Hello There

As the final day before the arrival of the feared monster drew near, John glided through the desolate and eerie streets with an unparalleled stealth, his newly acquired Quiet Steps rendering his footfalls inaudible. The world around him was like a ghost town, cloaked in silence and stillness that seemed to amplify the sense of dread that permeated the air.

With his senses on high alert, John scanned his surroundings vigilantly, peering through the thick fog that hung ominously in the atmosphere. He knew he had to be prepared for anything, even as his heart pounded with trepidation and determination within his chest.

He had a plan.

A group of monsters appeared.

The scaly creatures that now inhabited the world were a frightening spectacle. Their bodies, a patchwork of vibrant green and purple scales, gleamed in the dim light as they moved with a fluidity that belied their reptilian nature. Their eyes were large and yellow, and their teeth were jagged and sharp. Their claws were long and deadly, and their tails whipped around as they moved.

They were a mix of lizard and human, their bodies lithe and agile. They were fast and ferocious, and they knew how to use their weapons. Their weapons were made of bone and metal, and they moved with a deadly grace.

As he pondered his next move, the sound of rustling leaves warned him of their approach. It was time to act.

The monsters advanced on him, their weapons raised in a deadly threat. John stood his ground, his dagger poised to strike. 

As one of the creatures swung its club at him, he ducked under the blow and slashed out with his dagger, drawing blood from its chest. With a shriek of pain, it crumpled to the ground.

[Saura Knight Killed]

[0.5 Agility Obtained]

The system's notifications chimed one after another as John dispatched the monsters. It wasn't enough. He needed more.

The Shockwave skill reverberated through the air, sending the oncoming monsters flying back with a force that left them stunned and disoriented. Their bodies hit the ground hard, bloodied and bruised from the impact.

The fight raged on, the air filled with the sounds of combat and the smell of blood. He swung his Venomlash, the blade slicing through flesh and bone.

[Saura Knight Killed]

[0.5 Energy Obtained]

John narrowed his eyes at the system's notification, it was his first time seeing monsters of the same species rewarding different stats. He had a theory, but he had to confirm. He used his Appraisal skill on the closest Saura Knight.

[Saura Knight]

[Strength: 24]

[Vitality: 19]

[Agility: 14]

[Energy: 15]

As John engaged in combat against a nearby Saura Knight, he launched into a series of rapid strikes with his dagger, aiming to weaken the monster before delivering the decisive blow. 

He managed to catch the monster off guard with his Shockwave skill, sending it flying back into a nearby wall. The creature shook its head, trying to clear the cobwebs from the shock, but John was quick to capitalise on this opening. 

Raising his hand, he summoned forth a dark mist that slowly coalesced into the shape of an energy claw - his newly acquired Shadow Claw skill. The claw was as sharp and deadly as any physical blade, and it glowed with an ominous energy that promised devastating consequences for whatever it struck. 

With a quick flick of his wrist, John sent the Shadow Claw flying towards the Saura Knight's chest. The creature tried to block the attack with its sword, but the energy blade was too fast and too powerful. It pierced through the monster's Armor, tearing through its scales and bone before emerging from the other side in a spray of blood and gore.

[Saura Knight Killed]

[0.5 Strength Obtained]

With that, John confirmed his theory. The reward was based on their highest stat. He smiled and gripped his Venomlash tight, but a sudden flash of light widened his eyes. He sidestepped to his left by pure instinct, but it was a second too late and the arc cut through his shoulder.

As John continued battling against the onslaught of Saura Knights, he found himself growing more confident in his abilities with each passing victory. His Appraisal skill had confirmed that the monsters rewarded different stats based on their highest stat.

However, just as he thought he had everything under control, a sudden flash of light caught him off guard. Before he could react, one of the Saura Knights slashed its sword and a white arc of energy flew towards him.

John jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow, but a small gash appeared on his arm. He gritted his teeth against the pain, but the sight of blood seeping from the wound filled him with dread.

"Fucking lizard," he muttered under his breath.

John felt a surge of adrenaline as he realised what had happened - he had underestimated one of these monsters, and it had almost cost him his life. With renewed determination, he gripped his Venomlash tighter and prepared to take down the last of them.

As he approached the creature, he saw it was limping and had a deep gash on its leg. With a few more hits, the creature was killed.

With his heart pounding from the recent encounter, John methodically assessed his surroundings for any further danger. Upon finding none, he sat down heavily, reaching for a health potion. He uncorked it and sprayed its contents on his wounds. The potion did its magic as they began to stitch themselves together before his eyes. Once healed, John rose back onto his feet feeling somewhat lightheaded from the experience.

He had to go back to his primary objective, looking for a suitable location for a base. He could deploy the portable base anytime he wanted, but there were many things to consider. First, he needed it to be far away from Theodore's shelter. He could not risk a confrontation with Theodore or his men, yet. 

Second, it should be relatively safe and third, it needed resources nearby. He had already scouted a few locations, but there was one more requirement, he needed people. People were gathering and forming factions, clashes with others was inevitable and he could not fight them all by himself.

As John continued to explore the desolate city, he moved cautiously, keeping close watch of his surroundings. The air was thick with dust and debris from the destruction that had occurred months earlier. Broken buildings loomed overhead like gaping maws, their shattered windows reflecting the dim moonlight. Rusted cars littered the streets, some flipped on their sides while others were still intact but abandoned. 

The silence was almost deafening, only occasionally broken by the rustling of leaves in the wind or distant movement of animals scavenging for food. The occasional glimpse of colour caught his eye - a shred of fabric fluttering from a balcony railing or a can of spray paint on an overturned dumpster. These small signs of life were both comforting and disheartening; they meant that others had survived, but they also signified the struggle to maintain any semblance of normalcy in this new world order. 

As he approached an intersection, John noticed a group of people huddled around a makeshift campfire. They appeared to be talking animatedly, gesturing wildly as they spoke. Their clothes were tattered and dirty, reflecting their hardscrabble existence in this harsh environment. Despite the danger posed by strangers in these uncertain times, John couldn't help but approach them cautiously.

He walked towards the group, his boots crunching on the rubble beneath him. As he got closer, the sounds of their conversation became clearer - they were discussing strategies for scavenging and defending their territory from rival factions.

"Hello there."