The heavy, rhythmic thumping intensified with each ground-shaking impact, a visceral drumbeat signaling the imminent arrival of overwhelming power.
The accompanying guttural roars were not the panicked cries of lesser mutated creatures, but deep, resonant bellows that promised to crush bone and tear flesh with terrifying ease.
Thomas's enhanced senses painted a stark and terrifying picture of the approaching entity – a hulking behemoth of muscle and twisted flesh, radiating an aura of brutal strength that dwarfed anything he had encountered thus far.
The crimson warning flashing insistently in his vision, starkly labeling it a Level 5 Mutated Brute, only amplified the icy dread that clenched his gut.
Their desperate flight from the decaying apartment building had led them directly into the path of an even greater, more formidable terror.
He instinctively pushed Sarah and the injured Lily further back into the relative concealment of the service tunnel's exit, his stance widening, the worn baseball bat held aloft like a fragile bulwark against an unimaginable force. His mind raced, a frantic calculus of impossible odds.
He had gained strength, speed, and a remarkable regenerative ability, but facing a creature two levels his senior, one whose very footfalls rattled the concrete, felt like an entirely different, exponentially more dangerous confrontation.
Just as the monstrous silhouette filled the loading dock entrance, a grotesque tapestry of hardened chitinous plates and bulging, corded muscle, the blue screen in Thomas's vision erupted in a sudden, vibrant luminescence, accompanied by a series of triumphant, echoing chimes that resonated only within the confines of his mind.
[Congratulations! Host has reached Level 5.]
[+5 Stat Points to distribute.]
[Reward: 500 Experience Points (x5 = 2500 Experience Points)]
[Reward: 5 Evolution Points (x5 = 25 Evolution Points)]
[New Feature Unlocked: Skill Acquisition.]
[New Feature Unlocked: System Shop.]
A torrent of information, a sudden deluge of potential, washed over Thomas, momentarily eclipsing the immediate, life-threatening danger. Level 5.
He hadn't consciously registered the incremental gains from each fallen creature, his focus solely on survival and protecting Sarah and Lily.
The experience points from the Mutated Hound and the two Mutated Scavengers, amplified by the system's generous reward structure for his achievements, had silently pushed him past the threshold without him even noticing the final tally. Twenty-five precious Evolution Points – a substantial sum that hinted at significant future growth. And two crucial new features: Skill Acquisition and the System Shop.
This unexpected surge of power and resources could be the razor-thin edge they desperately needed to survive this onslaught.
The Mutated Brute roared again, a sound that echoed through the loading dock, its eyes burning with a malevolent red intensity, its massive, clawed hands flexing with an eager anticipation of violence.
It was easily twice the size of the Stalker he had so recently felled, its entire being an engine of raw, untamed destruction.
Ignoring the immediate, looming threat for a precious few milliseconds, Thomas's mind snapped into sharp focus on the stat distribution prompt.
He instinctively poured every single available point into Strength, his primal survival instincts screaming that raw physical power was their only viable chance against this hulking behemoth.
[Stat Points Allocated.]
[New Stats:]
[Strength: 18]
[Agility: 14]
[Stamina: 7]
[Intelligence: 14]
[Willpower: 12]
[Perception: 11]
[Vitality: 11]
[Luck: 15]
[Charm: 10]
With a mental command, he accessed the newly unlocked Skill Acquisition feature. A new screen shimmered into existence, displaying a single, tantalizing option that pulsed with potential power:
[Available Skills (Level Requirement: 5):]
[Brutal Strike (Active): Channel your physical strength into a single, devastating melee attack. Damage: 200% of Strength. Cost: 10 SP.]
System Points (SP). So that was the currency of this strange, intrusive system.
He still had no conscious awareness of accumulating any, his focus having been entirely on immediate survival.
But the skill's description resonated with a brutal efficiency that could turn the tide of this desperate fight. He mentally selected it without hesitation.
[Skill Acquired: Brutal Strike (Level 1).]
[Current System Points: 0]
He had instinctively spent all his initial, unknown SP on the skill, a gamble born of immediate necessity.
Now, for the System Shop. With another mental command, the shop interface materialized, a list of items shimmering into existence with their corresponding System Point costs displayed beside them:
[System Shop:]
[Basic First Aid Kit: 5 SP]
[Energy Bar: 2 SP]
[Makeshift Blade: 15 SP]
[Reinforced Baseball Bat: 30 SP]
[Iron Shortsword: 50 SP]
...and a multitude of other items, a mix of basic consumables and rudimentary equipment.
His gaze immediately locked onto the Iron Shortsword. Fifty SP. A distant goal, currently unattainable given his zero balance.
The Reinforced Baseball Bat was closer, but still beyond his immediate reach. Then he spotted it – the Makeshift Blade. Fifteen SP. Still more than his current, unknown balance.
A wave of despair, brief but potent, threatened to engulf him, but he forcefully pushed it back. He had to focus on the resources he did possess. The newly acquired Brutal Strike skill.
The Mutated Brute charged, its heavy, earth-shaking footsteps closing the distance with terrifying speed, its guttural roar a deafening wave of pure aggression.
Thomas knew that meeting this monstrous force head-on with just the worn baseball bat was akin to suicide.
He needed something more substantial, something that could bridge the gap in their raw power.
His gaze fell upon a haphazard stack of discarded metal pipes piled precariously in the corner of the loading dock.
A desperate, almost suicidal idea sparked in his mind, a risky maneuver that hinged on speed and a sliver of luck.
He darted towards the pipes, his enhanced agility allowing him to move with surprising speed despite the Brute's thunderous advance.
He snatched the sturdiest-looking pipe, a thick length of solid iron, just as the Brute reached the threshold of the service tunnel's exit.
"Sarah, Lily, stay behind me!" he yelled, his voice strained against the Brute's deafening roar, the words barely audible above the monstrous bellow.
He turned to face the approaching behemoth, the heavy iron pipe held defensively in both hands.
It was a far cry from a proper sword, but it was undeniably more substantial than the splintered remains of his baseball bat against this engine of destruction.
The Brute swung a massive, clawed hand, its razor-sharp talons easily capable of tearing through steel and rending flesh with brutal efficiency.
Thomas dodged, relying on his enhanced reflexes, the wind from the monstrous blow whistling past his ear, a chilling reminder of the creature's lethal reach.
He knew he couldn't withstand many direct hits from those devastating claws. He needed to create an opening, to utilize his newfound skill.
He focused his intent, channeling the raw, untamed energy that now thrummed within his very being, a potent manifestation of his rapidly evolving Cosmic Adaptation.
Focusing his will, his determination a sharp, unwavering blade cutting through the remnants of fear, he swung the heavy iron pipe with all his might, aiming for the Brute's thick, armored leg, the only seemingly vulnerable part of its massive form. "Brutal Strike!" he roared, the activation of the skill lending his voice an unexpected resonance.
The impact was brutal and resounding, a deafening clang of solid metal against hardened chitin.
The Mutated Brute roared in pain and staggered back, a visible network of cracks spider-webbing across its leg armor at the point of impact.
[Combat Log:]
[You have used Brutal Strike!]
[-360 HP.]
[Mutated Brute HP: ???]
The damage inflicted was substantial, far exceeding the capability of a regular swing. But the Brute was far from defeated.
It roared again, its rage intensified, and swung its massive clawed hand in a faster, more furious arc.
Thomas barely managed to raise the iron pipe in time to block, the force of the blow sending a jarring jolt of pain shooting up his arms.
The heavy pipe groaned ominously under the immense pressure. It wouldn't withstand many more such impacts.
Suddenly, as the Brute prepared to unleash another devastating attack, a wave of shimmering, emerald energy erupted from Sarah, slamming into the creature's broad side with surprising force.
The Mutated Brute roared in surprise and stumbled sideways, momentarily stunned by the unexpected assault.
Sarah stood just behind Thomas, her eyes glowing with an intense emerald light, her hands outstretched as if channeling an unseen force, a look of shocked determination etched across her pale face.
"I… I don't know what that was!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling slightly but imbued with a newfound, raw power.
Before Thomas could fully process this astonishing development, a swirling vortex of wind materialized around Lily, lifting her small form slightly off the ground.
The wind intensified, forming sharp, buffeting gusts that lashed out at the Brute's face, momentarily disrupting its attack and causing it to roar in frustrated confusion.
Lily's eyes were wide, filled with a mixture of terror and bewildered wonder, her small hands clenching and unclenching as if trying to grasp the invisible force surrounding her.
Their companions had awakened.
Their path was not the same as his, not the silent, system-driven evolution he was undergoing.
They had tapped into something else entirely – a raw, untamed magical power that manifested in distinct and surprising ways.
The momentary distraction provided by Sarah and Lily's unexpected abilities gave Thomas the crucial opening he desperately needed.
He focused his intent once more, channeling the potent energy within him. "Brutal Strike!" he roared again, swinging the heavy iron pipe with another devastating blow, this time targeting the same weakened leg of the staggering behemoth.
The impact was sickeningly final, a wet crunch of splintering bone and cracking armor.
The Mutated Brute roared in pure agony, its massive leg buckling completely beneath its immense weight. It crashed to the ground with a thunderous impact that shook the very loading dock, its glowing red eyes filled with a mixture of excruciating pain and incandescent fury.
Thomas didn't hesitate for a single precious second. He knew this was their chance, a fleeting window of opportunity. "Run!" he yelled at Sarah, grabbing her arm and pulling her towards the loading dock doors that led out into the ravaged city, Lily floating precariously but swiftly in the swirling wind behind them, propelled by her own nascent, uncontrolled power.
As they fled the immediate vicinity of the downed Brute, the blue screen in Thomas's vision flashed again, showering him with another wave of almost unbelievable rewards.
[Mutated Brute (Level 5) Damaged.]
[Achievement: First High-Level Enemy Encountered.]
[Reward: 100 Experience Points (x100 = 10000 Experience Points)]
[Reward: 10 Evolution Points (x100 = 1000 Evolution Points)]
[Reward: Makeshift Backpack acquired.]
[Achievement: High-Level Enemy Significantly Injured.]
[Reward: 200 Experience Points (x100 = 20000 Experience Points)]
[Reward: 20 Evolution Points (x100 = 2000 Evolution Points)]
[Reward: 1000 System Points (SP) (x100 = 100000 System Points)]
The sheer volume of rewards was staggering, almost incomprehensible.
Hundreds of thousands of System Points, thousands of Evolution Points.
But there was no time to dwell on the implications of this sudden windfall.
The Brute was still alive, its enraged roars echoing ominously behind them, a testament to its terrifying resilience.
They had to put distance between themselves and the wounded monster.
As they burst out of the dimly lit loading dock into the sickly grey pre-dawn of the ravaged city, the blue screen offered one final, cryptic message, a chilling reminder that their fortune was often intertwined with misfortune:
[Luck Attribute Triggered: Minor Misfortune Detected.]
[A particularly tenacious and enraged specimen of Mutated Brute is determined to pursue.]
Thomas risked a quick glance back just in time to see the massive, lumbering form of the Brute, its injured leg dragging grotesquely, emerging from the loading dock's entrance, its glowing red eyes fixed on them with a terrifying, unwavering focus.
Their escape was far from over. And the whispers of fortune, it seemed, often came hand-in-hand with a significant, persistent dose of misfortune in this brutal, evolving world.