The world they once knew no longer existed.
The morning after the activation of the Survival System, everything had changed.Floating before each person in the bastion was a bright interface:
[Survival System Activated]
Status: Initialization complete.
Level: F.
Skills: Unassigned.
Survival Missions: Pending.
First Objective: Survive seven consecutive days.
A whisper swept through the bastion as everyone read the instructions.There was no turning back now.
Rob closed his eyes for a moment.Inside him, he felt a torrent of wild energy, different from anything he had ever experienced before.His "World Devourer" ability remained sealed, but now a fragment of its power had been released in the form of a C-rank skill: Energy Absorption.
He smiled slightly.
—"It's time,"—he murmured.
One by one, the key members of the bastion received their skills:
Victoria: A+ Holy Healing (can cure all normal diseases and regenerate lost limbs once per day).
Alan: F Construction (initial ability to create simple structures smaller than one meter—high potential for evolution).
Marlon: C Shield (generates a powerful defensive barrier).
Matthew: B Swift Steps (massive increase in movement speed).
Amélie: C Calm (a passive aura that soothes emotions and relieves fear).
The rest of the bastion members also received C-rank or higher abilities, which caused both surprise and pride.
—"Our training… our effort,"—Rob whispered, watching them all—"It wasn't in vain."
In the rest of the world, reports indicated that most people barely received F-rank skills. Only the talented and those who had worked hard earned something better.
Clearly, Rob's bastion was far above the global average.
Besides the skills, everyone began to notice physical changes:
Increased strength, agility, and endurance.
Faster healing of minor wounds.
Improved control over their bodies and senses.
The Survival System seemed to be adapting their bodies to face the brutality to come.
Rob smiled as he watched his family train.The new world was cruel, but they were ready to face it.
The alarm sounded just a few hours later.
From the watchtower, they spotted a horde of mutated beasts charging at full speed.
—"Everyone to defensive positions!"—Rob roared.
The bastion, designed to withstand assaults, deployed its defenses: automatic turrets, electric traps, and combat teams.
The battle was brutal.
The roars of the beasts, gunfire, and cries of effort filled the air.While the base held strong, the pressure from the horde was intense.
The smell of blood permeated the atmosphere.
Amid the chaos, Rommy—Daniela's older sister—acted impulsively.Always fearless, she disobeyed orders and left the bastion to confront the creatures directly.
Rob shouted her name, but it was too late.
A mutant beast, faster than expected, tore off her left arm with a brutal bite.
Rommy fell to the ground, screaming in pain.
The general alarm escalated to maximum.
A rescue team sprinted to bring her back while Rob and Alan covered the retreat.
The entire bastion was shaken.
In the makeshift infirmary, Daniela wept uncontrollably beside Rommy as the medics tried to stop the bleeding.
Rob clenched his fists.They couldn't afford to lose anyone so soon.
Victoria, pale, approached the stretcher.
—"Let me try,"—she said, her voice trembling.
She activated her Holy Healing skill.A golden light flowed from her hands, bathing Rommy's body.
Before everyone's astonished eyes, the wound stopped bleeding.And slowly, a new arm began to regenerate.
Daniela collapsed to her knees, crying uncontrollably.She clung tightly to her sister.
—"Thank you, thank you, thank you!"—she repeated through sobs.
Rommy, weak but conscious, gently stroked her sister's hair.
Victoria, exhausted, collapsed into a nearby chair.Tears rolled down her cheeks.
For the first time, she fully understood the weight—and the blessing—of her new ability.
After the battle, Rob gathered everyone.
—"Today, we learned a lesson,"—he said, his voice echoing—"This is no longer our old world. Here, a single mistake can cost us everything."
Everyone nodded solemnly.
The bastion had survived.But nothing would ever be the same again.
That night, the media broadcasted the most terrifying news humanity had ever seen:
New York, attacked by a sea monster the size of a skyscraper.
London, overrun by colossal plants.
Shanghai, plunged into total chaos.
São Paulo, invaded by hordes of mutated creatures.
The footage was chilling: helicopters falling from the sky, skyscrapers collapsing, screams, fire, darkness.
The internet and power grids still worked—but only served to amplify the horror.
Humanity had officially been thrown into the abyss.
Rob, standing atop the bastion wall, watched the stars.
Matthew, Victoria, and Alan joined him.
—"Do you think we'll survive?"—Alan asked quietly.
Rob looked toward the horizon, where the sky seemed to crack apart.
—"I don't know,"—he answered honestly—"But we have no other choice."
He clenched his fists.
They would fight.Until their last breath.