Capítulo 58: William
Two men lunged at John from his side. John turned around, tightened the grip on his dagger, and prepared for the imminent clash. But before he could do anything, a hot ball of fire rushed past him and split into two, exploding on the two men. While they rolled on the floor to put out the flames, John felt a surge of strength run through his body.
He glanced over to his left and saw Julia grinning at him. He smirked back and refocused on the remaining attackers.
"Come at me if you want to die today," John hissed.
The sound of steel clashing echoed through the warehouse as two groups of fighters engaged in a heated battle. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows - an elderly man with grey hair and wrinkles etched into his face. His age belied his agility as he swiftly made his way towards the centre of the fight, where two men were locked in combat.
The old man's countenance exuded strength and determination despite his advanced years. The worn lines on his face spoke of a lifetime spent honing his skills and preparing for moments like this. As he stepped between them, it was clear that he was no stranger to conflict or combat - his experience shone through every move he made.
With quick movements and precise strikes, the old man intervened in the fight without hesitation. His interventions were met with surprise from both parties involved - one looked at him with admiration while another turned away in disbelief that such an elderly figure could have such impressive physical abilities.
"What is going on here?" he yelled, scanning the scene, but the situation was more dire than he thought.
He had seen them before. They were the kind of men who would stop at nothing to get what they wanted, even if it meant violence and destruction.
"I suggest you leave, gentlemen," he said, his tone stern. "This is a private matter, and I will not tolerate any interference."
The men glanced at each other, but none of them moved. Instead, they raised their weapons and started walking towards him.
John stepped up, his dagger still in hand, but the old man held out his arm, stopping him.
"We can handle this," he said.
John shrugged and backed off.
The old man faced the group of men and smiled. "Now, gentlemen, let's talk about this like civilised people."
The men continued advancing towards him, and the old man sighed. He knew this was not going to end well.
As the men drew closer, the old man felt his energy rising. He had faced this kind of situation before, and he was prepared for it. He lunged forward, his feet moving faster than they had in years. He slammed into the nearest man, knocking him off his feet.
As he spun around, he saw the next man coming at him with a knife. He ducked and kicked the man's legs out from under him.
Another man rushed towards him, but the old man was too quick. He dodged the blow and countered with a strike of his own. He sent the man reeling back with a punch to the face.
John observed the old man with interest. He was a skilled fighter, that much was clear. He moved with the grace and agility of a man half his age. He was clearly a veteran of combat and knew his way around a fight.
Just as the old man was about to deliver another blow to the man's face, John saw a flash of metal. The man had pulled out a gun and was pointing it at the old man's head.
John leapt forward, his dagger drawn. He slashed at the man's wrist, cutting through the tendons and sending the gun clattering to the ground. Just then, another man rushed towards Dalia, but she was ready for him. She blasted him with a fireball, sending him flying back.
Julia cast her buff on herself and charged at the group of men, knocking one of them off his feet. She kicked another man in the stomach, and he doubled over.
Suddenly, there was a loud gunshot, and everything went quiet. The old man kneeled to the floor, blood pooling around him.
John turned towards the old man, who was still clutching his shoulder, his eyes wide with shock.
"Shit," he muttered as he crouched next to the man. "You okay?"
"I'm fine," the old man gasped, his voice strained. "Don't worry about me."
The last man standing lunged at John, who dodged and counterattacked with his Venomlash. He slashed at the man's arm, cutting through the fabric of his shirt. The man winced and dropped the gun as venom spread through his arm.
Just then, the man raised his other arm, holding a knife, but John was too quick. He grabbed the man's wrist and twisted it until the knife fell to the ground.
He pulled his dagger and plunged it into the man's chest, the blade sinking into his flesh.
As he pulled it out, blood spurted out, and the man collapsed to the ground, dead.
"Fuck," John muttered. "This is a mess."
"We need to get out of here," Julia said.
"What in fuck's name is happening?" John replied.
"Do we have to go back to Theodore's shelter?" Dalia asked.
"For now, yes," John said. "Just until we find a suitable location."
"But it's so creepy and dangerous!" Julia exclaimed.
"We don't have a choice. We can't stay here, and we can't keep looking for another place. We just need to bide our time until we find a better one."
"Are you guys alright?" the old man asked.
"Yes, we are. How about you? You got shot."
The old man shrugged. "I'll be fine. I've been through worse."
"What was that all about?"
"It's a long story. But basically, that gang have been trying to steal from us. Supplies, weapons, everything, but what they most want is women."
"Why?" Julia asked, her voice tinged with disgust.
"Because they are lustful men who think they deserve the best. They believe that they're entitled to the best and will stop at nothing to get it."
"We need to leave now," John said, turning his gaze towards the old man. "What's your name?"
"I'm William."
"William, we need to leave. We can't stay here anymore."
"I understand."
"We'll keep in touch."
"Good. Take this."
William took out a rectangular device from his pocket and handed it to John. John observed the device, but he couldn't figure out what it was. It looked like a smartphone to John.
"What's this?"
"These are communication devices, we call them A-comms. They're sold on the alien shops. If you need anything, press that button," William said, pointing at a button on the side of the screen.
"Thank you, William. Take care."
Capítulo 59: Hello There
As the final day before the arrival of the feared monster drew near, John glided through the desolate and eerie streets with an unparalleled stealth, his newly acquired Quiet Steps rendering his footfalls inaudible. The world around him was like a ghost town, cloaked in silence and stillness that seemed to amplify the sense of dread that permeated the air.
With his senses on high alert, John scanned his surroundings vigilantly, peering through the thick fog that hung ominously in the atmosphere. He knew he had to be prepared for anything, even as his heart pounded with trepidation and determination within his chest.
He had a plan.
A group of monsters appeared.
The scaly creatures that now inhabited the world were a frightening spectacle. Their bodies, a patchwork of vibrant green and purple scales, gleamed in the dim light as they moved with a fluidity that belied their reptilian nature. Their eyes were large and yellow, and their teeth were jagged and sharp. Their claws were long and deadly, and their tails whipped around as they moved.
They were a mix of lizard and human, their bodies lithe and agile. They were fast and ferocious, and they knew how to use their weapons. Their weapons were made of bone and metal, and they moved with a deadly grace.
As he pondered his next move, the sound of rustling leaves warned him of their approach. It was time to act.
The monsters advanced on him, their weapons raised in a deadly threat. John stood his ground, his dagger poised to strike.
As one of the creatures swung its club at him, he ducked under the blow and slashed out with his dagger, drawing blood from its chest. With a shriek of pain, it crumpled to the ground.
[Saura Knight Killed]
[0.5 Agility Obtained]
The system's notifications chimed one after another as John dispatched the monsters. It wasn't enough. He needed more.
The Shockwave skill reverberated through the air, sending the oncoming monsters flying back with a force that left them stunned and disoriented. Their bodies hit the ground hard, bloodied and bruised from the impact.
The fight raged on, the air filled with the sounds of combat and the smell of blood. He swung his Venomlash, the blade slicing through flesh and bone.
[Saura Knight Killed]
[0.5 Energy Obtained]
John narrowed his eyes at the system's notification, it was his first time seeing monsters of the same species rewarding different stats. He had a theory, but he had to confirm. He used his Appraisal skill on the closest Saura Knight.
[Saura Knight]
[Strength: 24]
[Vitality: 19]
[Agility: 14]
[Energy: 15]
As John engaged in combat against a nearby Saura Knight, he launched into a series of rapid strikes with his dagger, aiming to weaken the monster before delivering the decisive blow.
He managed to catch the monster off guard with his Shockwave skill, sending it flying back into a nearby wall. The creature shook its head, trying to clear the cobwebs from the shock, but John was quick to capitalise on this opening.
Raising his hand, he summoned forth a dark mist that slowly coalesced into the shape of an energy claw - his newly acquired Shadow Claw skill. The claw was as sharp and deadly as any physical blade, and it glowed with an ominous energy that promised devastating consequences for whatever it struck.
With a quick flick of his wrist, John sent the Shadow Claw flying towards the Saura Knight's chest. The creature tried to block the attack with its sword, but the energy blade was too fast and too powerful. It pierced through the monster's Armor, tearing through its scales and bone before emerging from the other side in a spray of blood and gore.
[Saura Knight Killed]
[0.5 Strength Obtained]
With that, John confirmed his theory. The reward was based on their highest stat. He smiled and gripped his Venomlash tight, but a sudden flash of light widened his eyes. He sidestepped to his left by pure instinct, but it was a second too late and the arc cut through his shoulder.
As John continued battling against the onslaught of Saura Knights, he found himself growing more confident in his abilities with each passing victory. His Appraisal skill had confirmed that the monsters rewarded different stats based on their highest stat.
However, just as he thought he had everything under control, a sudden flash of light caught him off guard. Before he could react, one of the Saura Knights slashed its sword and a white arc of energy flew towards him.
John jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow, but a small gash appeared on his arm. He gritted his teeth against the pain, but the sight of blood seeping from the wound filled him with dread.
"Fucking lizard," he muttered under his breath.
John felt a surge of adrenaline as he realised what had happened - he had underestimated one of these monsters, and it had almost cost him his life. With renewed determination, he gripped his Venomlash tighter and prepared to take down the last of them.
As he approached the creature, he saw it was limping and had a deep gash on its leg. With a few more hits, the creature was killed.
With his heart pounding from the recent encounter, John methodically assessed his surroundings for any further danger. Upon finding none, he sat down heavily, reaching for a health potion. He uncorked it and sprayed its contents on his wounds. The potion did its magic as they began to stitch themselves together before his eyes. Once healed, John rose back onto his feet feeling somewhat lightheaded from the experience.
He had to go back to his primary objective, looking for a suitable location for a base. He could deploy the portable base anytime he wanted, but there were many things to consider. First, he needed it to be far away from Theodore's shelter. He could not risk a confrontation with Theodore or his men, yet.
Second, it should be relatively safe and third, it needed resources nearby. He had already scouted a few locations, but there was one more requirement, he needed people. People were gathering and forming factions, clashes with others was inevitable and he could not fight them all by himself.
As John continued to explore the desolate city, he moved cautiously, keeping close watch of his surroundings. The air was thick with dust and debris from the destruction that had occurred months earlier. Broken buildings loomed overhead like gaping maws, their shattered windows reflecting the dim moonlight. Rusted cars littered the streets, some flipped on their sides while others were still intact but abandoned.
The silence was almost deafening, only occasionally broken by the rustling of leaves in the wind or distant movement of animals scavenging for food. The occasional glimpse of colour caught his eye - a shred of fabric fluttering from a balcony railing or a can of spray paint on an overturned dumpster. These small signs of life were both comforting and disheartening; they meant that others had survived, but they also signified the struggle to maintain any semblance of normalcy in this new world order.
As he approached an intersection, John noticed a group of people huddled around a makeshift campfire. They appeared to be talking animatedly, gesturing wildly as they spoke. Their clothes were tattered and dirty, reflecting their hardscrabble existence in this harsh environment. Despite the danger posed by strangers in these uncertain times, John couldn't help but approach them cautiously.
He walked towards the group, his boots crunching on the rubble beneath him. As he got closer, the sounds of their conversation became clearer - they were discussing strategies for scavenging and defending their territory from rival factions.
"Hello there."
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