World Filter

1x Corrupted Humanoid cleansed (1 + Sector reward: x4)

4/4

Level up!

+2 Prana, +2 Resistance

2x Corrupted Humanoid cleansed (2 + Sector reward: x4)

[partial experience awarded to (Daphne colt)(1)]

9/9

Level up!

+2 Prana, +2 Resistance

Two levels, which was insane. Mark checked the math to make sure it wasn't a glitch. Although the more he thought about it the more it made sense. If he was getting four times the experience for each kill then killing one zombie was the equivalent of four. Which, if he included his first kill that came to a total of 16 zombies. One of which looked like it was shared with Daphne for her participation in the last kill. So a total of 15 kills.

Spell acquired: Prana Pulse

Using the flow of Prana, send out a wave of energy to ascertain the nature of all living things.

Can not be used on inanimate objects.

Contact required

Name: Mark Young (22 - M)

Level: 4

Next level: 1/16

Stats:

Resistance Aura Mana Prana

17 (+3, +2, +2) 0 10 47 (+2, +2)

Unspent stat points - 20

Corruption value: 0.09%

Spells:

Passive Regeneration(Self)[1], Force bolt[2], Prana Pulse[1].

Damn his corruption went up again, was it the bite?

Mark tried to distract himself by looking at his stats and was pretty sure he knew where he wanted to put them, but asking what others were doing with theirs never hurt.

“So who leveled and where are you guys focusing your points?”

Mark smiled when everyone said they'd leveled from the last fight.

Daphne whispered “I already put all my points into Aura, got 20 right now” Surprise colored everyone's faces.

Immediately, Mark knew something was wrong.

“Well I'm definitely going for more Aura, I got 16 at the moment so I'm also thinking of just dumping all my points into Aura to bring me up to 21. I can always round out the other stats later, but right now we need more raw power.” Donny said while staring at his status.

“Yeah, I'm going to have to agree with Donny. I'm focusing my stats on mana right now. Going to hit 19 Mana, shame really I wanted to get twenty-one. Then I’d be able to cast a lightning bolt 3 times. It's a devastating spell but really expensive”

Confusion must have shown on his face because the next thing out of Grace's mouth was.

“Although Mark maybe you should think about putting your points into Aura. I get that Prana is your main attribute but I'm not gonna lie you looked pretty grizzly after that fight”

Mark swallowed and asked what had been bothering him.

“Donny, how many points did you say you got in total for each level?”

Donny looked at him and then over to Grace.

“2 Aura for picking my path and 5 free ones, why?” his eyes narrowed

Mark thought back to one of the first messages he had gotten from the system.

[Users body incompatible with 1 of the 3 primary laws! (Aura)

Compensating…

The system is sorry for your loss.]

So wait, Was this the compensation the system was speaking about? He got 5 additional points per level. Not to mention his Resistance went up naturally as he leveled just like his Prana. The system had given him 7 additional stats just for losing Aura.

Either the system was severely overcompensating him or Aura was significantly more important than he first thought.

His eye’s glanced at the Resistance attribute and he had to force himself not to dump all his points into it.

“Mark, how many stat points do you get each level?” Grace asked. They were all staring at him now.

Mark glanced at each of them. Donny and Daphne looked curious and grace just had a frown on her face.

After a pause, he spoke.

“It looks like I get 10 stat points per level, but I can't use Aura.”

“What! That's so unfair-”

”wait you cant use Aura at all?” Donny interrupted Grace. Who’s face cycled from a frown to outrage to confusion.

“As in I'm locked out of the attribute permanently, I think the extra points are the system's way of fixing that” Mark explained.

He then told them about the message he first got when this all went down.

“Fine that makes more sense, but still, you're getting double what everyone else is,” Grace said as she finally settled down.

“Yes, but we don't know what's going to happen in the future. At least you have the choice to use Aura, he doesn't even have a say. ” Donny said.

They had spent a good 10 minutes arguing over Mark's stats as if it would change anything.

Grace seemed especially annoyed when he told them what his Prana attribute was over twenty.

After a while of going over things, Mark decided where he wanted to put his points.

Name: Mark Young (22 - M)

Level: 4

Next level: 1/16

Stats:

Resistance Aura Mana Prana

29 (+12) 0 15 (+5)

50 (+3)

Half Milestone Reached!

Unspent stat points - 0

Corruption value: 0.09%

Spells:

Passive Regeneration(Self)[1], Force bolt[2], Prana Pulse[1].

No sooner had he confirmed his distribution of attributes, when another message arrived.

Congratulations on being the first user in your sector to reach 50[Prana] attributes!

Rewards: 1x Bronze rank mystery chest [Prana]

Error-

World Inventory not yet implemented.

Searching for a solution…

Deferring reward until implementation

Current wait time 59:22:16

Mark had no idea why such a thing existed, but from what he understood he would get a reward at the three-day mark. Well, that's if he survived till then.

Closing out of his status, Mark saw that everyone else was finished.

“Shall we get moving, personally I’m looking for anything that looks like food at this point.”

“Yeah sure, but just one sec,” Donny said as he approached the nearby desk. Behind it, fixed to the wall, was a red cabinet. Inside was a fire extinguisher, hose, and axe.

Grabbing the axe Donny gave it a couple of practice swings, nodding to himself.

“Okay, Daph take the pole I got me a new partner.” he cooed softly while clutching the fire axe.

Grace rolled her eyes “I bet that was on your bucket list”

Wisely, Donny chose to change the subject.

“Right well if we’re all ready?”

Taking Donny’s lead Mark chose to take a quick look around the room for any weapons or useful items. The room was altogether very small and did not offer much in the way of supplies. So unless they wanted to take a chance in the elevators or staircase they were fresh out of luck.

Donny nudged the barricade out of the doorway and push the doors open. The chilly morning air hit them once more.

Outside was quiet and when nothing rushed to attack them they moved toward the side of the apartment block. Heading north towards Prospect park. Moving down the sidewalk slowly, Mark felt an icy tendril slither up his back. The roads were completely deserted. It was hard to imagine that mere hours ago this was a bustling city full of life and ceaseless energy. Now? just utter stillness, utter silence. Gone was the cacophony of busy people, pulsating music, and tantalizing aromas.

They truly felt like the last people on the planet.

This grim calm lasted for a good couple of blocks. That ended the moment they got to the first intersection. The dead were here in force, this must have been a busy place before the fall. Hedging near some dumpsters they waited, watching for any way through. There was a gas station across the road and more apartment blocks on the other side.

Seeing as they hadn't been spotted yet Mark began counting the number of zombies and paled. They were looking at around 27 zombies, that's if their fight didn't attract more.

“Guys, shouldn't we find another way around, we could go back. I think I saw a side alleyway near here we should avoid this intersection.” Grace whispered

Mark thought for a moment and decided to speak up.

He tapped his finger on the ground to get their attention. Looking at Grace he said.

“That is an option but we need to think this through. By the looks of things, the system isn't going to make it any easier for us, and avoiding difficult fights like this will deny us the advantage later.” he paused, waiting for it to sink in.

“I think we should take a vote, on whether we push through or go around. If it's a tie then we’ll retreat, but if most of us want to try then I think we should. We’ve got to try and gain power now while we still can, none of us knows what's coming. So let's just be ready”

Everyone looked like they were mulling it over, Daphne was even bitting her lip absentmindedly

“Well I still vote to go around, we are not some army. We shouldn't be getting into fights we have no business being in” Grace said after a short pause.

“I… I think we should fight” Daphne said, shocking everyone.

“Daph, no you don’t have to force yourself to agree with him” Grace exclaimed.

“I’m not forcing myself, I just agree with Mark and I don’t want to feel powerless again. I want to help fight,” she said while looking directly at Mark.

Mark nodded at Daphne and looked toward Donny

“That’s two to one you're the deciding vote, Donny,” he said.

Donny turned his gaze to Grace, then Mark, and finally came to rest on the zombies ahead. A look of determination came over his features.

“I think we should- ”

The hair on Mark’s arms suddenly stood straight, it felt as though a static charge was released around them. Mark frowned, it almost felt like waves of Mana, flowing around him. It moved towards his head crashing like a wave against a rock.

“Donny, come on it'll be safer to just go around!” Grace whispered.

Mark blinked away the static, his heart slamming in his chest. He looked for the source, but there was nothing around them. Or at least no danger that he could see.

“-I think we should play it safe here, going around may take a little longer but better that than dead.”

Mark was caught off guard he was so sure Donny had been about to agree.

“Well you heard him, two to two, and as you said if we get an even vote we would retreat,” Grace said with a victorious smile.

Mark frowned, looking at Donny and then Grace. It was almost as if he had changed his mind midway… Mark’s train of thought halted, thinking back to the waves of mana. Where had those come from?

He looked at Grace out of the corner of his eye, she was busy looking at Donny.

Mark thought back to his feeds, to what Mana was capable of.

‘She wouldn't do that to us, would she?’ he thought.

He needed to keep an eye on her, this wasn't something he wanted to just blurt out. Things like that could destroy any trust between people. He was already weary of her and he didn't even have any proof, just a gut feeling.

But, if Grace was using any form of mind control magic on them, then he wouldn't think twice about cutting her from the group.

For now, though he didn't need her knowing he suspected her, so…

“Well alright then, if those are the votes then I understand. Going around it is” Mark nodded and indicated for Grace to lead the way.

They quietly backed up toward the entrance of the alleyway when Grace froze. Mark thought he could hear the sound of sharp intakes of breath coming from the alleyway.

A single zombie appeared around the corner, sniffing the air as if trying to pick up a scent. The problem was this one wore no clothes, this was an origin zombie. It didn't look any different from how Mark remembered them, but the eyes had changed. They were still bright yellow, but now they displayed a glint of human intelligence.

Unexpectedly it never jumped right at them, in fact, it backed off a step.

Then it released a piercing howl that echoed in the silent streets. Mark’s head snapped around to the intersection. It felt like his stomach dropped into his shoes when loud blood-curdling screams came back in response.

They were coming.

An: A look at the area that we're currently in.