"You possessed such a broke ability, and yet you were feigning jealousy?"
Ethan spoke, his voice laced with disbelief.
"There's no need to exaggerate"
Logan replied with a weary sigh.
"I have to make physical contact, that's a major drawback"
He would have much preferred the power to make anything he set his eyes on explode, but instead, he was burdened with a diluted version.
"I feel an overwhelming urge to slap you"
Ethan muttered, running a hand down his face in exasperation.
"Go on, then. I dare you"
Logan responded with a playful smile.
Ethan let out a long sigh.
"You should be grateful someone like me is around. Without my help, your ability would've gone entirely to waste"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Logan asked, genuinely puzzled.
With another sigh, Ethan continued,
"You're able to place the mark and detonate it whenever you choose, correct?"
"Yes, that's right"
Logan confirmed with a nod.
"Then you don't even need to touch them"
Ethan said, a slow smile spreading across his face.
"You could mark anything, a pencil, a stone, whatever, infuse it with as much mana as you like, toss it toward your target, and detonate it the moment it gets close. Like a grenade"
Logan's eyes lit up instantly as the realization sank in.
He could practically farm points with a method like this.
If he ever encountered a horde of zombies, all he'd need to do was pick up a stone, embed his mark into it with sufficient mana, and hurl it into the heart of the swarm, obliterating them all in one swift move.
"How did I not think of that?"
Logan asked, bewildered.
"Perks of being a writer, our imaginations tend to run wild"
Ethan said with a smug grin.
"Please, half the ideas in your book came from me. Don't go undermining my creativity"
Logan scoffed, clicking his tongue.
Ethan stared at him in disbelief.
"You suggested a name for a side character, and now you think you helped shape the whole book?"
"Whatever. When are we getting out of here?"
Logan asked, clearly impatient.
Ethan's eyes drifted toward the window, his expression thoughtful.
"The sun's already setting. We should stay here until morning before heading to the auditorium"
He said calmly.
"We can't risk moving around at night, we have no idea what might be out there"
Logan fell silent for a few seconds, weighing the situation.
He had no clue what was happening beyond these walls, and, for now, it was wiser to trust Ethan's judgment.
Ethan rose from the floor as he spoke.
"I'm heading to the bathroom. I need a bath... and a change of clothes"
His clothes were soaked with a mixture of his own blood and that of the Great Zombie, a grim reminder of the earlier encounter.
Without a word, Logan nodded and walked over to fetch a fresh set of clothes.
He handed them to Ethan, who accepted them with a quiet thanks before making his way to the bathroom.
After a quick shower and change, Ethan returned.
The two of them settled down, sharing a quiet moment as they began eating the food Ethan had packed in his bag, a small but welcome comfort after the chaos of the day.
"How many points were you told to gather?"
Ethan asked casually, munching on a bag of chips.
"Seven thousand"
Logan replied without hesitation.
"I was told to gather ten thousand"
Ethan said, glancing over at him.
"Huh... So they gave us different point targets?"
Logan mused, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah"
Ethan nodded.
"I'm not sure why there's a difference, but it doesn't really matter."
Ethan began updating Logan with everything he'd learned so far, information that could very well mean the difference between life and death.
He told him about the shop, the brutal one-month deadline, and the monstrous creature he had encountered.
He also mentioned the people he had come across, Isaac, Ella, Elijah, and Jennifer, though he admitted he didn't yet know what abilities they all possessed.
Logan clicked his tongue, his expression darkening with disbelief.
"Damn... To think the world's changed this much. Even a dog now looks like a giant wolf. And something as small as a housefly could be lethal"
He leaned back, the weight of the situation settling over him.
"And death for anyone who doesn't gather enough points..."
He muttered, trailing off as his thoughts turned inward.
"Do you know what the points are actually for?"
Logan asked, his voice low and thoughtful.
"Not exactly"
Ethan replied, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"But I have a feeling it's tied to that 'Rebirth Phase' the system mentioned"
Logan nodded slowly.
"And it did use the word 'minimum.' That means the more points we have, the greater our chances, or the better the rewards"
Their eyes met.
No words were spoken, but the decision was mutual and silent: they would surpass their quotas.
They would gather far more than what was asked of them.
Logan smirked, a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"Looks like we're going on a killing spree"
Who hadn't fantasized about rising to the pinnacle of the world?
The power.
The women.
The glory.
The wealth.
The adulation.
He could become a king.
"Stop daydreaming. You're not the protagonist"
Ethan's voice cut through Logan's fantasies, sharp and dismissive.
"Besides"
Ethan added with a sarcastic grin.
"What if this bomber ability you've got is actually the result of you being destined to become a terrorist if the apocalypse didn't happen?"
"Then you'd better make sure I don't touch you"
Logan replied with a sinister grin, his smile turning sharp.
"I might leave a mark on you... and then, when you least expect it, I could end you with just a thought"
Logan could easily be the most dangerous person in the room.
Once he laid his hand on you, there was no telling whether you were marked or simply biding your time before he decided to end you in an instant.
Ethan met Logan's wicked grin with silence, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Without a word, he simply shook his head, letting out a long, resigned sigh.
Undeterred, Logan extended his hand, moving it slowly toward Ethan's body.
He watched him intently, almost savoring the anticipation, waiting for any sign of panic, any reaction at all.
But Ethan didn't budge, not even flinching or trying to dodge his touch.
With a frustrated click of his tongue, Logan withdrew his hand, folding his arms across his chest.
"Tsk... you're not making this fun at all"
Logan spoke.
"Try killing a zombie first, before thinking about taking down a human"
Ethan replied dryly, his tone cool.
"Well, I killed three zombies before that Great Zombie just appeared out of nowhere,"
Logan said, pausing for a moment. He shrugged and continued,
"I was planning to take on the Great Zombie myself, I started with over 300 mana stats, after all. But, honestly, I knew I'd be dead before I even got close to it"
Ethan froze, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"Wait, hold up a second"
His voice was sharp with shock.
"You started with over 300 mana stats? Are you kidding me?"
Logan grinned, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.
"Can you feel that plot armor thickening around me?"
Ethan just shook his head, muttering under his breath.
"Good night'
He said, his voice settling into a more casual tone as he walked toward the bed, stretching out and quickly drifting off to sleep.
With that, the night passed quietly.