Chapter 18: Brotherhood in Blood

The scent of decay lingered in the air as we moved cautiously through the crumbling ruins of the city. The once-glistening skyscrapers of Haven were nothing more than hollow, broken shells, casting long shadows over the streets. This place wasn't just dangerous—it was a graveyard of civilization.

I adjusted my grip on my katana, the weight of it now familiar in my hands. Beside me, Zhao Yue scanned the area, her fingers resting lightly on the trigger of her shotgun. Ning Xue, for once, wasn't complaining. Instead, she walked in silence, her eyes sharp as she surveyed the wreckage.

Then there was him.

Jiang Chen.

We had met him back at the shelter—a rugged, battle-worn man, around twenty-six, with the kind of presence that made people either respect him or fear him. He had joined us on this scouting mission without hesitation. Maybe he wanted to test us. Maybe he was just bored. Either way, he carried himself like someone who had survived one too many close calls, and I couldn't decide if I liked him or not.

"You're slowing down," he said, falling into step beside me. His voice carried an edge of challenge.

I scoffed. "Maybe you're moving too fast."

He smirked. "Or maybe you're just slow."

Zhao Yue sighed. "You two are already acting like old war buddies. Can we focus?"

Before I could reply, my system interface flashed before my eyes.

[System Alert: Nearby Hostile Detected]

A cold shiver ran down my spine.

Then, the growl came.

From the shadows of a collapsed building, a mutated beast emerged. It was nothing like the zombies we had faced before. Towering at nearly eight feet, its flesh was layered with thick, jagged scales, and its glowing yellow eyes locked onto us with an unsettling intelligence.

[Feral Stalker - Level 17]

I tightened my grip on my weapon. "This one's different."

Jiang Chen cracked his knuckles. "Good. I was getting bored."

Zhao Yue sighed but raised her shotgun. Ning Xue, despite looking tense, held her knife ready.

The Stalker lunged.

I barely had time to react before Jiang Chen was already moving. He met the creature head-on, his fist slamming into its side. The impact sent a shockwave through the air, but the Stalker barely flinched before retaliating with a sweeping claw.

I dashed forward, my katana flashing. The blade met flesh, cutting deep, but the monster barely slowed. It twisted unnaturally, its tail whipping toward me—

[Skill Activated: Shadow Step]

I shifted to the side just in time, the attack missing me by mere inches. Jiang Chen, unfazed, grabbed the beast by the throat and drove his knee into its gut. The Stalker let out a shriek but refused to go down.

Zhao Yue fired, the shotgun blast tearing into the creature's exposed flesh. The monster staggered. I took the opening, slashing my katana across its throat.

[Critical Hit!]

The Stalker gurgled, black blood spraying, but it still wasn't dead.

It twisted in Jiang Chen's grasp, jaw unhinging as it lunged at him—

For the first time, I hesitated.

Not because I wanted to, but because something in me recognized this moment. The kind of moment that decided whether someone lived or died.

And then, I moved.

[Skill Activated: Phantom Strike]

In a blink, I was behind the creature. My blade found its target.

[You have slain Feral Stalker - Level 17!]

[+7,500 EXP]

[Level Up! You have gained +2 Stat Points!]

[Acquired: Stalker Core (Tier 2)]

[Acquired: Predator's Reflexes (Passive - Rank B) → Slightly increases reaction time and movement speed in combat.]

[Hidden Achievement Unlocked: "Killer's Instinct"]

Bonus: +5 Strength, +3 Agility

The Stalker let out one final gurgle before collapsing to the ground.

For a moment, we all just stood there, catching our breath.

Then Jiang Chen let out a low whistle. "Not bad."

I wiped the blood from my blade. "You hesitated."

He raised an eyebrow. "You saying you didn't?"

I clenched my jaw. He wasn't wrong. But that didn't mean I had to admit it.

Zhao Yue rolled her eyes. "Are you two seriously doing this right now?"

Jiang Chen grinned. "What? We bonded."

Ning Xue, who had been eerily quiet, finally spoke. "That thing… it was different. Smarter."

I nodded. "Yeah. And they're only getting worse."

Silence settled over us. We all knew what that meant.

Haven wasn't safe. Nowhere was.

And this was only the beginning.

Just as I was about to put away my katana, my system lit up again.

[System Alert: 5 Unknown Crystals Detected] [Would you like to synthesize them?]

My breath hitched. The last time I merged unknown crystals, I got that strange stone slab filled with cryptic runes.

I hesitated, then selected [Yes].

The five crystals shot out from my inventory, hovering mid-air as energy crackled between them. Then, with a flash, they combined into a single object—a dark, metallic cube with an unnatural glow.

[You have obtained: Forgotten Relic (???)]

I frowned. There was no description. No immediate function. Just a name.

"What now?" Zhao Yue asked.

I shook my head. "I don't know yet."

Before I could inspect it further, another notification popped up.

[New Item Acquired: Skill Book – Iaigiri (居合斬り) – Iai Slash (Level 3)]

My heart skipped a beat. Iaigiri. I knew that name. It was a technique from Rurouni Kenshin, a powerful Iai-style slash that could cut down enemies in an instant.

It was only at Level 3, meaning I'd have to improve it through practice. But still—this was huge.

[Would you like to absorb the Skill Book?]

I didn't even hesitate. [Yes.]

A sharp pain shot through my temples, followed by a flood of information. Techniques. Movements. The flow of battle. I exhaled sharply as the knowledge settled in.

[Skill Acquired: Iaigiri (居合斬り) – Iai Slash (Level 3)]

[Description: A high-speed, single-draw sword technique that focuses on precision and lethality. Can be improved through training.]

I slowly exhaled.

Jiang Chen, watching me carefully, smirked. "Looks like you got something interesting."

I didn't answer immediately. Instead, I adjusted my stance, gripping my katana in a way that felt… different. More refined.

A small smile tugged at my lips.

"Yeah," I muttered. "Something like that."

[System Notification: Congratulations! You have unlocked the Skill Lottery.]

[Reward: 1 Free Spin]

I froze.

A Skill Lottery?

The system had never given me anything like this before. My pulse quickened as I opened the new feature, a roulette-like wheel appearing before me. Skills, ranging from common to rare, flickered in and out of view.

I took a deep breath and pressed [Spin].

The wheel spun rapidly before finally slowing down.

Then, it stopped.

[Congratulations! You have obtained: Arcane Barrier (Level 10)]

[A high-level defensive skill that allows the user to create a temporary barrier absorbing damage.]

I stared at the notification, then clenched my fist.

This… this was huge.

And I had a feeling I was going to need it.