The Streets Of Atlanta

Wake up early in the morning, around 6 am. I looked over at the end of my bed and was surprised. Crystal got more prominent, her fur was whiter, and she looked more like a wolf than a dog.

Excited, I started to inspect her thoroughly, and I loved what I saw. Crystal looked so much more powerful. If she continues to grow the way she is, she might be able to carry me soon.

[ Skill Gained ].

[ Inspect - gives limited information about living and nonliving items ]

"That's surprising, but it's also a great skill to have."

"Inspect"

Name: Crystal

Breed: Wolf

Hp: 90

Mp: 60

"Wow, Crystal, you're a wolf now, but you still look big to be a normal wolf."

"Woof woof," Crystal barked.

Getting our breakfast out the way, I looked back at my apartment one last time.

"This will probably be our last time here, Crystal," Dwayne said.

" Woof," Crystal barks back

Making our way down the stairs, we leave the apartment building.

Outside was no joke; most of the fires were burning out, but you can tell the destruction happened recently. Zombies were everywhere we looked, and the people that survived were hiding or already dead. An apocalypse, real-life death at every turn, and the slightest mistake can mean the end of it all.

Taking a deep breath and looking at Crystal, we slowly make our way to the sidewalk. The zombies in the vicinity wasted no time coming toward us. Double-checking the direction we needed to take, Crystal and I went on a killing spree. Having compiled the fighting style of the zombies, we were leaving plenty of bodies behind us.

"Time - Speed Suit"

Moving at twice my speed, I circled behind a few dozen zombies. By the time they notice, the heads of their partners are already falling. Crystal taking advantage of my massacre went after all those I left behind. We finally cleared them all after about ten minutes. As we were about to move on, I saw a small shining object amongst the pile of dead bodies. After picking it up, the light faded and left behind a pair of boots.

[ Swift Boot - speed +5; set item 1/3 ]

Wasting no time, I switch out my shoes. Moving on to the next batch of zombies, Crystal and I once again started a slaughter.

By the time we reached the gas station at the end of the block, we were exhausted. Going through the front door, we found another five zombies. Clearing them out before we locked the door, Chrystal and I took a rest.

Although that was a challenge, we did reap a considerable amount of rewards from it. We got another item drop from the kills, and it turned out to be a pet collar.

[ Tactical Collar - only for tamed pets +2 all stats ]

Crystal even comprehended another skill.

[ Lighting Step - channeling lighting mana through the feet to increase speed. +5 speed ten mana per second LVL 1]

On top of all the experience that we accumulated, we did pretty well.

"Status"

Name: Dwayne Storm

Lvl: 7 Exp: 60/800

Name: Crystal

Lvl: 4 Exp: 400/500

'We seriously have to get out of the city and soon too,' Dwayne thought.

After resting, I gathered practically everything in the gas station in my pendant. It was a great harvest. Taking all the gas tanks, the gas station has Crystal, and I go outside to fill them up.

"Crystal, kill everything that gets near me while I get the gas, ok girl," Dwayne says.

"Woof," Crystal responds.

While I was at the pumps filling all the gas tanks, I found them inside. Crystal was going around killing all the zombies near us.

Watching Crystal's fights, I notice that she is getting smarter. She maneuvers around the zombies before going for their necks. Before, she used to run up and hoped she was fast enough to get them before they got her.

After Crystal eliminated the zombies, I heard her growling while looking towards the alley. Slowly an animal that looks to be a cat walks out. It was as big as a dog; I quickly used 'inspect' on it.

"Inspect"

Name: Earth Cat

Breed: Feline

Lvl: 7

Hp: 170

Mp: 200

Att: 130

Def: 190

"Be careful, Crystal. It's a little bit stronger than you," Dwayne said.

The earth cat sprints towards Crystal at a fast speed. Crystal then uses her skill [ Lighting Steps ], and her momentum immediately exceeds it.

She steps off the side of the building with incredible tempo to pounce on the earth cat from behind. But you can tell that the earth cat's intellect has improved because it rolls to the side and attacks Crystal with its tale. Taking a brutal hit, Crystal gets up and launches herself at the earth cat. Before she could get close, an earth spike came out of the ground towards her. Sensing the danger, Crystal jumps over the tip and gathers all her mana into her front claw. Swiping at the earth cat's neck, she rolls on the floor out of energy. Looking back, Crystal sees the earth cat's head drops to the ground.

[ Skills acquired ]

[ Lighting Claw - gathering lighting mana into the front claw for decisive attack. 50 mana per use, 10% chance to paralyze ]

[ Danger Sense - able to perceive incoming danger ]

[ Killed Earth Cat Exp: 150 ]

Taking the gas cartons into my space pendent, I carry Crystal back inside the gas station.

"Crystal, that was a great fight, and I'm proud of you," Dwayne says. Giving her food and water to replenish her strength, we rested there for the next hour.

Stepping back outside, we continue our journey to Joe. Moving to the next block and swiftly cutting through all the zombies we encounter. Crystal and I were making significant progress until something sped by me, almost cutting my head off. I would have died if I weren't already using my skill [ Time - Speed Suit ]. Taking a look at the new creature in front of me, I was surprised. It looks like a cross between a zombie and an animal. It crawls on all four extremities and has long, sharp claws on all four limbs. The growl also sounds more animalistic, but I can also tell that it's somewhat bright.

After the failed ambush, it did not run up but stopped to size up its prey. "Inspect"

Name: Slasher

Breed: Speed Zombie

Lvl: 11 (bronze rank)

Hp: 350

Mp: 300

Att: 450

Def: 380

"System, what is the rank by its name?"

[That is the level of existence.]

[White Rank Lvl: 1-10]

[Bronze Rank Lvl: 11-25]

[Silver Rank Lvl: 26-50]

[Anything higher you are not qualified to know yet.]

'D**n, so I'm a white rank, I guess I still have my work cut out for me,' Dwayne thought to himself. "Crystal, back off. I want to take this one alone."

"Woof," Crystal responds and moves out the way.

"Space - Shackle"

I lock down the slasher's back right limb as I dash forward at my maximum speed. It tries to break free, stumbles forward, and falls on its face. Taking advantage of its moment of laps, I jump above its head to cut it off, but it's blocking my attack with the other front claws. Flipping back to catch my balance, I notice that it's right next to me, having broken free from my space shackle. "Space-Shackle," I call out right before its claw comes down on my head. Straining my mana reserve, I said "Space_Shackle," once again. The slasher was held in place with two shackles, one on the front foot and the back claw. Without giving it time to move, I step to the side of the slasher and cut down on its neck. To my surprise, I could cut only halfway through its neck. Swing my sword a second time before it could break free, its head drops to the ground along with the other half of my katana.

[Killed Slasher - Exp: 1000]

[Demolisher (bronze rank) - spear made with mana steel, able to channel mana through the weapon, able to cut all bronze rank beings; +10 strength, +5 speed]

"Woof woof," Crystal barks

"I'm good girl, let us get out of here because I need to rest," Dwayne said to Crystal.