2. Checking Abilities (3)

“Huff, huff.”

My heart feels like it’s going to explode.

The hysterical girls are still trembling and screaming in fear, while the storage room door I’m pushing against keeps shaking violently from the pounding outside.

“Huff, huff.”

Let’s be clear.

I’m not exactly the altruistic type.

I attacked that clerk to save my own ass, not to rescue these screaming attention magnets.

Standing around near the entrance then collapsing into a trembling mess – how the hell am I supposed to get out with you like that?

If they’d gotten bitten and died there, I’d be trapped here.

And not just by one – those attention whores would’ve turned into beasts too, making it three against one.

I don’t even know why I dragged these screaming bitches into the storage room.

Why did I do that?

“Haa, haa.”

Breathe, steady your breathing.

Damn it!

I almost died stealing dumplings from a convenience store!

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

I get being scared when a monster with half its face missing comes at you with its jaws unhinged.

But why collapse into panic?

Don’t you know that means death?

“Kyaaaaah! Ah! Aaaah!”

“Shut the fuck up! Can’t you be quiet?!”

I roared at them.

Doesn’t matter if these bitches scream or not – the monsters outside are already making enough noise.

But it pisses me off.

“Your fucking screams will just attract more! You want to die that badly? Huh? Use your damn heads!”

The screaming stopped.

The girls clung to each other, trembling as they stared at me.

Almost like they’re glaring.

Oh wow, you can glare too. How impressive. Maybe use those eyes to kill the beastmen outside.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

“Graaaah! Graaaaah! Graah!”

My arms shake from the impacts.

We’ve escaped for now, but I’ve got no idea what to do next.

This stress is killing me.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

“Graah! Graaaaah! Graaaah!”

These fucking beast bastards!

Feeling the vibrations through my back, I gritted my teeth.

“Look… huh? I came here for food. Got what I needed. When this is over, I’m leaving, and you’ll go your own way. After that, heh, fuck. Let’s never see each other again. Okay?”

Being with these idiots will just shorten my lifespan.

If anyone tells me we should help each other survive, take these siren bitches with you.

I’d rather get cursed at and go solo.

“Haa, haa.”

This is driving me insane.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Don’t those bastards outside ever get tired?

They’re really going at it.

Fuck. Can’t keep holding this door forever.

Pushing against the door with both hands, I scanned the storage room. Several shelves lined the walls.

Right. Might as well use them.

The owner’s not coming back anyway.

Biting my lip, I grabbed the shelf on the right and pulled.

Screeeech!

This one’s heavy.

Ah, it’s the drink shelf.

Groaning, I dragged it to block the door, finally feeling somewhat relieved.

With two shelves wedged between the wall and door, even if the door breaks, they can’t get in.

“…Haa, haa.”

Catching my breath, I finally slumped to the floor.

With three people inside, the storage room feels cramped.

Though the pounding continues outside, I feel slightly more at ease.

The girls huddle together as far from me as possible, pale-faced and trembling.

Yeah, fuck.

Stay like that.

Don’t talk to me.

“Hoo…”

I sighed deeply and looked up.

…Acceleration.

Could I have taken down that clerk without it?

I looked at the baton.

Blood and hair stuck to it.

…Disgusting… fucking hell.

…But still…

Acceleration saved me.

It says “auto-cast,” but I’m not sure exactly when it activates.

So far it’s triggered at just the right moments to get me out of danger, so the timing seems decent.

Not sure if I can turn off auto-cast, but I’ll leave it for now.

…Ah.

The message said I leveled up?

“…Status.”

———-

Chosen One

[Specialization – Time Adjuster] [Level – 2]

[Title – Civilian]

Status

[HP – 4/6] [Senses – 2/2]

[Strength – 4/5] [Agility – 4/4]

[Mind – 2/7] [Intelligence – N/A]

[Allocation Points – 1]

Skills

[Active – Acceleration] (Auto-casting)

———-

……1 point.

Haa……

Couldn’t be more generous?

Acceleration is crucial. Should boost Mind first.

How do I allocate it?

Pressing the Mind stat does nothing.

The allocation point is blinking.

When I press it, the stats start blinking. Ah, that’s how.

After putting 1 point into Mind, I feel empty.

Almost died for 1 stat point.

Damn.

Chosen One, my ass.

If I’m chosen, give me a damn machine gun! Or grenades! Something to kill these monsters!

Ugh… so frustrating.

“Haa, haa.”

Now that the tension’s easing, I’m thirsty.

I grabbed the Gatorade from my bag and chugged it.

Drank about half in one go.

“Haa…”

Ah, refreshing.

Pounding outside, clueless girls sitting pale-faced beside me, trapped here.

But at least the drink is cool.

Right.

Calm down.

Need to assess the situation rationally.

Those things are dangerous.

With only one Acceleration use, I’m screwed if they swarm me.

Need to increase my Acceleration uses fast.

That means leveling up by killing them.

…Ambush is the only way.

Find isolated ones, activate Acceleration, and kill them instantly.

Worried about mom and dad.

And that bitch – don’t know why I care, but I do.

Hope she didn’t die eating tteokbokki.

To check on my family and survive, leveling up is priority now.

Not eating, sleeping, or shitting.

Leveling up.

…Leveling up…

Why did I level?

…From fighting?

No EXP bar in the status window.

Maybe check elsewhere?

“Achievements.”

…Nothing changed.

Ah, right.

“Inventory.”

———-

[Soul Stone – 1] []

———-

Huh.

Something new.

…Soul Stone?

What’s this.

No response when I tap it.

Soul Stone? Stone of souls……

……Soul……

Ah…

That clerk I beat – did he die?

Died and this went into my inventory?

Can’t think of another explanation.

I’ll check when we get out.

Anyway, survival plan is set.

Can loot convenience stores for food. For now at least.

Damn.

Wish this was America.

Heard they have gun shops everywhere.

A shotgun would make survival easier…

No.

I have this baton.

Fuck, where are we?

…Huh?

The baton…

…Looks bent?

On closer inspection, the metal rod is slightly warped.

Ah, fuck.

Thought it was sturdier…

Won’t last much longer.

…Need to find weapons.

Weapons……

Where?

“…Haa, damn.”

Leaning my head against the wall, I sat down.

Even after having their throats torn out and bleeding profusely, they get up screaming. That’s not normal.

Should take a hundred deaths to put them down.

Breaking limbs or hitting them won’t cut it.

Like just now – attacking the head to kill…

…Heart?

Would attacking the heart stop them?

…..Heart……

…No.

Just thought about this.

Even with their throats torn and blood gushing, injuries that should kill anyone a hundred times over, they keep moving.

Has nothing to do with the heart.

…It’s the head.

Need to destroy the head.

Gripping the baton, I steeled myself.

Earlier, half out of my mind, I instinctively went for the head. Didn’t think about killing.

Just struck.

Two hits to the head killed it…

Got lucky.

But from now on, different approach.

Aim straight for the head.

With intent to kill.

…Suddenly nervous.

The baton’s grip feels rough.

Anti-slip texture.

Running fingers over the bumps, I took deep breaths.

I can do this.

They bite people, attack to kill.

So I’ll attack to kill too.

Life or death, one strike each.

Fair game.

……Wait.

But the victims…

No corpses on the streets earlier.

……Throats torn, blood gushing…

The officer, the clerk…

How can they move with such injuries?

……Unless.

Unless those things…

Aren’t already dead?

No fucking way…

Not zombies…

Zombies shuffle!

Moaning slowly!

Dead things shouldn’t leap around like that!

So, no.

They’re not dead.

…But those wounds were definitely fatal.

“Haa…”

Nothing makes sense.

Sitting here just makes my head hurt.

The pounding outside has stopped.

Just faint growling now.

“…Um…”

A girl spoke.

Voice sounds wrecked.

From all that screaming.

I glanced at them.

The one in jeans and t-shirt said:

“Thank you… for saving us.”

……Right.

Even I don’t know why I saved you. Maybe God knows. Not that I believe in that.

I nodded.

“Sorry for screaming earlier. Are you hurt?”