End Of World Marriage

Introduction To Skills

[Your Active Skill Basic Fire Bullet has reached Level 1! Range and speed of the bullet have slightly increased. Cost has slightly reduced.]

Kate blinked. It seemed almost blowing her own face off had been enough to get her Basic Fire Bullet skill to level one. She'd have to check for herself just how much it had changed. Kenan had told her he'd trained, but knowing her husband, the fool would have just repeated the same action over and over again.

Kate paused. Her husband? Was he really her husband? After everything that had happened, everything he'd done to her—regardless of the end of the world, did she still want to be with him? Kate shook her head. She had no answers to these questions. Survival was more important right now, though to be honest, she hadn't stopped thinking about the quest the system had given. Twelve hundred exp just to consummate their marriage. Yeah, some things didn't add up.

"We can bring three of our stats up to level two with the amount of exp we've got. But I'd like to get that Introduction to Skills option in the store."

Kate caught Kenan rolling his eyes. She narrowed hers but ignored him as she proceeded to raise her Spirit and Mental to level two, then purchased the Introduction to Skills option from the store. It turned out to be some sort of textbook on skills—how they worked. It would definitely go a long way in helping them survive.

"I have to study this. Y-you're welcome to join me once you're done with your stats." Kate blinked, scowling softly at her stuttering. There was no reason for that. She wasn't some young schoolgirl standing in front of her crush.

Kenan, on the other hand, had had a few years to understand just what sort of person Kate was. So he only shrugged and shifted his attention to the pylon. Unlike Kate, he didn't feel particularly inclined to buy anything from the recently unlocked store. He had no use for seeds or a bed at the moment—they had no idea what the interior of the cabin even looked like.

But with the changes locked in, between the both of them they only had three stats that weren't at level two—two stats for Kate and just one for Kenan. They felt the changes the same as before, an almost invigorating feeling that made them feel really comfortable. Then Kenan gave the stat pages one final look.

Name: Kenan Keys Davis

Level: 1 (0/100)

Unallocated EXP: 30

Stats:

Physique: Basic Lv 2 (0/1000)

Spirit: Basic Lv 2 (0/1000)

Mental: Basic Lv 2 (0/1000)

Soul: Basic Lv 1 (0/100)

Perception: Basic Lv 2 (0/1000)

Magic: Basic Lv 2 (0/1000)

Skills:

Active Skill:

• Basic Wind Bullet — Lv 1 (15/250)

Passive Skill:

• Basic Weapons Handling — Lv 1 (44/250)

Name: Katherine Kate Davis

Level: 1 (0/100)

Unallocated EXP: 80

Stats:

Physique: Basic Lv 1 (0/100)

Spirit: Basic Lv 2 (0/1000)

Mental: Basic Lv 2 (0/1000)

Soul: Basic Lv 1 (0/100)

Perception: Basic Lv 1 (0/100)

Magic: Basic Lv 2 (0/1000)

Skills:

Active Skill:

• Basic Fire Bullet — Lv 1 (19/250)

Passive Skill:

• Basic Magic Mastery — Lv 1 (7/250)

They'd both ignored raising their levels. Kenan didn't feel it was of any particular use to raise their levels so early, but perhaps they'd have to try after the next wave. Kenan then shifted his attention to the rewards they'd gotten—a Basic Survival and Weapons Bundle, along with the Healer's Bundle. From those, he was able to get a quiver of arrows—twenty this time—two shields, and what seemed to be a wand of some sort.

Kenan tried to see if he could bring up some explanation for the equipment, but the pylon was unresponsive. Perhaps they needed to get an Identify skill or something. Till then, they were stuck using equipment blindly. Nevertheless, they didn't lack for weapons. The remnants left by the hobgoblins—the staff and the longsword—were in relatively good shape. If a wand could be used, then the hobgoblin's staff should prove useful for Kate.

For the Survival Bundle, they ended up with a set of three different-sized cooking pots, plates, spoons, a ladle, and a full set of kitchen spices including salt, sugar, and dried peppers. They also got a few more sandwiches and bottles of water. Kenan raised an eyebrow at that. He was hoping the system didn't expect them to start eating the goblins, considering the ingredients they'd been given, because that would be absolutely disgusting.

The healing satchel held the same two Basic Healing Potions and Basic Mana Potions, along with two rolls of bandages, just like the first. Unfortunately, Kate had already used one potion to save him, so they were down to one of the life-saving liquid. They had to be careful in subsequent waves, especially Kate. He didn't want her getting hurt again. Still, everything seemed to be in order as he moved to Kate's side, the pylon splitting the screen so he could read through what she was reading.

"According to this, we've been rather rigid in the way we use our skills," Kate explained as soon as he joined her.

"Skills work under set parameters, but they grow from usage and also from how we use them. Apparently, the system rewards experiments and different ways of utilizing the skills. This affects how the skill evolves or changes as you level it up." She paused, then looked at Kenan for a moment. "It seems you were right—practice will help. Though understanding the nature of the skill and how it can best be used would help too. We also need to get you the Basic Magic Mastery skill if we can."

Kenan frowned. "Why?"

Kate moved closer, swiping the system screen with excitement as she fell into a sort of lecture mode. "For efficiency. From what I can see and have read, it helps manage your usage of mana or energy for your other skills. With it, you can manipulate a lot more freely—how much mana you want in a spell, or whether to overload it. Kind of like what I did that got me a face full of exploding magical fire."

Kenan winced slightly as he remembered what Kate had just endured. And now, for some reason, she seemed overly excited to go and put herself in that same danger again.

"Maybe you should slow down a bit. You almost died already. This sounds like it would be even more dangerous than before."

A furious look crossed Kate's features, one that made Kenan feel like a stone was sinking into the pit of his stomach.

"Not that I asked for your opinion." Her voice was sharp, cutting. "We're already in danger, Kenan. As far as I see it, if we don't get stronger quickly and understand the tools we have available to us, being in danger won't matter—we'll both be dead!"

Kenan raised both hands in a placating gesture, but Kate had already turned away with a huff. Kenan assumed that meant his impromptu lesson on skills was over. He'd have to find out the rest by himself.

According to the packet of information—system ebook? He wasn't sure what to call it—skills were broken down into five ranks, with sub-skill effects every five levels and an evolution every ten levels. The ranks were Basic, Advanced, Master, Grandmaster, and Divine. Each rank had levels one to ten. Exp and usage were the only ways to upgrade skills, though usage was advised as the preferred method. You developed greater understanding of your skills that way.

Kenan finished up a lot slower than Kate. She digested information at a far greater rate than he did. To be honest, he was just good at killing. He'd been surviving on money he'd kept aside since he was a teenager. Coming from a family of hitmen, gang enforcers, personal bodyguards, and mercenaries was rather lucrative. Kenan had learned to shoot as soon as he could walk and hold a gun properly. He'd mastered blades from the moment he could hold a spoon to feed himself. His toys had been butterfly knives, karambits, and sais. As he grew older, those became swords, guns, and the occasional grenade. He'd do anything to have his grenade collection with him right now—it would make the next couple of waves much easier.

Kenan left the pylon, following after Kate as she stepped into the cabin. It wasn't much to look at—just a room barely large enough for the both of them. The bedrolls from the tent were folded up at the sides, and there was only a single table and two chairs in the cabin as furniture. Kate carried a scowl on her face for a few seconds before she gestured at the entire cabin.

"Home sweet home, I guess. Not the honeymoon suite we paid for, but at least we're not sleeping on the earth and out under the stars." Her voice turned bitter. "Not that the honeymoon suite would have seen any use anyway. My wedding was ruined."

Kate didn't even turn to acknowledge the haunted look on Kenan's face.

"I'm going to try and get some rest. Do whatever you want."

Kenan could only let out a helpless sigh as Kate spread one of the bedrolls and got on it. Her eyes were closed and her back turned to him, leaving him feeling more alone than he'd ever felt before. He stood there for a long moment, watching the rise and fall of her breathing, the tension in her shoulders even as she tried to sleep.

He wanted to say something—anything—but the words stuck in his throat. Every apology felt inadequate. Every explanation seemed like an excuse. So instead, he just stood there in the doorway of their makeshift home, the weight of everything unsaid pressing down on him like the corpses of the monsters outside.

Finally, he turned away, grabbed the second bedroll, and laid it out on the opposite side of the small cabin. As far from her as the cramped space would allow. It felt like miles.

The silence between them was deafening.