Frozen in place, Thomas's mind raced, a chaotic jumble of fear, disbelief, and a strange, burgeoning sense of… anticipation?
The blue screen persisted, its otherworldly glow illuminating his small living room like an artifact from a forgotten dream.
Could this be real? A "Cosmic Evolution System"?
It sounded like something straight out of one of those fantasy web novels he occasionally read to unwind from his studies, a fleeting escape from the relentless demands of college life and the looming anxiety of his uncertain future.
The irony of the situation wasn't lost on him – here he was, facing a real-life apocalypse, and he was being given a system that sounded like something from a fictional power fantasy.
Another crash echoed from the hallway, closer this time, followed by frantic, terrified shouts that sent a jolt of adrenaline through his veins.
His neighbors. He knew old Mrs. Gable lived next door, her gentle presence a comforting fixture in their quiet building.
And the young couple, Mark and Sarah, were just down the hall, their laughter often echoing through the thin walls, a reminder of the normalcy that now seemed so distant.
A sense of urgency, primal and insistent, washed over him, overriding his shock and confusion.
He had to do something. He couldn't just stand here, paralyzed by disbelief, while his neighbors were being slaughtered.
He cautiously approached his apartment door, his heart pounding against his ribs like a trapped bird, and peered through the peephole.
The hallway was dimly lit, the emergency lights casting long, distorted shadows that danced like macabre figures.
He could see a grotesque figure hunched over a fallen body, its form vaguely canine but far larger and more monstrous, its razor-sharp teeth dripping with a dark, viscous fluid that glistened in the dim light. Its glowing red eyes, burning with a malevolent intelligence, seemed to pierce the darkness, and Thomas felt a primal shiver of terror trace its way down his spine.
This was no mutated animal; this was a creature from a nightmare, a predator from some twisted, alien world.
As the creature continued its gruesome feast, tearing at the fallen body with savage ferocity, the blue screen in Thomas's vision flickered, its glow intensifying as a new message appeared:
[Sudden Quest Detected: Survive the Initial Onslaught.]
[Objective: Ensure your survival for the next hour.]
[Reward: 1 Evolution Point, 100 Experience Points.]
[Failure: Death.]
"Well, isn't this just peachy?" Thomas muttered under his breath, a nervous chuckle escaping his lips, a desperate attempt to inject some levity into the terrifying situation.
"Talk about a pop quiz from hell." An hour? Against that thing?
He was just a college student, his life a mundane routine of lectures, textbooks, and late-night study sessions.
His only weapons were his wits, a rusty kitchen knife he rarely used, and the sheer force of his will.
Suddenly, the creature lifted its head, its glowing red eyes fixated on his door, as if sensing his presence through the thin wood. It must have heard the slight noise he made, the rustle of his clothes, the soft thud of his footsteps on the carpet.
A low growl rumbled in its chest, a guttural sound that vibrated through the floorboards, and it began to stalk towards his apartment, its movements fluid and predatory.
Panic threatened to overwhelm Thomas, to freeze him in place like a deer caught in headlights.
But the stark reality of the quest, the image of the blue screen and its chilling "Failure: Death" message, somehow focused his mind, cutting through the fear like a sharp blade. He wouldn't just cower here and wait to be torn apart. He had to fight. He had to survive.
He backed away from the door, his eyes darting around his small apartment, searching for anything that could serve as a weapon, anything that could give him even a sliver of a chance against the monstrous creature outside.
A heavy lamp on his desk, its base made of solid metal. A sturdy-looking fire extinguisher in the corner, its red canister gleaming ominously.
His gaze fell upon a metal baseball bat he had bought ages ago but rarely used, a relic from a brief, ill-fated attempt to join the college baseball team. It leaned against the wall, its metallic surface dull and unassuming, but in this moment, it looked like a weapon of salvation.
It would have to do.
Gripping the baseball bat with both hands, his knuckles white and his muscles tense, Thomas positioned himself behind the door, his breath coming in short, shallow gasps.
He could hear the creature scratching at the wood, its snarls growing louder, more insistent, as if it could smell his fear.
Fear was a cold knot in his stomach, a paralyzing dread that threatened to consume him. But beneath it, a sliver of something else began to stir, a strange sense of… anticipation? A primal instinct for survival, a desperate will to live.
With a splintering crash, the door burst inward, the cheap wood shattering like glass, and the monstrous canine lunged, its jaws wide and its glowing red eyes burning with predatory hunger.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl, the world narrowing to the creature's snarling maw and the desperate swing of his baseball bat.
Thomas swung the bat with all his might, channeling every ounce of his fear and desperation into the blow, connecting with a sickening thwack against the creature's head. It staggered back, a surprised yelp escaping its grotesque maw, its glowing eyes momentarily dimming.
[Combat Log:]
[You have struck the Mutated Hound.]
[-12 HP.]
Another blue screen flashed before his eyes, this one displaying the creature's apparent "health points," a bizarre video game metric imposed on the horrifying reality of the situation.
What in the digital devil was going on? Before he could process it, the hound lunged again, its movements surprisingly swift, its jaws snapping inches from his face.
Thomas barely managed to sidestep, the creature's teeth grazing his arm, drawing a thin line of blood that stung like fire.
Pain shot up his limb, a sharp, burning sensation that ignited something within him, a primal rage that overrode his fear.
He wouldn't just survive; he would live.
He swung the bat again, aiming for the creature's exposed flank, his movements fueled by adrenaline and a desperate will to survive.
[Combat Log:]
[You have struck the Mutated Hound.]
[-15 HP.]
The hound whined, its movements becoming sluggish, its glowing red eyes flickering with pain.
Thomas pressed his attack, fueled by a surge of adrenaline he didn't know he possessed. He swung the bat again and again, the metallic clang echoing in the confined space, each blow a desperate prayer for survival.
Finally, with a wet thud, the creature collapsed, its glowing red eyes dimming, its monstrous form still and lifeless on the floor.
[Mutated Hound Eliminated.]
[+5 Experience Points.]
[Quest Completed: Survive the Initial Onslaught.]
[Reward: 1 Evolution Point, 100 Experience Points.]
Thomas stood panting, his chest heaving, the baseball bat heavy in his trembling hands, staring at the lifeless form of the mutated hound.
He had survived.
Against all odds, he had survived.
But the blue screen flickered again, its glow unwavering, revealing a new message:
[Cosmic Seed Evolution Initiated.]
[Processing Evolution Points…]
[Allocating Evolution Point…]
[+1 Strength.]
[+1 Agility.]
[+1 Vitality.]
A warm energy coursed through his body, a tingling sensation that made his muscles feel… stronger, more alive. The small cut on his arm seemed to be already closing, the bleeding stopping as if by magic.
Thomas looked down at his hands, a mixture of disbelief and a dawning understanding in his dark brown eyes.
This was just the beginning.
The world had shattered, and he, it seemed, was evolving with it. The Cosmic Evolution System was his lifeline in this new, terrifying reality, a path to power and survival in a world gone mad.