Tamer's Echo
The true advantage of humans was never strength, nor speed.
They wouldn't win a race against a creature with sharp claws. They wouldn't withstand a zombie bite through sheer endurance.
But there was something within them that the apocalypse couldn't erase: the ability to adapt.
When order collapsed, leaders emerged from the rubble. When supermarkets were emptied, hands built rooftop gardens and relearned how to hunt. When fear threatened to freeze every decision, humans moved—even while trembling.
They cried, yes. But while crying, they built defenses. They buried their dead and carried their weapons. They lost loved ones, and still, they moved forward.
In the end, they weren't the strongest. But they were the ones who refused to die quietly.
One of the first to adapt to the new world—a place where fear is constant and death a silent companion—was named Dean Blackwood.
The first human to reach level 5.
A milestone that came not with applause, but with blood, sweat, and broken bones.
Fear? He felt it, of course. Anxiety? It was like breathing—present in every step, every choice. But the desire to grow, to become stronger, was greater than anything else.
In his eyes, there was no more room for doubt. Only room for power. And for the insatiable hunger to conquer more.
Dean didn't just want to survive. He wanted to dominate.
Many hours had passed since he had taken his group on their first zombie hunt, but they hadn't stopped there.
They kept searching for more zombies, continuing their fights—ones Dean barely took part in, only stepping in when truly necessary. The teamwork among the three had improved, and even their strength was growing steadily.
They had already lost their fear, and now, there was a glint of greed in their eyes—fueled by the thrill of leveling up.
Leo had chosen the Rogue class, gaining agility with each level. He even discovered he had a skill after Dean explained how the system worked. However, his skill wasn't for attacking—it was for moving more stealthily.
Meanwhile, Mila had the Illusionist class, and her stat growth focused on Charisma. But unlike Leo, she had a prerequisite to use her skills—she had to reach level 5.
Clara, on the other hand, had the Mage class, but no active skill—not even an explanation for it. It left her frustrated. Dean, however, reassured her, explaining how powerful she'd become once her magic awakened.
"Well, I think those will be your final opponents for today," Dean said with a smile, pointing to a group of three Mechazombies in the distance.
The trio shivered—not from fear, but from excitement. They remembered their first encounter with those monsters, and now they were eager to test how much stronger they'd become after hours of fighting.
They charged at the metallic enemies, giving it everything they had.
Leo wielded a short sword he got from an item card—an upgrade in power.
He approached his opponent and landed a quick kick, forcing the zombie to kneel. His next move was a stab to the chest, piercing through the metal and rotting flesh. The zombie dropped instantly.
Mila wasn't far behind, wielding the Viking axe Dean had lent her. She attacked her opponent, who tried to defend itself, but Leo had already rushed to assist.
Taking advantage of the opening, she struck one of the enemy's arms with enough force to make it scream. The axe, heavy in her hands, felt like it responded to her will—as if Mila's fury made it lighter, more precise.
Blood splattered, dripping down the weapon's handle. Mila panted but didn't back off. For the first time, she didn't hesitate.
The enemy staggered, trying to keep its distance, but Leo had vanished from sight. In a blink, he was behind the creature, sliding like a shadow, plunging his blade between its exposed ribs.
Clara, unlike the others, had already defeated her opponent with ease. Her aim had improved to the point where she could hit from 20 meters away.
From a distance, Dean nodded in approval. They were learning.
More than that—they were starting to enjoy it.
---
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[GLOBAL CHAT ENABLED]
Connection Established.
Current number of qualified users: 11.
The notification caught him off guard. He had tried accessing the global chat before but got no response. Without wasting time, he opened the chat.
---
[GLOBAL CHAT]
???: — Can… can anyone hear me? Is this real?
[Survivor_78 - Japan]: — Seems like it. Finally, someone else.
[IronWarden - USA]: — 11? I wasn't expecting that. Thought I was alone.
[El_Cazador - Mexico]: — Does anyone know what's really going on? Is this a game? Some experiment?
[Void_Fang - Germany]: — Doesn't matter. What matters is we're alive. And getting stronger.
[Dean_Blackwood - Brazil]: — Finally, more people are leveling up.
[IceWitch - Russia]: — Level 5… and I still feel weak.
[BalaDePrata - Brazil]: — Wait, another BR? Let's go, Dean!
[StormKat - South Africa]: — Has anyone else noticed… the world is changing? The monsters are evolving.
[Kitsune_Flame - Korea]: — And the sky. The sky isn't normal.
[IronWarden]: — I propose something. Let's share information. If we want to survive, we need to pool our knowledge.
[Void_Fang]: — Or hide it. Not everyone here is trustworthy.
Dean was excited about the new interactions. He could gather information—and maybe even use the new feature: item trading.
Thinking about Clara's situation, he decided to ask a question in the chat.
---
[Dean_Blackwood - Brazil]:
— Anyone here have the Mage class? I've got an ally who hasn't unlocked any spells.
[IceWitch - Russia]:
— I'm a Mage. And I get the frustration. At first, I thought I was bugged or had the wrong class.
[Dean_Blackwood]:
— So how did you unlock magic? Just through skill books?
[IceWitch]:
— Books work, yes. But there's another way… a harder one.
— Ever heard of mana manipulation?
[Kitsune_Flame - Korea]:
— It's real. Mages are different. They need to feel mana before shaping it.
— Books make it easier. But true Mages learn through experience—meditation, perception… almost spiritual.
[Dean_Blackwood]:
— So... you can unlock magic just by training?
[IceWitch]:
— Yes, but it's painful and slow. I spent hours meditating until I could manifest a spark of energy.
— When I did, the system recognized it and unlocked my first ability: [Arcane Shot - Lv 1].
[IronWarden - USA]:
— It's not just Mages. Other classes can "feel" inner energy for unique abilities too, but it's rarer.
[El_Cazador - Mexico]:
— So there's a way to get strong without relying only on lucky drops? That changes everything.
[Dean_Blackwood]:
— That's exactly what I needed to know.
— Thanks, everyone.
[Void_Fang - Germany]:
— Just be careful… the deeper one dives into pure manipulation, the more unstable they can become. Mana senses intention.
---
After getting the info he needed, Dean left the chat and looked for Clara, who was resting with the others.
Dean knelt beside her.
"What level are you all at now?"
Clara turned, surprised by the sudden question.
"I just reached level 4," she answered calmly, though there was a glint of frustration in her eyes.
Mila mumbled sleepily,
"Same here… level 4…"
Leo yawned, turning over.
"I'm almost there… just a few more zombies and I'll hit 5."
Dean nodded, thoughtful.
"Great. Let me know when you do—especially you, Clara."
She looked at him curiously.
"Why?"
Dean smirked.
"I figured out how you can finally use magic. But… it's something you have to feel. It's not about books or pre-made spells. It's about you—and the mana around you."
Clara sat up slowly, eyes now alert.
"You mean… I can cast spells without needing skill books?"
"Yes. Not just Mages—other classes too. But it only becomes possible after level 5."
He stood and turned away.
"When you get there, I'll teach you how to begin."
"Let's go. We need to return to the shelter before dark. We've only got a few minutes left…"
Clara stared off into the distance, a new fire burning inside her.
She didn't want to just keep up with the group.
She wanted to shine.
And now, she knew her time was coming.
Mila and Leo were excited too. The world no longer seemed so linear—there were many ways to grow stronger, not just leveling up or relying on drops.
---
After returning to the shelter, Dean was the first to isolate himself.
He wanted to test what he'd just learned.
He cleared his mind and tried meditating—searching for something different. He wasn't actively looking for inner energy, because he felt his path was unique.
Several minutes passed as Dean remained seated, but nothing seemed to change. Then, instinctively, he opened his eyes—and noticed his skeletal knight staring at him, as if expecting something.
Suddenly, something clicked in Dean's mind. He felt himself being pulled into the purple glow of the knight's eyes—or rather, into the energy of his Monster Tamer soul.
A screen appeared in his mind.
---
[Special Skill Awakened: Tamer's Echo] Lv: 1
Name: Tamer's Echo
Type: Active
Description:
The bond between the Tamer and their creature transcends control. Through a deep connection, Dean can temporarily share the abilities of his summoned creatures, absorbing part of their essence and replicating their powers in combat.
Active Mode (Consumes Mana): Dean can activate the skill to copy a specific ability from a summoned monster for a limited time.
Limitations:
Side effects may occur depending on the creature type (e.g., copying a bone-based monster may cause intense pain).
Level 1: Copy one ability.
Level 2: Use one ability and half the monster's stats temporarily. (Locked)
Level 3: Partial fusion with the monster (temporary berserker mode). (Locked)
Level 4: (Hidden)
---
Reading the information nearly made Dean's mind explode—this skill was powerful and solved many of his problems.
If he had many monsters, he'd gain access to a variety of unique abilities.
Now, more than ever, he felt ready to survive this cruel world.
Without waiting, he activated his skill on the skeletal knight. A spiritual link was formed, and Dean could feel his monster's power.
As the ability activated, he felt his body surge with strange strength—as if something was holding his blood, muscles, and bones together.
---
[Shared Skill: Until the Last Fragment]
Type: Passive
Origin: Skeletal Knight
Status: Adapted to Dean via Tamer's Echo
Description:
Even if your bones break, your soul will hold them together.
Even if your flesh fails, your will shall sustain it.
As long as a single fragment of determination remains,
Dean will keep fighting.
Effects:
If you receive a blow that would normally put you out of combat, you will still be able to fight for an additional 5 seconds as if you were unharmed. During this time, you ignore pain and the effects of the fatal damage. Fractured bones or limbs affected by physical attacks will remain functionally connected by spiritual threads. You can keep running, shooting, or attacking even with severe injuries — however, the real damage remains and will be felt immediately after the effect ends.
"With this ability, I'll be able to fight even if I'm seriously injured," a thought passed through Dean's mind, but it was quickly pushed away.
"I'm no masochist."
Despite complaining, he was actually glad to have an ability like this — after all, it could very well be the difference between life and death in battle.
As he thought about this, he felt a fatigue that seemed to come from his very spirit, pulling him out of the spiritual link with his skeleton.
"Why am I so tired?..." Dean said, feeling his body weaken and collapse, as if his bones were about to shatter.
Dean dropped to his knees, panting. He had deactivated the Tamer's Echo in time, but what he had felt… it was addictive.
"This is only the beginning..." he murmured to himself, with a tense smile.
The sensation of having part of his knight's power… of continuing to fight even when everything said it was over… it was almost intoxicating.