[ Chapter XII (12): "03/20/2025— DOMAIN EXPANSION!" ]
[ "Keep hitting...!" ]
Arthur doesn't know why he kept swinging the Baseball Bat in his hands with rage, but he knows that he is swinging it... as after some time, his shy nature disappeared instead replaced by rage fuel as he kills Goblins left-and-right.
Screaming on top of his lungs, he matches the anger the remaining greenskins are showing, until to the point that the latter gets scared... as they then questioned which here is the monster, is it the squad of hunter monsters, or the maniac duo wielding Baseball Bats. You want the answer?
Even Elias doesn't know, but for the sake of the loot, the Credits, to upgrade his Domain and live safely without the worry of the building he is in getting destroyed... he needed to do this, to also relieved stress in some case, and to avenge the innocent souls the Goblins had killed.
Or will kill, if Elias and Arthur didn't end their tyranny at the moment... That is Elias' reason for doing this, definitely not relating to his sadism against monsters, or his underlying anger issues. He doesn't know about Arthur though. [ "Die monsters!" ]
As at the moment he could be seen screaming at them, stepping out the barrier even to reach maximum damage. As if he wasn't bleeding hours before, on death's door or something... He looks perfectly new, normal; is that bandage magical? It is... But still, the way he acts isn't like an injured person at all. Weird.
[ GOBLIN LVL. 3 KILLED BY PLAYER! ]
[ GOBLIN LVL. 4 KILLED BY CITIZEN! ]
[ GOBLIN LVL. 2 KILLED BY CITIZEN! ]
[ "COME BACK HERE!!" ] Arthur in seeing the bleeding, damaged, and low morale remaining Goblins was ready to give chase, even fully stepping out the protection of the barrier as he swings at air. [ "Woah, we won... Calm down, bro, chill..." ] Only being stopped by Elias pulling him back inside the barrier, as a spear then hit their front.
Reluctant, but still infused with energy and adrenaline... Arthur did what he was told and backed away, as he tries to steady his rapid breathing and uneasy vision, holding into the wall as he feels his wound slightly open up. Hurting in turn. [ "Fine." ]
There is a myriad of reasons why he stopped Arthur from killing himself. The first being is that, he couldn't bear seeing someone die, again, pretty obvious as he had seen that plenty of times for a week now; a thousand more than he could want. The second being is that, it'll be futile, and Arthur has a sister to come back too. And lastly, the third reason is that, he has enough to upgrade his Domain to Lvl. 3.
[ 1,698 SYSTEM CREDITS ]
In finding out that he only needed to kill about 10 or-so more of Goblins, he became eccentric, excited to the point that he was ready to craft any and all contraption that he needed to throw down at the next group of Goblins that is ready to fuel his System... That came and pass, and now he has enough to do-so.
But before he would upgrade it, he needs to make sure of his friend's well-being, as he then checks up on him; assisting him to get back at Base, as he then gets for him a softdrink and some Canned Vegetables from his side. [ "Take it, free off charge." ]
[ "Thanks." ] He smiled in return, as Elias then sat by his usual spot besides the window. To him, giving a softdrink and Canned Vegetables is nothing, as that said man did kill about a good 7-8 Goblin which is equal to about 160-200 Credits...
Enough to at the very least buy 7 Canned Vegetables, not that he knows though, as that part of his powers wouldn't be known to any one. Not ever, except in the future when he does get a girlfriend, or married, or have children, then at that case, maybe about 80% chances of him saying the truth.
But judging from his appearance, his odor, and the world literally coming to an end sooner rather than somewhat later... Then perhaps that chance of him getting a girlfriend, married, or having a child would be slim to none— especially because he hadn't held a woman's hand since prom dance; about 3-4 years ago ish...
Or that one time he accidentally touched a customer's hand when giving her a plastic bag in his workplace, as the cashier at that time. Or when he helped a lady get up, or when he played with a stray cat on the way back home from work... He really doesn't know, is he lonely, or is he what...? Ugly?
[ ULTIMATE DWELLER'S DOMAIN LVL. 2 ]
[ 1,500 SYSTEM CREDITS TO UPGRADE! ]
Not wanting to think about his looks, or thinking about the fact that he hadn't washed for 8 days... Even though the Apocalypse started exactly 7 days ago, he doesn't want to remember. As he instead plays with the window in front of him, as he then clicks the yes button... Depleting 1,500 exact Credits out of his wallet, as he then upgrades his prized skill.
[ "Huh...?" ] Arthur who's busy writing something on his diary, while occasionally sipping using his other hand, noticed Elias clicking in the air... And seconds later he was able to notice the red lights outside, behind Elias outside the window— the barrier, then magically expanding ever-so-closely.
[ "Hey, uhh- dude... I-I think you're barrier, or something, i-it's expanding!" ] Amazed by this, he abruptly tries to stand up, but felt the wound in his abdomen forcing him to sit and not stand up. So he didn't. As he instead wide eyed, pointed his fingers out the window, for Elias— the WIZARD in his eyes, to see what's going on. [ "L-look!" ]
The said Wizard merely glanced at his direction, as he then gave a thumbs up in return. Seemingly not at all bothered on what's going on outside, as he instead pays attention on the blank air in front of him... Not really a blank, as in the eyes of the System wielder— like him, he is reading something important.
The description of the Ultimate Dweller's Domain actually. As he compare and contrast the previous description he had read when it was but a low Lvl. 1, then when it turned to Lvl. 2, then at now when it turned to Lvl. 3. Seeing at all that there's no change except for the area of the Domain.
[ ...75x75x75 ]
Previously it was 20x20x20. Then upgraded to 40x40x40 for 500 Credits. Then now, upgraded again for 1,500 Credits into 75x75x75... The upgrade in his eyes, actually worth it, as he values his safety more-so than invisible currency that only he can see, use, and even acquire. [ "Must be... safe?" ]
Mumbling words to himself, he then thought of the building that he is in. Because now the size of his Domain is... he doesn't know the math exactly, but enough to at the very least cover the building that he is in. Especially with it being small, thin, somewhat built cost-effective in mind... So yeah, he could say 75x75 is enough to encapsulate the said building.
To confirm this theory of his, he glanced out the window to see what's up... [ "It is...!" ] He was correct. As the building is in fact inside his Domain, more-so a part of the street outside, then some small houses neighbouring his building...
To check further if the building is finally within his grasp, he sprang to life and went out the door, passing by Arthur who's about to check out the window. Without at all worried about the state of the lock of someone else's apartment door.
Elias, he then kicked open the door of the room opposite to his. Shocking even Arthur who glanced behind him, [ "You alright there, bud?" ] Both of them pausing in seeing out the window of the room, just like what Elias had expected, the red lights are in fact encapsulating the building.
In seeing this, he finally felt relief. Like a chicken bone was finally plucked out of his heart, or a heavy boulder was lifted from his chest as he finally had time to breath properly— even though that said air is being polluted by quick decaying Goblin carcasses on the hallway, that said air is... to some extent nice air, for him that is.
As he was finally able to upgrade his Domain, earn enough Credits to do-so, kill enough Goblins. All culminating in the fact that he was finally able to knit for himself, and perhaps the remaining Survivors that needs help out there, a safe haven wherein monsters couldn't enter even with force.
Talking about safe haven... It seems that it isn't only the building of his which is now fully protected by the Domain, also is the street and some part of the road in front of their building is inside it. So curious by this, Elias went down the stairs, followed by an equally excited Arthur. [ "W-wait for me." ]
Slowing down his pace for his friend to catch-up, the both of them went down the stairs and met a funny scene on their way down... A Goblin immobilized, stuck in a midstep motion, as it tries with all it's might to move forward to no avail. He knows why this is, but to Arthur he doesn't, as he backs away in worry, [ "G-goblin...!" ]
Elias though, who knows of his ability. He wasn't worried at all, as he merely passes the cockroach that he killed earlier, then so-too the greenskin that is trying to go down the stairs, as he didn't pay it any mind and instead go down the stairs. [ "It's safe, the guy is just doing the mannequin challenge, or something, I think." ]
[ "You think?!?" ] In response Arthur gets worried, but to ease his worries, Elias flicked the forehead of the said Goblin causing it to fall and hit it's head on the stone steps. Before then falling to the floor below without showing any protest, still in midstep action as it lays sideways.
Elias who's excited about seeing the front of his house, more excited than someone who have been quarantined due to pandemic for 2-3 years or-so, which he experienced about 3-4 years prior. So he could attest that at the moment, he is showing more excitement than that previous case.
Arthur on the other hand could be seen holding onto the handrails of the stairs, as he looks at the motionless but still alive monster on the floor. Curious by this, but also remembering something that happened hours before he met Elias... wasn't he the same as this fleeing Goblin?
Now that he thought about it, wasn't there also a red expanding light akin to that of the barrier that hit him when he suddenly froze? Now that the barrier is expanding again, did this said monster, the previous monster that Arthur fought that fleed— did it got caught by the barrier expanding? If so, then it'll forever be stuck there.
Unless of course given permission to walk out, by the one and only Elias the Wizard, no last name yet as Arthur had forgotten to ask. That's the case at the moment, and the more he walks down the stairs, the more Goblins doing the mannequin challenge does he pass by... and his theory turns to reality, as he became amazed.
Seeing this supernatural power, he became even more-and-more impress. It has gotten to the point that, he, even though is loyal to everyone he believes is a friend. Has gotten even more loyal to this random stranger that he doesn't even know the surname of, the loyalty of his even going onpar with his sister— Elizabeth. [ "Shut up, brother...!" ]
He could hear her cursing in his thoughts, and in that moment he did so what his thought of her said, and shut up. As he instead moved down the floors, into the ground floor, following closely behind Elias, as he then baths in the afternoon sun enjoying the view, screaming to himself; [ "YES!" ] What a weirdo.
[ ——— ] [ ——— ] [ ——— ] [ ——— ]
[ 06/21/2025 ]
[ 06/21/2025 ]