CHAPTER 9: TRIAL REWARDS COLLECTED
1061 Words
HOURS REMAINING: 2 Hours.
The walls gave way with a deafening boom, followed by a thunderous roar.
Angered by the fact that it had been deceived, the king crawler raged.
Its muscles twitched, and Alex barely had time to run when it swiped across his leg.
The claw sliced through his flesh as if it were hot butter.
Alex fell to the ground with a sharp scream.
The beast pulled, dragging him across the floor.
Pieces of glass pierced Alex's flesh, and tears fell from his eyes. He was done for.
But the next moment, he heard a gunshot.
The king crawler's body was riddled with bullets, and the creature swiftly tossed its prey with an angry roar.
Alex felt the air leave his lungs, and his vision blurred. He couldn’t see where the shots were coming from, but he didn’t care.
The only thought he had was to leave, get the supplies, and hide till the timer ran out.
“Heavens, please…” He gritted his teeth. His left leg was utterly useless, so he could barely even limp.
Before he came to this store, he had led the monster on a path away from his bag, and now that he had seen a chance, he could only head back.
Alex tore a piece of his shirt and folded it, and after biting down on it, he willed himself to walk faster.
Ignoring the heavy rain of bullets and the monster’s hideous cries, Alex moved to where he had kept the bag.
It was a race against time, and in fifteen minutes, he found it.
The bag was lying right behind the car, and he was relieved.
Alex ran for the bag, snatching it in a heartbeat and rushing towards the next building in sight.
The minute he entered, he pulled himself deep into a corner of the building.
He was dizzy because of the blood loss.
He didn’t want to see the cause of the searing pain in his leg, but he couldn’t help it.
Alex looked down at his torn leg, and the next moment, tears fell down his cheeks.
His shoulders trembled as his entire body racked with sobs.
But there was no more time to waste.
Growls and roars drew closer to his building and, seeing the fresh trail of blood on the floor, he knew they’d reach him first.
He also knew the heavy gunfire would attract more crawlers. He did not want to be caught in crossfire.
Alex hauled himself up the stairs, ripped leg scraping along behind him. Every motion left a black smear on the stairs.
The snarls were coming closer.
He reached the top floor and staggered into a room.
Alex rested his body against the wall to keep himself upright.
His hands moved, shifting a fallen shelf and wedging it into the door.
It wasn’t enough. He knew it, but there was no time. The creatures had already rushed headfirst into the building. The first impact shook the frame. Dust rained from the ceiling.
Alex’s chest tightened. His arms were weak. His vision spun. He backed into a corner. It would be best to stay there as the timer ticked down. He had five minutes left in this hell.
Another crash. Claws tore through the wood. One crawler forced its head through the splintered gap, teeth clicking, breath heavy, eyes fixed on him like a predator stalking prey.
Alex couldn’t move. Couldn’t think. His whole body trembled. His vision swam.
In one smash, a crawler broke through. It scrambled over the rubble and lunged.
Just as it struck, the timer blinked and everything vanished.
Alex sighed as a rejuvenating warmth spread through his body. He was back in the Reaper’s Tower.
The bag of supplies was in his hands, but now the contents had doubled.
“So this is how it works.” He chuckled, then glanced down at his legs. Both limbs were perfect. No wounds marred his skin.
“Complete healing after leaving the trial. I thought I was a goner.” His laugh grew lighter.
“Alex, are you there?” Trent’s voice floated to his ears, and Alex pushed himself to his feet.
He turned toward the wall and realized it had vanished. He was able to see beyond it, and he could see his friend.
Trent sat on the floor, gripping an iron rod.
“X-ray vision,” Alex muttered. He’d earned another skill. A smile curved his lips. “What else is new?”
A screen appeared before him.
[You have completed your first system trial.]
[Name: Alexander Ray]
[Classification: Human Lv 2]
[Rank: Initiate]
Alex’s grin widened. He was no longer infected, and he had leveled up.
He wondered about the trial rewards.
“The knife,” he thought of the weapon he’d used.
Then a sword materialized in his hand, accompanied by a chime.
[Level 1 sword skill acquired]
It was almost too good to be true. He’d only used the sword during the trial. A rush of information flowed through his mind, and his body trembled.
Alex tightened his grip on the blade. This would give him an edge in this place.
The crawlers had been the worst threat so far. It was better not to dwell on them now.
“Here’s what I found.” Alex smiled at Trent, who stared at the two heavy-looking bags.
“How?” Trent pressed, his eyes wide. “How did you carry them?” He shifted, clutching his side.
“It wasn’t far. I just pulled through.” Alex smiled and unzipped one bag.
Inside were shining silver pouches holding blocks of various colors. In the trial, they’d all been gray.
Trent’s eyes widened. “Prime Packs? I thought they only gave those to top bosses.” He winced in pain.
“Forget that. We need to treat your wounds first,” Alex whispered.
Immediately, a new notification sounded.
[Level I Medical Aid acquired]
Alex smiled and got to work. “I’ll just apply something to that cut, and we’re good to go. I thought crawlers could heal themselves.”
“I think it was that person who used me. Maybe I wasn’t fully infected,” Trent answered.
Alex looked up from his work. “You remember?”
“Bits of it… But I know one thing. He’s in the Frontier Region.”
- Writer
