Chapter 6: First Day

The two pig orcs dropped two red crystals. It didn't look any different from the one dropped by the wolves and yet the orcs completely outclassed the wolves in terms of power and danger to hunt.

The loot really didn't suit the difficulty of the mob.

"So who is going to get a stone?" Frank asked.

Evan and Frank both decided to pass on this time since they already had four each. So it left Kennen, Enzo and Rafael.

In the end, it went to Kennen and Enzo since they didn't get any in the previous haul.

Kennen didn't feel any different when he took the second crystal or any stronger at all. The other was able to feel a little bit of increase in power while he didn't feel anything.

He asked the goblins to see if they felt any stronger but the answer was inconclusive.

"Time to go back down and try to block off the entrance." Frank said.

"Can we rest a bit, first?" Rafael groaned.

"Yeah… I can't even move my legs anymore…" Enzo echoed.

Kennen also felt the same but he knew it was better to get it done now.

"I'm just as tired as you guys but we have to get it done ASAP. Otherwise more monsters might come in and we'll get even more tired or even dead."

"Just like Kennen said, we also have to do it before night falls." Frank said.

"Fuuuu….."

More groans came as they dragged their tired bodies down the stairs.

…

As they went down, Frank decided to ask the people on the way for help to block the entrance and as expected, most of them were too afraid to step out of their room except for a couple in their late twenties on the fourth floor. They were called Jordan Coleman and Nina Santos and were a couple from America that came for vacations.

Kennen actually expected nobody to help since it was still early into the apocalypse but this couple probably realized that they couldn't stay in the room forever and that being in a group was safer.

The ground floor had one entrance and surely other staff doors but before seeking any staff door, they must barricade the entrance that had its glass doors broken.

They decided to use the chairs and chairs around the reception to block off the entrance. It wouldn't make any tough barricade and the orcs could easily topple it down by just walked in but it was better than nothing and hopefully, the monsters would walk away after seeing no obvious path.

Kennen would stand near the entrance to act as the watcher so he could warn the rest whenever a monster passed by close enough so they could stop.

They also had to be quiet while moving the furniture so the noise didn't attract more monsters and they also had to do it fast so no more monsters wandered into the hotel.

As they started for four minutes, three figures came from the buffet hall. Frank was the first person to notice them and was about to throw away the chair he was holding on but then saw it was three people.

One man, two women. They looked to be in their early twenties and were an attractive looking bunch.

"Uh… hello? Need some help?" The woman with black hair in the middle asked tentatively.

"Hi! We'll gladly take the help." Frank said and then asked, "Where did you guys come from?"

"We were hiding in the gym from those pigs in the hall and saw you guys lure them away so… we came out slowly after and saw the buffet…" The black haired woman explained.

"God… we would've ended like those people in the hall if it wasn't for Amelia." The man said in fear and was clearly traumatized.

"Oh, what happened? Did she get a crystal and get power?" Frank asked.

"Yeah… but nothing like you guys though." The black haired woman named Amelia said.

"Nice! What did you get?" Evan asked directly.

"Uh… it's called Psych Attack, I can give those monsters headaches." Amelia answered.

Kennen didn't participate in the discussion with the newcomers as he stayed vigilant and watched outside but from what he could glance from what they said. The man was called James and the other brunette was called Brandi.

They were outside on the beach and found a crystal on the beach, which Amelia took, and when dimensional gate transporting monsters came, they ran toward the closest building, which was this hotel. However, they were being pursued by a pig orc but were able to shake the orc off with Amelia's new power and went to hide in the changing room in the hotel's gym.

Kennen didn't have any peculiar feelings toward the three newcomers. Food would be consumed faster but it was easier to survive with more people in the apocalypse, especially with one of them having powers since him and his friends could barely take care of two orcs.

There was strength in numbers now.

There were a few close calls where pig orcs wandered quite close to the hotel but thankfully,, they walked past and the group was able to quickly finish building the barricade and somewhat secure the entrance.

After that, they had to check if there were any other entrances in the hotel and also check if there were any remaining monsters in the hotel.

They found two staff doors, one in the conference hall and another one in the kitchen. They locked the doors and also took some knives from the kitchen so they at least had some weapons.

With that done, Kennen and the others finally secured the hotel and could take a breather.

"What's the plan now?" Jordan from the fourth floor asked as everyone sat and rested in the buffet hall.

"We stay here and wait for the military to take care of all those monstrosities!" James said as he hugged his girlfriend Amelia.

"I don't want to burst your bubbles but the military isn't coming, otherwise we would've heard them long ago. They probably could barely handle the monsters or maybe even got overrun." Rafael said.

"What are we going to do…" Jordan muttered in despair as he also hugged his girlfriend.

"Well, you should first aim to get powers from the crystals and…" Frank explained to them how the crystals worked, what to look for in the monsters they face so far and gave them some tips if they wanted to increase their odds in surviving this apocalypse.

Frank had always been nice.

Kennen wasn't against what Frank was doing as he believed that informing other people would also benefit them in the long run.

They shouldn't lose their humanities just because it was the apocalypse, especially when that humanity was hammered to them since they were small. It was easier to live in the apocalypse and rebuild with more people alive.

Kennen certainly didn't want to live in a desolate world alone or with his friends only no matter how much he liked them.

"But how are we going to kill the monsters and get the crystals?" Nina asked worriedly, "From what I'm hearing, you guys are having a hard time against them even with super powers, how are we going to do it while powerless?"

"We don't have guns and I doubt our kitchen knives are going to make a difference." Jordan has the same worry as his girlfriend.

"Maybe you can help us get a crystal?" James asked.

"I'll help!" Amelia volunteered.

Kennen and his friends looked at each other as they started to feel uneasy about this.

None of them wanted to give away something they risked their lives for but Kennen felt it might be necessary. It would be greatly advantageous and make it easier for their future hunt if they had more powered people with diverse powers.

It wasn't like Kennen planned to do this for free and that they would continue to farm for them. It would only be the first crystal and Kennen would make sure that those people contribute plenty after getting it.

"I guess we'll try, right guys?" Kennen gave a non-committal answer as he didn't want to promise them anything before consulting his friends.

"Just for the first one." Frank nodded and told them.

"After that, you guys gotta fight for it too." Rafael added.

The other party readily agreed.

"We don't have a signal anymore." Enzo said as he looked at his phone.

Kennen pulled up his phone as everyone else did so too and saw his phone had no signal.

Nobody was really surprised by that as it was expected after everything that happened, at least Kennen expected it.

He also expected electricity to soon follow after that.

No internet, no electricity and clean water, he would soon have to get used to living like a real pleb and a new low for personal hygiene.

Brushing your teeth? What's that?

Wiping your shit with paper? More like your hands now.

Smelling a little sweaty? That's some good perfume, especially when everybody smells like crap and dirt.

The future looked really bleak…

With the internet out, he also couldn't contact his family and was starting to get worried just like everybody else here. He just hoped that they were safe and that his siblings would step up in protecting his parents.

The sun was starting to fall and turn to night so Kennen decided to call in early for the night so did everyone else. Everyone was exhausted mentally and physically. All of them needed rest.

Kennen and his friends relocated to the rooms on the first floor. It would be easier to react in case anything happened.

They also needed to have someone stand watch while the others slept and Kennen decided to ask the goblins.

"Do you guys need to sleep?" He asked the goblins.

"Kek" "Kuk" "Eek"

All in all, they did need to sleep but they could take turns to stand watch at night.

"Great! I'll leave it to you guys. Wake us up if there's anything." Kennen said before he went to his room.

He enjoyed a hot bath before going to the cushy bed.

He had to enjoy them while he still could.

This was how the first day in the new world went. Tiring, terrifying and disgusting. He was sure he would face more danger in the future… but before he could think further about it, he fell asleep.