Coupon points spent

After being smashed onto the wall by the explosion, Kanisk lay sprawled on the floor, his body aching and his head spinning. Blood trickled from a gash on his forehead, blurring his vision as pain throbbed through his limbs. He struggled to push himself up but collapsed back against the cold, hard floor.

"Am I going to die like this?" The thought echoed in his mind, heavy with despair.

**Do you wish to heal yourself using the coupon points you've earned?**

The robotic voice returned, its tone calm and unwavering.

"Can I do that?" Kanisk thought, his breath ragged.

**Absolutely.**

The voice replied, as if reading his thoughts.

"Well... the points are useless if I die here anyway," he reasoned, his resolve solidifying. "Yes! Heal me!" he commanded aloud.

A golden light swirled down from above, wrapping around his battered body like a warm, gentle current. A soothing sensation coursed through his veins, numbing the pain as his wounds began to close. The swelling in his joints faded, and his muscles regained their strength. Within moments, he was back on his feet, his body fully restored.

**Restoration complete.**

**60 coupon points deducted from the total of 268 points. Points remaining: 208.**

"60 points wasn't so bad. Definitely worth it," Kanisk thought. He patted himself down, astonished to find no trace of the injuries that had crippled him moments before. For the first time since the nightmare began, hope flickered in his chest. He adjusted his grip on the knife in his hand and took a deep breath. The fight wasn't over yet.

Kanisk's eyes darted toward his neighbors staggering out of their apartments, their faces twisted in pain and fear. Some clutched the weapons granted my the system such as swords, armor and such, and the others had makeshift weapons—broomsticks, kitchen knives, and broken furniture—desperately fending off the invading monsters. The air was thick with the metallic scent of blood and the echoes of distant screams.

Gritting his teeth, Kanisk surged forward, his Hunter's Instinct guiding his movements. Time seemed to slow as he anticipated the goblins' attacks before they even struck. A goblin lunged from his left—Kanisk ducked low, slashing its knee and spinning around to drive his knife into its skull. The creature collapsed with a guttural shriek.

**Killed a goblin. 10 coupon points granted.**

Another goblin charged straight at him, jagged teeth bared. Kanisk side-stepped with precision, his reflexes heightened beyond normal human limits. With a swift motion, he drove his knife into its chest, twisting the blade before yanking it free. Blood sprayed across the corridor walls as the goblin crumpled to the ground.

**Killed a goblin. 10 coupon points granted.**

Panting, Kanisk pressed forward, his every move deliberate and calculated. His sharpened senses picked up faint scuttling sounds, warning him of incoming threats before they appeared. Anticipating an attack from behind, he pivoted just in time to slash another goblin's throat before it could pounce.

Clearing a path, Kanisk reached the window. Heart hammering, he peered outside—and his breath caught in his throat. Flames devoured nearby buildings, painting the night sky in hues of orange and red. Silhouettes of people clashed with grotesque monsters on the streets, their cries of anguish rising above the crackling fire and shattering glass. Chaos reigned beyond the glass, and Kanisk's grip tightened on his knife as the harsh reality of the apocalypse sank in.

"I need a better view of the situation," Kanisk thought, deciding to head to the top floor for a vantage point. "Maybe there'll be fewer monsters up there since there wouldn't be many humans to prey on." Though nothing made sense, he clung to this logic.

Navigating through hallways littered with heaps of dead monsters and fallen people, Kanisk advanced cautiously. Goblins lunged from shadowed doorways, their jagged weapons slicing through the air. Hunter's Instinct kicked in—each twitch of their muscles telegraphing their next moves. He ducked a wild swing, slashed one's throat with swift precision, and pivoted to stab another through the chest.

**Killed a goblin. 10 coupon points granted.**

**Killed a goblin. 10 coupon points granted.**

Blood splattered across his shirt, but Kanisk pressed forward. The air reeked of iron and burnt wood as he ascended the stairs, each step taking him closer to the rooftop. Reaching the penultimate floor, he froze mid-step. Before him writhed a horde of snakes—scales glistening in the faint light, fangs bared, eyes locked on their prey.

Panic surged through his veins as the sheer number of them overwhelmed his senses. The snakes slithered toward him, their hissing filling the air. Kanisk's foot slipped on the bloodied stair, and he fell backward, leaving himself open to attack.

"FREEZE!" A voice from behind cut through the chaos.

Frost crackled along the ground as the snakes closest to Kanisk turned rigid, their bodies suspended mid-slither. Stunned, he scrambled to his feet and glanced back.

"Yuva?" he gasped.

The girl stood with her hands outstretched, eyes blazing with focus. "You idiot! Don't just stand there! Run back to me!" she shouted.

Snapping out of his daze, Kanisk bolted toward her, weaving past the motionless serpents as their unfrozen kin began to close in behind him.

Kanisk and Yuva dashed back down the stairs, abandoning their plan to reach the rooftop. They rushed into Yuva's apartment and slammed the door shut.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Yuva!" Kanisk exclaimed, breathing heavily.

"Did you really think I'd go down that easily?" Yuva replied with a smirk, flipping her braided hair back confidently.

Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass echoed through the room. Three creatures leaped inside.

"Bwaaahhh!" Yuva screamed and darted behind Kanisk.

"So much for that brave face!" Kanisk quipped, glancing back at her with a raised eyebrow. "And stop screaming! They're already here!"

The creatures stood tall with pinkish-orange skin, long pointed ears, and sharp features. Each one wielded a broad sword and approached cautiously, their eyes gleaming with intelligence—far more advanced than the goblins.

"This is getting out of control," Kanisk thought, gripping his knife tightly.

"Hey, Yuva! You're a good archer, right? Didn't you win some awards for that?" Kanisk asked, his eyes flicking between her and the kobolds.

"Yeah, so what?" Yuva replied.

"Why aren't you using your professional-grade bow then?!" Kanisk shouted in disbelief.

"Umm...," Yuva muttered, tilting her head as if processing his words.

Her eyes suddenly widened as if struck by an epiphany. She spun around, grabbed the sleek bow hanging on the wall, and nocked an arrow.

Kanisk, still baffled, barked, "And why on earth did you choose the 'Freeze' skill of all things?!"

"Umm... it looked kinda cool," Yuva said, striking a dramatic pose with her hand on her hip, as if she were modeling for a fantasy poster.

Kanisk smacked his forehead. "Unbelievable..."