I'm Ready

She opened her Summoner storage space and, one by one, tossed the protein bars toward it. They vanished mid-air as they crossed the shimmering boundary. The cashier's eyes widened, and a few nearby shoppers stopped what they were doing to stare, murmuring to each other.

"See that?" Laura said, pointing to a couple of people nearby who had also selected classes and had started experimenting with small abilities in public. "They have powers too. The apocalypse is real, and it's going to happen very soon. The notification will come, and if you haven't picked a class, you'll be assigned one at random. You don't want to leave it up to chance."

The cashier's expression shifted from surprise to something like fear. Laura could tell the woman was struggling to process everything. "You're serious…" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Completely serious," Laura replied, glancing at the clock behind the counter. "You have just under three hours. Choose one of the recommended classes I mentioned yesterday and be ready." She handed over the money for her purchases and added, "Good luck."

As Laura walked away, she could hear the growing buzz of conversation around her. It wasn't just the cashier who seemed to be taking her seriously now—others who had overheard were quickly pulling out their phones, talking about the strange notification they had received earlier, and discussing which class they might choose.

She had no way of knowing if her warning would change anything in the long run, but she felt a small sense of satisfaction at having planted a seed of preparation in a few more people. It was a tiny step, but even small ripples could turn into waves in a world on the brink of chaos.

Without a moment to lose, Laura left the shopping center and headed for her next destination: the nearby train station. It was an old, open platform that saw a lot of traffic during rush hour. It wouldn't be packed at this time of day, but there would still be enough people around to provide some cover. More importantly, it was near several key locations she could reach quickly once the apocalypse began.

As she approached the station, Laura felt a strange mix of anticipation and dread settle over her. The clouds had thickened, casting an eerie twilight over the city even though it was still mid-morning. Her skin prickled, and there was a faint, electric charge in the air. It was as if the very world itself was holding its breath, waiting for the catastrophe to begin.

Laura found a spot near the back of the platform, away from prying eyes. She checked her phone: 02:45:17 remaining. She tightened her grip on her backpack strap, her pulse quickening.

Laura arrived at the train station, her footsteps echoing lightly on the tiled floor. The station was only a few hundred meters from her apartment, a place she knew well from her daily commute to the university.

As she walked along the platform, her eyes darted around, mapping out the familiar pathways and hidden corners where she could gain an advantage if things went wrong. She knew the station's layout like the back of her hand, from the exits and stairways to the maintenance rooms and abandoned storage areas.

The platform buzzed with the usual mid-morning activity—commuters with tired expressions, people chatting on phones, and the low hum of the approaching trains. To them, it was just another ordinary day. For Laura, it was a battleground waiting to emerge. This station would soon become one of the earliest hunting grounds for the weakest monsters released from the rifts. The initial wave would bring small, vicious creatures—barely more than predators, but deadly enough to rip through unprepared humans.

She recalled the sequence of events with cold clarity, "as soon as the rifts opened, the first human deaths would occur almost instantly." She muttered.

Chaos would spread like wildfire, and the air would be filled with screams and blood. The military's response would take nearly two hours, and by then, countless lives would already be lost. The monsters' first wave would linger here for about twenty minutes, until stronger, deadlier creatures arrived, driving the weaker ones to seek refuge in places like the underground station.

Laura had no illusions about saving everyone. The death toll would be staggering, no matter what she did. But there was something she could change—she could become the first to kill one of the invading creatures. In her previous life, the first monster death had been recorded nearly two hours into the apocalypse, a feat achieved by the military. This time, Laura intended to claim that title for herself. The system would recognize the first human to slay a monster with a special reward, and she planned to seize that advantage.

With just under two hours remaining before the world fractured, Laura settled in a quiet corner of the platform. She pulled a sandwich from her storage space and ate slowly, her gaze drifting over the bustling scene.

People came and went, boarding trains, sharing conversations, and living their lives as if everything would continue as it always had. She took in the mundane scene, knowing it would be the last time she saw this place untouched by chaos.

Finishing her meal, she wiped her hands clean and summoned one of the knives from her storage. It was a simple, sturdy blade—nothing special, but enough to get the job done if used properly.

Laura stood up and found an out-of-the-way spot on the platform, close to one of the service doors where few people would notice her.

Laura gripped the knife, feeling its weight in her hand. Her muscles were still sore from the morning's training, but she pushed the discomfort aside. She ran through basic movements, slashing and thrusting, each motion deliberate and calculated.

Her body was weaker than she remembered, but she could feel the echoes of her past life's skills guiding her. She repeated the drills over and over, her breaths steady, her focus unyielding.

The minutes ticked by, and the sky outside the station continued to darken, casting long shadows across the platform. "I'm ready." She said, a sigh escaping her mouth.