Chapter 3 — Shock and City Streets
Kuro sat by a crackling campfire in the middle of the forest, finally taking a well-earned breather.
He leaned back, exhaling loudly. "Ugh... six hours of wolf hunting... I'm gonna go feral myself if I see one more damn paw print."
Flames danced in his golden eyes as he stared into the fire. "Alright, enough of this forest. Time to cash in that free world travel ticket."
But before initiating the jump, Kuro pulled up the Ability Store, eyes scanning rapidly. He had a specific ability in mind.
Then he froze.
(Rumble-Rumble Fruit Abilities — 500,000 AP)
His jaw dropped. "Fuuuck! Half a million?! I just wanted to be a lightning god, is that too much to ask?"
Grumbling, he searched for an alternative — and one appeared.
(Electromaster — Level 1: 5,000 AP | Phase 0)(Electromaster — Level 2: 15,000 AP | Phase 1)(Electromaster — Level 3: 35,000 AP | Phase 2)(Electromaster — Level 4: 155,000 AP | Phase 3)(Electromaster — Level 5: 350,000 AP | Phase 4)
"Hmm... I've got enough for Level 3. Guess we'll go with that."
Current Points:
IP: 47,170
EP: 9,700
AP: 35,000
SP: 45,000
"System, buy Electromaster Level 3."
Instantly, a searing pain lanced through Kuro's skull. He screamed, dropping to the ground as heat and data flooded his brain.
"AAARGH—FUCKING SYSTEM I'M GONNA DIE!"
(Warning: Kuro attempted to use Phase 2 ability at insufficient level. Auto-adjusting...)(Kuro has leveled up: Level 18... Level 19... Level 20.)
The pain eased as his body surged with new strength. The headache faded, leaving Kuro sweating and twitching with residual electricity.
"Holy shit... I leveled up three times just to survive using that ability?"
(Correct. Abilities are tied to Phase thresholds, every 10 levels. You are now Phase 2. Had the system not intervened, death was 100% guaranteed.)
Kuro sat there stunned. "Damn. Thanks for saving my ass, System."
(You're welcome. Please read the fine print next time.)
He couldn't help but chuckle as blue sparks danced around his fingers. He focused — and lightning arced to life around his hand. He grinned wildly and hurled it at a nearby tree. BOOM! A clean hole blasted through the trunk.
"Oh yeah... this is definitely worth it."
He kept playing with the ability, tossing arcs around like a kid with a new toy — until a sharp pulse of pain hit his temple. His grin dropped.
"Alright, alright, I get it. Chill with the lightning spam."
He sat back down, letting his thoughts wander. "System… how exactly does fragment travel work?"
(If Kuro buys a fragment, timeline selection is available. If Kuro uses random fragment travel, only category selection is allowed. System chooses world based on Phase level. Time dilation is 30:1. Time freezes in fragment when Kuro exits.)
Kuro nodded. "Got it. In that case… system, activate random fragment travel. Target: anime or movie worlds with high leveling potential."
(Acknowledged. Scanning power-tier appropriate fragments... Match found.)(Preparing transfer...)
Kuro squinted at the screen. "Wait a sec... Is that...?"
(Destination: Resident Evil Fragment — Raccoon City)
He leapt to his feet, laughing like a maniac. "AHAHA! Sexy Project Alice, I'M COMING FOR YOU!"
A bright light enveloped him — and in a flash, he vanished.
[RESIDENT EVIL FRAGMENT: RACCOON CITY – SMALL ALLEYWAY]
In a dim alley choked with shadows, light flared — and Kuro appeared, still laughing.
"Whew. That was weird. Where the hell am I now?"
He checked his screen:
(Location: Raccoon City. Timeline: Day after Hive breach. T-Virus outbreak in progress.)
Kuro inhaled the air — stale, urban, familiar. "Ahh… finally, civilization. I was about to start howling like a wolf."
(Fragment Quest 1: Kill 20,000 zombies. Reward: 50,000 IP, EP, AP, SP. Time limit: Until city destruction.)(Fragment Quests 2 and 3 will unlock after Quest 1 is completed. Fragment exit locked until all quests are complete.)
"Damn. Twenty thousand? That's gonna be one hell of a grind."
But Kuro just smiled. "Guess it's time to farm XP the old-fashioned way."
He slipped out of the alley into the quiet city streets. Neon lights buzzed. Cars passed. People talked.It felt... almost normal. But tension simmered beneath the surface.
"I should get some cash before this place turns into zombie buffet central."
He strolled casually, ignoring the looks from pedestrians. A silver-haired guy with a katana wasn't exactly subtle.
Then—he heard it. Muffled cries. A woman's voice. Fear.
Kuro turned into a nearby alley, following the sound. Around the corner, he saw three punk-ass thugs.
One was rifling through a purse. "Just a couple bucks in here."
The others sneered, pinning a terrified girl against the wall. "Whatever. This pretty little thing's worth more anyway."
"Yeah... she's gonna take real good care of us."
The girl cried harder, struggling.
Then—
"Hey, assholes! Try picking on someone who doesn't cry when you breathe on them."
All three turned. A silver-haired youth stood at the alley's entrance, smiling like a devil.
"Scram, kid," the leader barked. "This ain't your business."
Kuro didn't reply. He just raised a finger.
"What, you gonna flick me to death?"
ZZZZZZZT—BOOM.
A bolt of lightning tore through the thug's skull. His body hit the pavement like a sack of bricks.
The other two froze, eyes wide.
"I'll count to five," Kuro said softly. "If you're still here after that... I'll really get creative."
"ONE—"
They ran. Hard.
Kuro drew Bloodthirster. Lightning crackled along the blade. He slashed.
FLASH.
Two heads hit the floor before their bodies did.
He turned to the girl and offered a gentle smile. "You're safe. Go home."
She nodded, trembling, grabbed her bag, and ran.
Kuro looted the bodies. "Tch. Only 200 bucks? I've seen better from vending machines."
Stepping out of the alley, he spotted a cozy-looking café across the street. His stomach growled.
"Now that's what I'm talkin' about."
He plopped into a booth, ordered enough food to feed a football team, and practically drooled when it arrived.
As he ate, the TV played quietly above the bar. Breaking news: violent attacks, disappearances, strange symptoms.
Kuro smiled. "Yep. It's starting."
Then the café door creaked open.
A man staggered in slowly. Kuro glanced up.
(Zombie — Level 8)
Without missing a beat, Kuro raised a finger and casually fried the thing's brain with a bolt of lightning.
POP.
He chewed another bite of steak and muttered, "Tryna eat here, dumbass."