Gamebound: Survive to Evolve

Lucas took a moment to catch his breath, gripping the crowbar tightly in one hand. "Hey, System," he asked, his voice steadying as his confidence grew. "Do you have any idea where we should go next?"

The system's cheerful voice chimed in his head. "Lucas, as this is the game world you're familiar with, you should know better. However, I can assist by pointing out that heading south will lead you to a human base approximately 10 miles from here."

Lucas froze for a second before smacking himself on the head. "How could I be such a dumbass?" he muttered, a grin spreading across his face. "If this really is Endless Apocalypse, then heading south from here would take me to the newbie base!" His excitement grew as his memories of the game came flooding back. "That's where I'd meet Old Man Erickson—he's a hidden NPC with a backstory about how he lost his family to a zombie surge, if I trigger his quest He could teach me how to fight better and maybe now with the additional of skills and talent, I can develop something from him. And Lissa! I can't forget about Lissa."

He began pacing excitedly, piecing together a plan. "If this plays out like the game, Lissa's mom is sick, and I can help her by getting that herb from the hidden pharmacy. That place is locked away in the old hospital by that lunatic doctor. It's a tough mission, but if I pull it off, I can get a ton of experience before anyone else! Plus," he added with a smirk, "if I'm an NPC now, maybe I can use that to my advantage somehow. Perfect plan!"

Lucas grinned at his own brilliance. 

Lucas set off toward the south, his crowbar resting on his shoulder as he navigated the desolate streets with care. He didn't want to encounter any high-level zombies or, worse, a horde of them. The world around him made his new experience more incredible, as now he was part of it as a real person where he could die and had no second chances as a player.

As he made his way with attention, he encountered another zombie, its grotesque form shambling out of a ruined building. "Alright, round two," Lucas muttered, gripping the crowbar tightly.

This time, the fight felt smoother. His movements were more precise, his swings more powerful. The system's enhancements had already made a noticeable difference. With a few well-placed strikes, the zombie fell to the ground, lifeless again.

"Not bad," Lucas said, catching his breath. But he barely had time to recover when two more zombies emerged from a nearby alley, their snarls sending a chill down his spine. "Of course, it's never just one," he grumbled.

The battle was tougher, forcing Lucas to rely on every ounce of his growing instincts and stamina. But eventually, with a final, exhausted swing of his crowbar, he brought the last zombie down.

The system's voice chimed in his mind. "Congratulations, Lucas! You've gained 2 additional levels! Your attributes have been updated, and 1 unassigned stat point is now available."

Opening his virtual interface, he saw the updated stats:

NPC

Level: 3

Experience: 300

Main Class: N.A.

Attributes: Strength 8, Dexterity 8, Endurance 7, Intelligence 4, Mystery 1, Charm 2, Luck 1

Unassigned Stats: 1

Grade: F (Mortal)

Stamina: 42/42

Abilities: None

Skills: None

Talent points: 0

Class Talents: None

Influence: 0

Reputation: 0

Equipment: Crowbar

Lucas wiped the sweat from his brow, leaning on his crowbar for support. "Wait, hold on," he said between breaths. " The attributes… are randomized? I can't assign them myself like in the game?"

"That is correct," the system replied cheerfully. "In this world, Lucas, your growth is semi-dynamic, your attributes are distributed randomly upon leveling up, and most of your attributes will develop in response to your actions, combat style, and survival strategies. . However, you now have one unassigned stat point, which can be allocated manually at your discretion."

Lucas frowned but nodded. "Well, I guess that's fair. Keeps me from abusing the system too much, I suppose."

As he continued toward the base, Lucas encountered a few more zombies. The fights became progressively easier as he adjusted to the crowbar's weight and found his rhythm. His Swing, feint, and strikes. All of these with his movements began to feel natural, almost like muscle memory.

"Combat efficiency improving," the system noted, sounding pleased.

Lucas smirked, wiping sweat from his brow. "Yeah, well, I had plenty of practice in the game. Looks like that's paying off now."

By the time he reached the outskirts of the newbie base, Lucas had gained another level and unlocked a new skill:

Skill Unlocked: Improvised Combat: +5% damage with non-standard weapons.

"Now let's see if they will let me in, as I can't possibly go in so simply because if I'd recall better, they were also attacked by those crazy gangs. Who will be just there to cause problems and steal the supplies," said Lucas scratching his head.