Kade hurried toward a nearby building, his only thought being to hide. He wasn't sure how much time had passed since the last ambush, but he wasn't about to take any unnecessary risks.
Slipping inside, he pressed himself against the wall and peered through a broken window, scanning the area for any signs of monsters.
---
At a distance...
The Abomination leader suddenly stopped.
Its glowing red eyes flickered with recognition as it noticed one of its subordinates was missing. Slowly, it turned toward the direction the creature had last gone.
For a moment, it stood completely still—almost as if calculating something.
Then, without the slightest sign of worry, it turned away and continued moving.
It didn't care.
It wasn't interested in the fallen.
---
Watching from his hiding spot, Kade exhaled slowly and slumped against the wall.
"That was close..." he whispered to himself.
But within minutes, he was on his feet again. His heartbeat had steadied, and his instincts urged him forward.
One more kill.
That's all he needed before pulling back.
He tracked the group once more, waiting for the patrol pattern to repeat. When it did, Kade moved like a shadow—quiet, focused, efficient.
But this time, things were different.
As he approached his target, the creature turned sharply.
Its glowing red eyes locked onto him, muscles tensing. The element of surprise was gone.
The monster lunged, hands wide and fast.
Kade rolled left, narrowly dodging its grasp. He retaliated with a downward slash—but the monster raised its arm, blocking with bone and muscle.
Clang!
His blade embedded into the creature's forearm, just inches from its face.
Without hesitation, the monster's free hand cocked back and slammed into Kade's face.
Boom!
The impact sent him flying, his body crashing into a nearby wall with a loud thud. Dust erupted around him. His head rang, and pain exploded across his skull.
Kade blinked through the blur. His vision danced—but through the haze, he saw the monster charging again.
He forced himself up, blood dripping from his brow.
This time, he didn't retreat.
He ran forward.
Blue energy surged around his blades as he poured kinetic charge into them. The hum was louder now—angrier.
At the final moment, he twisted, slashing both blades in a wide arc.
Whoosh!
A twin streak of brilliant blue carved the air.
Shhhk!
The creature's upper torso separated from its lower half. Its top half crumpled to the ground while its legs staggered, then fell.
---
[Monster Defeated – Unranked Level 6 Abomination]
[Rewards Upgraded Due to Unique Skill: +2x Quantity Bonus]
[You've gained 400 EXP!]
[You've gained 1 Uncommon Abyss Crystal!]
[You've gained 400 EXP!]
[You've gained 1 Uncommon Abyss Crystal!]
[Level Up]
[+1 to every stat] ×2
[+5 Free Stat Points] ×2
---
Kade didn't wait.
He turned and dashed toward his apartment, weaving through the ruins and alleys.
Several times, he stopped to check if the leader or its group was following him.
Nothing.
The city remained still, save for the occasional distant howl or crumbling debris.
Satisfied, Kade resumed hunting smaller monsters along the way—stragglers, lesser mutations, beasts too weak to pose a real threat.
By evening, he had cleared most of the area near his apartment. The effort earned him two more levels—but none of the monsters came close to the sheer XP payout of the humanoid Abominations.
Back at the penthouse, Kade slumped onto his chair. Exhausted but satisfied.
He opened his status screen one last time before sleep claimed him.
---
[Status Screen]
Name: Kade Voss
Level: 7 [1000/2000 EXP]
Rank: Unranked (101/100)
Stats:
Strength: 37
Agility: 38
Endurance: 34
Aether Energy: 30
Luck: 33
Free Stat Points: 0
Skills:
Unique Skill – [Eclipse Twin Blades]
Unique Skill – [Reward Enhancement]
Through the cracked window, Kade sat in silence, wrapping fresh bandages around the bruises blooming across his ribs. Every muscle in his body ached, his knuckles raw from hours of fighting—but beneath the pain lingered a quiet satisfaction.
He had survived another day.
More than that—he was evolving.
Once done patching himself up, Kade glanced out the window. The streets below had sunk into darkness, shadows clawing their way between broken buildings. Occasional growls still echoed in the distance, but the area surrounding his apartment had fallen into an eerie quiet.
At least, for now.
He opened his inventory and pulled out an Uncommon Abyss Crystal. It shimmered faintly in his hand, deep indigo threads swirling within its core like a storm trapped in glass.
"I need to figure out how to use these better…" he muttered.
So far, he'd only used them to build up Rank Points. But something told him these crystals held deeper potential—maybe for evolving weapons, unlocking skills, or even crafting rare items… assuming anyone still alive knew how.
With a sigh, he tucked the crystal away.
Instead of resting, Kade opened a weathered notebook he'd salvaged from a ruined bookstore. He flipped past crude sketches and hastily drawn maps, then began scribbling.
Patrol routes. Crystal yield rates. Monster behavior patterns.
Anything he observed, he wrote down.
He wasn't just surviving anymore.
He was preparing.
After nearly an hour of notes and planning, Kade leaned back, eyelids heavy. Exhaustion clawed at him, but his mind buzzed with intent.
Tomorrow… I'll head farther out, he thought. Away from the patrols. Maybe even find a dungeon I can clear.
His thoughts drifted to the Abomination leader. Ten feet tall. Muscles twitching with rage. Veins pulsing red under ash-grey skin.
That thing wasn't just strong—it was evolving too.
Which meant Kade had to evolve faster.
He glanced at the Eclipse Twin Blades, leaning against the wall. Lately, they felt warmer in battle—more responsive, more alive.
Maybe they're growing too.
With that thought, Kade drifted off to sleep.
---
A pale silver glow flooded the room when Kade stirred again. It was night. His ribs still ached from the hit he'd taken earlier, but most of the soreness had faded. Give it two hours, and he'd feel good as new—proof that the increased stats were doing their work.
He got up and freshened up before heading toward the kitchen. Most of the food was still canned. The few fruits and vegetables he'd looted earlier had already spoiled.
How long can I keep this up…?
He cracked open a can, ate in silence, then walked to the balcony. The view hadn't changed. Still the same ghastly cityscape painted in ruin and moonlight.
But tonight… there was something new.
The full moon hung high above the skyline, casting silver light over the desolation. And just as Kade turned to go back inside, something caught his eye.
Movement.
Far down the street—barely visible in the moonlight—he saw them.
The same group of monsters from before.
But now, only four remained: three of the lesser Abominations… and the hulking ten-meter beast leading them.
What happened to the others?
They were scattering again, moving apart to patrol.
Kade's eyes narrowed as one of them—one of the remaining Abominations—turned and began heading in his direction.
And this time… it wasn't wandering.
It was moving straight towards him.
---