"Hmm, this should be the place," I muttered to myself.
I'm standing in an arena—not too big, not too small. It's medium in size. My thoughts wandered back to before I came here. Just before I left, I gave the three of them strict instructions: Never trust anyone—especially strangers.
They're heading toward the police station now, just as I ordered. I told them to hunt monsters and use that to increase their stats. Mark was still hesitant about using the coins, but thanks to me, I finally convinced him. That brings me to where I am now.
Eagle City has a total of five gangs, each with its own role in the shady, underground market. Their combined numbers could easily reach into the thousands.
I sigh, lifting my gaze to the sky.
Every time I do that, it calms me. Huh... Let's head in.
As I walked inside, I began scanning my surroundings for any possible ambush. Luckily, the place seemed unguarded. Looks like they're all gathered in the field right now.
Hm. As I reached the field—there they were. I saw them. Seems like they're cooperating, at least for now. I quickly scanned the area and counted their numbers—around a thousand. Their numbers have decreased. Is it because of the monsters?
Either way, that works in my favor.
Status, I said.
Ding!
Name: Alex Dawn
Age: 21
Coins: 17,000
Stats:
Strength: 15
Speed: 30
Stamina: 32
Perception: 20
Vitality: 20
Hmm... I can increase my stats up to 17 times.
What should I upgrade this time? Since I'm planning to launch an attack, it's smart to raise my stats first. After all, the coins I'll get from wiping them out will be worth far more than what I currently have. Hehehe...
Once this is over, I'll be much stronger. Just imagine—1,000 people. And if each one has 1,000 coins... that's a million.
Now I understand why some people turn to killing. But still... it's not right.
Though, if we're talking about criminals—like these guys—that's a different story. This case definitely falls into that category.
Let's prioritize Strength this time. I poured all my remaining coins into it.
Ding!
Name: Alex Dawn
Age: 21
Coins: 0
Stats:
Strength: 32
Speed: 30
Stamina: 32
Perception: 20
Vitality: 20
Hmm... That's good.
After I clean this place up, I should be able to buy gear to protect me from the mist at night. Maybe I'll even have some surplus coins left to boost my stats again. If I don't spend on equipment, I could go straight for a massive 1,000-point stat increase.
Once that happens… my stats will hit triple digits. Hahaha... what a monster.
I know reaching that level isn't easy. In the future, people will start killing each other for even the slightest advantage. Only a few ever make it to the triple-digit range—and those few become humanity's last hope.
Heheh... I should be the first to reach that stage. Who knows? Maybe I'll even gain a title this time.
Hmm... Right now, I'm hidden near one of the arena's entrances. Hehe, luckily, I can hear their voices clearly. They're all gathered at the center—probably thanks to my enhanced stats.
Looking closely, I spot five men sitting together in the middle, surrounded by their people. Those must be the gang leaders.
It looks like they're deep in discussion... Damn. From what I can hear, they're planning to unite into one gang.
That's a big problem.
If that really happens, it'll be much harder to deal with them later. Heh... time for some action.
I start walking slowly toward the center. Gradually, the crowd begins to notice me.
"Hey, boss... look! There's a guy walking toward us," one of the gangsters calls out.
"Is he one of yours?" a leader asks.
"Hmm… no," the others respond, shaking their heads.
"Then who the hell is he?"
"Hey!!!" I shout, drawing all their attention.
Oh crap... I suddenly remember—I forgot to tell those three my name earlier.
"You guys are gangsters, right?" I ask, loud and clear.
The moment the words left my mouth, the crowd exploded in rage. A surge of bloodlust filled the air.
"You wanna die, bastard?!"
"Enough! Let's just kill him!"
Perfect. I snickered inwardly. I've got their attention now.
As I continue walking toward the center, one of the leaders raises a hand. "Let him through."
The crowd parts, and I step right into the middle—face to face with the five gang leaders. I'm now surrounded by hundreds of hostile gangsters, all ready to pounce at a moment's notice.
And yet… I'm smiling.
Well, I gotta say," I spoke with a smirk, standing in the center of the arena, "quite a gathering you've got here."
"What do you want?" one of the leaders snapped, his voice sharp with irritation.
"I have a question." I paused for a second. "Before all this... I wanted to join a gang. But I never got the chance. So maybe—just maybe—this is it, right?"
Total bullshit, of course. Just a way to get them talking.
"Huh. Kid, you'd better be honest with us," another leader said, eyeing me suspiciously. "Right now, if we combine all the gangs here, we've got exactly 1,000 people. Sigh... Before this apocalypse, that number was closer to 10,000."
"Wow," I muttered, mock-impressed. "Only a tenth left, huh?"
"Then why don't you just unite?" I asked casually.
One of the leaders burst out laughing. "Hahaha! As if it were that easy, you dumbass."
"If we do that, we'd have to choose a single leader," another added, his tone bitter. "And none of us are willing to give up that spot."
Heh... Looks like they really are all here.
I took a step forward, grinning.
"Then why don't I become the leader?"
Silence.
Then—laughter. The five leaders roared, joined by the chorus of mocking thugs surrounding us.
"HAHAHAHA! That's the best joke I've ever heard!"
"BAHAHAHA!"
Perfect.
Their weapons were down. Their guard was lowered.
Time to move.
In a blink, I dashed forward and slashed—two heads flew clean off, their bodies collapsing instantly. Chaos hadn't even begun to settle before I was already at the next two. They were scrambling for their weapons, but I was faster. Another swift motion—two more heads rolled.
The last leader, eyes wide with shock, barely had time to shout—"ATTACK!!"—before my blade pierced through his heart. His voice died in his throat as his body slumped to the ground.
Now, five corpses surrounded me. Blood pooled at my feet.
The arena was silent. Shocked. Frozen.
Then—
"This bastard!!!"
"ATTACK!!!"
"KILL HIM!!!"
A few minutes later
A black-haired man stood, surrounded by corpses, the ground soaked in blood.
Hm... now that they're all dead.
I glanced down at my abdomen—blood stained my coat. Tch. A shallow wound. Thankfully, I had some basic first aid knowledge. I pressed my hand against it, breathing heavily.
"Whew... that nearly drained me." I sighed. "Let's not do that again."
Thanks to my stats, I managed to wipe them out. Most of the gangsters had stats in the 20s, while the majority of their men barely scratched the double digits.
Another massacre.
This was the second one today, and I already felt exhausted. Just the experience alone—it felt like a year had passed. But now… time to check my spoils.
Status.
Ding!
Name: Alex Dawn
Age: 21
Coins: 1,000,000
Stats:
Strength: 32
Speed: 30
Stamina: 32
Perception: 20
Vitality: 20
Exactly 1 million coins, I smirked. Let's set aside 100,000 for reserves. I'll use the other 900,000 now—exactly 900 upgrades.
With this… my stats will finally hit triple digits.
Hahaha... I'm invincible now!
I distributed the points evenly—100 into each stat.
Ding!
Name: Alex Dawn
Age: 21
Coins: 500,000
Stats:
Strength: 132
Speed: 130
Stamina: 132
Perception: 120
Vitality: 120
I felt it immediately—my body surged with power. My muscles tensed, overflowing with raw strength. It feels like I could punch through a building...
I walked toward one of the arena walls. I steadied myself, raised my fist, and threw a punch.
BAM—BOOM!
"Woah…" A massive hole exploded through the wall. Dust and stone crumbled away.
I really can one-punch people now… Hahaha!
Still had 400 upgrades left. I put another 100 each into Strength, Speed, Stamina, and Vitality—those would help the most when the mist descends.
Ding!
Name: Alex Dawn
Age: 21
Coins: 100,000
Stats:
Strength: 232
Speed: 230
Stamina: 232
Perception: 120
Vitality: 220
Hahahaha... I've become a monster of my own. With this kind of strength, becoming a Guardian is no longer a dream—it's inevitable. No one can take that from me… at least, not for now.
Oh right—one of the gangsters had a working watch. I slipped it onto my wrist.
12:50.
Only ten minutes left.
And then… the mutant will descend.
___________________________________
Good Sword
A finely-forged blade that strikes a balance between power and speed. Slightly enchanted to enhance agility and precision. A solid choice for those with refined technique.
Attack Power: +35
Durability: 200/200
Attack Speed: Fast
Crit Chance: 10%
Special Effect: +5% Agility while equipped
Bloodweave Coat
A long, dark crimson coat woven from enchanted fibers soaked in monster and human blood. Created by a forgotten warlock who believed blood was the key to power. It pulses faintly—almost alive—and grows stronger the more blood it absorbs.
Durability: 250/250
Base Stat Boosts:
+5 Vitality
+10% Movement Speed
+15% Slashing Resistance
+25% Fear Intimidation Aura when bloodied
Passive: Regenerates 1% HP/sec when near or in blood
Special Effects:
Blood Memory: After 10 kills, activate Blood Surge
+20% Strength
+20% Speed
Duration: 60 seconds
Cooldown: 10 minutes
Intimidating Presence: Enemies with lower stats may hesitate or flee before attacking
_____________________________________