30 The Door is Shut
[{Dark Hunger} has subsided.]
All malus effects have been disabled.
You regained your 'Normal' state.
[Your Skill {Feast} has eaten, the Hook Beast and gained the ability, {Grappling Hook}]
Currently, {Feast} has consumed two skills, {Grappling Hook}, {Chomp} you may add only one more skill to {Feast}.
Your skill {Feast} has gained Experience. Current level 1
Additional attribute gains have been omitted from mention due to the first Phase incompletion.
You are the first to have slain a Boss Class monster in the First Phase.
Additional Rewards will be handed to you after the First Phase is completed.
You are the first hunter to have slain a Low Tier Boss Class monster in one hit.
Additional Rewards will be handed to you after the first phase is completed.
You are the first Hunter to have cleared the First Phase Scenario. Additional Rewards will be handed to you after the first Phase has ended.
You are the first Hunter to have cleared an Open-Dungeon.
Additional Rewards will be handed to you after the First Phase has ended.
Addendum
Currently, the Area Oakland University has lost its main Boss. No more monsters will wander around the area. And no additional Monsters will spawn or evolve in the area until the second Phase had started, or Conditions to cause the manifestation of another Boss Class monster have been fulfilled.
Congratulations to all the Hunters who have been a part of the Oakland Scenario survival trial. You have all been awarded. 100 contribution points.
All hunters who have participated in the Oakland Clear Scenario have been approved to access more of the system's functionalities once the first phase has ended.
Be on guard and be on standby once the first Phase has ended more information will be delegated to the survivors.
For now, rest, for you have earned it.
After the swarm of notifications disappeared I was slowly feeling everything once again. And I almost wished to have Dark Hunger back.
Torn muscles, a broken ankle, shards of glass on my back, and a bruise bigger than a baseball grew on my forehead.
"What the flying fuck was that?" spoke one of the students.
"Are you a monster?" another asked in all the accusing and haughty tone a self-entitle brat could speak in.
I frowned.
Will immediately got to the guy's face, grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, and said in a chilling tone, "Dude, chill the fuck down will you? The one you called a monster just saved your ass. And you don't even need to do shit anymore because thanks to him you got the contribution points needed to pass the first phase. What, got some shit to say?"
"It's okay Will, even I don't know what the heck was that, anyway, I guess we can head back," I said.
"A yes, Mr, Newman. Mr, Dilbert mentioned that you should be picked up asap, would you come with us please," one of the people wearing a black suit said.
"Yeah, I'll get on," I said, "But I need help, I think I broke my leg," I said.
Though {Feast} caused a lot of my wounds to heal, it didn't repair broken bones. I needed to drink a potion, but I don't want to do that right now, in case anyone might notice that I have full recovery potions by the bulk and have some strange ideas.
"You don't have any of those potions?" Will asked. Immediately ruining my mood.
"No, you drank the last one," which was a lie, and Will knew of it was a lie since I showed him how many I made.
Thankfully he was smart enough to understand why I blatantly lied to his face.
He only needed to take a look around to realize the interest of the 'potion' that brought Will back from the brink of death back to full health. And with my words, their interest dropped immediately.
Two of the men in black came and helped me up.
Then they carried me to the back of one of the least occupied vehicles.
I rode alongside Will, Mary, and Nadia. There were two more students with us who were desperately trying to contact their families only to realize that the internet's situation was still not solved.
The truck we were on rattled as its engine started. And moments later, we started moving. Two trucks went up ahead first. They were trucks that were used to shovel snow, and in this case, they were used to shove away all vehicles, debris, and anything on the path ahead, even undead. Right behind these two trucks was the rest of our crew, more vehicles loaded with guns and chainsaws that followed closely after the first two tracks, cleaning up any undead that got too close.
The ride back to the Dilbert safe zone was far faster than I had believed. And I realized it after looking from a small fortified window.
The reason why the rescue team took so long to get to us was simple. They needed to move through a lot of traffic, shoving it away before they could proceed. And they made a clear path for us to move through back to the safe zone. For now.
Soon we arrived at the entrance of the Dilbert safe zone. In less than half a day, what I looked at stunned even me.
Fortified walls of steel and concrete used to block paths have already been placed blocking all access to the Safe Zone.
Many buildings have been shut down and locked. Access to them was sealed and welded, making the whole region where Dilbert's main building was completely sealed up like a giant fortress of corporate buildings.
There was no way anyone could enter this area right now. There were a bunch of people swarming in front of the gate, however, looking right above the gate, two massive tower-like structures made of military concrete had two guards with light-machine guns at the ready.
"This area is off-limit, anyone who goes beyond the yellow line will be shot dead," spoke one of the people on the tower. His tone was unwavering and he meant business, the moment one of the people tried to go beyond the line, a warning shot was issued, and it was too close for comfort for that man as it shot right next to his foot
"The next one will be between your eyes," the man on the tower spoke.
"ARE YOU GOING TO LET US DIE HERE?!" spoke a woman, "At least let my baby through!" she said while holding a kid.
"We're not charity, if you want to survive, find ways to do so on your own, we will not take anyone in besides related people, this is a final warning, anyone who tries and enters will be shot dead, no comprises, woman children, we will shoot. Don't make me shoot a child, because I will." The man said.
The interaction, in any other place, time or region would have been something that no one would tolerate, yet here, everyone knew the severity of the situation. The world order had fallen. And weak people have no right to challenge it.
I'm no saint, even against the gaze of a desperate mother, or the eyes of a crying child, I cannot save everyone. I'm not god, nor am I intending on being a saint. Because I've seen those eyes before, many, many times, and caved and helped only to be backstabbed afterward.
I'll do my best to prevent the worst from happening, but I cannot babysit everyone. This isn't some novel where the main character's choice will always be the right thing. Bad shit happens, all over the damn world. Wars happen all over the world, and thousands of people die every day. What makes these people different?
The fact that they still wish to be saved just because they are weak is disgusting. This parasitic nature is the worst, not only do the weak wish to be saved, they expect it. They demand it. And they think they are entitled to it. They would demand food and shelter without the need to provide anything back, why? Because it was not their fault that this happened, and they were living a good life, so someone else needs to take responsibility over their own lives.
Such hubris. Such hypocrisy.
"Get us in," I said to the driver.
"Yes," He replied.
The truck then began moving until it arrived to the main gate entrance and soon many tried to rush forward to get into the safe zone.
A pretty bad mistake.
Since the guard on one of the towers made himself clear.
The first shots were shot. And two people died immediately.
This was a wake-up call, to everyone beyond the yellow line.
The world they knew had already ended.
And immediately, with shouts and screams, people dispersed as panic and the realization of what just happened down on them. There is no hero in this story. And this world is going for the gutters.
I looked at the people who scattered and noticed something.
A few of them… surprisingly, I could even recognize.
"Drop me here, and help me out, take the rest inside though," I said as I got out of the vehicle.
"Lucas, what are you going to do?" asked Will.
"Something that is needed," I said.
Once I got out, one of the security personnel came and offered me his shoulder to lean on, "Thanks," I said.
The man nodded and said, "What do you need help with," he said.
"Just get me close to the gate," I said.
Once I got closer to the gate, I spoke, "Everyone, listen," I said.
The people who ran away were already forsaken, but the rest who adamantly stayed listened.
A few of the security personnel spoke through their sleeves since what I was going to do was clearly outside their orders.
However, I could already guess who they contacted and what the answer will be without asking.
"I said listen up," I spoke once again.
The people who were too terrified to go forward, but still didn't wish to run away calmed down.
"I can guarantee entry to the safe zone," I said.
The words came like a beacon of hope for them, however, I'm no saint.
"But, under a condition," I said.
Nothing was free in this world.
The calmness after my words was like the calmness of a sea before the storm, and what I was going to say was going to be more than a simple storm.
"Only by getting a thousand contribution points will you be allowed entry here. It is safe from the monsters here, and you'll be fed and sheltered. But only when you get a thousand contribution points," I said.
"What? What the fuck do you mean by that?!" someone spoke.
Another shouted, "And who the fuck do you think you are to tell us this! Get the manager!"
Another added, "Why should I do what you say? Getting contribution means killing those monsters, do you know how hard that is? You're just a fucking kid, what the hell would you know!"
More spoke some even more ridiculous stuff.
And the bickering continued.
"Say, if I get a thousand points, you'll let me in?" he said.
It was the person I was hoping to speak to actually.
"Yes, you'll be granted access to the safe zone, and all your needs will be cared for," he said.
"Right… the thing that spoke to us, only asked for a hundred, why are you asking for a thousand?" he asked.
"Consider it a rite of passage. To prove your value, one more thing, we'll only allow a hundred people. The first hundred, anymore even if you have a million points you won't be admitted. The spots are precious, and the food isn't really that readily available, what do you say?" I spoke.
"Who the fuck do you think you are to play god! A thousand points? Are you mad? What about my family? My son!" a woman said.
"Then get a thousand for you, and a thousand for him," I said.
"Say," the guy I was interested in admitting said.
"It would be hypocritic of you, to ask us such a tall order. If you know what I mean," he said.
"Yes it would be," I said and I then waved my hand.
"Show Contribution points," I spoke.
Immediately a number appeared in front of the masses.
[18,800 contribution points]
"Ah. Well, that's more convincing, I'll be back soon," the guy said and then turned and left.
Me showing my contribution points wasn't just a flex. It was to show how capable I was.
Killing the Hook Beast awarded me a fuck-ton of them, not to mention saving everyone and claiming a region. And this was enough to prove my value and ability.
There was no point in arguing anymore. Nor did I need to hear what any of the 'complainers' had to say anymore.
People began leaving, angry and wretchedly pissed, but they moved away because they knew, if they didn't get to work, they won't have a spot.
"Curse you! You son of a bitch! You fucker!"
More curses came my way, but I ignored them. There was no reason to even care about what they said. Nor should I even be bothered by the words of the soon-to-be dead.
Once the night falls, it's going to get ugly, very fast.
"You just made yourself look like the villain," one of the guards said.
"A villain is fair. A villain sees reality for what it is, a hero is all about hope, and hope isn't saving anyone today or tomorrow, Take me back inside if you please," I said as I turned and went inside, then the gate closed behind me.
