Apocalypse Supermarket: I Exchange Noodles for Artifacts

Chapter 7: The Instant Noodle Miracle

The bright red warning screen blinked out of control, painting the dim shop in a blood-colored light. The loud alarm chimed again and again inside Jax’s head.

[Energy Reserve: 12%]

[Energy Reserve: 10%]

"Jax! The light is fading!" Mia shouted, pointing at the front glass window with a trembling finger.

The golden barrier had turned into a paper-thin film, flickering like a dying candle. Outside, the large scaled monster was lying in a pool of its own green acidic blood, but it was not dead yet. The creature roared in wild rage, dragging its heavy body along the concrete, heading straight for the front door to crush them before it died.

Jax ran his eyes over the control screen, searching for any solution. He had no more energy points to create another spike bomb. He needed to finish this beast himself, right now, before the shield died completely and left them helpless.

His gaze locked onto a shelf behind the register. Sitting on the middle rack was a simple red paper cup.

Jax remembered the system description from earlier. The Spicy Beef Instant Noodles gave the eater three hundred percent physical strength for five full minutes.

"Mia! Get me boiling water from the back counter! Fast!" Jax yelled.

Mia didn't ask questions. She dashed to the small hot water dispenser near the coffee machine, filled a plastic cup with steaming hot water, and rushed back. She poured the hot water right into the noodle cup Jax held out.

The moment the hot water hit the dry noodles, a bright yellow light burst from inside the paper cup. A rich, mouth-watering smell of spiced meat filled the shop.

Jax didn't even wait for the noodles to soften. He lifted the hot cup to his mouth and swallowed the entire contents in three huge gulps.

The reaction was instant.

A wave of explosive heat erupted inside Jax’s stomach, rushing out to every single muscle in his body. His veins bulged against his skin, glowing with a faint golden light. His heart beat like a war drum, and his arms felt as strong as solid iron pillars. He could feel power surging through his legs, making the tiled floor beneath his boots feel soft like mud.

Jax grabbed the ancient bronze dagger from the silver counter. The green runes along the blade flared up, matching the powerful rhythm of his own heartbeat.

"Stay inside the store, Mia," Jax said, his voice deep and steady.

"Jax, wait! Your five minutes shield outside is gone!" Mia cried out in panic. "If you step past the threshold, you can get hurt!"

"I don't need a shield," Jax replied with a cold grin. "I have enough power to tear this thing apart."

Jax took three fast strides toward the front entrance. He planted his left foot right at the edge of the golden barrier, keeping half his body inside the domain while extending his right arm outside.

The giant scaled beast reached the sidewalk, raising its massive, sharp claw to deliver a desperate strike straight at Jax’s head.

Jax didn't dodge. With his upgraded three-hundred-percent strength, he swung his left arm sideways.

BANG!

Jax’s bare fist caught the monster's massive claw mid-air. The force of the block set off a loud shockwave that blew away all the loose trash on the street. The giant beast’s arm stopped dead in its tracks, unable to push Jax back by even a single inch.

The monster raised its ugly head, its four yellow feelers twitching in absolute shock and disbelief. It could not understand how a tiny human could stop its full weight with one hand.

"My turn," Jax growled.

Jax stepped fully over the threshold, leaning his body forward. He drove the glowing bronze dagger upward with all the explosive power stored inside his arm.

SPLASH!

The green-glowing blade sliced right through the beast's soft underbelly, tearing through the thick scales like a hot knife through soft butter. Jax ripped the blade sideways, opening a massive wound across the monster's chest.

The giant creature let out a high-pitched, gurgling shriek. Dark black blood poured out onto the street, soaking the concrete. The beast’s heavy body wobbled for two seconds before crashing hard onto the pavement, completely lifeless.

Jax stood over the dead monster, panting lightly as the golden glow around his arms slowly faded away. He wiped the dark blood off his cheek with the back of his hand, feeling an incredible rush of victory.

As the beast breathed its last breath, its massive scaled body began to break apart into tiny black particles. The flesh dissolved rapidly, leaving behind a glowing, dark-purple crystal the size of a fist resting on the pavement.

[Target Eliminated!]

[Rare Beast Core Obtained!]

[Absorb Beast Core to restore Sanctuary Energy to 100%?]

Jax smiled, raising his hand to tap the screen. "Absorb it now."

The purple crystal dissolved into a beam of light that shot straight into the store roof. Instantly, the fading golden barrier flared back to life, thicker and brighter than before, completely sealing the convenience store once again.

[Sanctuary Energy Reserve: 100%]

[Store Defense Fully Restored!]

Jax let out a long breath, turning around to walk back inside his safe haven where Mia was waiting with an open mouth.

Before he could take his first step back into the store, a tiny, bright red dot flashed across the dark pavement near his feet.

The dot moved up quickly, locking right onto the center of Jax’s chest.

Jax froze instantly. He raised his head and looked up toward the roof of the dark five-story apartment building across the street. Sitting on the edge of the roof was a shadowy figure holding a long, heavy rifle.

As the beast dies, its corpse dissolves into a glowing, dark-purple beast core, but a sniper red dot suddenly lands on Jax’s chest from a nearby rooftop.