Thiago's whisper, "It's begun," echoed through the presidential suite, a barely audible sound that nonetheless pierced the tense silence with the force of thunder. Outside, the city's growl, once a distant murmur, swelled into a guttural chorus of terror, mingling with shrill screams, the shrill sound of breaking glass, and the metallic clang of collisions. The sky, visible through the wide windows, was now tinged an oppressive red, crimson and scarlet, as if the firmament itself were bleeding. It was the dawn of hell, promptly at 7 a.m.
The family, gathered in the living room, was paralyzed with terror. Thiago's parents, embraced, their faces pale and eyes wide, staring at the window as if waiting for the vision to dissolve. Lucas and Gabriel stood, their hands instinctively on their pistol holsters, their bodies tense, ready for a fight they barely understood. Sofia, radio in hand, stood like a statue, her eyes fixed on the red horizon. Hiroshi, with his usual serenity, held Harumi's hand, but even his expression showed a shadow of apprehension, his deep-set eyes watching Thiago with an intensity that seemed to seek answers beyond words. The children—Takeshi, Akari, and Hana—who had previously been playing innocently, were now huddled close to their mothers, their small faces pale, their eyes filled with terrified confusion. The sound of chaos outside was an invisible but palpable monster creeping into the suite.
Thiago felt a shiver run down his spine, but it wasn't from fear. It was the familiarity of terror, the grim acceptance of a reality he'd already lived. In his mind, a voice, soundless but clear as a crystal clear thought, echoed:System activated. Kill count starts: 0/10 to next level.The sound of the System was a strange contrast to the chaos outside, a cold, mechanical confirmation that the game had begun. He felt a surge of energy course through him, a sense of latent power that he knew was the bonus of his attributes, the promise of his evolution.
"Stay away from the windows," Thiago ordered, his calm but firm voice cutting through the group's stupor. "Don't look outside. Don't make any noise. Sound attracts them." He gestured to the heavy curtains. "Close everything. And prepare yourselves. From now on, each of us is a soldier. Survival is the only rule."
Lucas, Gabriel, Sofia, and Kenji nodded and moved to close the curtains, pulling back the thick fabric that blocked the view of the red sky and muffled the sounds of chaos. The room plunged into an artificial gloom, illuminated only by the hotel's interior lights, creating a sense of isolation, a fragile bubble of safety amidst the storm.
Thiago, with his Wilson Combat SFX9s in his waist holsters and his MP5s at his legs, moved to one of the windows, peering through a crack in the curtains. The street below was a slow-motion nightmare. Cars crashed, smoke billowed from distant buildings, and staggering figures, their silhouettes distorted, shuffling along the sidewalks. They were the White Level 0s, the newly infected, slow but numerous, their mouths open in meaningless snarls, their eyes empty. He could see the opaque white crystals embedded in their foreheads.
A group of them, drawn by the distant screams and the sound of a car alarm blaring incessantly, began to gather near the hotel entrance. Thiago knew they wouldn't make it onto the sealed floor, but the sight was a vivid reminder of what was to come. He needed to get started. He needed experience.
He raised his M4A1 rifle, the ATN THOR-HD .384 Riflescope sight on, the silencer attached. The weapon felt like a natural extension of his arm, heavy and sturdy. Thiago adjusted the fire selector tosingle shot, a habit forged in countless battles where precision and ammunition economy were crucial. He knew every bullet counted. Semi-automatic or automatic mode was a luxury reserved only for the most desperate emergencies, when the horde was overwhelming and survival depended on sheer volume of fire. He aimed for the head of one of the infected, a man in a suit who had once looked like a hurried executive, now a staggering monster. Apfftsoft, almost inaudible, and the white crystal on the zombie's forehead shattered, the body falling lifeless.Kills: 1/10.
Thiago moved his sights to another, a woman in a summer dress.Pfft. The crystal broke.Kills: 2/10.He continued, methodical, precise, eliminating them one by one, the muffled sound of gunfire barely audible. He felt the adrenaline, the concentration, the familiarity of combat returning. Each kill was an experience point, a step toward his evolution. He was playing the game he had lived for twenty years, but this time, he had an advantage.
Kills: 9/10.He aimed at the last zombie in the group, a teenager with a school bag.Pfft. The crystal shattered.Kills: 10/10. Level reached! Thiago is now Level 1. Thiago gained 8 attribute points to distribute.
A surge of power coursed through Thiago's body, a familiar feeling of strength and mental clarity. His muscles felt denser, his reflexes quicker, his mind sharper. He felt his mana, once empty, now pulsing with a subtle energy, a reservoir of power he could draw upon for the abilities the System offered. It was a reminder that he was no longer an ordinary human. He was something more.
He stepped away from the window, the curtain closing again, and turned to the group. No one had noticed the gunshots; the silence of the slaughter was almost perfect. The terror on the family's faces remained, but there was a new glimmer of hope, a belief in Thiago's leadership.
"What did you see, Thiago?" Lucas's father asked, his voice hoarse, his eyes fixed on the young man's face.
Thiago took a deep breath. "What I saw... is what's happening out there. But we're safe here. For now. We need to remain vigilant. And we need to prepare for what comes next." He couldn't give details, couldn't talk about the System, about the zombie levels, about the crystals. But he could prepare them.
Morning turned into afternoon. The sound of chaos outside continued, a constant growl mingling with distant screams and muffled explosions. Thiago continued his vigil, peering through the cracks in the curtains, eliminating any infected who strayed too close to the hotel. He watched the Plague's progression, the way the White Level 0s were quickly replaced by Pale Green Level 1s, their movements slightly quicker, their growls more menacing.
Kills: 11/100.He continued, one silent kill after another. He could feel the difference in his own strength, the way his movements were more fluid, his aim more precise. The System was a part of him, an extension of his will, a tool for survival.
Kills: 99/100.He targeted a Pale Green Level 1 that was trying to break down a store door.Pfft. The pale green crystal shattered.Kills: 100/100. Level reached! Thiago is now Level 2. Thiago gained 8 attribute points to distribute.
Another wave of power, more intense this time, coursed through Thiago's body. He felt his muscles contract, his vision sharpen, his mind expand. The mana in his body pulsed more strongly, an underground river of energy waiting to be released. He was evolving. He was becoming the warrior he had been in the future, but this time, he had a chance to make a difference.
Night fell again over New York, but it brought no peace. The city's roar was now a deafening chorus, punctuated by screams and explosions. The city's lights, once a constant glow, began to flicker, to fail, to go out in whole blocks, plunging the metropolis into chaotic darkness. The smell of smoke and burning began to seep through the cracks in the windows, mingling with the sickly, metallic smell of death.
Thiago continued his vigil, his mind focused, his senses heightened. He watched the Moss Green Level 2s, their movements more coordinated, their aggression more pronounced. He knew the Greenish Yellow Level 3s would soon arrive, and then the Burnt Yellow Level 4s, and that the fight would become more brutal. He needed to be ready.
Kills: 101/1000.He continued, one silent shot after another, each kill a tiny victory in the war against darkness. He could feel the fatigue, the tension, but his determination was stronger. He had a family to protect. A promise to keep.
Kills: 999/1000.He targeted a Moss Green Level 2 climbing an overturned bus.Pfft. The moss green crystal shattered.Kills: 1000/1000. Level reached! Thiago is now Level 3. Thiago gained 8 attribute points to distribute.
The third wave of power was the most intense. Thiago felt a burst of energy, his senses sharpening even further. He could hear the distant growls more clearly, feel the vibrations in the ground, almost as if he could predict the infected's movements. The mana in his body pulsed with incredible force, ready to be unleashed. He was becoming stronger, faster, more lethal.
He turned away from the window, his face impassive, but his mind in turmoil. He was the only one who knew about the System, about the true nature of his evolution. He was the only one to carry this burden. But he was ready. He looked at his family, sleeping or trying to sleep, their faces illuminated by the dim light of the lamp. They trusted him. And he would not fail them. The night would be long, and the dawn would bring hell. But this time, they would be ready. And Thiago, the only human to reach Level 9 in his previous life, was on his way to becoming the warrior they needed.