After defeating the abomination and gaining the powerful skill called [Surge], Myles's confidence soared.
He had earned 50 EXP from the fight, putting him tantalizingly close to Level 3. The thought of growing stronger kept his legs moving, even when he start to feel fatigue gnawed at his muscles, and also his wounds stung.
But as he walke deeper into the ruined city, Myles faced a growing frustration: his Mana reserves.
Using his skills had taken a toll. His limited Mana supply forced him to ration its use carefully and leaving him vulnerable during critical moments.
Each time he summoned his fireball or activated his Bond Skill, he felt the emptiness in his reserves that quite worrying.
"This isn't enough," he muttered to himself while leaning against a broken wall. "I need more Mana. I can't keep fighting like this, it's too risky."
Yet Myles knew better than to expect a quick solution.
At least he had gained [Surge] and that was a rare find.
With no immediate way to boost his Mana Myles adjusted his strategy. He would need to moved like a shadow through the city's ruins and relying on stealth and cunning rather than brute force.
He took down smaller monsters and mutated humans with well-timed sneak attacks. A slash of his knife and using as little as much of his skill. His Abyssal Bind skill is so useful in this kind if situation.
Myles always conserving his Mana for when it truly counted.
The days blurred together. Each battle brought him closer to leveling up.
Finally, after countless killing and narrow escapes, the moment arrived.
A soft chime echoed in his mind.
[Level Up: 3]
Myles grinned despite his exhaustion. His hard work had paid off.
As he opened his stats window, he immediately allocated his earned Points to Wisdom, raising his Mana to 140.
"Finally," he muttered, closing the screen. He could feel the difference already. His reserves had nearly tripled, giving him far more flexibility in battle.
For the first time in this long day, he allowed himself to breathe easier.
But even as he rested, Myles's gaze drifted toward the horizon.
The ruined city stretched and filled with unknown threats, but also opportunities for him.
With greater Mana reserves and his growing arsenal of skills, Myles was feeling a little bit better now.
A sharp scream shattered his daydreaming. His instincts kicking in before reason had the chance to intervene.
Its a woman's voice that sounds desperate and pleading.
Myles's body moved before he fully processed the situation. He followed the sound and approached a darkened alley just off the main road. The sight before him made his grip tighten around his knife.
Three men with faces twisted with cruel amusement surrounded a woman sprawled on the cold asphalt. Her clothes were torn already.
She pushed weakly against one of them but they only laughed. One of them crouched beside her, his filthy fingers brushing against her bare chest.
"Relax, sweetheart," one of them said. "The world's ending anyway. Might as well we have some fun beefeore we died!"
The others chuckled, their eyes gleaming with hunger for something far more depraved.
The woman choked out another scream, her voice cracking. "Please... someone... help me!"
Myles exhaled slowly, his heart pounding not with fear but with cold rage.
"Not even five hours and everything's already gone to shit," he muttered under his breath, his expression darkening.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward.
One of the men finally noticed Myles approaching, his eyes narrowing as he turned.
"The fuck do you want?" he snapped with irritation. His two companions barely spared Myles a glance, too caught up in their activity.
"You can have your turn after us," another one sneered, chuckling.
Myles didn't respond. His gaze flickered briefly to the woman. Wide, terrified eyes looked at him but there was no relief in them only fear. She thought he was just another monster coming to rape her as well.
That assumption ended the moment Myles moved.
In a blink of an eye, he closed the distance between them.
The first man barely had time to register his approach before cold steel sliced across his throat. A wet gurgle escaped his lips as his hands instinctively clutched at his neck, blood pouring through his fingers.
His knees buckled and he collapsed to the ground, choking on his own blood.
"What the fuck—!" The second man jerked in panic, his hand flying toward the pistol tucked in his waistband.
But it was too slow.
Myles was already there then ruthlessly, he caught the man's wrist, twisted it with a sickening crack, and dragged his blade across his throat in one smooth motion. Blood sprayed against the crumbling wall behind him as he crumpled lifelessly onto the pavement.
The last man barely had time to process the carnage before Myles go at him. He still had one hand gripping the woman's arm and his other frozen midair.
A sharp slash cut the man's throat as well.
His body twitched violently before he slumped over with throat spilling crimson onto the woman beneath him.
It was over in less than ten seconds.
Myles exhaled slowly and stepping back as the silence pressed in. Three bodies lay sprawled in growing pools of blood.
The woman trembled and still too shocked to move. She stared up at him, her lips parted as if trying to form words but she didn't say anything.
"You're safe now," Myles said. He opened his jacket and throw it at the woman. "Cover yourself with that."
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