Dean adjusted the Reinforced Leather Jacket on his body, feeling a new sense of security. It wasn't just protection—it was a symbol. A sign that he was surviving. That he was adapting.
Clara, standing silently beside him, looked both impressed and overwhelmed. Her eyes shifted between Dean, the skeletal knight now silently standing behind him, and the lifeless body of the monstrous zombie dog.
"So… what do we do now?" she asked, her voice hesitant, but firmer than before.
Dean looked outside. The streets were quiet. Too quiet. The soft morning light bathed the shards of glass and cracked asphalt with a golden glow that contrasted starkly with the harsh reality they were living in.
"You said there were two more people with you, right?" he asked, looking at Clara seriously.
She nodded quickly.
"Yes, they're hiding in a pharmacy a few blocks away. We split up when the dead started surrounding the area. They stayed behind, waiting for things to calm down… but it's been too long already."
"Then that's where we're going," Dean said without hesitation.
"If they're still alive, they'll need our help. And with any luck, the pharmacy might still have some useful supplies."
She gripped the improvised spear tighter and took a deep breath.
"Alright. Follow me, I know the way."
Dean walked beside her, the skeletal knight following closely behind, its bones creaking softly with each step. As they moved away from the gas station, the air grew tense. He could feel it—something was watching.
While walking, Dean pulled out one of the cards from his inventory, which he tore, revealing a green stone in his hand. It was the Enhancement Stone. He hadn't used it yet, waiting to see if he could find something better. But during the last fight, he noticed his bow losing power. So, he decided to see if the stone would work on it.
Touching the stone, a question crossed his mind:
"How the hell do I use this?"
The moment he thought that, a notification popped up in front of him:
> Beginner's Tutorial
To upgrade a piece of equipment, simply place the stone on the item, and let the magic do the rest.
Reading it, Dean felt like an idiot for not trying it earlier—until another notification popped up, this time a tutorial video. His expression darkened as he muttered out loud:
"Damn it, I'm not that dumb…"
That caught Clara's attention—and even the skeletal knight seemed more convinced his master was crazy.
Ignoring the system in frustration, Dean followed the tutorial's instructions and placed the Enhancement Stone on his bow. A green glow surrounded both the bow and the stone, lasting only a few seconds.
> [Item Successfully Upgraded!]
You used an Enhancement Stone on your weapon!
Weapon evolved to:
Viper Tactical Bow [Uncommon]
– +7 Base Damage
– +15% Critical Hit Chance
– Silent Shot: arrows make no sound and don't draw attention.
– Quick Draw: reduces reload time between shots.
– Viper Design: ideal for tactical attacks and precise ambushes.
Seeing his weapon clearly stronger, Dean's mood improved. Drawing the string, he felt confident he could now pierce that zombie dog's head with a single shot.
There was still one item he hadn't used, but Dean feared its effects might be too intense. He wanted to find a safe place before using it.
Turning the corner, they could already see the half-destroyed pharmacy sign swaying in the wind. The door was wide open. There were signs of struggle: claw marks on the walls, trails of dried blood on the floor.
Dean raised his hand, signaling Clara to stop. He watched for a few seconds and then took a step forward.
"Skeletal knight, be ready to fight at any moment."
The skeleton heard his master's command and assumed a combat stance, raising its sword.
They advanced slowly into the dark, silent pharmacy. Shelves were overturned, and the strong smell of medicine mixed with old blood filled the air.
Suddenly, a muffled sound.
"Shhh! Did you hear that?" Clara whispered, turning quickly.
Dean nodded.
"Someone's here. Let's hope it's your friends."
Dean moved cautiously down the ruined pharmacy aisles. His hand gripped the Viking axe firmly, while the skeletal knight stayed beside him, ready to act at the first sign of danger. Clara walked just behind, eyes alert, body tense.
A dull thud echoed from inside the storage room, like something had fallen.
"It's me! Clara!" she suddenly shouted, ignoring the silence that blanketed the place.
Dean widened his eyes and gently pulled her back, but it was too late. The shout echoed through the hallways, and for a few seconds, everything was silent.
Then, a weak voice responded:
"Clara?"
Relief washed over Clara's face.
"It's Mila!" she whispered to Dean with a hopeful smile, running toward the sound.
Dean and the knight followed right behind. At the end of the hall, hidden behind an overturned counter, two people emerged: a young woman with messy brown hair tied in a bun, and a skinny guy with broken glasses and a frightened expression. Both were dirty, with deep eye bags and tired faces.
"Clara! I thought you were—"
Mila ran and hugged her friend tightly, unable to hold back tears.
"I'm fine, I'm fine… I found help," Clara replied, nodding toward Dean.
The guy approached more cautiously, staring at the skeletal knight behind Dean.
"Is… is that a monster?"
"It's an ally," Dean replied firmly. "And one of the reasons we're still alive."
The group gathered behind the counter, where they had improvised a sort of camp with blankets, water bottles, and a backpack with canned food.
"What happened here?" Dean asked, looking around.
"Zombies," Mila replied. "A lot of them. They came through two days ago. We hid and stayed quiet. We were waiting for Clara to come back… or at least a sign that she was alive."
Dean nodded.
"Well, now we're together. But we can't stay here long. This place could attract more of them. We need a plan."
The guy with glasses, who introduced himself as Leo, shook his head worriedly.
"We're running out of food and water. And with the city like this… I don't know how much longer we can last."
Dean looked at the group. Four survivors. Two were exhausted and unable to fight. Clara still had no magic, but she had courage. And him… he had an undead knight, a Viking axe, and his trusted bow—now upgraded.
"I'll get you all out of here," he said, looking each of them in the eyes.
"But first, let's fortify this pharmacy, rest a bit, and gather resources. After that… we'll find a real safe place."
After speaking, he was the first to grab heavy items to block the door and windows.
The others followed his lead, closing off every possible monster entry.
Soon, the pharmacy became a temporary safe haven. Dean sighed. He had only been up one night, but all the fighting and close calls had drained him mentally.
After finding a spot to rest, his body gave in.
"Keep an eye on anything that approaches or has bad intentions toward me. You know what to do," Dean said, motioning a cut-throat gesture.
The skeletal knight understood instantly and stood guard at the door.
Clara wanted to talk to Dean, but seeing the skeleton standing there with glowing purple eyes, she gave up quickly and went to talk with her friends instead.
Meanwhile, in another room, Dean had already torn open another card, which revealed the Vitality Serum.
It came in a syringe. As he held it in his hand, he saw a green liquid—something that looked strange to inject into his body.
But without hesitation or questioning the obvious this time, he injected it and waited for a reaction. Seconds passed, and nothing happened.
"Was I being overly cautious…" he muttered, just as his body went limp and his mind began to spin.
A burning sensation took over for a few minutes, then everything faded. With no strength left, he passed out right there.
---
In another well-lit room, Mila and Leo were talking.
"Do you really trust him? He could be a maniac," Mila said while glancing at the skeleton nearby.
"I haven't known him long, but he never took advantage of me. He protected me and even encouraged me. Maybe I'm being naive, but yes, I'd say I trust him."
Clara replied firmly, thinking back to her brief time with Dean. Even though they hadn't been together long, she always felt safe looking at his back.
Mila and Leo stared at her for a moment, then sighed. Since the world went to hell, it was hard to trust anyone. Still, they were adapting quickly.
"Sometimes that innocence of yours is a good thing… but the world is cruel. I'm not saying he's bad, but don't trust someone just because they seem good," Mila said, running her fingers through Clara's hair like an older sister.
"You always do that…" Clara grumbled playfully, pouting as Mila smiled in satisfaction.
"Anyway, let's change the subject. Why did you leave? I told you not to. What if you had died?" Mila asked, genuinely worried.
"I had to go. Our supplies were running out. If I didn't go, sooner or later we'd be forced out anyway," Clara replied, her head lowered.
Mila and Leo nodded. After all, they were trapped in a pharmacy, not a supermarket. They had found little food, and it was already gone.
"But what did you see out there? After that explosion in the south, a huge zombie horde passed through here," Leo asked.
"Well, not many zombies are left on the streets… which is good news," Clara said, sighing.
"That's great. Those things scare the hell out of me."
Mila shuddered, remembering the zombies devouring people in the street. It had left a deep trauma.
---
Several hours passed slowly, everything quiet—as if nothing had happened.
Dean finally woke from his sleep. His body was noticeably more muscular, and even his energy felt different.
+2 Vitality
I guess I'll take a look at my status.
Player Status
Name: Dean
Race: Human
Class: Monster Tamer
Level: 5
EXP: 43/160
Free Attribute Points: 4
Special Items:
Collector's Box – Allows you to store monsters and summon them when needed.
Equipment:
Viking Axe
Viper Tactical Bow
Reinforced Leather Jacket
---
Attributes
Strength: 11
Agility: 12
Vitality: 12
Intelligence: 18
Charisma: 15
Luck: +1 (Unique Attribute)
---
Active Skills
Tame Monsters:
Allows the user to attempt taming wild monsters.
Note: Chances increase if the monster is unconscious, weakened, or bonded with the user.
---
Tamed Monsters
Skeletal Knight [Lv. 3]
Strength: 10
Agility: 15
Vitality: 5
Intelligence: 1
EXP: 0/80
Equipment: Short Sword
Passive Skill (Unique):
Until the Last Fragment
...
He was getting stronger, little by little. With each attribute increased, he felt his body becoming tougher. If he fought himself from before getting the system, he could defeat that version with one hand—and not even break a sweat.
His reaction time, movement, and strength had increased significantly, along with his intelligence, making him think about things he never even considered before.
Dean's eyes gleamed with a thirst for power. The feeling of leveling up was the best of all.