2 Times Are A Changin' And Dreams Are More Useful Than You'd Think

"This...are you seeing this too?" one of the teachers asked but I ignored them as I looked to the screens that had just appeared.

...Rajang? Isn't that a thing from Monster Hunter?

Evolver? What's that?

So many questions and not so many answers. All I knew was that my dreams weren't just dreams - it was too much of a coincidence to just be that. Something had happened and I was somehow getting premonitions of this apocalyptic event.

A cold sweat went down my back when I thought about my last dream--what injured me? Why was I alone in that store? Was I bound to die?

I stopped myself from thinking like that as soon as the dark thoughts seeped into my head.

The fact I know the future means it's already changed. I can't think those premonitions are complete and utter facts - they can only be seen as guidelines. Lessons to learn from.

I let out a sigh as I stood and looked down at the still alive thing that had once been a teacher.

...I did what I know I'd want done if I became like this. I lifted my foot and stomped down on it's head, crushing it like a watermelon.

[Basic Zombie Killed, 10 EXP gained!]

[Congratulations! You've leveled up! You're now level one!]

[Two unallocated stat points given, evolver stats enhanced.]

I felt a rush of warmth inside my body and suddenly I felt something that was like a current flowing through my veins. It was subtle but I could clearly feel it. I was going to try and see what it was but I was quickly brought out of my thoughts by someone grabbing my shoulders and spinning me around. It was Hayashi-sensei.

"Why did you do that?! You just killed a person!" she screamed, her eyes wide and fearful behind her glasses. She was hyperventilating.

I stopped myself from pushing her away, knowing she was no doubt confused and just upset.

I pointed at the corpse, "Does that look like a person to you, sensei? I checked when it was incapacitated - it's heart wasn't beating. It was already dead. I know it may have once been Teshima-sensei, but as soon as he got bit, he was done for. If I didn't stop him, you'd have been next, Hayashi-sensei."

She looked at me, like she wanted to refute me, but one look at Teshima-sensei's corpse and the still groaning undead behind the school gate and the fight left her eyes as a despairing look came over her face.

"W-what--what's happening?" she asked, hoping for anyone to have answers for her.

"They're zombies," I answered simply, knowing the simple answers were what they needed and what they could mentally digest, "You've all seen those screens saying we survived, right?" I asked and suddenly all eyes were on me, eyes filling with relief - no doubt because they thought they weren't the only ones seeing things - and I continued, "Well, when I stomped on that thing's head, it died and the screens called it a basic zombie..." I hesitated before adding, "The screens always said I leveled up."

Their relief faded, replaced by suspicion and confusion, "Leveled up? Like a game? Nakamura-kun, I know you're a bit of a jokester, but now isn't the time," Hayashi-sensei added with a frown - though she was obviously unsure on whether she was right or whether I was.

I restrained myself from rolling my eyes, "All four of us saw the same screens, sensei, they aren't hallucinations and if they are, we shouldn't be able to interact with them, correct?" I asked and she nodded, though she didn't look thoroughly impressed by this line of thought. Alas, I continued, "Then, did you get anything for surviving?" I asked and she nodded before answering.

"It said I did the bare minimum and awarded me a wooden staff," she answered and the other two teachers nodded that they got the same message.

"Then try and summon that staff. If this is all an hallucination, you won't be able to, right?"

They all looked at me a little bit weirdly but Hayashi-sensei gave a tentative poke to the screen in front of her. To me it looked like she was poking nothing but the next second, a flash of light appeared and then morphed itself into the shape of a wooden bo staff.

Hayashi-sensei and the other teachers looked utterly shocked by this development.

Meanwhile, I wondered if the same applied to my reward. I pulled up the earlier screen and clicked on it.

[Do you wish to activate this reward now? Y/N]

In the same tentative manner as Hayashi-sensei, I clicked the 'Y' and felt an odd rush of energy flooding through my body. It went through my muscles, bones and skin, and seemed to improve them. I felt stronger, faster and more durable. I also felt more energized. Not in terms of stamina, however...it was more like I was more, I don't know, alive? It was a hard feeling to explain.

[Bloodline successfully implanted. Skills 'Bio-Electricity Generation Lv1' and 'Beast Transformation Lv1' have been granted. Awakened as a Strength, Agility and Endurance Evolver, stats retroactively given.]

Suddenly, I felt a connection deep inside me. That current I felt in my blood earlier was now more vibrant and I felt like I could flare it if I wished to. Deeper than that, I felt more in tune with a more primal side of myself and I felt like I could call on it if I wished to do so.

...I couldn't help but wonder how much like a game this was.

To this end, I mentally called out 'Status' and surprisingly - or not - a screen appeared in front of me, detailing my stats and skills.

[Name: Kenta Nakamura]

[Level: 1 (0/50 EXP)]

[Bloodline: Rajang (Strength, Agility, Vitality and Endurance Evolver)]

[Strength: 30]

[Agility: 29]

[Stamina: 16]

[Vitality: 29]

[Endurance: 31]

[Spirit: 13]

[Unallocated Stats: 2]

[Skills: {Bio-Electricity Generation Lv1} and {Beast Transformation Lv1}]

...Huh. Either the stats are naturally high or I'm just stronger than average. Wouldn't surprise me with the training I've been through and still put myself through. Still, isn't this a little high for a human?

Not that I can even consider myself completely human after all this--I mean, what the hell is a Monster Hunter Fanged Beast's bloodline doing in my body, huh?!

"Sensei...call out 'status' in your mind and tell me what numbers you see," I asked, curious more than anything, toward Hayashi-sensei. That broke her from her stupor and caused her to look at me, her expression lost. She still did as I asked, however, because a moment later she jumped as if something popped up in front of her out of nowhere. She just looked numbly off into mid-air, so I called out to her, "Hayashi-sensei? The numbers?" I asked, causing her to get flustered as she realized she'd lost herself in front of a student.

"Yes...yes, the numbers," she nodded to herself and pushed her glasses up as she leaned a little closer to where he screen must've been, "My strength is 9, my agility is 12, my stamina is 10, my vitality is 11, my endurance is 9 and my spirit is 10. What does all this mean, Nakamura-kun? Why were you asking?"

Inwardly, I was shocked at the stat difference - Hayashi-sensei wasn't an athlete or anything but she wasn't a slouch either. Which meant my stats were no doubt higher than average.

Outwardly, however, I kept my shock hidden as I shook my head, "No reason, sensei. I think we should head back into the school and warn the others. They've no doubt seen these screens as well and we don't know if any infected got inside--" I was cut off by an ear-piercing scream coming from inside the school.

...Shit.

That scream was quickly followed by many more and before I knew it, I was rushing off toward the school entrance. I looked up toward where Takashi had been on the roof but I couldn't see him any longer.

...Double shit.

It didn't take the brainiest person around to figure out where he'd went after he saw what happened to Teshima.

He was a bit of a dope but he wasn't delusional. He'd seen Teshima-sensei get bitten and then turn into some sort of grey-skinned monster with dull eyes which tried to attack a group of teachers and me. He no doubt saw me deal with the threat and then rushed off to get Rei. So that meant my destination was Class 2-B.

It didn't take long for me to fully understand how high my stats were because compared to before I was much faster. My sprinting speed was nearly double what it once was. If before I could complete the 100m sprint in 10-11 seconds, then now I could easily do it in under 7 seconds.

Which meant I ate up the ground between me and my destination.

Though as soon as I entered the school, a wave of grotesque smells hit my nose. Blood and rotten flesh. The latter of which was so strong it made my eyes water.

But I pushed through and went directly toward the stairs - Fujimi Academy was separated by three floors, with one floor for each year. First Years were on the first floor, Second Years were on the second floor and so on and so forth.

Yet as I got to the stairs, I was stopped by a group of those infected. Three of them to be exact. I could deal with them before the stat enhancements without breaking a sweat and it'd be even easier now.

Still, I didn't approach instantly. Why? Because all it took was one bite and I'd be one of them.

Which meant I had to do this in a smooth and quick manner. I had to take down two of them before the third noticed me, all so I can limit the risk to a minimum.

So, once I picked out my target, I burst force. It was turned away from me, giving me a prime pathway to the back of it's neck, just below it's skull and where the vertebrae and skull connect. I sent a palm strike right to this delicate area. With a sickening crunch, the neck broke and the head actually popped right off.

...I may have underestimated my strength.

That didn't stop me from whipping out my leg toward the second nearest zombie, practically slicing through it's skull with my shin.

...Were human skulls always this soft?

Even now the third zombie hadn't noticed I was here and while everything moved slower than it should've, I moved just as quickly, making quick pace toward the last remaining zombie, slamming a fist into the side of it's head and splattering the head against the nearby wall, coating it in black blood and dead flesh.

[Basic Zombie Killed, 10 EXP gained!]

The stats may be more complicated than I first thought. If 10 is the average, then my 30 in strength shouldn't be this effective. So, the gains aren't linear and straight-forward. Just...just great. More things to think about.

Pushing those thoughts aside, I rushed up the stairs and toward the classroom.

As I arrived on the second floor, I saw Takashi, Hisashi and an indignant-looking Rei making their way toward me. Takashi's eyes lit up when he saw me but quickly turned to worry when he saw the black blood splatters on me.

"Kenta!" he yelled, rushing over to me quicker, "What the hell happened to you? Why're you covered in black stuff?" his gaze looked over me, concern obvious on his face.

"I'll fill you in later. We need to make it to the roof and think things through. I've got some things to say and I don't think any of you will like them," I said with a grim expression which quickly spread to all three of them. I was just as close to them as Takashi was and Rei and Hisashi knew I wasn't naturally a negative person - which meant me saying that was an exaggeration by any means. Takashi also knew this.

Without waiting for any replies, I turned and dashed up the stairs toward the third floor. Not bothering to fully turn around, I gave a shout to Takashi, "I'm going to get Miki. Head up to the roof and wait there," before dashing toward my own classroom.

I was a year older than Takashi and Hisashi, so I took my lessons on the third floor. I wasn't exactly the most social, for obvious reasons, but that didn't mean I didn't have friends.

One in particular always came to mind. Miki Makimura. The one who gave me the original idea to join the track and field team. She was the star female runner - the ace - and also who I'd consider one of my best friends. I was close enough to her that I'd told her about my upbringing underneath my grandfather, something that left her in sympathetic tears before she hugged me.

She was a nice person, always thinking of others before herself.

Which meant there was no way in hell I'd leave her alone in this sort of situation. Knowing her, she'd sacrifice herself for some random idiot or get taken advantage of.

I wouldn't let that happen. Ever. Rather, I couldn't let it happen. I just couldn't.

I made it to the end of the hall and saw that there was a small group of infected huddled around the entrance to her class.

My heart was hammering in my chest. Fuck. The zombies were banging on the door and it didn't look like the door was gonna hold for much longer. FUCK. I pushed my legs as hard as I could, the ground beneath my feet cracking as I shot forward toward the group of eight zombies. It was made up of students and teachers...some of which I knew. Yet that didn't matter right now.

I had to stop them. Before something happened to her.

I pulled on that primal side deep inside my body and I instantly felt a change. My speed increased, my body felt more durable and my muscles felt stronger--my fingers were tipped with black claws also.

With renewed vigor and an animalistic ferocity, I threw myself at the zombies, not caring for my own well-being. All I had on my mind was helping Miki. It consumed every thought until it was all that was left.

My newly clawed hands cut through the zombies' rotten flesh like butter, their brittle bones snapping under my enhanced strength.

They couldn't even react to my speed. I cut through them so fast the first three hadn't even fell to the ground before I finished the next three. By the time I'd killed the last two, my breathing was ragged and heavy, and I was covered in blood. The claws disappeared and so did the feelings of animalistic ferocity and strength, leaving me feeling a little drained.

[Basic Zombie Killed, 10 EXP gained!]

[Congratulations! You've leveled up! You're now level two!]

[Two unallocated stat points given, evolver stats enhanced.]

Another level up meant another influx of stats and power yet it didn't seem to do much for the somewhat worn-out feeling I was experiencing.

Still, I found it in me to rip the door open, "Miki--!" I called out but was stopped by a wooden staff coming at my head. I lifted my arm up and caught it - the impact left my hand stinging but much less than I thought it would.

The owner of the staff looked dumbly at me before smiling, her green eyes lighting up with apologies and joy. Her neck-length brown hair bobbing as she looked me up and down.

"...Kenta, what the hell happened to you?" she asked before looking around me and seeing the corpses, her mouth forming an 'O' shape as she pointed between my hands and the infected, "I know you said you were trained in martial arts, Kenta, but you did that with your bare hands?" she asked before shaking her head, "Nevermind that, come in, before more come--" I cut her off as she tried to drag me in.

I shook my head at her, "You're coming with me. Staying in a classroom, huddled up with a mass of other people isn't safe. We're leaving," I announced to her. None of the others in the class really reacted - they were all crouching and holding their heads in their hands on the other side of the room.

I saw a few corpses and guessed a few zombies made their way in before they closed the doors.

I saw the black blood stains on Miki's staff and internally felt overjoyed. She knew these things were zombies and better yet, she'd leveled up. Weirdly though, she only gained a staff as a reward.

Miki went to refute what I said but I ignored her and picked her up. Even before the enhancements I could do this, so after them, it was like lifting up a bag of feathers. She banged on my back, demanding I let her down but I ignored the impacts of her fists and the bo staff on my back and left the room, closing the door behind me. Once that was done, I picked up into a half-jog half-run as I made my way to the stairway again.

I could see some zombies shambling up the stairway from the floors below but I ignored them and shot up the stairs, going up three steps at a time in my hurried climb. By that point, Miki had stopped struggling and was simply holding on for dear life.

As I burst through the rooftop door, I was met by deja vu as a wooden staff came flying at my face. Luckily, however, it stopped when Rei realized it was me.

She lowered the staff and I saw a few zombie corpses lying around. Three to be exact. One had a dent poked into it's face, another looked like it'd taken a bat to the side of the head and the last one had had it's head stomped in.

From the black blood on Rei's staff, Takashi's bat and Hisashi's shoes, I'd guess they'd each killed one. That makes my job easier.

"This is the apocalypse as you've no doubt figured out," I said, putting Miki down who looked a little dizzy, "Those," I pointed to the corpses, "Are zombies and if you're bit, you turn. As you also may know, weird status screens have started popping up and you can level up and see your stats--this isn't an illusion. I can see them too and I've even improved my stats...now I'm stronger, faster and more durable."

Things went silent for a second before Takashi collapsed down onto the ground, the life seeming to drain out of him, "...This is crazy. It's gotta be a dream, right? Right, Kenta?" he looked up at me, hope filling his eyes at the thought. Hope I sadly crushed when I shook my head.

"I'm sorry, Takashi. This is real life," I sighed before adding, "I wish it was a dream too."

"Then we need to leave and find our families, right?" Rei said, desperation and worry entering her tone.

Again, however, I shook my head, "No," I said and she turned to me, her head snapping in my direction and her glare truly being something to behold. Still, I continued, "Our families are all in separate directions. Hisashi's are overseas, mine and Takashi's are to the North and yours are to the South, Rei. Miki, your parents and little brother are still abroad in America, right?" I asked, turning back to look at the worried girl who gave a weak nod.

"Y-yeah, they should be--How far do you think this thing has spread?" she suddenly asked, causing every one of us to go quiet.

I was the one to answer.

"Considering how fast someone can change and how little it takes to actually change them...I'd say it's safe to assume that it's spreading through Japan like a wildfire. The USA might be safer though - guns and such are much more common over there, making it easier for them to protect themselves. Population density of certain places is much lower as well. So, depending on where your family are, Miki, they could be better off than us," the answer did a lot for her face which regained a little bit of color.

Rei bit her lip and spoke out soon after, "Then what are we supposed to do? We can't spend the rest of time on top of a school roof, can we?" she sarcastically asked.

I shook my head, agreeing with her, "Of course we can't. It may seem a little coldhearted...but we need to take the school minibus and leave with a small group. Then we need to find weapons and proper equipment. We'll check the police station both for it's guns and for your mom, Rei," I said and the orange-haired girl gave me a grateful look before I continued, "If that bears no fruit, then we head to the nearest fire station. Their work equipment is more resistant to damage them normal clothes and we could no doubt find other supplies there."

I saw no problem in taking the lead of the group, knowing I was the most level-headed of the group and the only one trained to deal with high-pressure scenarios like this.

I never knew that old bastards training would come in handy like this...Haah~ How annoying.

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