Chapitre 11: A Variant Appears

Laura and Eric had been hunting relentlessly for the past hour, pushing themselves to the limit as they took down creature after creature from the second wave.

They had developed a rhythm—one of them would attract the monster's attention while the other struck decisively from the side. It wasn't perfect, and there had been close calls, but so far, the strategy had worked.

Now, standing over the remains of their latest kill—a grotesque mix of flesh, bone, and jagged spikes nearly twice as tall as Eric—Laura couldn't help but feel a surge of pride.

Eric had landed the final blow this time, his dagger piercing the creature's soft underbelly in a well-timed strike. He was panting heavily, his face streaked with sweat and smeared with the black blood of the slain beast. Yet, there was a determined glint in his blue eyes as he wiped his weapon clean.

"Good job, Eric," Laura said, reaching out to pat his head, much like a parent would after their child won a prize. "You're getting stronger."

Eric grinned, the fatigue temporarily forgotten. "Thank you, Laura," he breathed, though his limbs were beginning to tremble from the effort of keeping up with her. "I've never felt this… alive."

A familiar chime echoed in both their ears.

Ding!

Laura glanced at her notifications. She had just reached level nine, while Eric had climbed to level five. He was making good progress, especially considering she had begun leveling up before him. The gap was slowly closing, and soon enough, his stats would be closer to hers.

"You're catching up," she remarked with a nod of approval. "But don't get too comfortable. We still have work to do." She pointed toward a distant alleyway where another monster was lumbering down the deserted street. Its large, hulking frame moved awkwardly, as though it was searching for something.

Eric's gaze followed her gesture, and he nodded in understanding. "That one's alone," he noted, gripping his dagger tighter. "Should be easier."

Laura flashed him a brief, approving smile. "Exactly. We'll keep picking them off one by one," she said. "But we need to push harder if we want to reach our goal. The second wave will end in about an hour, and we both need to hit level ten by then. It won't be easy."

Eric's eyes narrowed with determination. He was exhausted, yes, but the thought of finally unlocking the abilities of an Elemental Mage drove him forward. He had waited his whole life to wield magic, and the idea of actually casting spells in the real world was tantalizingly close. "Let's do it," he replied, his voice steady. "I'm ready."

The two of them moved quickly, closing the distance to the secluded alley. The monster was a brutish thing, its skin a sickly shade of green, covered in thick scales and bulging muscles.

Its eyes were dull and unfocused, scanning the area with an almost lazy curiosity, as if it hadn't yet noticed them approaching.

"Same plan?" Eric whispered as they crouched behind a stack of crates. "I draw its attention, and you go for the kill?"

Laura shook her head, her eyes glinting with a different idea. "No," she said, keeping her voice low. "You're the one who needs to push yourself this time. I'll cover you from the side, but you're taking point. Get its attention, keep your movements quick, and aim for the joints. It'll slow it down."

Eric swallowed hard. He'd done his share of fighting today, but this was the first time Laura had asked him to take the lead. There was a flicker of doubt in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a steely resolve. "Got it," he said, gripping his dagger tighter.

With a deep breath, he sprang out from behind the crates and dashed forward, shouting to draw the creature's focus. The beast's head snapped toward him, its dull eyes narrowing as it registered him as a threat. It let out a deep, guttural growl and lumbered forward, its heavy footsteps cracking the pavement beneath it.

Eric felt a jolt of fear as the creature bore down on him, but he shook it off, staying light on his feet. He dodged to the left as it swung a massive clawed hand, then darted forward, aiming his dagger at the back of its knee.

Stab!

Rooooar!!

The blade bit into the soft tissue there, and the beast roared in pain, staggering as it tried to regain its balance.

"Good hit!" Laura called out from the shadows, ready to jump in if Eric faltered. But for now, she stayed back, letting him handle the creature on his own.

The monster turned to face Eric, swinging its other arm in a wide arc. He barely managed to duck under the blow, feeling the rush of air as the claw whistled past his head.

He rolled away and came up on the other side, striking the creature's other leg in quick succession. His heart was pounding in his ears, and his limbs ached, but the adrenaline coursing through him kept him moving.

Laura watched closely, her knife ready in hand. She could see the change in Eric—he was starting to fight with more confidence, relying less on instinct and more on strategy.

She was about to step in and help finish the creature off when something shifted in the air. It was subtle, like a faint pulse of energy that rippled outward from the direction of the city center.

Then, suddenly, all the monsters around them froze. The green-scaled beast that Eric had been fighting halted its movements, its eyes going blank and lifeless. An eerie silence fell over the area, as if the world itself had taken a breath and was holding it.

"What the—?" Eric gasped, glancing back at Laura. "What's happening?"

Laura's expression darkened as she sensed the change. "The wave is ending," she said, her voice grim. "But something isn't right… This isn't supposed to happen."

Just as she finished speaking, a new notification appeared before them.

Ding!

[Special Event: Variant Spotted. All creatures entering hibernation mode for one minute. Prepare for the arrival of the Variant.]

Laura's eyes widened, and she quickly scanned the area. "A Variant…" she murmured, a mixture of excitement and dread rising in her chest.

Variants were powerful, mutated versions of the normal creatures, and they didn't appear this early in the apocalypse timeline. But there was no mistaking the notification—they were about to face something far stronger than anything they'd fought so far.

Eric took a step back, his earlier confidence wavering. "A Variant? What do we do?" His voice cracked slightly as he spoke.

"We don't have a choice," Laura replied, already preparing herself mentally. "We fight." She met his gaze, her eyes sharp and unyielding. "Stick to the plan. I'll go for its weak points. You keep it distracted. Stay mobile, and don't hesitate."

Eric nodded, swallowing his fear. "Got it."

They both took deep breaths, steadying themselves for what was to come. As the last of the ordinary creatures fell silent, the faint tremor in the air grew stronger. A shadow appeared in the distance, emerging from the rift, and with it came a palpable sense of power.

Laura's grip tightened on her weapon as the Variant drew closer, its form gradually becoming clear—a massive, hulking beast covered in crystalline armor that shimmered like ice. It was unlike anything Eric had encountered before.

"Stay sharp, Eric," she whispered, her gaze locked on the approaching threat. "Only a small number of these things should have appeared. Killing one definitely guarantees us both a decent reward as well as level 10."

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