto replied with a grim smile. "This is real. But we have to keep going. For everyone's sake." He glanced at his childhood friends. "I'm going to need both of you. We're going to figure this out, together."
Miyu nodded firmly. "We'll make it through. We have each other, and we have you, Haruto."
Haruto didn't respond immediately. Instead, he stared at the system's shop screen, his mind working. He knew that they couldn't afford to sit still for long. They'd need to venture into the unknown, to find more survivors and more resources. This wasn't going to be easy, and the more they stayed inside the mansion, the more vulnerable they became.
"We'll head out at first light," Haruto said, breaking the silence. "We'll find more supplies, maybe even more survivors. This place is a temporary shelter, but we need to be prepared for what comes next."
"That sounds like a good plan," Sakura said, her voice more steady now. "We can't stay here forever."
"We'll be ready," Miyu added. "And we'll stick together."
Haruto stood up from the table, his mind focused. "Rest for now. Tomorrow, we start our search for answers."
As the group settled into their makeshift quarters for the night, Haruto's thoughts remained with the strange new world that had swallowed them whole. The mansion, though safe for now, was only a small part of the puzzle. They still had no idea what caused the world to fall apart, nor what horrors awaited them beyond the mansion's walls.
But Haruto knew one thing: he couldn't afford to fail. Not with Sakura, Miyu, and the others depending on him.
The system had given him a role—leader—and it was one he would have to embrace if they were to survive. The apocalypse had only just begun, and Haruto Takeda was ready to face whatever came next.
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To be continued...