Well done Felix, you really screwed up this time.

Of all the stupid things I have done in my life, this takes the cake!

I was in a state of panic and I started to look around in dread - shaking my head left and right.

"Come on...come on...what do I do?!

I asked the system how to increase [Health] and it gave me the same unwanted answer-

[Health] can be gained by increasing [Vitality].

And in conclusion...

[Experience] is gained by defeating opponents, completing quests, and other [Restricted] means.

My shoulders slouched in defeat...I am going to die.

Even if I decide to kill another human, how am I supposed to find them...in this HELL HOLE?!

I screamed at the sky like it was going to answer me back. I kicked a rock and sighed

Well...at least I can always go forwards.

I looked out in front of me... at the destruction as far as the eye could see.

I sighed one more time and started my "journey."

...

I can't remember for how long I walked and I can't read my surroundings as everything is freaking rubble! My throat is parched and my ankles aching. I half expected for another notification to pop up and tell me that I had died... or something. My eyes were unbearably itchy because of the dust and soot; I wanted to sigh but my throat was too dry - it might turn into a cough.

...

"NO! Stop! NOOOOO! ARRRRGGGGhhhhH!"

A ear-splitting scream came from the west

My heart skipped a beat.

Was...was that the voice of a woman... a human woman.

But...why was she screaming?

I stepped carefully away but then I thought-

This might be the last time I meet a human... and why was she screaming? I had to now.

I crept slowly towards the noise...and to be honest, it wasn't hard to. She screamed long and continuously.

Eventually, I reached an open area much like everywhere else- rubble and fire.

But there was something different this time...

There was indeed a human woman...and a monster. Not the kind you read in fairy tales.The one in real life.

A large muscular man was standing over a woman. The woman was covering up her torn-up clothes and something told me that the explosion didn't do all that. The clothes were more torn than burned.

"Please stop!" The woman screamed through her tears

"Come on pretty lady, the world has already gone to shit. Shouldn't we have some fun?"

He grabbed her skirt and started to rip it apart.

I looked on in horror.

I was about to jump in and stop it but I realized that the man was at least 6'5 and had the body of a bodybuilder.

I now understood the severity of the situation.

I turned around and minded my own business.

"We can't all be heroes."

~POV change[Steve]~

My name is Steve, I am 46 years old. My parents were respectively the Director and CEO of different companies. When I turned 16 I was sent to the military and only returned at the age of 20.By the time I came back home my father and mother were dead and left the entire inheritance to charity.

I spent the last 26 years as a Wacdonalds worker, living in a small apartment surviving on cup noodles.

This...isn't fair.

It isn't fair.

It isn't fair!

Why did mom and dad leave my money for the stupid charity!

On a normal stupid Saturday, I was taking out the trash when a large light appeared in the sky. Some stupid voice in the ky was talking about ...something.

And the next thing I knew I wake up... here.

Everything was gone?

Everything was gone.

Everything was gone!

This is my chance.. to rise again

To become king!

"Wh-...what is happening?"

A young girl, maybe 16 or 17 was waking up beside a bunch of rubble

She was beautiful

A large smile grew on my face

...

"Come on...don't you want to have fun?"

"No stop!" She protested

She was struggling and trying to get out of my grip...but I was simply too strong, I always have been.

Yes!

Yes!

Layer after layer I almost peel of the last bits of clothes on her bare porcelain skin.

Yes!

The woman mysteriously looked up

"Hm?" I looked up in turn

BAM!

A hard object hits me in the temple and then in the back. The blows knocks me onto the ground - stunned.

~POV change[Felix]~

"We can't all be heroes... but I'm no bystander!"

I turned around and picked up a metal pipe with a block of concrete at the end. It was incredibly heavy.

Good.

Slowly I started towards the man.

When I was within arms-length the woman noticed me and a flash of hope glittered in her beautiful blue eyes.

Phase 1 - Get the girl!

The man turned around just in time when I swung my makeshift sledgehammer

BAM!

The first attack was successful and he was stunned- One more time, just in case.

BAM!

His body slumped down

The girl stayed there-flabbergasted.

"T-thank you." She finally exclaimed.

"W-wow I really did it.

"I thought while I glanced over at his still body.

"Okay...you should go now before he wakes up." I instructed.

"Wait...you didn't kill him?!" She barked

"What? Why would I do that?" I replied back

I turned around in the other direction and suggested "Now come on before he gets u-..."

A head-splitting shriek forced me to turn around in shock.

The man...he was getting up. Blood was pouring from his head.

"You wretch!" He bellowed at me

My body froze in shock.

In an instant, he sprinted at me and he struck out his large hand at my throat.

I should have been able to dodge but I...was scared.

His humongous hand tightened around my neck, he lifted my whole body in a feat of strength. I tried to get out of his grip but he was too... strong.

~POV change[Steve]~

This little scrawny kid was the one who struck me!

I'll kill him.

He tried to get out of my grip but his tiny hands did nothing.

I smirked.

"HAHAHA!"

CHOMP!

A sharp pain shot from my hand to my head

"AAARGH!"

I looked at the boy...he bit me...he drew blood!

He smiled and threatened to bite again.

I reflexively let go.

His body fell to the ground with a-

THUMP!

~POV change[Felix]~

I was struggling to breathe and saw the woman that I saved...she was slowly crawling away. Our eyes locked and I struck out my hand in a gesture saying "Save me."

She looked at me for another 3 seconds before turning and crawling away.

I looked on in despair.

Why? Why? I saved her! Why couldn't she do the same thing for me!

His hands squeezed tighter and it started to stop the blood supply from going to my brain.

This is my last chance.

[Acute Mind]

[Acute mind] has been activated.

The rush was less effective and shorter, but that was an advantage as it gave more time for it to be in use.

My brain thought of countless plans in a short amount of time.

The best was to-

Bite!

After the first bite he let go and I landed on the floor

"You rat!" He screamed at me

I simply smiled at him and gave him the finger.

He was infuriated.

All part of my plan.

He lunged at me in a wrestling stance.

I remembered all the sports programs I watched as a kid that I now lost touch with.

He came at me like a truck.

How was that possible? He was way too fast... doesn't matter.

I settled into an Aikido stance and-

Wait...wait...now!

In a fluid motion, I used his momentum against him and threw him over my shoulder.

He spun in the air 3 times before hitting headfirst on a rock

~POV change[Steve]~

Something was different about him than before. His eyes glittered with years of combat experience and this...gaze that made you feel inferior to him.

My instincts told me that he was dangerous...but it doesn't matter. "As long as I use this-

[Charge]: Allows you to go at your maximum speed in a straight line from the start. Distance traveled depends on [Endurance] and [Agility]

I'll be fine."

...

How?!

HOW?!

He spun me in the air even though I used a [Skill]

This shouldn't be possible?!

But luckily I have a bunch of [Endurance]

[Endurance]: 3 / 5

My nose is broken though.

~POV change[Felix]~

I looked at the man as he got up

"He is really tough."

I sighed heavily and smiled

"We'll see who dies first then."

I changed my stance into an orthodox boxing stance as he rushed at me

~POV change[Steve]~

...How am I the only one getting hit?

Every time I attack him he flows through them and counters me!

Even though it's minimal damage it's still chipping away at my health!

[Health]: 2 / 4

"Its time to end this!"

~POV change[Felix]~

[Health]: 0.2 / 2

"Its time to end this."

His large open attacks are easy to dodge, but I am still using [Acute mind] while fighting so I'm losing more [Health].

With excellent footwork, I manage to slip out of his gorilla arms range and reach my makeshift sledgehammer.

I grip it tight and lock eyes with my enemy. I grin at him and he reciprocates my feelings. It's a fight to the death and whatever man wins is simply the better man.

~POV change[Steve]~

I smile at him and say "This will be your grave!"

He smiles calmly back at me and says "We'll see about that."

"[Charge]!" I scream

[Charge] has been activated to the maximum.

Faster than I have ever gone before I charge(get it) at him.

"I am speed!"

~POV change[Felix]~

His body blurs as I am barely able to register his movement

Barely

He almost rams into me, just as I twist to the right and with my right arm, I use everything in me to swing. Veins start to form and my muscles twitch and tear.

Arm strength has reached the maximum.

The "hammer" hits him straight in the nape with a thunderous-

CRUNCH!

His eyes turn white.

But his body's momentum doesn't stop and his body flies into a block of rubble.

~POV change[Steve]~

Darkness...

You have died.

...

~POV change[Felix]~

I glance over at his still body in pity.

That could have been me if anything went wrong today.

"Welp,its not, I'm aliv-"

[Health]: 0 / 2

You have died.

I wanted to protest and shout but I couldn't.

I'm dead.

You have died.

You don't have to rub it in...wait what?

You have died...reanalyzing...enemy killed before the host has died.

What's happening?

The host has been brought back. Heart restarting. All bodily systems restarting.

A wave of sensation washed over me.

It wasn't pleasure or pain...just the feeling of being alive.

Congratulations! You have killed an enemy, experience rewarded.

Congratulations! A bonus has been awarded for killing an enemy more powerful than you.

"He wasn't stronger than me! Or I would be the dead one!" I protested but was secretly happy that I got a bonus.

+2 [Strength] +2 [Intelligence] +2 [Agility] +2 [Endurance]. + 2 [Vitality] [Health max] increased by 3

Congratulations! You have gained a new skill! [Martial arts Lv 1]: The user can intuitively understand martial arts, utilizing them like they've trained in them for years

I savored every word of the positive messages that all meant the same thing- becoming stronger.

Simultaneously my body started heating up, slowly at first then faster and more furiously

It felt like burning alive!

My skin was shifting and moving, making it feel like a thousand ants on my skin. My muscles were tearing and reforming over and over again, becoming better and stronger with each tear. My bones were breaking in several places and then reforming and becoming reinforced in some sort of liquid that then hardened around them.

This painful process took several hours.

Congratulations! You have become stronger!

I sit there in silence the pain scaring me mentally and physically.

But I smiled to myself. Strength doesn't come easy.

"From now on, I will become stro-"

The transformation has used up all the nutrients from your body.

You are now affected by severe [Hunger].

"Bloody Hell!"