A pair was sitting with the wall behind their back. Both of them were covered in sweat not because of exertion but because of something from another world.

“What was that?” Maria asked. She too noticed the fine crack on the floor and her quick eyes saw the split bloody corpse.

“An obstacle,” Jason replied. His mind was scrambling after seeing the event that just happened.

Shit, it has an ability? How the hell am I supposed to defeat that?

A broken katana and a passive skill. Neither was helpful in a time like this.

On second thought, isn’t this level gap a bit too much. The goblin I fought was more or less a level one or two but these creatures running around the city are definitely not around that level range.

He had an inkling about it for a while, after seeing the dragon-like creature shattering the glass window with only the aftereffects of its flight to the crocodiles like reptiles on the ground floor. All of those creatures didn’t seem to fit the criteria for a beginner level creatures.

Him, killing the ebony pterodactyl from before might be a fluke. If it wasn’t for him going at its eyes, he wouldn’t have been able to do a thing at that nasty bird. Maria stared at Jason who was lost in his thought. She held his shoulder and shook him a bit.

“Ah, sorry,” he apologized seeing that it must have made her worry.

“So, what are we going to do? Fight or back to the elevator?” Maria who was still oblivious to the might of the creature had a simple thought of fighting against that creature.

He wanted to say retreat but the thought of Gina made him having second thoughts. Lowering his body posture, crouching close to the floor. He slowly pushed the door open. From the slight gap, he saw the silver two-legged creature with its head down, feasting upon the dead corpse of the man. His head retreated back and the door was shut close.

“So?” Maria asked.

But he didn’t have an answer. His status opened once more as his eyes searched for an answer. He stopped searching as he laid eyes on a word.

One point to energy.

One of the two status with zero number. He didn’t put much thought on it since in this world, what matters was the physical aspect. Since he didn’t want to waste points on an unknown parameter, he stayed away from it. Until now.

Jason is the first user to discover the existence of Energy Jason obtained a new title, Pioneer of Energy The privilege of the title bestowed upon Jason Please choose an energy ability type

Blue windows kept on emerging in front of Jason’s eyes. An unexpected development in desperate times. A new window emerged displaying a bunch of words for Jason to pick.

Restoration, alteration, elemental, and another a few more terms. There’s a few he could grasp the meaning behind those words and a few he doesn’t. It excites him just thinking about it. Like in the games, throwing fireballs at their enemies.

But now wasn’t the time to rejoice. A decision had to be made since this chance might be the way to go against that silver two-legged creature.

Elementals are the generic terms of fire, water, and etc. I doubt I can do anything to that freaking creature with a newly obtained ability. Restoration is like it sounds, healing spells. Definitely not useful right now. Hmm, alteration might involve the body. Strengthening perhaps? Or is it like the half-metal alchemist anime of alchemy?

Jason was racking his brain, trying to figure a way out of this mess. A mess that just had to appear in dire time like this. A time where someone’s life was on the line. Wait, something just struck Jason’s mind.

Idiot.

Out of the blues, he slapped himself right on the cheek. Maria shook out of surprise seeing him acting like this. Did he just go crazy after not knowing what else to do? Thought the beautiful Latina. The thought of helping him cross her mind but what could she do in a time like this?

I choose restoration.

In the end, he chose the healing ability. Thinking back, the reason he was trying to get out of here was for the sake of someone’s life. He couldn’t think straight with that beast just a door away from them. A narrow mind couldn’t see the big picture. Thankfully he didn’t make a silly mistake.

Although he won't know the capability of a restoration type ability but at least he had to try. Even taking her across the city would be more dangerous as compared to picking the restoration ability. A plethora of information appeared in his mind right after he made his decision.

Skill; Minor Heal+ acquired

The corner ends of his lips curved upward as he couldn’t help himself. A skill like this was definitely worth it. He turned to Maria.

“We’re retreating,” Jason said.

Maria was taken aback by his decision. She thought Jason would definitely go for it, no matter what the cost but it seems she was wrong.

“Okay, but should we find another route? I think there’s another-” her words stopped as the creaking sound of the door behind them opened.

The door opened slow. Yet the sound trembled as the vibration made both of them felt goosebumps crawling down their skin. Jason didn’t dare glance back and shouted at Maria.

“Run.”

Both of them sprinted down the small corridor of the storage facility. Down their line of sight was the sole escape path, the elevator. Jason didn’t think the creature would know of their existence behind the door. The only question was, since when did it notice them?

Did it know from the beginning? But why didn’t it chase us down from the start?

A question that didn't matter at this point. Out of instinct, he turned his head back. His eyes started to shook seeing the horn on this creature shining bright.

It’s coming.

He rushed at Maria and grabbed her waist from the back. Pulling every ounce of strength he had, he threw her at the direction of the elevator. Thanks to his enhanced strength, he managed the unthinkable.

“Argh,” his yell rang in the air and Maria lifted off from the ground.

She didn’t know what was happening, her body twirled in the air as she caught sight of something brightening from behind her.

“Jason!” she shouted seeing something coming at her ex-boyfriend.

Her whole body dropped on the floor as she took a pretty nasty fall. But she didn’t care about the pain as something else hurt her more.

“Jason,” she shouted once more at the direction of the wall crumbling after being hit by something.

She wanted to rush but she held herself as something moved from underneath those broken rubbles. A person came out underneath the rubble with his left arm bloody. The side of Jason’s face was trickling with blood as he had a cut right on top of his forehead.

Shit, I can’t feel my arm.

He looked to his side and saw his bloody arm. Numbed to the pain as blood kept on gushing out from the big wound. A nick from the blade caused this much damage. It wouldn’t be wrong to say he was lucky. If it had hit him straight on, he would have died.

Damn it.

Out of sudden, he forced himself to jumped to the other side of the room.

BANG

A loud crash spread in the air as the creature missed its mark. Jason stared at the sight of this creature who attacks without hesitation. Like hunting prey for a little snack.

“Jason,” Maria called Jason with her Glock pointing at the creature.

A beast covered in huge silver scales. Its body structure was similar to a velociraptor seen in those Spielburger movies, except it had no upper limbs. Just those two massive muscular legs were enough to tell others not to mess with it. The single silver horn on top of its head was like a single edge blade, designed to cut through its prey.

“Maria, get ready at the elevator and throw me the gun,” Jason shouted back at her as his eyes didn’t leave the sight of the beast, or what he identified it as, the silver raptor.

“What?” confusion riddled all over Maria’s face.

“Just do it,” he shouted once more with his body ready to dodge another tackle from this silver raptor.

The head of the silver raptor raised up high with its nostrils smelling something. Its head turned towards the woman in front of the elevator.

Damn it, not her.

“Throw it,” again Jason shouted as he made a dash at the silver raptor.

Maria noticed the silver raptor changing its target at her and she knew she made a mistake.

“Hey over here, you scaly bastard,” Jason threw his broken katana at the silver raptor hoping to gain its attention.

CLANG.

It turned and saw the little human coming at it as if offering himself to its belly. Jason retreated after regaining the attention of the silver raptor. He was shaking in his shoes going head to head with this creature. As if his entire body knew that this creature was too dangerous. After assuming there’s a huge level gap. He couldn’t help but imagine them being too strong for his current state.

“Jason,” he turned to the voice and saw a black metal object flung in the air.

He didn’t catch it as intended. Rather he hit it away as he jumped to his side. Something just went past him. Jason avoided it by a hairbreadth but it wasn’t the end. Something came flying at him and smashed him. His whole body flew in the air and smacked against the wall. He could hear his bones broke. Standing inside the elevator while pressing the button, Maria waited for Jason. Yet the moment she saw him crashing on the wall, her heart went cold.

Is this the end? Thought Maria.

Should I go? Thought Maria.

Should I leave him? Thought Maria.

She couldn’t decide and it costed her. The silver raptor with its immense leg strength rushed at the sole woman in the elevator. Another snack wouldn’t be bad, would it? But to the mind of a beast, more food the merrier.

Her knees grew weak seeing the incoming silver raptor. She was unarmed with no weapon to protect herself. Even if she knew the gun was useless, but at least it gave her a peace of mind, abling her to keep her composure.

“Come on,” she pressed the close button numerous times hoping to speed up the process. But like any elevator in the face of the planet, it was slow as hell.

The silver raptor was coming closer.

“Close, damn it,” she grew desperate as her eyes shifted from the sight of the button to the sight of the silver raptor.

Just a foot away from the elevator, Maria was frightened as if her death was approaching her.

BANG.

BANG. BANG.

Someone pulled the trigger. The silver raptor halted from its charge and turned towards the source of the being who attacked it. Maria pressed the open button and the elevator door slowly opened. At the far end of the corridor, a man stood on his two feet pointing a gun at the silver raptor. She wanted to shout his name but the silver raptor was too close. Even though it was showing its back at her, she still didn’t dare to gain its attention.

“Go, Maria,” someone mentioned her name.

The only person in this area besides her. She heard his voice. Her cheeks felt wet as tears trailed down. She felt something, something she lost years ago. Her hand covered her mouth as she couldn’t let a sound came out. Her other hand was trembling hesitating to push the close button. If it was in her daily life, pushing it didn't even matter. But right now, it meant the life of a person. A person she once loves but was it really was and not still?

“I’ll catch you later. I promise,” she heard his voice once more and it shook her heart. As if a bolt just went through her left chest.

Soon only the sound of bullets rang as the door to the elevator closed. Her knees grew weak and fell on the floor as she cried in her own tears. Thinking about a man.

A man called Jason.