Chapter 7 – Ambush
Exploring the huts further, Evan discovered a rare treasure—clothing.
Up until now, he'd been wandering the wild half-naked, clad only in his trousers and a makeshift bandage wrapped around his midsection. So when he spotted a slightly snug, clearly-for-children T-shirt in half-decent condition, it felt like hitting the jackpot.
"Whatever. Fashion can wait till the apocalypse ends."
After securing the shirt—child-sized or not—Evan glanced around the village one final time.
"I think that's all I'll get out of this place."
He had already scavenged anything useful. Food? Check. Water? Stocked. Shelter? Not needed anymore. With his inventory full and his goal clear, Evan turned his sights toward Manaus City.
The moment he stepped out of the village, he was swallowed by the jungle's embrace. Thick canopies blotted out the sky, leaving only shards of light filtering through. The trees stood like silent sentinels, and the squirming bugs added an eerie layer to the already strange atmosphere. It was alien terrain to a city kid like him.
Half an hour passed.
Evan walked at a steady pace, careful not to sprint and drain his stamina. Monsters were real, and jogging headfirst into one while exhausted wasn't exactly the survival plan of the year.
He kept close to the river—though not too close. The muddy banks were unstable, and he wasn't looking to faceplant into some parasite-infested puddle.
So far, he'd killed three more Razorlops.
Due to the jungle's density, swinging his sword was a chore, so he opted for a spear in his right hand and a shield in his left. He was starting to get the hang of these things. Their attack patterns were simple: spot, charge, slash. Nothing fancy—just speed and claws.
But then... something changed.
Up ahead, a faint red glow pulsed through the jungle mist.
In a city, Evan might've chalked it up to a neon sign or a busted tail light. But in the middle of the Amazon? No way. His senses went on high alert.
He crept forward, heart thudding in rhythm with the faint glow.
And then he saw it.
A wormhole.
It hovered a foot above the ground—circular, cloudy, and emanating red fog. The same kind of red that had shown up on the golden prompt before. F-grade wormhole.
But that wasn't what made his breath hitch.
Right in front of the wormhole stood a massive Razorlop—easily the size of a lion. It had the same bizarre rabbit face and white fur, but two thick canines jutted downward, even with its mouth closed. The thing looked like a Razorlop on steroids.
Around it, four regular-sized Razorlops lay resting, looking deceptively peaceful.
"Great. A whole family picnic."
Evan's gaze shifted to a fallen tree nearby, its trunk angled like a ramp directly above the monsters.
And suddenly, he had an idea.
A very reckless idea.
"I could just walk away... but where's the fun in that?"
"If I run from this now, what'll I do when something stronger comes?"
"I didn't survive all this just to be a side character in someone else's apocalypse."
With a grin tugging at his lips, Evan moved toward the base of the fallen tree.
He climbed slowly, careful not to make noise. The bark was old, branches long gone. As he rose, he tightened his grip on his spear, unequipped his shield, and started walking the length of the trunk like a balance beam.
At 75% across, the massive Razorlop stirred—its head turning, nostrils twitching.
"Too late, buddy."
Evan sprinted, then launched himself into the air, spear held back like a javelin. In midair, he hurled it with all the force he could muster.
Screeeeeaaach!
A guttural cry split the air.
Evan didn't stop to check his aim. He landed just ahead of the big Razorlop and immediately unsheathed his sword, slashing horizontally at a smaller one that was already rising.
Its head rolled before its body hit the ground.
> [ You have killed Razorlop (Level - 1): +10 exp ]
Another Razorlop lunged. Evan blocked the claw with his shield and shoved it back.
A second one closed in, but Evan parried it mid-motion, though the lack of leverage forced him to stumble a few steps.
Then came the third.
"No breaks, huh?"
Gritting his teeth, Evan ducked the claw and drove his blade diagonally downward, carving a deep gash from its shoulder to its hip. A swift kick sent it toppling, just as the other two pounced again.
One claw collided with his shield. The other met his blade in a furious spark of metal.
He pushed back—but the creatures were strong. His muscles ached, and he could feel his stance falter.
> [ You have killed Razorlop (Level - 1): +10 exp ]
> [ You have leveled up! ]
> [ All attributes +1 ]
> [ Unallocated points +2 ]
A wave of white light surged through him. He felt alive.
"Add 2 points to Agility!"
The world slowed—no, he sped up. His vision sharpened. Movements became predictable. Everything moved in slow motion, like watching a movie at half-speed.
In one smooth motion, Evan sidestepped the nearest Razorlop, stabbed through its neck, then whirled behind the last one.
A flash of steel. A wet crunch.
> [ You have killed Razorlop (Level - 2): +15 exp ]
> [ You have killed Razorlop (Level - 2): +15 exp ]
Evan exhaled slowly, straightening up.
"It really does feel good to be fast."