The low groan from outside the rocky alcove grew louder, more distinct, echoing in the suffocating stillness of the grove. Ethan didn't need the System's crude display to know what it was. A standard Walker. Slow. Predictable. But in his current state, it might as well have been a Thug.
His body screamed in protest as he shifted, each movement a fresh spark of agony. He pushed himself onto his knees, his vision swimming, the world tilting precariously. His hand, still trembling, scrabbled for the baseball bat he'd dropped nearby. His fingers closed around the familiar grip, cold and rough against his raw skin. He dragged it closer, the weight of it suddenly feeling immense.
Host Status: Ethan Miller
Health: 3/10 (Stabilized – Wounds no longer actively bleeding, infection temporarily suppressed, minor regenerative effect initiated from stone's residual energy). Fever reduced slightly.
Stamina: 3/10 (Low – minor restoration).
Strength: 2 (Crippled)
Agility: 1 (Crippled)
Perception: 3 (Impaired – fever, pain).
Pathetic. He grit his teeth. This was the bottom. From here, there was only up, or oblivion. He was a reincarnated soul, a cheat code in human flesh, even with his System hobbled. He knew how these things moved, how they died. He knew what he needed to do.
The Walker shuffled into view, its head lolling grotesquely, decayed flesh clinging to bone, eyes cloudy with an insatiable hunger. It wasn't fast, barely a threat to a healthy person, but Ethan was far from healthy. The scent of blood, faint but persistent from his wounds, drew it like a moth to a flickering flame.
He braced himself, bat held limply, his muscles screaming. His mind, however, was cold and sharp. Aim for the head. Any significant blow will work. Keep it from grabbing. Don't let it get close. Basic rules of survival in this world. Rules he knew even before the memories returned.
The Walker stumbled closer, its arms outstretched, emitting another wet, gurgling groan. It was barely two paces away, its putrid breath a tangible thing in the still air. Ethan lunged, a desperate, clumsy movement that sent a fresh jolt of pain through his side. The bat swung, slow and heavy, but powered by sheer desperation.
CRACK!
The impact was jarring. The bat connected with the Walker's temple, a sickening crunch of bone and rotting tissue. The creature stumbled, its head snapping back with unnatural force, a high-pitched gargle escaping its throat. It wasn't dead, not yet. Its dead eyes still fixed on him, its hands still reaching.
Ethan grit his teeth, ignoring the throbbing agony in his arms and ribs. He swung again, this time putting what little remaining strength he had into the blow. The bat connected squarely with the side of the Walker's skull. There was a wet, pulpy sound, and the creature's head twisted at an impossible angle. It crumpled to the ground, twitching for a moment, then went still.
Hostile neutralized: Walker (Standard Class-I).
Battle Points acquired: 1.
Current BP: 1.
One. Just one. Ethan slumped back against the rock face, gasping for breath, the adrenaline draining from his system, leaving him weaker than before. His wounds burned, his muscles ached, and a fresh wave of nausea washed over him. But he had done it. He had killed it. And the System had responded.
His gaze fixed on the single BP displayed. It was a lifeline. A glimmer of hope. He immediately focused, trying to allocate it.
BP Allocation Interface:
Available BP: 1.
Allocate to:
Strength (Current: 2) -> Cost: 1 BP
Agility (Current: 1) -> Cost: 1 BP
Endurance (Current: 3) -> Cost: 1 BP
Perception (Current: 3) -> Cost: 1 BP
Note: Endurance attribute includes resilience to damage, stamina regeneration, and resistance to illness/infection.
Endurance. There was no question. His health was critical, and infection was a constant threat. He needed to heal, to recover stamina, to fight off the sickness that was surely trying to take hold.
He mentally selected Endurance.
BP Allocated: 1.
Endurance increased to 4.
Host Health Status Improvement: Health now 4/10 (Stabilized – Minor healing detected, infection resistance slightly improved).
Stamina: 4/10 (Low – minor restoration).
The change was subtle, almost imperceptible to his body, but the System confirmed it. His pain dulled a fraction more. The tremors in his limbs lessened. His fever seemed to recede just a bit further. It wasn't much, but it was progress. A step back from the precipice of death.
He still desperately needed water and food. And he couldn't stay here. The smell of the dead Walker, combined with his own blood, would eventually draw more. And he knew what other horrors lurked in these woods. He knew about the faster, more aggressive Infecteds, and the lumbering, bone-crushing Thugs. A lone Walker was a desperate fight. An Infected would be a death sentence right now. A Thug, unthinkable.
He had to move. He had to find shelter, supplies, and a path. He had to get to Hershel's Farm. He didn't know exactly where it was on a map, but he knew its general location relative to Atlanta. He had to head vaguely south-southwest, through the sprawling Georgia wilderness. It would be a long, brutal journey.
Painfully, Ethan forced himself to his feet. He picked up his knife, checking its edge. It was still sharp. His baseball bat, a dent now visible where it had struck the Walker's skull, was still serviceable. He was weak, wounded, and alone. But he was also resolute. He had a goal, a sliver of hope, and knowledge that others didn't.
He glanced at the still form of the Walker, then at the entrance of the rocky alcove. Time to go. The ember had been ignited. Now, he had to make sure it didn't burn out.