Snap!
The lock clicked shut behind Natasha as she stepped into the side room, the sound echoing with a finality that made her stomach clench.
Elric slid the bolt into place with trembling hands, his fingers barely maintaining their grip on the cold metal. His body was trembling from exhaustion—not just physical fatigue, but the deep, bone-deep weariness that came from pushing his abilities beyond their limits.
He didn't even bother saying another word to her—couldn't have managed more than a few syllables even if he'd wanted to. He just leaned against the wall for a moment, using it to support his weight, then stumbled toward the couch like a drunk man and collapsed onto it.
The cushions barely had time to compress before his consciousness faded.
Within seconds, he was asleep—the deep, dreamless sleep of someone whose body had simply shut down to protect itself.
The city outside was silent, except for the distant wails echoing through the fog—sounds that might have been human once, but weren't anymore. They rose and fell in discordant patterns, like the crying of newborns mixed with the screaming of dying animals.
The once-bustling university campus was now just a graveyard of broken windows and flickering lights. Buildings that had housed thousands of students stood dark and empty. Lecture halls where professors had once droned on about equations and literature now served as tombs for those who hadn't escaped in time.
No one dared to move. Those still alive had learned that movement attracted attention—and attention meant death.
Hours passed in that frozen tableau, the world holding its breath.
By the time Elric woke, the sky outside had gone completely black—not the natural darkness of night, but something deeper, heavier, as if the stars themselves had been smothered.
He rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands, his head heavy, thoughts swimming through molasses as consciousness slowly returned. But strangely, despite the hours of stress and violence, his mind felt clearer than it had in days. Sharp. Focused.
His body felt... lighter somehow, as if some invisible weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He sat up slowly, rolling his shoulders and neck experimentally as if shaking off a layer of fatigue that had clung to him for days like a second skin.
The pain in his muscles was gone. The trembling in his hands had stopped. Even his breathing came easier, deeper, more controlled.
Then, moving with deliberate care, from the inside pocket of his jacket he pulled out the glowing yellow fruit he'd scavenged before collapsing—Liam's fruit, stolen through trickery and violence.
Its surface shimmered with dark, pulsing veins of light that seemed to move beneath the skin like living things. The patterns shifted and flowed, creating hypnotic spirals that hurt to look at directly. It was unnatural, alive in ways that normal fruit could never be.
The thing practically hummed with power, vibrating faintly against his palm.
"The doomsday fruit…" Elric muttered, his eyes gleaming with anticipation in the darkness. "Finally."
Without hesitation, driven by curiosity and ambition in equal measure, he sank his teeth into it.
A wave of bitterness exploded on his tongue—not the pleasant tartness of citrus or the mild bitterness of dark chocolate, but something chemical and wrong, like battery acid mixed with rotting vegetables.
He forced himself to swallow, gagging slightly.
Cold energy raced through his veins like lightning, like ice water injected directly into his bloodstream. It burned and froze simultaneously, spreading from his stomach outward in waves that made his nerves sing with sensation.
He gasped, his back arching involuntarily as the power flooded his system.
The familiar System chime rang in his head, clear as a bell despite having no external source.
[Ding!] Energy detected. Integrating supernatural essence.
[Converting raw energy into experience points…]
[Please select an existing ability for upgrade.]
Elric grinned through the discomfort, his teeth clenched. "So it really works."
There was no question which power he'd choose. Only one ability mattered, only one could keep him alive in what was coming.
"Surgical Field," he said aloud, his voice steady despite the energy coursing through him.
[Confirmed. Upgrading ability.]
[Ding!] Ability level increased.
[Updating System Template…]
A holographic display flickered to life in front of him, materializing from nothing like a ghost made of light. Its blue glow washed over the walls, casting strange shadows that danced and shifted.
The interface was more detailed than before, showing information that hadn't been available at lower levels.
[System Status]
Name: Elric
Stamina: 10 (Weak Civilian Tier)
Mental Power: 10 (Normal Human Level)
Ability: Surgical Field
Ability Level: 2 (1/20)
Unlocked Techniques:
ROOM — Generates a spherical operating field up to 500 meters in diameter. Within this space, the user has absolute awareness and control.
Scan — Perceive and analyze all living or non-living entities within the ROOM, displaying structural and biological data in real-time. Can detect hidden objects, identify weaknesses, and assess threat levels.
Swap — Instantly exchange the positions of two objects or beings within the ROOM. The swapped target cannot exceed three times your body mass or mental threshold.
Elric's eyes widened as he processed the changes. "The range expanded fourfold… and the swap limit tripled."
Five hundred meters. He could cover entire city blocks now. Could swap with people twice his size, maybe three times if he pushed it. The tactical applications made his mind race with possibilities.
But the updates didn't stop there. The screen continued to scroll, revealing new abilities that made his breath catch.
New Techniques Unlocked:
Command Mole — Telekinetically manipulate non-living matter (weapons, debris, machinery) within the ROOM. The heavier the object, the more stamina consumed. Maximum weight limit increases with level.
Scalpel Edge — Channel focused cutting energy through weapons or bare hands. Any target sliced within the ROOM will be separated cleanly, without blood loss or death. Consciousness remains intact. Can be used for surgical precision or combat applications.
Value Shift — Rearrange separated parts or objects at will. Can reconnect, combine, or modify biological and mechanical components (e.g., attach a blade to a limb or graft one body part to another). Permanent changes require extended concentration.
Elric's lips curved into a grin that was almost feral. "Now that's more like it."
For the first time since the world ended, since that first moment when the System had appeared and his ordinary life had shattered like glass, he felt a pulse of real power coursing through him.
The Scalpel Edge—an offensive ability. The kind that could finally make him more than just a survivor scrambling in the dark, more than just prey hoping to avoid predators another day.
He flexed his hand experimentally, concentrating on the new ability. A faint blue energy glimmered across his fingertips like St. Elmo's fire, forming a thin line that sliced through the air with surgical precision.
The sound it made was almost musical—like the whisper of a blade cutting silk, or wind through a narrow canyon.
He chuckled softly, the sound low and satisfied. "I remember seeing something like this in those old comics… the doctor with the power to cut anything without killing. Guess I've got my own version now."
His gaze turned toward the locked door where Natasha and Jenna were resting, two pieces on a chessboard he was only beginning to understand.
The world was crumbling outside. Monsters were evolving, growing stronger with each passing day. And the System that governed him was pushing him to adapt—fast. Too fast, perhaps, but he had no choice but to keep up or die.
He clenched his fist, the faint blue arc fading from his hand as he released his concentration.
"Level two," he murmured to himself. "Not bad for a start… but if I want to survive what's coming, I'll need much more."
There is 15 chapter Advance with 2 chapters every day, in my patreon. If you are interested can check it out.
patreon.com/B_A_3439