CHAPTER 16 – Power up.

(If there is no POV mentioned, then please assume it to be the third POV)

"Um…."

Garvit looked at the scene with disbelief.

He just couldn't believe what was happening.

'Why the hell did you make it look like you were going to kill him if all you had to do was bow your head!!'

Garvit screamed inwardly.

.....................

(A few moments earlier)

Garvit was regretting his decisions as he was hurtled through the air.

*Thud*

When he finally fell to the ground, he was injured, his knee was scrapped, and it was painful, at least for him it was, but he still ignored it.

He was more worried about his best buddy, Shera.

"Please don't fight!!-"

He was about to rush toward both Alex and Shera to stop their fight, but his words got stuck in his throat.

The sight in front of him dumbfounded him.

'WHAT THE HELL, MAN!!'

He wanted to scream out loud.

But he decided to just dust his clothes and move toward his 'best buddy' who was now lying on the ground with his back on the ground as he wagged his tail like a puppy wanting attention.

'Why the hell did you make it look like you were going to kill him if all you had to do was bow your head!!'

So much for making him all emotional.

Garvit felt like crying, but he walked toward Alex and Shera, nonetheless.

He ignored the 'pain' he was feeling on his scratched skin and dragged his feet toward Alex.

'What's happening?'

It was not just Garvit who was left speechless, even Alex wasn't sure what to say.

<The tiger is showing its submission. It's accepting defeat.>

'I know that, but….'

In the end, Alex just sighed before he started walking toward one of the broken tents, leaving the tiger, which was wagging its tail like a puppy, on the ground.

"Prrrr…"

The tiger purred as it saw Alex walking away.

"Growl…"

With a growl, it stood up straight and started following Alex, but Alex halted his steps.

"Stop following me."

Alex ordered without turning back.

For Shera, who was trained to understand human language, Alex's words were like a low growl of warning.

So, it stopped in its tracks.

Alex, who saw the large shadow that had been following him, had stopped, so he resumed his steps.

It was almost evening, and the sun was going down, the time when the shadows were the largest.

And Shera, the tiger was huge, to say the least, so although its steps were quite like a breeze, Alex could still see the shadow that fell over him because Shera just happened to be walking in the direction that made it possible.

The tiger just so happened to be walking in the opposite direction, casting its shadow over Alex.

Alex sighed when he saw the large shadow of a big cat being joined by a man.

It was Garvit, and he finally dragged his 'injured' body close to Shera.

"Don't do something like that again, man…."

Alex heard Garvit's voice and he just shook his head.

<They are a unique pair.>

'That they are….' 

Alex completely agreed with the AI's words.

.....................

(10 minutes later…)

[Stats:

- Strength – Level 4 (Tier 1)

- Defence – Level 4 (Tier 1)

- Agility – Level 4 (Tier 1)

- Stamina – Level 4 (Tier 1)

- Mana – Level 4 (Tier 1)

…..]

<You 38 were just points short to get all of them up level 5.>

The AI commented as Alex looked at his status window.

'It's fine, I'll just wait till I have enough points to get them all up to level 5.'

Alex didn't mind waiting as he was already feeling stronger than before.

He now was sure that his body had enough strength to defeat an elephant without a problem, and he could do that without any weapon.

But the fact that he had the strength of an Elephant was just the start; his speed now was as fast as the maximum a cheetah could go.

Every dimension of his body was now upgraded.

He could've just upgraded 4 of the five stats to level five with the points he still had, but he wanted to keep his stats balanced.

And he wasn't in a tight spot right now, so he saved those points for emergency.

His total coins, which were 858 after the first tutorial increased to 1118 after he killed the remaining 26 undead that were left in the village.

Now with every stat to go up to level 2, 10 coins were required, and from level 2 to 3, 40. Then if you were to upgrade from 3 to 4, every stat would take 80 coins.

This is where Alex stopped since he wanted to keep his stats balanced.

If he were to get his stats up to level 5, he needed 100 coins for each stat, and he was 38 coins short, just as the AI had said earlier.

<How about upgrading your skills?>

The AI questioned in a suggestive tone.

'I don't have many coins, so let's wait for a while. I'll see to it after I have enough coins….'

Alex, being cautious as always, wanted to save coins for emergencies; what he didn't know was that his emergency savings were more than the sum of what everyone here had.

<If my guess is correct, then you'll probably get more coins if you kill of the magical or fantasy creatures that game system summons.>

The AI shared its view and Alex nodded inwardly.

'I think so too, but let's wait and see…'

The coins, just like the AI said, are earned from killing the undead (Till now), and they could be used to upgrade one's stat level and skill level.

Now what do levels do?

Just like what Alex had been feeling, they increase the power of your body and your skills.

Alex had already seen the remaining people that were in this dome-like barrier.

All of them came out when they heard Garvit's yells only to be shocked by the scene they saw.

<They are scared of you.>

The AI commented as if reading the expression of everyone sitting at a distance.

'It's better. At least, they won't annoy me…'

Alex sighed as he closed his eyes, resting his back on a broken table.

"Hey, come on, man. 

This cute kitty is asking for a pat, give him some love."

'Sigh….'

Alex sighed inwardly as he heard Garvit's voice from his left side.

No matter how scarred those guys from the tent were, Garvit and Shera were not scared.

Or maybe they were scared, but they just wanted to catch a fat thigh to latch on to in this apocalypse.

Alex opened his golden eyes, and a certain glint passed through them.

'Let's just scare them away….'

Alex was about to use his killing intent to scare them away.

But would it be that easy??