The knocking continued for a few seconds. Then knockers shouted "Help us! Please let us in! There are monsters everywhere!"

I knew that it was a lie since me and Sarah killed everything in the area. I still yelled back though. "Oh really? I know that your spouting bullshit. We already killed everything in the area. Leave us and this area. I claimed it already after killing the boss so leave."

The voice relaxed and yelled back in a threatening tone "Well then if it's so safe how about you come on out before we come in."

I was starting to get pissed now "Trust me when I say this humans give nice xp and I will have time to hide your bodies before sarah wakes up."

After that remark I heard a guns be drawn "Listen here child! You will not survive this unless you let us in!"

I just ended up deciding to pull open the hamlet screen to see if I could find some options to deter the visitors

Bull's eye hamlet menu:

Attack

Defense

Hierarchey

Building

Shop

Research

Information

Residents

I selected the defense page and how to defend guide popped up along with with a trap guide but nothing else came up. I then went and selected the building page and many options popped up. It ranged from skyscrapers and alien turrets all the down to a small straw hut. But still no defense options that I could use since they all used IMD or Infinite monetary denominations. I then went and choose the shop option. A whole new screen appeared with 4 new options

Shop

Buy

Sell

Market

Auction

I selected sell and then found out that the loot we were collecting was basically worthless and only with a lot of the items could I have sold something. I then wondered how much the bull hide would cost.

Would you like to sell 'Mountain bull hide' for 15 IMD? Yes or No?

I pressed yes with some regret but then thought back to the noise of a bunch of guns being racked.

Processing... Item sold!

You have lost item 'Mountain bull hide'

You have received 15 IMD

I then looked around in the shop but found nothing that could deal with the guns. I then went to the market which was an awful idea since it looked like a cluttered mess and my brain started screaming for me to find a sort button. I didn't find it but still found one thing that could help and was within 15 IMD.

Name: Spell scroll (Mana sheild)

Rank: Uncommon

Quality: Novice

Requirements: 5 Intelligence, 5 Wisdom, and Level 3

Effects: Activate by sacrifing mana for extra health 5:1 ration

Remarks: Ranking this up is a great idea for you

I read the scrolls requirements and felt crestfallen at that point. I could raise my stats with my AP but the level requirements killed my plan. I decided that I would but the scroll but I would go fight the people with their own tools of choice. Once the scroll was bought I stashed it away in a drawer for later use. A screen popped up

You have chosen to fight off these invaders for the sake of yourself and someone under your care mark of the guardian activates! +2 to all attributes! This group has killed 13 people. Mark of the Avenger activates. +13 to all attributes!

I felt a large rush of energy surge through me. My blood felt like it was on fire but not in pain but in warmth. It felt like I could have killed the bull with one punch. I pull up my stat page and it absolutely blew me away in how strong I am now.

Name: Finn Zimmer

Level: 2

XP: 5/100

HP: 20/20 (90/90)

Mana: 10/10 (80/80)

Stamina: 20/20 (90/90)

Strength: 3 (17)

Constitution: 4 (18)

Dexterity: 4 (18)

Intelligence: 2 (16)

Wisdom: 2 (16)

Luck: 0

Remarks: Man the fuck up!!! (Nice steroids)

I decided to jump out of my back window after dismissing my stat screen. Just wait you fuckers i'm gonna make sure that you won't see the next day. I thought to myself.

As I was thinking about how I should attack I heard my door creak in from a bashing sound.

Someone has began to lay siege to your stronghold! A reward will be issued for killing the threat but if they get away you only get half of the reward.

The banging kept to continue as I crept around the house. I pulled out my knife and used it as a mirror to see around the corner. There were five people all with guns. They had huge backpacks on and were holding their bygones like a military personal or cop would. The professionalism of their stances and grips made me feel like they might be high level or combatant before the fixing.

The man who was yelling up to me yelled again "Hey man just open your door and we wont kill you or the girl."

I watched him chuckle and face his companions and whisper something that made all of them laugh. I angered me so much that I decided to activate goring rush and activate right as I rounded the corner. The skill pulled me right into the guy closest to me.

The rest turned to watch their comrade be cut in half. The man's torse folded over my arm and started twitching on the ground. The main guy pointed his gun and fired. It hit me in the chest but the chest piece stopped the bullet making it fall to the ground.

You have received 15 damage! Enraged mountain chest piece mitigated 6 damage! Total HP remaining 81.

I gripped my sword and slashed at the man but he ducked out of the way enabling him to dodge by a hair's width. I then activated goring rush again forcing my arm through his Shoulder. Once the skill wore off I gripped his heart and yanked it with all of my strength. To my suprise ripped out a piece of his lung. I crushed it with my fingers then moved onto the next person. His pants looked wet. I grabbed the gun from guy I just killed then shot the two guys who dropped the ram. The one guy who was left started to shake in fear "What are you a fucking monster!?"

"I am the ruler of this area and you disturbed my life. I'll give you once chance to tell me why I shouldn't feed you to the maggots in the forest."

His eyes shifted around for a second then he spoke "Because I was taken captive by those guys! This was my chance to run since they didn't have me tied up in the basement or to one of the guys. They walked me around I a dog man! Please let me live!"

I then walked up to him and ripped off his jacket sleeves. I noticed cuts and scarring on his arms. His wrists had rope burns and bruising. "Fine then you get to live another day."

He started to cry "Thank you sir but please I ask one thing of you."

I look into his eyes "What do you want?"

"Please let me live here with you guys. It so safe here and I could help with food or building."

I thought it over for a second then came up with my response "Oh you can stay bu"

"Thank you wont regret this!" He interrupted.

I felt the urge to now kick him out but held my anger "BUT there is a catch. Go kill enough monsters that you reach level 2. Once that is done come give me any loot. After that you will be allowed to live here without worry of being kicked out unless you really fuck it up."

He has a sour look when I said the loot part but then realised that it might be worth it to live here permanently over being here for one day while making an enemy of me. "It will be done." his voice trailed off like he wanted to say my name but remembered that he didn't know it.

"My name is Finn by the way. Yours is?"

His eyes looked back at me "Jack sir."

I rolled my eyes and spoke back with a little bit of annoyance "Only call me Finn no lord or sir shit got it. Now if you want you can claim one of the homes here since everyone used to live here died in the fixing."

Sure it was a sad thing to say but you know what it was the truth besides sarah's family and me everyone else in the neighborhood was very elderly and was killed by a something that spawned in their homes. Jack walked off to a house and opened the door. Once inside he took about a minute or so then walked out. He turned to me and yelled something then walked of to the woods. I couldn't make out what he said but a screen popped up

Jack Rogers has accepted your quest.

Wait I made him a quest? The system being its usual snarky self shot back a rude message.

Well yeah dipshit you didn't see the notification? When you give someone a task as the boss of an area they get a quest from you. Set your notifications so you can see settlement notifications.

I then thought of my settings and set up for me to get settlement notifications. I then went and read the quest that I assigned to jack.

You have made quest 'Joining the family'

Jack must get enough XP to level up then give you any and all loot gained during quest.

Reward: Given permanent residence

Oh ok I guess quests are a thing. With that new knowledge gained I went and looted the four men's bodies.

You have received:

Name: Survival knife

Rank: Common

Quality: average

Damage: 2-4

Remarks: Trash

Name: 9mm handgun

Rank: Common

Quality: Damaged

Damage: 15-17

Remarks: Can be modified but is in need of repair

Name: Light combat boots

Rank: Special

Quality: enhanced

Effects: +1 dexterity

Remarks: Nice find for your level

Name: Boosted hand ram

Rank: Special

Quality: Enhanced

Effects: +50 percent damage to structures

Remarks: Good item for raids

Name: Vial (Evil human blood)

Rank: Uncommon

Quality: Average

Effects: None for now

Remarks: Used in dark magic rituals

Name: Spell scroll (Fleeting speed)

Rank: Rare

Quality: Novice

Effects: Gain +10% speed for 3 seconds

Requirements: 5 INT and 5 WIS

Remarks: Rank this shit up! It could save your life

I climbed back into the house once I gathered the bodies then burned them. Once that was done I filled the hole back up then hauled my new supplies back into my house. With my day seeming fairly successful I decided to find a book and do some survival research to increase my INT or WIS so I learn the two spells I now have.