Disparity leading to compliance

Perched in a budding Roseoak tree, a man sat cross-legged, his eyes in deep meditation.

More than two hours had passed since Hannah and Joshiah arrived, and Delvin was slowly recovering from overexerting his body with Mana Infusion. The fifty odd survivors had clarified their experiences with Davor's wife, Anna, acting as the spokeswoman of the group.

They had all been employees of a large energy company that set up shop near Mebaya, looking to strike it rich. Most of them decided to start a new life here by moving here with their families, but in the wake of the System and natural disasters accompanying it, the group tried re-locating closer to the city proper.

Who could have known that the arrival of mana would influence each and every piece of electronics, including their car engines and smartphones, leaving them stranded in an unfamiliar forest filled with weird plants and dangerous monsters; the group would have surely collapsed and many would have died if not for the married couple.

Since Anna and Davor were the General Security Advisors of their company's office in Mebaya, the group turned to them for guidance. Their kids, Lea and Leo, joined their father in protecting the security of the group, with Anna acting as the decision maker and actual leader despite her lack of skills.

Both Davor and Leo had the Combat Mastery skill, and with Lea's Soil Control and Mana Sense the fifty earthlings crossed through most the Blossomwood unobstructed. They moved through the day and stayed in-and-around Safe Zones during the night.

These Safe Zones differed from those Delvin was familiar with. They were larger by a far margin, allowing 15 people to stay inside at any given moment, and instead of providing singular buffs for their occupants these Zones awarded their finders with pieces of gear.

Although the equipment varied wildly, ranging from the Rare greatsword Davor used to a Trash-rarity cloth that provided the user with -1 VIT.

[JOURNAL]

2.Find safe zone(why dead by day 3 in message if I'm alive?) Safe Zones

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Do they adapt to those that find them? More people=different rewards? (Davor's group)

Solo find= Boost to: stat, damage...

Group find= Items, Useful gear (Portable Ark MK 2.2)

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The Portable Ark was the ball-like object Anna used to transport survivors. It was the first Epic-rarity item Delvin saw, and despite the many limitations the item possesed it was still the best one he had come across so far.

Each individual would have to pay the small price of 5 permanent mana to form a 'connection' with the ball, and upon the Ark wielder's decision they would all be teleported inside where the Ark kept them in suspended animation. Those who entered the Ark described their stay as delightful, with nourishing energies and pleasant emotions being the only recollections they remembered.

Anna had activated the 'Homecoming' ability of the item when the group was accosted by three groups of mutants some five hours ago. With only three fighters, Anna and her father, Michael, the family opted to make a break for it; Michael's Stamina Boost I working overtime to assure their escape.

Michael couldn't connect with the Ark as he didn't posses a single point of Mana even though his INT and WIS stat were above 10. In spite of this, Delvin rated the old man's combat utility a solid 9/10, the same as Hannah.

While he couldn't contribute in fights directly, Michael's only skill was simply a game changer. Stamina Boost I increased both total Stamina and Stamina regen by 25%, and Del considered tying the man up with a rope and bringing him along so that disgusting bonus was always within reach.

The old man didn't disclose the skill's rarity or Order of Power, and the only clue was the 'I' in its name, signalling the skill still had a long way to go before it reached maximum potential. What if Stamina Boost III increased the bonus to 75%? 100%?

The rope option was no longer just an idea, but an alternative plan of action Delvin would keep on the backburner in case things get messy. If five Tier 1 mutants abruptly popped out from behind the buildings, the old man would be the first person Del rushed to save, followed by Hannah and then Lea; being a mage sure placed you higher on people's friend lists.

The family continued fleeing for the better part of an hour before finally ditching the monsters. Thinking they were momentarily safe, the group rested and debated on the next course of action while fixing their wounds. Their discourse was stopped only 20 minutes later by a wondering Tier 1 mutant that threatened to kill them all, and they barely survived the initial clash by virtue of Lea's quick thinking, as she trapped the mutant under a collapsing building.

What followed were hours of running, and with the group's prospects of survival thinning by the minute, Davor suggested—ney, insisted—he would stay behind and keep the monster occupied when they reached the now-overgrown parking lot of the city's shopping mall.

His wife and kids where rightfully aghast by this and would have never agreed if not for Michael's interruption, "Annie, the man's made his decision. And it is the correct one. You and the little ones need to get as far away as possible while me and the idiot take that monster down a peg." This only furthered Anna and the kids' protests, but when a man makes up his mind about something it's a lost cause to try and sway him; unless that decision is going to the gym, then it's not that hard to change a man's mind.

(Author note: I'm looking at all of you[me included] who've made New Year's resolutions only to give up on them after the first two weeks of January)

Davor couldn't believe him and Michael were in agreement for once. Their years-relationship was strained and unhealthy, the old man didn't want his only daughter marrying a brute whose first answer for any problem was to raise his fists, and Davor felt the old man was a control freak whose only boring interests were discussing history and poetry.

But now, at the end of their respective roads, the two had finally found common ground. With tears in their eyes, the family were about to say goodbye forever, but an unexplainably fast man had emerged in front of them and they couldn't make heads or tails of the man's intention until he instructed them to get behind him.

With a shake of the head, the man refused to follow the family further into the jungle lot and simply stated he'd slay the approaching mutant by himself.

The family quickly realigned their strategy, where Davor and Lea(both enhanced by Stamina Boost I) would assist the mysterious man's endeavour while Leo was relegated to guard duty of the old man and his mother whose life the people in the Ark depended on.

The following fight left a deep impression on the family that would stick with them for quite some time. The strength displayed by the man was frankly impossible, even with the System's enhancements and the family's plans for the future were adjusted accordingly.

If this man was somehow persuaded to join them, the group would acquire their most powerful addition yet. No longer would they have to scurry about, hiding behind bushes and covering themselves in dirt to avoid detection; now they would be the ones hunting, not the other way round.

Unfortunately, the man was seemingly spooked when Anna activated her item, and he gave the command to the two new arrivals to deal with the group's wishes and needs while he climbed up tree; "I have to check my messages" was the man's excuse.

And so it was left to Hannah and Joshiah to converse with the survivors and answer their many questions.

'Where is the army?'

'Is the government coming to rescue us?'

'What happened with that scary-looking monster over there?'

Those were just some of the inquiries the group wanted answered, and their moods took a sharp downturn when they realized the true state of affairs. Some even questioned if this small gathering was the last humanity had to offer, much to Hannah's displeasure. Bickering started with many wanting to get moving as soon as possible and other voted to cling to the thigh of the man who slew the hulking monstrosity.

The situation was beginning to escalate and with no consensus reached, a small outcropping of the group threatened to split apart and try their own luck. They wouldn't get the chance as the still-recovering android had enough.

With an a loud thud the man landed from the high branches; the 10 meter fall making no difference for him. The entire band promptly quieted down and Delvin was the sole focus of attention. He's next words would determine a lot.

"Aah you're all an annoying bunch." The group threatened to start barking again but Delvin wouldn't give them the time of day. One after another, a small armory's worth of weapons were materialized in front of the group alongside a bunch of animal remains, berries and other plant-life his Collect Herb skill allowed harvesting. "Now, have we all settled properly?"

'I have to work on my sassiness, I'll end up actually pissing them off.' He summoned his weapon of choice before continuing scolding the group.

"You've all complained about what we can do for you, and how we would protect you. I apologize if your kids are listening, but honestly, why would I bother with you and your needs? There's nothing you're bringing to the table, no concrete benefits that would warrant my giving a shit about you. Sure, I don't want you to die but I certainly don't want to be bogged down by people who haven't the slightest idea of what has happened to Earth." Del paused with a soft cough, and with a cleared throat carried on.

"There are forces at play that are bigger than anything our feeble minds can imagine, you've seen it for yourselves. Zombified humans now litter the streets, and people can shape the world to their will." Lea's face turned sour but Delvin proceeded with the negative and antagonistic tone, "If you don't adapt, you die. Now as I said, your death is not something I'd want on my hands so I'm giving you a chance. Arm yourselves and start learning how to better protect those you care about. There's no G.I.Joes coming to help us so we can only help each other."

"Not everyone has to become a fighter and help in facing monsters, I'm just saying that more combatants are needed if we're planning on keep you all alive. The rest can forage for food or work on building something, I don't know. The point is I'm not down to take care of 40 adult children and their actual children." The dissatisfaction was palpable as Delvin stepped over to have a chat with Hannah.

Joshiah was remedying the situation by pacifying the group, saying how everyone can 'get video game superpowers' and 'be like Spiderman!' The wannabee assassin had diverged from the group shortly after they started to annoy her and scouted the nearby mall; their next destination.

"You're not the... kindest of speakers, so to speak." The horrific joke reminded him of a bygone memory, hidden beyond the curtain of his amnesia; someone he knew before everything went blank used to make such lousy jokes.

"Hey, I was just taking the piss, don't take it to heart you monster." Seeing his blank face worried her, 'Is he sensitive to his speech, maybe a speech impediment in his youth or trauma related to it?'

"Oh, sorry. I lost focus there for a second; horrible joke by the way." Hannah snorted before divulging what she spied in the shopping mall.

At least 10 mutants, all under the first Tier were stationed at various spots in the building. She spotted three archers and eight axe-type monsters, all of whom were Level 6. They hadn't progressed into the mall itself, puzzling Hannah and she could only attribute this to the effects of a Safe Zone; was the whole shopping mall a gigantic Safe Zone?

They discussed a plan of attack, but with the day winding down anything they come up with would have to wait until the morning. Leaving these people in the middle of the city was akin to sentencing them to an early death.

They lacked the numbers meaning the family and any would-be fighters would have to support him and Hannah in storming the monsters and taking them down. And it just so happened that Anna soon came over with three frail looking people, a man and two women.

"Uum, Delvin right? Please don't think of these people was being incompetent and a burden. They've all lived normal lives up until a week ago when the literal planet they inhabited became an apocalyptic hellhole and everything they knew was turned upside down." Anna's dark eyes spoke of her own emotions about the situation, but being the leader that she was, she held fast and continued without a shred of fear or dread.

"I saw what you did to that fucking thing, and it is with confidence that I say you can probably do the same to all of us if you so choose. I am hoping you won't though." She pointed to the three newcomers, all of whom wielded different kinds of weapons. " These three were inspired by what you said and are ready to start adapting to this new world in earnest. You also have the support of me and my family, we're prepared to teach this new world just how though the Zinic family truly is. But nevertheless, your strength is paramount to our wellbeing and we need to get you to help us if we want to have a shot of prospering; that Tier 1 monstrosity proved this well enough"

'Inspiring words, that also serve to placate me and gain my trust; not bad.' The woman was a tried and true captain, Delvin liked her approach and character. 'A stern voice to command and a confident one to inspire. I might have just gained a valuable ally.'

He wouldn't put his trust in Anna's words just yet but there was one factor that made it a lot more believable; a series of blinking notifications, all painted a never-before-seen vibrant purple. The Grounded Mana Crystal has awakened.

[10/10 compliant individuals found!]

[Form a Base of Operations?]

[ADDITIONAL SOURCE OF ESSENCE DETECTED,]

[Inject 'Grounded Mana Crystal(Epic*)' into Base formation?]