"Cough"
"Splat"
I still couldn't believe it, I was on my knees and coughing up blood, while I looked at some of my old companions. People I saved from death many times…
…Among them, there was even the woman I loved, she looked at me with a cold gaze as if I were nothing to her…
"Why?" I asked, making a great effort and coughing up even more blood…
The leader of this group of traitors, who was also someone I once called brother, stepped forward and answered me:
"I don't need to explain all the reasons since you're going to die anyway… All you need to know is that this goes far beyond my will, or the will of the others who are here with me… You were… Let's say… Too kind and correct? You would never accept the changes we're going to need to make…"
"My kindness, huh?" I thought about acceptance as I finally began to lose consciousness.
As I closed my eyes forever, I heard several screams and explosions in the back of our base, a massacre was happening, and I wasn't the only one dying...
***
"HEY RICK, WAKE UP! They better not catch you sleeping again…"
I felt drowsy as I opened my eyes and saw a familiar waiting room...
"Wait... Are we at the Fire Department?"
"Where else would we be? Did you drink yesterday? Here, take this, Our shift ends in another hour."
I looked at the giant in yellow and red clothes who woke me up, his name was "Little" Joe. One of my childhood friends, who, like me, had taken the firefighter exam in our city...
I took a deep breath as I understood what was happening, drank the energy drink Joe gave me, and controlled my feelings for seeing him alive again. I looked to the left of where we were sitting and saw a siren, a digital wall clock, and a calendar. My heart raced again, confirming the date and day I was in. The clock read 1 o'clock to noon, and in 7 days at that same tim, the apocalypse would begin...
If I left here now, I would draw unnecessary attention… As apprentices about to be hired as firefighters, Joe and I had to stay on duty with the other veteran firefighters and shadow them during calls to observe them in action. It was basically an internship until we received our licenses and became official firefighters, and the position would also bring many benefits…
I knew none of that mattered now, and since I had 1 free hour until I was free from my duty here, I started making plans. Should I gather resources? Notify the authorities? Prepare a safe place? Find my family?
I had a mother and sister in a small town, they managed to stay well for the first few days… The problem came later… I would have to go there in 2 weeks at most… But for that, all my plans needed money to work… I could get some of it by selling my small apartment, taking out some loans online and maybe asking my friends for some money… I looked at the giant Joe who was now using his cell phone and thought: "This time I won't let you die, friend…"
And when our shift finally ended, a screen appeared before my eyes, taking me completely by surprise…
[BEEP]
[System Calibrating…]
[System Starting…]
Jyera Apocalypse System
Type: Survival
User: Rick
Age: 19
Profession: Firefighter
Academic Level: College Student
Combat Skills:
-Axe Level 5 (maximum)
-Firearms Level 3
-Dagger Level 1
-Melee Level 2
General Skills:
Construction - Low Level
Melee Weapon Repairs - High Level
Firearm Repairs - Low Level
First Aid - High Level
LockPick - High Level
Stealth - Medium Level
ZY Virus Skills:
-Mutant Level 1
…
"A system? Like in the games?" I muttered silently as I looked at all the information that appeared in front of my eyes.
As a firefighter surviving the apocalypse, I had mastered the pinnacle of how to kill monsters using an axe… I only knew the basics of firearms, since they won't be very useful once everything starts… Daggers were the second weapon I started learning, trying to fill the short-range gap that the axe couldn't cover. But in the end, I died being too inexperienced with them… I must try to improve more this time.
The other skills were all standard for survivors who lived long enough. It's a good thing the system recorded them all and I still retained this knowledge even after returning to the past…
My eyes then turned to the ZY Virus skills… How was I already a level 1 mutant? All survivors who don't turn into zombies will be called immune, and later level 0 mutants. Some level 0 mutants could naturally evolve into Level 1 Mutants… But that would only happen in the first two weeks after the apocalypse begins, of course the same would happen with zombies and mutant animals.
I placed my hand where my heart should be. "Does this mean I already have a core?"
I continued my way through the streets until I returned to my house. When I entered, I positioned myself in the center of the room and began to repeat several hand-to-hand strikes that I remembered… All of them had almost superhuman strength and speed. It also took me a long time before I started to get tired and sweat. According to my memories, I should also be more resistant to the weather, immune to weak toxins and all kinds of common diseases.
These were all the characteristics of a level 1 mutant. After confirming that even after going back in time I really did maintain such power, it made me a little more relaxed to face the problems that would arise. But the fact that I was already suffering the beneficial effects of the lethal virus made me less confident about whether I really still had 7 days.
Worried and running out of time, I turned on my computer and started applying for small loans from several different banks. I applied for many credit cards, as well as an increase in the limit on the cards I already had, and an increase in the limit for emergency withdrawals. I didn't limit myself to just banks, I also applied for cards from stores that sold on credit.
When I finished everything, I also contacted a local real estate agency and put my apartment up for sale. This place belonged to my father when he was single... It was small, but the money from its sale, even if below market value, should be at least three times greater than all the loans combined.
When I finished everything, it was already night. I lay down in bed after dinner, while listening to the alert sounds on my cell phone. I didn't need to look to know that my many small loans were all successful. Relaxed, I fell asleep quickly. Only to be woken up the next day by several "BEEPs", this time not from my cell phone. But from my system. Which that morning decided to send me a huge amount of missions.
When I looked at some of them, my heart skipped a beat. Not only were the rewards very tempting, but the difficulty of some of them was just too absurd…