Plundering in the Apocalypse

Shin gritted his teeth and muttered.

"Extreme speed."

His figure blurred for a moment as his speed increased. He easily dodged the incoming objects flying at him.

Shin's face was pale. He was bearing the pain of his muscles being torn apart. Even with his pain tolerance skill, the pain was too much. He endured it and continued his fast movements.

He didn't want to stop just because of some pain. If he stops now they will surely die. This was the only chance he could get.

Shin's eyes were teary from the pain he was enduring. He bit his lips to not give in to the pain.

'How much did my agility increase?'

***

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Shin's status:-

[ Name- Shin Wolner ]

[Age - 20]

[ Title - 1st awakened, Maniac ]

[ Level - 6 ]

[-Stats-]

[STR - 72]

[AGI - 135(90+45)]

[DEX - 20 ]

[Stamina - 55]

[ Bonus stats - 0 ]

[Special ability - Plunder]

[Skills - Predator's eyes (E), Extreme speed (F), Appraisal, Pain tolerance(F) ]

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Extreme speed (F) - Upon use, The user can increase his speed up to 1.5x times the normal speed. Skill usage time is dependent on stamina. The more stamina user has the longer the skill lasts.

***

"That goods but I need to make it fast. Or else my stamina might run out." Shin felt his pain subsiding slowly.

'Maybe pain tolerance works better than I thought.' Shin smiled as he dodged the incoming signboard.

His increase in speed was astonishing. Shin felt he could only keep it up for a minute at most.

He rushed in Alice's direction. He appeared in front of her so fast that she was surprised. Alice smiled and gave the black scythe she was holding to Shin.

Shin held it and understood how powerful that weapon was.

After she failed in dealing damage to the monster with her silver scythe, Alice was in dilemma. She then thought of a possibility.

What if she uses the chaotic energy she collected from those corrupted souls instead of her mana.

She tried to do it and she was successful. She managed to form it into a black scythe. She turned to look at Shin and understood that Shin might be able to deal more damage than her. Because of that, she used all the chaotic energy she had left and made that weapon.

She knew that this weapon was powerful as she held it. She was confident that Shin can defeat the monster with it. At that moment she saw Shin running in her direction seemingly understanding her thoughts.

'Wow, he is running so fast. Is it because of me? Every time he runs to reach me his speed increases.'

'Don't tell me he gets excited seeing me.' Alice felt butterflies in her stomach. She truly doesn't care about the situation they are in.

Shin held that scythe and felt some terrifying power coming from it. But what Alice didn't manage to account for was. Others can't handle the chaotic energy as well as her.

They might go insane and turn into monsters. She was able to handle it because of her ability and her power to rule over souls. Which she will come to learn eventually.

But Shin didn't have the ability to handle the chaotic energy. He didn't even have access to mana yet. But the moment Shin held that scythe he felt some pain. But he endured it as a notification came in front of him.

[Plunder activated...]

'Why did it activate now?' Suddenly the pain subsided and his ability was deactivated.

'What did just happen?' Shin felt something happen inside his body for a second and then everything went back to normal.

At that moment after dodging those incoming attacks Shin was able to close his distance from the monster.

That monster was pretty enraged at how annoying Shin was to him. He was like a fly dodging every attack.

Shin slashed down the black scythe at the monster. He wanted to finish it fast as time was of the essence. If his stamina runs out they are dead. Alice has also used so much energy and her mana attacks aren't effective on it.

But everything doesn't go the way you want. The monster brought his iron club from before to block Shin's swing. As the Iron club and Black scythe made contact. There were a few sparks there.

Shin didn't give up he continued swinging his scythe and attacking the monster. The monster used his skill many times trying to increase pressure on Shin and attacking with nearby items but making them float. But Shin dodged all of them with his increased speed.

Shin felt his stamina is about to run out. He could only handle it for a few seconds. His swings got a little slower as he started to get tired.

The monster took that chance to do a vertical swing. Shin dodged that with a side step and circled the monster and jumped on its back. Shin brought the scythe in front of its neck and prepared to slice it.

The monster wasn't going to let Shin have his chance but at that moment. Alice threw a white ball of energy at his wounded area. As the monster was busy fighting Shin.

He let his guard down in front of Alice to do an attack. Shin only needed a moment and the next second he pulled the scythe with all his strength to slice off its neck.

Shin felt his strength wasn't enough so he pushed his legs to do a jump and it worked perfectly.

The next moment the body of the monster without its head was standing in the middle of the cracked road. The headless body fell to the ground as it collapsed.

A few meters away from the body Shin fell on his butt and lay down on the ground. The black scythe disappeared.

"Hahaha ha. We did it. Haha. I can't believe it. That was so terrifying. Ha- ow ow. Ughh it hurts like hell."

The time for Extreme speed came to an end but his body was sore and his thigh muscles were torn. He felt like he couldn't stand up anymore.

"You did it~ Shin~," Shin heard a sweet voice. He turned to look at Alice who was excitedly running in his direction.

He hair color turned to normal as her eyes returned to blue color. Shin sighed and replied.

"No, we did it. If it weren't for you I would have been long dead."

Alice who was excitedly running toward him slowed down.

"Don't say that. Nothing will happen to you. Promise me you won't die." Alice asked with a serious look as she helped him sit straight.

Shin smiled at her words.

'She is such a kind girl.'

"Yes, I promise," Shin replied sincerely.

Alice smiled and after a moment she looked down while fidgeting her fingers she asked.

"Pro-Promise me, you'll stay with me..." Then she continued in a sheepishly inaudible voice "...forever."

Alice was embarrassed at how she was confessing to Shin. But she mustered up her courage to do that. She was so shy that she looked down and asked him without making eye contact.

Shin didn't manage to hear the last part she said. He misunderstood her being shy and her being reserved.

He thought she was afraid to be alone anymore and didn't want Shin to abandon her. He felt his heart melt. He agreed to her and promised her.

"I promise. You can rely on me."

'Yes, you can rely on me. I know how hard it might have been to lose your family and be left alone in this world. I'll support you so you can stand up on your own.' Shin thought with determination in his eyes.

Alice was so happy that she could not stop smiling and giggling like a little kid.

She looked at Shin. He was too tired and hurt to move. She immediately said.

"Mom, please heal Shin."

A white humanoid figure came near Shin and a green golden light fell on him. Mia used her healing magic on him.

Shin was shocked by Alice's last words. He was so surprised by this revelation that his mouth was agape open.

'Don't tell me.'

'Is that it?' He realized something.

Shin looked at Alice with pity.

'She missed her mother so much that she is calling her familiar as her mother.'

Alice saw Shin looking at her weirdly as his attention was on her mother who was healing him. Then she understood the reason. She never introduced her mother to Shin.

She felt a little embarrassed as she cleared her throat and got Shin's attention.

"Shin. This is my mother Mia Kayden and this is Mr. Robin, my stepfather." Alice gestured at them and she introduced them to Shin. Mr. Robin felt a little emotional. As this was the first time Alice referred to him as her father. He felt a little happy.

"And Mom and Mr. Robin as you know. This is Shin."

'My darling.' She didn't say it out loud by her feelings got transmitted to both Mia and Robin. Robin was shocked at this revelation. Mia sighed thinking how thick-headed her lover is.

Shin felt that maybe he misunderstood something. The way Alice introduced them didn't look like she was joking. So he only bowed to them slightly while sitting and replied.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Shin Wolner. Alice will be in my care from now on. A pleasure to meet you and also, thank you for helping me."

He said as he looked at Mia. He could only distinguish between them by their figure of male and female.

Although Shin felt that he should know more about what are they and get some details. But he didn't want to pry further and let Alice get slowly comfortable with him.

'Maybe she will tell me about it on her own someday.'

It wasn't like Alice didn't want to tell Shin about it. She just forgot and Shin also never asked so she never felt it important enough of a matter to discuss.

Shin stood up on his feet. He was able to walk properly and his stamina also recovered a little. Alice supported him a little. Then he heard a familiar sound as a series of notifications came into his sight of view.

*Klink!*

[You have killed Undead Tormentor(Elite)]

[You have gained a lot of experience]

[You have leveled up]

[You have leveled up]

[You have leveled up]

[You have leveled up]

[ +40 Bonus stats for leveling up.]

[Congratulations, you have made a big achievement by defeating a boss monster.]

[You have gained a new stat 'Mana']

[You have obtained '??? key'.]

[You have obtained a 'D grade monster core'.]

[For reaching Level 10 your Special ability is ready for the first advancement.]

[Do you wish to upgrade it now? ]

[Yes/No.]

[Note:- The Host will be immobile until the advancement is complete. It may take a few hours. It is recommended to advance in a secure and comfortable place.]

Shin wasn't able to keep up with the pace things were going but he still managed to reply.

"I will upgrade later. So 'No'."

'I don't know what is going on. But now is not the time for that. I need to go home first.'

'Let's continue then.'

[Plunder activated]

[You have absorbed 25 stat points.]

[You have absorbed a new skill 'Gravity Manipulation(E)'.]

"Holy" Shin opened his eyes wide in shock.

'Was that the skill that monster was using? It was only an E rank. What would happen if I raise its rank and increase my control over it.'

Shin couldn't help but smirk at the different possibilities. This skill was too awesome.

'May-Maybe I can fly too.'

'Okay. Calm down now.'

'Oh no. I can't. I always wanted to fly on my own. Even those old foggies can't fly yet.'

Shin suddenly felt his mood getting gloomy so he stopped thinking further and focused on the screen in front of him.

"Status board."

*Klink!*

***

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Shin's status:-

[ Name- Shin Wolner ]

[Age - 20]

[ Title - 1st awakened, Maniac ]

[ Level - 10 ]

[-Stats-]

[STR - 72]

[AGI - 90]

[DEX - 20 ]

[Stamina - 55]

[Mana - 0]

[ Bonus stats - 70 ]

[Special ability - Plunder]

[Skills - Predator's eyes (E), Extreme speed (F), Appraisal, Pain tolerance(F), Gravity Manipulation(E) ]

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Gravity Manipulation(E):- You can bend the laws of gravity to your will.

Usage requirement - 'Mana stat'

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