Zack opens the Zenith system interface. He presses on the Level Up? text and sees that he only gained one level from completing the first floor. He also only earned eight chests and a hundred thousand zeniths. It feels weird. This is a loan agency, and he is earning fewer zeniths than the zombie dungeon? So, he proceeds to open the items instead, hoping that there are some good items in there. However, there are only four health potions, one ability point, and the rest are zeniths. Disappointed, he stands up. He searches for the staircase and ascends it. He pushes the door open and is met with a line of goons on the second floor. Zack swallows hard. Unlike the goons on the first floor. These people are tall and very muscular. They look as if every single one of them is a VIP bodyguard. He won’t even be surprised if they are using guns. On the other hand, he has the same strength as the first floor. He hasn’t moved his available skill points into his stats yet. Hopefully, they only
Zack steps inside. The place behind the fourth door is dark and musty, with only a small beam of light shining through a crack in the ceiling. In front of him is an old man who seems lost and is looking around.The instant Zack enters, he looks at him.“A young man,” he remarks. “Care to tell me where I am and who you are?”“I am sent to destroy a loan shark agency,” he admits.“Oh,” the old man says, looking up at him. “So, you’re here to defeat me.”“You?”“Are you hesitating because of my age?”Zack swallows. He doesn’t want a repeat of the zombie dungeon. He doesn’t enjoy hurting the elders.While he is hesitating, the old man takes his stance and prepares for battle.“I really—”Suddenly, the old man moves surprisingly fast for someone his age. He launches punches and kicks towards Zack. Thankfully, he has a Quick Dodge, and he is able to evade each surprise attack.“You’re good,” the old man comments as they circle each other. “But can you keep up?”Their movements become faster
Zack takes out the katana from his weapon storage. Holding the weapon in his right hand, he pushes open the door with his left.In the middle of the room, a man stands before him who is eyeing him warily. “An attack, huh?”Zack places the katana in front of him. “It might be,” he answers.“But why is there only a single person? Are you crazy?”“The others asked the same earlier.”“This place. Is this your doing, too?”“No,” he admits.“You have a weapon. Do you know how to use that?”“We’ll find out.”Zack keeps his guard up as the man suddenly lunges at him with his bare hands. He swiftly dodges the attack and counters with a slice from his katana.The man stumbles back, surprised by Zack. “Ugh, where are my gun and knife, anyway?” he mutters to himself.The man attacks again, but Zack is faste
Zack takes a deep breath and tries to calm his nerves. He knows he’s no match for this level 32 woman, but he refuses to back down. He grips his katana tightly and prepares for the fight ahead.The woman rushes towards him with surprising speed, her fists clenched and ready to strike. Zack quickly evades her punches and tries to strike back with his katana, but she dodges effortlessly.“You’ll have to do better than that,” she taunts, her voice filled with confidence.Zack grits his teeth and tries to think of a strategy. He knows that he can’t rely on brute force alone, so he decides to use some of his skills. He concentrates and activates his Power Strike. But she easily deflects it with a flick of her knife.“Not bad,” she comments as she continues to dodge Zack’s attacks. “But you still need more.”Zack’s frustration builds within him as he realizes that none of his skills are wo
Then Zack notices something else as well. At the man’s head, there are small horns protruding from his forehead. No, not just any horns. They are black and twisted and seem to pulse with an otherworldly energy.And so he grips his katana tighter, trying to steady his trembling hands. He knows that this will not be an easy fight, but he also knows that he cannot back down either.“What are you?” Zack manages to ask, his voice shaking slightly.The dark mage chuckles. “I am a human and a dark mage,” he declares proudly. “I think you know that by now, given how you are looking at me.”“Then… how are you affiliated with the loan agency?!”“Ah, that? Well, I get my fresh supplies of humans to experiment on from them.”“What kind of experiments?” Zack demands, his grip on his katana tightening even more.The dark mage chuckles, a sinister gleam in his eyes.
Zack, a 25-year-old college dropout, is behind the counter of the local convenience store in downtown Oakbridge. The neon sign above the entrance is flickering which casts shadows on the cracked pavement: "QuickFix." It is a name that has been seared into his memory, and one that reminded him of his unrealized dreams every day."Hey, loser!" taunts a college bully named Derek as he saunters into the store, snapping Zack out of his reverie. Derek will often drop by just to mock and ridicule him. He will pick up random items from the shelves and pretend to purchase them, only to throw them back, creating more work for Zack."Thanks for the mess," Zack says sarcastically, biting back his frustration.It isn't just this jerk who treated him this way; it seems like everyone in his life sees him as a failure. His parents never fail to remind him of how he had squandered his potential and wasted their money by dropping out of college. His friends, all successful in their own ways, will joking
The key turns with a soft click, and the apartment door swings inward. Celeste's silhouette fills the hallway and Zack can't help but look at his older cousin.Celeste, Zack's 28-year-old cousin, lives with him in an apartment. She is a lead manager in an international company and has just returned from her shift. Her eyes are ringed with exhaustion.She must have felt his stare because she raises her head and greets, "Evening, Zack.""Hey, Celeste. Rough day?"She gives him a half-shrug, her gaze skirting away from him. "Isn't it always?"She then drops her keys into a bowl by the door, shedding her blazer and placing it on the back of the couch before sitting beside him."Want to talk about it?" Zack ventures, already knowing the answer."Maybe some other time," she deflects.She unbuttons the top of her shirt and closes her eyes, as if her everyday is as hard as his day is."By the way, Mason is asking if he can visit, after all his exams," he tentatively asks."Hmmm," she mutters.
The morning sun filters through the curtains and into the apartment. Zack stretches and rubs the sleep from his eyes. He had a wonderful dream — about being a hero and saving a princess from peril.As he stumbles towards the kitchen, he finds Celeste standing by the open door which is leading to the balcony. Her gaze is lost in the distance. He’s been living with her for a few years, so he has become used to this side of her.“Morning, Celeste,” he mumbles, pouring himself a cup of coffee.Celeste’s on mid-shift, and sometimes she works from home, especially when she is in these spells.“You’re up early,” he adds, although he’s not sure if she can hear him.“Hmmm,” she mumbles as she sips on her cup of coffee. “What’s for breakfast?” she asks.“Eggs maybe? What do you want?”“I don’t know,” she replies, her voice becoming distant and hollow.“There are still some vegetables here.”“You can decide. I will eat anything.”He glances at her. Her shoulders are tense and there is a strain in