Chapter 4: The Currency of the Grind
The adrenaline rush from the first fight had faded, leaving behind a heavy exhaustion on my shoulders and the metallic stench of blood and sewage. I had killed my first monster. And, for earning 150 XP from that first kill, the world rewarded me with my first Level Up.
I was now Level 2.
My arm still ached, but Healing Capacity (Regeneration) – Rank C was working. The deep wound from the Putrid Mole Rat's strike was slowly closing, leaving behind only a thin, pale scar. The System was methodical—slow, but efficient.
I focused on the pop-ups that had appeared after the kill and level-up:
[You leveled up!] [Your Attributes: Strength, Defense, Vitality, Agility +1] Name: Klaus Race: Human/Symbiote Level: 2 (XP: 0/200) HP: 160/160 MP: 260/260 Attributes: Strength: 6 (+1) Defense: 6 (+1) Vitality: 6 (+1) Agility: 6 (+1) Intelligence: 15 Mana: 5
The feeling of having a slightly stronger body was strange yet welcome. Ten more points of health and mana, one more point in each physical attribute. A tiny, almost insignificant improvement—but it was progress.
I had spent 150 XP to reach Level 2, and now, as the chart indicated, I needed 200 XP to reach Level 3.
"Alright. Next step," I muttered, turning my focus to what remained of the second Putrid Mole Rat.
I concentrated. A shadowy tendril from Vital Absorption (F) extended from my palm and latched onto the disfigured corpse of the monster, draining its remaining energy.
[You killed Putrid Mole Rat (Level 1)] [+10 XP] [Vital Energy absorbed: +30] [Vital Core: 60/5000] [Mission Progress: Kill Monsters (2/50)]
I stepped back, staring at the screen. Ten XP.
"Ten," I scoffed, the sound echoing through the alley.
The realization hit cold and fast. The first monster, the one that triggered my power, gave me 150. Every other one would give ten. To reach Level 3, I needed 190 XP—that meant killing 19 more Putrid Mole Rats. And to complete the initial survival mission, I still needed 48 more kills.
The euphoria faded. The fear hardened into a cold, calculated anger.
"The system's a bastard," I thought. "It won't give me anything for free. This is a grind."
The tone of the story in my head shifted. This wasn't a tale about a hero blessed with a magical power to become unstoppable. It was a story about grueling labor in the middle of an apocalypse—where every level was earned through sweat and every HP was precious.
Over the next thirty minutes, I developed a method.
With my pathetic Strength of 6, facing enemies head-on was suicide—even against Level 1 monsters.
I needed the terrain advantage. Using my Intelligence (15), I mentally mapped out a patrol route across the blocks surrounding my building. My targets: dumpsters, alleys, and abandoned garage entrances where the Mole Rats seemed to lurk.
I would "equip" the knife from my Inventory at the last second. The tactic was simple:
Lure and Isolate: Make a quick noise, like dragging a piece of metal.
Critical Strike: Aim for the eyes or the top of the head. The strike had to be clean and fatal to avoid a counterattack that could drain half my HP (160).
Immediate Absorption: Drain life to heal any scratches and feed the Vital Core.
"This is ridiculous," I thought, crouched behind an abandoned car. "I'm a full-time giant rat assassin."
Kill 3. [+10 XP].
Kill 4. [+10 XP].
Kill 5. [+10 XP].
The process was repetitive, but it made me faster. The motion of pulling the knife from my Inventory and striking the monster was becoming instinctive. With every kill, I gained 10 XP and 30 Vital Energy.
I could feel my Healing Capacity working faster each time. My agility sharpened with every successful dodge, and my defense hardened with every block I made with my forearm.
[You performed the same tactical move 10 times in combat. New Title/Skill Unlocked.] [Combat Skill Unlocked: Feint and Thrust (Rank F)] [Description: A quick evasive movement followed by a piercing strike to a weak point. Increases Agility by 10% and Attack Power by 5% during the move.]
"Finally!" The euphoria returned. I was unlocking the game's rules through my actions.
The system was forcing me to act as a Strategist/Assassin. I wouldn't be the armored warrior—I'd be the giant rat hunting another giant rat, lurking in the shadows.
Two hours and 15 kills later (17 in total), my body was exhausted, but my status had improved:
Level: 2 (XP: 160/200) Mission Progress: Kill Monsters (17/50) Vital Core: 510/5000 (Used to heal minor wounds)
Only four more kills (40 XP) separated me from Level 3, but my hunting route was drying up. I was pushing my luck.
A louder crash than before echoed from Ipiranga Avenue. It wasn't a scream of panic—it was the sound of something huge shattering concrete.
I crawled to the corner, my heart pounding again like a drum. For the first time, I saw something that made me consider quitting my grind.
In the middle of the avenue, crushing a taxi beneath its claws, stood a creature resembling a Putrid Mole Rat—but four times larger, with blackened skin and a bony crown on its head.
Instinctively, I used the Inspect command in my mind.
[Putrid Mole Rat Alpha (Leader)] Level: 5 HP: ???/??? (Almost Full) XP per Kill: 50 XP
Fifty XP. Five times more than the others. Almost enough to reach the next level. Ambition and greed fought against survival instinct.
The Alpha roared, and three Level 1 Mole Rats emerged from the sewer to obey their leader.
I retreated into the shadows. The easy hunt was over. I was only four kills away from Level 3, but right there in front of me was the next great challenge.
I was no longer Klaus, the reclusive depressive—but Klaus, the Player—cornered between the Grind and the Boss. And I had no choice. I had to evolve.
End of Chapter 4