Chapter 2: First Blood
The scraping continued above me—methodical, patient, intelligent.
I moved through the basement as quietly as possible, Observer highlighting the safest path through the debris. Every step felt too loud in the oppressive darkness.
[WARNING: Structural integrity compromised]
[Estimated breach time: 7 minutes, 34 seconds]
[Survivors detected nearby: 0]
[Exit route: Searching...]
My hands were still shaking from the adrenaline, from Daniel's death, from everything. But I forced myself to focus. Panic would kill me faster than the Ravagers.
Observer swept the basement, analyzing every detail:
[BASEMENT ANALYSIS:[
[ Size: Approximately 40m x 30m]
[ Structural integrity: POOR (60% collapse risk under stress)]
[ Debris composition: Concrete, rebar, wood beams]
[ Potential weapons: [3 items highlighted]]
[- Rebar spike (1.2m length, pointed end)]
[- Concrete chunk (12kg, throwable)]
[- Broken pipe (0.8m length, metal, blunt weapon)]
[- Exit routes: [Searching...]
I grabbed the rebar spike. It was heavy, awkward, and rust-flaking from the end. But the pointed tip was sharp enough.
Not that I had any experience with fighting those things.
The scraping intensified. Dirt and small rocks began falling through cracks in the ceiling. They were making progress.
[WARNING: Breach imminent]
[Time remaining: 4 minutes, 18 seconds]
Observer finally highlighted something—a partial collapse on the far side of the basement that revealed what might be a passage. Maybe a maintenance tunnel, maybe just a void in the rubble. No way to know without checking.
I moved toward it, picking my way carefully through the debris—
The ceiling exploded inward.
A massive clawed hand punched through concrete like it was cardboard. Dust and rubble rained down.
[ENTITY DETECTED: Evolved Ravager]
[Threat Level: HIGH]
[Distance: 4 meters above]
[Status: Attempting forced entry]
Four minutes. Observer said I had four minutes.
The creature's arm withdrew, then smashed down again. More of the ceiling collapsed. I could see its head now—the same twisted canine features, but larger, eyes gleaming with predatory intelligence.
It saw me.
Our eyes met, and I saw something that terrified me more than the teeth or claws:
Recognition.
It knew I was trapped. And it was going to take its time.
[BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS:]
[Target: YOU]
[Strategy: Controlled demolition, prevent escape]
[Estimated full breach: 2 minutes]
[Survival probability: 12%]
[RECOMMENDATION: FLEE]
I ran toward the passage Observer had highlighted. Behind me, more ceiling collapsed as the Ravager widened the hole.
The passage was narrow—maybe a maintenance crawlspace or old utility tunnel. I squeezed into it, rebar spike clutched in one hand, just as the Ravager dropped through the ceiling with a bone-rattling thud.
It was fully inside now.
And it was too large to follow me into the crawlspace.
For a moment, I thought I'd made it. Temporary safety. Time to think.
Then the walls shook.
[WARNING: Ravager is attempting to collapse the passage]
[Structural integrity: CRITICAL]
The creature wasn't trying to follow. It was going to bury me alive.
Cracks spider-webbed across the tunnel walls. Dust filled the air, choking me. The entire passage was going to come down in seconds.
Observer's display flickered, struggled, then stabilized:
[ANALYSIS: No viable escape routes]
[Current strategy: FAILED]
[Alternative approaches: [Calculating...]]
[RECOMMENDATION: Confront the threat directly]
[Success probability: 8%]
[Survival probability with retreat: 0%]
Eight percent.
Better than zero.
But how the hell do I fight that thing?
My mind raced. Observer fed me everything it had analyzed about the Ravagers:
[ENTITY: Evolved Ravager (Detailed Analysis)]
[ Weakness: Vulnerable to blunt trauma at joints]
[Armor: Thickened hide on torso and head]
[Speed: High, but less agile in confined spaces]
[ Vision: Enhanced, but adjustment time needed for darkness/light changes]
[ Behavior: Intelligent but still driven by predator instincts]
An idea formed. Insane. Suicidal.
But eight percent was eight percent.
I backed out of the collapsing passage, emerging into the main basement just as the tunnel caved in behind me. The Ravager stood in the center of the room, illuminated by the dim light filtering through the hole it had made.
It was massive—easily twice the size of a large dog, all muscle and armor plating and too many joints that bent at wrong angles.
It saw me emerge and smiled. Or at least, its too-wide mouth split in something that looked like a smile.
[RAVAGER STATUS:]
[ Distance: 8 meters]
[ State: Confident, hunting mode]
[ Predicted action: Slow approach, prolong the kill]
"Observer," I whispered to myself, gripping the rebar spike until my knuckles went white. "Show me everything. Every weak point. Every opening."
My vision shifted.
The Ravager lit up with information—red zones showing armored areas, yellow highlighting joints and weak points. But more than that, Observer began tracking its movement patterns, predicting its next steps like a fighting game showing frame data.
[COMBAT ANALYSIS ACTIVE]
[Movement pattern: Recognized]
[Attack probability matrix: Calculating...]
[Optimal strike windows: [Displaying in real-time]]
The Ravager lunged—not a full attack, just testing me.
Observer showed me the movement a split second before it happened. My body moved on instinct, throwing myself left as the creature's claw gouged concrete where I'd been standing.
[Attack pattern recognized: Probing strike]
[Next probable action: Left sweep (68% probability)]
[Optimal counter: Dodge right, strike exposed shoulder joint]
[Strike window: 1.4 seconds]
It came again—left sweep, exactly as predicted.
I dodged right, swung the rebar spike at the yellow-highlighted shoulder joint—
Impact.
The spike punched through softer tissue between armor plates. The Ravager screamed, a sound that made my bones vibrate.
But I didn't get clear in time.
Its other claw caught me across the ribs, throwing me into a wall. Something cracked—my ribs or the wall, I wasn't sure. Pain exploded through my chest.
[INJURY DETECTED:]
[ Cracked ribs (2-3 estimated)]
[ Lacerations across torso]
[ Status: CRITICAL]
I struggled to my feet, tasting copper. The Ravager was injured but furious now. Its intelligent eyes had gone feral.
No more playing.
It charged—full speed, all pretense of hunting psychology gone.
[Observer went into overdrive:]
[CRITICAL THREAT]
[Attack pattern: FULL ASSAULT]
[Survival options: [1 identified]]
[Success probability: 4%]
[RECOMMENDATION:]
[Use environmental damage]
[Exploit structural weakness]
[Strike when the creature commits to attack]
[WARNING: You will take damage]
[WARNING: Timing must be PERFECT]
I saw what Observer meant. The ceiling hole—the Ravager had weakened the entire structure around it. And there was a support beam, cracked and ready to fall, held up by a single point of contact.
If I could get the Ravager under it...
I ran—not away, but toward a specific point Observer highlighted in green. The creature followed, murder in its eyes.
[Distance to optimal position: 4 meters]
[Ravager pursuit speed: EXTREME]
[Timing window: 1.2 seconds]
I reached the spot, spun around.
The Ravager was airborne, mid-leap, claws extended to tear me apart.
I swung the rebar spike—not at the creature, but at the support beam's weak point.
The spike hit perfectly.
The beam cracked.
The ceiling collapsed.
Half a ton of concrete and rebar came down directly on the Ravager mid-leap. The creature's scream cut off as it crashed to the ground, buried under rubble.
But I wasn't clear either.
Debris caught my leg, pinning me. More rubble slammed into my shoulder. I felt something in my arm snap.
Pain. Blinding, overwhelming pain.
[CRITICAL INJURIES:]
[Broken left arm]
[Crushed left leg (possibly fractured)]
[Multiple contusions]
[ Blood loss: MODERATE]
I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe properly. Every heartbeat sent agony through my body.
I'm going to die here. In a basement. Alone.
Then I heard movement in the rubble.
No. No.
The Ravager wasn't dead. Its clawed hand emerged from the debris, still moving, still—
[ENTITY STATUS: CRITICAL]
[Severe spinal damage]
[Unable to move lower body]
[Upper body still functional]
[Current state: DYING (estimated 30 seconds remaining)]
It was pulling itself toward me. Inch by inch. Leaving a trail of dark blood.
My rebar spike was somewhere in the rubble. Unreachable.
The Ravager's eyes locked on mine. Even dying, it was going to kill me.
Twenty seconds.
I looked around desperately. Observer highlighted something—the concrete chunk I'd seen earlier. Three meters away. Might as well have been three miles with my leg pinned.
Fifteen seconds.
The Ravager was two meters away now. Close enough to smell the rot on its breath.
I stretched, fingers grasping for the concrete chunk. Pain screamed through my broken arm, but I didn't stop. Couldn't stop.
Ten seconds.
My fingers touched the concrete. I dragged it closer, ignoring the sensation of bones grinding in my arm.
Five seconds.
The Ravager's claw reached my leg.
I lifted the concrete chunk with my one working arm, using every ounce of remaining strength, and brought it down on the creature's skull.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The fourth time, something crunched wetly. The Ravager stopped moving.
I dropped the concrete, chest heaving, vision swimming.
Then the blue text appeared:
[EVOLVED RAVAGER DEFEATED]
[LEVEL UP!]
[LEVEL UP!]
[You are now Level 3]
[HP RESTORED: 100%]
[INJURIES HEALED]
[STAMINA RESTORED: 100%]
The pain vanished instantly.
My broken arm straightened with a sickening crack. My crushed leg reformed. The lacerations across my torso closed, leaving only blood-stained clothing as evidence they'd existed.
I pulled myself free from the rubble, staring at my hands in disbelief. Perfect. Whole. Like nothing had happened.
"What the..."
More text appeared:
[LOOT ACQUIRED]
[100 Credits ]
[Health Potion x2 (Minor)]
[ Emergency Rations x3]
[ Ability Core (Rank: Uncommon)]
[ABILITY CORE DETECTED]
[Would you like to absorb this core?]
Items materialized in front of me—two small vials of red liquid, three wrapped packages of food, and a glowing crystalline sphere the size of a marble that pulsed with green light.
Observer immediately analyzed them:
[HEALTH POTION (MINOR): Restores 30% HP over 10 seconds]
[EMERGENCY RATIONS: Restores stamina, prevents hunger]
[ABILITY CORE: Contains skill data - One-time use]
[Core Type: [Analyzing...]]
[Possible Ability: UNKNOWN (requires absorption to identify)]
[Rank: UNCOMMON]
[Compatibility: HIGH]
I picked up the Ability Core. It pulsed with faint light, warm against my palm.
My first real ability. Whatever it was, it would be permanent.
"Absorb," I said.
The core dissolved into light, flowing into my chest. Information flooded my mind—not words, but understanding. Muscle memory for something I'd never done.
[ABILITY ACQUIRED]
[PIERCING STRIKE (Rank: Uncommon)]
[Type: Active Attack Enhancement]
[Description: Concentrate energy into a single point of attack, ignoring a portion of the target's defense and striking at vital weak points. Damage increases significantly against armored or tough enemies.]
[Cost: Mana (Moderate) - Cooldown: 30 seconds]
[TRAIT SYNERGY DETECTED]
[Observer + Piercing Strike = Perfect weak point identification]
[Critical hit rate increased significantly when combined with the Observer's analysis]
I flexed my healed hand, feeling the new ability settle into place. It was like Observer, but active—something I could push harder when I needed it.
"Status," I said, pulling up my screen:
[NAME: Ren Raven]
[LEVEL: 3]
[TRAIT: Observer [UNIQUE]]
[ABILITY: Piercing Strike [UNCOMMON]]
[HP: 100/100]
[MANA: 95/100]
[INVENTORY:
- 100 Credits
- Health Potion (Minor) x2
- Emergency Rations x3
- Rebar Spike (Damaged)]
I stashed the potions and rations in what I was beginning to think of as an inventory space—items just... disappeared into storage when I willed them to. Video game logic. Might as well embrace it.
I felt different too. Stronger. My body felt lighter, more responsive. The level-ups had done more than just heal me—I could feel the raw increase in power thrumming through my veins. And the new ability... I clenched my fist, sensing the potential. Piercing Strike. A way to turn the Observer's information into devastating attacks.
The scenario timer showed thirty-eight minutes remaining.
I looked at the dead Ravager, at the blood covering my clothes, at my healed but exhausted body.
I'd done it. Killed one of them. Leveled up. Gained an ability.
But I was still trapped in a death game with dozens of those things outside and a timer counting down.
And somewhere out there, the rest of my group was scattered. Marcus is safe in his Safe Zone with guilt. Derek is doing who knows what. Ryan is probably dead.
I climbed up through the hole the Ravager had made, pulling myself onto the street level. The urban wasteland stretched out around me, ominously quiet.
Observer immediately started scanning:
[THREAT ASSESSMENT]
[ Evolved Ravagers detected: 4 within 200m radius]
[ Other survivors detected: 2 (unknown distance)]
[ Nearest Safe Zone: 280 meters SW (Status: 4/5 occupants)]
[ Time remaining: 37 minutes, 42 seconds]
One spot left in that Safe Zone. Two survivors nearby, probably heading for it.
I could get there first if I moved fast. Take that last spot. Guarantee my survival for Phase 1.
Or...
Observer highlighted something else—a faint energy signature coming from a building to the north. Similar to the Ability Core I'd just absorbed.
[ANOMALY DETECTED:]
[ Type: UNKNOWN (possibly high-value loot)]
[ Distance: 150 meters N]
[ Risk Level: EXTREME (2 Evolved Ravagers patrolling)]
[ Estimated time to investigate: 8-10 minutes]
Risk versus reward.
Play it safe and secure my survival, or take a chance on getting stronger?
I thought about Daniel's scream. About the thirty-two people already dead. About whatever fresh horrors the Tower had waiting on the higher floors.
I thought about that eight percent chance I'd just beaten.
I started walking north.
The Tower wanted to see who would survive?
I was going to show it what a properly motivated player with information advantage could do.
Even if it killed me trying.
[END CHAPTER 2]
[CURRENT STATUS]
NAME: Ren Rover
LEVEL: 3
SURVIVORS: 58/100
TIME REMAINING: 37 minutes, 18 seconds
Phase 1 still in progress...