The faint blue system screens hovered before Kane's eyes as he sat alone in the quiet room. He rolled his shoulders, his body still humming with energy from the night's battles. For the first time, he could clearly feel the difference—his body wasn't just stronger; it was sharper, more efficient.
[Level: 5][Unassigned Stat Points: 20][Current Attributes: STR 12 | AGI 15 | END 16 | PER 12 | INT 14]
Kane leaned forward, studying the options carefully. Every point mattered. Survival wasn't just about him—it was about Reina, about everyone now depending on him.
He began assigning the points deliberately:
+5 Strength → 17 (For close combat power and to handle heavier weapons.)
+4 Endurance → 20 (So he could keep fighting even when injured or exhausted.)
+3 Agility → 18 (Speed was life in a world filled with fast and unpredictable threats.)
+4 Intelligence → 18 (For system efficiency, drone control, and tactical upgrades.)
+4 Perception → 16 (So he could see further, react faster, and anticipate ambushes.)
[Final Attributes: STR 17 | AGI 18 | END 20 | PER 16 | INT 18]
The moment he confirmed, a wave of warmth pulsed through his body. His muscles tightened like coiled steel, his reflexes sharpened, and his thoughts became crystalline, every calculation slotting into place with ease. Even his senses felt stretched—he could hear the faint hum of electricity in the walls, the rhythmic breathing of the people sleeping in nearby rooms.
Then, the Skill Store appeared.
[New Category Available: Skills]
Combat Skills
Support Skills
Crafting Skills
Defense Skills
Drone Upgrades
Kane scrolled past the flashy combat techniques and paused on Defense Skills. His island was home now, and more importantly, it was where Reina lived. He didn't hesitate.
[Skill Acquired: Energy Shielding (Tier 1)]
The island barrier shimmered faintly, briefly glowing gold before vanishing from sight. Its presence lingered, like an invisible wall between them and the chaos now creeping across the mainland.
Kane let out a breath of relief. "That's one less thing to worry about."
A tug at his sleeve broke his thoughts.
"Brother… my power's not working."
Kane turned to see Reina standing there, clutching her stuffed rabbit, her eyes wide with worry. His brow furrowed.
"What do you mean?"
She pointed toward the corner of the room. Kane followed her gaze—only to stop cold.
The toys weren't toys anymore.
The once-foot-tall soldier figure now stood at full human height, clad in gleaming armor. The stuffed rabbit, oversized and grotesque, loomed nearly nine feet tall, its button eyes glowing faintly with red light. The small action robot that once fit in the palm of her hand now towered to the ceiling, armored plates shifting with the sound of grinding metal.
Everyone rushed in at the noise. Maya froze in place, hand instinctively reaching for her pistol. Ivy swore under her breath.
The constructs did not move. They simply… waited, silent, like guardians on standby.
Then the system chimed.
[Unique Phenomenon Detected: Guardian Constructs Bound to User: Reina Wylder][Description: Toys infused with artifact energy have transformed into Guardian Entities. Their size and strength will scale with Reina's growth.][Special Trait: Immortal Bodies – Regenerate infinitely as long as Reina lives.][Evolution Path: At higher levels, Guardians will gain independent thought and physical bodies.]
Kane blinked, stunned. "Guardians… for Reina?"
He stepped closer, resting a cautious hand against the leg of the towering robot. To his surprise, the machine lowered its head slightly, like a knight bowing to a king. The rabbit thumped its massive paw gently against the floor, as if to reassure the frightened girl.
"They're not enemies," Kane said firmly, turning to the others. "They're hers. Protectors, born from her power. As long as she lives, they'll never fall."
The house, however, couldn't contain them. With effort, the giant rabbit and robot were guided into the basement, their hulking frames too large for the hallways. Reina clapped her hands in delight, cheering as her soldiers lumbered after her like loyal pets.
Kane, meanwhile, stood silent for a long moment. He knew this was both a blessing and a curse. Immortal guardians sounded like an unbreakable shield—but the system's last words lingered in his mind.
"At higher levels, they will evolve. They will think. They will choose."
When that day came, would their loyalty remain absolute?
For now, Kane pushed the thought aside. Reina was smiling. The guardians would stand watch. And the apocalypse had only just begun.
The first rays of dawn spilled over the horizon, painting the sea with streaks of crimson and gold. Kane stood on the balcony outside Reina's room, arms crossed as the rising sun reflected in his eyes. The world looked deceptively peaceful, but the faint static in the air told him the apocalypse was settling in deeper with every passing hour.
He turned as Reina came running out, clutching her stuffed rabbit—now shrunken back into its harmless toy size. Behind her, the soldier figurine and the action robot walked at her side, also reduced to palm-sized versions of themselves, climbing up onto her shoulders like loyal companions.
"They can shrink?" Kane muttered in surprise. The system confirmed with a soft chime:
[Guardian Entities adapt their form to user's intent and environment.]
It was a relief. At least Reina wouldn't have nine-foot giants crushing through doors wherever she went.
By the time Lena and Maya appeared, Kane had already laid out their gear on the dining table: a sleek rifle and a compact energy pistol for Maya, who favored speed and precision, and a heavier combat shotgun reinforced with smart-load cartridges for Lena, who had the steadier aim and nerves of steel.
"These are yours," Kane said, handing the weapons over. "Calibrated to your hands, synced with the system. Don't hesitate to use them."
Maya spun the pistol in her grip, her eyes lighting up. "Feels natural already."
Lena simply checked the chamber of the shotgun, nodded once, and slung it over her shoulder.
Then Kane turned to Reina. He knelt down, producing a sleek, silver-gray protective suit that shimmered with faint blue lines. At first, he worried it would be too large for her tiny frame—but as he slipped it over her shoulders, the suit rippled, shrinking to fit perfectly.
Reina blinked in surprise, then giggled, tugging at the flexible gloves. "It feels like a hug!"
Kane couldn't help but smile faintly. Adaptive armor. Good. That's one less thing to worry about.
By sunrise, they were on the dock. The boat bobbed gently against the pier, its engine silent but primed. Kane ushered Reina aboard first, then Maya and Lena, before climbing in himself.
As the boat's motor roared to life, he issued a single command through the system:
[Deploy all drone units – full escort formation.]
Above them, the sky shifted. Swarms of assault drones took formation in a protective dome, missile drones drifted further out like watchful hawks, and the agile scout drones darted ahead, scanning every corner of the mainland coastline.
"Any threat, neutralize on sight," Kane said firmly.
The feed lit up in his vision—dozens of drone eyes showing broken villages along the coast, faint movement in ruined streets, the first stirrings of the apocalypse's chaos. Each anomaly was flagged, tagged, and, when needed, erased in a burst of gunfire or precision strike.
No risks. No second chances.
The boat cut across the waves toward the mainland. Reina sat between Lena and Maya, humming softly to herself as her toys stood watch on her lap. The guardians might be small now, but Kane knew they were far more dangerous than they appeared.
He gripped the wheel tighter, his gaze fixed on the coastline drawing nearer.
The island is safe. Now I need to see how bad the mainland has become.
The first real journey into the new world had begun.