Joe opened his eyes. He felt dizzy, and he felt a desire to vomit.

I hope I haven't got a concussion.

The man lay on the steering wheel. No airbag had been installed in the bus.

Joe, you are an idiot. How could you even think about colliding with that big rat?

Joe looked outside. The air was thick with fumes that were coming from the bus' engine; even in the cabin Joe could feel this awful smell.

It seems that the motor is seriously damaged.

As well, the man could see the huge rat, which lay on the ground; some white bones protruded from its broken chest. It breathed heavily. The small rats, squeaking in fear, gathered around their leader.

It turned out that metal is stronger than flesh.

“Yes, rat?” Joe said mockingly.

Unexpectedly he felt pain in his chest as well. The man spat some blood. He saw as a few of his teeth fell on the floor. Huh?!

Joe touched his mouth and cursed. Indeed, due to the blow he had lost some teeth.

The man noticed as the [Rat King]'s wound began to regenerate visibly. Thankfully it was happening slowly.

Are you kidding me?!

Joe couldn't believe in that. That's not fair!

He panicked. What can I do?!

The man, feeling sharp pain in his chest, tried to breathe in and out to calm down.

I need to figure something out!

Joe opened his stats in a hope to find a solution there.

Name: [Joe Black]

Class: [Bus driver]

Affinity: Earth [2]

*Experience: [2110]

Equipment: [Gray driver gloves (+0.1 to driving skill)] [Gray driver pants (+0.1 to driving skill)]

Skills:

[Driving: 2.2 (0.2)]

[Mechanic: 2]

[Bat fighter: 2]

Active quests: [None]

Ownership of bus: [Yes]

Bus model: [UCA X-122]

Bus status: [Bad condition]

Bus garrison: [5/5 (5 goblin archers)]

Bus upgrades: [Active]

Bus evolution: [Battle bus: 500,000] [Medical bus: 400,000] [Builder bus: 400,000] [Scientific bus: 300,000] [Ranger bus: 300,000] [Scavenge bus: 300,000]

*In exchange for experience you can buy upgrades for the bus or level up your affinity and skills

When Joe saw [Bus status] in [Bad condition], the man had remembered that he could repair his bus. It cost [1500] experiences. Joe agreed, and the [Bus status] had returned to [Excellent condition].

Now let's see who's the more dangerous monster here!

Bertha began to move back. Joe needed some distance between the bus and the [Rat King], because he was going to accelerate his vehicle as much as possible. The man planned to ram the rat.

The [Rat King] as though realized something and tried to stand up to no avail. It was weak yet, but it had enough power to give a command to his subordinates.

The small rats answered and ran towards the bus. They hurried to save their boss.

“Shoot them!” Joe ordered.

“Yes, Great Boss!” the goblins replied in unison.

In a few seconds arrows began to penetrate the coming sea of rats. As a result, Joe earned some experience.

In a while Bertha halted.

Now I have enough distance to accelerate my bus.

The man pressed the gas pedal down. The vehicle began to move ahead, running over the rats. Gradually, the speed went up. Bertha was a bus, not a sports car.

Meanwhile, [Rat King] – squeaking in pain, anger, and fear - tried to crawl away in vain. The rat's wound wasn't healed yet.

Soon the bus rammed the [Rat King]. The impact was strong.

Joe screamed in pain. He had hit his chest against the steering wheel again. Pain was terrible, and tears ran down the man's cheeks.

He looked outside. The [Rat King] was still alive. Joe wanted to curse, but couldn't because of pain in his chest.

I need to end this all here!

Bertha moved back again. Joe's tears began to obscure his field of vision. The bus was surrounded by numerous little rats. The little critters tried to bite through the tires or climb on and in the bus; only the goblins resisted them. Joe couldn't see that but just two goblins still had arrows in their quivers.

Bertha halted for a moment and began to move forward, toward the [Rat King].

The bus rammed the huge rat again; the impact was strong. As a result, Joe had lost consciousness due to severe pain in his chest. Before that had happened, he had heard as if something had crunched in his chest.

+++

Joe regained consciousness and heard a conversation.

“The Great Boss is having a nap.”

“The Great Boss can sleep when and wherever he wants. I envy him.”

“Is the Great Boss tired?”

“That rat's tail is so tasty!”

Nom! Nom!

“Give me that tail!”

“Leave some tails for Great Boss!”

Joe opened his eyes, and the system informed him.

[Congratulations! You have killed the [Rat King]! Reward: 5000 experiences!]

Ah, I've done that!

It was good news.

But I feel as if I'm dying. I need to a hospital.

The man wheezed, feeling pain in the chest. It seemed that every cell hurt in his body. But what about my loot?

Joe thought. I've decided to get stronger. I can't just leave, or it means that I have suffered in vain. I just can't do that!

Joe clenched his teeth, realizing that some were absent. As a result, his resolve got even stronger.

The man stood up with difficulty.

It turned out that the bus' doors were open. Joe left the bus gradually, the pain in his chest was severe. He had even felt blood in the mouth.

The goblins sat right in front of the first bus' door, eating rats' tails.

“Look, the Great Boss woke up!”

“Oh no! He is going to take all rats' tails for himself?! I need to hurry up!”

Nom! Nom!

“Great Boss, we guard your sleep!

“We have left the Great Boss' share of yummies!”

“Yes, they are yours, Great Boss!”

The goblins offered Joe a bunch of short tails, but the man didn't even glance at them. He looked around.

Many squeezed rats lay in the parking lot. Later the man learned that the remains of rats ran away when their leader had died.

Is that my work? Joe thought and walked to the [Rat King].

The goblins watched as Joe passed by them with puzzlement. He didn't order to give him all their yummy rats' tails! He hadn't even taken his share! It was strange! It was unbelievable!

One of the goblins expressed a foolish suggestion. “The Great Boss doesn't like the rats' tails?”

The other goblins looked at him as though he was the biggest fool in the world. Who can't like the rats' tails?!

“Look where the Great Boss is going,” Another goblin said to a foolish brother and pointed at the [Rat King]. “He just wants to eat the largest rat's tail here.”

The other goblins exclaimed “Ah!” in understanding.

“That's smart!”

“That rat's tail must be very yummy!”

Meanwhile, Joe – keeping his right arm on the chest – walked up to the dead rat in a slow gait. It was a little smaller in size than his bus. As well, it was fat.

Beside the [Rat King] Joe spat some blood on the ground and tried to pick up the first item, but he couldn't. The man felt severe pain in the chest when he tried to bend down.

I need help.

Fortunately the goblins stood nearby, discussing something energetically. With their help Joe had gathered his loot: three small items.

The first item was a miniature gray battering ram, the second one – a miniature gray heart, the third one – a miniature white belt.

A white belt? Joe saw a thing of this color the first time. Does it mean that a color has some meaning like in those online games?

The man turned to the bus. Bertha looked awfully. He had paid [1850] experience to repair it to the top-notch condition.

Joe moved to the bus to sit in his driver's seat gently in some time. The chest hurt awfully.

I am not sure that I will be able to drive the bus to my hospital. Perhaps, I shall call the emergency services? But I doubt that their emergency line works currently.

When the system appeared, many people - it seemed - went crazy. During the last week, Joe often heard the sound of sirens outside.

The man took his mobile phone and dialed the emergency number.

The line is busy.

The man smiled sadly. What a foolish man you are, Joe! How ironic your end is going to be! You have defeated the [Rat King], but in the end you will succumb to your injury.

Joe looked through his inventory in a hope to find something that could help him with his injury.

Nothing useful.

The man decided to examine his newest loot.

[A gray battering ram can be installed on your bus. This thing will protect your bus from impacts and make its construction a little sturdier.]

I guess that would be a good thing for Bertha.

[The [Rat King]'s regeneration heart can regenerate its owner's wounds. Do you want to install it in your system? Yes/No]

What?! Joe was shocked when he read that. Will this thing heal my injury?!

He hurried to choose “Yes”. In the next moment Joe felt warmth inside his chest, in the area where his heart was. This feeling lasted only for a few seconds and then disappeared completely.

The man felt relief in his chest. He looked at his stats. In [Equipment] was written: [Gray driver gloves (+0.1 to driving skill)] [Gray driver pants (+0.1 to driving skill)] [[Rat King]'s regeneration heart (a regeneration organ)].

Joe was happy. The tears of joy began to run down upon his cheeks.

I will not die!

Soon the man calmed down. Perhaps, it was the most blissful moment of his life.

He felt as the pain was fading away slowly.

Joe realized that [Rat King]'s heart was likely the most valuable thing that he had. Besides, this thing could save his life in the future.

The system was right. I ever need to gather my loot.

The man looked at the description of the white belt.

[A white assassin's belt can be used only by [assassin]'s class. You can't equip this thing because you have a wrong class]

Huh? Does it mean I can't use this belt? Then why did I get this thing as my loot?

Joe was confused, but the belt was left in the inventory. Every piece of loot can be useful in the future.

Okay, what shall I do now? Leave or... explore this mall? The man thought and looked at the mall's entrance.