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2024-10-29 19:42:56Zack 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
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The Zenith System Chapter 031
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
The Zenith System Chapter 032
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.
The Zenith System Chapter 001
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 Zenith System Chapter 002
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 Zenith System Chapter 003
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
The Zenith System Chapter 004
As Zack waits for customers, his eyes land on the screen of a muted television mounted in the corner. A news anchor is interviewing a man who’d risen from obscurity to tech stardom.The man sits confidently in a plush armchair, his posture exuding success and power. His designer suit fit his toned frame perfectly, and his expensive watch glints in the studio lights. His face is smooth and clean-shaven, with perfect teeth and a strong jawline. He looks like the epitome of a successful man.Zack moves to it and turns the volume up.The man speaks with a clear and articulate voice, his words precise and calculated. He speaks of terms like “disruptive technology” and “market domination” with ease. The interviewer’s questions are met with quick responses and occasional bursts of laughter, showcasing the man’s charismatic personality. In the background, there is the sound of applause from the audience, indicating the level of admiration for the rising tech star.“Oh, that’s Mr. Leon. He’s pr
The Zenith System Chapter 005
Zack is in the kitchen, chopping vegetables for dinner while Celeste works on her laptop at the dining table. The aroma of sizzling stir-fry fills the air, making his stomach growl in anticipation.Suddenly, there’s a knock on the door. Zack looks up from his cutting board and glances at the wall clock — it’s only 7:30. Mason is early.But before he can take a towel to wipe his hands, Celeste stands up and says, “It’s just Mason, right? I will get it.”He hears her footsteps approaching the door. He then hears Mason’s charming voice greeting Celeste as she opens the door. “Hey beautiful,” he says with a smile.Zack rolls his eyes and focuses on tossing the vegetables into the pan. He can hear them talking in the living room, but Celeste is deadpan, making it clear that she’s not interested in him.Mason saunters into the kitchen, carrying a few grocery bags, while Celeste returns to her work.“Hey, man!” he greets with a wide smile. “I brought some snacks and beers. Some food for break
The Zenith System Chapter 006
Zack scans another bag of off-brand potato chips, while his mind is on Mason’s mood last night and the following morning.“Two seventy-nine,” Zack murmurs, without looking up at the customer.There is music of some famous artist singing in the background. The song might be well-received by QuickFix customers, but not him. It sounds like an ode while he is on his way to purgatory.He groans, shaking his head with all his thoughts.The chime above QuickFix’s entrance resounds again and Zack raises his head towards it. Four men saunter in and he feels anxious at the way they look. He glances at the back of the shop and realizes that the manager is out to have a quick supply run.“Hello there, cashier boy,” the largest of them greets. He has a grin that doesn’t reach his cold eyes. He is also sporting a scar that runs like a fault line across his cheek.“Good day! Welcome to QuickFix! How can I help you today?” he asks, glancing at his companions who are less intimidating but are also exud
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Chapter 032
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.
- The Zenith System
Chapter 031
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
- The Zenith System
Chapter 030
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
- The Zenith System
Chapter 029
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
- The Zenith System
Chapter 028
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
- The Zenith System
Chapter 027
The sun is setting as Zack goes back and forth across the same street where he chances upon the zombie dungeon. However, nothing is changing. It has the same atmosphere, the same clean looking building, and the same living people. No zombie dungeon is opening up! Disappointment washes over him. He prioritizes increasing his Luck attribute all because of this particular problem. His health is at 200/200 and he feels more than ready for a mission, and yet, it is not appearing! He looks at the time. It is close to six PM. He still has time. So, he explores the area again, looking for any clues or signs on how to enter that dungeon. As he walks down the busy street, Zack’s ears pick up on a loud argument coming from an alleyway between two buildings. Curious, he turns the corner to investigate. A group of men have another man backed against a wall, their voices filled with malice. One of the men spots him and sneers, “Beat it, kid.” Ignoring the warning, Zack steps forward and holds h
- The Zenith System
Chapter 026
Zack wakes up with his stomach growling. He groans as he stretches his aching muscles, still feeling drained from his stay in that zombie dungeon. He slowly pushes himself out of bed and stumbles towards the kitchen. His health has regenerated, and it’s no longer decreasing. As he rummages through the cabinets and fridge, looking for something to eat, he hears Celeste’s voice coming from the living room. “You really need to take a bath, Zack,” she says. “How long did I sleep?” he asks. “I don’t know. I didn’t see you for a few days. But you smell terrible,” she remarks. Zack feels heat rising to his cheeks as he realizes that he must have smelled pretty bad after days without bathing. He’s just too hungry. In fact, he didn’t even notice Celeste when he passed through the living room earlier. “That bad, huh?” he asks, peeking from the kitchen and into the living room, where Celeste has her laptop on. She peers through her eyeglasses and nods. “Pretty bad,” she says, scrunching h
- The Zenith System
Chapter 025
“AHHHHH!” Zack screams, trying to get courage and curb the pain from all the screaming. The time is ticking. Only five minutes remain and he is still sandwiched between the giant zombie and a wall of a house. ‘I need to kill it…’ he thinks to himself. Zack’s adrenaline kicks in as he tightens his grip on the longsword. He activates his Power Strike skill and uses all his remaining strength to pierce through the giant zombie’s skull. The longsword cracks and disintegrates into pieces, but not before delivering a fatal blow to the giant zombie. The giant zombie lets out a final roar before collapsing onto the ground, lifeless. Zack takes deep breaths, feeling exhaustion wash over him. The timer disappears, indicating that he has completed the task just in time. “Task Completed.” “Title Unlocked. You are now a Zombie Hunter.” “Weapon Storage Unlocked.” He wants to laugh at the absurdity of the rewards. What’s the use of a title? And now that his longsword has disintegrated, he ha
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Chapter 024
Zack heaves as he wipes the sweat off his forehead. He doesn’t know how many hours have passed since he pressed that YES prompt to continue defeating zombies. Thankfully, when he increased his Luck to 10. There are no more zombies of babies and young kids that appeared. He glances at the notifications in front of him. There are ten prompts about chests that are almost obscuring his vision. Earlier, he was making count of how often these chests appear and he realized that for a group of ten defeated zombies, there is a chance for at least one chest to appear. Then another notification appears about his Low health. Now, he’s on 5/100, almost dying. Instead of pressing the Level Up? text screen. He starts opening the chests instead, hoping that it contains one or two potions. Besides, potions in the shop are too expensive for him. One health potion in particular is around 200,000 zeniths. A longsword costs two million, while a katana amounts to four million zeniths! After opening the t
