Kai's hands still tingled from the shard's pulse. His chest ached, but every nerve was alive. The girl clung to his arm, trembling.
"Stay close," he muttered, voice low. "And don't scream unless I tell you to."
System notification:[Quest Available: Eliminate 3 Infected within 10 minutes]Reward: Strength Boost (E)Failure: Severe Penalty (Pain Feedback)
Kai's eyes narrowed. The "Infected"—the monsters that had killed so many before—were already lurking in the ruins, stalking shadows between shattered walls.
He clenched his fists. The shards on his chest pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat. Instincts sharpened.
The first Infected leapt from the rubble—a humanoid twisted, limbs snapping like dry branches. Its eyes were black voids.
Kai acted. Reflexes faster than thought, he swung a shard, the crystal spinning like a tiny sun. It sliced clean through the Infected's neck.
System:"Host performance: 100%. Quest: 1/3 complete."
Two more… emerging from behind shattered walls.
The girl whispered, "Can you… really fight them?"
Kai didn't answer. He wasn't afraid, not anymore. He was ready. The shards lifted automatically, circling him in a protective halo. Every movement was fluid, pre-emptive, lethal.
The second Infected lunged. Kai sidestepped, shard slicing across its chest. It shrieked, disintegrating into black mist.
System alert:"Quest 2/3 complete. Time remaining: 4 minutes."
The final one was bigger, faster. Smarter. It had been watching him.
Kai's heart raced. He glanced at the girl, clutching her knife like a talisman. If he failed…
The creature pounced. Time slowed.
Shard in hand, Kai threw it with every ounce of strength, piercing the Infected through the heart. Energy surged from his body, sending the creature exploding in black mist.
System:"Quest Complete. Reward: Strength Boost (D). New Skill Unlocked: Rapid Shard Deployment."
Kai fell to his knees, gasping. The shards dimmed, hovering protectively around him.
The girl looked up. Her eyes were wide, awe-struck.
Before he could speak, the ground trembled. Dust rained from the crumbling buildings.
System notification:"New Threat Detected: Level 2 Elite Infected Approaching. Host, prepare immediately."
Kai's fists clenched, shards spinning faster. He looked at the girl, grim:
"We just got our second wave. And this one… won't be easy."