THE APOCALYPSE ULTIMATE SURVIVAL GUIDE

[ Chapter VIII (8): "03/20/2025— ULTIMATE DWELLER'S CHARM & FIRST FORMAL SOCIAL INTERACTION SINCE THE APOCALYPSE" ]

[ PLAYER LEVEL-UP! ]

[ PLAYER HAS REACH LVL. 10! NEW SPECIALIZED SKILL/S AND FEATURE UNLOCKED! ]

[ +ULTIMATE DWELLER'S CHARM LVL. 1 ]

[ +INVENTORY LVL. 1 ]

[ "Huh... that's cool." ] Elias doesn't know if it's the fact that he's plain tired, shocked by injuries, or by the act of killing 70+ or-so Goblins which has life, he didn't even get that overly excited, only staring at the window before then it flickers out of existence in his eyes.

But the fact that cutting down the black-and-white immobilized greenskins, he was able to finally reach and gain something called the Ultimate Dweller's Charm— a skill, and the Inventory function.

This act took him a surprisingly long time compared to reaching level 5. He guess, there must be a leveling system wherein the higher one's level, the more difficult it is to level-up. Judging from what he had witness, and done thus far... that pretty much checks out, as he then prepares himself.

[ "Here goes nothing, I guess..." ] About to open the door he paused, as he then felt the pain itch itself on his arrow hit leg— limping. He didn't bother to take the arrow off in fear that doing so might cause further problems, so he opened up the System's Shop and instead bought for himself a Survival Kit that he could use later.

[ 1,138 SYSTEM CREDITS ]

His credits decreasing in real-time, as his digital wallet shows it. He didn't mind, as a Survival Kit cost only 50 Credits, his and his citizen's life is worth more than that— even though he doesn't know what the hell a citizen is in the first place. That's someone, a person who resides somewhere, right?

He doesn't know, but in not wasting time he then grabbed the now materialized Survival Kit and knocked on the black-and-white see through door wherein he could see someone inside... looking around in confusion; can't really blame him, he'll be confused too if it was him in there.

Not knowing what to say Elias froze after the knocks, as he watches the figure of the person beyond the door look at his direction. But in not wanting to delay time, he didn't thought of what to say and instead say it, [ "Hey man, I'm human. I know this might sound weird, but I'm here to help!" ]

He yells in a hoarse tone, sounding scary and weak, but still the thought was there. About to try and open the door, he then realized that it is locked on the inside, [ "Oh,... yeah, that sounds about right..." ] Letting go of the Survival Kit, he then tries to open the door using both of his hands.

...

[ "Hey man, I'm human. I know this might sound weird, but I'm here to help!" ] That doesn't sound like something a hunan would say, Arthur worries for his life, especially because he knows Goblins are currently outside the hallways ready to pounce when they get the chance.

But what shocked him even more was the fact, that after getting free of his invisible shackles, that a human of sound mind, body, and soul would be... outside? No, that sounds about wrong. [ "Huh...?!" ]

From the information Arthur had scavaged, he knows that the rest of the survivors are currently in a city somewhere else. Apparently evacuated after the monsters started appearing, which is good...

But just like him and his group, some people wasn't up to date with info and instead of surviving, they was instead left behind. One-by-one then getting hunted and chewed on by monsters. So the sole fact that someone is outside is disturbing.

[ "That couldn't be..." ] Trying to be optimistic, Arthur was about to put all of his strength into crawling to the door and opening it... But then he remembered one crucial thing, how did the "person" outside know that he is in there, holed up...? That... that shouldn't be, should it?

Then the thought of those monsters that can spew fire, water, earth, and air came into mind. A variant of Goblins, a Goblin actually, but one able to do magic... It might sound absurd to anyone, but is there a possibility of the "person" outside being a Goblin trickster, able to cast magic and mimick the voice of humans.

Factor in the grumbling unconvincing noise coming from that said "person", something which he noticed in listening. Then that hypothesis of his is the most plausible at the moment, especially because lsst time he checked, he could hear Goblins camping outside ready to kill him

Having apparently tracked where he is in due to reasons not known, which caused him to hole up and discarge the thought of leaving. As he is dead no matter what he does; jumping out the window isn't even an option for him, as he'll easily get smelled and tracked by the roaming Goblins... or oversized bugs. Quickening his death.

But at the moment, that sounds about better than waiting and getting his ass eaten and tortured by the cruel greenskins. About to escape and crawl to the sealed window, he hears loud noises coming from the door. [ BANG ] [ BANG ] [ BANG ]

The monster is currently trying to open up his door as forcefully as it could. But thanks to the furnitures serving as barricade, that would be difficult... As he then crawls much faster, ignoring the pain, and the trail of blood forming under him. [ "M-move!" ]

As he then bit into his lip hard, swinging the nearest bag he knows which is filled with rations. This one being enough to last him for 8-9 months if he isn't wrong, but now, he needs to run away— away from the Goblins that is trying to be human, using witchcraft, craving his flesh and such.

He could feel the pain under him seep more-and-more, could sworn feeling something is wrong as more blood comes out. But he ignores it, as he then tries to find the corner of the window, in the dark, as he then opens it, [ "Found it...!" ]

[ BANG ] At the same time, the barricade shuffled away from the door, collapsing, as the door then swings full open. The lights from outside coming in, as the terrified Arthur then turns around to look at the said "monster" that came for his soul. [ "...!" ]

He was expecting something terrifyng, a greenskin mage but taller. As the said Goblins are after all short, also the ones capable of magic... He was ready to take the fall and have a few more broken ribs, as he continues to move his hand, still staring at the outside which is immiting a red light.

Ominous to the point that he fears, praying silently in his heart as he then notices the figure of some... "man" standing, holding a Baseball Bat seemingly panting and slightly exhausted; as it then spoke to him in a gruff tone, pointing, [ "Hey, you. Stop moving!" ]

Arthur shielded his eyes from the bright red light, but still looked, as he then slowly bit-by-bit started to recognize what it was... contrary to expection, wasn't a disgusting sword wielding Goblin. But is instead a dishelved, unkempt, slightly unshaven normal looking individual.

Black haired the same as him, black iris unlike Arthur's green-eyes. The feature sharp, somewhat sunken, skinny apperance as the said individual is at the moment wielding both a Baseball Bat in one arm and a Survival Kit on the other.

[ "Hey, you alright?" ] Stepping inside the room, Arthur felt at ease, his worries disappearing as he then stares up at this certain young man, stunned in seeing another human being.

At some point, he couldn't even believe it... He clutch his chest as he then feels something... Why is Arthur's heart beating so fast. And lastly, most important of it all, why is he "slightly" attracted to this unknown average looking individual?!

...

[ ULTIMATE DWELLER'S CHARM LVL. 1 ]

[ DESCRIPTION: THE PASSIVE ABILITY OF THE ULTIMATE DWELLER TO ATTRACT ANY AND ALL CIVILIANS AND INHABITANTS OF HIS DOMAIN, TO THE POINT OF TRUSTING AND FOLLOWING THE PLAYER ]

[ "Hey, you alright?" ] Elias eyeballed the description besides him, as it then disappeared. Judging from the reactions of the man in front of him, Arthur that is heavily bleeding, he couldn't see it— and that he is in a dazed looking at his face... Is that his new ability at work?

[ COUGH ] Coughing into his hand, he then approached the heavily bleeding man, limping as he does. This coughing of his caught the guy's attention, as he then looks away with a blush to his face; seeing this, Elias' face turned grim... But... I don't swing that way, he thoughts to himself.

[ "Where are your wounds?" ] He shaked his head in disbelief, before then kneeling in front of the man, his leg still injured making him look stupid in doing so. But the man, Arthur, he is more injured than him, so he bit the insides of his mouth and bare with it.

Elias' then opens the Survival Kit on his hands, in doing so he could see a 16oz bottle of clean water, a roll of band-aid, bandage, a small flashlight that functions as a keychain, a whistle, pain relievers and lastly black garbage bags.

Elias always feels like it is luck based whenever you opened one, you either get direct useful stuff, or assortment of fun but useless things. Like lucky blocks, and they only cost 50 Credits, so in his eyes it's fun... But at the moment, he paused his thoughts, as he then grabbed the small bottle of pain relievers— inside is about 15 tabs, [ "Eat some, it'll alleviate the pain." ]

Using his nails that has grown long due to not having any nail cutters when the Apocalypse hit, but he does have teeth that he didn't use and instead let it grow. He was able to easily open it, with a pop, throwing the said thing to the hands of the heavily injured Citizen. [ "Thank... you?" ]

As Elias shoved the remaining contents of the Survival Kit to his face. Except for the clean white roll of bandage that he was about to use onto the Citizen of his... But before he could do that, the hand of Arthur stopped him; [ "B-bandage are useless..." ]

Causing him to be confused, as he then stares at the heavily covered abdomen of the man, wherein blood are leaking... He then noticed the fact, clean clothes are used to cover it, yet blood are still leaking... how injured is this man for that to happen?

[ "I-I was hit in the abdomen by t-that big bird outside... now I couldn't cover the wound no matter what I do." ] Seeing his puzzled look, Arthur then explained, as he then untied the clothes he used as dressings to cover his constantly bleeding side. Gritting his teeth in doing so.

[ "It is a-a... curse." ]

[ "Magic..." ]

Elias spoke his mind, as he then remembers effects in the videogames he plays. In RPG games, he could remember some things like "bleeding" that wouldn't stop unless healed properly, or after some certain amount of time has passed. This case apparently being the former.

Not knowing what to do, Elias glances down at the bandage that he is holding. As no certain description about it appeared in his mind unlike when buying it... So, he doesn't know if it would work as something to heal in this case.

If not, then Arthur is gonna die no matter what he does. After some time pass, he then remembered the magic of the System he has... Perhaps it just might, as he then looks at the pitiful expression of his Civilian.

[ "Still, you'll die if we don't do something... Let's test if it'll work." ] About to disagree, Arthur wasn't able to do-so, as no sound founds itself coming out of his throat... As he then instead closed it, staring at the confident unknown man, he then begrudgingly agreed, [ "I guess, then. Go." ]

[ ——— ] [ ——— ] [ ——— ] [ ——— ]

[ 06/17/2025 ]

[ 06/17/2025 ]