章 4: Signs of the Apocalypse

A mix of emotions churned within her: confusion, frustration, and... curiosity. How would this change things? Could she use this to her advantage, or would it end up being a hindrance in the heat of battle?

Laura took a deep breath, her mind racing. She needed to figure out how this dual-class situation could work for her. She had planned everything around becoming a Summoner, but having the Hoarder abilities could change the game entirely.

The increased item drop rates and special storage space were intriguing, and if she could leverage them correctly, she could gather rare items and resources much faster than before.

She closed the status screen, her jaw set with new determination. This was not part of the original plan, but plans were meant to be adapted.

If life had taught her anything, it was that surviving the apocalypse wasn't about following a set path—it was about improvising, adjusting, and fighting with everything you had. And now, she had one more weapon in her arsenal.

The clock was ticking down. Three hours until the apocalypse began. She needed to move quickly and make every minute count.

Grabbing her packed backpack, Laura steeled herself. This time, she wasn't going to just survive the apocalypse. She was going to conquer it.

Laura closed the bathroom door behind her and took a deep breath, steadying her nerves. She needed to be quick and efficient. The countdown was relentless, and every second brought the apocalypse closer. With a single word, she called upon the system.

"Switch class!"

A faint glow enveloped her, barely noticeable but unmistakably present, as her class shifted from Summoner to Hoarder. Instantly, she felt the subtle change in her connection to the system, a slight shift in the way the world seemed to respond to her.

With the Hoarder class, her perception of items and spaces expanded—almost like seeing things in more dimensions than she could normally comprehend.

"Storage," she commanded, summoning the spatial inventory that came with her Hoarder class. It appeared before her as a shimmering, translucent void, waiting to be filled. With deliberate movements, Laura began to transfer the items she had purchased earlier: boxes of food, bottles of water, and several knives. One by one, she shoved them into the storage space, which seemed to swallow them whole. The boxes vanished as they crossed the shimmering boundary, disappearing into what looked like thin air.

She could fit much more in this space than the standard inventory provided by most classes, and the Hoarder's passive skill of increasing storage size was already paying off. In her past life, she had used the class merely for gathering resources and storing equipment for others. Now, she saw its true potential.

Once the bulk of the items had been stored, Laura called out again, "Switch class." The glow returned as her class reverted to Summoner. The sensation was different this time; it was as though a part of her awareness shifted from an external focus to a more internal one. Summoner didn't have the same expansive storage, but it did allow for basic inventory management.

She stored the remaining supplies in the smaller Summoner storage space and zipped up her backpack, which now carried only a few essentials. With everything in place, Laura exited her room.

Laura couldn't help but take one last glance at her apartment as she closed the door behind her. It felt like a chapter closing, a final farewell to the ordinary life she had once lived.

The hallway was eerily quiet as she made her way out of the building. Outside, the atmosphere had already begun to shift. It was subtle, but unmistakable to someone who knew what to look for. The sky, which had been bright just a few hours ago, had taken on a darker hue. Thick clouds seemed to be rolling in from nowhere, casting a shadow over the city. There was no forecast for rain, but the heavy, oppressive air made it feel like a storm was imminent.

As Laura walked down the streets, she noticed other small but telling signs. A few people who had already selected their classes carried themselves differently, with a kind of confidence or recklessness that was absent from the general crowd. Some acted cocky, openly bragging about their new abilities to anyone who would listen. She even spotted a couple of young men harassing a passerby, clearly trying to show off their newfound strength.

She scoffed to herself. 'So eager to flaunt their power already. They don't know what real danger looks like.'

Her destination was the shopping center, and she moved quickly, blending into the bustle of the city. It was surprising to see that a few others had come with the same idea as her—to stock up before the chaos. Laura watched them carefully as she passed.

Some were filling carts with water, canned goods, and first aid kits, but none had the sheer volume of supplies she had gathered. Their carts were small, their purchases cautious. It was clear they had faith in the rumors of the apocalypse, but not complete certainty.

Laura reached for a shopping cart and began loading it with items once more, filling it up as much as her remaining funds allowed. She didn't waste time being picky—anything that could last long and serve multiple uses went into the cart. When she finally made her way to the cashier, she was met by a familiar face—the same young woman who had helped her yesterday.

"Back again, huh?" the cashier said with a smile, though there was a hint of curiosity in her eyes as she glanced at the overflowing cart. "You planning a party or something?"

Laura forced a smile, though her expression was tight. "Something like that. Did you pick a class, like I suggested?" she asked, her tone more serious than she intended.

The cashier's smile faltered, and she shook her head. "No, I… I thought you were joking yesterday, to be honest. And I didn't really understand what you meant. Pick a class? I mean, what's that supposed to—"

Laura held up a hand to stop her, already feeling the seconds ticking away in her mind. She glanced around, making sure no one was paying too close attention, then reached into her cart and pulled out a small pack of protein bars. "Watch this," she said, her voice low.

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