As Charvet stepped into the last apartment, a putrid stench filled his lungs. The air was thick, suffocating, like the entire room was drenched in death. His instincts screamed at him—something dangerous was here.
Suddenly, a chilling system notification flashed before his eyes.
System Alert!
Warning! Level 3 Mini-Boss Zombie Detected!
Charvet's grip on his sword tightened as a heavy thud echoed from deeper inside the apartment. The floor creaked under immense weight. A deep, guttural growl rumbled through the darkness.
Then, it stepped into the light.
The Mini-Boss Zombie was massive—at least twice the size of a normal one. Its body was layered with thick, rotting flesh and jagged bone armor, making it look almost like a mutated beast. Its milky-white eyes locked onto him, filled with hunger.
And then—it charged.
BOOM!
The force of its first step alone made the wooden floor crack. Charvet barely had time to react before a massive clawed arm came swinging toward him.
Whoosh!
He ducked—too slow!
The impact grazed his side, sending him crashing into the wall. A sharp pain flared in his ribs as he hit the floor, coughing.
"Damn… it's fast!"
His side throbbed, warm blood trickling from the wound. But he had no time to think—the monster was already charging again.
Charvet rolled to the side as the zombie's fist slammed down, splintering the wooden floor where he had been seconds ago.
He gritted his teeth. He had to end this fast.
With a surge of energy, he dashed forward, sword in hand. He aimed for a gap between the bone armor, slashing at its exposed flesh.
Slash!
His blade cut deep—but the zombie didn't even flinch.
Instead, it swung its arm wildly, knocking Charvet off balance. He stumbled back—too slow again.
CRACK!
A devastating punch landed on his left shoulder, sending him flying backward. His vision blurred for a moment as he hit the ground. Pain flared through his body.
When he tried to stand, he felt something wrong—his sword.
It had snapped in half.
Shit…
His hands trembled as he stared at the broken weapon. He had been using a cheap sword since the beginning—there was no way it would last forever.
The mini-boss growled, its rotten lips peeling back in a gruesome grin. It was mocking him.
But Charvet wasn't done yet.
With a growl of his own, he reached down to his backup weapon—a hunting knife strapped to his waist.
"If a sword won't work… I'll just have to get closer."
The zombie roared and lunged again. But this time, Charvet didn't dodge.
He ran straight at it.
The mini-boss raised its massive arm, preparing to crush him—but Charvet slid underneath.
SWIPE!
The attack missed him by inches.
Now he was inside its guard.
With a desperate burst of strength, Charvet jumped onto its back, wrapping one arm around its thick, decayed neck. The zombie thrashed violently, trying to shake him off, but he held on.
And then—he drove the knife straight into its left eye.
Squelch!
The zombie let out an inhuman screech, its body convulsing as the blade sank deep into its skull.
But it wasn't dead yet.
It slammed itself backward into the wall, trying to crush him. Charvet gasped as pain exploded in his back.
"One more push—"
Summoning every ounce of his remaining strength, he twisted the knife deeper, shoving it all the way to the hilt.
The zombie froze.
Its growls turned into gurgles. Its massive body trembled, then collapsed face-first onto the floor.
A heavy silence filled the room.
Then—
Quest Complete!
Defeated Level 3 Mini-Boss Zombie
Reward: Bronze Chest
Ding! Ding!
A familiar system chime echoed in Charvet's ears as bright notifications flashed in front of him.
System Alert!
Level Up!
Level Up!
Level Up!
Skill Basic Swordsmanship Level Up!
Charvet staggered to his feet, his breath ragged. His shoulder ached, his side bled, and his back felt like it had been crushed.
But he was alive.
And in front of him, a small Bronze Chest materialized, glowing faintly.
He wiped the blood from his face and let out a small, exhausted chuckle.
"That was… insane."
Without hesitation, he pulled up his stat allocation screen and dumped all of his newly earned points into Strength (STR).
Character Name: Stormbringer
Level: 6
HP: 50/100
MP: 50/50
Basic Stats:
Strength (STR): 8
Dexterity (DEX): 7
Intelligence (INT): 5
Endurance (END): 5
Skills: Intermediate Swordsmanship (Passive): Can be upgraded by practice.
New quest available: "Survive the Night"
As soon as he confirmed his choice, a warm energy surged through his muscles. some of his wounds disappear His body felt tougher, his grip stronger.He clenched his fists, feeling the power surging beneath his skin.
"I should have put points in Strength sooner… My attacks would've hit harder."
He turned to the Bronze Chest still glowing faintly in front of him.
If the mini-boss dropped a chest reward, that meant loot—valuable loot.
Still catching his breath, Charvet reached out and touched the chest's surface.
Click.
With a soft hum, the lid swung open.
Bronze Chest Opened!
Rewards:
[Iron Longsword] (Common) – A durable blade. Better than basic kitchen knives.
[Minor Healing Potion] – Restores 50 HP.
[5 God Coins] – Can be used for trade
The Iron Longsword caught his eye first.
He picked it up, feeling its weight in his hands. It wasn't some legendary weapon, but compared to the cheap sword that had snapped mid-fight, it was a huge upgrade.
"Finally, a real weapon."
He strapped the longsword to his back and took out the healing potion. His wounds still ached, and his HP, though increased, wasn't fully restored. Without hesitation, he popped the cork off the vial and drank.
The sweet, herbal liquid rushed down his throat, sending a soothing warmth through his body.
His wounds started closing, the pain fading. His HP ticked up—100/100.
Charvet sighed in relief.
Then, he looked down at the five God coins resting at the bottom of the chest.
"God coins… Does that mean there are still places to spend money?"
The thought intrigued him. If the system gave currency, then maybe… somewhere in this broken world, there were still traders or stores.
He pocketed the coins and stood up. His new longsword felt solid on his back. He was stronger, faster, and better equipped.
But this was just the start.
He still needed more supplies. More experience. More power.
Because if this was how strong a level 3 mini-boss was…
Then whatever lay ahead would be far worse.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
As soon as Charvet claimed his rewards, the air vibrated with an unfamiliar energy.
Then, a booming voice echoed across the nation—reaching every survivor still alive.
System Announcement!
Congratulations! The first Mini-Boss has been slain!
Survivor: Stormbringer has defeated the first Mini-Boss!
A new era begins! Player Rankings have been unlocked!
Stormbringer has been awarded a Unique Title: [First Hunter]
Title Earned: [First Hunter]
Permanent Effect: +10 Strength (STR), +10 Dexterity (DEX), +10 Endurance (END) +10
Effect: 5% bonus EXP from all kills
Nation Player Rankings Unlocked!
Rank System Details:
[System Announcement!]
Congratulations! The first Mini-Boss has been slain!
Survivor: Stormbringer has achieved a Nation-first milestone!
Player Rankings are now active! Compete for the top spots to earn powerful rewards!
Ranks are determined by level progression and achievements.
Every 10 levels, top-ranked players will receive exclusive rewards:
Rank 1 → Legendary Chest
Ranks 2–5 → Epic Chest
Ranks 6–10 → Rare Chest
Rankings refresh every 24 hours! Keep leveling up!
[Current Top 10 Players]
Rank 1: Stormbringer (Level 6)
Rank 2: Bloodfang (Level 5)
Rank 3: Nightshade (Level 5)
Rank 4: TitanSlayer (Level 4)
Rank 5: FrostReaper (Level 4)
Rank 6: ShadowDancer (Level 3)
Rank 7: WraithHunter (Level 3)
Rank 8: IronFist (Level 3)
Rank 9: EmberFox (Level 3)
Rank 10: DoomLancer (Level 3)
Charvet froze. His heartbeat quickened.
"The entire country… knows my name now?"
He clenched his fists.
This wasn't just about survival anymore.
People would come looking for him. Some might want to join him—others might want to kill him for his rewards.
He took a deep breath.
"I can't afford to stay in one place too long."
But at the same time, this was an opportunity.
If he could maintain his rank, he could earn more rewards—more power.
And if there were rankings, that meant... others were leveling up too.
He wasn't alone in this apocalypse.
Charvet glanced at his new stats.
Updated Stats after Title Bonus:
Strength (STR): 18
Dexterity (DEX): 17
Intelligence (INT): 15
Endurance (END): 15
Bonus: 5% extra EXP from kills.
He exhaled sharply.
He was stronger now, but this was only the beginning.
If others were catching up, he had to stay ahead.
With his new sword on his back and his determination burning, Charvet knew what he had to do next.
Find better weapons.
Gather supplies.
Track down his little brother.
And level up before anyone else caught up.
Because in this new world, there was only one rule:
Level up… or die.
In a dimly lit convenience store, a young man with short red hair and a scar over his left eye clenched his fists. His real name was Damien Frost, but in every game he had ever played, he went by Bloodfang—a name that struck fear into his enemies.
Now, in this real-world apocalypse, he was thriving. He had fought his way through the streets, leveling up quickly and even finding a decent weapon—a machete with a serrated edge.
But when the system announcement echoed in his ears, his blood boiled.
"Stormbringer? Who the hell is that?!" he growled, glaring at the glowing interface in front of him.
He had been sure he would be the first to reach Level 6—but someone had beaten him to it. Not only that, but the guy had also killed a Mini-Boss before anyone else.
Bloodfang exhaled sharply.
"Tch. Fine. You're first… for now. But you won't stay there for long."
He looked at his own ranking—Rank 2—and smirked. "Enjoy your lead while it lasts, Stormbringer. I'll be coming for that top spot soon."
Deep within a ruined office building, a lone woman sat perched on a desk, her black tactical knife spinning between her fingers. She wore a sleek combat suit, her dark eyes scanning the streets below from a shattered window.
Her in-game name was Nightshade, and she had already adjusted to this new world. She moved like a ghost, silent and deadly. The zombies never saw her coming.
But when she heard the world announcement, her calm expression barely changed—except for the slight twitch of her lips.
"Stormbringer, huh?" she whispered to herself.
A part of her was intrigued. To kill a Mini-Boss at this stage meant that he was either insanely skilled… or dangerously reckless.
"A name worth remembering." She smirked, gripping her knife. "I wonder if he's a threat… or a potential ally?"
For now, she would keep watching. But if their paths crossed… she would find out just what kind of person Stormbringer really was.
Inside a heavily barricaded gym, a massive, muscular man wiped sweat from his brow. He had already crushed over five zombies, using nothing but his bare fists and a steel pipe.
"Hahaha! Someone's already at Level 6?!" He grinned, slamming his fist into his palm.
TitanSlayer—real name Dante Reyes—loved a good challenge. He had played every survival game he could get his hands on, and now the real world had become one.
"Stormbringer, huh? I like it. You're strong… but let's see if you can keep that title."
He cracked his knuckles, looking at his stats. He wasn't far behind. If he kept training, kept fighting, he'd catch up soon enough.
And when he did?
He'd make sure Stormbringer knew his name, too.
Random Survivors Around the Country
"Wait… someone's already at Level 6? And they killed a Mini-Boss? How the hell are we supposed to keep up?!
""Damn, the top 10 are all monsters… we're just cannon fodder at this point.
""That Stormbringer guy is basically famous now. I bet everyone's gonna hunt him down.
""I want that Legendary Chest at Level 10… but with guys like this ahead of me? It won't be easy.
"Stormbringer is on top… already? He must be insane.
""I'm just trying to get to Level 5, and this guy's already at Level 6? No way I'm catching up now.
""Is there a limit to how many players can make it to the top? Or are we all just going to keep battling for the top spot?"