《Single Father's Guide to Monster Hunting》


 Prologue: The Life of Frank

    A jackhammer rattled in Frank Gunn''s hands as he chipped away at the concrete mindlessly. The noise was loud and drowned out his thoughts, leaving him only with his memories.


    The wedding ring on his finger caught the sunlight, forcing him to reflect on the life he had built, before ultimately losing almost everything.


    Jasmine, she had been his world. Small and delicate while he was large and rough, she had long blonde hair that used to catch the light just like his ring was doing now.


    They''d been an odd pair, him at six-foot-two built like a truck on a diet of cheeseburgers, her barely reaching his shoulders. Still, there were few who could call them a bad pair. She''d been the dreamer to his pragmatist, the spark to his steady flame.


    They had a simple wedding, and bought a house with his savings when she finished her criminal psychology degree. The first two years of their marriage had been quiet and happy with him taking care of their home while she built her career.


    Then Ana was born, their daughter. She was a little mirror of her mother, right down to those tiny blue eyes that stole his heart every time he saw them. The only thing she took from him was his jet black hair.


    Their family lasted for 6 months.


    That was all the time they had before John White, one of Jasmine''s patients, took almost everything away.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Jasmine had just returned to work after her maternity leave when John, who seemed to show great progress prior to her leave, unexpectedly stabbed her with a shiv whittled from a toothbrush he had smuggled in.


    Frank often remembered the prison guards'' call. He remembered how he couldn''t breathe. How he clung to Ana, both of them sobbing on the floor until his parents found them hours later.


    To this day, he hadn''t recovered from the depression that followed, but he kept that detail hidden from Ana. She was too young to remember Jasmine when she died, another fact that caused his heart to break, but it was a blessing for her. She didn''t have to feel the pain he did.


    Having nothing else he could do, he threw himself into work, taking every overtime shift his job offered.


    He sold the house they had built. Without Jasmine it didn''t feel like home anymore, and the mortgage was well outside of his budget, opting instead for a small, run down two bedroom apartment.


    Some nights, after tucking Ana into bed, Frank would sit in the darkness of the living room and remember Jasmine''s laugh, the way she''d scrunch her nose when she was thinking hard, how she''d always believed in giving second chances.


    The forgiving nature that ultimately killed her.


    Still, he never let these feelings leak through to Ana. If you asked her, her daddy was always strong, smiling, and there for her.


    The truth was, without Ana, he wouldn''t have survived Jasmine''s death. She became his rock, his purpose, his only reason to live. Every extra dollar he earned went to her, whether it be a new book, a toy, whatever he felt would make her smile.


    His own happiness seemed like a foreign concept, something that had died alongside Jasmine in that prison meeting room.


    Life had taught Frank Gunn its cruelest lesson: love like theirs doesn''t happen twice. The only thing this world had left to offer him was the promise of watching his daughter grow into a happy young woman.


    And for that purpose, he would persevere through anything.

 A Fathers Promise

    "Finally quittin'' time."


    Frank Gunn went to the time clock and punched out, causing the contraption to beep twice. He was officially free, at least until tomorrow.


    Stretching his back with a loud crack, he prepared to head home.


    The shifts were getting longer and longer lately. This wasn''t because he was working longer hours; it was the days themselves that seemed to drag on, as if they were extra. Unnecessary and stolen.


    Stepping out of his truck, he was soon greeted by one of the few welcome sights still remaining in this world.


    "Daddy!"


    His daughter Ana launched herself into his arms, nearly knocking him off balance. She was getting big, a far cry from the tiny thing who once fit perfectly in the crook of his arm.


    She now stood a proud three-foot-six, her jet-black hair having grown down to her back. Her bright blue eyes were a carbon copy of her mother''s, ambition and all. So much so that he often found himself stopping and staring.


    In contrast, time hadn''t been kind to Frank.


    His once-commanding six-foot-two frame had shrunk a few inches from an ever-present, defeated slouch. His shoulders that used to be broad and proud from years of construction work, now sagged like they had been used as parking spaces for SUVs.


    His crew-cut black hair had grown out into a long, unkempt mop, and his bright green eyes had lost their shine, leaving behind lifeless dull voids.


    The lines around his eyes darkened every day, fueled by a mix of depression and exhaustion. Still, he always found a way to smile for Ana.


    "How was daycare, buttercup?" he asked as he buckled her into her car seat.


    "It was good! We played dollies and horsies and doctor! Oh, and Ms. Sarah let us draw pictures, and I drew our house, but bigger and prettier, and a garden like the one from the pictures-"


    Ana rambled on endlessly, seeming to have a story for everything. Frank struggled to concentrate as she chattered on about her day, recounting the smallest, most mundane details with the kind of enthusiasm that you could only find in a four-year-old.


    It was a relief she was happy; on the days she wasn''t, his whole world seemed to turn a darker shade of gray.


    Their apartment building came into view quickly in all its noticeably weathered glory. The paint was peeling with reckless abandon, and the concrete was cracked in many places, clearly neglected by the landlord.


    It was pitiful, but it was well within his budget. It''s not like they paid road workers a premium in Midwestern America.


    ''Maybe I''d be paid better in France or something,'' he wondered.


    It was fair to say the building had seen better days, just like Frank himself. So in an ironic way, it felt fitting.


    He parked his truck and stared emptily at the place they lived. It was a poor substitute for a real home. After all, that was lost after his wife Jasmine died.


    "Daddy, I''m hungry," Ana complained as Frank unlocked the door.


    "Me too, sweet pea. How about horseshoes tonight?" he suggested. It was a common dish in their area and also happened to be Ana''s favorite.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Her eyes lit up, a bit of drool forming at the side of her mouth.


    "Yes, please!" She replied eagerly


    Stepping inside, Frank was filled with the all too familiar feeling of claustrophobia. The apartment was cramped, too cramped for Frank''s taste, and far too cramped to be good enough for Ana. But it was what they had for now.


    He set down his things and went to the kitchen. It was small, and even smaller with Ana''s toys lying across the floor, but it wasn''t long before the thick smell of old ground beef and half-burnt cheese filled the air.


    While Frank cooked, Ana paraded her toys around the kitchen, introducing each one and their elaborate backstories.


    "This is Ms. Molly; she''s the president of Puppy City! And this is Ms. Nancy, she''s an astronaut¡ª"


    Frank chuckled and set her plate by her spot at the table.


    "That''s great! But do you think Ms. Molly and Ms. Nancy could wait in your room until we''re done eating?"


    Seeing the food was ready, Ana jumped into her seat, "Okay! Bye Ms. Molly! Bye Ms. Nancy!"


    Taking her toys and bringing them to her room, Frank sighed.


    ''How many times do I need to remind her to clean up?'' He complained inwardly.


    The already tiny room was covered in toys, including a stuffed rabbit that was currently hanging off her bed. It was her favorite toy, and she refused to sleep without it.


    Looking around only managed to piss him off. This place was just a glaring reminder that his life was gone and irrecoverable.


    Lately, he''d been noticing more cobwebs in the corners. The building''s spider problem seemed to be getting worse, but an exterminator was simply a luxury he couldn''t afford. Rent and Ana''s daycare fees ate up most of his paycheck.


    ''Maybe sometime in the future,'' he thought, defeated.


    After dinner, Frank gave Ana her bath. She was playing in the tub happily until she noticed a spider on the edge.


    Her shriek nearly shattered his eardrums, prompting Frank to quickly stomp it out of existence.


    ''Note to self: start saving for an exterminator,'' he thought, though he knew it would be months before he could spare the money.


    "So, what story we reading tonight, princess?" Frank asked as he tucked Ana into bed.


    "Alice in Wonderland!"


    "You sure? That one always scares you."


    "Pleaseeee?" Those eyes, Jasmine''s eyes, looked up at him, and he knew he''d lost. It was always like this, he could never tell Jasmine no for long either.


    "Fine, you win." He sighed, settling into the familiar ritual. "But you need to be brave, okay?"


    Not even two chapters in, Ana''s eyelids grew heavy. Frank started to reach for the bedside lamp, but was stopped by a small frightened voice.


    "Daddy, please don''t turn off the lights. The monsters will find me." She pleaded as she pulled the covers up to her nose.


    Frank smiled gently. "Don''t worry, Ana. There''s no such thing as monsters." He answered before flexing dramatically, earning a giggle from Ana, "Besides, if they tried to hurt you, I''d just beat ''em up!"


    "Promise?"


    "Promise." He kissed her forehead before he tucked her in and turned off the light.


    "Goodnight, angel."


    ---


    After Ana fell asleep, Frank began cleaning up, entering his least favorite time of the day.


    Things always were the worst between the time when Ana went to bed and when he eventually passed out from exhaustion.


    It was about time Jasmine and him would have started talking about their day, playing a game, watching a movie or show, or enjoying their more... intimate moments.


    Frank mindlessly washed the dishes as his thoughts wandered.


    He was elbow-deep in dishwater when something strange happened.


    A voice.


    It didn''t seem to come from anywhere in particular¡ªit was simply there. But also loud, like it refused to be ignored.


    [BREACH DETECTED


    BREACH DETECTED]


    Frank froze, his hands still in the water.


    "What the hell? Am I finally losing it?" he grumbled, shaking his head as he took a seat and dried his hands. Clearly he needed a break.


    [ANOMALY ERODING BARRIER AROUND SECTOR 103, LOCALIZED NAME: EARTH


    PREPARING EMERGENCY MEASURES


    ALL CREATURES OF MATURITY UNDERGOING FORCED EVOLUTION


    ADOLESCENTS BEGINNING CORE RESTRUCTURE FOR EVOLUTION]


    The voice was cold and emotionless, like a computer speaking directly into his consciousness without caring if it was invited.


    Frank tried to make sense of what was happening. His thoughts raced, but none of this made any sense.


    Anomaly?


    Sector?


    He glanced toward Ana''s room. The apartment felt too still, as if something was waiting to happen.


    The voice seemed to agree, as it wasn''t done.


    [INITIATING INTEGRATION WITH HOST]


    .


    .


    .


    [INTEGRATION: SUCCESS]


    He felt his body begin to... change. It wasn''t painful, and he didn''t see any movement, but the feeling was definitely there. Like a tingle from static electricity.


    The sensation was fleeting, but before he could breathe out in relief, the voice returned:


    [INITIALIZATION COMPLETE


    COMMENCING¡ª]

 Emergency Quest: Formidable Foe

    As soon as Frank heard the last message, two screens appeared in front of him.


    He stared at them dazed until his curiosity got the better of him.


    [Host: Frank Gunn


    Level: 1


    EXP: 0/100


    Race: Human


    HP: 20/20


    MP: 15/15


    Strength (STR): 7


    Constitution (CON): 10


    Agility (AGI): 3


    Intelligence (INT): 5


    Charisma (CHA): 5


    Luck (LUC): 0


    Free Points: 0]


    "Okay, that''s... interesting," Frank muttered "Either I''m drunk, hallucinating, or dead. Really hope I''m not dead..."


    While he wasn''t a gamer, just a guy who occasionally dabbled in fantasy while Ana was asleep, even he could recognize a stat screen when he saw one. It was absurd to see one in real life. Still, it was depressingly accurate.


    Specifically his Luck stat, which earned a bitter laugh from him.


    Zero.


    What else should he expect? His luck had always been the absolute worst. If he had a nickel for every time fate screwed him, he''d probably earn a million nickels, then somehow end up losing them all in the wash...


    ''As if I needed a reminder,'' he thought, glaring at the screen. ''Way to rub it in.''


    He swiped to the next page, not wanting to see his luck anymore.


    [Skills


    Oathkeeper SPEX: While fulfilling a promise, all stats are enhanced 200% except HP. Breaking a promise will result in the death of the user when promise becomes irreparable.


    Regeneration lvl 1: Health will slowly regenerate over time. Current rate: 1 HP/30 seconds.]


    Frank stared at his first skill, dumbfounded. A stat boost for keeping promises?


    ''What kind of twisted self-help bullshit is this? What does it mean "irreparable"? Am I being threatened by my own "Skill"? How do you even balance something like this?'' Frank complained inwardly


    ''As if my life wasn''t complicated enough. Now I have to worry about breaking promises like I''m Pinocchio or something. "Hey Frank, remember that time you promised to take out the trash? Well now you''re dead!"'' He thought sarcastically.


    The second skill, at least, made sense. Regeneration. He could work with that.


    Assuming, of course, this wasn''t all some stress-induced fever dream.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Giving him no time to digest this new information, a new screen popped up, glowing red.


    [EMERGENCY QUEST


    Quest: Formidable Foe


    Clear condition: Escape with Ana Gunn


    Clear rewards: Immediate level up


    Failure penalty: Immediate death of Frank and Ana Gunn


    Quest cannot be denied


    Time to accept before immediate failure: 2 minutes and 37 seconds]


    Frank nearly choked.


    Escape with Ana? From what? The screen didn''t give any details, just orders and a threat.


    "Alright," he muttered as he scratched his head. "This is a REALLY lucid dream, maybe I should see if my insurance would pay for therapy."


    The timer continued to tick down, not caring whether it was believed or not.


    [1:23]


    Doubt started to form in his mind. Frank had always been a skeptic, and he was fairly certain some people had been institutionalized for less than he was experiencing now.


    [:37]


    Even still, the countdown of the timer made him uneasy. Even if he was almost positive this was a dream; he couldn''t be 100%. If this were real, could he just accept the quest and stay home? It''s not like he saw this "Threat"


    [:10]


    [:09]


    [:08]


    That aside, the quest was clear, if he didn''t accept, he and Ana would die. Even in a dream, that was NOT something he could let happen.


    "ALRIGHT ALREADY, I ACCEPT YOUR STUPID QUEST!" Frank shouted, pressing the accept button with his middle finger before pointing it toward the sky. "Happy now?"


    [Quest accepted!


    Please evacuate to safe area.


    Threat inbound in:]


    [:03]


    [:02]


    [:01]


    The timer hit zero, and for a moment, Frank felt relief. Nothing was happening, maybe this was just a prank by some of his coworkers.


    Then he heard it.


    A loud crack, followed by the sound of shattering porcelain.


    ''That... can''t be good.'' Frank gulped.


    He paused for a moment before ultimately deciding to see what caused the noise. Even if he didn''t like what he saw, he doubted ignoring whatever it was would cause it to go away.


    Taking a deep breath, he crept toward the bathroom.


    ''It''s just a dream Frank, no need to be scared; a dream can''t hurt you,'' he reassured himself.


    On the off chance this wasn''t a dream... well, he''d cross that bridge when he came to it.


    When he reached the bathroom, he looked around the side of the door.


    The room was a disaster. Shards of toilet were scattered across the floor with water shooting out from the pipes. There, in the center of everything, was the cause.


    A spider.


    It was a fairly normal brown recluse in every way, if you ignored its size. It stood five feet tall, its body a blend of fuzzy brown and black, and its eight legs each as thick as Frank''s forearm. As he watched, its legs were scraping against the tiles with a sound that made him shudder.


    The creature''s eyes, all eight of them, had a subtle glow. It was really easy to spot since they were currently staring Frank down hungrily.


    [WARNING: TARGET''S LEVEL IS SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER THAN THAT OF HOST, COMBAT NOT ADVISED.]


    Frank looked at the screen, then back at the spider, blinking twice.


    "Oh, you think?" he snapped. "Thanks for the tip, Captain Obvious."


    "As if living poor wasn''t bad enough, now I''m gonna die because I couldn''t afford a damn exterminator?" He screamed at the screen in front of him.


    The spider observed his tantrum before it turned to look towards Ana''s room. Frank''s blood turned to ice.


    ''Why is it-''


    "EEEEEEK" His thoughts were interrupted by a loud scream.


    "ANA!" Frank shouted, rushing toward her room. The spider hadn''t made its move yet, and Frank wasn''t about to give it a head start. He slammed the bathroom door shut, hoping the spider''s critical lack of thumbs would buy him time.


    Frank darted into Ana''s room, finding her curled up beneath her blankets, sobbing. Frank didn''t stop to think, grabbing her blankets and all before bolting out the door.


    "Hey Ana, it''s a bit late, but what do you say to a car ride? Right now, just the two of us." He tried to keep her calm, but his voice cracked, betraying him.


    "D-daddy, I''m scared. P-please squish it, please!" Ana sobbed.


    Frank''s heart tightened. She was just a child; how could she not be terrified? Even he was scared, and he was three times her size.


    He managed to buckle her into her car seat and close the door, having hope for a moment that he might actually be able to escape. But then, he heard it.


    A crashing sound, too loud to ignore. The spider had made it through the door.


    "Shit," Frank whispered, his mind spinning. He was running out of time.


    He desperately checked his surroundings to see if there was anyone who could help.


    Looking around, all he could see was chaos in the streets. Burning buildings, people screaming, tripping over each other, the whole nine yards.


    Cars were crashing into each other as people tried to escape, and he even saw motionless bodies start to get back up before attacking their fellow man.


    What he was witnessing made one thing painfully clear: He was on his own. No help was coming.


    Not for him, and not for Ana.

 Oathkeeper

    Frantically looking over his surroundings, Frank spotted his tools in the back of his truck. Digging through them, he finally found his sledgehammer. It may have been too heavy to move around easily, but that weight made it a good choice for defending.


    [Item acquired: Simple Sledgehammer


    Type: Weapon


    Attack: 20


    Durability: 90/100


    Description: A worn, man-made tool with considerable striking power.]


    "Ah, yes, very helpful," Frank chided, rolling his eyes before running away from his truck.


    "COME GET ME, YOU EIGHT-EYED FREAK!" he shouted, hoping to draw the spider''s attention.


    The good news was, it worked! The bad news was, the monster definitely understood him.


    ''Whoops, looks like I pissed it off,'' he groaned. He achieved his goal of luring its attention away from Ana, but now the thing was angry. At him specifically.


    His plan was to draw it far enough away that, even if it killed him, it would go after somebody other than Ana afterwards. It was a heartless tactic, but it was the only way he could think of to hopefully keep Ana safe long enough for help to arrive.


    Sadly, the spider was fast; way faster than Frank. It closed in within seconds, not allowing him to buy much time. It swung its front legs to strike, causing Frank to flinch and hold his sledgehammer out in front of him, blocking the blow.


    The impact sent painful shockwaves through his arms, but he was alive.


    [HP: 19/20


    Weapon Durability: 62/100]


    "Dammit!" He complained, "I blocked that hit and still took damage? How strong is this thing?"


    He couldn''t imagine what a direct hit would do to him. Even worse, his weapon definitely wouldn''t last if it kept taking hits like that.


    The spider was equally annoyed, its prey was supposed to be dead right now.


    Enraged, it attacked again, its legs once again lashing out. But this time Frank had a bit more time to react. Swinging the hammer sideways, he felt an overwhelming strength overcome him, deflecting the blow and causing the spider to stagger sideways.


    Unsure how he managed it, he decided not to complain before running towards a nearby alleyway.


    ''If I can keep it in front of me, I might have a chance!'' He thought, seeing a small opportunity for victory.


    It was a good plan, but he never made it that far.


    The spider, seeing where he was headed, launched webs toward the nearby buildings, sealing off the alleyway with a giant web.


    "Really? You''re blocking me off?!" Frank screamed dumbfounded, just how smart was this thing?


    Panicking, he searched for a different strategy, but this left him distracted, and wide open to the spider''s next attack.


    The creature''s leg pierced directly into his back, causing his skin to tear. His shirt began to stain with blood while his health that had just regenerated took a massive hit.


    [HP: 12/20]


    The spider towered over him, its body lofted above his. To his shock, instead of finishing him off, it began to speak.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "You. Destroyer. Must. Die." It spoke slow and broken English, but its deep voice was still understandable. "You. Your kin. Like. Kill. My kin."


    ''You''ve got to be kidding me. This thing can talk, and it''s holding a grudge?!'' Disbelief filled his mind, but then a thought occurred, if it could speak, could it possibly be reasoned with?


    "You invaded our home, uninvited. If you leave us be, we can go our separate ways, we don''t need to fight," Frank spoke slowly, not wanting to startle the monster.


    "No mercy. Like. No mercy. For us," the spider hissed, not even considering his offer.


    "Fine! You''re right! I killed your family! I''m guilty, do what you want! But my daughter is innocent! She never touched any of you. Let''s keep this between us!"


    He was desperate, if he couldn''t save his own life, he needed to at least ensure Ana''s.


    "Gave. The order. Many times. She is. Guilty," the spider replied adamantly.


    "She''s a child! She was scared. She won''t trouble you anymore!" Frank''s voice cracked, he tried to maintain his composure, but his desperation leaked into his tone.


    "Correct. She won''t. Trouble us. Anymore. You. Killed my children. Made no difference. No difference to you. No difference to me." With that, the creature turned away, looking towards his truck.


    "No!" Frank screamed. "I said your grudge is with me!"


    Adrenaline coursed through him, and in a burst of fury, he swung the sledgehammer with all his Strength, shattering the spider''s hind leg, earning a guttural shriek.


    "So, your opponent will be me!" Frank slowly stood up, holding the sledgehammer with malicious intent.


    He may not have been able to convince the spider, but he did buy time for "Regeneration" to do its thing.


    [HP: 17/20]


    "We could have worked this out, you idiot! But since you''re planning to hurt her, I''ll squash you like I did the rest of your kin!" He roared, preparing for another strike.


    The spider countered, launching a web. Frank dodged to the left, faster than before. He swung the sledgehammer, catching another leg with his swing, earning a sickening crunch.


    Two legs were down. If he could manage to take down six more, this fight would be his.


    The quiet buff from "Oathkeeper" had been sustaining him, enhancing his reflexes, strength, and everything else, giving him a fighting chance. Pushing his momentum, he dashed to the spider''s blind spot, planning to land a decisive blow.


    That was, until he felt a sharp pain and was flung to the ground.


    [You have received a critical hit!


    HP: 2/20


    Status effect: Bleeding. Lose 1 HP every 30 seconds. Negates the effect of Regeneration until the effect ends.]


    ''But how?'' He hadn''t just rushed in blindly after all, ''I made sure none of its eyes could see me and everything!''


    Looking down at his body, he noticed his right leg was twisted at an unnatural angle, and a large gash was across his chest, leaving a deep wound that gushed blood at an alarming rate. The pain was unbearable, worse than anything he had experienced in his life.


    ''How did this happen?'' he questioned, dumbfounded.


    His body was broken, and the excruciating pain kept him from moving.


    "Now. You watch. Afterwards. You die," it hissed before moving towards his truck, planning to make him suffer for his earlier provocation.


    As the spider ripped the door off its hinges, Ana''s terrified scream pierced the air. "Daddy, help!"


    Frank''s heart felt cold. "Stop! Leave her alone!" he forced his body to crawl towards her, ignoring the agony each movement brought with.


    "P-please help! Daddy, you p-promised¡­" Her plea broke his heart, and caused tears to run down his cheeks, mixing with his blood. The spider was wrapping her with its web now, covering her mouth, not allowing her to scream anymore.


    "I will not lose her too!" Frank slammed the ground with his fists drawing more blood.


    [Bleeding effect


    HP: 1/20]


    He didn''t even notice the notification. Rage was muting his pain, his mind only focused on making this spider pay.


    Summoning every ounce of strength, he grasped his sledgehammer. With "Oathkeeper" coursing through him, he bellowed, his voice raw with fury and desperation, "You bastard, look at me! I said your opponent. IS. ME!"


    Time was up and he only had one shot. With all his strength and focus, he hurled his sledgehammer at the abomination, praying its aim held true.


    The hammer flew through the air, and time seemed to slow. The speed was no joke, as he threw it with all his strength, which was now effectively 21.


    For context, before the "breach", certain impressive people had been able to lift cars and tow airplanes behind them. When the event happened, they were given an initial strength stat of 10. The strength Frank now had was twice that!


    The sledgehammer flew through the air, spinning end over end at speeds equivalent to a racecar, directly on course to it''s target.


    In its last moments, the spider turned back as it seemed to sense the attack. Its head swiveled toward the threat, cold fury surging through its eyes.


    Frank nearly cried as the hammer finally collided with the spider''s head, an explosive crunch echoing through the night.


    The enormous creature staggered, its exoskeleton shattered, the sickening sound of breaking chitin mixing with a wet splatter of blood and guts. After a moment, its body crumpled, collapsing in a heap as the hammer embedded into its soft flesh.


    [You have scored a critical hit!


    Evolved Spider Lvl 6 has been defeated!]


    Before the system could continue, everything faded into darkness as Frank lost consciousness.

 Awakening in a New World

    Frank had no idea how long it was before he regained consciousness.


    When he did, the first thing he noticed was flickering lights, followed by the smell of antiseptic. Squinting his eyes from the brightness, he struggled to sit up.


    As he sat there, he recalled the fight; the adrenaline, the chaos, even his near-death experience, before throwing up.


    ''Was it all real?'' he questioned, until realization hit him: ''I fought a monster...''


    With a groan, he pushed himself upright. This actually was easier than he expected, which he was grateful for. It took a moment for him to get his bearings, but when he did, he saw a screen in front of him, glowing softly.


    [QUEST COMPLETED!


    BONUS REWARDS UNLOCKED:


    Exceptional XP for defeating an "Unbeatable" enemy: +1000 EXP


    Immediate Level Up: Level 6 Achieved]


    Frank''s heart raced as he processed the information.


    ''I defeated the spider?'' He really managed to put that monster down?


    He thought back to the fight; his sledgehammer, the urge to protect Ana, the pain of the spider''s attacks. It had nearly cost him his life. He paled a bit as he remembered being impaled and nearly dismembered.


    Pushing those thoughts aside with a shudder, he began to scroll through his stats.


    [Host: Frank Gunn Level: 6 EXP: 0/750 Race: Human


    HP: 50/50 MP: 15/15


    Strength (STR): 22+ Constitution (CON): 25+ Agility (AGI): 8+ Intelligence (INT): 5+ Charisma (CHA): 5+


    Luck (LUC): 0


    Stat Points: 10]


    ''It looks like regeneration did its job, but I never expected it to be so effective.'' Not only was his body completely unharmed, but it was considerably more defined than before.


    This was a welcome sight to Frank. After all that pain and suffering, it looked like the system was at least kind enough to reward him fairly.


    ''Still...''


    He eyed the luck stat and scowled.


    ''Of course that''s the ONE stat I can''t improve with skill points.'' He grimaced, wishing he could at least put a single point into the stat. ''What a cruel joke.''


    ''And why are the gains so uneven?''


    It was easy to see his HP, strength, and constitution had skyrocketed, while his agility only went up five points. The rest remained unchanged.


    Unable to come to a conclusion, he moved on to his skills.


    [Skills:


    Oathkeeper (SPEX)


    Regeneration (Lvl 1) -> (Lvl 2): 1HP/30sec -> 3HP/30sec


    Persisting Strength (Lvl 2) New: User can exert their maximum strength longer without fatigue. Duration increases with skill level.]


    As he read over the abilities, a realization struck him.


    ''Does this mean I''m going to keep getting stronger?'' For a moment, he felt a sense of pride. But that feeling quickly disappeared, replaced by guilt.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    ''It''s not like I have ambitions of being a hero to anyone except Ana; I''m no altruist.''


    He sat with that feeling until suddenly remembering something.


    ''Wait, where is Ana? Is she safe?'' He swung his legs over the bed and stood up, looking around frantically.


    "Ana!" he called, his voice urgent.


    "Daddy?" a small voice replied from outside the room.


    Relief washed over him as he opened the door to find Ana sitting in a chair, holding her favorite stuffed rabbit.


    "Ana!" he ran over and embraced her tightly, tears in his eyes. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"


    She shook her head, clearly relieved to see her father moving.


    "It was scary, but you promised you''d beat up the monsters, and you did!" she was clearly pumped up by his heroics, until a confused look took over her face. "They said you were hurt?"


    "Me? Hurt? It takes more than a spider to hurt me!" he assured her, quickly looking over her for any signs of injury. "But do you know where we are, sweetheart? Who are "they"? The people you mentioned earlier?"


    Ana looked up at him, her eyes watering. "Daddy, are you really okay? You were... you were really hurt. I thought..." Her voice trailed off as she hugged her rabbit tighter.


    ''Of course she saw all of that,'' he lamented. She must have been terrified seeing her father like that while being tied up by a giant monster.


    "I know it was scary, sweetheart. But I promised to protect you, and I meant it. No matter what happens, I''ll never let anyone or anything hurt you."


    Ana nodded, but her eyes were doubtful. "What about the monsters? What if they come back?"


    Frank hesitated, unsure what to do. But he realized he already knew what to say; he''d been saying it for years: "I thought I told you before, I''ll beat them up! But first, I think we should get out of here. You ready, sweet pea?"


    She looked around for a moment, clearly concerned about something, but ultimately she agreed, "Okay, Daddy."


    Suddenly, a new notification flashed on the screen in front of him, interrupting their exit:


    [Unexpected clear condition met!


    Please select one of the following skills:


    Sixth Sense (Innate): Allows user to always know when they are in danger.


    Spider''s Agility (Innate): +5 to AGI stat, allows user to freely move on any surface.


    Spider''s Web (Innate): Allows the user to create a spider''s web. The strength of the web and the amount that can be stored increase with the user''s level. Webs slowly restore over time.]


    "Choose wisely," the system prompted. This was another chance to gain strength, but as he considered his options, he made a decision.


    ''I don''t have time to worry about this right now. We need to go,'' he thought as he grabbed Ana''s hand, deciding he''d have more than enough time to decide later.


    Just then, the door swung open. A man dressed in a sharp suit and two officers walked in. Their badges caught the light, creating an imposing atmosphere.


    "Mr. Gunn," the man said, his voice steady.


    Frank eyed him up and down skeptically. "You have me at a disadvantage, sir. I can''t say I know who you are," Frank replied.


    "Your actions were commendable," the man continued, ignoring his statement, "But we need to fully understand what happened. We''ve seen many creatures like the one you encountered, and our squads have struggled against them. Meanwhile, you won alone. Fair to say you hold valuable information."


    There was a long silence. Seeing that Frank wasn''t answering until he got answers of his own, the man sighed.


    "I am Commander Arlo," he surrendered, "leader of the local branch of the national guard. As for how I know your name, we checked your ID when we saved you and your daughter. After we confirmed you weren''t turning of course."


    "After that, we ran a background check. It seems you''d been working with our local government prior to all of this," he continued, and Frank got a sick feeling.


    It was obvious where he was going with this, and he didn''t like it. The thought of being involved with the military made his skin crawl.


    "Given the body of the spider we saw near your daughter and yourself, we figure continued cooperation might be mutually beneficial, albeit with a change of sector," Lt. Arlo concluded.


    Frank''s resolve hardened.


    ''No way am I bringing Ana into a situation like,'' that he determined.


    "I appreciate your praise, Mr. Arlo, but I''m not working for you," he stated firmly. "Before all this, I just worked in construction. I may have fought that spider, but that''s only because I promised Ana I would protect her. I''m not a soldier, nor do I want to be."


    The man paused, his expression shifting from a calm expression to a look of annoyance, "That''s COMMANDER Arlo, I earned that title honestly, and you don''t seem to grasp the scale of this, Mr. Gunn. People are already dying by the hundreds of thousands, if not millions."


    Frank''s voice picked up, not appreciating being talked down to, "I''m fully aware of what''s at stake COMMANDER Arlo, but Ana and I barely made it out of that fight alive! I know the world needs capable fighters right now, but I''m not one of them, and I will not put my daughter at risk by throwing myself at these things."


    Lt. Arlo''s aggravation grew until it looked like he was about to boil over. But then, he seemed to collect himself, taking a deep breath before continuing.


    "Mr. Gunn, I misspoke a little earlier, so allow me to remedy this," he paused, clearly struggling with the next words. "I said earlier that full squads have struggled against spiders like the one you faced. The fact of the matter is we haven''t been able to subdue a single one, nor have we had any survivors return after such an encounter."


    A silence filled the air as Frank processed the man''s words.


    ''Nobody? Not a single one?'' If that were the case, the situation outside was even worse than he expected. Still...


    "I''m sorry, but I''m afraid even if I wanted to help, I can''t. After all, I''m fairly certain if I took on another one of those things, I would die," he admitted.


    The silence that followed was intense; Frank''s words sinking in for the commander.


    Arlo''s hopes were shaken.


    The only person who had been able to take down one of these spider either couldn''t do it again, or didn''t want to help.

 Not So Jolly Cooperation

    Tension hung around the room like a stale fart. Neither of them knew what to say to each other after Frank dropped that bombshell.


    Ana didn''t know what was going on, but she knew she didn''t like it. Just as she was about to say something to break the silence, the door swung open again.


    Two figures walked in, a man and a woman. The woman had short blonde hair and sharp green eyes that constantly scanned her surroundings. Beside her stood a heavily scarred man with bulging muscles and a warm, easy smile.


    "Commander Arlo! We heard about the incident. Is everyone alright?" the woman asked dutifully.


    "They''re safe for the moment," Arlo replied, looking towards Frank and Ana. "But I''m still figuring out the details of what exactly happened."


    Frank shifted in his seat, not exactly sure what to make of the woman currently staring him down. "Who are you?" he asked, breaking the awkward silence.


    "I''m Elara, and this is Max," she said, pointing toward the man beside her. "Let me cut to the chase, weird things are happening outside, and we''re trying to gather a team to deal with them. We heard about your spider slaying, our squads haven''t had much luck with those."


    "You mean any luck?" Max chimed in, grinning. Earning an annoyed expression from Elara.


    Frank''s eyebrow twitched; it looked like he was going to have to repeat himself. "And why would I want to join you? I just want to keep my daughter safe."


    Max shrugged, completely relaxed. "Totally get that. But trying to survive this mess alone isn''t a smart move, and you know that. We''ve got skills, and clearly you have some skills. Sounds like a match made in heaven."


    Elara leaned closer, "He''s right you know, we''re pretty strong, and as luck would have it, we''re forming a group that has a couple openings. You fought a powerful monster, that''s impressive, but how many could you handle alone? We could be useful to one another, why decline?"


    "It''s a risk," Frank countered, locking eyes with her. "If you''re so dependable, wouldn''t it be better to leave our protection in your capable hands from a safe distance?"


    Max nodded thoughtfully. "It''s a valid point, but think of it this way: by joining us, you could save lives; yours, your daughter''s, and many others''. We''re looking at the big picture; trying to save humanity, not just ourselves."


    Elara looked to Ana with a warm smile. "And think about it, sweetie! Wouldn''t it be great to help other kids in a world where monsters are around? Your daddy could be a superhero!"


    Ana''s eyes widened, her imagination clearly stimulated. "Daddy, we should help! We can save people! Just like in my books!"


    "Ana..." Frank began, but he faltered.


    He knew he was being selfish. It was no different from his plan for the spider: Let somebody else die to save Ana. Could he really keep justifying that rationale?


    Before he could continue, the door opened again, revealing a young man with dark hair and brown eyes. He hesitated when he saw an unexpected face, clutching his tattered backpack closer, before announcing himself. "Uh, hi," he stammered, looking around nervously. "I heard you guys were putting together a team. I, uh, brought some stuff; food, tools, whatever you need."


    Max waved to him to invite him in. "Come on in, man. We don''t bite. Uh, you don''t bite either, right?"If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    The young man, clearly nervous, confirmed, "No, I haven''t turned."


    He stepped inside and introduced himself as Leo. "I''ve been scavenging for supplies since this whole mess started, well, actually, I kinda started a few years ago, it''s a long story. I may have been expecting a world ending event. My first guess was nukes though." He explained


    "I''m not much of a fighter, never have been, but I''m pretty good at getting around places safely. Keeps me alive"


    Elara''s smile widened, clearly spotting a seemingly easier target. "That could be useful, Leo. We could use someone like you. Navigating rooftops and tight spaces would help us stay safe out there"


    Leo backed away, trying to escape the situation, "I, uh¡ªwell, I don''t know..."


    "You''d fit right in, and between you and me, I''d really like eyes in the sky to let me know what''s coming," Max added, crossing his arms and grinning. "I tried my best, but I''m pretty well stuck on the ground."


    Elara stepped closer, her voice insistent. "Leo, we need someone like you. You already have the skills to survive on your own; imagine what you could do with a team! Wouldn''t you feel safer with somebody watching your back?" Her words were smooth, and Leo was eating up every word.


    "Ah, uh, well, that does sound nice..." Leo conceded, his face a bright red.


    Frank watched them suspiciously. He didn''t like the way Elara spoke. It was too deliberate, and more than that, she seemed like she know exactly what Leo needed to hear to get her way.


    ''Scary...'' he thought.


    Elara turned back to Frank, returning to her original target "Anyways, Frank, we''re going to make it through this nightmare. But we need your help. Innocent people need your help."


    Max piled on once again "Listen, Frank, you may not have a lot of experience, but you do have important experience. We can help each other, just let us show you what we can do. At the very least you could answer some questions for us."


    Frank shifted his weight, as much as he didn''t like it. He knew he couldn''t avoid a fight forever, even if he didn''t join them on missions. But he couldn''t think of a reason not to cooperate.


    "The best I can offer is joining you in training, but I will be expecting tutelage as payment," he finally relented, "I''m not signing up for any excursions though."


    Elara exchanged glances with Max, an unspoken understanding passing between them. "That''s fair," she said, nodding. "You get usable skills, and we get more insight on how to take these spiders down."


    "I warn you though, you might be disappointed" Frank cautioned "Either way, I can share what happened,"


    He recounted his encounter with the spider, choosing his words carefully to omit information about "Oathkeeper". Ana listened intently, remembering how cool her father look as he faced down that monster.


    As the conversation concluded, a ping from the system caught his attention.


    [Choose bonus reward:


    Sixth Sense (Innate): Allows user to always know when they are in danger.


    Spider''s Agility (Innate): +5 to AGI stat, allows user to freely move on any surface.


    Spider''s Web (Innate): Allows the user to create a spider''s web. The strength of the web and the amount that can be stored increase with the user''s level. Webs slowly restore over time.]


    ''Ah right, that...''


    Frank looked over his options. They all were incredibly useful in different ways.


    He would have taken all three if he could, but since he couldn''t, he quickly eliminated "Spider''s Web". There was no chance he would risk Ana getting stuck in something like that.


    That left him with two options.


    His AGI was painfully lacking, and with "Oathkeeper" active, selecting "Spider''s Agility" would nearly triple it. The boost to his maneuverability would be nothing short of insane.


    But still, the skill "Sixth Sense" tugged at the back of his mind. It could be critical to know about unseen threats before they claimed his life.


    Frank wasn''t naive. He knew whichever he picked, he couldn''t wait until after training to pick a skill. That would cost him valuable combat experience.


    Seeing that he was short on time, he made his decision.


    [Reward selected!


    Gained innate skill: Sixth Sense!]


    If he had had this skill before, he could have just left before the spider had ever gotten anywhere near him. It would have saved him so much strife. So it was a natural choice.


    Thinking back to the approaching training, he couldn''t help but get a little excited. This would be his first time formally learning to fight.


    Sure, he wasn''t sure whether or not he could trust them, but as military personnel they were definitely trained in combat. If he could grow strong enough, even if they didn''t have good intentions, he would be able to protect Ana in this messed up world.


    With his resolve set, Frank looked over at Ana, whose gaze was now sparkling with pure admiration. She had seen her father keep his promise, and despite her fear, she now truly believed he would keep her safe.


    She believed he was going to be her hero.


    ---

 How to Build a Badass

    For the first time in a long time, Frank was in a good mood.


    It had been a month since he last faced that horrifying spider, and now he was surrounded by teammates who had helped him hone his skills.


    The last month had been intense, full of training day in and day out. He hadn''t expected to stick around so long, but the time flew by.


    Frank glanced around at his training partners: Elara, Max, and Leo, each displaying a confidence that had once felt unattainable to him. They were laser focused, and he hadn''t thought he would ever catch up.


    But that was over a month ago.


    ---


    In the beginning, Elara demonstrated a series of footwork techniques combined with precise strikes. Frank tried to mirror her stance, but this was all completely new to him. He felt like a child mimicking his parents.


    Max was at a heavy bag, delivering powerful blows that reverberated through the space. Each impact was jarring, but he noted the strength behind Max''s strikes. Even with his naturally high strength and constitution, he knew he''d be in trouble if he was hit by one of those.


    Leo darted around the edge of the room, weaving between obstacles with surprising agility. Though his confident training demeanor was terrible at masking the anxiety in his eyes. Every so often, he would glance toward the barred windows, clearly having some idea of what was going on outside.


    Frank couldn''t blame him, as occasionally "Sixth Sense" would go off in his mind, only to quickly disappear after the distant sound of gunshots.


    Commander Arlo had provided basic training materials for Frank, but he was never the type to have patience for books. He preferred to dive in and get his hands on something.


    "Come on, Frank! Engage your core," Elara called, breaking his concentration. She moved closer, demonstrating how to throw a proper punch. "Use your hips."


    Frank nodded, working to mimic her instructions. They were formidable fighters, each with their own strengths, and he felt the pressure to keep pace.


    As the days turned into weeks, Frank pushed himself relentlessly. The thought of protecting Ana from the growing danger outside fueled his efforts. Each training session gave him little time to think about anything else.


    Without the effects of his "Oathkeeper" ability, he felt the true limitations of his current abilities. Progress was slow, each sparring match leaving him exhausted and bruised. Yet there was no choice other than to keep going.


    If he stopped, he was sure the monsters outside would be far less kind to him than these three were.


    "Keep it up, Frank!" Max encouraged after another round, but there was concern in his voice.


    Rumors around the compound told of growing numbers of undead, new and more powerful variants of monsters, and the once-scarce powerful monsters becoming more commonplace.


    They all heard these rumors, and it drove them to train harder.


    Then one afternoon, Elara announced a new approach. "Today we are going to try something different," she declared, causing the others to pay attention. "We''ll be simulating an attack. The goal is simple: to fend off the attack and protect a civilian."Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Frank was nervous. This was as practical as training could get for him, and he did his best to focus as they took their positions. He gripped his new mock weapon, a heavy pipe, and prepared for the exercise.


    As the simulation began, he observed his teammates moving in sync, efficiently clearing the simulated threats. Elara and Max cleared out the area as Leo kept them updated on enemy positions.


    Frank struggled to keep up; matching their speed was a chore, especially considering his agility was still his weakest stat.


    "Stay sharp!" Elara shouted.


    Her warning caused him to see Max charging toward him, taking the role of an ambush. Frank raised his pipe to deflect, but the impact still sent him sprawling to the ground.


    The exercise dragged on for what felt like hours, each moment demanding everything he had. Despite the pain and fatigue, he knew giving up was not an option.


    At the end of the day, lying on the gym floor panting, a long awaited notification flickered in front of him.


    [System Notification: Training Complete!


    Bonus XP for participation in simulations: +50 EXP]


    Frank groaned but lifted his head, enjoying a faint sense of achievement. He was making progress, albeit far slower than he liked.


    Still, it was progress.


    The following week passed quickly, filled with training sessions of rapidly growing intensity. Each session felt more urgent than the last, pushing them to grow at even faster rates.


    Slowly, he began to gain strength and agility. As he grew more comfortable, he expanded his training sessions, refining each movement and focusing on becoming more effective. With every strike he made and every step he practiced, Frank felt his abilities improving.


    [Stat Update:


    Host: Frank Gunn


    Level: 6


    EXP: 50/750


    HP: 60/60


    MP: 25/25


    Strength (STR): 27+


    Constitution (CON): 30+


    Agility (AGI): 13+


    Intelligence (INT): 7+


    Charisma (CHA): 5+


    Luck (LUC): 0


    Stat points: 10


    Skills:


    Oathkeeper (SPEX)


    Sixth Sense (Innate)


    Regeneration (Lvl 2) -> (Lvl 3): 3HP/30 secs -> 5HP/30 secs


    Persisting Strength (Lvl 2)


    Featherfoot (Lvl 1) *New*: You''re adept in moving both nimbly and silently, leaving your movements slightly harder to detect.


    Hand-to-hand combat (Lvl 1) *New*: Increases damage and dexterity by 10% while unarmed.


    Makeshift weapon proficiency (Lvl 1) *New*: Increases damage and dexterity by 10% while using improvised weapons.]


    The updates filled him with excitement. He was improving, which was good because the noises coming from outside daily grew more and more intense.


    One evening, after a particularly rigorous day, Elara and Frank began their daily spar.


    The record was currently 19-0, with Frank unable to land so much as a single hit on her.


    Today, to her surprise, he not only managed to block her initial attack but also countered with a swift jab that caught her off guard. The incredulity on her face was almost enough to make him cry tears of joy.


    "How did you do that?" Elara asked, excited yet curious.


    "I''ve been practicing," he replied with a grin, feeling a sense of accomplishment.


    As the days continued, Frank focused on mastering new techniques, blending his growing strength with his compounding agility. His confidence grew, along with his respect for his mentors.


    As the month came to a close, Elara stated that the training was just about completed. Before then, there would be a final assessment of their skills.


    The day of the assessment, Elara, Max, and Leo stood at the center of the room.


    "Alright, Frank. We''re going to set up a scenario," Elara said, wasting no time. "Over the last month, your growth has been impressive, unbelievably so. I''m embarrassed to say I don''t think any of us would be a match for you one on one." She admitted.


    He considered her statement seriously; he was level 6, while Elara was level 3 and the others were level 2. It was only natural that he should be ahead of them now that he had some practical experience.


    "So, I want to see what you''re really made of," she continued. "To figure out just how wide the gap is, your next opponent will be all three of us at once."


    Frank chuckled, "Are you sure this isn''t just an excuse to try and beat me up one last time?" he chided with a grin.


    "I don''t have the slightest idea what you might mean," she retorted with a mischievous smile.


    She didn''t have to confirm anything; the look on all three of their faces was clear. They were planning on teaching him a lesson to put him back in his place.


    "Whatever you say, then," he laughed as he moved to face them.


    With determination and a bit of excitement igniting within him, he took a fighting stance.

 How to Build a Badass Pt. 2

    The atmosphere in the training area was palpable as Frank stood at the center.


    He was facing Elara, Max, and Leo in a 1-on-3 brawl, a contest that would serve as the ultimate test of the growth he had achieved during their rigorous month of training.


    "Remember," Elara said, her voice firm and focused, "this is a test of your skills, and we''re here to push you, and ourselves, to our limits. We won''t be looking for blood, but otherwise, we won''t be holding back. So you better not either."


    Frank nodded, his excitement growing. He had trained relentlessly with them, refining his techniques and learning to adapt to their combat styles. He had grown to the point where he could hold his own against any one of them. But all three at once? That might be a different story.


    His opponents were formidable, that much was undeniable. They were likely the finest fighters the local military had to offer.


    If he could make it through this, if he could win, he was confident there wouldn''t be much out there that could threaten him. His mission to keep Ana safe would be all the easier.


    ''I just don''t get it, why is this so exhilarating?'' he wondered, ''Hopefully, I''m not turning into some kind of adrenaline junkie.''


    With that thought, he watched his opponents step into their positions. He recognized their formation well.


    Elara took her place to the right, locking onto him with a determined, calculating gaze.


    Max stood directly behind her, his imposing figure radiating raw power as he hyped himself up, cracking his knuckles and rolling his shoulders.


    Leo fidgeted at the back, his frame coiled like a spring. He didn''t look threatening, but Frank knew better, Leo was already analyzing his every move, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.


    "On your mark, get set, go!" Elara announced, signaling their start.


    She lunged first, her attacks swift and precise. Her blows rained down on Frank with remarkable speed, but she wasn''t landing a single hit. Still, she kept him on the defensive, her movements clearly deliberately creating openings for the others.


    Leo saw his moment when Frank was forced to use both arms to block a strike. He darted forward with remarkable agility, scaling the side of a nearby training dummy and launching himself at Frank from above.


    The young fighter moved swiftly, but Frank''s "Sixth Sense" was way ahead of him. In the split second between Elara''s strikes, he sensed Leo''s attack and sidestepped, redirecting the young man''s momentum and sending him crashing into Elara.


    "Nice try, Leo, but you''ll have to do better than that!" Frank exclaimed, a competitive grin spreading across his face.


    "Leave him to me!" Max shouted as he charged forward. He grabbed Frank in a powerful bear hug, his massive arms squeezing with enough force to make Frank''s ribs creak.


    Max''s strength was his greatest asset, and he used it to full effect, trying to force Frank to the ground, or at least tire him out.


    ''Maybe if this were one month ago, Max.'' Frank thought, before slowly pushing Max backward.


    [Strength: 27]


    As Frank kept his footing and resisted, he noticed Max''s strength beginning to falter. Meanwhile, Frank felt just as strong as ever thanks to his "Persisting Strength" skill.


    The opposing bursts of energy began to wane as Max expended his last reserves, and Frank seized the opportunity.


    Using his advantage he threw Max into the path of the oncoming Leo, who was moving too fast to stop.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The momentum carried him forward, and Leo collided with Max, sending both of them tumbling to the ground.


    "You guys really need to work on your coordination!" Frank taunted, his adrenaline pumping.


    Elara returned with renewed vigor, determined to outmaneuver Frank. "Who says we didn''t plan this?" she taunted back, attacking with a series of calculated kicks, aiming to exploit his fatigue after such an intense bout.


    Her strikes were elegant as ever, but each time she aimed for an opening, Frank was ready to counter.


    ''Seriously? He''s not even tired?'' she thought, frustrated.


    Yet the fight HAD begun to wear on Elara. The relentless assault was difficult to maintain, and it became increasingly clear that she was struggling to break through his defenses.


    "Come on, Frank! No fair! Give me something to work with!" she pouted, as Leo and Max rejoined the fight.


    Even with the backup, her confidence wasn''t what it had been before.


    The three of them were tiring out, while Frank didn''t seem to have broken a sweat.


    It didn''t take long for Frank to notice their formation faltering. Seeing the opportunity, he didn''t wait for an invitation to act.


    Jumping in, he felt the power of his increased stats at full effect. He was now stronger than when he fought that spider even without "Oathkeeper" in effect.


    [HP: 60/60


    MP: 25/25


    Strength (STR): 27+


    Constitution (CON): 30+


    Agility (AGI): 13+


    Intelligence (INT): 7+


    Charisma (CHA): 5+


    Luck (LUC): 0


    Stat Points: 10]


    ''I should probably spend those stat points sometime,'' he mused, before maneuvering around Max and sweeping his legs.


    The unexpected move sent Max tumbling to the ground.


    Leo once again found Frank''s blind spot, but just like before, Frank''s "Sixth Sense" warned him in time.


    Only this time, Frank held onto Leo''s arm tightly, swinging him like a flail into Max.


    They crashed into each other hard, both letting out a loud groan before raising their hands in defeat, signaling that they were out of the fight.


    "Elara!" Frank called out, taunting his only remaining opponent.


    "Yeah, yeah, I get it," she replied, rolling her eyes.


    She didn''t have much energy left, but surely Frank had to be tired too. She wasn''t about to give up just because she was alone.


    Mustering her remaining strength, she charged at him.


    Her movements were still precise, but noticeably slower.


    Seeing this, Frank knew this was over. In the last ten seconds, he had spotted at least three opportunities to land a devastating, decisive blow.


    ''But hitting a woman, even her?'' He wasn''t the overly chivalrous type, but it still felt like too much.


    Ultimately, he decided against it. Instead, he waited for his opportunity, grabbed her by the arm, and forced her to the floor.


    He pushed her face into the ground, straddling her back and restraining her arms.


    Elara was shocked at being forced into such an aggressive and restraining position. She hadn''t expected him to go for a submission hold.


    A strange mix of emotions surged through her, embarrassment, frustration, and something else she couldn''t quite place. Her face flushed deeply, and her breathing grew heavier, which was strange to her. She wasn''t that exhausted, was she?


    She mustered all the strength she could to try and escape, but Frank tightened his hold as she struggled to break free.


    ''Too... close,'' she thought as she felt his body pressed against hers, robbing her of her movements. A part of her hated how vulnerable she felt, but another part¡ª


    "Submit," Frank urged, interrupting her thoughts by pulling on her arm.


    "I-ah¡ª" Her voice wavered, her face burning. "I submit! Dammit, I submit!"


    Hearing her surrender, Frank let go of her and helped her off the ground.


    "Heck yeah! Victory! All opponents have been defeated!" Frank declared, giving a "boo-yah" motion.


    Yet, as he stood triumphant, the rest of their faces were not filled with joy. Instead, embarrassment was evident as they caught their breath, painfully aware of not only the three-against-one defeat but the rather unfortunate position he had used to defeat Elara.


    Both Max and Leo were dead quiet, not wanting to get in the way. They knew Elara well enough to know that Frank was probably a dead man.


    None of this registered to Frank, though, as he was caught up in the thrill of his victory.


    As Elara regained her composure, her face remained bright red. She avoided eye contact with Frank, her usual confidence replaced by a flustered awkwardness.


    Taking deep breaths to calm herself, she remarked, "A-alright, Frank, you won. I''m uh, I''m tired, so I will be going to my room now." She stated before quickly walking, almost running, out of the training area.


    "Y-yeah," Max grunted, amazed that Frank was still among the living. "But this isn''t over. We''ll get you back next time."


    "I-I''ll train harder," Leo chimed in, "I won''t let you take me out like that again!"


    Frank was touched. Sure, it was just a fight, but these people had helped him grow so much. He just couldn''t help but feel sentimental.


    So why were they all leaving in such a hurry?


    Seemingly deciding now wasn''t the time for Frank to think unnecessary things, the system chimed.


    [Bonus XP for outstanding performance: +200 EXP


    Immediate Level Up! Level 7 Achieved


    New skill acquired!


    Diligent Student (Innate): Increases the effectiveness of training by 100% when fighting against, or training alongside more capable practitioners.]

 Fathers Love vs Sons Resolve

    Satisfied with his victory and seeing his level-up, Frank decided to look over his new stats.


    [Host: Frank Gunn


    Level: 7


    EXP: 250/750


    HP: 60/60


    MP: 35/35


    Strength (STR): 30+


    Constitution (CON): 32+


    Agility (AGI): 16+


    Intelligence (INT): 9+


    Charisma (CHA): 6+


    Luck (LUC): 0


    Stat points: 12]


    [Skills:


    Oathkeeper (SPEX)


    Sixth Sense (Innate)


    Diligent Student (Innate)


    Regeneration (Lvl 2)


    Persisting Strength (Lvl 2) -> (Lvl3)


    Featherfoot (Lvl 1)


    Hand-to-hand combat (Lvl 1) -> (Lvl 2): 10% -> 20%


    Makeshift weapon proficiency (Lvl 1) -> (Lvl 2): 10% -> 20%]


    Feeling much more confident and content with his new abilities, his mind wandered to Ana.


    The last month had been very difficult for him. This wasn''t because of the intense training; it was because that regiment left him with minimal time to spend with her.


    It seemed like the only times he really saw her were during dinner and before bed. He knew she was safe within these walls, but he was definitely glad to have some more time to spend with her.


    "Daddy!" Ana cried out, her eyes lighting up as she spotted him. She bolted across the room and threw her arms around him, hugging him so tightly he doubted he could pry her off even with his new strength. Not that he''d dream of doing something like that anyway.


    Frank hugged her back, squeezing her tightly. He didn''t want to let go either.


    "Hey, buttercup," he said, picking her up. "I missed you."


    "I missed you too!" she replied, beaming up at him.


    Frank was visibly struggling to keep it together.


    He''d missed her so much, her laughter, her stories, the little rants she''d go on about her toys or TV shows. This kind of arrangement wasn''t something he planned to make a habit of.


    "What did you learn today?" he asked, forcing negative thoughts to the side.


    "Oh! Ms. Sarah taught us how to move really sneaky!" Ana said, bouncing on her toes. "We practiced crawling and sneaking around the garden. I got the best score on hiding!"


    Frank chuckled, though the thought made him sad.


    He was proud of her, incredibly so. But the thought of her learning to hide from monsters, to survive in a world trying to kill her, broke his heart.


    He remembered the day she''d first told him about her training. Her voice was so full of pride as she explained how she''d learned to hide, to avoid making creaks in floorboards. She''d been so determined, and Frank was filled with pride even though his heart ached.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    She was his little trooper, but she shouldn''t have to learn these things. She should be playing, laughing, going to school, making new friends¡ªliving a normal, peaceful life.


    But that wasn''t reality, and if she didn''t learn at least this much, it would be hard to protect her no matter how strong he grew.


    "I''m always proud of you, Ana," he said, ruffling her hair. "You''re my little super spy."


    Ana grinned, but before she could respond, the door opened again, and Elara and Max stepped inside. Their expressions were serious, and Frank felt uneasy. Elara''s green eyes locked onto his, and she gave him a small nod, as if to say, ''We need to talk.''


    Frank grimaced and gently set Ana down.


    "Why don''t you play with your toys for a bit while the grown-ups talk, okay?" he said, exasperated.


    "Whaattt? But you just got back," Ana complained.


    "It will be quick, right, Ms. Elara?" Frank looked at her with a look that said, ''It better be.''


    Elara gave a light smile before kneeling down to Ana''s level. "Yes, sweetheart, there''s just something I need to discuss with your daddy here."


    Clearly disappointed, Ana still nodded and went over to her toys.


    "Is everything alright?" Frank asked, hoping to get this over with.


    "Yes and no," Elara replied, "It''s about Commander Arlo."


    Frank''s stomach tightened. He''d knew what was coming, Arlo had been pushing for their unit to mobilize for weeks. Now that the training was over, there was no excuse to ignore his call. Even still, he asked the question.


    "What about him?"


    "You know what, he''s calling us in," Elara said, crossing her arms. "Training''s over. He wants us ready to move out."


    Frank frowned. "Isn''t it too soon? You barely had enough time to prepare. What if you''re not ready?"


    Elara stepped closer, her expression softening slightly. "Frank, I know you''re worried. We all are. But the world outside won''t wait for us to feel ready. More importantly, you''ve shown what you can do in training, you''re stronger than anyone here. I''m saying it again: we need you out there."


    Elara paused, seemingly unsure if she wanted to "go there". Still, she made a decision and continued.


    "Listen Frank, I know you weren''t giving it your all, in training that is," she admitted, her voice quieter now. "I can''t figure out why you held back, but it''s obvious that with the skills you showed us in the beginning, there''s no way you could have defeated that spider. You definitely had more you weren''t showing."


    Frank looked away, feeling like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Yes, he wasn''t at full strength, but it''s not like he had been holding back. His main ability wasn''t exactly training-friendly. Unless, of course, he made a promise to beat up his friends.


    ''Yeah, I think I''ll skip that promise, though,'' he decided.


    Ana had been attentively listening to their conversation. She ran back over and tugged on his hand. "Daddy, you can fight the monsters! You''ll be a hero and save everyone!"


    There she was again, driving home his guilt. He had all this strength, and for what? To protect his daughter?


    Yes, there was that, but was that really the end of it? The idea that if he took action, hundreds, maybe even thousands of people could still be alive kept him up many nights.


    Before he could respond, the door opened again, and Commander Arlo stepped inside, his presence commanding immediate attention.


    "You know, you all need to stop with the dang doors, I can''t seem to finish a thought around here," Frank complained


    Ignoring his whining, Arlo began, "We''ve got a mission," he said, his voice firm. "A group of survivors is trapped in the Westgate Mall. They''re surrounded by monsters and running out of supplies. We''re their only hope."


    Frank knew it would be something like this. He opened his mouth to decline, but Arlo cut him off before he could speak.


    "Before you decline, Frank, there''s something else," Arlo continued, looking at him thoughtfully, "We have reason to believe your parents are among the survivors."


    The room seemed to tilt, and Frank felt Ana''s grip on his hand tighten. "What?" he managed, his voice cracking. "They-they''re alive?"


    Arlo''s expression was grim but un-breaking. "We intercepted a transmission from the mall. Names, descriptions, it all matches. We can''t be certain, but the odds are good. Assuming they''re alive, this is your chance to bring them home."


    Frank''s mind raced, memories flashing before his eyes. His parents had always been there for him, even in the darkest moments. When he''d lost Jasmine, they had been his rock, helping him care for Ana when he could barely function.


    His mother embraced him as he spent months sobbing, and his father reminded him to take things one day at a time for Ana''s sake. They had been his foundation, his lifeline. Along with Ana, they were part of the reason he kept going.


    He wanted to deny it, not daring to hope that they really were alive. But the thought that his parents were alive, trapped, and waiting for help, was too heartbreaking to ignore.


    "You''re positive about this?" Frank asked, needing to be sure.


    Arlo nodded. "As sure as we can be. But we need to move fast. Every hour we delay puts them at greater risk."


    Frank hesitated, his fists clenched at his sides. Westgate Mall was not exactly nearby, which meant he would be away from Ana again. Even worse, if something happened here, it wouldn''t be easy to return.


    "What kind of guarantee can you make for Ana''s safety?" Frank asked.


    "The same guarantee we make for all the other children staying here." Arlo replied immediately, " Even if it costs us every adult life in this building, in the worst-case scenario, we will ensure the children survive,"


    Finally, Frank let out a long breath and met Arlo''s gaze. "Alright," he said, his voice low. "I''m in, but let''s make something clear: I do not work for you. I do not take orders from you. If it comes down to completing your mission or saving my parents, I will not hesitate to choose the latter."


    "''Saving the survivors is our mission, Frank,'' Arlo interrupted, leaving no room for doubt. ''We''ll bring them home, Frank. You have my word.''"


    Frank nodded, though the commander''s promise didn''t amount to a hill of beans in his eyes. Still, it didn''t matter, this was what he had trained for; to protect his family.


    At the very least, if he couldn''t trust the commander''s promise, there was one person he knew who never broke a promise.


    Steeling his resolve, he turned to face his daughter.


    "Ana, I promise; I will save Grandma and Grandpa," Frank vowed, his voice steady and full of determination.

 Into the Storm

    The following morning, Frank was in the armory, staring at his reflection in a cracked mirror.


    He hadn''t really had a chance to notice during his training, but now he could fully appreciate the changes.


    The chubby frame of a man who had spent too many nights drowning his grief in cheeseburgers was gone, replaced by a body hardened by discipline and sheer willpower; broad shoulders, defined muscles, the works.


    His dull green eyes now seemed to have a distant light hidden in their core; not having the same vibrancy they once did, but a welcome improvement.


    Frank ran a hand over his chest, feeling his muscles beneath his fingertips. He had always been strong, but that strength was buried, hidden. Now, it was on full display, a testament to the grueling hours he had spent preparing for this.


    Even his face had changed. His hair was now washed, and he had shaved his goatee. Losing a lot of fat, his jawline even looked far more pronounced. Honestly, he barely recognized the man staring back at him.


    "Admiring yourself again?" Elara''s teasing voice broke through his thoughts.


    She leaned against the doorway, her eyes looking over him a few too many times. "You clean up pretty well, Gunn. Almost didn''t recognize you."


    Frank smirked, though his cheeks flushed slightly. "Honestly, me either, I''m just making sure I''m not dreaming. This¡­ wasn''t exactly what I was expecting." Not missing an opportunity to strike back, he continued, "Also, do you make a habit of walking in on men while they''re changing?"


    Elara''s smirk turned forced, her face flushing as well. "W-well, I just wanted to make sure you had everything you needed before we headed out..."


    Frank nodded, his gaze drifting to the gear laid out before him.


    In front of him were several pieces of equipment, including makeshift armor that was a patchwork of reinforced leather, steel plates scavenged from cars, and thick padding made from layered fabric hastily sewn together.


    It wasn''t pretty, but it was sturdy, and hopefully enough to keep him standing. It also included the best weapon he could find nearby; his sledgehammer.


    It had been badly damaged by the spider''s acid, so the head was reforged with scraps of steel to add weight and durability. Its handle had been reconstructed and wrapped in grip tape for better control.


    [Item acquired: Simple Sledgehammer+2


    Type: Weapon


    Attack: 60


    Durability: 100/100


    Description: A refurbished, man-made tool with considerable striking power.]


    Holding it in his hand brought him a bit of comfort.


    This was the weapon he had used to kill the first giant spider, the one that had nearly cost him his life. It was a reminder that even in a dire situation, all hope was not lost.


    "You sure that thing won''t fall apart on you?" Max''s voice echoed from across the room. The large man was adjusting his own armor, a combination of riot gear and welded metal plates. His muscles strained against the material, which didn''t quite fit his size.


    Frank hefted the sledgehammer with ease, the weight feeling natural in his hands. "It''s stronger than it was before, and it was more than enough then. Besides, even if it does, I have a solid backup," he joked, throwing a couple of jabs in the air.


    Elara rolled her eyes but didn''t argue. She knew better than anyone how far Frank had come. Over the past month, she had watched him transform from a broken man who survived by a stroke of luck, into a force to be reckoned with. She definitely felt much safer with him on their team.


    Leo walked in with his new armor on, and it didn''t look much better than Frank''s. Patches of leather from old car seats were stitched onto a canvas vest. His pauldrons were fashioned from the lids of metal cooking pots, and held in place with strips of cloth. Still, it didn''t hinder his mobility much, which was the intended purpose.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    The team set out at dawn, Elara and Max''s footsteps echoing through the empty streets. Frank took point, his sledgehammer resting on his shoulder as Leo took to the rooftops, scanning the horizon for any sign of danger.


    Elara moved attentively beside Frank. Behind them, Max followed, occasionally looking back to make sure they weren''t followed.


    The first few hours of their trip were uneventful. The team moved cautiously, sticking to back roads and avoiding areas that had been heavily populated before the "breach."


    Frank''s "Sixth Sense" was quiet, giving him some comfort. But he still stayed alert, keeping an eye out for any sign of movement. Without any monsters to speak of, they covered a lot of ground before they encountered their first real threat.


    A horde of zombies, easily over a hundred strong, blocked their path. Their rotting bodies shuffled aimlessly but steadily, forever moving toward their next meal. Frank''s mind raced as he lost count of their numbers.


    Elara stepped back before giving out orders, "We''ll find a way around-"


    "No time," Frank replied. Before she could argue, he had already charged in.


    Elara blinked, taken aback. "Frank, there''s too many! We can''t take them!"


    Frank didn''t respond. He was already on the attack with "Oathkeeper" in full effect.


    The first zombie fell with a single blow, its skull caving in under the hammer''s weight. The second followed soon after, its body thrown through the air like a rag doll.


    Frank''s movements were wild yet efficient, each strike long-reaching and devastating. He moved through them like a force of nature, his now enhanced agility allowing him to bob and weave through the horde with breathtaking ease.


    The zombies swarmed him, their strikes occasionally clawing at his armor, but Frank didn''t falter. His "Persisting Strength" kept him from tiring, and he didn''t have time to waste here.


    He swung his hammer in wide, sweeping arcs, each blow sending dozens of zombies flying. The sound of cracking bones and splattering blood filled the air as his companions could only watch in awe.


    They had seen Frank fight before, but this was different. This was raw, unrelenting power. He wasn''t just fighting, he was massacring.


    When the last zombie fell, Frank was breathing heavily but unharmed, the ground around him littered with bodies. The smell of decay only dissipating slightly when the wind picked up.


    Soon enough, a notification flashed into his vision, the System''s voice ringing in his mind.


    [XP Gained: 250


    New title Earned!


    Horde Breaker: Increases damage against groups of enemies by 100%.


    Item(s) Dropped:


    Zombie''s Grasp Gloves (Accessory): Reduces stamina cost of melee attacks by 5%. Weapons wielded cannot be disarmed by enemies.]


    Frank re-read the text in front of him. A title? Equipment? This was the first time the System had rewarded him with anything like this.


    He couldn''t help but feel appreciation as he read the description of the "Horde Breaker" title.


    ''For a sadistic piece of crap, you can be nice sometimes,'' he thought to himself, a smirk appearing at the corner of his mouth.


    His gaze shifted to the gloves materializing in his hands. They were rough and worn, but they didn''t seem weak, they actually felt quite sturdy.


    "First time I''ve gotten something like this," he said aloud, holding them up for the others to see. "You guys ever see something like this before?"


    Elara raised an eyebrow. "Can''t say we have. We haven''t even heard of something like this before. They do anything useful?"


    Frank read the description again, this time out loud "Increases grip strength and reduces stamina cost for melee attacks."


    He slipped them on, flexing his fingers to test the fit. The gloves fit his hands as if they were made for him, like a second layer of skin. He clenched his fists, feeling the subtle surge of power in his grip. "Oh yeah, these should come in handy."


    Max chuckled, crossing his arms. "Lucky break. Don''t get ahead of yourself though. Equipment doesn''t make the man."


    "You''re acting like I''m going to be reckless just because I got new clothes," Frank complained.


    ''I''m worried you''re going to be reckless because you''re ALREADY being reckless.'' Max worried inwardly.


    Still, the team pressed on, their pace quickening as Frank grew impatient.


    There were encounters with more monsters as the day wore on. Mutated rats the size of dogs and a pack of large feral cats with glowing eyes blocked their path, but Frank once again smashed them to a pulp before the others could even move.


    They even ran across a giant dog that didn''t seem to be hostile, instead opting to run off when it saw them.


    ''It''s good to see not everything out here is trying to kill us.'' Frank thought, slightly relieved as he looked at his gains.


    [Mutated Rats Defeated: 100 XP Gained


    Feral Cats Defeated: 100 XP Gained]


    Not enough XP to level up, but progress nonetheless.


    "He''s like a machine," Leo commented with awe.


    Elara could only nod, "That kind of focus¡­ it''s terrifying."


    As the sun set, the team reached the outskirts of Westgate. The buildings were crumbling, their windows shattered and walls scorched. The group was about to press on when Frank''s "Sixth Sense" itched, letting him know danger was nearby.


    Frank''s eyes narrowed as he scanned the horizon. "Get ready. Something''s coming."


    The team tensed, their weapons at the ready. Tension kept building until Leo''s voice crackled over the comms. "Guys, we''ve got movement ahead. Big movement. You''re not gonna like this."


    The ground trembled as the first spider emerged from the shadows, its glowing eyes fixed on Frank. Four more followed, each the size of a car, their legs clicking against the pavement as they advanced.


    Frank tightened his grip on his sledgehammer, a slow, sadistic smile spreading across his face.


    ''I''ve been waiting for this you bastards. It''s time for a rematch.''

 Rematch: A Trial By Fire

    Frank got into a fighting stance, repositioning his sledgehammer in his hands.


    Elara stepped forward, firmly grasping her twin daggers. "Frank, this time you''ll let us help before you charge in recklessly, right?" Her voice was sharp, but there was concern in her eyes.


    She glanced at the spiders. "You know you don''t have to prove anything to us."


    Max cracked his knuckles, the sound muffled by his gauntlets. "Yeah, you''re not the only one who wants to crush some bugs," he grumbled, his tone gruff but not unkind. "We''re a team, Frank. We''re here to HELP you."


    Leo''s voice chimed in over the intercom. "Frank, they''re right. Full teams have lost to just one of these things."


    Frank shook his head, his voice firm. "No. I need to do this. I need to know how strong I''ve become." He glanced at Elara, "Stay back. I promise if things go south, I''ll accept your help. But I need to do this."


    Elara opened her mouth to argue, but Frank cut her off. "Please," he added, "Just trust me."


    The team hesitated, exchanging uneasy glances.


    Max sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Fine. I know I can''t stop a man intent on dying," he muttered, though he had clear sadness in his eyes.


    Elara''s lips pressed into a thin line, but she nodded. "If you die, I''ll kill you," she warned, her voice trembling slightly. Still, she took a step back, her daggers at the ready just in case.


    "Like I''d die and leave Ana alone," he replied as he moved toward the spiders'' location.


    Catching sight of Frank as he approached, the first spider lunged at him, its legs slicing through the air.


    Frank sidestepped, his growing agility allowing him to move with fluid, silent precision. He swung the sledgehammer with all his strength, connecting with the spider''s leg. The impact sent a shockwave through his arms, but the spider''s leg shattered, causing the creature to screech in pain.


    Frank didn''t let up. Using this momentum, he swung again, his hammer coming down in a crushing blow that obliterated the spider''s skull. The creature collapsed, and its body went limp.


    [Giant Spider Defeated: 100 XP gained


    Level Up!]


    Frank''s body surged with energy as the System''s voice echoed in his mind. His HP was fully restored upon his level up. Now that he had some experience fighting, he could easily feel the subtle increase in power as his stats changed.


    [System Notification:


    Host: Frank Gunn


    Title(s): Horde Breaker


    Level: 8


    XP to Next Level: 0/1,000


    HP: 70/70


    MP: 40/40


    Strength (STR): 32+


    Constitution (CON): 35+


    Agility (AGI): 19+


    Intelligence (INT): 10+


    Charisma (CHA): 7+


    Luck (LUC): 0


    Stat Points Available: 14]


    [New Skill Unlocked! Mana Efficiency: Unlocked upon reaching INT of 10, reduces MP costs by 20%]


    Frank clenched his fists, adjusting to his new strength, but he didn''t have time to celebrate. The second spider was already charging him.


    He raised his hammer to block its attack, the force of the blow sending him skidding backward. His boots dug into the dirt as he steadied himself before regaining his balance.


    [HP: 67/70]


    Elara and Max exchanged a glance. "He really is faster than he was in training," Elara muttered. "Stronger, too."


    Max nodded, his expression grim. "It''s like he was holding back, but why?"Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Elara''s gaze lingered on Frank, her brow furrowed. "I don''t know," she said quietly. "But either way, it''s annoying to think we all lost to him while he wasn''t at full strength."


    The change in his efficiency was, of course, due to the effects of "Oathkeeper" and now "Horde Breaker," not that he intended to give out information about his skills.


    Either way, the third spider joined the fray, its jaw snapping wildly as it tried to pin him down. Frank ducked under its incoming attack and swung his hammer upward to crush its underbelly. The spider let out a screech before collapsing on top of him, its legs twitching in its death throes.


    [Giant Spider Defeated: 100 XP gained


    HP: 64/70]


    The remaining two spiders closed in, their movements coordinated and deadly. They had seen their companions get picked apart and decided to be more calculating in their approach.


    Frank''s "Sixth Sense" alerted him to an incoming threat, but the attack was too fast, allowing one of the spiders to land a hit. Its leg sliced through his armor, leaving a large gash on his chest. He quickly fell back and gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the pain.


    [HP: 59/70]


    Seeing enough, Elara took a step forward, her daggers ready. "Frank, this is insane!" she shouted, her voice rising in desperation. "Let us help!"


    "Not yet!" Frank barked, his voice strained.


    He swung his hammer in a wide arc, forcing the spiders back. His "Persisting Strength" kept him going, but he could feel the mental strain starting to wear on him. And his HP was dropping steadily.


    One of the spiders lunged at him, its mandibles snapping inches from his face. Frank dodged, but not fast enough. The creature''s leg grazed his side, reducing his HP further.


    [HP: 56/70]


    Frank stumbled, his vision blurring for a moment, but he refused to fall.


    His eyes darted to the surroundings, searching for an advantage. There were several burning buildings, a supermarket, a gas station, and, of course, the Westgate Mall in the distance. Frank''s mind raced before finally having an idea.


    It was risky, but he would probably be okay, right?


    With a burst of speed, Frank charged toward the gas station, the spiders'' bites barely missing his heels. He swung his hammer sideways, smashing a pump right at its base and sending a spray of gasoline into the air. When the fuel reached the flames of nearby buildings, the reaction resulted in a massive explosion.


    The result was exactly what he wanted, causing the spiders to screech as the fire engulfed them, their bodies writhing in agony as they burned to ashes. Frank shielded his body with his sledgehammer and the most heavily armored parts of his body, trying to mitigate the damage, but the force of the point-blank explosion was still intense.


    He was sent flying and crashed into the side of a nearby building, impacting with a loud bang.


    "Frank!" Max, Leo, and Elara screamed out almost in unison before running toward where he fell.


    Their concerns were well-founded; his body was a mess, and he found himself unable to get up. Still, as far as he could tell, he was alive.


    [Giant Spider Defeated x2: 200 XP gained


    New Skill Unlocked!


    Fireball: Launch a ball of fire at your enemies. Damage scales with INT. MP cost: 5


    XP to Next Level: 400/1,000]


    Frank stared at the notification and, despite the pain, couldn''t help but chuckle. ''Fireball, huh? Guess the System has a sense of humor.''


    Elara, Max, and Leo rushed to his side, their expressions a mix of relief and concern. "You''re insane, you know that?" Elara said, her voice trembling. "You could''ve died."


    Frank chuckled, though the pain in his side made him wince. "But I didn''t. And now I know I can take down five of those things, though the way things turned out, probably not six."


    Max shook his head, "You''re a damn monster, Frank. I''ll give you that."


    "Don''t say that, then I''ll have to beat myself up," Frank joked dryly, remembering "Oathbreaker".


    As Frank''s "Regeneration" slowly began to heal his wounds, he pulled up his stats to see the damage.


    [Host: Frank Gunn


    Title(s): Horde Breaker


    HP: 2/70


    MP: 40/40


    Strength (STR): 32+


    Constitution (CON): 35+


    Agility (AGI): 19+


    Intelligence (INT): 10+


    Charisma (CHA): 7+


    Luck (LUC): 0


    Stat Points Available: 14]


    ''2 HP?!'' Frank cried inwardly. He had to break this habit of cutting it way too close.


    Looking over the rest of his stats, Frank stopped and frowned at his 14 unspent stat points.


    ''Shit, right, I still have those, don''t I?'' he groaned with regret. ''Those probably would''ve been helpful. I might not have even needed to blow myself up.''


    His mind raced as he thought about how differently the fight could have gone if he''d used them.


    ''If I''d dumped a few points into Agility, I could''ve dodged that last hit. Or if I''d boosted Strength, maybe I could''ve taken down the spiders faster before they ganged up on me. Hell, even a couple of points into Constitution would''ve kept me from nearly dying to my own damn explosion.''


    He clenched his fists, frustration bubbling up inside him.


    ''I''ve been so focused on getting stronger that I haven''t even been using tools I''ve already earned. What''s the point of getting stronger if I''m too stupid to utilize it?''


    Frank glanced at Elara, Max, and Leo, who were still watching him with concern.


    ''They were right. I''ve been overly reckless. I''m not just risking my own life, I''m risking theirs, too. If I''d gone down back there, they''d have been left to deal with whatever else is out there without me. I can''t keep doing this.''


    The rest of the team turned their attention to the horizon. Westgate Mall was now in view, its broken windows and crumbling walls covered by a swarm of zombies that were trying to break in.


    They were relieved to see their destination, at least until a low growl rang through the area. Frank''s "Sixth Sense" flared stronger than ever before, warning him that his death was imminent.


    Looking around frantically, he eventually spotted it, an enormous wolf emerging from the shadows. It was about five times the size of a normal wolf, its fur matted and singed, likely from the previous explosion.


    Despite this, it seemed to glow, almost like it had caught the moonlight. The creature''s eyes gleamed with an unnatural, predatory light.


    ''Ah yes, my astounding luck stat of ZERO. Truly it never disappoints,'' Frank thought morbidly.


    Not only was he in no condition to fight at the moment, but the system had turned mostly harmless animals into fearsome monsters. He couldn''t imagine what it had done to animals that were already fearsome before the "breach".


    The wolf looked over the party intently. Saliva dripped from its teeth as it locked its gaze onto the weakened, charred Frank, clearly the weakest link.


    "Guys," Frank said, his voice urgent. "I think I could use some help."

 Dragon of the Midwest

    The atmosphere thickened with tension as the party stared at the massive wolf before them.


    Its growl was deep and reverberating and the creature''s predatory gaze locked onto Frank, completely prepared to claim its easy meal.


    "Get ready!" Elara called out, shifting into a fighting stance and tightening her grip on her daggers. "We''ll take this one down, Frank, so you just get some rest."


    Without hesitation, she dashed forward, for the first time activating her innate ability, "Feline''s Agility".


    Immediately, she became a blur, dodging the wolf''s strikes with cat-like reflexes and striking its body with precision.


    [Feline''s Agility: Increases reflexes and agility, allowing for swift dodging of attacks and increased precision for critical strikes. Critical rate increases per AGI level.]


    Frank was stunned. It looked like he wasn''t the only one who hadn''t been fighting at full strength during training. But the beast wasn''t done yet.


    Elara continued to engage head-on, and Max followed suit, his muscles rippling as he activated "Unyielding Charge". He launched himself at the wolf like a human battering ram, charging headfirst with a bright glow surrounding his body.


    [Unyielding Charge: User can enhance their attack power and move through enemies as if they were nothing, knocking them aside with immense force. Damage scales with STR.]


    The wolf staggered from the impact, allowing Leo, who activated his skill "Shadow Step" to leap in.


    [Shadow Step: User can move swiftly and silently, evading enemies and landing sneak attacks. Damage is increased against unsuspecting targets.]


    "Keep up the assault!" Leo shouted as he sprang toward the wolf''s back, landing a stab that not only connected but sent shockwaves through the beast''s entire body.


    Despite all the damage, the wolf was still standing. Heavily injured, but very much alive and dangerous.


    Frank felt his heart race. His HP finally ticked upward as his regeneration kicked in¡ª


    [HP: 7/70]


    His body was still scarred and weak. He needed more time to heal, not wanting to repeat his near-death experience against the spiders.


    The wolf howled and charged the group. Despite their combined efforts, fatigue began to show on their faces. Elara managed to dodge the beast''s snapping jaw, but the look in her eyes was clear, she was getting tired.


    "Leo! Watch out!" Max called, barely blocking a strike aimed at his friend. Leo fell back quickly, bracing himself against the wall and breathing heavily.


    "Stay focused!" Elara shouted, but Frank could see that they were exhausted. The only thing keeping them going was the fact that the beast looked just as bad as they did.


    The wolf lunged for Max, who clasped his hands together and swung downward, landing a devastating hit on the wolf''s head and finally putting it down.


    "See," panted Max as he sat on the ground. "No sweat."


    The party''s bodies shone with light as the system restored their HP and stamina.


    ''Looks like that was enough to level them up,'' Frank noted, happy that things had turned out alright.


    "Seems like you guys really didn''t need my help with this one," Frank remarked, relieved.


    "Is this a bad time to say we told you so?" Elara clapped back, wearing a cocky grin.


    "Yeah, and the mall is right around the corner. Should be smooth sailing from here," Leo added, pointing in its direction.


    "LEO!" Frank chastised. Did Leo not realize he was traveling with a man who had a whopping ZERO luck? Oh, wait, he didn''t. Either way, Frank continued to scold him, "You can''t say things like that out loud!"


    "I''m sure it''s fi¡ª" Leo was about to respond before he heard low growls around them. Multiple low growls.


    From the nearby shadows, seven more evolved wolves emerged, surrounding the party. Most of them seemed just as strong as the one they had just killed, only they were unharmed.


    Then the eighth wolf emerged, easily three times the size of the others.


    The party was mortified. They knew this was beyond them. They had barely managed to defeat one of the wolves, and now there were eight AND a boss?


    "Okay, who pissed off God?!" Max yelled, not expecting an answer.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ''Yeah, hi, that was probably me,'' Frank thought as the zero by his luck stat mocked him yet again.


    "We don''t have time to complain. Regroup and-" Elara didn''t get time to finish before she narrowly dodged an incoming claw.


    The wolves weren''t waiting for them to regroup. One of their own was dead, and they didn''t look like they were accepting apologies.


    Elara, Max, and Leo were swarmed. They were barely able to dodge the relentless onslaught, let alone keep the wolves off their injured comrade. Frank could almost visualize HP bars above their heads depleting, but they managed to hold out for a time.


    In the end, their determination didn''t matter. The enemies were simply too many and too strong. The alpha evolved wolf hadn''t even made its move yet.


    They were at the end of their stamina and had no more aces up their sleeves.


    Frank checked his HP, hoping to see something promising. Instead¡ª


    [HP: 22/70]


    Not enough. He grimaced. Even with the effects of Oathkeeper and Horde Breaker, it just wasn''t enough.


    The wolves closed in, completely surrounding them until finally the alpha spoke:


    "End them."


    "No!" Frank''s voice cracked with rage as he knew they wouldn''t survive this attack.


    "Get back!" Elara screamed, her voice cracking with desperation as Max became the wolves first target.


    The chilling realization struck Frank: they were surrounded, and if he didn''t act now, he would lose them.


    [HP: 27/70]


    In that moment, Frank felt a familiar burning rage within him.


    This was unfair.


    Sadistic.


    Cruel.


    These were his mentors and friends, they had helped him more than they realized. Even if it cost him his life, he couldn''t just watch any longer. Damning this world for its sadism, he let out a guttural scream.


    The wolves leapt towards them, and for the first time since this catastrophe started, he snapped.


    [Emergency skill generated!


    Limit Breaker (SPEX): Increases damage to all enemies by 1000%, decreases damage taken from exterior sources by 50%. Rapidly drains the user''s HP while active. The user''s sanity will be overridden until all nearby hostile entities are dispatched. Can only be activated when the user''s rage overrides their reason.]


    "Get. Down." He commanded his teammates before his eyes went white. His skin glowed a deep red as the earth around him shook.


    He kicked the ground, shooting him up into the air like a gunshot.


    "THIS. ENDS. NOW!" Frank roared, the words erupting from him as flames ignited in his palms.


    "FIREBALL! FIREBALL! FIREBALL!" he bellowed, unleashing his newfound power without hesitation. His hands were a blur, shooting down fireballs at a rate that would make most machine guns jealous.


    [Critical hit!]


    [Critical hit!]


    [Critical hit!]


    [Critical hit!]


    [Critical hit!]


    [Critical hit!]


    Each cast caused a massive explosion to engulf the wolves, the alpha included. The blasts lit up the night, and the flames swallowed the attacking wolves, leaving nothing but massive, smoldering craters behind.


    [Evolved Wolves Defeated x7: 1400 XP Gained


    Level up!]


    The only wolf remaining was the alpha, but it could barely stand. Its pride was broken, it had lost the very pack it swore to protect. Now, all it could do was await its death.


    "You have fought well, and we were no match," the wolf managed between coughs filled with blood. "As you have bested the alpha, leadership of the pack now belongs to-"


    The wolf didn''t get the chance to finish speaking. Even though it was delivering great news, Frank couldn''t hear it. The skill was clear: "The user''s sanity will be overridden until all nearby hostile entities are dispatched," and this guy was still breathing.


    Frank had already appeared next to it, his sledgehammer raised above his head.


    "FIREBALL!" he yelled in a blind rage.


    The head of his hammer burst into flames, propelling his strike forward like a rocket blasting off into orbit. When the strike landed, a pillar of flames shot into the sky like a beacon, as if to announce the alpha''s defeat to the entire area.


    [Evolved Alpha Wolf Defeated: 500 XP Gained]


    As silence settled in, Frank slowly regained his sanity. The glow left his skin, and the light returned to his eyes.


    [HP: 72/76]


    Confused by his charred surroundings, he looked to his comrades. Their mouths were agape, seemingly still processing what had just happened.


    Seeing as they were occupied, he checked his stats for answers.


    [New title unlocked!


    Leader of the Pack: Wolves and their kin will no longer be hostile towards you, instead heeding your call and obeying your commands.]


    [Host: Frank Gunn


    Title(s): Horde Breaker, Leader of the Pack


    Level: 9


    XP to Next Level: 1300/2000


    HP: 72/76


    Mana: 55/55


    Strength (STR): 33+


    Constitution (CON): 38+


    Agility (AGI): 21+


    Intelligence (INT): 13+


    Charisma (CHA): 7+


    Luck (LUC): 0


    Stat Points Available: 16]


    [Skills:


    Oathkeeper (SPEX)


    Limit Breaker (SPEX)


    Sixth Sense (Innate)


    Diligent Student (Innate)


    Regeneration (Lvl 3)


    Persisting Strength (Lvl 2)


    Featherfoot (Lvl 1) ¡ú (Lvl 2): Additionally allows sharper movements at high speed.


    Hand-to-Hand Combat (Lvl 2)


    Makeshift Weapon Proficiency (Lvl 2) -> (Lvl 3): 20% -> 30%


    Fireball (Lvl 1) ¡ú (Lvl 2): Increased scaling with INT.


    Mana Efficiency (Lvl 1)]


    After seeing his new skills, he looked around again before turning to his comrades and gesturing to the destruction with his thumb.


    "Uh, guys, what exactly happened here?"

 Reunion

    His team filled him in on what happened.


    His rage, his madness, his overwhelming power, everything. He was mortified. He had decimated everything with reckless abandon. If he hadn''t told them to take cover...


    "Hey, don''t worry about it, we''re fine," Elara touched his shoulder gently, trying to give him some level of comfort.


    "Yeah, and we''d be dead if you didn''t go berserk, so y''know, good job!" Max added, giving him a smack on the back.


    Even Leo was giving him a thumbs up. Their armor was messed up, but they were otherwise okay.


    ''Even still, I should probably avoid losing my cool unless I''m really in trouble. Who knows who I could hurt otherwise.'' Frank chastised himself.


    Promising himself he would be more careful going forward, he and the rest of the team approached Westgate Mall.


    When they reached the entrance, Frank paused. The mall was a wreck, overtaken by decay and neglect. Windows were shattered, and graffiti was scattered on the walls. It looked like the apocalypse had been going on for years, not just a little over a month.


    "It looks worse than I thought it would," Max looked around with a frown as he and the rest of the group joined Frank.


    Elara stood next to Frank, her daggers drawn. "We need to stay sharp. If the wolves were this close, we can''t be sure there aren''t more monsters inside."


    "Right," Frank replied. "But our main goal is to find survivors, and that includes my parents." He pointed ahead, where an emergency sign dangled from the roof. "Let''s stick together and move quickly."


    As they entered the mall, Frank felt a feeling of uncertainty.


    ''What if my parents really aren''t here?'' he wondered, thinking back to the promise he made Ana before he left.


    "I will save Grandma and Grandpa."


    That was what he said, and the fact that he hadn''t croaked on the spot was proof they were alive. But were they here? Were they at least safe? If they died, not only would it be a devastating loss, but it would now cost him his life, leaving Ana all alone.


    ''I really need to be more careful what I promise,'' he complained inwardly.


    They stepped into the main atrium, now covered in debris. They advanced, weapons drawn and senses heightened, listening for any signs of movement.


    The mall was quite large, so Frank turned to the group. "Change of plans, we need to split up to cover more ground. We''ll regroup in fifteen minutes. Keep your comms open."


    The team nodded, and went their separate ways.


    Elara, Max, and Leo fanned out, running into the corridors of the mall. Now alone, Frank felt his sledgehammer resting against his shoulder, providing him some comfort. At least if there were monsters inside, he should be prepared.


    As he moved deeper into the mall, he became aware of the unnatural silence. Each footstep echoed loudly in his ears, even with the effects of "Featherfoot" active, and every shadow seemed like it could be hiding something.


    Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he caught movement. He spun around, prepared for battle, but instead he found a girl around 12 years old, crouched under a table, crying.


    He ran over quickly, looking around frantically to make sure there were no threats waiting to take advantage of this situation.


    "Hey, it''s okay," he soothed, crouching down to her level. "It''s going to be alright, we''re here now, just keep close and we''ll get out of here together."


    The girl looked up, her eyes filled with tears. "You''re... you''re here to save us?" she sniffled.


    "Yes, we are," he said, his heart aching as he watched her tremble. "Can you tell me how many people are here with you?"


    She thought for a second, then began to cry again. Frank was in a hurry, but he didn''t have the heart to rush the grieving child, instead placing a hand on her shoulder as she collected herself.She eventually managed to calm down enough to answer. "There were over 200 of us, but now..." Her voice trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Suddenly, Elara''s voice came through the comms. "Frank, we found a group of survivors. Our location is near the food court."


    "Got it," Frank replied before helping the girl to her feet. "We''ll meet you there."


    "We?" Elara questioned.


    "Yeah, I found a young girl. She seems pretty shaken up," he replied.


    "Understood. See you soon," she confirmed.


    Frank stood up before picking up the girl, letting her ride piggyback.


    "Stay close, I''ll keep you safe," Frank comforted. "What''s your name?"


    "I''m Claire..." she answered, still visibly dazed.


    "Nice to meet you, Claire. I''m Frank. I beat up monsters," Frank said, flexing his biceps the same way he would for Ana.


    "You''re silly, Mr. Frank," she giggled, amused by his antics.


    Together, they hurried toward the food court.


    Rounding the corner, Frank spotted a larger group of survivors huddled where the escalator used to be. Their faces were pale, and their eyes were filled with desperation. He set Claire down to go find her parents and walked toward the crowd.


    As he approached, something caught his eye, two figures stood near the center of the group, bearing a striking resemblance to his parents. It was uncanny, but they were far too young.


    It was like looking at the wedding photos he''d seen growing up. Staring for a little bit, he eventually shook his head and began addressing rest of the survivors.


    "Are you all okay? Is anyone hurt?" he asked, scanning the group.


    "We were doing so well..." a man in the group began, his voice trembling. "But a few days ago, a hole appeared in the south wall of the mall. One of those wolves found its way inside. We lost so many..."


    Frank felt a pang of guilt. Only a few days ago? If he hadn''t hesitated, if he''d come here right away, maybe those people would still be alive.


    "I''m sorry," he began, finding himself unable to look them in the eyes, "But we need to get everyone out of here. Can you tell me more about what happened?"


    Before anyone could answer, two figures stepped forward. They were the same couple he had noticed earlier, and it seemed like they recognized him.


    "Frank? Is that you?" the woman asked, her voice filled with hope.


    Looking at her closer, Frank slowly had a realization.


    "...Mom?" he inquired, his mind almost failing to believe what he was seeing.


    "Yes, it''s me! Oh my goodness, I can''t believe you found us!" She rushed forward and embraced him tightly. Frank was relieved but awkward; her younger body made her feel like a stranger who was way too close. Even still, he happily returned her embrace.


    They separated, and she looked around, her expression quickly turning panicked.


    "Frank, where is Ana? Please don''t tell me she-"


    "She''s safe," he interrupted, earning a sigh of relief from his mother. "She''s in a military complex, well-protected. I figured she''d be safer there than coming here. Once I get you there, you''ll be safe too."


    After he put her at ease, Frank looked to the man next to her, slowly putting the pieces together.


    "...Dad?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.


    "That''s my name, don''t wear it out," his father replied with a grin, pulling him in for a hug as well.


    Frank held the hug for a long moment, savoring the embrace. Until finally he pulled back, "How did you two survive?"


    His father gave him a proud smile. "We''ve had a little help. This thing in our heads restored us to our youth during this ''Evolution'' thing. It wasn''t just us either, have you really not noticed there are no old people anymore?"


    Frank stepped back, trying to fully take in his parents'' transformation. Now that he thought about it, he really hadn''t seen any elderly people walking around, though he''d assumed it was for more dire reasons. He was actually relieved to find out that wasn''t the case.


    His mother added her thoughts. "Our theory is this ''System'' wants us strong to be ready for whatever caused this ''Breach'' it mentioned. It''s undeniable, we''re stronger with our younger bodies." She sighed. "We''ve had to fend for ourselves, your father and I, before we knew it, we ended up being relied on by others."


    At that moment, Frank noticed a young man observing the reunion closely, specifically, him. "Excuse me sir, can I help you?" Frank asked, eyeing the man.


    "Oh I''m just curious to meet the man our saviors wouldn''t shut up about, though a bit bummed I couldn''t meet the equally famous granddaughter" the man explained, stepping forward.


    "Your parents have become strong, probably the strongest of us." He explained, not missing a beat, "Everyone seems to have been given some kind of ability, and we learned how to make use of each other to survive, so you could say we''ve become close. I''m Jason, by the way."


    Jason stepped forward to shake Frank''s hand. "I''m sorry about your wife," he added with a wistful look in his eye.


    Frank nodded, his eyes sharing the sentiment. Still, he accepted his answer, and his handshake.


    "I''m Frank, nice to meet you," he gave Jason a smile.


    "Frank huh?" He seemed to think of something before returning to his normal demeanor.


    Just then, the growls of zombies echoed throughout the mall, followed by the shuffling of feet in the hallways. This forced Frank to jump into action.


    "We need to move!" Frank shouted to the group. "Grab what you need and any supplies that are left. We. Are. Leaving!"


    As everyone rushed to gather their belongings, he felt a warmth approach him.


    "Stay alert, champ," his father advised, moving next to him. "We''re fighting as a family today."


    Looking at his approaching mother, she simply responded with a smile.


    This filled Frank with a nostalgic feeling, as if he was once again a child being protected by his parents. He could feel tears in his eyes at the thought, but he quickly composed himself and wiped them away.


    He wasn''t a child anymore, he could protect them, too.


    "Let''s get to it then" Frank said, cracking his knuckles.


    It was time to show this world what the Gunns were made of.

 Gemini and Brutality

    "Alright, everyone, let''s move!" Frank shouted as he took point, guiding the survivors towards the exit. But before they could reach it, the distant sound of zombies grew louder rapidly, until another horde came into view.


    "Cover me!" Frank called out, charging forward into the mass of creatures. Seizing the initiative, he swung his hammer, smashing the head of the first zombie that came too close. With a grin, he smashed another zombie into the ground with a crunch.


    He could feel his parents moving just behind him. As he turned to glance back, his mom leapt into action, her agile movements surprisingly graceful as she dodged an attack from a zombie.


    "Try to keep up, sport!" his father called with a cocky grin, landing a kick that sent a zombie crashing into another.


    Frank watched with pride, nostalgia hitting him hard as they fought side by side, realizing how grateful he was that they were alive.


    The three of them worked their way deeper into the mall, seemingly unstoppable. They moved forward at a steady pace, Frank using his "Fireball" skill whenever the crowds of zombies grew too dense, clearing the path ahead.


    Jason rushed past them, and with a savage glimmer in his eyes, he dove into the fight, wielding a fireaxe.


    As Jason charged in, he began to cackle madly. Grabbing a nearby zombie, he yanked it forward and tore its arm off effortlessly before using it to bludgeon the thing to death. "You guys see that? Look at him squirm!" he laughed with a sadistic glee in his eyes.


    Frank''s teammates watched in a mix of horror and awe. "You''re really enjoying this, aren''t you..." Max mumbled, feeling bad for these zombies for the first time.


    Not slowing down, Jason lunged at another group of zombies, dismembering each one with glee. He giggled maniacally as he spun and sliced through their ranks, limbs flying and heads rolling. "This is what it''s all about!"


    Frank felt a mix of admiration and discomfort as Jason killed zombies with ruthless efficiency. It was effective, and Jason was incredibly skilled, but his means were clearly for enjoyment, not survival.


    Now allowing himself to be shown up, he crashed his hammer into the next wave of zombies. "Oathkeeper" and "Horde Breaker" were both empowering his attacks, and he watched as his parents followed suit, seeing them truly in action for the first time.


    His mother and father fought together, his father glowing green as his skill "Gemini Yang" activated. In response, his mother began to glow yellow as her skill "Gemini Yin" activated in kind.


    [Gemini Yin: Increases agility by a factor of 200% when fighting alongside "Howard Gunn".]


    [Gemini Yang: Increases strength by a factor of 200% when fighting alongside "Arlene Gunn".]


    The sight was breathtaking, their power was not only greatly enhanced, but their synergy was unmatched. They seemed seemed to know exactly what the other needed in each and every moment.


    They were a whirlwind of metal and strikes, easily clearing out the horde around them.


    Soon enough, the horde shifted, as if beckoning something. A deafening noise rang out, shaking the ground. "What was that?" Frank''s eyes darted over the surrounding, trying to find the source.


    Jason dismembered another zombie with a chilling smile. "Whatever it is, I hope it lasts longer than these scrubs, they don''t satisfy me at all!"


    The group navigated the ruins of the mall. The noise growing louder as they approached the atrium. Just as they turned the final corner, they were met with an overwhelming sight.


    Another colossal mob of zombies had gathered, swarming outward through the entrance, drawn by the sounds of commotion. At the back of the horde stood an enormous, heavily armored beast: a Tyrant Zombie.


    "This could be a problem," Elara grimaced.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Frank glanced at his parents. "Are you two ready to show these ghouls what the Gunns can do?"


    "Always," they replied almost in unison, gripping their weapons tightly as they supported Frank.


    Jason stepped forward, grinning with a hint of sadism dancing in his eyes. "That''s what I''m talking about! Let''s make this gruesome," he growled with anticipation.


    The team was reorganized, taking strategic positions around the horde. Elara, Leo, and Max took on the horde at large, while Frank and Jason faced off against the Tyrant.


    Frank charged in and raised his hammer high, smashing down onto the giant''s foot. Behind him, Jason followed suit; climbing up the beast and ripping out chunks of flesh as he moved.


    Frank''s parents were on crowd control, ensuring the horde couldn''t back up the Tyrant, and vice versa.


    As the battle intensified, Jason''s sadistic onslaught intensified.


    He wrapped his arms around the neck of the behemoth, using his axe to pry chunks of it''s face away piece by piece.


    "I just can''t get enough!" he hollered, a euphoric glee in his eyes as his body was covered in the tyrant''s blood.


    With renewed vigor, Frank directed his focus solely to the Tyrant Zombie as it roared. He swung his sledgehammer hard, aiming for its exposed joints. Each hit shattered the unarmored limbs, rendering them useless.


    As the strikes continued, the Tyrant roared in pain, staggering under the relentless onslaught.


    Jason looked like he could barely contain himself, and threw his axe to the side. Now unarmed, he smashed his arms into the side of the beast''s head, digging his fingers into its temples.


    "Let''s see how you like this little treat," he jeered as a dark mist covered his hands. It began to spread from his hands into the creatures body, tracing its veins as it flowed throughout its entire figure.


    The creature stopped its attacks and howled. It wasn''t a battle cry like before, it was different; almost sad? Frank couldn''t quite believe his eyes.


    ''What the hell?''


    For the first time since the breach, everyone present witnessed a monster start to cry.


    The Tyrant''s screams were booming, clearly in indescribable amounts of pain. Tears filled its eyes before it cried out desperately, "MERCY, PLEASE! KILL ME! KILL. ME!"


    "Awwww, you''re no fun," Jason taunted before ripping the beast''s head right off it''s shoulders in one brutal motion. "Fine! Have it your way!"


    Everyone else watched stupefied, not only had Jason killed the Tyrant nearly effortlessly, but he seemed overjoyed to have the opportunity.


    [Evolved Tyrant Zombie Defeated: 500 XP


    Evolved Zombies Defeated: 200 XP


    Level Up!]


    The notifications declared victory, but the group was still dead silent. Meanwhile, Jason was rolling around in the creature''s blood.


    "Awe yeah, was it good for you too?" Jason asked the giant corpse, laying on top of it with a look of ecstasy on his face. Looking to the rest of the team, he grinned. "Y''all mind if I smoke?"


    Everyone absentmindedly shook their heads. They didn''t want to be the next target of his cruel fantasies.


    Laying there, cigarette in hand, a glimmer caught Jason''s eye. He stood up and approached the decaying head of the Tyrant Zombie he had tossed aside, retrieving a black gleaming helmet adorned with a fierce looking set of horns.


    "Looks like I found a little souvenir," he remarked, shaking the now severed head out from inside. "Tyrant''s Helm... Talk about style points!"


    The helmet began to shrink in his hands before it was exactly his size. Ignoring the blood still inside it, he put it on.


    Frank inspected the helmet, and a description soon appeared in front of him.


    [Tyrant''s Helm (Equipment):


    Defense: 10


    Special Effect: Increases physical damage dealt by 15% when in battle. Grants a 10% chance to intimidate enemies, causing them to flee in panic.]


    It was a strong piece of armor, and Frank couldn''t help but feel a little jealous. Still, it gave him a chill.


    The fight would have been much harder without Jason, that was a fact. But the way he handled monsters was too much, even for these beasts.


    "Y''all okay? You look like you''ve seen a ghost. Oh wait, must be the helmet, is there a way to deactivate this thing?" Jason asked, tapping the side repeatedly with his finger.


    Frank exchanged uneasy glances with Elara, Max, and Leo as they processed the brutality they had just witnessed. The contrast between Jason''s current euphoric demeanor and the horrific slaughter was terrifying.


    "Aren''t you a little too pleased with yourself?" Elara finally said, trying to mask her disgust.


    Jason shrugged, a smirk spreading across his face. "Not sure exactly what you mean, gorgeous. Let''s look at the facts: First off, I killed the thing. Second, nobody got hurt because I killed the thing. Third: It was trying to kill us, that is a fact. Who cares how I kill it? These monsters deserve whatever they get."


    He took a drag from his cigarette before continuing, "I''m just making the best of a bad situation. Are you suggesting I sit there all freaked out and depressed like the rest of you? No thanks. Besides, you can''t spell ''slaughter'' without ''laughter.''"


    He cackled, clearly pleased with his own joke. "Anyway, Frank, you mentioned a military complex. What are we waiting for? Lead the way!"

 Dont Poke a Sleeping Dragon

    Before heading out, Frank checked his new stats after leveling.


    [Host: Frank Gunn


    Title(s): Horde Breaker, Leader of the Pack


    Level: 10


    XP to Next Level: *


    HP: 150/150


    Mana: 130/130


    Strength (STR): 46+


    Constitution (CON): 50


    Agility (AGI): 32+


    Intelligence (INT): 26+


    Charisma (CHA): 18+


    Luck (LUC): 0


    Stat Points Available: 20]


    [Skills:


    In Perfect Health (Innate)*New*: Host''s body now has amazing metabolism, no longer affected by disease or malnutrition.


    Alluring Gaze (Lvl 1)*New*: User is more likely to be seen in a positive light while making eye contact.


    Oathkeeper (SPEX)


    Limit Breaker (SPEX)


    Sixth Sense (Innate)


    Diligent Student (Innate)


    Regeneration (Lvl 3) -> (MAX): 5HP/30sec -> 20HP/30sec. User now recovers from injuries and fatigue at a visible rate.


    Persisting Strength (Lvl 4)


    Featherfoot (Lvl 2) ¡ú (Lvl 3): Additionally increases movement speed by 10%.


    Hand-to-Hand Combat (Lvl 2)


    Makeshift Weapon Proficiency (Lvl 3) -> (Lvl 4): 30% -> 40%


    Fireball (Lvl 2) ¡ú (Lvl 4): Further Increased scaling with INT.


    Mana Efficiency (Lvl 1) -> (Lvl 2): 20% - 40%]


    [NOTICE:


    Upon reaching level 10, user will continue to gain experience, but will not increase in level until class quest is completed.


    Unlock condition of class quest: ???]


    Frank nearly jumped around the room, unable to contain his excitement, before immediately getting a reality check.


    The stat and skill gains were far more than any other level up had given him. Even the scaling between CON and HP, as well as INT and Mana seemed to increase.


    The subtle increases of strength were nothing compared to the vigor he felt now; it was truly a blessing.


    But the last message killed his enthusiasm immediately.


    ''What do you mean I can''t level up until a "Class quest"? And you don''t even know how I''m supposed to unlock it? This is ridiculous, what kind of crappy devs designed this thing?'' It also wasn''t lost on him that his CON stat seemed to be capped at 50 for now. Needing to vent his frustration, he punched a nearby wall, causing it to crumble immediately.


    Fearing he might trigger "Limit Breaker", he focused back on the matter at hand.


    "Let''s move, we need to get back to the complex," Frank sighed, quickening his pace, eager to see Ana again.


    He stayed alert, occasionally glancing at Claire, who held onto his hand tightly. She had been brave throughout the chaos, but she was still a child, and she wanted to keep close to the hero who beat up monsters.


    The streets were quiet as they pressed on. A few zombies wandered aimlessly, which Frank squashed without too much difficulty. It was clean and efficient, but Jason, ever the showman, couldn''t resist some theatrics.


    "Hey, hey! Look at you!" Jason called out as he started mocking the zombie''s walking speed. "Is this all you''ve got? You call this swarming? Come on, I don''t feel overwhelmed!"If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    He laughed maniacally, taunting the zombies as he danced around them, throwing playful jabs before dismembering them mercilessly.


    Frank''s brow furrowed. "Jason, quit messing around! We have civilians with us."


    But Jason simply rolled with it, loving every moment, throwing more verbal taunts at the monsters. "Come on, undead losers! Keep up the pace! Can''t handle fast food?"


    Finally, the last of the zombies fell, and Frank let out a breath he didn''t realize he''d been holding.


    As they drew closer to the military complex, the atmosphere shifted. There were murmurs of relief throughout the crowd. But just as they approached the gates, a symphony of groans erupted.


    "More zombies!" Leo shouted, raising his weapon as the horde began to emerge from the shadows.


    Frank felt a familiar rush, yet as soon as the fight began, he realized the situation was under control. The Gatling guns atop the complex roared to life, mowing down the horde in record time.


    ''To think, all these otherworldly skills, and a machine gun is still sometimes the right tool for the job.'' Frank chuckled.


    "Let''s keep moving!" Frank urged, leading them toward the compound.


    As they approached the gates, they were met by a familiar figure standing at the entrance: Commander Arlo.


    "Glad to see you all made it back in one piece. I was beginning to worry." Arlo glanced over the group but then squinted at Jason. "Who''s your friend? I didn''t hear about him in the reports."


    "I''m Jason, SIR," Jason beamed, offering a mock salute.


    "Right..." the commander replied, still studying him with a frown. His face carried traces of recognition, but ultimately decided to keep quiet.


    Ana emerged from the crowded gates, her face lighting up the compound. "Daddy!" she called, pushing past the rest of the survivors.


    Frank knelt, arms wide as she rushed into his arms, catching her as she launched herself at him. "I missed you so much, sweetheart!"


    "I missed you too!" Ana exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. Seeing two more familiar faces, she called out, "Grandma! Grandpa!"


    Howard and Arlene stepped forward, arms outstretched, tears forming in their eyes as they saw Ana.


    "Ana!" Arlene cried, catching the four-year-old missile. "Oh, my sweet girl! You have no idea how relieved we are to see you! But how did you recognize us?"


    "Grandma, you''re silly. How could I not know my grandma and grandpa?" Ana explained as she nestled against them.


    Seeing the touching moment, Jason decided it was time to intrude, swooping up next to them. "Hey there, little Ana! Did you miss me?"


    Ana stepped back slightly, giving him a bombastic side-eye. "Uh... who are you?"


    "Oh, only the coolest superhero ever! I make the monsters pay for hurting all the cute little girls like you! Though you''re definitely the cutest!" Jason tried to pick Ana up, only to be stopped by Frank.


    His words were more of a growl than speech, and his eyes screamed murder. "Hands to yourself, boy."


    Jason stepped back, his demeanor oddly playful. "Relax! It''s all in good fun! Oh, I just had an idea! Hey! Ana, I could use a sidekick!" He reached out his hand like he was offering her a dance.


    Frank grabbed his outstretched arm, nearly snapping his bones under his grip. "Back. Off."


    Arlo cleared his throat, stepping closer to diffuse the situation. "Is everything alright here?"


    "No." Frank glared, not letting go of his arm. "Leave my daughter alone."


    The look in his eye was enough to kill most men, but it hardly seemed to affect Jason.


    "Whoa, whoa!" Jason put up his other hand innocently. "Can''t a guy make friends with the next generation? I''m just being polite! Though if you really have an issue, I suppose you could always MAKE me."


    "Jason, this isn''t the time!" Elara interjected, stepping between them. Max was about as unamused as Frank. Both had clearly already killed Jason several times in their minds.


    The tension hung thick until Arlene reached out, placing a calming hand on Frank''s shoulder. "Let''s take a step back. We''re safe, and we''re together. It''s not like Jason means any harm."


    "I don''t like the way he looks at her," Frank murmured, not releasing his hold.


    "Fine! I get it. I''ll relax, spoilsport," Jason flashed a grin, but it felt unnerving. "I hope Ana and I can still be friends!"


    "Enough!" Frank raised his voice again, trying to keep "Limit Breaker" from triggering.


    Arlo interjected again, "Frank, I understand your feelings, but we''re here to protect people, not kill each other."


    Taking a deep breath, Frank realized he was right, not that he liked it. Shooting one last warning glare at Jason, he released his arm.


    "Fine," he relented. "You know where I stand, Jason."


    "Oh yeah; big, tall, and scary!" Jason mocked, earning only more glares from Frank.


    Arlo coughed. "Well, now seems as good a time as any to discuss the next mission."


    "Great, then my family and I will leave you all to it," Frank turned to walk out but was stopped unexpectedly by his parents, both giving him disapproving looks.


    "Franklin Edward Gunn! Are you really not going to help these people?"


    ''Crap,'' Frank grimaced, ''The full government name...''


    He raised his hands defensively, "Mom, I am only one person. You saw the strength of everyone else here. They''ll be fine without me,"


    "Oh? You''re a psychic now, are you? And here I thought we raised you with principles. Where did we go wrong, dear?" His father interjected, clearly upset.


    "Dad, I have a responsibility to Ana first. I can''t bring her out into that wasteland, and I can''t protect her if I''m out there and she''s in here," he pleaded his case the best he could, but it was clear he was getting nowhere.


    "You just leave her to us. We may not be as powerful as Mr. Big Strong Hammer Time, but we''ll be dead in our graves before we ever let anything hurt our beautiful granddaughter," his dad was relentless, not giving a single inch.


    "For what it''s worth, I''m on their side," Arlo interjected, clearly grateful for the formidable reinforcements.


    "Oh really? I would have never guessed..." Frank groaned, shooting him a cold stare.


    Ultimately, he knew he was trapped. There were two opponents he never stood a chance against: Ana''s big beautiful eyes, and his parents.


    "Fine, FINE, I''ll help."


    Arlo was about to speak when he was cut off.


    "But let me make a few things clear: I still do not work for you, I still do not trust you, and quite frankly, I still do not like you."


    Arlo nodded, a hint of respect in his eyes. "That''s fair, Frank. My goal is to save people, so I''ll gladly deal with your glaring."


    As the tensions began to settle, Frank turned to see Ana bouncing with excitement. "Daddy, can I help too? I want to fight the monsters!"


    "No." Almost everyone in the room immediately replied.


    Jason leaned closer again, his grin returning. "Oh, come on! I bet she''d handle those beasties like a champ! She''s got that heroic fire in her, don''t ya think?"


    Frank shot Jason a warning glance, feeling his patience wear thin. "Enough, back off."


    Jason seemed to get an idea and stepped back. "Very well, very well. Since that''s the case, I humbly accept the position as her protector. You go save the world, Mr. Hero. I''ll take good care of Ana back h-"


    Frank grabbed Jason by the neck, lifting him several inches off the ground. "You''re the one that wanted to get out there so bad, so you''re coming with me. Understood?"


    Jason couldn''t breathe and immediately tapped out, prompting Frank to drop him.


    Coughing between gasping breaths, he still managed a grin.


    "Well sure, that could be fun too."

 Overwhelming Resolve

    Leo was pushing himself harder than ever. The nagging fear from the recent encounters still hadn''t fully settled.


    He moved deftly from one rooftop to another throughout the nearby city, careful to avoid nearby groups of monsters. He gasped as he leapt down, back-flipping off a railing and landing gracefully on the ground below.


    His training was always different from the others''; it had to be. Leo knew that he was a coward, and that kind of mentality didn''t last long in this world.


    Frank had told him about his first encounter with the spider, and it wasn''t pretty. He had run, been stabbed, nearly dismembered, and at no point did he have any control of the situation.


    The only reason he was still alive was because the spider wanted vengeance; it had played around too much with its victim, allowing Frank to land a decisive blow.


    Then, only a little over a month later, he killed five of the same enemy. Sure, he was stronger than before, but that still didn''t explain his victory. Frank''s real advantage was his confidence, his ability to jump in without fear, and the ability to take risks.


    Leo''s specialty was stealth; there was no doubt about that. But against those wolves, he had nowhere to hide, nowhere to run, and he froze.


    He wouldn''t always have the luxury of being able to escape.


    He kept moving through the city until he found a large group of zombies.


    "Hey guys, I''m really sorry about this, but I''m going to need you to die for me," he said, a cold look filling his eyes as he charged into the center of the group.


    A couple of hours later, he heard a notification.


    [Level Up!


    You have now reached level 5!


    New title unlocked!


    Horde Breaker: Increases damage against groups of enemies by 100%.]


    Panting heavily, Leo looked around. The horde was dead, and it was because of him.


    "Frank, Max, Elara, I won''t slow you down anymore," he said, his resolve set. If cowards died in a world like this, then he wouldn''t allow himself to fear anymore.


    It would be the monsters that feared him.


    ---


    Max pounded the heavy bag relentlessly, each strike filling the room with gunshot-like bangs. His body had long since told him it was time to quit, but he ignored it, opting to power through.


    During his breaks, he heard giggling from the other room. Frank had been taking it easy since they returned from the mall, and Ana was loving every moment of it.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Images of his own family, Catherine and Matthew, raced through his mind. He thought of their wide grins, the way they''d laugh, the goofy dances they learned together from the internet, everything about them. The memories were bittersweet, each one accompanied by the image of both of them lying in a pool of blood beneath that damned moth.


    "Focus, Max. You''re not the only one who''s lost something," he gasped between punches, desperately pushing the image out of his head.


    ''It''s not like I''m special in this hellhole,'' he reminded himself as he launched a knee at the bag in front of him. He thought of the countless refugees in the complex, many of them having lost their families as well.


    Then he thought about Frank.


    The comment Jason had made about Frank''s wife wasn''t lost on Max. The way Frank had reacted was all the information he needed.


    Max had been able to justify losing his family to this nightmare because it was only natural. This was the apocalypse, the end of days. Unfortunately for him, Frank didn''t have that comfort; he had lost his wife long before this hell began, leaving him with nothing to blame.


    Even still, he soldiered on, not only gaining power that was breathtaking but even managing to save his daughter, despite having next to no combat experience.


    Stopping his punches, Max sat on the floor, his head cradled in his arms. His vision blurred as tears began to flow nonstop.


    ''So why... why couldn''t I save them?'' He was a soldier, he was trained, he was strong. Heck, he was even armed, but even still, he could do nothing but watch them die.


    "Damn it all!" he yelled, standing up and landing a powerful series of strikes against the bag.


    ''Am I so weak? Am I so pathetic? I am Maximilian Sanders, a decorated Navy SEAL veteran! So why couldn''t I save them when he could? Why couldn''t I fight while he took on those wolves all on his own?'' The intensity of his punches picked up, and his knuckles started to bleed, still he didn''t stop.


    Crying out in frustration, he threw a right hook, breaking the chains holding the bag and sending it flying across the room.


    [Level Up!


    You have now reached level 5!]


    "Next time," he promised, looking at the broken bag lying on the floor, "I won''t allow anyone else to die on my watch."


    ---


    The early morning sun spilled into the training area, casting long shadows as Elara pushed through her routine. Each punch she threw at a heavy bag echoied throughout the empty room.


    She tried to focus, but the moment Frank had faced the wolves with fiery determination kept playing in her mind. He had been so cool, so handsome, like a hero straight out of the movies. And what had she done? She killed a single wolf, with help from Max and Leo at that.


    After that, she had been useless.


    She threw another kick, trying her hardest to maintain her precision, yet still increase her force. Frank had made it look so easy; his strikes were a combination of pure power and subtle elegance. During their training, his body had become chiseled and overwhelming, truly a fine specimen of a man. She recalled when she experienced his strength firsthand, his body pressed¡ª


    "Ahhhh, Elara! Focus! No distractions!" She smacked herself on the face with both hands, calming herself down slightly but doing little to remove the redness from her cheeks.


    Needing to release pent-up frustration, she unleashed a series of spinning kicks, each strike stronger than the last. Remembering the way Frank reacted as he saw her and the others hurt, a shudder ran through her entire body. He had been so cool, so brave, so handsome...


    "I will get stronger, strong enough that I don''t need to be saved again," she vowed, her already pink face turning bright crimson, and her breathing becoming heavier.


    Irritated that her body wouldn''t calm down, she kicked one last time at the bag, piercing a hole directly through the sturdy equipment.


    The System chimed, announcing the fruits of her efforts.


    [Level up!


    You have now reached level 5!]


    The notification lit up her vision, causing Elara to exhale.


    "Dammit Frank, you better not get too comfy! Next time, it will be me saving you!" she declared, a determined look adorning her face.


    She returned to her room, her body still warm. Tossing and turning in her bed, she reached for her bedside drawer.


    ''Looks like I won''t be getting much sleep this evening...'' she complained

 A Moral Dilema

    Frank had an uncharacteristic, genuine smile today. Why shouldn''t he? The last three days since their return from their mission had been amazing.


    Today, Ana was tossing toys back and forth with him as he relaxed on the couch he was provided in his quarters. Nobody had come to bother him outside of the occasional friendly visit from Elara, Max, or Leo, and he was enjoying every minute of the downtime.


    They had been playing for the last hour, and their laughter filled the corridors of the complex with a happy atmosphere.


    "Catch, Daddy!" Ana squealed, tossing a plush dragon in his direction. Frank faked not being able to catch it, feigning a loss of balance as he toppled backward.


    "You got me!" he exclaimed, making a theatrical show of playing dead.


    Ana giggled, her eyes sparkling. "You''re silly! You can''t get knocked over, you have super strength!"


    "Ah, but your dragon truly is mighty, even I cannot withstand its force!" Frank replied dramatically, mocking an intense battle with the toy.


    Their joyous laughter continued until a knock on the door startled them both.


    "Frank! Ana! Are you in there?" Elara''s voice called from the other side, like a housewife calling her children in for dinner.


    Despite her teasing tone, she was obviously here on business.


    "Uh oh. Looks like I need to answer a summons, my liege. Forgive this lousy knight," Frank teased, putting on a mock-serious expression, while Ana giggled.


    Before he got to the door, he felt a tug at his arm.


    "Can I come with you?" she pleaded, eyes wide with excitement.


    He ruffled her hair affectionately. "You''ve got to stay here, buttercup. This is superhero business. I''ll be back soon."


    "Okay," she said as her expression dropped, "but as your princess, I demand you hurry back!"


    "Yes, my liege," Frank gave a small bow as he moved to open the door.


    On the other side, he found Elara standing there, her expression turning soft when she saw Ana tugging at his sleeve. "Hi Ana! I''m sorry, but I''m going to need to borrow your daddy for a minute, okay?"


    "Okay, but you gotta bring him back soon!" Ana puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms.


    "Thank you, I''ll be sure to do that." After Ana went back to her toys, Elara turned to Frank with a more serious expression. "We have a briefing, I''ll lead the way."


    "Great, another mission?" he replied, his expression dropping.


    "Yeah, Arlo will explain everything when we get there. Max, Leo, and Jason are waiting," she said, leading the way down the corridor.


    When they arrived, the group gathered around Commander Arlo in the briefing room, a space that felt more like a war room than anything else. Maps were strewn across the table, and a projector displayed the layout of a nearby location.


    "Thank you for coming, everyone," Arlo began as he mentally confirmed everyone was in attendance. "We have a situation. There is a prison nearby that has been in distress for quite some time. We''ve received reports of a significant outbreak of monsters. They''re currently besieging the facility, and they won''t last much longer."


    "Hold on just a second," Frank interjected, frowning as he crossed his arms, "You''re asking us to go risk our lives to save a prison? You know, the place we keep criminals?"


    "Frank might be right," Leo chimed in uncertainly. "Why save a bunch of people who probably deserve to be there?"


    Frank felt a slight pain in his chest at Leo''s comment. He thought of one particular inmate, the one who had taken Jasmine from him. There was no question in his mind that some criminals deserved to die gruesome deaths.


    Max clearly was bothered by something and countered back, "You can''t say that, Leo. People make mistakes; that doesn''t mean they deserve to die!"This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Max thought of the families these prisoners had. How could they explain to a survivor that they didn''t believe their father, mother, sister, son, etc. deserved to be saved?


    Arlo continued, ignoring the tension in the room. "While you''re correct that there are certainly dangerous individuals within, we also believe there may be civilian staff and their families inside, people who fled to the fortified prison for their own safety. This isn''t just about criminals; this is about everyone within."


    Elara nodded thoughtfully at Arlo''s words. "Even if it''s only a handful of innocent people, it''s worth the risk to save them. It''s our duty to protect everyone; we can''t be judgmental in this situation."


    Frank clenched his jaw, trying to keep his anger in check. "But some of those criminals are dangerous, Elara! If we bring them back to the complex, how can we be sure they won''t just endanger the lives of the people already here?"


    Leo crossed his arms, his brow furrowed in thought. "He makes a good point. Not every criminal deserves a second chance."


    Elara shot them both a frustrated look. "But what if some do? We could get back valuable resources, information, and, most importantly, people! You''re telling me you don''t think the military knows how to handle dangerous personnel?"


    Jason leaned against the wall, watching the exchange with an amused expression. "I gotta ask, why waste time? Let ''em die, and we won''t have to deal with them ever again. Saves us resources, makes more zombies for us to hunt, and if the system works for the monsters like it works for us, it''ll make the monsters that end them even more fun for us!"


    Frank paused, processing Jason''s last points.


    He had never thought about it too much, but the system said ALL creatures of maturity underwent evolution. Did that mean that these monsters grew stronger by killing humans and each other? The more he thought about it, the more it made sense.


    It didn''t explain some details, but in Frank''s mind, the theory was all but confirmed.


    ''If we assume that is the case, can we afford to let these monsters level up?'' It was a given that any groups still surviving at this point had to have leveled up to some degree. If they let the monsters kill the people in this prison, they might become too strong for them to handle.


    "Every moment we waste matters," Max added, breaking the silence. "Whatever we''re going to do, we need to decide quickly, or else we might not have a choice soon."


    "I think we need to go," Frank finally caved. "If Jason is right about the monsters leveling up, we need to avoid letting them get stronger any chance we have."


    For a moment, Jason seemed to be slightly panicked before calming himself. "What if they turn out to be dangerous and start attacking us as soon as we get back? How much damage could they do? Who''s going to pay if they do? Will it be you, Frank?"


    Frank gritted his teeth, feeling torn. He didn''t like Jason, but he brought up solid concerns that couldn''t exactly be ignored.


    "You can''t save everyone," Jason pressed, leaning toward Frank. "You know that, right? People are going to die, that''s the world we''re in now. It might as well be the people who have it coming."


    The thought lingered in Frank''s mind, Jason''s words hit painfully close to home. He could think of at least one person who had it coming, and he was sure there were others.


    "Frank!" Elara yelled, bringing him back to reality. "We aren''t judges: if we cross that line, who''s going to keep us in check? ''You deserve to die, you deserve to live,'' we''re not gods. All we know is by letting them die, we might make our real enemy stronger while letting innocents die alongside them."


    "She''s right, you know," Arlo interjected, "we''re here to save lives. This isn''t just about their pasts; it''s about what we can do right now. It''s a dangerous game you''re playing, judging who is worthy to be saved. Why stop at criminals? What about cheaters? Liars? Jaywalkers? Where do you draw the line?"


    Frank took a deep breath, holding his head as he tried to process everyone''s arguments. These were the same kind of people who had killed Jasmine, but...


    "Commander, I-" Frank began hesitantly, the words caught in his throat.


    "I know this is difficult for you," Arlo said, approaching him with an uncharacteristically soft expression. "But we''re doing the right thing. Just because we''re saving their lives doesn''t mean we''re pardoning their crimes."


    Frank balled his fists. He didn''t like it, but he couldn''t deny Arlo''s words. Besides, if Jason thought they should leave them to die, then it was probably a good idea to save them.


    "Okay," he said, finally giving in. "I''ll help."


    Leo was still unsure, but he ultimately decided.


    "I trust you, Frank. If you''re in, I''m in." he stepped toward the rest of the group.


    Jason was clearly upset; he was now the odd man out. Pulling at his hair, he finally walked over.


    "You guys are all idiots, but fine. I''m not going to be left behind as you have all the fun by yourselves."


    Frank looked around; it looked like everyone was in agreement.


    "Well, now that all that is settled, where to, Commander?"


    Arlo breathed out with relief before addressing the group. "Thank you for your cooperation. The location in question is Ravenswood Penitentiary."


    Time seemed to freeze, and Frank felt as if the air had been knocked from his lungs.


    "I-I''m sorry, Commander, could you repeat that?" he managed, his determination wavering.


    The room fell into a hush. He was now the center of attention. Frank''s reaction didn''t make any sense given his earlier resolve.


    "Ravenswood Penitentiary," Arlo repeated, just as confused as the others.


    Cold realization filled Frank as the name echoed in his mind like thunder.


    "Frank, are you okay?" Elara ran over to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder.


    "I-I''ll be fine," he managed, lying through his teeth.


    ''It had to be that prison. Of all the prisons in the world, it just HAD to be that one.'' Frank''s luck stat almost seemed to glow menacingly. This was a cruel even for this sadistic, messed-up world.


    Ravenswood Penitentiary was the place where John White was imprisoned, the place where Jasmine had built her career.


    And the place where John had taken her from him.

 Vulnerability

    Frank couldn''t breathe and took a seat in a nearby chair. Memories of Jasmine began to flood back: her laughter, her smile, her uplifting spirit¡ªeverything. The voice of the warden over the phone echoed in his ears.


    "Mr. Gunn, I regret to inform you Dr. Gunn has-"


    He tried to keep his expression calm, but inside he was a wreck.


    This was too much, too cruel. He couldn''t do this.


    Frank prepared to let everyone know he wouldn''t be joining them. He wasn''t ready for this; he didn''t know if he ever would be.


    As he opened his mouth to speak, a warning appeared in front of him.


    [Oathkeeper SPEX: Breaking a promise will result in the death of the user when the promise becomes irreparable. Countdown: 2 minutes.]


    Frank stared at the screen blankly.


    So agreeing to go was considered a promise? How cruel could it be? He was going to be forced to save the man who took his family from him?


    His fingers dug into his legs almost hard enough to draw blood. What was with this situation? Even with his luck stat of zero, this just wasn''t fair.


    "Damn it..." he muttered, a sense of helplessness overtaking him.


    Arlo continued, outlining the details of the mission.


    "We''ll be sending scouts first; they will help us understand the situation. The group we''re deploying will consist of-"


    "I-" Frank tried to speak, but he was interrupted by another pop-up from the system, reminding him he wasn''t allowed to withdraw.


    Tears started to form at the sides of his eyes. He suddenly stood up with his head down, hiding his expression.


    "Let me know when it''s time to head out," he stated emotionlessly, leaving the room before anyone had a chance to reply.


    "Frank!" Elara called out, following him immediately. Something was wrong¡ªterribly so. She had never seen him act like this before. Frank noticed he was being followed, and his pace subtly quickened, but Elara wasn''t going to let him get away so easily.


    "Frank! What''s going on? Talk to me!" she pressed with a mix of concern and frustration.


    He kept moving, not even bothering to turn around. "It''s nothing, Elara, go back to the debriefing."


    "No, it''s clearly not nothing!" she shot back, "It''s not like you to just walk out without all the details, is this about Ravenswood?


    "I just can''t-"


    "Can''t what?" she pressed, picking up speed. "Whatever it is, you know we are here for you. I am here for you. How can I help if you won''t tell me what''s wrong?"


    "Help?" He stopped abruptly, catching her off guard. "You think you can help? This isn''t some monster; this isn''t a mission; this is my business, so leave it alone!"


    She was surprised for a moment but quickly regained her composure. "Who asked about a mission? Who asked about a monster? What makes you think I can''t hel-"


    "What can you do?!" Frank snapped, almost causing Elara to fall to the floor. "So what? You''re here for me? You have my back? Either way, thanks to some fucked-up, sadistic twist of fate, I''m going to have to save that piece of shit! He took everything from me, and now I''m just supposed to save his life with a smile on my face?"


    Frank paused for a moment, realizing he had said too much. Still, now that he had gone this far, there was no point in stopping now. Letting out his frustration, he continued.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    "I know my luck! There''s no way this "Apocalypse" killed him! He''s alive, and he''s alive because this piece-of-shit world knows it will make me suffer! And thanks to this stupid "Oathkeeper" skill, I''m going to have to help him stay that way!" He emphasized his last point with a full-force punch into a nearby wall, creating large cracks in the concrete and drawing blood from his fingers.


    Seeing him injured, she felt a knot in her throat. "Frank, please, I don''t know what you''re saying! Help me understand; I''m begging you." Elara''s eyes were misty. The man in front of her was clearly grieving, and he wouldn''t even tell her why.


    Frank glanced at Elara briefly, and his shoulders slumped in surrender; he was being cruel to her, and it wasn''t her fault. Besides, he had already said too much. There was no stopping it now. The feelings were coming back, and he couldn''t keep them from escaping.


    Unable to face her, he rested his forehead against the now broken wall, before starting form the beginning.


    "She... she was my everything," he began, before he reminisced about Jasmine.


    He told her about their childhood, and how they used to play together as children.


    He told her about their adolescence, and how they had fallen in love over time.


    He told her about Jasmine''s dreams, and the wonder she instilled in his restful spirit.


    He told her about their simple wedding, and the life they had built together thereafter.


    He told her about the happiness on Jasmine and his faces as she held Ana for the first time.


    He told her everything, speaking into existence the feelings that were in his heart.


    Barely holding it together, he continued. "Jasmine believed in second chances; it''s why she became a criminal psychologist. Her passion for helping people was intense, and because of that, she was one of the best."


    "As you can imagine, she got promoted quickly, eventually being assigned to Ravenswood Penitentiary."


    "The better she became, the worse the criminals she dealt with were. But even still, she never gave up on them, always trying to bring them back into the light."


    "John was one such case. He was a convicted serial killer, one of the worst cases the police had ever seen. Even in prison, he had a habit of trying to kill his bunk-mates. Her job was simple: to try and get him to stop killing his fellow inmates."


    "I-I remember how she talked about him¡ªher greatest achievement, she called him. Somebody as vile as him was actually healing, and it was thanks to her. He was less violent, less impulsive, and actually seemed to start caring about the people around him. Shortly before she went on maternity leave, she had even asked the guards to remove his restraints. She didn''t want him to be treated like an animal anymore..."


    Elara kept quiet, letting Frank tell his story. Jasmine seemed like a wonderful woman, and she could tell Frank knew this. Comparing herself to Jasmine, she couldn''t help but feel she came up short.


    "Jasmine was gone for six months,'' Frank continued. ''That was all the time she had with Ana before heading back to work. You should have seen her face; she was so excited to be returning. "Off to make the world a better place, one broken soul at a time!" she used to say."


    That fateful phone call kept repeating in Frank''s mind, haunting him with John''s name. They had never shown him any pictures, but he could still imagine that animal''s silhouette staring at him with a mocking grin.


    He fell to his knees, and despite his best efforts, the tears broke through, not showing any signs of stopping.


    Elara knelt down next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. She didn''t know what else to do, so she kept silent and comforted him the best she could.


    "S-she didn''t even last a day. I-I got the call around noon," Frank''s tears turned into crying. There was no wailing or screaming, just silent grieving. It was the kind of crying that was forced upon you despite your best efforts.


    "Th-they told me there was an incident. John was different that day. He didn''t say anything to Jasmine when he walked in, and when she tried to ask him what was wrong, he stabbed her, right in the neck." Frank''s already kneeling frame crumpled to the floor as his sobs intensified.


    "She had trusted him! Treated him like a human! She gave him a second chance and what did he do with it?! He carved his toothbrush into a shiv and killed her with it! Why? Why?! All she ever did was try to help him, and he killed her like cattle! And now, I have to save him?! I have to be his knight in shining armor?! He took my everything from me!"


    As he spoke, memories of that night came flooding back. How he had spent the rest of the evening clinging to Ana desperately, inconsolable. She had been too young to know what was going on, but seeing her father in such a state made her cry as well. They stayed like that until several hours later when his parents found them.


    "Jasmine was so full of life, so full of optimism, and in an instant, she was just... gone." Frank''s tears weren''t showing any sign of stopping, and he buried his face in his arms, sitting on the floor motionless.


    Elara didn''t know what to say: she had no idea the pain he had been experiencing.


    He always had seemed so strong, so domineering, like an immovable object. But just the mention of a name, no, a place had left him in such a state. She couldn''t imagine how he was feeling, she didn''t need to. All she knew was she cared about him, and he needed her.


    Overwhelmed, she did the only thing she could think of and wrapped her arms around him.


    Holding him close until he had no more tears left to cry.

 Attack at Ravenswood Penitentiary

    Frank''s eyes slowly opened, finding himself in the corridor he had been in the night prior. As he observed his surroundings, he realized that he was currently nestled into the bosom of a familiar face.


    Elara lay beside him on the floor with her arms gently wrapped around him, completely out cold. Turning beet red, he shifted slightly, trying not to wake her, but she was wrapped around him, and his movements caused her to stir.


    Her eyelids fluttered open slowly, as she blinked her vision into focus. When she could see clearly, her complexion slowly began to match Frank''s, becoming a dark shade of red. Realizing how close they were, she let go of him and stood up hastily.


    "Oh, uh, Frank, good morning," she stumbled, unable to meet his gaze.


    Frank rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, unsure how to respond. "Uh... hey there."


    Elara''s face only grew more red as she tried to make polite conversation. "Did you, uh, sleep well?"


    "Better than I thought," Frank admitted, fidgeting slightly, "and you?"


    Elara turned away as she answered, "Very well, thank you."


    "You were quite comfortable..." she added under her breath.


    "What was that?" Frank questioned, not hearing her.


    "Oh, nothing, nothing at all," she replied with a nervous laugh before remembering what had happened last night. "Are you..."


    "I''ve calmed down, yes," he said, standing up from the floor before dusting himself off. "Uh, about what I told you last night..."


    "Don''t worry, I already know," she insisted, already understanding his meaning. "That stays between you and me. You can share with everyone else when you feel ready. It''s your story to share, not mine."


    "Thanks," he said, relieved. He wasn''t ready for that kind of commotion. At least not yet.


    "Anyways, we should probably get g¡ª" Before Elara could finish, she was pulled into an embrace.


    "I don''t know what I would have done if you hadn''t followed me. Thank you, Elara, I owe you one," he whispered, holding her close.


    She was surprised at first but slowly embraced him back, nestling her face into his wide chest. "You don''t owe me anything, I was happy to help."


    The tension was thick as Elara looked up at Frank, both of them lost in the moment.


    That was until they were interrupted.


    "Well, well, what''s this? A cozy little love nest? I didn''t know we had a romantic rendezvous happening right here first thing in the morning," Max teased, winking at them.


    Frank and Elara''s faces flushed crimson as they stepped away from each other. Elara quickly tried to explain herself. "It''s not like that¡ª"


    Max just chuckled before cutting her off. "Relax, it was a joke. I saw you two lying here last night, clearly something big happened for you two to end up sleeping on the floor. Don''t worry, I won''t pry. Besides, that''s not why I''m here. Arlo asked me to bring you to the briefing room, something about urgent news," he explained, already heading towards their destination.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Oh, yeah... okay," Frank muttered, trying to shake off his embarrassment. Elara seemed just as flustered, and the two shared a brief moment of silence before they followed Max.


    The walk there was dead quiet, neither one having much to say. When they arrived, they took their seats and waited for the meeting to start.


    "Thank you all for coming," Arlo began, his tone serious. "I won''t leave you all in suspense. We''ve received vital information regarding the situation at Ravenswood Penitentiary."


    There was a slight mumble in the room.


    "Really? So fast?"


    "What kind of lazy reporting did the scouts do?"


    "So we''re basically going in blind?"


    The mumbling continued until Arlo raised his hand, silencing the group.


    "Our scouts reported back: as of last night, there is no longer a prison to protect. We found the location completely reduced to rubble, and were unable to find any survivors."


    Gasps were heard throughout the gathering as they received the news. Nobody knew what to make of the new development. Nobody except the system that was.


    [Change in status!


    As there is no longer a Ravenswood Penitentiary to liberate, the promise cannot be fulfilled. Since this is not the fault of the user, the promise will be lifted without penalty.]


    Frank breathed out a sigh of relief. He had immediately wondered what the news meant for him.


    ''The system is showing me mercy?'' Frank was shocked and immediately looked to the sky to see if he could spot any flying pigs.


    "Do you think the zombies were finally able to break in?" Max probed, clearly rattled.


    "No, the destruction was far too extensive. Although there were clear signs of conflict, the corpses of both the survivors and the zombies showed similar injuries, suggesting that the assailant or assailants were human," Arlo revealed, his voice cold.


    Frank felt a chill after hearing the news. Did somebody within the prison do this? Was it a riot? Why now?


    "What?! You''re suggesting there are people doing this?" Max''s hands tightened into fists. "In the middle of this nightmare, they dare to kill their fellow man?"


    "That''s our theory," Arlo nodded, his expression grave. "However, it gets worse, I''m afraid. The injuries the deceased received seemed to indicate the attack originated from the center of the group. This isn''t something we can confirm, but generally, this would indicate a single assailant."


    The room immediately went into an uproar.


    "What kind of maniac could do something like this?" Leo''s voice shook slightly, clearly in disbelief. "What was their goal? Just to kill? And how strong do you have to be to take down hundreds of survivors all on your own?!"


    "Everybody calm down," Arlo ordered, his voice steady. "This is something we have already prepared for. Until such a time that the person or persons responsible are found, we will be putting this complex on lockdown."


    This was a massive bombshell, and everyone there knew it. The complex already accepted tens of new survivors each day, all desperate to seek shelter from the threats outside. That number was even higher after a rescue mission, often reaching the hundreds.


    It didn''t sit right with Frank, and so he spoke up. "Commander Arlo, are you telling us that the military is comfortable turning people away who need sanctuary? Some of these survivors traveled miles, and the news that we had a safe place waiting for them was all that kept them going. What do you think they will do when they''re told they aren''t welcome?"


    Arlo hesitated but steeled his resolve. "Whatever the case, Mr. Gunn, we have to prioritize the safety of the people already here. We can''t allow whoever the culprit or culprits are to make it inside. We will still send out scouting parties to try and make sense of what happened, and our goal is to resolve this as quickly as possible, but this may be bigger than we realized."


    Frank wanted to argue, but he couldn''t. He thought about Ana and how whoever destroyed the prison might be able to pull off the same here. If that happened, he might not be able to keep her safe.


    "I-I understand, thank you for your hard work." He conceded before taking a seat.


    The meeting ended without much more fanfare, and everyone returned to their day-to-day lives. Normally for Frank, this would have meant spending time playing with Ana, but the report bothered him.


    ''A single assailant, huh?'' He thought about all the people that were inside that prison. Not only were many of them seasoned killers before the "Breach," but if they had survived this long, there was no doubt at least some of them were formidable.


    ''How strong would you have to be to pull that off?'' Frank wondered. He wasn''t even sure that was a feat he could manage, not that he''d ever want to. The thought of somebody that strong, who was twisted enough to massacre an entire group of survivors, sickened him. But more than anything, it worried him.


    If that was what they were up against, he would need to find a way to get stronger.

 Pursuit of Greater Strength

    Frank stood alone in the training yard, sweating profusely as he moved through a series of calisthenics. He had been at it for days now, doing little else. After all, it''s not like he could leave the compound.


    Now that regeneration had reached its max level, he found his training speed increased by an insane margin. His torn muscles would regenerate larger than before within minutes, allowing him to reach his current physical stat caps at breakneck speeds.


    "One more," he grunted, forcing himself to complete another set of push-ups, finishing his last set of his routine.


    Panting heavily, he opened his notification screen, seeing the fruits of his labor.


    [Host: Frank Gunn


    Level: 10


    XP to Next Level: *


    HP: 150/150


    Mana: 130/130


    Strength (STR): 50


    Constitution (CON): 50


    Agility (AGI): 50


    Intelligence (INT): 26+


    Charisma (CHA): 25+


    Luck (LUC): 0


    Stat Points Available: 20]


    [Skills:


    Oathkeeper (SPEX)


    Limit Breaker (SPEX)


    Sixth Sense (Innate)


    Diligent Student (Innate)


    In Perfect Health (Innate)


    Regeneration (MAX)


    Persisting Strength (Lvl 4) -> (MAX): As long as user remains conscious, strength will not fatigue.


    Featherfoot (Lvl 3) -> (MAX): Movement speed increase 10% -> 50%


    Hand-to-Hand Combat (Lvl 2) -> (MAX): 20% -> 100%.


    Makeshift Weapon Proficiency (Lvl 4) -> (MAX): 40% -> 100%


    Fireball (Lvl 4)


    Mana Efficiency (Lvl 2)


    Alluring Gaze (Lvl 1) -> (Lvl 2): User will be seen as more attractive to those viewing them.]


    [NOTICE:


    Upon reaching level 10, user will continue to gain experience, but will not increase in level until class quest is completed.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Unlock condition of class quest: ???]


    Despite the progress he had made, he couldn''t help but be frustrated. Yes, reaching the limit of 50 for his Strength, Constitution, and Agility filled him with a great deal of power, but where was the edge he was looking for? He wanted more than a small boost¡ªhe wanted to feel as though he was truly prepared for anything.


    ''I need to switch gears,'' he decided, his mind racing. Physical training had made a difference, but if all he could do was punch something, he could be in real trouble.


    ''Maybe I should try training my mind?'' he thought. After all, he had seen the destruction his fireball skill could cause.


    Sitting on a mat, he closed his eyes and tried to empty his mind. Meditation was one of the techniques in Arlo''s training material he had been given a while back. At the time, he thought it was pretty useless, but now he was glad he learned the skill anyway.


    ''I am strong, I am capable, I can surpass any challenge.'' He filled his mind with these mantras, remembering the instructions the book gave him.


    As the minutes ticked by, he began to feel silly, like he was wasting his time, until eventually he felt something break, and a notification appeared in front of him.


    [Intelligence (INT): 27]


    ''Holy crap, that worked!'' Frank thought, stunned, before returning to a lotus position. He wasn''t going to stop here; he was going to take his time and take every advantage he possibly could.


    He spent the next few days meditating, only stopping to eat. Eventually, he heard yet another ding, prompting him to open his stat screen.


    [Host: Frank Gunn


    Level: 10


    XP to Next Level: *


    HP: 150/150


    Mana: 300/300


    Strength (STR): 50


    Constitution (CON): 50


    Agility (AGI): 50


    Intelligence (INT): 50


    Charisma (CHA): 20+


    Luck (LUC): 0


    Stat Points Available: 20]


    [Effective reader (Innate) *New*: Allows the user to read at superhuman speeds. Increases reading speed and comprehension by 1000%]


    [Mana Efficiency (Lvl 2) -> (MAX): Reduces mana costs by 50%.]


    ''Fantastic!'' he thought, seeing his intelligence stat had now reached its current limit. This increase felt different than the others. While the others affected the way he moved his body, his INT boosted the efficacy of his mind.


    Exploring his newfound intellect, a lot of things that were cloudy before became clear. One key realization was about his stat points. Looking at them now, he actually was relieved he hadn''t spent them.


    ''Thinking about it rationally, there surely will be a time that training is no longer effective, or at least the effects greatly diminished. If I had used them in these lower levels, I would have missed a golden opportunity in the future.'' He calculated quickly, feeling relieved his "mistake" turned out to be to his benefit.


    The boost to his rationale was a welcome one, and he was glad for the boost to his "Mana efficiency", as well as the damage increase "Fireball" would surely experience. Still, his newfound intelligence told him it wasn''t enough.


    "Okay, let''s think," he murmured. Ideas bounced chaotically in his mind. "Maybe more training. Perhaps I need to engage in specific disciplines? Focus on tactics or strategy? What if..."


    He quickly shook his head and crossed his arms. "No, I need something actionable¡ªsomething I know will yield results!"


    He continued his contemplation for what seemed like an eternity. His increased brainpower was working in overdrive, coming up with ideas left and right.


    Then, his mind landed on an idea. It was a simple one, and he couldn''t believe he hadn''t tried it up until now. It couldn''t work, could it?


    Deciding to test it for himself, he spoke out, "System, can you hear me?"


    Silence hung in the air for a moment, threatening to dissuade his theory, until eventually he heard a ding.


    [System response: Hello user, how may I help you today?]


    Frank''s heart raced. This was really working? How had he not thought to try this up until now? How hadn''t anyone else?!


    "System, how can I get stronger than I am now?" he asked hopefully.


    The system once again was silent for a moment before replying.


    [System response: Understood! User wishes to know avenues to increase strength!


    MEASURING USER''S CURRENT STRENGTH


    DOCUMENTING USER''S CURRENT SKILLS


    DOCUMENTING LEVEL: LEVEL 10 REACHED, CLASS QUEST REQUIRED.


    CALCULATING]


    .


    .


    .


    [CALCULATION COMPLETE, PLEASE REVIEW THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS FOR PERSONAL GROWTH:


    A: Completion of class quest (Recommended)


    B: Training of Charisma stat.


    C: Leveling of current active skills.


    D: Learning of new skills.


    E: Skill combination.


    F: Skill evolution.]


    [If you would like to hear more, please specify selection.]

 Pursuit of Greater Strength Pt. 2

    Most of these options seemed very important, and he had a general idea of how to achieve each, still he wanted to be sure.


    "Okay, let''s break this down," he murmured, leaning against the wall as he reviewed the options in front of him. "System, elaborate on details of option A."


    [System response: Class quest unlock conditions are currently unknown. Please continue review of other options.]


    "Yeah, that figures, why even bring it up then?" Frank muttered, never able to get used to the system''s habit of messing with him.


    "Let''s see what''s next," he sighed, shifting his focus. "Move on to option B"


    [System response: Charisma can be improved through social interactions. Progress is accelerated in areas user is most uncomfortable with. Based on current data, the most effective form of training appears to be: flirtation.]


    "Flirtation?" Frank raised an eyebrow. Sure, he had a little practice from back when he and Jasmine were dating, but he was rusty as hell now.


    ''Yeah, I think I''ll skip that one for the time being.'' he decided, slightly red in the face.


    "What about option C?"


    [System response: Active skills can be leveled through repeated use. Many passive skills upgrade when certain stats have reached a threshold. Maximum level for base skills is level 5.]


    Frank nodded. He had already suspected this was the case. After all "Fireball" had gone up two whole levels after his encounter with the wolves, and his other skills reached the maximum level even without using them.


    "Good, good," he said, at least this one was straightforward. He could already picture himself on the roof of the compound blasting fireballs into the sky.


    This part actually excited him greatly, as he had been wondering about this for a while now.


    "Please elaborate on option D."


    [System response: New techniques are generally learned by either finding a prerequisite skill book, or mastery of a skill not provided by system assistance.]


    This, once again, made sense to Frank. He thought back to when he had learned "Fireball". He had just blown up a gas station, and how much more "Mastery" of creating a fireball could you get?


    This opened up several options.


    He could go to the complex''s library, as there were plenty of books on different styles of martial arts. He could practice with different weapons, and hopefully gain martial skills related to them. He could even ask Elara, Max, and Leo for help training in their specialties.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    He thought about including Jason, but quickly decided against it.


    ''I don''t think I want those kinds of skills...'' he shuddered.


    "Alright, moving onto option E," he continued


    [System response: Two or more skills can combine and synergize when they have reached maximum levels, depending on compatibility.]


    Frank licked his lips upon hearing this description. It was a fact that he was starting to accumulate quite the arsenal of skills, which could eventually become hard to navigate in a fight. By combining them, he could get the benefits of multiple skills while still keeping his repertoire manageable.


    Excited about that prospect, he moved on to the last option. "So what about skill evolution?"


    [System response: A skill can evolve when it has reached max level, and prerequisite stat/stats have reached a certain level.]


    He frowned, taking a moment to absorb the information. If he wanted to unlock skill evolution, he would need to utilize a maxed out skill. But what did that mean for skill combination?


    Would an evolved skill still be at max level? If it was compatible before, would it still be compatible after? If he evolved a skill before combination, would it change the final result?


    ''Looks like I''m going to need to do some testing.'' He grimaced, realizing he had a lot of work ahead of him.


    ''Okay, let''s make a plan. Step one: Level up Fireball to max level.'' It was his only remaining active skill that wasn''t max level, and he needed it to be as strong as possible.


    ''Step two: Try to gain more skills. First by picking up any skills I can in the library, then by bothering Elara, Max, and Leo.'' This was definitely a daunting task, and he was fortunate his increased intelligence would help him read faster. He also was very grateful for "Diligent Student" as it would be invaluable.


    ''Step three: level up the skills I acquire from step two.'' This would be important for his final step, step four.


    ''Step four: Experiment with skill evolution and combination, trying to understand optimal use.'' Frank already had a few ideas on how to go about this, but he needed to take these things in order.


    Not wasting any time, headed to the roof of the compound. It was time to implement step one.


    Reaching the top of the building, he found it completely empty, which was a relief. If anyone saw what he was about to do, they might question his sanity.


    Focusing his attention into the sky, he began casting.


    "FIREBALL"


    "FIREBALL"


    "FIREBALL"


    He spammed the ability until his mana ran out. He then went down to play with Ana for a while, enjoying the down time his training provided. It had been a very bust last month and a half, and Frank was starting to feel guilty about how little time they spend together.


    Once his mana reached back to full, he went back to the roof and depleted it again.


    This process went on for a few hours until he finally heard the lovely ding he''d been waiting for.


    [Fireball (Lvl 4) -> (MAX): Increased scaling with INT; each cast will now fire two projectiles.]


    Frank was overjoyed to get this notification, as it meant he could now jump fully into step two. But looking at the additional effect that reaching max level gave "Fireball", he couldn''t help himself. Looking into the sky, he continued.


    "FIREBALL"


    "FIREBALL"


    "FIREBALL"


    He fired the projectiles into the atmosphere, now having twice as many per cast. He continued this until he ran out of mana.


    ''God, that''s satisfying,'' he thought with a grin, ''Imagine what it could do to a target!''


    Then, a horrifying thought hit him.


    ''I sure hope those things didn''t land anywhere important...'' he grimaced at the oversight, wondering how that thought hadn''t crossed his mind.


    ''Relax, Frank, those things launch out at Mach 10. I''m sure they landed in some field somewhere; maybe they even made it into space,'' he tried to comfort himself, but his luck stat stared back at him, not letting him rest easy.


    Still, it was already done, and there was no medicine for regret. Putting up a silent prayer, he headed back into the complex and went to the library.

 Kowledge is Power!

    Frank stepped into the library, and was almost overwhelmed. He had never been much of a reader before, preferring his media to be animated. Still, with his increased intelligence stat, he knew this was going to be the best way to gain relevant skills quickly.


    He smacked his cheeks and forced himself to focus before he found the librarian. They appeared to be a man about his age, but looking into his eyes Frank could tell this person was in a similar position as his parents. He had been returned to his prime by the system.


    "Hello, sir," Frank began, deciding he should show his elder the proper respect, "I was wondering if you could help me locate where you keep books on combat techniques?"


    The man looked up from the book he had been reading and glanced at Frank. Seeming to understand something, he nodded.


    "Ah, yes, you must be one of our front-line boys. Tell me, son, what is your specialty?" The man asked, pulling out a large book which seemed to be a directory.


    Frank scratched his head. "Well, uh, I''m not sure about a specialty. I have some downtime, you see, so I thought I''d do some broad study and see what I can learn. Maybe it will help me decide on a specialty?"


    The old/not-so-old man stared at Frank for a moment, as if he were an idiot, before sighing.


    "You know, kid, we have about 500 books on combat techniques and strategy. If you-"


    "500?! That''s great news!" Frank replied before the man could finish. "So where are they kept?"


    The old man let out a huff, clearly annoyed by being interrupted.


    ''You''re going to come crying back begging for my help when you start reading, you punk,'' still, he pointed at the shelves on the north side of the library.


    "Combat-oriented books are over there. Good luck," he answered shortly before returning to his book, no longer giving Frank his attention.


    Frank could tell the man was irritated, but he had the information he needed, so he went over to where the books were kept.


    Seeing the shelves, he could tell the librarian wasn''t kidding. The number of books in front of him was staggering. Gulping, he took a look at his "Effective Reader" skill.


    ''Well, no time like the present to test you out.''


    He started sorting the books by the type of combat they focused on, earning him sharp glares from the librarian. Still, he had essentially managed to create five groups: Firearms, Hand-to-Hand, Weaponry, Tactics, and History.


    Deciding that tactics and history could wait for the time being, he set them aside, opting to start with Firearms. There were over 100 books in this subject alone, and a bead of sweat rolled down his forehead.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ''Well, here goes nothing...''


    He grabbed the first book and his eyes began to glow, scanning the contents with breakneck speed. Setting it down, he checked the time and realized it had only been two minutes.


    "Holy crap!" Frank yelled.


    "SH!" reprimanded the librarian as a smug look crept onto his face.


    ''Looks like he''ll be coming back for help now,'' he mused.


    On the contrary, Frank immediately dove into the next book, eager to make it through the pile in front of him. He stacked completed book after completed book until after about two hours he made it through all of them.


    The amount of information he learned was massive, but it seemed to be neatly compartmentalized.


    ''I''m SO glad I decided to max my intelligence before doing this!'' He thought, nearly kissing the part of his system screen reading "Effective Reader."


    He opened his skill menu, and a grin spread onto his face.


    [New Active Skill Unlocked!]


    [Mana Bullet (Lvl 1): Modified from firearm training techniques. Harness mana to create a projectile infused with magical energy, this spell gains increased armor penetration.]


    Hungry for more, he dove into the "Hand-to-Hand" and "Weaponry" piles, eager to see what they would give. Several hours later, the fruits of his effort lay before him.


    [New Active Skills Unlocked!]


    [Karate (Lvl 1): Provides basic understanding of the ancient art of Karate.]


    [Muy Thai (Lvl 1): Provides a basic-]


    The list continued on as it included many other styles such as Aikido, Kung Fu, Taekwondo, and many others!


    It also included fighting styles for weapons, such as blades, great-hammers, nunchaku, tonfa, and many others.


    These were all weapons the military held in its armory, and while not necessarily his style, he looked forward to leveling them up nonetheless.


    Excited by how easily he was gaining new skills, he returned to the librarian.


    Seeing him approach, the smug grin returned to the man''s face.


    "So, finally gave up and want to talk sense?" He gloated.


    "Uh, no?" Frank replied, raising an eyebrow. "I just finished over there and wanted to know where you kept books on crafts and trades."


    "Oh, so you finished over there, well in- WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU FINISHED?!" The librarian''s eyes almost popped out of his head as he ran over to the direction Frank had just been. The books were thrown around in a mess, which was going to be a nightmare for him, but it was clear what he just heard wasn''t boasting.


    "Wh-Whaaaa?" His jaw nearly hit the floor, before slowly shifting back to his spot.


    Frank was still confused, not knowing what to make of this man''s antics, but decided it was way above his head. "So, uh, crafts and trades?"


    The librarian just silently pointed towards the western part of the library, not able to speak another word.


    Frank thanked him before beginning his process again in the new section. Sorting the books and knocking them out in record speed. When he finished, he looked over his skills once again.


    [New Active Skills Unlocked!]


    [Smithing (Lvl 1): Provides a basic understanding of blacksmithing and metalworking.]


    [Tailoring (Lvl 1): Provides a basic understanding of-]


    The list once again carried on, including electrical, cooking, and other skills like construction, which he notably obtained at Lvl 3!


    ''Makes sense given my career prior to all of this I guess''


    They weren''t exactly useful skills for combat, but Frank could think of many instances where such skills would be handy, so he was glad to have them.


    He looked over his skills one last time when a new one appeared at the bottom of his screen.


    [New Active Skill Unlocked!]


    [Aspiring Scholar (Innate): Increases leveling speed of skills learned from books by 300%.]


    Frank nearly choked on thin air, astounded.


    "Heck yeah!" he yelled, earning him an exhausted glare from the now-defeated librarian.


    Gesturing apologetically, he left the library. He had pretty much everything he needed from there anyways.


    ''Besides, if you''re going to give me such a fantastic skill, I''d be a fool not to use it immediately!''

 The Power of Leverage

    A week had passed since Frank had finished at the library. To him, the days blurred together, each filled with spamming of the skills he had acquired. Or at least they had until after day three when he maxed out his last combat skill.


    ''Jesus, "Aspiring Scholar" is no joke! I thought that would take way longer.''


    "Mana Bullet" was the first to reach max level as he repeated the process he had done with "Fireball". This time, however, he took great care to ensure he aimed EXACTLY where he had aimed his Fireballs, not wanting to potentially cause more damage.


    ''I''m sure whatever was there has to be a burning crater, so it can''t exactly get worse,'' he grimaced, still uneasy about his earlier mistake.


    This raised a new issue; however, you see, after his magic and martial skills were maxed out, he needed to level up his craft and trade skills. This was a problem since he needed materials.


    Meaning, he needed to scavenge, and with the complex on lockdown, that wasn''t going to be easy.


    His mind raced, thinking of all the possibilities, until something somebody had said in passing a long time ago occurred to him.


    "I''ve been scavenging for supplies since this whole mess started. Well, actually, I kinda started a few years ago; it''s a long story."


    He did say that back then, so just how extensive was this collection?


    ''Would he be willing to share? He said did say whatever we need.''


    Wasting no time, he set out to find the man he needed. Starting his search, he found him quite quickly.


    "Leo! How are you, bud!" Frank waved Leo down as he was getting lunch in the mess hall, catching him off guard.


    "Oh, uh, hi Frank. What''s up?" Leo asked, confused by the sudden buddy-buddy demeanor. Frank was always nice to him, but this was unusually so.


    "Oh, nothing. I''ve just been training. You can never be too careful, y''know?"


    "Right..." Leo looked at Frank puzzled. A long silence passed before Frank finally exhaled.


    "Ah, I just don''t get how Elara does it. Screw this, I''m not cut out for it. Let me get to the point; you mentioned you had gathered supplies for the last few years. What kind and where are they?" Frank finally asked, deciding he wasn''t cut out for manipulation.


    "Oh, that," Leo looked relieved. This was far more "Frank" than before. "Yeah, I brought it all to the compound after everything started. I can show you if you want."


    "Yeah, please, that would be great!" Frank smiled; this really was more his style.


    Nodding, Leo took him through the corridors. They walked at a steady pace until eventually, he showed him to a storage unit.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "Commander Arlo was really accommodating. Outside of food and water, he pretty much let me keep the rest, which was awesome," he explained as he searched for the right key.


    "I-uh, may have gone a little overboard, so don''t judge too much, okay?" Leo found the right key and unlocked the unit.


    When the door opened, Frank almost kissed him.


    Inside was a veritable mountain of assorted goods. Fabrics, metal, electronic parts, among so many different types of other resources that Frank could hardly keep track.


    "L-Leo, what the hell?" Frank stammered as he looked over the stash slack-jawed. "Is that gold?!"


    "I told you, okay? I may have gone a bit overboard. When war with *REDACTED* seemed imminent a few years ago, I started stocking up. I was planning to build a bunker; that way, me and a few others could rebuild society once the fallout cleared. It''s only natural, I was expecting nukes to drop." Leo shuffled uncomfortably, his face red as he thought back to his paranoid ways.


    "Leo, you beautiful bastard," contrary to the judgment Leo expected, Frank pulled him into a headlock and tussled his hair, earning Frank a confused look.


    "Uh, so what''s going on? Why did you want me to bring you here? Did you need something?" Leo asked as he struggled to break free from Frank''s hold.


    "Leo, we''re about to get a major upgrade."


    ---


    Frank explained to Leo what was going on; how he had learned about skill acquisition and skill leveling up. He also explained how he had gone to the library and learned a whole bunch of new skills, including production skills. Hearing all this, Leo came to an understanding.


    "So what you''re saying is you need these materials to level up your new production skills?" he confirmed, making sure he understood.


    "That''s right! Think about it. I could give the whole team sorely needed upgrades to equipment. Besides, it doesn''t do anyone much good just sitting here," Frank explained, eager to get started.


    A sly smile took over Leo''s face, giving him quite the devious presence.


    "So that''s how it is, huh? Well then, I will allow you to use these materials."


    Frank was overjoyed; this was going way easier than expected. "Thank you, Leo, this is a bi¡ª"


    "BUT," Leo interrupted, "only on the condition that you teach me the skills you learned from these books you read."


    Frank paused for a minute. "What?"


    "You heard me."


    "Like before or during?"


    "Before, obviously."


    "How many of them?"


    "All of them, of course."


    Frank couldn''t believe his ears; all of them?


    ''Since when did this timid little bastard get so miserly?''


    Frank started to sweat. "Leo, some of these skills just appeared in addition to the skills I learned from the books. I can''t exactly¡ª"


    "Just the ones learned from the books directly is what I asked for, Frank. Do we have a deal or not?" Leo stated resolutely, turning away from Frank. He was making it clear there was no room for negotiation.


    "Leo, that could take years¡ª"


    "Not my problem, Frank. Besides, it only took you what? A couple of days? I doubt it would take me years." Leo was adamant; these were his terms, and they were going to be accepted.


    "You little bitch! When did you grow a pair?"


    "Woah language buddy, is that any way to ask for a favor?" Leo mocked, he had Frank by the balls and he clearly knew it.


    Frank was aggravated, but he couldn''t blame Leo.


    Sure, it would slow down Frank''s progress, but why was he doing all this in the first place? It was to get stronger, same as Leo. It was only natural for the young man to want to do the same. Honestly, looking back, it had been selfish of Frank to start this process without the rest of the team.


    "Fine, I accept. Just bear in mind I don''t really know any shortcuts. Also, I''m level 10, so there may be some things that are different between you and me at the present." Frank finally surrendered, preparing for what came next.


    "You can''t control what you can''t control. I am not unreasonable, Frank. Anyway, we can start tomorrow morning; I need to prepare a few things." Leo said, about to head back to his quarters.


    "Hold on, Leo! Don''t think I don''t know how much you come out ahead in this deal." Frank stopped him, grabbing him by the arm.


    "Yeah, what about it?" Leo questioned cautiously.


    "I have two conditions, and I''m sure neither will be an issue for you."

 You Did What?

    Leo eyed Frank quizzically, curious as to his meaning.


    "And what might those conditions be, Frank?" He asked, a doubtful expression on his face.


    "First, I want to teach both Max and Elara alongside you. If we''re going to spend the time, it would be in the best interest of everyone for the whole team to benefit," Frank answered. He knew it wasn''t a big ask, and Leo surely wouldn''t have a reason to refuse.


    Leo fell into a seemingly deep thought. Shortly after, however, he nodded.


    "Fair enough. What''s your second condition?"


    Frank took a deep breath. While what he was about to ask was not anything major, it would be a lot more work on Leo''s part.


    "I want you to teach me some skills as well. I think it''s only fair since I''m going to be using them to cover your ass out there."


    A brief look of disdain took over Leo''s face, but it was shortly replaced by another nod.


    "Now who''s coming away like a bandit?" Leo acquiesced with a sigh. "Still, we have a deal. I have to admit that you being strong could be of use to me. Heck, it already was once."


    Leo remembered back to the fight with the wolves. That had been an eye-opening situation for him.


    If Frank hadn''t lost it, who knows what would have happened? Still, he also thought back to how the man had completely lost control.


    Leo knew he couldn''t always rely on him; in fact, if Frank hadn''t warned him and the others to take cover, they would have all died. Not from the wolves, but from Frank himself.


    ''I need to be stronger...''


    The thought haunted him ever since, giving him an urgent desire to grow.


    ''But he did save my life; this is the least I can do,'' Leo resolved.


    It wasn''t like any part of that situation was a fond memory, but he needed to be sure he remembered that much.


    "Understood," Frank replied, trying to hide his relief. "Well, let''s go grab the others, shall we?"


    It didn''t take long to find Max and Elara, and after a brief explanation of the situation, they both enthusiastically agreed to join in training. Following Frank''s lead, the team headed to the Library.


    Upon their entry, the librarian''s face paled. He remembered the mess Frank had left last time, and now he came here with friends?


    ''I don''t get paid enough for this...'' he groaned, his mind full of images of books strewn about everywhere as the foursome in front of him laughed maniacally.


    Still, it''s not like he could stop them; he was given explicit orders not to hinder the front-line fighters. He wasn''t a fool; he knew these were the people who gathered supplies and saved survivors.


    He watched as the group walked directly to the section containing combat-oriented books, and braced himself.


    When the team arrived, Frank started gathering the books he had read in this section one by one and passing them to the others.


    Everyone was excited at first; they would be gaining new skills just by reading!


    But then Frank handed them another book.


    And another book.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    And another book...


    Slowly their enthusiastic looks were replaced by expressions of horror. As they grew more and more uneasy, Max was the first one to speak up.


    "Jesus Christ, Frank! How many books are we going to read???" He yelled, earning a reprimanding "Sh!" from the librarian.


    Frank looked at him quizzically, clearly not understanding the question.


    "All of them, why?"


    "What do you?!-" Max started before looking to the librarian. Shooting an apologetic look over, he lowered his voice to a whisper, "What do you mean all of them? Just show us the books you read, we don''t need to do all this extra stuff."


    The other two seemed to be in agreement, nodding their heads at his statement.


    "What do you mean, Max? These are the books I read." Frank responded casually, clearly still not understanding.


    That remark was met with the simultaneous sound of three jaws hitting the floor and a distant chuckle from the librarian.


    ''Yes, my brothers and sister, I understand your pain,'' he empathized before going back to his book.


    The team was speechless for a while before Elara gave a forced laugh.


    "Very funny, Frank, you nearly had us going there," she said, breaking the silence. "So, which books are we actually reading?"


    Frank sighed, finally understanding their meaning. "Like I said, all of them. I didn''t receive a skill until I finished all the books in front of you. Honestly, I was just starting with the books I read to gain ''Mana Bullet.'' Figured we could start there then move on to the next."


    "O-oh," she replied as a sick feeling filled her stomach. "And uh, how many books did you read total?" she asked, knowing she would regret it.


    "I lost count, but if I had to guess, about 1000?" he answered thoughtfully.


    The three of them gulped as a horrible realization hit them.


    ''What kind of monster is this guy?''


    Leo in particular couldn''t believe what he was hearing. Is this what he had signed up for? This was way more than he thought! Frank had warned him when they made this deal, but he never thought it would turn out like this.


    Calming himself down, Leo started to think. They came here to get stronger, but at this rate, it could be upwards of a year before they finished, and he doubted they had that kind of time. So...


    "Guys, I think we should split our focus," he finally decided.


    Everyone looked at him before he continued to speak.


    "I don''t know how Frank did it, but I think I speak for all three of us when I say we definitely can''t repeat it. I vote we all focus on the skills that would benefit us most," he explained.


    "Are you sure?" Frank asked. "I thought the deal was I get the materials when you get the skills I gained."


    Leo just nodded somberly. "I will still keep our deal; after all, you were honest when you said there were differences between us and you at the moment. Besides, you also made it clear you didn''t know any shortcuts. We just don''t have the kind of time it takes to catch up. It''s my fault for not considering your words seriously and asking more questions."


    He didn''t like it, but he couldn''t change it either. He wanted to accuse Frank of duping him, but he knew that wasn''t the case. The guy didn''t have the skill in that department.


    "So here''s what I''m suggesting instead," Leo continued on. "Go over the skills you gained and what you read to obtain them. After that, we can read only the books that suit our taste. Everyone in agreement?"


    Both Max and Elara seemed relieved, visibly relaxing when they heard his suggestion.


    "Yes, please," they responded simultaneously.


    Frank still couldn''t believe how things had turned out, but if they were all in agreement, he wasn''t going to argue.


    "Alright, well in that case..."


    He began to list all the skills he gained from the library: the different forms of martial arts, the production skills, "Mana Bullet," as well as any other miscellaneous skills. He wrote them down on a sheet of paper, and the three of them started to decide what they wanted.


    A lot of the skills seemed useful to all of them, but in the interest of time, they decided to limit themselves to two.


    One combat skill and one production skill.


    The first to decide was Leo, opting to learn "Mana Bullet" and tailoring. As he tended to be at a distance, the ranged option was invaluable to him, and he was mainly the one who would be using leather types of armor.


    Leo was next, selecting Judo as his combat skill. He figured he could shorten the learning curve since he had already learned Krav Maga in the military, which was partly influenced by Judo. Then, contrary to everyone''s expectations, he picked cooking for his production skill.


    Everyone shot him a confused look, to which he simply replied, "What? You think I got this big without eating?"


    That left Elara, and her decision was actually a much tougher one. While she wanted to learn "Mana Bullet" as well, the simple fact was that her INT stat just wasn''t high enough to justify it. Also, to everyone''s shock, she revealed she already knew the basics to all the martial arts Frank had listed.


    ''Right, sometimes I forget I''m not the only abnormal one here,'' Frank shuddered.


    With that being the case, she decided instead to pick two production skills. She could have gone with any of them of course, but she figured it would be better to fill in any gaps in their team. Looking over the options carefully, she finally chose forging and medicine crafting.


    With everyone set on their research paths, they split up and got to work.

 Slightly More Jolly Cooperation

    The sun rose steadily, illuminating the compound as Frank and the team gathered for their training session. It had been about a week since they had all agreed on their separate skills, and Max finally finished learning the "Cooking" skill from the system.


    "Took you long enough," Leo teased, playfully punching him in the shoulder. He had been the first of the three to learn his skill, shortly followed by Elara.


    Max immediately responded by putting Leo into a headlock and tussling his hair. "Don''t give me that, Mr. ''Ooh, look at my Intelligence stat, it''s so big!'' It takes us commoners a bit longer to read!"


    That''s right, over the course of this week, the team finally did something that Frank at one time never believed they''d do: they shared their stats with each other.


    While none of them were comfortable enough to share their more personal skills, that was a big show of trust. It wasn¡¯t lost on anyone in the room.


    They even seemed to get along better, acting more like friends than coworkers. Leo seemed less nervous around the team, Elara was more straightforward instead of trying to subtly control them, Frank was more eager to help everyone present, and Max... well, Max didn¡¯t change much.


    This was a very refreshing change of pace for Frank. His friend group had always been small, but after Jasmine had died, it somehow became even smaller as he had basically ghosted them.


    This wasn¡¯t intentional, of course, but his mind had been solely focused on grieving at the time, and he didn¡¯t think to check his messages or reach out to anyone. So, this newfound camaraderie was a welcome improvement.


    As far as everyone¡¯s stats went, Elara went first. She revealed that she had primarily focused on agility and strength, though for some reason her charisma stat always seemed to level up at an even pace every time she leveled up.


    Max was next and shared that his main focuses were constitution and strength. Like Elara, his charisma stat also went up at a steady pace as he leveled.


    Leo followed shortly after and, to the surprise of nobody, told them he had focused on agility and Intelligence, noting his luck stat seemed to grow steadily with each level up.


    The last revelation made Frank green with envy, but he managed to bite his tongue after looking at his stats.


    They had all shared their stats, so Frank finally revealed his, as well as his level.


    As Frank expected, everyone in the room¡¯s jaw once again hit the floor simultaneously.


    "You''re maxed out? And there''s a bottleneck stat cap at level 10?!" Leo inquired. He had played many games in his life prior to the event, so this wasn¡¯t a completely shocking discovery, but it did explain why Frank was focusing on gaining skills.


    Elara, never missing the chance to tease Frank, grinned. "I wouldn¡¯t call an embarrassing charisma stat and a nonexistent luck stat maxed out, Leo. Seriously, Frank? Zero luck? And it hasn¡¯t gone up in 10 levels?"


    The three of them were clearly trying to suppress laughter at his expense. The man who was head and shoulders stronger than them had a luck stat of zero, which they didn¡¯t even think was possible.


    "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, everyone. It seems to be the universe''s favorite joke, so it might take offense if you didn¡¯t find it funny," Frank groaned.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    This light atmosphere continued with banter and teasing until everyone finally settled into the task at hand.


    Today was all about applying what they had learned and leveling up their skills.


    The first step was to build a forge, which both Elara and Frank had learned from the books they read. Gathering the materials from Leo¡¯s stash, they began working.


    It wasn¡¯t a perfect product¡ªvery makeshift in design. The furnace was an old bucket that was both on top of, and surrounded by cinder blocks. For a crucible, they cut out and welded the end from a large pipe, and for the blower, they used an old vacuum.


    As for the anvil, it was just a log sticking out of the ground with a sturdy piece of metal nailed into it. Both were crude, but they would be fine for their purposes.


    Elara stepped toward their creation and closed her eyes, recalling everything she could from her reading. Frank followed suit, and soon enough they began working on metal leaves, a common practice for brand-new blacksmiths.


    The process was long and tedious, causing both Frank and Elara to fail at this several times before Frank finally achieved an acceptable finished product.


    While this carried on, both Leo and Max were hard at work training their own skills. Leo was working with leather scraps he had acquired over time, while Max went to the complex''s mess hall, offering his help for free.


    This continued for several days, with each person working tirelessly. However, Frank found himself pulled in multiple directions as he tried to juggle all three skills at once.


    Normally, this would have caused him to fall behind the others, but once again, his skills bailed him out.


    [Aspiring Scholar (Innate): Increases leveling speed of skills learned from books by 300%.]


    This skill not only saved him from the deficit of dividing his attention, but as they continued to work, he gradually began to outpace all three of them.


    The group was aggravated by this, but it was to be expected. When Frank had compiled the list of skills he gained from the library, "Aspiring Scholar" was included, so in their eyes, it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    With this skill in tow and working fervently, Frank had reached the maximum level for all three skills within 3 weeks. The others weren¡¯t far behind, though, reaching their respective max levels just 4 days later.


    The day Leo, Max, and Elara finished leveling up their skills, everyone was exceptionally jubilant.


    Seeing their skills now saying "MAX" next to them made them feel an immeasurable amount of pride.


    At least until Max ruined the mood with a terrible joke after finishing his training: Saying "Yep, that¡¯s me," when his cooking skill showed "MAX" next to it. When he gave everyone context to what he meant, he was met with various "Boo¡¯s" and food being tossed at him by both the rest of the team and the mess hall staff.


    Still, they had done it, and they were overjoyed. Deciding to celebrate, Frank and Max offered to prepare a meal with their newfound skills. This, of course, was met with overwhelming agreement from both Leo and Elara.


    Deciding to try something new, they prepared shakshuka, a vibrant and flavorful Middle Eastern dish that included eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce with onions, peppers, garlic, and spices.


    They finished quickly thanks to their max-level skills and sat down in the mess hall to enjoy themselves. As they started to eat, a voice called out to them from the entrance.


    "Oh wow! That looks good! C''mon, guys! Don''t hold out on me!"


    A couple of groans escaped their lips as Jason came gallivanting over without even waiting for an answer. Grabbing a plate, he immediately filled it and began chowing down.


    "Wow, this is way better than the slop they normally make! They really stepped up their game!" Jason manged to say with his mouth still full, eating at a pace that defied his scrawny frame.


    "Actually, Max and I made it ourselves," Frank replied, letting out a sigh.


    "Yeah, and it was SUPPOSED to be a celebration of completing the training we were doing, which I don¡¯t recall seeing you attend," Elara stated flatly.


    Jason wasn¡¯t perturbed, though, as he continued to stuff his face. "Ooh, special training, huh? Sounds fun! Wait a minute... why didn¡¯t you guys invite me?! I thought we were friends!" He complained in mock protest, being given away by his sarcastic smile.


    "Still, you two know how to cook. Never would have taken you for the types. If anything, I would have thought Elara¡ª"


    He was interrupted by Elara glaring daggers at him, causing him to gulp down the food in his mouth.


    "Right, right, outdated joke. I¡¯ll bring my A-game next time. Anyways, that¡¯s not why I¡¯m here." He explained, gaining an uncharacteristic serious tone.


    "I¡¯m sure you guys are sick of being locked down like a bunch of convicts. I know I am, and I¡¯m not the type to just sit around complaining. So, I¡¯ve come up with a way for us to get out of here without anyone noticing, but I need your help to make it work. Y''all in?"

 Books and Covers

    The atmosphere in the conference room was tense, a heavy silence hanging in the air. The request came out of nowhere, especially considering Jason had never shown any signs of discontent staying here. The man in question noticed the prolonged silence and decided to press on.


    "Look, I''ve been thinking," he started, standing up and pacing back and forth. "We''re fed, we''re given time to train and hang out with each other, and we''re given rooms as well. That''s great! But we can''t leave! And how do you think we''d be treated if we tried?"


    He stopped pacing and looked at the group, still serious. "This is a military complex, guys. We likely would be treated like we''re going AWOL, aka criminals. Now I don''t know about you, but that sounds no different than being a prisoner to me, don''t you agree?"


    Max furrowed his brow, crossing his arms. "I think that''s an exaggeration. Besides, what do you suggest we do, Jason? The lockdown has been put in place for a reason. There''s some maniac nuking survivors, and we don''t know how they''re doing it. It''s safer to stay here until we know all the facts."


    Jason had an annoyed expression, but it quickly faded as he changed tactics almost immediately, as if this was the expected response. "Safer maybe, but at what cost? Innocent people are dying out there! You talk about the danger we''re in if we risk letting them in, but what about the other survivors out there? Do you really believe they would stand a better chance than us?"


    Elara chimed in, her eyes narrowed. "We get that, Jason, but rushing into something recklessly could just get us killed and help nobody. We wouldn''t even recognize the culprit if we saw them."


    "But if we stay idle, that''s also a guaranteed death!" Jason implored, his voice passionate. "You know the supplies aren''t going to last forever. How long do we have? A year? Months? Days? Do any of you even know? What happens when we can''t feed the people here anymore? Don''t you think we have an obligation to help them? To do something?"


    The group fell silent, exchanging glances as Jason''s words hung in the air. He had a point; there was no denying that. Up until now, he had been very laid back about almost everything, and now he was passionately petitioning for rescue missions?


    Leo was the first to finally just ask outright, "Why do you care so much? Prior to this, all you were concerned about was your own safety and having fun. You''ll have to forgive me, but I find it hard to believe you now care enthusiastically about people you''ve never met."


    Nobody reacted to his words, but nobody denied them either. It was an unexpected show of humanity from Jason that didn''t fit.


    Jason shot Leo a glare and lowered his voice. "Is that what you think of me? That I''m some narcissistic hedonist? God, you sound like my mother."


    He held that gaze for a while before he sighed and sat down. "You know what? No. I can''t blame you for feeling the way you do; people are conditioned to just see what''s on the surface. It''s my fault for expecting you to understand. Leo, was it? May I ask you a few things?"


    Leo simply nodded and allowed him to continue.


    "Have you ever seen me do anything that would endanger innocent people? Have you ever seen me miss an opportunity to punish those who are impure or who would dare to attack those who are pure? And given the opportunity, have you ever seen me not attempt to save an innocent life?"


    These questions were directed at Leo, but the whole group considered them seriously. Looking back, while his actions were gruesome and excessive, he had a point. He had been one of the first to charge in when people were in danger, and even Frank''s parents seemed to trust him, suggesting that this wasn''t the first time.


    Yes, he had been cruel to the monsters, but hadn''t they been cruel to them? They had forcibly ripped their peaceful lives out from underneath them and spent every hour of the day trying to kill them. Even now, the sounds of their hands scraping against the concrete walls of the compound filled the otherwise silent room.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    Seeing the gears in their heads turning, Jason felt a little dejected, but he continued.


    "Can I tell you all something? Something I haven''t told anyone before?" he asked, earning their undivided attention.


    "Before all of this, there was a woman, and she was my everything." He began, and his demeanor drastically changed.


    "I... I wasn''t in a good spot, but despite my history, she was kind to me. She listened to me, she understood, she helped me accept myself for who I was. Truly and honestly, she saved me, and I fell in love." The memory was tough for him to recount, and the man who usually was so upbeat looked defeated.


    "There... there was a man. I didn''t know him, but she told me stories, and they made my skin crawl. He thought he owned her, and he did unspeakable things to her. She never told me this outright, and I knew she was too kind to condemn somebody like that."


    "Over time, I watched her purity slowly fade, corrupted by this man, until eventually, she was no longer the person I had fallen for. It was heartbreaking, but that was only the beginning."


    He looked at Frank before he continued, an unreadable look in his eyes. "Eventually, that man did something unspeakable, and it ultimately led to her death..."


    Tears started rolling down his cheeks as his tone broke. "I-I had no one. My parents didn''t want me, I had no friends to speak of; she was my only light, and then she was just... gone."


    Hearing those words, Frank''s heart softened. Even though the way Jason behaved always gave him the creeps, he knew what it was like to be in that situation. In fact, his story was almost a direct mirror of Frank''s own.


    He thought about it seriously; how easy would it have been to go off the deep end like Jason clearly had? Looking back, the answer definitely was: far too easy. If it hadn''t been for Ana and his parents, he didn''t know what he would have done.


    Seeing the grieving man, Frank stepped forward and patted him on the back, which was met with an appreciative nod.


    "I made a decision that day; to punish the impure before they could cause harm to the pure. You may think my methods are extreme, but I believe in justice. Nobody and nothing should be allowed to do whatever they want without consequence. So that''s what I''ve been doing. And now I''m expected to sit by idly while not only are innocents being killed, but they''re being denied safe haven by those who swore to protect them?"


    The group was silent; it was like their entire view of him changed. They had made assumption after assumption and decided he was not to be trusted, without ever once truly getting to know him. Even though his actions were off-putting, he was doing his best in his own way.


    The realization filled each of them with guilt, none of them able to meet his gaze.


    Guilt built up in Frank''s stomach until finally he couldn''t bear it anymore.


    "Jason... I''m sorry. I''ve been a real dickhead. Here I was making judgments about you without bothering to get to know you. It was wrong, and it won''t happen again." He apologized earnestly, shooting a look to the others that they should do the same.


    This was followed quickly by words of apology from the other three before Frank continued.


    "I know how you feel, I really do, and I think you know that."


    This was met with a nod from Jason as he wiped his tears. Frank allowed him to collect himself before offering him his hand. Jason was hesitant at first, but eventually accepted, and Frank helped him to his feet.


    Frank gave him a firm handshake before continuing, "I think it''s best if we start over, don''t you think? I''m Frank; it''s nice to finally meet you, Jason. And for what it''s worth, you''re right. This world hasn''t been fair to anyone, and it deserves every bit of our wrath. If you want to protect the innocent and punish this world for daring to threaten them, I''m in."


    Elara was the next to stand up, offering her hand. "I''m Elara, and I can''t just watch this world burn either; I''m in."


    Max was emotional as he stood up and pulled Jason into a hug. "I''m Max, and you should have just said so from the beginning, idiot. I''m in!"


    Leo was the last to fall, but eventually, he too gave in. "I''m sorry, Jason. You''re right; we''re here to help people, and we can''t forget that just because we''re scared. I''m in."


    Jason shot them all appreciative looks before fully composing himself. "Thanks, guys. Then here''s what we need to do."


    Explaining clearly, he outlined his plan and the roles everyone would need to take. It was surprisingly well thought out, and none of them could think of much room for improvement. If everything went as planned, they''d be able to leave and come back without anyone ever knowing they were gone.


    "Let''s give ourselves a week for training and preparation," Jason proposed. "During that time, we can solidify our combat skills and try to gear up properly. I''m hoping I''m invited this time?" he asked, flashing his signature mischievous grin.