Chapter 9: Rookies

Kennen and his friends got their food from the buffet hall before they went to eat in Frank's room. None of them wanted to with the presence of the other group and Kennen also didn't want them to overhear when Jordan, Nina, James and Brandi revealed their new power.

"What did you guys get?" Kenne asked while stuffed some bread into his mouth.

Kennen was hoping for one of them to be a healer. It was something that any team needed, especially in these times where doctor or healthy facilities were near nil.

"I'll go first!" James was the first to speak and was quite excited, completely from yesterday him who looked very depressed.

"Mine is called second, when activated, every action I take has double the power. Meaning that my punch would have the power of two punches combined and if I jump, I'll jump twice higher than my normal one."

James demonstrated by moving around, it was like someone sped up the video when he moved.

"I get tired quite fast though…" James added.

Kennen wanted to put him in the same category as Frank's power but then Frank's power was passive while James' was active so it would be more appropriate to put it along with Evan's power.

It wasn't bad but not that useful to them right now.

"Not bad, what about you Brandi?" Kennen moved things along.

"I'm a swordswomen…" Brandi said meekly.

Then a sword made of blue energy, the same type of energy that made Enzo's bow, appeared in her hands.

It was a class type power but Kennen doubted it suited Brandi. She looked so weak and feeble that he felt doubt at her ability to parry an attack or even do proper damage with her sword swing.

"What about you two?" Kennen didn't voice his thoughts and changed the focus to the couple.

"I'm a plant grower." Nina said.

Kennen tilted his head in confusion and everyone else also expressed confusion.

"I can make plants grow faster." Nina explained further.

A look of understanding appeared on Kennen's face.

It was a production class power. A power that had a lot of value but was useless now.

Kennen was a bit surprised as he kind of expected all powers to be related to combat.

It would also be a lie if he said he didn't feel a bit disappointed since that power didn't add anything to their team currently but he tried to not show it on his face.

"Damn, you could have been Ivy if you could also control them." Evan commented.

"That's an infinite food glitch right there." Enzo said.

"We just need a garden now."

"Well, it has a lot of potential and you would have been rich if it was before."

Kennen tried to reassure her before turning toward Jordan.

"What about you Jordan?"

"I got conservation…" Jordan said with some disappointment and shame but then explained after seeing their confused faces.

"I can preserve food or material from decaying with time."

Kennen was shocked, another production type and this it was something they could use.

It was extremely useful too. This ability alone would be able to get them to have at least a year's worth of food as it would prevent the food from the buffet or the hotel across them from expiring.

Kennen understood Jordan's disappointment as the skill wasn't battle oriented or sounded amazing but it was a truly great skill in an apocalypse. It was one of those low-key overpowered.

Each of them would probably be worth more than the rest of them combined if they are in a good survivor's base. Those powers would be able to facilitate the lives of many and help them see through the apocalypse.

However it was just not something that would help them in a fight but that didn't mean that they were not important members as Kennen and his friends didn't intend to stay forever in this hotel as they would like to join a well run survivor's base.

"Now, we truly have an infinite food glitch." Enzo had an impressed expression.

"Well, I guess we don't have to worry about food anymore." Frank said and everyone else nodded in agreement.

"I think you should quickly go down and apply it to the food in the buffet and in the kitchen." Kennen said.

Kennen saw that all their encouraging words and excitement lifted Jordan's morale up after his disappointment with his power.

"Right! I should get to it!" Jordan was about to leave but Kennen stopped him as he needed to ask how long it lasted.

"Forever." Jordan replied, "I just need to apply it once and it's done."

That sounded a bit broken and was probably the most valuable power in their group.

"We should also take you to the other hotel too to conserve the foods there too."

They still had plenty of food here so Kennen didn't plan to take the food back, especially now that Jordan's power was there and their confrontation with the other resident of the hotel.

They could now conserve it and stock it in the other hotel and only take it out when needed and they could do the same for all the food they were able to forage. Kennen even thought that they should actively try to find more food so they could stock it.

"We can also take the rookies out to get them accustomed to their new powers. It's only 1pm."

Evan proposed and Kennen thought it was a good idea to go for another hunt since there was still daylight.

"Alright." Kennan agreed, "But Frank, you will have to stay behind."

Frank was about to protest but facing all of his friends stares on him, he relented in the end.

"Nina too, you don't need to fight and your power isn't suited to fight either. We'll also try to get some plants for you so you can practice."

Kennen was waiting for Jordan to protest and that he wanted his girlfriend to be with him but he actually nodded in agreement. Nina didn't seem to be unhappy with it either.

This was a good thing since having a non-fighter in their team while hunting would add more stress to the team, especially with two people who never fought before. It was still unsure how they would react in a fight and if they would be able to handle it.

"Then, it's decided. To the buffet."

Frank and Nina stayed back while the rest went to the buffet.

The other occupant of the hotels were mostly assembled in the buffet hall as they passed time by chit chatting with their own click.

Kennen and his group attracted the attention when they came in but nobody went to bother them but when they started to assemble the food that would soon expire for Jordan to use his power on, all eyes were on them again.

Jordan used his power on the food, it was basically him sprinkling some green dust on it.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

"What did you put in the food?"

"You're trying to poison us or what?! Just because we want some crystals too?"

It was that annoying middle aged man again with the most offending words.

"We're preventing them from turning bad, Jordan's power does exactly that." Kennen replied to them calmly.

"And we're just supposed to believe that?"

"Yeah, how can we be sure?"

Kenne had no idea how those people could be so antagonistic at everything they said.

"Damn, you got us, we're poisoning the food that we're eating, nice deduction Sherlock." Evan sarcastically said while taking a bite of the meat Jordan just sprinkled on.

"What a fifa-brain thought process." Enzo added to the ridicule.

"Ah, you think this is funny?"

"Yes." "Yes." "Yes."

Kennen's three friends replied as they laughed.

"You think you guys are so much better than us, huh?"

Kennen saw the conflict escalating so put a stop to it.

"Cut it out guys. We're here to preserve food so it doesn't turn bad, which benefits all of us. I don't see any point in fighting this."

The other party clicked their tongues but backed out. At least they l'ew when to back out.

"How are you feeling?" Kennen asked Jordan.

"I'm starting to feel the toll but just slightly." Jordan replied after preserving half the food at the buffet.

"Let's stop, you already got those will expire soon." Kennen stopped him since Jordan still had to do the same with the food in the other hotel.

Then, Kennen and his team left the hall and took the same window to exit the hotel.

"Don't forget to get us crystals." That annoying middle-aged man yelled as they left.

"What a c*nt… who is this f*cker anyway?" Evan muttered when they all got out of the window.

"He introduced himself as Michael Santana. He came from Los Angeles, at least that's what he said." Jordan informed them.

"Can't believe we're going to give crystals to that asshole." Enzo complained.

"We never said we'll give all the crystals we get. We just have to give one or two each time so they can shut up. We pocket the rest for ourselves so we'll still be ahead."

Kennen told them how they could be petty about it.

He also didn't plan for them to hold their hands all the way as they would probably stop giving any crystals when the other group received six or seven.

They could hunt for their own after that.

This also gave Kennen and his group more time to grow and put some gap in power between the two groups.

After all, who knows what those people would do or say once all their people had powers and were stronger?

Thankfully, those people acted like they were inside, untrustworthy and unreliable.

Kennen easily made it to the hotel as no monsters were present in their path or surrounding. They went to the hotel's restaurant and saw it was a bit messy, plates of half finished food were on some tables and the kitchen was still working when everything happened, at least the gas was turned off.

Everyone worked together to assemble the remaining edible food and let Jordan use the powder on it. From Kennen's estimate, there was probably two or three days worth of food for a restaurant but this was around a month or so of food for ten people.

Jordan was able to put his power on half of them before got too tired. He started with the food that would degrade the fastest so it was fine if he finished the rest another day.

With that done, it was time to start the training for the newest member, or the more appropriate description, time for them to gain experience so they could steel their nerves in dangerous situations.

"Time for the rookie initiation!" Evan perhaps said too excitingly.

"What is rookie initiation?" James asked a bit nervously with Brandi also being very nervous.

"Get your first kill obviously!" Even replied.

This wasn't exactly what Kennen had in mind for them. He would have preferred to have the two watch them fight first and have some minor role to get them accustomed before.

"Let's not get too excited." Kennen calmed them down, "Let's tell them what they should be looking for and do first."

"Right, as senior, we should impart some wisdom to our juniors." Enzo said while rubbing his imaginary beard.

"Alright, I'm the front line here so I'll do it. The first thing you should do is to dodge and parry and the last resort…"

Evan was telling them some of his experience as the front liner of the team and what to look for during a fight or explained what they should do against the different monsters they had encountered so far.

Kennen and others also chipped in when they had something to add.

But in the end, experience was the best lesson.

"Alright, let's draw some monsters here." Evan said.

Enzo was scouting outside for a few minutes before he said, "Alright, I see six wolves there. Evan, go bait them."

"Why me?" Evan wasn't offending and only asked just to ask.

"Cause, you're the fastest runner, chop-chop. Just throw a rock at them or something."

Evan left with a sigh and went to get the wolves but didn't go far, he really took a rock from the ground and threw it toward the wolves. It didn't take long before the wolves were running at him.

"Kill four and leave two for the rookies!" Evan said as he ran back to the reception and prepared for the fights.

Everyone else was in position except for Jordan who stayed back to watch. James and Brandi stayed near Kennen and Amelia. It was better they trimmed the number down before having them do anything.

Enzo and the goblins each shot at different targets while the rest restricted the others so Evan didn't get surrounded and mauled while killing one on his own.

With the wolves' focus split with the new assailant, the second wave of attack came with the arrow and javelins killing two while Evan killed another one again.

Now only two remained, one of them had a javelin stuck on his leg and was limping while the other one charged at Evan after getting out of his bind but got knocked to the ground with a well timed punch by Evan.

"It's you rookies turn!" Evan said as he backed out.

Rafael and Amelia as well as Enzo were in high vigilance in case it became dangerous so they could intervene.

James and Brandi slowly approached their own target. The two were clearly nervous but only Brandi had shaking legs.

Rafael binded the leg of Brandi's target and tripped him.

"Just stab it."

"We got your back, Bran."

Evan and Amelia encourage Brandi.

Brandi aimed her sword at the wolf's head and plunged it down but she had her eyes closed and because she also didn't put enough strength behind it, the strike failed to penetrate the skull and only left a deep gash on the wolf's head.

The wolf weeped in pain and trashed around as it got out of the bind before getting up, which made Brandi trip as she backed out in fear.

However, Evan sent the wolf sprawling to the ground again with a shoulder bash and Rafael followed with another bind.

"The skull seems to be a bit too hard, stab it on the belly." Evan advised as he helped her up.

Brandi tried again but closed her eyes again when she plunged down her sword, at least she killed it this time.

James was doing much better. He was facing the limping wolf but with his power activated, he could quickly dodge the wolf's lunge and strike back with the borrowed javelin from the goblin.

It just took him two strikes before James was able to kill the wolf but he was quickly out of breath.

Kennen wasn't sure yet if it was because of his power or because of his nerves.

Anyways the wolves were dead and it was time to split the crystals.

"Well, you guys can get the crystals for your kills."

Kennen told James and Brandi.

Although they didn't deserve it, they probably wouldn't get anymore for the rest of day and it would be like a gift for their first kill.

The remaining four were split between him and his three friends.

With that taken care of, they could go on with their hunt.