2. Checking Abilities (1)

I couldn’t even make it to the second floor.

Slumping onto the landing, I tried to catch my breath.

“Haa, haa, haa.”

In my hands were a phone and an extendable baton.

The phone was slick with sweat.

Wiping it on my pants, I pulled out the half-empty Gatorade from my bag and chugged it.

“Haa.”

That’s better.

Tossing the empty bottle aside, I took out a water bottle and unscrewed the cap. Drinking, I checked my phone.

There had to be some response to this situation.

There had to be.

We have the military, fighter jets, for fuck’s sake, we have everything!

Countless videos were already flooding YouTube.

……Wait.

This looks… Japanese?

Posted by an expat?

…America…

China…

Russia… Germany… Malaysia…

……It’s happening worldwide.

Worldwide……

These… beast-like creatures are appearing everywhere.

Just one of these frenzied, biting monsters could spread rapidly.

I experienced it firsthand.

And this is happening all over the world?

…Insane…what the hell.

What’s going on?

[President’s Emergency Press Conference]

News.

A press conference? Doesn’t seem to be broadcasting yet.

I clicked the news.

[The president is expected to declare a state of emergency starting at 6 PM today. A government source reports martial law and military deployment are possible.]

Short.

Just a snippet.

Martial law?

The military?

“Haa, haa.”

Going all out, huh.

Good.

Do whatever it takes.

Do whatever it takes to stop people from dying.

Use martial law, the military, everything!

“Haa, haa.”

Ah, fuck.

Too tired.

Putting my phone down, I lay on the stairs.

The stick in my left hand was pretty uncomfortable.

I raised my hand.

The baton… pretty hefty.

But it just looks like a small rod?

In movies, you swing it forward and something clicks out…

Click!

Whoa! That’s loud!

The baton extended into a full-length club!

Ooh… looks pretty useful.

Does it hurt?

I smacked my palm with it.

Oof.

Really hard.

Thought it was just a plastic stick, but no.

A solid hit with this could crack a skull.

……Suddenly nervous.

Looked up the stairs.

Quiet.

Peeked over the railing at the street.

No one.

Whew, good.

……No one?

Glanced outside again.

Cars sat on the road.

The traffic light changed from red to green.

The cars didn’t move.

No people, nothing.

Eerily desolate.

……Getting scared.

“Haa…haa…”

Leaning away from the railing, I rested against the stairwell wall.

Sweat drenched my back.

Ah, the wall’s cool.

But……

Why is there no one……?

I clearly saw those beast-like creatures chasing people……

……Then again, no people might be good. Maybe I can call a taxi now……

……A taxi?

Are there any?

With those human beasts running wild, wouldn’t everyone try to grab any taxi in sight?

Plus… people with cars would probably try to flee as far as they could.

Checked my phone.

Searching for traffic and roads showed highway camera images.

Clicking led straight to news.

[Highways at a Standstill]

……News with no content.

Just photos.

Highways overrun with cars.

Packed so tight there’s no room to move.

……Where are these cars going?

From the news earlier.

It’s not just Seoul.

It’s nationwide.

Happening simultaneously worldwide.

……Call a taxi?

And go where?

……Where’s safe?

Where the hell is safe……

……Wait.

Mom. Dad.

You bitch.

Are you all okay?

Tried calling my parents.

No answer.

That bitch isn’t picking up either.

“Haa…fuck…”

Racking my brain didn’t help.

Damn, my hair’s soaked.

Like I just showered.

Running my hand through it, I drank more water.

My body felt limp.

Too tense, too exhausted.

I just want to sleep, damn it.

……Calm down.

Panicking won’t solve anything.

Calm down.

“Hoo…hoo…”

It’s the apocalypse.

The apocalypse is here.

“Hoo…haa-hoo…”

Calmly.

Let’s go through it step by step.

What did I see earlier?

Transformed humans, then the police station. Then something appeared before me.

Definitely……

“…Status.”

———-

Chosen One

[Specialization – Time Adjuster] [Level – 1]

[Title – Civilian]

Status

[HP – 1/6] [Senses – 2/2]

[Strength – 2/5] [Agility – 1/4]

[Mind – 1/7] [Intelligence – N/A]

[Allocation Points – 0]

Skills

[Active – Acceleration] (Auto-cast)

Debuffs

[Fatigue – All stats -1 per hour] (03:33:43)

———-

Right. This!

……Wait.

Stats changed?

HP was 3 or 4 earlier……

Now it’s 1.

Strength and agility dropped too.

……Debuff…… must be why.

Damn.

Anyway, Time Adjuster……

What’s this?

Specialization?

No idea.

Active skill……

Acceleration……

That cop slowed down mid-air earlier.

Acceleration……

……It wasn’t the cop slowing down.

I sped up.

Without Acceleration, I’d have been caught and killed.

“Haa…”

Thank god.

I tapped Acceleration.

Glad I have this.

[Acceleration – 5 seconds of acceleration. Consumes 5 Mind.]

…5 Mind?

Wait.

My Mind is 7 now?

…Can only use it once?

How do I recover Mind then?

No more info?

Damn.

So unhelpful.

Hoo, whatever.

Too tired to think straight.

Looks quiet upstairs, so I’ll rest a bit……

Then figure things out later.

Standing up made my whole body scream.

Sprinting full speed isn’t good for you.

Ugh.

The spot where I sat was damp.

Using the railing, I dragged myself up to the second floor.

Then collapsed again.

What is this building?

Residential or commercial?

“Haa, haa.”

Ah, no idea.

Just rest a bit……

* * *

Cold!

My eyes snapped open as I jolted awake.

Ah, freezing! Fuck!

“Huuu, huuu.”

Dark!

Damn, night already?

How long was I out?

Then a strange sound echoed from afar.

Like a wolf howling…

…No.

It’s… screaming.

I almost reached for my phone.

Instinct stopped me.

The stairwell had glass walls facing outside.

So the road was visible.

If I turned on my phone, the light would give me away.

Anyone out there would see it.

“……Fuck……”

Silently, I mouthed the curse.

Everything felt surreal.

The road looked alien.

Streetlights illuminated abandoned cars, not a soul in sight.

Not even a single delivery bike.

Where did everyone hide?

Or did they all turn into those beasts, running off to bite people?

……Wait.

Cars?

……Cars……

“Hoo……”

Damn.

Get it together!

Can’t stay trapped on these stairs forever!

Ah, right.

“…Status.”

———-

Chosen One

[Specialization – Time Adjuster] [Level – 1]

[Title – Civilian]

Status

[HP – 5/6] [Senses – 2/2]

[Strength – 5/5] [Agility – 4/4]

[Mind – 5/7] [Intelligence – N/A]

[Allocation Points – 0]

Skills

[Active – Acceleration] (Auto-cast)

———-

Oh.

Debuff’s gone, stats mostly recovered.

Must’ve slept a while.

Fuck, glad nothing happened while I was out.

Wait.

HP, strength, and mind are all at 5?

That can’t be right?

Strength was 2 earlier?

…Ah.

Something’s restoring them.

Then…

Must be HP.

Other stats seem to recover based on HP.

Wish there was a manual explaining this shit.

Anyway, got the gist.

Huh?

Wait.

There was another command, right?

Status, and…

“…Achievements?”

———-

Achievements [1/???]

1. First Specialization Acquired.

———-

Ooh!

1/???

Lots of achievements, it seems.

Number 1 keeps blinking.

What?

Hovered over it.

[1. First Specialization Acquired.]

[Reward – Inventory.]

?!

What’s this.

“Inventory?”

———-

[] []

———-

Two slots……?

Inventory, for storing what?

Tried placing the water bottle in an empty slot.

Nothing happened.

What kind of inventory is this.

Explain, damn it!

“Hoo……”

Whatever.

Don’t know what I don’t know. Priority is getting out.

Turning my head made the inventory vanish.

No way to close it-just look away and it’s gone.

Alright……

Got the basics.

Let’s go.

I slowly descended the stairs.

A cool breeze rushed in.

I stepped toward the streetlight’s glow.

Baton in hand,

Leaning against the wall,

Peering outside,

Cautiously.