Apocalyptic System: Raka's Revival

The Burden of Humanity

The three Runners gave Raka no time to breathe. The one in the lead darted forward in a jagged, zig-zag motion, making its silhouette look like a dancing demon under the flickering streetlights. Raka gripped his rusted iron bar, feeling cold sweat trickle down from his temples.

Activate Predator Eye: Insight! he shouted internally.

Ziiing.

A monochrome world once again enveloped his vision. Three bright red circles pulsed at the napes of the Runners' necks. Raka could see their leg muscles tensing just before they leaped.

"Come at me, you bastard!" Raka yelled.

The first Runner pounced, claws ready to tear through Raka’s chest. Raka ducked low, letting the creature fly over his head, and then with a single, precise swing, he slammed the iron bar into the red circle on the Runner's neck.

Crack!

The cervical vertebrae shattered. The Runner slammed onto the asphalt, its body skidding several meters before coming to a stop in an unnatural position.

[Target neutralized. Gained 25 EXP.]

However, the other two didn't stop. They attacked from both sides simultaneously. Raka felt his left shoulder get swiped by sharp claws, tearing through his jacket and skin.

"Agh!" Raka growled. He spun his body, smashing the second Runner’s face with his elbow, then drove his iron bar into the creature's forehead.

Squelch!

Black blood sprayed onto Raka’s face, feeling hot and rancid.

[Target neutralized. Gained 25 EXP.]

"One more..." Raka gasped for air. He turned toward the last Runner, which now stood only two meters away. The creature didn't attack immediately. It growled, black saliva dripping from its misaligned jaw.

"Help! Hurry! The door won't hold!"

The scream came from the front of a pharmacy with a large glass door. Raka saw a girl—Sari—leaning against the door while two others tried to hold the weight from inside. The thick glass was already covered in cracks resembling a spiderweb. Several ordinary zombies were blindly slamming their bodies against it.

"Dammit, why are there so many of them?" Raka muttered. He glanced at the last Runner. "Sorry, I don't have time to play with you."

Raka lunged. The Runner tried to jump, but Raka had already read its movement. He threw a bottle of mineral water he had taken from his bag as a distraction. While the Runner was momentarily diverted, Raka thrust his iron bar straight into its heart, another red dot that had just appeared in his vision.

[Target neutralized. Gained 25 EXP.]

[Side Quest: Survivor Rescue - In Progress...]

Raka didn't wait for the System notification to finish. He ran toward the pharmacy. Every step he took felt like a one-ton weight.

[Warning! Your Stamina is below 10%. Muscle fatigue is imminent.]

"Shut up, System! I know!" Raka barked out loud.

He struck the first zombie in front of the glass door with the tip of his iron bar. One fell. Then a second. He moved with terrifying efficiency, every strike aimed precisely at the weak points shown by his Predator Eye. However, his vision began to blur. His lungs felt like they were breathing in fire.

Crrraaaaash!

The glass door finally shattered into pieces. Sari screamed, falling back onto the shards of glass. A rotting zombie reached for her leg.

"Get away from her!" Raka leaped, landing on the zombie's back and driving his iron bar repeatedly into the creature's skull until it was unrecognizable.

A momentary silence enveloped the area. Raka stood amidst the ruins of glass and corpses, his breathing heavy and ragged. He wiped the blood from his eyes and looked at Sari, who was still trembling on the floor.

"Are you... are you okay?" Raka asked hoarsely.

Sari looked at Raka with wide, tearful eyes. "You... you saved us. Thank you. Oh God, thank you."

[Side Quest Completed. Reward: 100 EXP and Item: 'Standard First Aid Kit'.]

[Congratulations! You have reached Level 3!]

A golden light enveloped Raka’s body, restoring most of his stamina and closing the wound on his shoulder. He felt his strength return, but something else was growing in his chest. Something cold.

"Hey, does anyone have food?" The voice came from a middle-aged man who had been helping hold the door. His name was Jaka, a security guard from a nearby building. "We haven't eaten since yesterday afternoon."

Raka turned. He felt the weight of the backpack on his shoulders. Inside were several cans of food he had taken from a convenience store. He looked at the hungry faces Sari, Jaka, and a teenage boy hiding behind a medicine rack.

Why should I share it? Raka thought suddenly. I’m the one who risked my life to get this. If I give it to them, I won't have enough energy to level up.

"We're really hungry, son," Jaka said again, trying to step closer.

Raka took a step back, his hand instinctively gripping his backpack straps tighter. "This is mine. I earned this with my own blood."

"But we need help," Sari stood up, her voice soft but pleading. "I'm a medical student. I can help treat your wounds. Please, that boy... he’s very weak." She pointed toward the teenager.

Raka looked at the boy, then shifted his gaze to his System screen, which displayed his HP and Stamina stats, both full thanks to the level up. He felt superior. He felt like a wolf surrounded by sheep that could only bleat for help.

System, is there any benefit if I help them? Raka asked internally.

[Analysis: Keeping survivors alive can increase long-term area security chances. However, the use of logistics will accelerate your resource depletion by 300%.]

Raka fell silent. His ego was in turmoil. He wanted to say no. He wanted to leave and abandon them. However, the hopeful look in Sari’s eyes somehow held his feet in place. Roughly, Raka opened his backpack and threw one can of corned beef and a bottle of water onto the floor.

"That's all," Raka said coldly. "Don't ask for more."

Four hours passed in the darkness. They had moved to the second floor of the pharmacy building and barricaded the stairs. The groans of zombies in the streets could still be heard, but in this cramped room, there was only the sound of the teenager softly chewing and the steady breathing of Jaka, who had fallen asleep from exhaustion.

Sari approached Raka, who was sitting by the window, staring at the destruction of the city below. She carried a clean cloth and a bottle of alcohol she had found on a lower shelf.

"Let me clean the rest of your wounds," Sari whispered. "I know you recovered miraculously earlier, but this dried blood could get infected if there are other germs."

"I don't need your help," Raka replied without looking back.

"You do," Sari remained seated beside him, bravely reaching for Raka’s hand. "You fight like someone who has nothing left to lose, Raka. But your eyes... your eyes say something different."

Raka pulled his hand away roughly. "Don't pretend to know me. In today's world, the morality you learned in college is worth no more than the can of food you just swallowed. Weak people are nothing but a burden."

Sari looked deep into his eyes. "And a strong person who is alone will only become a monster, Raka. Is that what you want?"

Raka laughed bitterly. "Being a monster is better than being a corpse swarmed by flies."

Silence crept between them once more. Raka could feel a vibration in his chest, a new notification from the System appearing in a deep, blood-red color.

[Warning: The First Wave will end in 12 hours.]

[Status: 1,000 Players remaining in the regional area.]

[Global Event Starting Soon: 'Natural Selection'.]

Raka stood up abruptly, making Sari flinch in surprise. He walked toward the barricaded door, turning his back on all of them.

"Listen," Raka’s voice sounded sharper than before. "I am not your protector. I am not a hero. If things get worse tomorrow morning and you can't run as fast as I can... I won't look back."

"Raka, wait..." Sari tried to call him.

"Don't follow me," Raka cut her off. He looked at his hands, which now seemed to glow faintly with digital codes that only he could see. "This System wants us to be predators. And I have no intention of being anyone's meal."

Right then, a massive booming sound echoed from the city center, followed by a pillar of blue light shooting into the night sky, piercing the black clouds. On Raka’s System screen, a countdown began, the numbers ticking rapidly toward zero.

"The real game..." Raka muttered, his eyes flashing wildly in the dark. "...has only just begun."