26 Companions

Dalia reached down and pressed her fingers between the lips of her cleft. Her wet flesh quivered as she coated her fingers with the fluids of her desire. She watched as the hot, creamy liquid spurted out of Julia's sex and along John's shaft and then she, too, reached her climax.

Just then, her eyes widened. She was supposed to look for them, but here she was, touching herself. Was she a voyeur? No, she shook her head. She needs to insert herself without making things awkward. 

She took out a paper towel from her pocket and wiped herself clean. With a deep exhale and a determined nod, she steeled herself. She took a few steps back and began to run towards the exhibitionist duo. 

She called for them from afar, hoping to give them enough time. She would rather play dumb than walk into that awkward situation. She had just driven herself to orgasm watching them, after all.

As she neared the corner of the stalls, John and Julia came into view, already prim and proper. Dalia had fixed herself up, but her flushed cheeks and the beads of sweat on her skin didn't escape John's gaze.

"H-hey..." Dalia stammered as they strode through the deserted mini-market, "can you help us move some camping gear?"

"Sure," John said, Dalia thought he was too good a liar. He was acting as if nothing had happened, although the same couldn't be said for Julia whose gaze was locked on the marble floors. 

Julia trailed silently behind, gaze fixed on the scuffed marble floors. Shelves once bursting with snacks now sat bare and ransacked, their footsteps echoing across the vast empty space.

They regrouped with Martin and John stowed away the gear in his inventory. As a team, they left the ghostly market behind, the automated doors creaking open to the dead mall beyond.

Their footsteps rang out in unison across the otherwise silent mini-market, passing dark storefronts with shattered glass and stripped mannequins. Dust motes danced in the streams of sunlight from the skylight overhead.

John finally had some time to think and so, he decided to take a look at his notifications:

['Make your intentions known' completed.]

[5 Vitality Obtained]

['Make the married woman climax' completed.]

[Shockwave Skill's Rank has Increased to E]

A sly smile spread across John's face as he dismissed the notification. The rewards weren't outstanding, but he could call it a freebie with how easy it was to accomplish. Not to mention he had a good time doing it.

"There, look!" Dalia's voice broke the silence as she pointed towards an untouched sporting goods store. Rack after rack of gleaming athletic gear stood pristine behind the unbroken glass.

"Jackpot," John muttered, already making plans. Not only was the store intact, but a sporting goods store made a decent strategic base of operations in the mall. 

John entered first, senses alert. The others fanned out behind, gaping at the bounty of equipment lining the shelves.

Heavy footsteps rang out from the rear. John whirled, his Venomlash drawn. A tall figure strode from the shadows - a young woman with dark red hair, shocking green eyes, and a black eyepatch over her right one. She wore ripped jeans and a leather jacket, a wicked curved blade at her hip.

"Thought this place might be safe. Guess I was wrong," she drawled. Her gaze flickered from John's dagger to his companions.

"We don't want trouble," John said evenly.

The woman smirked. "Neither do we. Name's Octavia. That lug over there is my brother August." A blonde young man waved cheerfully, seemingly unbothered by the tension.

Julia introduced them in turn. Octavia's bold gaze lingered on John, sizing him up. "You sure know how to accessorize," she quipped, nodding at his weapons. "Have you killed a lot of them?"

"Something like that."

Their stand-off broke as August bubbled over with friendly questions. But John remained wary. Octavia's confident poise and scars made her dangerous. And he wasn't one to trust easily. An uneasy truce settled between the groups - for now.

Now was a good time as any to check his status screen.

[John Sarack]

[Age: 21]

[Strength: 12.9]

[Vitality: 14.1]

[Agility: 10]

[Energy: 12]

[Skills: Quiet Steps (F), Critical Hit (F), Shockwave (E), Love Meter, Appraisal (B)]

[Skill Borrowing: Muscle Strengthening (E)] 

John was satisfied with his progress, even though he wasn't sure of what the average stats were. 'I should use Appraisal more often,' John thought.

A rumbling shook the mall, sending chills down their spines. John whirled towards the sound. Lumbering through a shattered entrance was a massive crocodilian beast standing upright on two legs.

At least that's what he would think if it wasn't standing on its two feet like some lizard out of a wacky fantasy world. Before it could get close, John decided to look at its stats. Nothing in particular was needed to activate the skill. Simply thinking about the skill with the intent to use it was enough.

[Clawback]

[Strength: 19]

[Vitality: 24]

[Agility: 7]

[Energy: 0]

Formidable but not unbeatable. John tensed, ready to act. The others drew their weapons, unity forged in crisis. Now was the time to put Octavia's and August's usefulness to the test.

John steeled himself as the creature barrelled forward. He had grown stronger, but so too had the horrors plaguing this world. New allies were essential, but ultimately victory would come down to his own growth and grit. This beast was just the next stepping stone on his path of conquest.

With a primal roar, the Clawback charged, and John leapt to meet it head-on. He rolled away from a slam of its massive tail, the impact cracking the tiled floor.

Octavia darted in, blade glinting. She sliced at the beast's thick hide, dodging its gnashing jaws with agile grace. John maneuvered behind the creature, driving his dagger into its flank. It shrieked in pain.

"We've got this!" Octavia yelled, her fierceness fuelling John's power. He cast Shockwave, hurtling the Clawback into a storefront amidst shattering glass. Before it could recover, flames erupted as Dalia hurled Fireball after Fireball. The beast stumbled back, enraged. With startling speed, it pivoted and raced towards Dalia.

Time slowed. John saw the killing blow coming but couldn't reach her in time. Dalia's eyes widened in shock and terror.

The claws pierced her stomach, lifting her into the air. A choked gasp escaped her lips as her flames extinguished. Then she went limp in its grasp.