Ethan ran.
His legs burned, his breath came in ragged gasps, but he didn't slow down. The girl sprinted beside him, her movements quick and practiced—like someone who had been running from things long before the world collapsed.
Behind them, the three armed players gave chase.
"Faster!" the girl hissed, glancing over her shoulder.
Ethan didn't argue.
The parking garage loomed ahead, its reinforced concrete untouched by the decay spreading across the city. A Safe Zone.
> [System Notice: Unclaimed Shelter Detected]
- Temporary refuge. Cannot be occupied during Blood Moon Events.
- Warning: Other Players Can Enter.
His mind raced. If it's unclaimed, then that means it doesn't stop enemies from following us.
As they reached the entrance, the girl grabbed Ethan's sleeve and yanked him inside. He barely caught himself, stumbling onto the cold cement floor.
She slammed the metal door shut behind them and shoved a dented car jack through the handle.
A second later—
BANG.
Something slammed against the door from the other side.
BANG.
"The hell are you two doing in there?!" a voice snarled.
Ethan caught his breath, gripping his metal pipe like a lifeline. The girl, still panting, leaned against the door.
Silence stretched between them. Then she turned to him, scowling.
"You're welcome, by the way."
Ethan exhaled. "Yeah. Thanks."
She studied him for a moment, eyes narrowing.
"Who the hell are you?" she asked.
Ethan hesitated.
He had no reason to trust her, but she had saved his life.
"…Ethan."
She nodded slowly. "Aya."
Another bang against the door. This time, it rattled dangerously.
Ethan gritted his teeth. "Who are those guys?"
"Scavengers," Aya muttered. "They're killing anyone weaker than them. Looting whatever's left."
Ethan's stomach twisted.
The System Apocalypse hadn't just spawned monsters. It had turned people into them.
Aya pushed herself off the door, dusting off her hoodie. "We need to keep moving. This Safe Zone won't hold them for long."
She pulled up her system interface, checking her stats. Ethan did the same, opening his Player Status.
> [Player Status: Ethan Vale]
Level: 1
Class: ???
Title: Last Player
HP: 100/100
Strength: 7 (+2)
Agility: 6 (+1)
Endurance: 5
Intelligence: 4
Unique Skill: Code Breaker [Hidden]
Skill: System Exploit (F)
Aya noticed his screen. "You've got no class?"
Ethan frowned. "You sound surprised."
"Everyone I've met got assigned something. Warriors, Rogues, even some dumbass Merchants." She gave him a skeptical look. "You're the first blank profile I've seen."
Ethan didn't respond.
She wasn't wrong. If the System assigned every player a class, then why was his missing?
> [New Quest: The First Trial]
Survive the First 24 Hours.
Objective: Eliminate a Named Enemy or Unlock Your Class.
Reward: Class Selection OR Title Upgrade.
Ethan exhaled sharply.
This was it.
The System wasn't just throwing people into hell—it was forcing them to evolve.
Aya peered at his expression. "You got a quest, didn't you?"
He nodded. "Yeah."
Her lips pressed into a thin line. "Me too." She took a deep breath. "Looks like we're in the same boat."
BANG.
The metal door cracked.
Aya tensed. "We have to go. Now."
Ethan nodded. "Where?"
She pointed upward.
"The roof."
No time to argue.
They ran.
As they sprinted toward the stairwell, Ethan's grip tightened on his weapon. He could already tell—this was only the beginning.
Blood on the Rooftop
Ethan and Aya sprinted up the stairwell, their footsteps echoing through the concrete enclosure.
The Safe Zone wouldn't hold. The scavengers outside were too desperate, too hungry for blood.
> [Warning: Hostile Players Detected]
- Combat is permitted within the Safe Zone.
- Shelter status compromised.
Aya cursed under her breath. "They're coming."
Ethan's grip tightened on the metal pipe in his hands. He wasn't ready for this. Killing monsters was one thing. Killing people?
That was something else entirely.
They burst onto the rooftop.
The cold wind hit Ethan's face as he took in their surroundings. A dead city stretched out before them. Smoke billowed from collapsed skyscrapers, fires burned in the distance, and the streets below were crawling with creatures.
The System had turned the world into a war zone.
Aya scanned the edge of the rooftop. "There!"
She pointed to a metal maintenance ladder leading to the neighboring building.
Before they could move—
The stairwell door exploded.
Three figures stormed onto the rooftop, their weapons raised.
The scavengers.
Their leader—a tall, muscular man with a buzz cut—grinned. His nameplate flickered above his head.
> [Hostile Player Detected: Rainer]
Level: 3
Class: Raider
"Look what we have here," Rainer sneered. "A couple of rats trying to scurry away."
Aya's stance shifted, her knife glinting in the dim light. "Back off."
The second scavenger, a wiry man with a crossbow, chuckled. "Or what? You'll stab us?"
Aya smirked. "Maybe."
Ethan swallowed hard. His hands were slick with sweat, heart hammering against his ribs. This was different from fighting a monster.
Then a System alert flashed.
> [New Combat Quest: Kill or Be Killed]
- Survive the encounter against hostile players.
- Rewards: Experience Points + Skill Unlock.
Ethan exhaled.
No choice.
Rainer cracked his knuckles. "Let's make this quick."
The first attack came from the scavenger with the crossbow.
TWHIP!
An arrow shot straight at Ethan's chest—
He dodged.
Barely.
The projectile grazed his shoulder, but his body moved faster than it should have.
His System Exploit skill activated.
> [System Exploit Triggered: Evasion Boost]
- Temporarily increases agility when dodging an attack.
Ethan's eyes widened. This skill wasn't just for scanning—it was already altering his abilities.
Aya didn't hesitate.
She lunged forward, her knife flashing. The second scavenger barely had time to react before she slashed his wrist, forcing him to drop the crossbow.
Rainer charged.
He swung a rusted machete at Ethan, the blade coming dangerously close.
Ethan blocked—metal pipe against metal blade. The impact sent a shock through his arms, but he held his ground.
Rainer's eyes gleamed. "Not bad, kid."
Ethan gritted his teeth.
He needed to end this fast.
His System Exploit ability flared again, and for a split second—he saw it.
Rainer's weak spot.
A flickering red mark on his right knee.
Without thinking, Ethan dropped low and swung.
The metal pipe smashed into Rainer's knee.
CRACK.
Rainer screamed, stumbling backward as his leg buckled.
Aya didn't miss a beat.
She spun—her knife flashing—and drove it straight into Rainer's throat.
A spray of blood. A gurgled choke.
Then—
> [Hostile Player Eliminated: Rainer]
[EXP Gained]
[Level Up: 1 → 2]
Rainer collapsed, eyes wide with shock before his body dissolved into golden pixels.
The second scavenger scrambled to his feet, terror in his gaze. He turned and ran, bolting for the stairwell.
Aya wiped her blade on her sleeve. "Coward."
Ethan stood there, breathing hard, staring at the empty space where Rainer had been.
His first human kill.
Aya clapped him on the back. "Congratulations. You're not dead."
Ethan exhaled. "Yeah."
His hands were still shaking.
> [Quest Complete: Kill or Be Killed]
[New Skill Acquired: Combat Instincts (F)]
- Enhances reaction speed in life-threatening situations.
Ethan closed his eyes for a second. The System was pushing him forward.
Aya sheathed her knife. "Come on. We need to move before more show up."
Ethan nodded.
The world had changed.
And so had he.
[End of Chapter 2]