"What happened to me?"
Noah ran his fingers along his jawline and across his cheek before tugging at the skin beneath his eyes. It stretched normally; nothing felt out of place. And yet, somehow, everything felt wrong.
"That's exactly what I'm trying to figure out," Levy answered, stepping into the bathroom. "You just turn into some tier five Gigachad for awakening? Is that RNG, or does everybody undergo that when they awaken?"
Noah glanced at him via the mirror, then back at himself.
"I'm not sure," he said, flexing his arms, "but would I be surprised? Not really."
He stopped flexing and turned toward Levy—not through the mirror but beside him.
"That pain though..." he took a brief pause, "I wouldn't wish that even on the likes of Jared. That was actually complete agony. There was actually a point during that where I thought of ending myself."
"Fuck. Was it that bad?"
Noah nodded. "I don't even think I could justify it just through words alone. Think of getting punched in the balls and multiply that by 10,000."
"Shit."
Levy walked out of the bathroom and began pacing through the hall. Noah followed him out, shutting off the light behind him. They made their way into the living room, where he finally managed to relax.
He grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head. The fabric clung stubbornly to his skin before finally peeling away, leaving a trail of cold sweat along his torso. He tossed the damp shirt onto the three-legged coffee table before dropping onto the suede couch.
Noah reclined against the cushions, his head sinking back as he stared blankly at the ceiling. His body felt strangely light; his mind, however, was anything but.
Levy continued pacing for another few moments, eventually dropping onto the couch beside the window. He dragged his hands down his face, then leaned forward, elbows resting against his knees.
"So..." he muttered. "What'd you get for awakening?"
Noah turned his head toward him. For a moment, he considered keeping the notifications to himself. But after everything they've been through, if he couldn't trust Levy, then who?
"I don't even know myself. Let's go through the notifications."
Levy nodded and swapped seats next to him. The first notification was the awakening completion message. Noah swiped through and instantly regretted it. A barrage of messages flooded their vision. He opened the first.
〔Congratulations! You are the first human to Awaken!〕
〔Would you like to receive your reward?〕
〔Y/N〕
Noah smiled and tapped 'Y'.
〔First Awakener's Blessing〕
〔Tier: Unique〕
〔Type: Passive Ability〕
〔Description: Granted to the first human to Awaken. The first step into a new world is never an easy one. Those who take it before all others are granted a body capable of adapting to the trials that await them.〕
〔Effects: Increased natural recovery rate.Improved recovery after physical exertion.Improved adaptation to strenuous activity.〕
Levy leaned closer, reading the notification hovering before Noah.
"First Awakener's Blessing..."
His eyes skimmed over the description before he leaned back.
"So basically, you heal faster, and your body adapts better."
Noah nodded. "Looks like it."
Levy gave it a look of approval. "That's pretty solid, especially since you like to go full on Rambo."
Noah chuckled, dismissing the notification.
"That's what I'm saying."
His eyes shifted back toward the remaining messages. There were still more rewards waiting.
〔Congratulations on Awakening!〕
〔Additional System Functions have been unlocked.〕
〔System Functions Unlocked〕
〔Inventory〕
〔Global Chat〕
〔Regional Chat〕
〔Trading〕
〔Friends〕
〔Party〕
Levy leaned closer, his eyes scanning the list.
"Inventory, chat, trading..."
His gaze moved down the remaining options.
"Friends and party?"
"Looks like it."
Levy leaned back against the couch, staring at the floating menu.
"So everyone who awakens gets this?"
"I'd assume so. They didn't appear when I was getting the reward."
"Huh." Levy rubbed his chin. "Guess the System isn't just here to turn us into monster-slaughtering psychos."
Noah gave him a sideways glance.
"You say that like you're disappointed."
"Just a little."
Noah snorted. The menu remained suspended between them before fading away at his will. He decided to thoroughly examine the features after going through the remaining notifications. As the final traces of the menu dispersed, another notification appeared before him. Unlike the gray screens he'd seen before, this one shone with a deep violet.
〔Apocalust System Live〕
Levy glanced at Noah.
"Was that all? Please, don't tell me we have to go through all that pain just for some extra system functions."
The thought seemed to drain what little energy he had left. Levy slouched deeper into the cushions with a long, exhausted groan.
Noah looked at him, confused.
"What do you mean?" He gestured toward the notification. "You don't see this purple one?"
Levy's expression changed. He sat upright and turned toward Noah, his brows furrowing.
"Purple what?"
"The purple screen that says Apocalust System Live. It's right there," Noah said, pointing directly at it.
Levy shook his head. "I don't see anything but the walker in the corner."
"The what?"
Noah immediately turned toward the foyer. Sure enough, there was nothing there. He slowly looked back to Levy. A devious little smirk had formed across Levy's face.
"Yeah, I just needed to get that out," he shrugged. "You're getting too lucky; gotta make sure you're not some extraterrestrial alien."
Noah stared at him for a moment.
"...Seriously?"
Levy grinned.
"Seriously."
Noah shook his head with a faint, amused smile, the kind of gesture reserved for someone who'd just gotten away with a joke they had no business making.
"You're an idiot."
His attention returned to the violet screen. A new window appeared before him.
〔User Identified〕
〔Beginner Rewards Available: 5〕
〔Displayed Rewards: 5〕
〔Select 3〕
More windows materialized on top of the current ones.
〔Domain〕
〔Enhanced Perception〕
〔Eros〕
〔Barrier〕
〔Pleasure Conversion〕
Noah stared at the five options.
"Okay..."
His eyes moved over them one by one, though the first immediately caught his attention.
〔Domain〕
〔Tier: Unique〕
〔Type: Passive〕
〔Description:The selected area is recognized as the user's personal domain. The user may expend AP Points to modify, expand, and improve the structures within.〕
Noah's eyes lingered on the description.
A personal domain... like a domain expansion?
His thoughts immediately returned to his house, to the boarded windows, the damaged furniture, and the corpses littering the outside. If this ability could actually make his home safer, perhaps moving through the Apocalypse could be easier.
"Yeah. I'm taking that."
He moved to the next option.
〔Enhanced Perception〕
Enhances the user's ability to perceive his surroundings, allowing him to detect subtle changes that would otherwise go unnoticed.
Noah nodded. "Useful."
His gaze shifted to the third.
〔Eros〕
Noah stared at the ability name.
"...what?"
He opened the description.
Enhances the user's physical appeal and presence, increasing the effectiveness of romantic and intimate interactions.
Noah's expression went completely flat. "Why the hell would I need this?"
Levy leaned over slightly as if doing so would allow him to see the window.
"Some weird ability, it's nothing."
He moved on.
〔Barrier〕
Creates a protective barrier around the user capable of absorbing a limited amount of physical force.
His eyes brightened slightly.
"Now that's a good ability."
That was three abilities. That meant there was one left. Noah opened it.
〔Pleasure Conversion〕
Converts accumulated intimate pleasure into temporary physical vitality and stamina.
Silence.
Noah stared at the description, then he slowly looked toward Levy. Levy stared back.
"...What? What'd you get?"