Flash Step

Currently, three men were sitting in a room full of various boxes and bags. One was leaning against the wall, holding a notebook in his hands, as he stared at it intensely. Obviously, he was Dave.

Adam was sitting cross-legged opposite to him, trying to enter a meditative state. However, judging by a thick frown on his forehead, it was clear that he hadn't made much progress in it. Sitting next to him, Brian was attempting to control the direction of his Life Pulse as he was happy at one moment and confused at another.

Glancing at them occasionally, Dave looked through his notebook which he started filling right before the start of the 2nd Cataclysm. It had information about different types of monsters showing their names, strengths, and weaknesses as well as information relating to different events with approximate dates of them.

The classification of zombies was also written in the copybook. At the start, there was only one type of zombies, and they could be classified as level 1 monsters. They were dull and savage.

Also, zombies could branch into different types, depending on their evolution pathway. However, normally, they are categorized into three types. The zombies could become a strength-type zombie, Giant, a speed-type zombie, Hunter, or a balanced-type zombie, Ghoul.

Giants were extremely strong and tough, while hunters were extremely agile. Ghouls were both strong and agile. They were a kinda hybrid between two types.

Moreover, depending on how much biomass zombies had consumed, even ordinary zombies could grow stronger. However, compared to humans that levelled up by killing monsters, zombies needed to eat for the same effect.

Due to their evolutionary superiority of zombies, they mutate continuously and evolve much faster than humans. On some rare occasions, zombies may even have some special abilities that differed from others, being kinda similar to innate abilities that humans awaken. Well, it was rare to stumble upon one.

Because zombies were able to grow stronger eating humans, they were classified into ranks. High-levelled survivors were especially useful for their evolution since their biomass was more valuable to zombies' evolution.

Rank 1 evolved zombies could be killed by Enhancer between levels 5 to 25, while the rank 2 evolved zombies needed 40 to 100 levelled Enhancer. The Giant he had killed in the library amounted to level 5, having been in its earlier evolutionary stage.

'I can easily handle a middle rank 1 giant with my current strength, yet I'm still lacking in agility to kill a rank 1 hunter.' As he pondered about that problem, he started writing down and grouping skills from his past life because his Regression was able to transfer them to him.

'Why didn't I remember it before? It is ideal for the initial stage.' The sudden realization had struck Dave as he recalled a skill from his past life. He had learned it on his own when he had just entered into an Enhancer's life. However, due to its restrictions, he wasn't able to use it later on.

It may be rough when it comes to the technique itself, but it was effective and practical during fights at the early stages.

"Brian, are there any monsters around us?" Checking his surroundings, Dave wanted to quickly try the skill but their room was too small and cramped to move freely.

"There are few of them around us, but with your strength, I doubt that they will cause you any problems." Brian had already sent several Life Pulses in an attempt to control it, so he had completely memorized the positions of all living creatures surrounding them.

"Then, I will go out for a bit. I want to try something." With such words, Dave rushed out of the minimarket. Going slightly further from the market, Dave tried to perform his skill.

'How was it? Gather the strength into your legs and kick off from the ground. At the same time, try to guide mana into your leg muscles. As muscles contract, the mana inside them will explode and forcefully fuse with your leg muscles.'

As he followed the instructions, Dave guided a tiny bit amount of mana into his legs and with one step, rushed forward. He saw the scenery around him blur as he appeared 5 meters away from his initial position.

He nearly stumbled in the middle but was able to keep his balance at the last moment.

[You have learned a Flash Step (LVL 1)]

[Regression is reacting towards your new skill]

[Your agility is too low to increase the level of Flash Step (LVL 1)]

When he heard consecutive system notifications, Dave was slightly surprised.

'It seems that I should add more free points in agility. I forgot that a [Flash Step] requires the minute difference between strength and agility stats on initial levels. However, it should get negligible at higher levels.' Dave thought it was already a miracle that he learned it. One more point in strength and he would have definitely failed.

On its first level, there should be a minute difference between strength and agility to learn [Flash Step.] To raise it to its next level, Dave needed to pour more mana into his legs. However, without needed mana control, Dave would only harm his legs rather than raising its level. He can't risk getting an injury in the initial phases. He would better wait until he gets his hands on the source of health potions.

The only disadvantage of the skill was that it used a lot of stamina, straining the body of a user. Using it only once, Dave already felt how exhaustion crept over his body. Moreover, he couldn't overuse it since he could feel how cramped his legs were. If he had used it non-stop, he would have severely damaged his leg muscles.

Satisfied with the result, Dave made a light smile and heaved a sigh. As he already learned the skill, Dave decided to return to the storage room. Entering the room, he saw that both Adam and Brian grew bored of their training as they were resting on the floor.

"Dave, move quicker! We've been waiting for you, so we can eat together."

When Brian finally saw Dave, he beamed with happiness. It seemed that Brian was the one who'd waited to eat the most.

They unpacked some of the boxes and found canned food, chocolate, and bottles of mineral water. Both Adam and Brian ate it hastily, while Dave was more reserved. He was accustomed to feeling hungry and could control his urges.

As they finished several cans of food, Adam and Brian still looked somewhat hungry, even though they ate more slowly than before.

"I'm sure, both of you rested enough. After half an hour, we will go hunting, so rest as much as you can." As both of them ate another can of food, Dave decided to stop them.

"Okay," Both of them nodded their heads because they were itching for action. Indeed, it was much safer inside the storage room, but it was too boring being in one room for a long time and Dave understood them clearly. Previously, he was trapped inside one room for several months.

"Let me ride on a bus, buddy," Adam said with a smile on his face as he put his arm over Dave's neck. He had played some games with Dave before and knew some things about levelling up.

Smiling slightly, Dave said to him, "There's no such a thing as riding a bus in our situation. You'll level up only if you'll be the one to land the last hit. So don't try to take an easy route."

"Damn. Alright, no riding a bus then." Adam acted like he was deeply saddened by that fact as he wiped his non-existent tears in a playful manner. However, Dave knew that Adam acted like this around him just because they were friends for several years already.

After half an hour of rest, they left the storeroom and locked it with a key which they found in a staff room.

"Brian, your time to shine." As they stood in front of the minimarket, they decided to rely on Brian's innate ability. Dave and Adam followed after him since Brian already knew their fighting abilities.

They especially targeted zombies wandering alone and took turns in killing them. They avoided the areas where zombies were too crowded and hunted zombies wandering separately on the streets.

During killing zombies, Dave noticed that the numbers of zombies were much higher than before. If not for Brian and his Life Pulse, they would have already been surrounded by zombies.

After 2 hours of hunting, they were tired of killing zombies and decided to return to their minimarket. They had killed more than 30 zombies and were able to get another white chest. They would have killed much more if not for the fear of attracting the attention of a horde of zombies.

Dave noticed that it became harder to obtain a Treasure Chest than yesterday since they had got 3 white chests killing less than 20 zombies, while they got only one from killing more than 30 of them.

It had dropped a spear which was given to Adam since he was the only one without a weapon. It was a spear with a stone spearhead and a broken shaft.

[Broken Spear

Attack: 7-10

Durability: 10

Description: The spear with a broken shaft]

Even though Adam didn't like that the spear was broken, he was delighted to have a proper weapon if it can be called one.