The sun was beginning to set, painting the ruins of the city in shades of orange and crimson. Alexia Kane crouched on the rooftop of an abandoned building, scanning the streets below. Her machete rested by her side; it's blade still slick with the blood of the last creature she'd slain.
The city was eerily quiet now, save for the occasional distant howl or the unsettling sound of glass crunching under unseen footsteps. Alexia had learned quickly that the quiet was deceptive; it didn't mean safety. It meant something worse.
The system's voice chimed in her mind, cool and detached:
[Host, you are entering a high-risk zone. Proceed with caution.]
"High-risk, huh?" Alexia muttered under her breath. She adjusted her grip on the edge of the roof, narrowing her eyes at the crumbling streets below. "Tell me something I don't know"
[New Quest: Gather Supplies]
Objective: Scavenge enough resources to last for three days.
Reward: 20 Upgrade Points, Unlock Skill: Enhanced Perception.
Alexia exhaled sharply. Resources. Food, water, medicine-- things that had become luxuries overnight. She scanned the areas again, her sharp eyes catching the faint outline of a convenience store a few blocks away. The windows were shattered, but it looked relatively untouched compared to the rest of the city.
She descended from the rooftop with practiced ease, landing silently on the cracked pavement below. Her boots crunched against the asphalt as she moved, every sense on high alert.
The convenience store loomed ahead, a dark and ominous shadow against the fiery sky. Alexia hesitated for a moment, her instincts screaming at her to turn back. But she ignored the fear. She had no choice.
Pushing open the shattered door, she stepped inside.
The store was a mess. Shelves were overturned; their content spilled across the floor. Cans of food, water bottles, and medical supplies were scattered everywhere. Alexia felt a glimmer of hope.
She moved quickly, shoving items into her bag and mentally cataloging everything she grabbed. Two bottles of water, a pack of bandages, a handful of protein bars.
As she reached a box of painkillers, a faint sound froze her in place.
A low growl.
Her grip tightened on the machete as she turned towards the sound. In the dim light, she could make out the shape of the creature lurking at the back of the store. its glowing green eyes locked onto her, and it let out a guttural snarl.
Alexia didn't wait for it to charge. She launched herself forward, swinging the machete with all the strength she could muster. The blade sliced through the air, connecting with the creature's shoulder.
It screeched in pain, clawing at her with sharp, jagged nail. Alexia ducked under its swing, her movement more precise and quicker thanks to her earlier upgrades.
She struck again, this time aiming for its head. The machete buried itself in the creature's skull with a sickening crunch, and it collapsed to the ground in a heap.
[Quest Update: Gather Supplies]
Progress: 20% Complete.
Alexia wiped the sweat from her brow, her chest heaving as she caught her breath. She glanced down at the creature's lifeless body, her stomach churning. She had killed before but it never got easier.
The system's voice interrupted her thoughts:
[Host, your combat efficiency has increased by 12%. Keep up the good work]
"Thanks for the pep talk" Alexia muttered. She adjusted her bag and resumed scavenging.
As she stepped onto the streets, the air felt heavier. The sun had dipped below the horizon, plunging the city into darkness. Shadows danced across the buildings, and the distant sounds of chaos grew louder.
Alexia's gaze darted towards the horizon, where a faint glow illuminated the night sky. It wasn't the warm glow of fire. It was cold and unnatural, like the light of a distant storm.
"What now?" she muttered, gripping her machete tightly.
The system responded immediately:
[Warning: Anomaly detected. Advise avoidance.]
"Anomaly?" Alexia frowned; her curiosity piqued despite the warning. She knew better than to ignore the system's advice, but something about the glow drew her in.
Her feet moved before her mind could catch up, carrying her towards the source of the light.
The glow led her to an open square, once a bustling marketplace. Now, it was a battlefield.
A group of survivors stood at the center of the square, surrounded by a horde of infected. The infected were unlike any alexia had encountered before. Their bodies glowed with the same eerie light, their movements unnaturally fast and coordinated.
Alexia's heart raced as she took in the scene. She didn't know who the survivors were, but they were clearly outnumbered.
Her instinct screamed at her to run, to leave them to their fate, but something in her refused to turn away.
The system's voice broke through her thoughts:
[New Quest: Assist the Survivors]
Objective: Defeat the infected and protect the survivors.
Reward: 25 Upgrade points, Unlock Skill: Tactical Awareness.
Alexia sighed, gripping her machete. "You really know how to throw me into the deep end, huh?"
Without another word, she charged into the fray.
Her machete sliced through the first infected with ease, its glowing body crumbling to the ground. She moved with calculated precision, her upgraded strength and combat mastery turning her into a force to be reckoned with.
The survivors noticed her arrival, their eyes widening in shock. One of them, a tall man with a rifle, shouted something, but Alexia couldn't make out the words over the chaos.
She fought her way toward them, her movements fluid and deadly. The infected seemed to focus on her now, their glowing eyes locking onto her as if she were a beacon.
"Great" Alexia muttered. "Just what I needed."
The battle was over in minutes, though it felt like hours. The last of the infected fell to the ground, its glowing body dissolving into ash.
Alexia stood at the center of the square, her chest heaving. Her clothes were torn, her hands bloodied, but she was alive.
The survivors approached her cautiously, their expressions a mix of gratitude and wariness.
"Who are you?" the man with the rifle asked, his voice hoarse.
Alexia hesitated for a moment before answering. "Just someone trying to survive"
The man nodded, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before he extended a hand. "Name's Marcus. Thanks for the help back there."
Alexia shook his hand, her grip firm. "Alexia."
As she looked around at the weary faces of the survivors, she felt a strange sense of purpose. She didn't know these people, but they were alive because of her.
The system's voice interrupted her thoughts once more:
[Quest Completed: Assist the Survivors]
Reward Received: 25 Upgrade points, New Skill: Tactical Awareness.
Alexia knew the road ahead would only get harder. The apocalypse was far from over, and the battles would only grow more intense, but for now, she had allies however temporary they might be and in this kinda world that was kinda enough