The Legendary Toymaker

Chapter 2 Broken world

Out of arrows and just a sword, Donovan goes around the monster to take advantage of its slowness.

With just his sword, he slashed at the zombie's leg.

-7

After that first swing, he tried to run away as fast as he could, but the monstrosity Swiftly swings its arm, scratching Donovan's back.

'Sh#t'

When Donovan reached a safe distance, he had a face of desperation and fear. 'maybe I should try clearing the path and start living near the pound. There were mushrooms on the way hear, living off water and fungi sounds good to me. Who needs family and girlfriend anyway.'

As pessimistic thoughts started flooding his mind, the zombie had approached enough to attack. 

It hammered its fists at him, but it was to slow to hit Donovan.

Dodging seemed his specialty, because every time his sword hit the monster, Donovan managed to avoid the counter of it.

-4

-1

-15!

-9

Once the monster perished, it split into ten regular zombies, with seven of them dead, two crippled, and one with a dark orange light in its forehead.

'uh? Let's just finish this nightmare', thought Donovan with a distress expression.

The two crippled zombies quickly crawled at him with a ferocious intend of killing and eating. While the "shiny" zombie just stared at the void.

Donovan firmly stomped on the head of the fastest zombie, killing it instantly. Then he stabbed the second one a few times before finishing it. After that, the shiny zombie slowly crumbles into dust, leaving a weird looking cristal.

As any rational human being, Donovan decided not to approach the object and walk to the shrine, which in his opinion, looked safer.

As he walked up the structure, a ringing sound along with a notification appeared in front of his eyes.

[First Ruler's challenge complete] {unique}

A few people have the power to rule within them. But to get that power, one must survive different types of challenges. This is the beginning of those with power.

Acquired:

[Toy servant crafting] (active)

Exerts an almost neglectable amount of power of life creation while making any kind of humanoid or beast toy. When born, the toy servant is loyal to his creator. (0.000001 chances of granting true life)

[Sad Doll] (active)

Summons a weird-looking depressed Doll without crafting it. It's screaming may confuse enemies. (chance of disturbing energy flow)

Three hours cooldown

0/3

[Protector] (active)

Summons A Fat and sturdy Doll without crafting it. Gets bigger and smaller.

Five hours cooldown

0/1

[Toy maker bless-curse] 

Wearing standard equipment has penalties depending on its power.

Wearing restrictive, uncomfortable, luxurious, or toy equipment such as chains, capes, toy weapons, or beautiful shoes will give bonuses and stats. (specific equipment is not bound to this)

[Emperor's gift]

As you can unlock your potential, non-emperors can do it too! but they can only do it through you, or certain conditions depending on their talents. (Some skills can be passed down)

One month cooldown

Before reading the announcement, Donovan was hit by realization. His heart rate started rising, followed by fast breathing, shaking, and sweating. 

He had a panic attack. 

His breathing was getting faster and faster, to the point where his hands became numb. He hugged his belly and began the autogenic breathing technic. 

Breathe in 3 seconds…Breathe out 6 seconds… Breathe in 4 seconds… Breathe out 8...

Breathe in 6… Breathe out 12… Breathe in 5… Breathe out 10…

After finishing a cycle, he started the suggestion part of the technic, Speaking sentences according to the situation. 

"I control fear…" or "I can easily adapt to different situations."

Twenty minutes later, Donovan slowly lay down on the floor of the shrine.

'uh? holy...!'

Before he could say anything more, the shrine slowly and carefully started lifting, hovering in the middle of the cave. Still, suddenly Donovan felt an intense pressure pushing him to the ground. The shrine was going upward at a crushing speed. Fear was the only thing he could feel at the moment. Not long after, it stopped on the surface.

"Tsh! a warning would've been nice", the annoyed Donovan stood up and looked at the surrounding environment. A smell of blood lingered in the air, buildings were destroyed, and many dead bodies of humans and nonhumans could be seen everywhere.

'what did just happened' the huge c***k where he fell was nowhere to be found as if it was never there. 

The place seemed as if a one-sided war occurred in the little time he was in that mysterious place.

A collapsed building laid beside him, screaming could be heard, the ground was covered in debris, and as if a parade, groups of pale and blood tainted people marched toward the noise. 

Donovan rose slowly while observing his surroundings. 'What happened here? Will I suffered for the rest of eternity?' 

While regretting the time he didn't help that elderly cross the street and the time he pretended to be sleeping not to give up the chair, a zombie slowly approached him from behind. 

"Run!" a woman warned from a distance, but it was too late. The zombie madly bit at Donovan's trapezius. 

Donovan's screamed in pain while trying to get rid of the creature, yet it made the pain worse. 

Falling to the ground, he kept screaming until his vision began to fade, last he heard was multiple gunshots and yelling. 

A woman wilding a long firearm, and the one who warned Donovan earlier, walked to his unconscious body. “This must be the weakest ruler so far.” Disdain could be seen all over her face. “Take him to base!”