Once Isaac had finished his speech, Ethan stood from his seat and began making his way toward the door.
"Are you leaving already?"
Jennifer asked, her gaze following him.
"Yes"
Ethan replied without breaking his stride.
"Every minute I waste is another minute stolen from his lifespan"
Isaac cleared away the makeshift barricade from the door, his movements efficient and purposeful.
As he did, Ethan glanced at his system panel.
[Name: Ethan Cross
Age: 21
Race: Human
Health: 13
Strength: 42
Agility: 35
Stamina: 47
Mana: 94
Points: 83
Ability: Air Manipulation]
'I seriously need to increase my mana and health stats'
He thought, scrutinizing the numbers in front of him.
'With my Air Manipulation ability, I should be able to do more, but my mana is holding me back. I'm not sure if I'll start feeling weak and drained like in the stories when I run low on mana. I just hope I encounter more than just zombies'
Ethan thought, his mind racing as he assessed his situation.
As he continued to contemplate, Isaac's voice broke through his thoughts.
"I'm about to open the door. There are already zombies crowding outside. I don't know how you plan to leave"
The noise of the students' complaints had attracted the attention of the zombies, and now they pressed against the door in increasing numbers.
"Don't worry. Just keep them from getting in"
Ethan said, his voice steady despite the tension.
At his words, Isaac shoved the door open.
The instant the door opened, Ethan's muscles tensed, his strength flaring.
In a single, fluid motion, he launched himself into the air, soaring more than five meters high.
His body twisted mid-flight, a seamless flip before he landed silently behind the horde of zombies.
The instant his feet met the ground, Ethan sprinted forward, his sword slicing through the air with effortless precision.
The zombies, once a threat, were no longer a concern for him.
Watching Ethan dispatch the creatures with such skill, Ella, Elijah, Isaac, and Jennifer exchanged glances.
Without a word, they decided to join the fight.
After all, gaining points and stats was now their only way to survive.
Seeing the rest of the group join the fray, Ethan momentarily paused, shifting his focus.
Without hesitation, he changed direction and began sprinting toward the hostel Logan resided.
It was already 5 PM, though the sun still hung high in the sky, casting long shadows over the deserted streets.
After running for some time at full speed, Ethan finally slowed to a stop in front of a random shop.
He dropped his school bag to the ground and grabbed a bottle of water, drinking deeply before snacking on some biscuits and chips.
His gaze drifted skyward as his mind wandered.
'I wonder how my readers are doing'
With a slight shake of his head, he packed his bag with canned food and other supplies.
'I wonder how much a space ring costs'
Ethan thought as he opened his system shop.
With a single thought, he commanded the system to display space rings.
The system's response was swift and blunt: he didn't have enough points for even the cheapest one.
'Well, at least now I know they exist'
Ethan mused, a faint smile crossing his face despite the situation.
As Ethan was about to push himself off the ground, a figure suddenly closed the distance from his side.
Without a second thought, he dove forward, instinctively evading the incoming threat.
With a deafening boom, the figure collided violently with the shelf Ethan had just been leaning against.
In an instant, Ethan was on his feet again, sprinting toward the source of the impact.
As he closed the gap, he swung his blade down, aiming for a single, decisive strike.
But the monster reacted instantly, sidestepping with quick, fluid steps.
Its maw snapped open wide, aiming to bite off Ethan's head in a single, savage motion.
'A dog?'
Ethan thought in surprise, his blade already in motion.
With a sharp clash, his sword collided with the creature's massive canine teeth, sending a resounding clang echoing through the air.
The dog raised a claw, slashing toward Ethan's ribs with deadly intent.
Reacting swiftly, Ethan tapped into his ability.
In an instant, wind swirled around his feet, boosting his speed.
He deftly disengaged, narrowly evading the incoming claw strike.
With a fluid twist of his body, he reappeared beside the dog, his sword already flashing toward its side in a clean, lethal arc.
The dog attempted to dodge, but Ethan was already too fast.
His sword slashed through the air, cutting deep into the dog's side.
Blood sprayed across the shop, splattering everything in its path.
But the dog wasn't dead. It whirled around, its jaws snapping wide as it lunged for Ethan's head once again.
Yet Ethan was already gone, reappearing beside the creature with unnatural speed.
This time, his sword was aimed directly at its head.
A wet, meaty tearing sound echoed through the shop as the dog collapsed, lifeless, to the ground.
How can a dog be this big? Mana is really evolving every animal'
Ethan thought, his breath steadying as the adrenaline began to fade.
His mind wandered briefly to the university's zoo.
The number of animals that must have undergone similar evolutions there would be immense.
[You have killed a monster dog. Health +8. Mana +9. Points +30]
'That thing should be called a wolf, not a dog'
Ethan mused, shaking his head at the system's notification.
Ethan grabbed his school bag and stepped out of the shop, his eyes scanning the area.
Spotting a seemingly decent car parked nearby, he walked over to it.
The door was unlocked.
But the moment he opened it, a zombie lunged out, snarling and ready to attack.
Without hesitation, Ethan's fist shot forward, slamming into the zombie's skull.
The brain turned to mush instantly, and the creature crumpled to the ground.
Seems like this guy was in his car when he turned'
Ethan thought, glancing at the lifeless body.
He climbed into the car, noting the key already inserted in the ignition, with a quick turn, the engine roared to life.
Without wasting any time, he put the car in gear and sped off.
He didn't want to keep running around, exhausting his stamina any further.