[ Chapter IX (9): "03/20/2025— A SATISFACTORY TRADE OF GOODS, CONVINCING THE OTHER, FIRST SYSTEM MISSION" ]
[ "I-I... The bandage actually worked...?!" ] Elias watches in curiosity as his first-ever Citizen looks at his bandaged wound in apparent disbelief. While he, Elias rummages around scanning the bags not belonging to him.
Taking for himself the softdrinks in it, the rest which are canned meat, catfood and such, it didn't interest him as he has better food that he can summon at anytime he wants in exchange for Credits. [ "Hey, I'm taking this as payment." ]
He dangled a 16 ounce plastic bottle of cheap replica of the famous softdrinks brand to Arthur, which is seemingly trying to stand up. Before he could even receive a response, he already opened it and drank without care. [ "O-oh sure, sure... take it." ]
[ "And the rest." ] Glancing behind him, Elias then slinged a bag behind him, as he then grabbed the other two. Taking it for himself, which was received positivity by Arthur, [ "Oh, yeah for sur- what?" ] before then turning pale in realizing.
[ "N-no, please. You can't!" ] As he then pleads to the mysterious savior of his... Some tears falling down the side of his cheeks as he does so. Elias in seeing this sights to himself, as he then glances at the softdrinks inside one of the bags— reluctantly giving it back. [ "Fine..." ]
In response, Arthur seems to be relieved. As the loot that his sister and their group would use, has been secured without resorting to violence. And that he could now confidentiality say, that after some recovery, he would be able to go back and secure the health of his friends. All 11 of them.
[ "We'll... then how about a trade?" ] Elias in wanting to drink varieties of softdrinks, ranging from Fonta, Mountain Green and Papsi. He didn't give up and instead gave an counter offer. Inside the 3 heavy bags that belongs to this man, Arthur, the thing he only wants is the softdrinks and nothing more... So he didn't give up.
[ "A trade...?" ] Arthur then questioned, worried that he might get the short end of the stick... So he listened carefully at the next words that this mysterious man said, and after some time, he couldn't believe it, as he then questioned. [ "Wait, you have... fresh canned vegetables in s-stock?" ]
He tries to imagined what canned vegetables would look like, and became worried. As there are likely chances that they are infected with maggots, some kind of insect already, poor quality, not much shelf life, or poor taste that would leave Arthur a very-very bad deal.
Especially because his friends died to secure those said loot, and he doesn't own it, his group does back in the school. For sure they couldn't get a say on this due to them being stuck on some school, some ways away from him, far if he isn't wrong...
But still, it is their loot also, not just Arthur's— so he couldn't make a decision right away without knowing what kind of deal he is making. If it is indeed beneficial to him and his group, then he would go with it. If not, then... he just needs to softly decline without getting beaten up by the said man's Baseball Bat, if lucky that is.
[ "Oh yeah, Canned Vegetables. Here, you can have 8 of them in exchange for 8 softdrinks." ] Arthur was expecting the man to pull some rotted, beaten up-looking canned goods from his pockets or something. [ "H-huh...?!" ]
But instead of that, the man instead whispered something to himself, clicked the air 8 times, and viola... 8 pretty big Canned Vegetables in bland container materialized itself on the ground; with Arthur not knowing how it happened, as he instead stared at it in bewilderment. [ "H-how did you do that...?" ]
In response getting a shrug from the man opposite to him, as he replies before then taking a swig from the half emptied drink on his hand; [ "Magic, I-I guess." ] the bandage left leg of this said individual visible to Arthur which couldn't believe that magic is possible to humans, and not just for monsters like Goblins.
...
[ "Magic, I-I guess." ] Is it really that surprising? Elias could understand to some degree that this is awesome. But in a world that now has monsters in it, that sounds about pretty normal... But he guess, that seeing the wonders of the System first-hand is awesome, so he couldn't blame the normie in front of him.
[ "Hey..." ] He talked to the man, Arthur. As Elias then tried to be oblivious about the man's name and such, as he then questions him, trying to figure out what happened to him that would lead the man to here— this building which Elias resides in.
After some time he was finally able to unlock the backstory of this man. Apparently he hid in this building a few minutes ago— about half an hour from the estimate, without Elias even noticing, chased by Goblins and a giant black bird— the Multiple Headed Raven.
Then the story just continues from there... Where he came from? Apparently from a nearby city that he knows of, Valenzuela that is bordered by the city that he is in, on the northside, pretty close by if Elias isn't that wrong... In a school wherein some Students still live and survive.
But the shocker to him isn't about the Survivors, sure he knows Survivors exist, especially because sometimes he would see people pass by, or run away from Goblins. And also because Elias is still alive
And that it has only been a week since the monsters started appearing, of course the densely populated country of Philippines wouldn't be wiped out that easily... Give or take 2-3 months, then it'll be likely.
The shocker from what he had gathered is that, apparently Zombies i.e. the Undead exist from where this man, Arthur came from... Sure, Elias knows that Zombies and other supernatural creatures exist in other cities, but where is the problem.
So now he knows where is where. From what he had heard from this man, Zombies are on Valenzuela— slow ones that doesn't immediately infect whoever is bitten, scratched, or damaged... But to whoever dies, about 1/10th chance that the person is likely to turn into another of those.
And that Goblin activity primarily happens on Caloocan. If not the whole city of Caloocan, then South wherein he inhabits. How about North? That he doesn't know about, but surely Goblins or other species of monsters roam there.
[ "Okay... that's uhh- really a lot to take in." ] After some quick exchange of information, Elias then invited his newly made friend to his base of operation, which is on the fourth floor... Still noticing the hesitation on the man's face, he then further explained what's going on, about his magic and such.
[ "No monsters can enter the fourth floor." ] A lie, because they definitely could, it's just that they couldn't enter his Domain. And that, this second-floor, primarily the 3 rooms and some parts of the hallway is also covered by his Domain, so the protection here, on the third, fourth, and fifth floor is the same-same due to that...
In truth, after seeing people die left-and-right in the span of a week without being able to do a thing to help. Elias felt extrem guilt, as he now instead do what he could, and protect the countrymen he finds.
The first one being this guy, apparently— him being older than him by a year also helps in that endeavor, as they could talk and connect... Sure, Elias doesn't swing that way, he like women sure enough.
But still, talking to someone could help alleviate the loneliness and stress of his that he has bottled up even before the Apocalypse started. And sure enough, the convincing seems to have work, [ "We'll, then, I guess. What are we waiting fo-" ]
[ CAW ] but a loud caw interrupted their conversation, which was then followed by some rubles falling on the ground. Both men stared at one another before then the first opened the previously closed window, to look outside, [ "W-what are you doing?!" ]
[ "Looking outside, don't worry my magic would protect us." ] Having already explained his powers, albeit filled with mostly lies or bent truths. Elias didn't bother explaining at all, as he then stared outside at the big bird that caught his attention once again.
The said bird had been annoying since earlier, but at the moment, it became even more annoying as a loud booming sound followed it's caw. Staring out, he was able to figure out the reason for such a thing. [ "That... that explains the noise." ]
As at the moment, that said bird is terrorizing a band of Goblins, engaged in a fight as the latter gets picked up one-by-one. It was a mesmerizing scene for Elias, even to Arthur as he tries to look out. [ "It's... it's fighting the Goblins...!" ]
Not a common sight for sure, but what caught Elias' attention wasn't the group of ugly looking Goblins inside a van. Or the big black bird that is covered in gooey blood, chumping on monsters; instead he is much more focused on the fact that those band of Goblins are wearing accessories.
[ "Pretty ugly Goblins at that." ] Primarily women accessories like jewels, hats, and dresses that is wild even for a normal monster behavior. Perhaps this group are abnormals, have weird senses of clothing, are women, or all of the above. To be frank, Elias couldn't really tell in a glance.
[ "Let's go relocate, while that thing's busy." ] Elias then glanced out, at the front of the building which isn't covered yet by his Domain. Not noticing any monsters he then became relieved, as he then grabs the bags of Arthur who's trying to get up.
After finally getting up, he then helped the poor man in walking, as they then climbed two flights of stairs. On the way ignoring the carcasses of Goblins, and a squashed mutated oversized cockroach that made the latter sick to his core in seeing.
[ "We're almost there." ] Elias too, as instead of that, he felt relieved when he noticed his Domain's red lights, it means the assurance and safety of not getting attacked by anything. As they then entered it.
From what he had gathered, apparently the System like the floating panel isn't visible for Arthur— even as a Civilian, but the red lights that the Domain is showing is.
So he too can see the red lights in real-time, and in knowing what it does, also felt relieved, as the both of them then entered into it, then into Elias' room. Before Arthur was then halfheartedly thrown to the side of the room, for him to checkout the place.
[ "You... you lived in this place...?" ] Arthur asked in confusion, the thought of a safe haven filled with food disappeared. As his vision was instead replaced by a nightmare, one that has a mattress in it, a stack of weapon on the side, trash, disgusting plates, empty plastic bottles... and some canned goods on the mattress plus the other goods.
Other than the lights, nothing in this room screams safe haven. More like hell to him, as Arthur then tried to be polite and force himself to not say something sarcastic, dumb, or a critism. As he knows that through the power of this man, then could he safely recover and go back to his group.
[ "Oh, yeah. Since the Apocal- oh..." ] About to start taking again, Elias paused as he noticed a floating window hovering in front of him. This one different from the rest, as this is an Mission type of window— the first one that he has ever gotten since unlocking the System of his.
[ MISSION: CLEAN THE ROOM ]
[ DESCRIPTION: THE PLACE HAS BEEN RAVAGED BY THE PLAYER EVEN BEFORE THE APOCALYPSE, PLEASE CLEAN IT, YOU HAVE A GUEST AFTER ALL ]
[ REWARD: +10 CIVILIAN'S TRUST, +100 SYSTEM CREDITS ]
Translation, the System is straight up calling him a bum, questioning his lifestyle; this caused him to look properly at the state of his room, and see how messy it is compared to normal people's standards... In noticing the state of it, his face then turned grim. [ "I-I guess, I'll clean the room then." ]
[ ——— ] [ ——— ] [ ——— ] [ ——— ]
[ 06/17/2025 ]
[ 06/18/2025 ]