Sat down in the kitchen, Sage and Winter were eating breakfast, consisting of scrambled eggs, toast, and milk. They decided on eating the perishable foods first, knowing that the canned goods had a much longer shelf life than them.
After they were done eating, Sage offered to wash the dishes since Winter was the one to cook the breakfast; he happily obliged, this would give him more time to poke around the system.
He walked into the living room, sat down and opened the second system interface. His eyes scanned the status screen, taking in all the features. And next to the inventory icon, he noticed a shop icon and tapped on it.
A second later, the screen displayed skills, items, and even house upgrades, which surprised him deeply. He asked the system to filter out everything but the house upgrades, leaving him with an array of upgrades that could maintain their current situation.
[Alternative Energy Source Lvl1: Maintain electricity for basic needs, especially when the grid fails.]
[Cost: 500 Apocalust Points]
-----
[Water Filtration System Lvl1: Ensure a clean water supply in a contaminated world.]
[Cost: 500 Apocalust Points]
-----
[Reinforced Walls and Windows Lvl1: Protect against intruders, walkers, or mutated creatures.]
[Cost: 1,000 Apocalust Points]
-----
[Reinforced Doors Lvl1: Protect against intruders, walkers, or mutated creatures.]
[Cost: 1,000 Apocalust Points]
-----
[Ventilation and Air Purification Lvl1: Protection from airborne threats, like toxins or diseases]
[Cost: 500 Apocalust Points]
-----
[Storage Lvl1: Keep supplies secure and protected from decay or theft.]
[Cost: 1,000 Apocalust Points]
-----
The list went on, but he figured that those could wait. These are upgrades that would determine their well-being and safety from any diseases, stranders, or other humans.
After buying the upgrades, they were listed under a new 'Upgrade' tab on his second panel.
[Apocalust System]
Name: Winter Izanami
Apocalust Points: 5,075
Penis Size: 8in
Looks: 70
Skills: (Passive Skill) Weak Point: Shows weak points that can help arouse and stimulate women during sexual acts. Doubles as a mechanism that shows the most effective way to kill 'Stranders'.
(Passive Skill) Blank Shot: Allows the user to control if sperm cells are fertile or infertile.
Inventory: 1x Special Scroll for Unique Class.
Partners: 0/2
Upgrades: Alternative Energy Source Lvl1, Water Filtration System Lvl1, Reinforced Walls and Windows Lvl1, Reinforced Doors Lvl1, Ventilation and Air Purification Lvl1, and Storage Lvl1.
[2/2]
[Purchase Completed: Upgrades will be installed in 22 hours.]
"22 hours?!"
Hearing the holler, Sage poked her head out the kitchen, questioning. "Everything alright? What was that about 22 hours??"
*Sigh*
"It's nothing, just surprised by the output of this skill," he said, dismissively, closing his status screen.
'On another note.' Winter thought to himself. Opening the Apocalust Shop, he searched through the weapon tab, his gaze landing upon a basic bow for 100 AL Points. He purchased it. He thought about buying arrows, but figured she had a skill for such.
Waltzing back into the kitchen, he called out to her. "Hey Sage, I got you something."
She had just finished washing the dishes when she turned around. Her eyes landed on the bow in his hands, and she instantly lit up with excitement.
Rushing up to him, Sage eagerly took the bow from Winter's hands, accepting it with a grateful smile. "Thanks! Where'd you get it?!"
Smiling, he decided to tell her a partial truth. "It's one of my skills, it allows me to create items using magic power as a substitute."
"Won't it just disappear after a while?" she asked, a hint of concern in her voice.
Shaking his head, he replied confidently, "Fortunately, no. It'll last indefinitely, unless the bow snaps or it wears out."
Setting the bow down on the table, Sage wrapped her arms around Winter, pulling him into a deep hug. Even after discovering her talent and skill, she was starting to feel like a burden, unable to put it to use without a weapon. Now that she had a bow, there was an invisible weight that raised from her shoulders.
Freeing each other from the hug, she began to grow restless, ready to put her new abilities to use. But Winter put a halt on that thought, saying he had to put her skills to the test.
He led her to the basement and asked if she knew how to use a bow. She nodded in response.
'Guess we're gonna see.'
And so they did. After putting her through a series of tests, both were surprised by the results. For the first test, he drew a bullseye on a sheet of paper and had her try to hit it from the far end of the basement. Which she did effortlessly.
For the second test, he grabbed an apple from upstairs and told her to hit it midair. As he tossed the apple into the air, her arrow struck it cleanly, driving it into the wall and leaving the apple hanging from the midsection.
For the third and final test, he drew another bullseye on a sheet of paper and half-jokingly told her to hit it with her eyes closed. He taped the sheet of paper on the wall, stepping a few feet away, afraid of getting pierced in the process.
After memorizing the bullseye's location, Sage closed her eyes, pulled the bowstring back, and an arrow materialized between her index and middle fingers. In one smooth motion, she released the arrow, which flew through the air and pierced the bullseye.
Opening her eyes, she smiled happily noticing the arrow had pierced the center. Glancing to the side, she noticed Winter standing in awe, causing her to puff out her chest in confidence.
Clapping his hands, he walked over congratulating Sage, "That's actually really impressive. Now you'll be able to defend yourself if I'm not able to be there."
A pang of sadness hit her heart, "Are you asking me to leave now that I'm able to defend myself?"
He stared at her, baffled by the sudden question. "What!? I was just saying, if I'm busy fighting stranders, you won't be vulnerable to random attacks. Why would you even think that I'd leave you stranded. If anything it'd be more useful to have someone watching my back."
Noticing her mood shift, he added smiling, "Just try not to hit me in the process."
Her eyes narrowed playfully as a smirk tugged at her lips. "Oh, don't worry. If you're in my line of fire, that's on you," she replied with a wink, her tone light but teasing.
Playfully rolling his eyes, he started back upstairs.
"Now that you're able to fend for yourself. Let's go get some levels!" he shouted, skipping stairs.
Right behind him followed Sage, "Yes, sir!" she added laughing.
*******
"DUCK!"
Hearing the shout, Winter immediately ducked and not a second later, an arrow came whizzing by, piercing the head of a walker beside him.
"Sage! I thought we agreed on not taking each others kills?!" he yelled, sweeping the legs of the walker ahead of him.
Laughing, she ignored him, continuing to turn walkers into pin cushions with relative ease.
Seeing as she ignored him, he shook his head, not bothering to dwell on it. In the left view of his peripheral, a screen floated keeping count of the walkers he killed.
[Daily Quest]
[Kill 50 Walkers]
[23/50]
[Rewards: 500 Apocalust Points, 500 Experience Points]
They had made their way back into the city. The previous walkers near the house were all slaughtered from his previous onslaught, and the new ones that strayed near were quickly made work of.
'I'd probably be closer if that punk weren't stealing my kills.' he thought smiling to himself. 'At least I leveled up.'
[Level 5 (EXP 55/1200)]
The world system notified him that he was now qualified to awaken, but he decided against so. If the awakening process rendered him paralyzed, even with Sage's protection, it would only be a matter of time for the walkers to have a free meal.
The duo continued to slaughter walkers with ease, Sage leveling up twice and Winter completing his quest in little less than 2 minutes.
With things being so easy, they figured Sage would probably reach level 5 by the time they returned.
After clearing out the walkers in the area, Sage took a deep breath and collapsed onto a curb. "How aren't you sweating?" she asked him in confusion.
Sitting down next to her, he offered a water bottle and shrugged. "I was never really the type to sweat much, I use to during some heated matches and training but that's about it."
Rolling her eyes, she took the water bottle and drank it.
A few seconds after she finished quenching her thirst, she handed him the remaining water, which he drank. A subtle blush crept onto her cheeks as she turned away in embarrassment, butterflies fluttering in her stomach.
Calming down, she turned back towards him and stood up from the curb.
"What level are you now?" she questioned.
Sighing, he used his spear to prop himself up, "Still level 5. Leveling became pretty slow after leveling up. Understandable. But, slow."
Kissing her teeth, she shook her head. "You're an oddball." Looking around at the buildings, she added, "There are probably people hiding in these buildings, terrified of walkers, while you're out here using them as an EXP source."
He merely shrugged his shoulders as he walked deeper into the city, Sage trailing closely behind.
"They aren't hard to kill, walkers I mean. All that's need to do is aim for their head or joints. Preferably their knees." Swinging his spear, he added, "If they can't walk, they can't chase you."
Remembering of a past event, he corrected himself. "They can crawl though. Regardless it's still easy access to their heads."
She listened intently as he went on about easy tips and tricks to kill walkers, occasionally demonstrating on any lone walkers they found.
When a zombie's head wasn't an easy target, she'd fire two arrows into its kneecaps, shattering them and causing the walker to collapse; making it easier to finish them off with an arrow to the head.
Noticing how quickly she was adapting, he figured it would be a good idea to scout the area for more resources. While he could buy supplies from the system shop, he thought it would be a waste of points, which could be saved for more important things.
In their search to find resources, the duo came across a clinic. At first glance, it seemed mostly untouched. 'People must still be too scared to venture outside,' he thought to himself.
Winter glanced back and gave her a nod. Sage raised her bow, aiming it at the entrance, an arrow appearing on the notch in between her fingers.
He cautiously moved forward, with Sage quietly trailing behind. In the confined space, they had to be extra careful—there were plenty of spots for an ambush, and the narrow corridors left little room to freely swing a spear.
As they opened the door and stepped into the clinic, a rush of cool air greeted them. Winter enjoying the brief feeling, as it reminded him of better days.
They scouted the reception area, in search of any walkers that could be lying in wait—which didn't take long. After about a minute of thorough searching, they found nothing other than some painkillers and bandages behind the receptionist desk.
Winter stuffed the supplies into his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. After clearing out everything useful from the reception area, the pair continued down the left corridor, still on high alert.
For every door on the left, there was an opposing door across from it. This setup gave them more to worry about, as each door could contain a possible threat while hiding medical supplies.
Through the narrow hallway, every sound felt amplified, echoing off the walls. Winter tightened his grip on his spear, while Sage kept her bow drawn, their eyes darting between doors ready for anything that may emerge.
Entering the rooms, their worries seemed for naught. The rooms they've come across so far resulted in nothing but some lone walkers and an increase in supplies. There were more painkillers and bandage alongside as first aid supplies, various medications and wound care—dressings, sutures and other supplies for wound closure.
As they reached the last door, Winter hesitated for a moment before twisting the doorknob and pushing it open. The room was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of antiseptic. He stepped inside, Sage right behind him, her bow ready. There was something off. A presence different from Sage's.
Instinctively, he tightened his grip on the spear, eyes narrowing as he scanned the room. Without warning, a blur of movement shot toward him from the shadows. In an instant, he spun, raising his spear, ready to strike—but at the last possible second, he realized it wasn't a walker but a person.
He stopped himself just in time, the spear barely inches away from his throat. His wide eyes stared back at him, filled with fear, his breath ragged as he froze in place.