The safe zone felt different after the boss fight.
People looked at Kael differently. Like he was something other than just a guy with a cleaver. He didn't like it. He wasn't a hero. Viktor was the one who charged first. Viktor was the one who died.
They buried him in a small plot behind an old church. The ground was hard. It took six people to dig the hole. Patricia said some words. Lisa cried. The rest just stood there.
Kael didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say.
Sarah was still weak but she could walk. The health potions had saved her life but the wound was still healing. She had a scar now. A big one on her side. She touched it sometimes when she thought no one was looking.
The system announcement about increased monster spawns had everyone on edge. People were barricading the safe zone entrances. Building watchtowers out of scrap wood. Sharpening anything that could be a weapon.
"We need to organize," Patricia said at a meeting that evening. About fifty people showed up. Fighters. Civilians. Old. Young. "We can't just rely on a few people to do all the fighting."
"I agree," Cruz said. His arm was in a sling. The shoulder was broken but healing. The system's healing bonus was slow for broken bones. "We need shifts. Watchers on the barrier at all times. Runners to bring information. A chain of command."
"A chain of what?" someone asked.
"Who's in charge," Cruz said. "When something happens, we need one person to make decisions. Not a committee."
Everyone looked at Kael.
"No," he said.
"You're the strongest," Maya said. "You've killed more monsters than anyone. You led people through a dungeon and out the other side."
"I got Viktor killed."
"Viktor made his own choice. He knew the risk."
Kael shook his head. "I'm not a leader. I'm a guy who plays video games. Cruz was military. He should be in charge."
Cruz raised his good hand. "I can advise. But I can't fight right now. Not at full capacity. You can. You're level nine. Most of us are level four or five. You see the system differently. That matters."
"I'll do it," Maya said. "I don't mind being in charge."
A few people laughed. Maya glared at them.
"I'm serious. I've been surviving alone longer than any of you. I know how to read the map. I know how to avoid danger. I can lead."
Patricia looked at Kael. "What do you think?"
Kael thought about it. Maya was competent. Ruthless. She didn't hesitate. But she also didn't care about people. She saw them as liabilities.
"You can lead the fighters," Kael said. "But someone else handles the civilians. Sarah."
Sarah's head snapped up. "What?"
"You're good with people. You kept everyone calm in the tunnel. You bandaged wounds. You didn't run."
"I was scared."
"Everyone's scared. That's not the point."
Sarah looked at Patricia. Patricia nodded.
"Fine," Sarah said. "But I'm not giving orders. I'm just organizing."
"Same thing," Cruz said.
The meeting went on for another hour. They divided responsibilities. Watches. Food distribution. Weapon crafting. Training.
Kael slipped out halfway through. He needed air. Or whatever passed for air these days. The sky was still purple. The stars were gone. There was a moon but it looked wrong. Too big.
He walked to the edge of the safe zone. The barrier was solid. Blue white light. He could see goblins on the other side. More than before. The increased spawn rate was real.
A notification appeared.
[QUEST: CLEAR THE OUTSKIRTS]
Objective: Kill 50 goblins within 500 meters of Safe Zone Alpha.
Reward: 1000 EXP. 200 Coins. Skill Fragment (Rare).
Time limit: 12 hours.
Kael accepted the quest. He needed the EXP. Level 9 was good but not good enough. The next dungeon would be harder. The system was only going to get worse.
He woke Sarah and Maya at dawn.
"I'm going out," he said. "Quest. Kill fifty goblins. You coming?"
Maya was already on her feet. "Yes."
Sarah groaned. "It's six in the morning."
"The goblins don't care."
They left the safe zone through a side exit. The street was empty. The goblins were further out. Clustered around an old supermarket.
Kael checked his map. Seventeen red dots. Then another group. Then another.
"We don't have to kill all fifty at once," he said. "We can do it in waves. Hit a group, retreat, heal, repeat."
"Boring but smart," Maya said.
Sarah had her iron pipe. She swung it a few times to warm up. Her side was still sore but she could move.
The first group was six goblins. Level four and five. Easy.
Kael activated Quick Step and ran at them. The Butcher's Cleaver was heavy but fast. He took the first goblin's head off. The second one tried to run. He threw the cleaver. It hit the goblin in the back.
[COMBAT]
Defeated: Goblin Scout x2. 120 EXP.
Maya and Sarah cleaned up the rest. Maya's cleaver was smaller but just as deadly. Sarah used her pipe like a baseball bat. One goblin flew into a wall and didn't get up.
[COMBAT]
Defeated: Goblin Scout x4. 240 EXP.
Total: 6/50.
"Only forty four more," Maya said.
"Shut up."
They moved to the next group. This one had eight goblins. And a shaman. Level 7.
"Shaman first," Kael said. "Same as before. I'll distract. Maya hits it from behind. Sarah keeps the little ones off us."
The shaman saw them coming. It raised its staff. Kael used Quick Step to close the distance. The shadow bolt missed him by inches. He swung the cleaver at the shaman's hand. The staff fell.
Maya was already behind it. Her cleaver bit into the shaman's back. Once. Twice. The creature fell.
[COMBAT]
Defeated: Goblin Shaman Level 7. 200 EXP.
The little goblins scattered. Sarah chased down three. Kael got two. Maya got one. Two escaped.
Total: 14/50.
They rested behind a broken bus. Kael drank a health potion. His arm had a cut. Nothing serious.
"We're going too slow," Maya said. "At this rate, we'll be out here all day."
"Got a better idea?"
"Yeah. We find a big group and use fire again. There's a gas station two blocks over. If we lure them inside and blow it up..."
"That'll kill us too."
"Not if we're fast."
Kael thought about it. It was stupid. Dangerous. Probably suicidal.
"Let's do it."
The gas station was abandoned. The pumps were still there. The tanks were probably still full.
Maya ran ahead to scout. She came back five minutes later. "There's a group of about thirty goblins in the parking lot. Plus two shamans. They're feeding on something. Didn't get close enough to see what."
"Thirty is too many," Sarah said.
"That's why we blow them up."
Kael looked at the gas station. The pumps were old. Rusty. One spark and the whole thing would go up.
"I'll lure them," he said. "Maya, you stay near the pumps. When I run past, you light it."
"Light it with what?"
"Tom's lighter. I borrowed it."
Maya took the lighter. Flicked it. The flame was small but steady.
"Don't die," she said.
"No promises."
Kael ran toward the parking lot. The goblins saw him. Thirty pairs of white eyes turned his way. The shamans raised their staffs.
He activated Night Vision. The world turned green. He could see everything. The goblins. The shamans. The path to the gas station.
He ran.
Shadow bolts flew past him. One hit a car. The car exploded. The heat washed over him. He kept running.
The goblins chased. All of them. The shamans too.
Kael reached the gas station. He jumped over a pump. Maya was hiding behind a concrete barrier.
"Now!" he shouted.
Maya flicked the lighter. Tossed it at the pump.
The world turned orange.
The explosion threw Kael into the air. He hit the ground hard. His ears were ringing. His vision was blurry.
He looked up. The gas station was gone. The goblins were gone. There was a crater where the parking lot used to be.
[COMBAT]
Massive environmental damage. Goblin Scouts x28 defeated. Goblin Shaman x2 defeated.
3200 EXP. 600 Coins.
Quest progress: 42/50.
Kael laughed. It was a stupid, broken laugh. His ribs hurt. His head hurt. But he was alive.
Maya was on the ground ten feet away. She was moving. Groaning.
"You okay?" he called.
"I think I broke something."
Sarah ran over. She helped Maya up. Maya's arm was bent wrong.
"That's broken," Sarah said.
"I noticed."
They limped back to the safe zone. Eight more goblins to go. They found them near the barrier. Three groups of two and one group of three. Easy kills.
[QUEST COMPLETE: CLEAR THE OUTSKIRTS]
1000 EXP. 200 Coins. Skill Fragment (Rare).
Kael opened the skill fragment.
[SKILL FRAGMENT: BLOODLUST]
Rare quality. Passive. Increases damage by 5% for every enemy defeated in the last 30 seconds. Stacks up to 5 times.
He learned it. Good for big fights. Bad for one on one.
Maya went to the healers. The safe zone had a few people with basic medical training. They set her arm. It would take a few days to heal.
Kael sat down next to Sarah. They watched the sun set. Or whatever passed for sunset now. The purple sky got darker. That was it.
"We're going to die out there eventually," Sarah said.
"Probably."
"That doesn't bother you?"
"It bothers me. But sitting here bothers me more."
Sarah leaned her head on his shoulder. "You're weird."
"I know."
They sat like that for a while. No one bothered them.
The next morning, Kael woke to shouting.
He ran to the edge of the safe zone. There was a crowd gathered. Pointing at something outside.
A message was floating in the air. Big letters. Red.
[CHALLENGE: ARENA]
A champion from Arena 12 has issued a challenge.
Defend your Arena's honor.
Accept? Y/N
"What the hell is Arena 12?" someone asked.
Kael didn't know. But he had a bad feeling.
A figure appeared on the other side of the barrier. A person. A real person. But different.
He was tall. Muscular. Covered in tattoos that glowed blue. He had a sword on his back. A big one. And armor. Real armor. Not the makeshift stuff the survivors had.
"My name is Darrius," the figure said. His voice carried through the barrier. Loud. Clear. "I am the champion of Arena 12. We have been watching your Arena. You are weak. Your survivors are scattered. Your fighters are children."
Kael stepped forward. "What do you want?"
"I want your Arena's tribute. Half your coins. Half your supplies. Every week. In exchange, we won't destroy you."
"Or what?"
"Or I kill your best fighter. In the arena. One on one. Winner takes everything."
The crowd murmured. People were scared. Kael could feel it.
"How does the challenge work?" he asked.
A new notification appeared.
[ARENA CHALLENGE]
Two fighters. One from each Arena. Fight to death or surrender. Winner receives 5000 EXP, 2000 Coins, and an Epic item. Loser's Arena loses 10% of its resources.
"Ten percent," Kael said. "Not half."
Darrius smiled. "The first challenge is ten percent. The second is twenty. The third is forty. After that, you belong to us."
"And if we refuse?"
"Then I kill ten of your people every day until someone fights."
Kael looked at the crowd. At Sarah. At Maya with her broken arm. At Cruz with his sling. At Patricia.
They were looking at him.
"I'll fight," he said.
"No," Sarah grabbed his arm. "He's level fifteen. At least. Look at him. You're level nine."
"I know."
"Then why?"
"Because if I don't, people die. And because I might win."
Darrius laughed. "You? Win? You're carrying a butcher's cleaver and wearing leather boots. I've killed a hundred monsters like you."
"Then you won't mind waiting until tomorrow. My fighter needs time to prepare."
Darrius shrugged. "Tomorrow. Sunset. Don't be late."
He disappeared. The red message faded.
The crowd erupted. People were shouting. Arguing. Crying.
Kael walked away. He found a quiet corner. Sat down.
Sarah followed him. "You're really going to do this."
"I have to."
"Let someone else. Cruz. Maya. Anyone."
"Maya has a broken arm. Cruz has a broken shoulder. The others are too low level. I'm the only one."
"Then train. Use the Shop. Get better gear."
Kael opened the Shop. He had 985 coins. From the quests and the boss and the goblins.
[SHOP]
Iron Spear 120 Coins
Steel Chestplate 400 Coins
Skill Book: Counter Strike 350 Coins
Health Potion (x5) 150 Coins
Strength Elixir (temporary 20% STR) 200 Coins
He bought the steel chestplate. It was heavy. But it would stop a sword.
He bought the skill book. Counter Strike. Block an attack and immediately counter for double damage. Cooldown 45 seconds.
He bought five health potions. And the strength elixir.
His coins were down to 115. But he was ready. Sort of.
He spent the rest of the day training. Sparring with Marcus. Running drills with Jen. Testing his new skills.
The Counter Strike was tricky. Timing had to be perfect. Too early and he missed the block. Too late and he got hit.
He practiced until his arms were sore.
That night, Sarah sat with him again.
"What's your plan?" she asked.
"Hit him hard. Hit him fast. Don't let him hit me back."
"That's not a plan."
"It's the only plan I have."
She was quiet for a long time. Then she said, "Don't die."
"I'll try not to."
They watched the purple sky. The wrong moon. The distant shapes of monsters moving in the dark.
Tomorrow, Kael would fight for his life.
Tonight, he tried to sleep.
He couldn't.