Chapter 3: Fogged Up (3)
Walking past his door frame, Jeff set foot into the apartment hallway.
Without electricity, none of the lights here were turned on. Not even the emergency lights. Probably ran out of power a few days ago.
Walking down the hallway, Jeff took a look at his neighbors' place. Everyone's doors were busted open, providing some light into this hallway.
Inside, just like Jeff's place, there was litter everywhere.
"Hello. Anyone still here?"
No response... Only silence...
'Looks like I'm the only guy left huh...'
Feeling his hunger intensifying, Jeff hesitated by his neighbor's door.
'There's a grocery store and a produce store down the street...'
'Those guys can only take so much in one go.'
'I'll try my luck there first.' Jeff turned to the stairway.
The air inside was murky and dusty as usual. Good thing there were windows here, providing some light.
Walking down the staircase, entering the ground floor, passing through some more ransacked unites, opening the front door of this building... Jeff felt a breeze of fresh air brushing against his face.
For a moment, Jeff felt a little dizzy. This still felt a little surreal to him. Just eleven days ago, everything was fine and dandy.
Now, looking down the fogged up streets, Jeff felt like he's the only guy left in this world.
'Naturally, that's not true...'
'But seriously, where is everyone?' Jeff tiredly trudged down the front staircases.
There was a small lawn at the front entrance. There also happened to be a row of rocks separating the pathway from the lawn.
'Say... Grass is edible right...' Jeff stood there for a moment. Looking around, the rocks seemed rather delicious too.
'What am I thinking...' Jeff gulped and shook those thoughts out of his mind.
Picking up a fist-sized rock... It's not the best tool for self-defense, but there weren't many options here.
Holding that rock, Jeff felt a bit safer. Not any less hungry though.
Standing still, Jeff felt that his stomach had twitched a little.
"Hoof..." Jeff paced his breath.
'Me in the fantasy world made it through... I'm not going to give up easily here either...'
Walking down the street, passing an empty intersection, Jeff reached his destination.
Looking at the broken door and glass shards on the ground, Jeff's heart sank. Looks like he's a little late to the scavenger party.
'There could still be something left in there...' Jeff walked towards the entrance.
Something inside let out a menacing growl.
Halting himself, Jeff could see two glinting eyes inside that beaten up grocery store.
'Ah shit.' Jeff held his breath. He felt like an invisible hand was grasping onto his heart.
A wolf-like creature slowly stepped out of that shadow enshrouded store.
Size of a wolf. Got the looks of a coyote. Except its fur had a silver luster.
Jeff was not an animal expert. He had no idea what this thing was. Nevertheless, this thing looked a little too dangerous for him to handle. Nope. Not messing with this one.
Jeff opened up his hands to make himself look bigger. Looking at this beast, Jeff slowly backed off.
Seeing Jeff's reaction, that oversized coyote lowered itself and growled. Taking a step forward, it opened its lips and showed off its fangs.
"Alright. Chill. I'm leaving." Jeff took a few steps backwards.
"Look. I don't want to mess with you. And trust me, you wouldn't want to mess with me." Jeff lightly waved his rock.
Like a flash of silver light, that coyote suddenly appeared in front of Jeff.
Up close, Jeff could see the saliva dripping off its fangs, and feel the warmth of this thing's breath.
Jeff's mind blanked out under this death threat.
'Shield!' By reflex, Jeff commanded in his mind. It's as if he'd gone over this scenario in training before.
Bam!
That coyote froze in space for an instance. It's as if it had slammed into an invisible wall. A small ripple travelled down from its head to its tail.
Like he'd gone through this hundreds of times before, Jeff thrusted his invisible shield forward.
It's a strange sensation. It's as if that invisible shield was an extension from his body. Without much resistance, that coyote was sent flying back.
Like a blob of silver light, that beast crashed into the store's wall, chipping off some cement.
Taking a deep breath in, Jeff felt that he could breathe again.
Looking back, with that beast's canine teeth inches away from his face, Jeff felt like he was being strangled by a pair of invisible hands.
Feeling the adrenaline rushing down his veins, Jeff felt as if he's heart was pounding like a jackhammer.
'I almost died... Again!'
'What's happening to this fogged up world!' Jeff panted for breath. 'Shit! SHIIITT!'
Jeff stood there panting with widened eyes. The world never seemed this clear before.
'That's it. Fine! That's it!' Jeff felt like he'd lost it. He literally felt a string snapping in his brain. 'Never had a fight in my life. But fine!'
That coyote shook its head a little and stood up. Fixating its gaze at Jeff, the beast shook the dirt off its silver fur.
Feeling the hunger in his stomach, Jeff locked gaze with this oversized coyote. There was only one thought left in his mind: 'Is this thing edible...'
'Haste!' Jeff dashed toward his target. Throwing his emotions out of his mind, Jeff let his fighting instincts take over.
Without hesitation, that coyote pounced at Jeff's neck.
However, with [Haste] activated, this beast's movement was like a 0.10x speed video in Jeff's view.
Clenching onto his rock, focussing at this coyote, the rest of the world didn't seem to exist anymore.
Using all the strength in his body, Jeff swung a wide arc with that rock.
Slam!
Jeff smashed his rock into that oversized coyote's face.
Leaning out of the way, Jeff dodged this ramming beast.
That coyote crashed onto the sidewalk like a crashing motorcycle. Sliding forward, it slammed into a sign pole.
With a clang sound, that pole bent and crashed onto the road.
Yet, this coyote beast shrugged off the hit like it's nothing. This thing was trying to get up again.
'Oh, what the shitting whoppers. You have to be joking.' Jeff squinted at this result. 'This thing can't be a normal animal.'
Looking down, his rock broke into pieces already.
Nevertheless, looking closely at that coyote, a stream of grey mist seemed to be leaking from its cheek.
Jeff threw away his rock and walked up to the injured beast.
'Sorry. But it's a battle for survival.'
'It's either you, or me.' Looking at the injured beast, Jeff gulped. His mouth started salivating for some reason.
Without further hesitation or mercy, Jeff pressed down the beast's neck with one hand.
Yep. It's fur totally felt metallic.
'Shield!' Jeff enveloped his other hand with an invisible mana shield.
Slam!
Jeff landed one more punch onto the coyote's head.
Slam! Slam! Slam!
Poof...
The coyote's head exploded into a burst of grey mist. Along with its head, its body started to steam off into a grey mist as well.
'Huh... I'm not even surprised anymore...'
'Say... Can I...' Staring at the grey mist, Jeff gulped.
A transparent screen popped up into Jeff's view.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone