Myles lay on the floor catching his breath. A slow smile spread across his face and growing wider. He had done it. The pain he'd endured to get it seemed a small price to pay in comparison to what he got."Totally worth it," he whispered to himself.Curiosity burned in him now. He had to know more about this new skill first. Focusing his mind, he called out the name of the skill, as he had seen done countless times in the novels.Instantly, a new notification appeared before his eyes, detailing the skill.[Skill: Fireball]- Rank: D- Mana Cost: 10- Description: Conjures a ball of fire in the caster's hand, which can be thrown to cause explosive damage to the target.- Cooldown: 5 secondsMyles's grin widened. "Not bad," he murmured, a thrill running through him at the idea of being able to hurl fire at will. He stood up and couldn't wait to try it out.Without a second thought he raised his hand and concentrated, focusing on the sensation of drawing mana from within himself. The novels had always described it as a flow, something you had to guide and shape with your will. Myles visualized the fireball forming in his palm, just like the text had described.Warmth began to build in his hand, growing hotter with each passing second until a glowing orb of fire appeared in his grasp. The flames danced and crackled filling the room with an orange glow."Oh ho ho... Nice." Myles' eyes wide with wonder.Unable to contain his excitement Myles aimed his hand at a nearby piece of furniture — an old chair that had seen better days — and with a thought, he released the fireball.It shot forward before colliding with the chair in a fiery explosion. Wood splintered, and flames erupted, reducing the chair to a smoldering heap of ash and charred remnants.Myles burst into laughter that echoed through the room. The sheer power of what he had just done was intoxicating. He couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. A joy that he hadn't felt in years.Turning back to Emily's corpse Myles flashed a wide, almost maniacal smile. "Thanks, Emily," he said, "You were a pain in the ass, but you gave me something good in the end."Myles turned away from the smoldering remains of the chair and glanced at the window. He pulled back the curtains slightly and what looking through the window.The streets below were in chaos just in a matter of minute.Monsters of all shapes and sizes roamed freely, tearing through anything in their path. Buildings burned, cars lay overturned and shattered, screams of the dying echoed through the air.They look like demons from hell with horns, claws, and burning crimson eyes. Some of the creatures were small and fast, while others were hulking behemoths that smashed through walls with ease. Among them were people, or at least what had once been people who now had turned into the abominations.Myles watched in horror as a group of these former humans — maybe a family — charged at a fleeing man, their limbs elongated and their eyes glowing. They pounced on him, tearing him apart in seconds, the blood splattering on the pavement.A chill ran down Myles's spine. He had read about scenarios like this but seeing it in reality was something else entirely. The world he had known was gone, replaced by this nightmarish landscape.If he wanted to survive he had to get stronger. But he wasn't stupid. Charging out there with nothing but a single Fireball skill would be suicide. He needed to be smart, pick off the weaker monsters, gain experience, and slowly build up his power. He couldn't afford to make mistakes."I need weapons," he muttered to himself, turning away from the window. He scanned the small, dingy apartment for anything that could be useful.Myles's eyes fell on Emily's body. The knife still protruding from her skull. He grimaced but forced himself to walk over and kneel beside her. He grasped the handle of the knife and pulled it free, the blade slick with blood and bits of bone.He wiped the blade on her clothes, cleaning it as best as he could, and then tucked it into his belt.He continued to search the apartment, opening drawers, cabinets, anything that might hold something useful. He found a small flashlight, some batteries, a lighter, and a few cans of food. There wasn't much else. No guns, no other weapons, he have none of that. But he'd have to make do with what he had.Finally, after putting all of that into his backpack and changing his clothes, he moved to the door of his apartment, hesitating for a moment with his hand on the knob. Beyond that door was a world that filled with creatures that could rip him apart in seconds. But staying here was even more dangerous."I'll start small," he whispered to himself, steeling his nerves. "One by one. I'll kill them, get stronger, and then..."He didn't finish the thought. There was no point in planning too far ahead. He needed to focus on the now, on surviving the next few minutes, the next hour.Myles opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. The air was thick with the smell of blood and smoke already, and distant sounds of chaos echoed up from the floors below. He tightened his grip on the knife and began to move cautiously down the hallway.The hunt had begun.---