Myles stopped laughing after a few seconds, realizing how unhinged he must have looked right now. The raw rush of battle still surged through his veins but the madness in his laugh unsettled even himself.
He sighedand wiped the blood from his face with the back of his hand. His fingers trembled slightly, whether from exhaustion or lingering adrenaline, he wasn't sure.
[Level Up: 7]
And he now leveled up. THREE TIMES! That's just amazing.
Then his gaze shifted to Nadine, who stood a few meters away. Her face was a mix of shock and amazement.
Myles smirked. Yeah, what he did was brutal, but damn, it was also pretty badass.
He had just taken down a monstrous abomination in B Rank and a huge mutated dog in C Rank practically by himself. No wonder she was looking at him like that.
His eyes flickered past Nadine and he finally noticed the group of people gathered at the university gate. A bunch of them standing close together with weapons in hand.
Myles frowned, his expression twisting into irritation. They had been watching the whole time.
Watching him fight, struggle, and nearly get torn apart.
And yet, they didn't lift a damn finger to help.
His fists clenched. Now that he was paying closer attention, he noticed something that made his blood boil even more, they were wearing military uniforms. Not just any ragtag survivors. Soldiers. Armed with guns.
They had guns and numbers, yet they just stood there, letting him do all the work while they sat behind their precious walls.
Myles took a slow step forward, his gaze locked onto them. His body was still burning with the aftershocks of battle but with his level up, his body now feels fine.
His anger crackled beneath his skin like embers waiting to ignite.
The silence stretched between him and the armed group. He could feel their wary and calculating eyes on him.
Myles spat onto the blood-soaked ground and scoffed.
"Well," he muttered under his breath with bitter amusement. "Ain't this some bullshit."
Myles turned to Nadine. "Let's head inside," he said.
She nodded but kept her gaze on him, her expression still a mix of awe and curiosity.
"How did you get so strong?" she finally asked.
Myles shrugged. "Just a skill I picked up."
Nadine studied him for a moment before nodding again. This time, she didn't say anything else.
When they reached the gate, five armed soldiers stood guard, watching them.
Myles exhaled slowly, keeping his irritation in check. Now wasn't the time to pick a fight.
"Open the gate," he said, keeping his voice calm. "Please."
The soldiers exchanged looks before the leader gave a nod. The heavy metal doors groaned as they swung open, allowing Myles and Nadine to step inside.
As they walked in, Nadine shot the soldiers a sharp glare. "Why didn't you help us back there?" she asked with frustration.
The leader didn't hesitate to said, "We couldn't take the risk. We tried taking down that giant woman before and failed."
Nadine's expression darkened. "So that means it wasn't even worth trying to save us?"
The leader hesitated. His mouth opened slightly, but no words came out. Around him, the other soldiers remained silent.
Myles stared at the soldiers, his expression darkening. He scoffed and shook his head.
Nadine crossed her arms, glaring at the so-called military. "So that's it? You just sit behind your walls and watch people die if it's 'too risky'?"
The leader shifted uncomfortably. "We have orders. We can't waste ammunition or risk casualties unless it's necessary."
Myles just sighed and start to walk.
As they walked further into the university, Myles took in his surroundings.
The campus had been turned into a makeshift military base. Sandbags, barricades, and guard posts were set up all around the courtyard.
Survivors — civilians — were scattered throughout this shelter, some gathered in small groups, others sitting alone against the walls. Their face showing fear.
Despite the so-called 'protection' the military presence provided, Myles could see the exhaustion and hopelessness in the civilians' faces
As Myles walked further into the university-turned-military base he suddenly felt someone approaching. He glance to his side, where the military leader from earlier had stepped up beside him.
"We need to talk," the soldier said, his voice serious.
Myles exhaled sharply. "Look, I just tore through two goddamn monsters outside, nearly got my ass ripped apart. You think I'm in the mood for a chat right now?" His voice dripped with exhaustion and irritation. "At least let me rest first. Don't tell me you didn't see what I've been through."
The leader gulped, his throat bobbing visibly. His eyes flickered as he recalled the sight of Myles tearing through those creatures with nothing but raw strength and speed, and a metal pipe.
He nodded stiffly. "Fine. You can rest first."
Myles sighed in relief. "Great. Now, where's the bathroom?"
The leader quickly gestured toward a nearby building. "Down that hallway, third door on the right."
Without another word, Myles turned and walked toward the bathroom, Nadine following closely behind.
Right now, washing off the blood and gore clinging to their body was the only thing on their minds.
Myles turned on the faucet, letting the cold water run over his bloodstained body. The water swirled red as it drained, carrying away the remnants of the battle.
As the last of the blood washed away from his skin, Myles finally let out a breath, feeling somewhat refreshed.
Stepping back from the bathroom, Myles leaned against the wall and exhaled. He needed to check something important.
A translucent red screen flickered into existence before his eyes. His gaze immediately went to his stats.
[Available Stat Points: 30]
His smirk widened. Damn, leveling up three times really paid off. Thirty points to distribute was a huge boost and he just need to put them in his stats to make himself stronger.
His eyes scanned his attributes.
[Stats:]
- [Strength: 16]
- [Endurance: 8]
- [Agility: 17]
- [Wisdom: 18]
- [Perception: 11]
Myles tapped his chin, considering his options. Strength was important. His raw power had been useful against the monsters but Agility had also saved his ass more times than he could count with enough speed.
Then there was Endurance. If he had more HP, he wouldn't be easily dead. He thinks that he also need his Perception to be upgraded.
After a moment of thought, he began distributing the points.
[Stats:]
- Strength: 16 +4 = 20
- Endurance: 8 +6 = 14
- Agility: 17 +4 = 20
- Wisdom: 18 +2 = 20
- Perception: 11 +2 = 13
Myles flexed his fingers as he felt the change in his body almost instantly. His muscles tightened and his senses sharpened.
"Good," he muttered. He decided to keep the remaining points for later, just in case he needed to adjust for something unexpected.
Then he take one pair of clean clothes from his backpack and headed outside to talk to the soldier's leader.
---