Chapter 7: Empowerment!

The week went by fast, and soon Kiyo, Yuno, and Vin had gelled easily into a close-knit unit within the loose confederation that passed for the haphazard group of survivors. Vin was not related to the other two at a blood level; however, his friendly nature and easygoing persona saw him become the binding factor, creating a rapport and togetherness between the trio.

Each day that came seemed to bring more experiences and new challenges, though there remained a trio's shared resolution and Vin's warm presence, which seemed to continue to fortify the roots of that developing, makeshift family against adversity.

Kiyo has also taken a lot of time to go in-depth to have a better understanding of functionalities in the system in order to be able to be more conversant in operations. His unrelenting efforts have opened a wide spectrum of features that include the exploration of the system mall, strengthening their sheltered domain, upgrading key skills, and unearthing the full extent of 'Vilume's capabilities.

Kiyo found various opportunities in the system to enhance the natural ability and statistics of the existing ones and also to increase the base of his domain, where they do take shelter, with hard study and a careful utilization of time. The search had expanded his knowledge but had equally armed him with tools and insights to effectively navigate its intrigues.

Current timeline: June 1, 2023

At an extremely narrow path, just enough for the passage of a person, gritty remains from destruction are under the feet next to the dead bodies, who were left behind to witness the chaos that ensued, without words. The dark, gloomy pall of the night seems to enshroud the whole scene, where no evidence nor mark of mortal man can be found; nothing but the creepy sense of a deathly, weighted atmosphere that seems to curdle the very soul of him who dared enter the forbidding, desolate place.

Quiet and stealthy, the trio moved forth down the winding path, their hooded robes hiding them in shadows, defeating every beast in their way that was so unlucky as to cross their path. But none of the lowly Tier 1 or more powerful Tier 2 creatures could stand in their way as the mysterious figures moved forth with an enigmatic power, leaving a row of defeated adversaries in their trail.

They moved as a unit down the twisted, dark path, deftly grabbing the twinkling Z-crystals imbedded in the corpses of the zombies they were dispatching on their way. The creature had been killed so many times in quick succession now that all three had become nearly expert in the action of speedily removing the high-value stones, so the actions of all three nearly moved in a dance as all worked together to gather all of the high-value stones. The narrow path seemed endless, but they moved on undeterred, never changing their determination, fixed in their minds of reaching the goal and amassing plenty of bountiful crystals to help them in their quest.

Soon enough, the group arrived at a towering black-hued wall standing with might in the midst of the chaos surrounding it. Its metallic luster disappeared as it blend with the darkness of the night.

"Open the gate!" A man commanded his companions as he slashed down at one of the zombies approaching them.

It was Kiyo with his newfound comrades, they entered their safe haven as they pant heavily, tired from all the battles they fought throughout the day.

"Huff! Huff!" Only the sound of heavy breathing could be heard as the trio rested on the grass right behind the metal door that stood tall before them, shielding them from all the dangers the apocalypse bore.

"Fuck yeah!" Vin exclaimed, "These Z-crystals must be enough to reach a new stage again!" Yuno added as the two celebrated, whilst Kiyo just showed a faint smile while shaking his head.

Kiyo instructed the two to quickly absorb the crystal as he prepared dinner.

…

"BOOoOMM!" A loud explosive noise resounded throughout the stronghold.

Yuno has finally broke through! Catching up with Vin's strength, only Vin though. Catching up with Kiyo's strength? Dream on! With the assistance of the system, Kiyo doesn't even need to consume Z-crystals as he quickly accelerated his strength to stage 3.

"Clap! Clap! Clap!" Kiyo approached the two before patting Yuno's shoulder as he congratulates him. "Now that the two of you has reach new height, it might be time to change your weapons." 

The eyes of the duo shone brightly when they heard it. Honestly, they were envious of Kiyo's weapon, a reddish-black sword, its blade always twinkling with a wet sheen, laid out a devilish pattern, very intricate, so it brought a ghastly feeling; it was almost as if the weapon itself had crawled out from the depths of hell.

Without the slightest hesitation, he reached behind and brought forth a great black hammer with intricate golden patterns around it, seemingly materialized from nowhere. He handed it to Vin, saying, "Vin, this suits you well. This weapon is called the War Dragon Hammer, which combines the strength and determination that has always been in you. It carries the weight of power and precision in design, much like you yourself would be on the battlefield."

Vin's eyes shone with excitement, he quickly embraced the mysterious weapon that his trusted comrade gifted him. He dare not question it, he dared not say anything. To him, trusting his comrades and not asking what he shouldn't has become the unspoken rule of this small group.

The intensity in Yuno's eyes was blazing with fierce passion, showing as much fire as in Kiyo's reach for a pair of masterwork daggers. So full of green design, one almost forgot they were on a deep, almost violet-coloured blade, mimicking vines that gently covered each edge.

"This perfectly complements your slender yet remarkably agile physique," Kiyo said as he passed the daggers to him, his eyes approvingly on Yuno, a faint look of admiration subtly touching his expression.

Armed with the new weapons provided by their dearest companion, the two excitedly sparred on the backyard of their stronghold. Of course, it was Vin who initiated the sparring session. What a battle-maniac….

End of Chapter 7.