Gray Ravenleaf

Looking at the hazy atmosphere covered in a thin, but very see-through layer of mist, Gray raised his head, peering to the skies through his old goggles. 

He soon sighed, grumbling to himself. 

"Today, I still can't see the sun in all its glory… Why do I always feel the stories before were exaggerated?" 

(?~?)

Shrugging, Gray dragged his battered body up the many fleets of stairs to his apartment on the 17th floor. 

Elevators? What was that? 

Those were things he had never seen before in his life though he heard the Glory Awakener Guild did have one, only used by the President. 

They say it's a box that can go up and down on its own, eliminating the use of stairs. 

How cool is that?

Hiss!~

Gray sucked in his breath from the pain. 

Seeing his bloody appearance didn't make the passerbys curious. 

Such a scene was a normal occurrence in this godforsaken hellhole. 

The world today wasn't the same as the world before the"Big Catastrophe", the one that pushed humanity into a new Era of survival. 

400 billion years ago, a meteor shower fell from the skies on their beloved planet, Blue Star, causing an unprecedented change to sweep the world. 

It was phenomenal!

A heavy flow of green rain fell for 5 days, turning 7/10th of the population into bloodthirsty Zombies… This included animals as well. 

Only 30% didn't turn, but the fun didn't stop there. 

You see, within that percentage, 3/10th became what they now called Awakeners, and 7/10th remained ordinary. 

However, as the days, weeks, months and years went by, humanity soon realized that even ordinary people could become Awkeners, so long as they met the requirements for evolution.

Beasts began evolving, plants began changing radically, and humanity shifted genetically.

After coming to terms with the present world situation, the surviving human population began building strongholds and taking back their cities and towns. 

It's been 400 billion years since the Global Apocalypse Alliance was formed.

Those who recalled clear blue skies had long died, leaving their stories behind as myths and legends. 

Once awakened, humans could live for 200~600 years depending on their strength. 

Such was today's world. 

Cold, brutal and unapologetic.

–---

Dammit! 

There was too much blood on his hands. 

Tightening his slippery hands around his key, Gray opened his door with relief and fell flat on his face. 

A wave of relief momentarily swept over him followed by a deep sense of helplessness. 

"Why? Why won't my spirit score rise?... No matter what I do, it seems determined to never change."

Poor him. 

Gray felt unwilling and helpless.

Even a 9-year-old kid had a stronger spirit score than him. 

If he doesn't reach a spirit score of 3.0 before the final examinations, he will become an Official Stronghold Worker, spending the rest of his ordinary life working coal in the mines and operating the many underground heavy machineries that keep the stronghold running. 

Shudder. Shudder~ 

Just thinking of the many cases he witnessed with his own eyes made his skin crawl deeply.

Humanity's population has indeed grown since the unfortunate incident ages ago. 

There was always a need for warriors, but don't forget the importance of ordinary people who do the dirty work and run the strongholds diligently. 

In today's society, every child is given 2 chances to become a warrior; one when they are 14 and another when 15.

Why? Because after 15, there will be no more chances.

They will have no choice but to get distributed to the various factories and establishments that keep the stronghold running.

Some could also get hired by various businesses, but those are the lucky ones who probably had connections or fateful encounters to get them there. 

Week in and week out, Gray would hear reports of people dying on the job from overwork.

This was a hellish world they lived in with the string preying on the weak. And there was nothing anyone could do about it if they passed 15 without becoming a warrior. 

Once a person's status is confirmed, they were treated like slaves to the bitter end. 

Stronghold Workers leave early in the morning and return late in the evening almost every day of the week. 

They only had one day of rest and that was that. 

Even if they wanted to secretly train themselves, where was the time? 

From the moment they got home, they cherished the few hours they had with their families and then it was off to bed again.

The only hope for changing their family's situation was to have their children become awakened humans.

Only then could they leave the mines and underground heavy machine facilities, getting better jobs on the surface. 

Jobs like sales clerks and restaurant waiters were the dream jobs for many ordinary folks.

Gray dared not think of living such a life.

However, with his current stats, it seemed he was destined to live such a life.

"I'm unwilling!" Gray cursed painfully.

In his class, 35 of them still haven't reached the 3.0 mark yet. 

At least the others were close to it, having scores like 2.4, 2.7 and 2.9… But in his case, he had a 1.4 score.

1.4! 

How in Heaven's name is he going to raise his Spirit score before the determining exam in 2 weeks?

He was already 15. 

This was his final chance after falling ill and missing his tests when he was 14. 

"Mr. Budha, are you there?…" Gray asked softly, putting his butt to the sky. "I don't know if you are out there, but Mr. Budha, for the sake of my parents who prayed to you earnestly, can you just help their son out a little?"

What does a guy need to do to get a little help around here?

~Ding! 

Almost immediately, an emotionless, electronic noise rang in his ears. 

[Due to the host's shameless nature and strong will for survival against fate, the Ace Apocalypse Survival System has been activated.]

Eh? 

"Who is talking? I must be dreaming again thinking Budha has answered my prayers, right?"

[Negative, host. You are not dreaming.]

There the voice goes again! And what's this?... ('0')

Gray thought he was hallucinating but soon changed his mind after seeing the strange light illuminate before him.

What was this thing floating before him? A glowing holy book?

Because Gray has never played games before, he didn't know this was a game-style interface.

------

■ General Information:

> Name: Gray Ravenleaf

>Nickname: Trash. 

>Age: 15 years, 6 months, 13 days, 19 hours, 21 minutes and 49 seconds old. 

>Personality: Daring and Shameless.

> Strength: 6.4 (10 = Ordinary humans) 

Note//Strength must reach 25 to become an Awakened human.

> Agility: 9

> Physique: 7 (Number is based on muscle memory, overall stamina, endurance and innate genetic abilities)

> Spirit Score: 1.4 

■ Genetic affinities: 

> Psychic Control: Level 0 (unawakened)

■Special Skills.

>Palm Water Fist: Ordinary grade, Level 2. (15/300)

> Punching Bag Armor body: Level 3 (415/1,000).

¤ The host has the ability to be a first-class punching bag. For the host to still be alive after enduring so many years of brutal beatings has left this system impressed. 

--------

Impressed?

Gray wanted to cry but had no tears on his swollen, badly beaten-up purple face. 

Screw you! 

Who wants to have Punching Bag capabilities as a skill? 

Don't think because you are some heavenly system, you are allowed to bully him. 

Gray clicked his tongue, not wanting to argue with the robotic voice in his head. Hey.. it was he who was looking for help. 

So if he overdid it, who knows if this heavenly opportunity will fly away? (:T^T:)

Well, for the sake of his good nature, he will gladly be the bigger man and let the system have its way this time.

As they say, beggars can't be too picky.

Erh-erm. He coughed to hide his dissatisfaction.

"Fine. Is there any benefit to being a punching bag?"

[Of course, there is, host… If it was before, the host can just lie down and await death like the trash that he is. But now with the system here, the host can get bonus attribute points from every hit he takes.]

"Hold on? So are you saying the more I get beaten up, the stronger I become?"

[Yes, host.]

This… This… This…

"_"

Gray suspected the system was trying to turn him into a professional punching bag but had no evidence.