Chapter 32: Entering Civilization with a Bang
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Chapter 32: Entering Civilization with a Bang
Jack crossed the woods, feeling like Christopher Colombus discovering America. Everything he saw was the same as he remembered, but different. Being outside the nature reservethe Forest of the Strong dungeonfelt like a dream.
What had changed? How had the System impacted humanity? What was the world like?
Was it all real?
Everything was exactly as he remembered. The trees, the broken branches, that fat bush hed stepped over once upon a time It made him doubt whether this was all a hallucination induced by some gas in the cave.
He grabbed a thick branch from the ground and easily snapped it in two. Shrugging, he threw it away.
What do you think, Brock? he asked the monkey on his shoulderits short legs made walking side by side annoying. Will we like what we find?
Brock made monkey sounds. There was undeniable excitement there, though he clearly missed his home, too. Hed looked back multiple times on the way and almost ran away once but stopped himself. He was a brave little monkey.
Yeah, I think so too, Jack said with a smile.
The Systems arrival had breathed life into his world. He was strong. Whatever happened, he could take it.
He was just worried about the state of his loved ones, especially the professor, whose old age wasnt suitable for punching monsters.
Jack stepped out of the trees and onto a dirt trail. He looked down. For the first time, he realized what he looked like: a wild, dirty, bare-chested dude. He was ripped, too. He must have seemed like a savage.
He shrugged again and went on his way.
The dirt trail snaked through the forest before ending at a wider trail, where a gray jeep was parked. Seeing a car was completely disorienting. It made such a hard contrast against last weeks primal lifestyle that Jack had to stop and stare for a moment, unable to reconcile the two worlds.
With a low chuckle, he fished the keys from his pockethed retrieved them from their hiding place in the cave before leavingunlocked the door, and sat in the vehicle. It groaned under his weight. Constitution made him heavier; not too much, but noticeably.
Brock jumped in the co-drivers seat like the experienced monkey he wasnt. He then realized he couldnt see anything from there, so he jumped behind the steering wheel. The windshield was a shockthe poor thing hadnt seen glass before. Thankfully, it was dirty, or he would have headbutted it for sure. It took three swipes of the wipers to make out the road beyond through a green-brown smug.
Jack revved up the engine, welcoming the familiar rumbling of the car below him. The seat was soft on his back and a bit scratchy, while the wheel felt like a toy in his hands.
The car jumped a bit as it started, then rolled on slowly. Jack lowered the windows and let his arm hang outside, while Brock was quick to stick out his head and enjoy the faint breeze. He even occasionally put his hand out and tried to resist the breeze. It was nice.
The dirt trail quickly ended on a snaking asphalt road that crossed the forest, and Jack could finally pick up some speed. He stepped on the pedal, eager to feel the acceleration; the wind buffeting his face. The trees zoomed past him, the occasional stone crunched under the wheels, his body leaned on the turns.
It was fun for a moment. Then, the acceleration stopped, and Jack got bored. He could run faster than this.
Poor car companies
At least it was comfortable.
The snaking road gave way to a larger one, where the speed still wasnt up to Jacks standards, until small houses began to pepper the countryside. It was Jacks first contact with civilization in over a week. He kept his eyes wide.
By the side, Brock had climbed on the co-drivers seat and couldnt pull his eyes from the forest behind them. His tail curled up in sadness. Eventually, the forest drifted out of sight, and the little monkey fell on the seat defeated, staring at the empty road ahead.
Theirs was the only car on the road.
The houses were mostly abandoned. The few people Jack saw stared hard at him until he made some distance. They held guns, bread knives, or anything dangerous they could get their hands on and protected their homes. Many were injured. Some wore armor, though he couldn't make out details from here.
He also saw a few monsters. There were small packs of goblins roaming the countryside, along with feral wolves, oversized wild dogs, small scaly people, walking mushrooms, and all sorts of nasty things. There were even large maneater plants in the middle of nowhere, where it would take tremendous amounts of idiocy to fall for them. Right on cue, he saw a goblin stumble into one of the plants and get summarily swallowed. He chuckled, turning back to the road.
The wind buffeted his arm outside the window, making the little hairs wave. His right hand felt the hard leather of the wheel, while his bare foot stepped on the pedal. Brock screamed in joy as they accelerated, maneuvering around the occasional goblin that littered the road. The poor little fuckers were dumb enough to simply stare at his car as it approached, and a few even dared each other to jump in front of it. One tried, but thankfully chickened out at the last moment.
Jack only scanned a few of those monsters, but they all seemed weak. Only a distant stag with vines on its antlers was somewhat threatening, and thats because everything else avoided it. The monsters were pretty sparse overall and didnt seem to group together, letting the few farmhouses survive.
With the notable exception of the goblins, they also had the good idea of keeping their distance from the road, which let Jack simply drive through.
Soon, the houses grew denser and the monsters thinner. Neighborhoods appeared, which soon gave way to wide streets and dense infrastructure. Jack saw an upturned bus by the side of the street, along with a few burned or violently ruined houses. Most cars were just sitting there.
The Systems coming had not been easy, but at the very least, the scenery reaffirmed that Jack wasnt hallucinating.
There were more people, too. Jack spotted them roving in large bands, upwards of ten members each, and attacking any monsters that came within sight. A twelve-person group armed with bread knives fell on a pack of five goblins. After a fierce fight where three of them were injured, they managed to take the goblins down.
Jack shook his head. Their weakness would have been funny if it wasnt sador even expected. The leveling speed of such large groups would be atrocious, but who in their right mind would go against the odds to hunt alone?
He didnt stop the car.
As he rode deeper, the people had been growing denser, too. There were guards where the town began, holding handguns. They flagged him down.
Halt, said one of them, a woman with sharp eyes and a ponytail. You are approaching Valville, the territory of Henrys Fang. Please enter on foot and surrender any firearms youre carrying.
Brock narrowed his eyes at them, and Jack saw him clenching his little fists. He was already getting a headache; maybe thats why Harambe dumped the little menace on him like that.
No attacking, he told Brock strictly. Everyone here is a friend by default. You wont touch anybody unless I say so. Understood?
Brock released a small holler of protest but eventually buckled under Jacks gaze. He was in an unknown place, surrounded by unknown people, and his only connection to his home was this weird big bro next to him. He would listen.
Jack parked at the side of the road and got out of the jeep. Their eyes widened. Whether that was due to Brock on his shoulder or his barbaric appearance, he didnt know.
I have no firearms, as you can see, he said, approaching carefully, and I dont mind leaving my car here.
He didnt intend to cause trouble, though he was pretty sure he could survive gunshots. His close to 100 Constitution wasnt for show. As he approached, he scanned them.
Human (Earth-387), Level 5
Faction: Henrys Fang (F-Grade)
The System wasnt too talkative about sapients, it seemed. Still, Jack got a bunch of information.
The head guard here, on a major road artery, was only Level 5. The other four were even lower. Moreover, what kind of stupid name was Henrys Fang? Jack finally felt better for naming his faction Bare Fist Brotherhood.
Jack.
His hand was sweaty and hard, but Jack didnt mind. They smiled at each other.
So? George the blacksmith asked, wiping some sweat off his forehead again. How can I help you?
Im just looking, if you dont mind.
George gave him an odd look. Not with your Level, I dont.
What happened to Valville?
Another odd look. George grabbed a chair and took a seat. You werent in town?
Forest.
Lucky you. Things went to shit at first. Many died before the strong people banded together to drive the monsters out of Valville. They were goblins, mostly, so easy opponents, but it still took four days. Then, we rebuilt with monsters in mind. Most people are warriors or losers now, so we dont need accounting and all that shit. We have plenty of food and water, thankfully, what with many dying and the towns food storage. We also have the farms.
Losers? Jack raised a brow. Thats a bit harsh, dont you think?
Everything is harsh now. George shook his head.
Jack nodded slowly. He didnt quite agree, but he could see where the sentiment was coming from.
And Henrys Fang? he asked.
At this, the blacksmith raised his eyes. He deliberated his next words for a moment, then said, Theyre okay, in a way that clearly implied the opposite. After all, Jack could have been an ally of Henrys Fang.
A bad omen, Jack thought, nodding again. I hope the professor is okay.
Realizing he had nothing else to offer and was just taking up the mans time, he stood up. Thank you, George. Happy smithing.
Anytime, Jack. Come find me if you ever need a new weapon. He eyed Jacks empty hands. I reckon it will be soon.
Jack smiled and didnt reply. He walked away, hearing metallic clangs again the moment he turned his head. At least he wasnt the only one enjoying the apocalypse. Enjoying? When did I become like that He shook his head. Enough sight-seeing. Now; the professor. He ventured deeper into Valville.
Stares fell on him as he walked. He stood out, what with his bare-chested musculature and monkey on his shoulder, so it was natural. He even felt kind of proud when a wave of whispers followed his path through the town as people noticed his Level.
He was quite an outlier. Jack scanned dozens of people and only saw one person above Level 7; everyone else ranged between 1 and 5. The members of Henrys Fang were raremost people were factionlessbut when he found one, they usually walked around with a swag that resembled his. Other people took their distance from them, looking over with a mixture of fear and disgust.
All members of Henry's Fang also glared at Jack before noticing his Level, at which point they instantly became subservient. He shook his head and ignored them.
Brock was clearly excited, too. He tried to jump off once or twice and explore or play with something, but Jack held him backany random accident could get him sliced to pieces. He was just a monster monkey, after all, and the people of Valville were now warriors. A clear edge shone under their jovialty; Jack had no doubt they would have cut Brock into pieces if he came here alone.
Warriors.. He focused on this feeling, looking at individual people rather than the general image.
They were different than he remembered; hardened. Hushed whispers and commanding voices were everywhere under the clamor. When he crossed gazes with someone, most held his gaze for a moment. Groups of people were either going out to hunt monsters or returning, carrying their wounded and seemingly random monster partsfrom goblin eyes to brown hearts. The former had clenched fists and set jaws; the latter, empty eyes and palpable relief that they were still whole.
They had also tried to armor themselves. Jack saw people wearing several thick coats, with pans and pots tied in front of their vulnerable parts as armor, or even holding thin iron plates with jagged sides like shieldsmaybe thats why most cars lacked a roof. When it rained, they would quickly begin to stink of rot.
Overall, the weapons and armor of these monster hunters were makeshift, and their tactics ineffective, but they were clearly doing their best. Jack could respect them.
The exception to that was the members of Henrys Fang. They held actual swords or handguns as they went out hunting in groups of three to five people, and they wore what looked like real leather armor. They must have had leatherworkers and blacksmithslike Georgeworking for them.
Moreover, they were relaxed, even cracking jokes as they strutted through the town, shooting mocking glances and pointed comments at those who werent as well-equipped. Despite their overt mockery of others misfortune, nobody dared retort. No doubt there would be consequences. This disharmony really ruined Jack's image of the new Valville.
The people of Henrys Fang seemed like dickheads, but he didnt want to judge too quickly.
After all, he stood out himself. His steps carried confidence, and his gait was wide. His Level sent everyone out of his way, including the members of Henrys Fang.
It felt good.
Jack made a beeline for the towns west side. His first priority was making sure the professor was okaymost of his friends were in other towns, and telecommunications were down, so he couldnt contact them. Then, hed speak to Henry of Henrys Fang. If they were good guys, Jack could work with them to ensure the towns safety. He had much to offer. If not...
His walk through the town took the better part of an hour. He didnt hurry, taking the time to observe the situation.
The areas near the town entrances and close to downtown were as lively as he'd seen them. Everywhere else was abandoned, highlighting the previous dichotomy. There were destroyed buildings and injured people everywhere. Many were obviously sick, too, probably from the dust and grime they carried. Nobody was cleaning or working for the benefit of the town, only hustling from place to place to hunt monsters or procure necessities. There were no ambulances or electricity, either, though the hospital would certainly be filled to the brim.
It seemed like nobody cared for the townspeople, but again, Jack didnt want to judge too quickly. This was a ton of work, and it was the apocalypse. Maybe Henrys Fang was just doing their bestthough their many hunting groups indicated otherwise.
At least the town seemed safe from monsters.
A small white house entered Jacks vision as the sun reached its peak. It had a single story and a pink chimney rising from its tiled roof, while the windows were clean. It would have been a picturesque image if not for the patches of blood where the walls met the floor.
Jacks worry mounted as he approached. A stubborn knot was in his throat, like when he had been about to fight the rock bear. There were no sounds coming from the house, and no lights were on, eitherbut why would they? It was noon.
Jack reached the door, mustered his resolve, and knocked.
Coming!
His worry deflated instantly. Oh, thank God, he whispered.
The door opened to reveal a woman in casual clothing. She was short and slim, while her brown eyes remained sharp despite their wrinkles. Jack used to joke that her mind was filled with firecrackers. She kept her white hair short, above shoulder-length, and always spoke and moved around with an energy that belied her old age.
When her gaze met Jacks barbaric form and monkey, she gasped in fear. Then, she scoured his face and recognized the lines. She shivered.
Jack! she exclaimed in joyful disbelief.
Professor! Jack shouted back, rushing in to hug hercarefully. Besides a suspicious swelling on her cheek, she was not injured. Everything was okay.
Except for the unknown burly man standing with crossed arms behind her. That one was not okay.
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Chapter 32: Entering Civilization with a Bang
Jack crossed the woods, feeling like Christopher Colombus discovering America. Everything he saw was the same as he remembered, but different. Being outside the nature reservethe Forest of the Strong dungeonfelt like a dream.
What had changed? How had the System impacted humanity? What was the world like?
Was it all real?
Everything was exactly as he remembered. The trees, the broken branches, that fat bush hed stepped over once upon a time It made him doubt whether this was all a hallucination induced by some gas in the cave.
He grabbed a thick branch from the ground and easily snapped it in two. Shrugging, he threw it away.
What do you think, Brock? he asked the monkey on his shoulderits short legs made walking side by side annoying. Will we like what we find?
Brock made monkey sounds. There was undeniable excitement there, though he clearly missed his home, too. Hed looked back multiple times on the way and almost ran away once but stopped himself. He was a brave little monkey.
Yeah, I think so too, Jack said with a smile.
The Systems arrival had breathed life into his world. He was strong. Whatever happened, he could take it.
He was just worried about the state of his loved ones, especially the professor, whose old age wasnt suitable for punching monsters.
Jack stepped out of the trees and onto a dirt trail. He looked down. For the first time, he realized what he looked like: a wild, dirty, bare-chested dude. He was ripped, too. He must have seemed like a savage.
He shrugged again and went on his way.
The dirt trail snaked through the forest before ending at a wider trail, where a gray jeep was parked. Seeing a car was completely disorienting. It made such a hard contrast against last weeks primal lifestyle that Jack had to stop and stare for a moment, unable to reconcile the two worlds.
With a low chuckle, he fished the keys from his pockethed retrieved them from their hiding place in the cave before leavingunlocked the door, and sat in the vehicle. It groaned under his weight. Constitution made him heavier; not too much, but noticeably.
Brock jumped in the co-drivers seat like the experienced monkey he wasnt. He then realized he couldnt see anything from there, so he jumped behind the steering wheel. The windshield was a shockthe poor thing hadnt seen glass before. Thankfully, it was dirty, or he would have headbutted it for sure. It took three swipes of the wipers to make out the road beyond through a green-brown smug.
Jack revved up the engine, welcoming the familiar rumbling of the car below him. The seat was soft on his back and a bit scratchy, while the wheel felt like a toy in his hands.
The car jumped a bit as it started, then rolled on slowly. Jack lowered the windows and let his arm hang outside, while Brock was quick to stick out his head and enjoy the faint breeze. He even occasionally put his hand out and tried to resist the breeze. It was nice.
The dirt trail quickly ended on a snaking asphalt road that crossed the forest, and Jack could finally pick up some speed. He stepped on the pedal, eager to feel the acceleration; the wind buffeting his face. The trees zoomed past him, the occasional stone crunched under the wheels, his body leaned on the turns.
It was fun for a moment. Then, the acceleration stopped, and Jack got bored. He could run faster than this.
Poor car companies
At least it was comfortable.
The snaking road gave way to a larger one, where the speed still wasnt up to Jacks standards, until small houses began to pepper the countryside. It was Jacks first contact with civilization in over a week. He kept his eyes wide.
By the side, Brock had climbed on the co-drivers seat and couldnt pull his eyes from the forest behind them. His tail curled up in sadness. Eventually, the forest drifted out of sight, and the little monkey fell on the seat defeated, staring at the empty road ahead.
Theirs was the only car on the road.
The houses were mostly abandoned. The few people Jack saw stared hard at him until he made some distance. They held guns, bread knives, or anything dangerous they could get their hands on and protected their homes. Many were injured. Some wore armor, though he couldn't make out details from here.
He also saw a few monsters. There were small packs of goblins roaming the countryside, along with feral wolves, oversized wild dogs, small scaly people, walking mushrooms, and all sorts of nasty things. There were even large maneater plants in the middle of nowhere, where it would take tremendous amounts of idiocy to fall for them. Right on cue, he saw a goblin stumble into one of the plants and get summarily swallowed. He chuckled, turning back to the road.
The wind buffeted his arm outside the window, making the little hairs wave. His right hand felt the hard leather of the wheel, while his bare foot stepped on the pedal. Brock screamed in joy as they accelerated, maneuvering around the occasional goblin that littered the road. The poor little fuckers were dumb enough to simply stare at his car as it approached, and a few even dared each other to jump in front of it. One tried, but thankfully chickened out at the last moment.
Jack only scanned a few of those monsters, but they all seemed weak. Only a distant stag with vines on its antlers was somewhat threatening, and thats because everything else avoided it. The monsters were pretty sparse overall and didnt seem to group together, letting the few farmhouses survive.
With the notable exception of the goblins, they also had the good idea of keeping their distance from the road, which let Jack simply drive through.
Soon, the houses grew denser and the monsters thinner. Neighborhoods appeared, which soon gave way to wide streets and dense infrastructure. Jack saw an upturned bus by the side of the street, along with a few burned or violently ruined houses. Most cars were just sitting there.
The Systems coming had not been easy, but at the very least, the scenery reaffirmed that Jack wasnt hallucinating.
There were more people, too. Jack spotted them roving in large bands, upwards of ten members each, and attacking any monsters that came within sight. A twelve-person group armed with bread knives fell on a pack of five goblins. After a fierce fight where three of them were injured, they managed to take the goblins down.
Jack shook his head. Their weakness would have been funny if it wasnt sador even expected. The leveling speed of such large groups would be atrocious, but who in their right mind would go against the odds to hunt alone?
He didnt stop the car.
As he rode deeper, the people had been growing denser, too. There were guards where the town began, holding handguns. They flagged him down.
Halt, said one of them, a woman with sharp eyes and a ponytail. You are approaching Valville, the territory of Henrys Fang. Please enter on foot and surrender any firearms youre carrying.
Brock narrowed his eyes at them, and Jack saw him clenching his little fists. He was already getting a headache; maybe thats why Harambe dumped the little menace on him like that.
No attacking, he told Brock strictly. Everyone here is a friend by default. You wont touch anybody unless I say so. Understood?
Brock released a small holler of protest but eventually buckled under Jacks gaze. He was in an unknown place, surrounded by unknown people, and his only connection to his home was this weird big bro next to him. He would listen.
Jack parked at the side of the road and got out of the jeep. Their eyes widened. Whether that was due to Brock on his shoulder or his barbaric appearance, he didnt know.
I have no firearms, as you can see, he said, approaching carefully, and I dont mind leaving my car here.
He didnt intend to cause trouble, though he was pretty sure he could survive gunshots. His close to 100 Constitution wasnt for show. As he approached, he scanned them.
Human (Earth-387), Level 5
Faction: Henrys Fang (F-Grade)
The System wasnt too talkative about sapients, it seemed. Still, Jack got a bunch of information.
The head guard here, on a major road artery, was only Level 5. The other four were even lower. Moreover, what kind of stupid name was Henrys Fang? Jack finally felt better for naming his faction Bare Fist Brotherhood.
Jack.
His hand was sweaty and hard, but Jack didnt mind. They smiled at each other.
So? George the blacksmith asked, wiping some sweat off his forehead again. How can I help you?
Im just looking, if you dont mind.
George gave him an odd look. Not with your Level, I dont.
What happened to Valville?
Another odd look. George grabbed a chair and took a seat. You werent in town?
Forest.
Lucky you. Things went to shit at first. Many died before the strong people banded together to drive the monsters out of Valville. They were goblins, mostly, so easy opponents, but it still took four days. Then, we rebuilt with monsters in mind. Most people are warriors or losers now, so we dont need accounting and all that shit. We have plenty of food and water, thankfully, what with many dying and the towns food storage. We also have the farms.
Losers? Jack raised a brow. Thats a bit harsh, dont you think?
Everything is harsh now. George shook his head.
Jack nodded slowly. He didnt quite agree, but he could see where the sentiment was coming from.
And Henrys Fang? he asked.
At this, the blacksmith raised his eyes. He deliberated his next words for a moment, then said, Theyre okay, in a way that clearly implied the opposite. After all, Jack could have been an ally of Henrys Fang.
A bad omen, Jack thought, nodding again. I hope the professor is okay.
Realizing he had nothing else to offer and was just taking up the mans time, he stood up. Thank you, George. Happy smithing.
Anytime, Jack. Come find me if you ever need a new weapon. He eyed Jacks empty hands. I reckon it will be soon.
Jack smiled and didnt reply. He walked away, hearing metallic clangs again the moment he turned his head. At least he wasnt the only one enjoying the apocalypse. Enjoying? When did I become like that He shook his head. Enough sight-seeing. Now; the professor. He ventured deeper into Valville.
Stares fell on him as he walked. He stood out, what with his bare-chested musculature and monkey on his shoulder, so it was natural. He even felt kind of proud when a wave of whispers followed his path through the town as people noticed his Level.
He was quite an outlier. Jack scanned dozens of people and only saw one person above Level 7; everyone else ranged between 1 and 5. The members of Henrys Fang were raremost people were factionlessbut when he found one, they usually walked around with a swag that resembled his. Other people took their distance from them, looking over with a mixture of fear and disgust.
All members of Henry's Fang also glared at Jack before noticing his Level, at which point they instantly became subservient. He shook his head and ignored them.
Brock was clearly excited, too. He tried to jump off once or twice and explore or play with something, but Jack held him backany random accident could get him sliced to pieces. He was just a monster monkey, after all, and the people of Valville were now warriors. A clear edge shone under their jovialty; Jack had no doubt they would have cut Brock into pieces if he came here alone.
Warriors.. He focused on this feeling, looking at individual people rather than the general image.
They were different than he remembered; hardened. Hushed whispers and commanding voices were everywhere under the clamor. When he crossed gazes with someone, most held his gaze for a moment. Groups of people were either going out to hunt monsters or returning, carrying their wounded and seemingly random monster partsfrom goblin eyes to brown hearts. The former had clenched fists and set jaws; the latter, empty eyes and palpable relief that they were still whole.
They had also tried to armor themselves. Jack saw people wearing several thick coats, with pans and pots tied in front of their vulnerable parts as armor, or even holding thin iron plates with jagged sides like shieldsmaybe thats why most cars lacked a roof. When it rained, they would quickly begin to stink of rot.
Overall, the weapons and armor of these monster hunters were makeshift, and their tactics ineffective, but they were clearly doing their best. Jack could respect them.
The exception to that was the members of Henrys Fang. They held actual swords or handguns as they went out hunting in groups of three to five people, and they wore what looked like real leather armor. They must have had leatherworkers and blacksmithslike Georgeworking for them.
Moreover, they were relaxed, even cracking jokes as they strutted through the town, shooting mocking glances and pointed comments at those who werent as well-equipped. Despite their overt mockery of others misfortune, nobody dared retort. No doubt there would be consequences. This disharmony really ruined Jack's image of the new Valville.
The people of Henrys Fang seemed like dickheads, but he didnt want to judge too quickly.
After all, he stood out himself. His steps carried confidence, and his gait was wide. His Level sent everyone out of his way, including the members of Henrys Fang.
It felt good.
Jack made a beeline for the towns west side. His first priority was making sure the professor was okaymost of his friends were in other towns, and telecommunications were down, so he couldnt contact them. Then, hed speak to Henry of Henrys Fang. If they were good guys, Jack could work with them to ensure the towns safety. He had much to offer. If not...
His walk through the town took the better part of an hour. He didnt hurry, taking the time to observe the situation.
The areas near the town entrances and close to downtown were as lively as he'd seen them. Everywhere else was abandoned, highlighting the previous dichotomy. There were destroyed buildings and injured people everywhere. Many were obviously sick, too, probably from the dust and grime they carried. Nobody was cleaning or working for the benefit of the town, only hustling from place to place to hunt monsters or procure necessities. There were no ambulances or electricity, either, though the hospital would certainly be filled to the brim.
It seemed like nobody cared for the townspeople, but again, Jack didnt want to judge too quickly. This was a ton of work, and it was the apocalypse. Maybe Henrys Fang was just doing their bestthough their many hunting groups indicated otherwise.
At least the town seemed safe from monsters.
A small white house entered Jacks vision as the sun reached its peak. It had a single story and a pink chimney rising from its tiled roof, while the windows were clean. It would have been a picturesque image if not for the patches of blood where the walls met the floor.
Jacks worry mounted as he approached. A stubborn knot was in his throat, like when he had been about to fight the rock bear. There were no sounds coming from the house, and no lights were on, eitherbut why would they? It was noon.
Jack reached the door, mustered his resolve, and knocked.
Coming!
His worry deflated instantly. Oh, thank God, he whispered.
The door opened to reveal a woman in casual clothing. She was short and slim, while her brown eyes remained sharp despite their wrinkles. Jack used to joke that her mind was filled with firecrackers. She kept her white hair short, above shoulder-length, and always spoke and moved around with an energy that belied her old age.
When her gaze met Jacks barbaric form and monkey, she gasped in fear. Then, she scoured his face and recognized the lines. She shivered.
Jack! she exclaimed in joyful disbelief.
Professor! Jack shouted back, rushing in to hug hercarefully. Besides a suspicious swelling on her cheek, she was not injured. Everything was okay.
Except for the unknown burly man standing with crossed arms behind her. That one was not okay.
Chapter 32: Entering Civilization with a BangJack crossed the woods, feeling like Christopher Colombus discovering America. Everything he saw was the same as he remembered, but different. Being outside the nature reservethe Forest of the Strong dungeonfelt like a dream.What had changed? How had the System impacted humanity? What was the world like?Was it all real?Everything was exactly as he remembered. The trees, the broken branches, that fat bush hed stepped over once upon a time It made him doubt whether this was all a hallucination induced by some gas in the cave.He grabbed a thick branch from the ground and easily snapped it in two. Shrugging, he threw it away.What do you think, Brock? he asked the monkey on his shoulderits short legs made walking side by side annoying. Will we like what we find?Brock made monkey sounds. There was undeniable excitement there, though he clearly missed his home, too. Hed looked back multiple times on the way and almost ran away once but stopped himself. He was a brave little monkey.Yeah, I think so too, Jack said with a smile.The Systems arrival had breathed life into his world. He was strong. Whatever happened, he could take it.He was just worried about the state of his loved ones, especially the professor, whose old age wasnt suitable for punching monsters.Jack stepped out of the trees and onto a dirt trail. He looked down. For the first time, he realized what he looked like: a wild, dirty, bare-chested dude. He was ripped, too. He must have seemed like a savage.He shrugged again and went on his way.The dirt trail snaked through the forest before ending at a wider trail, where a gray jeep was parked. Seeing a car was completely disorienting. It made such a hard contrast against last weeks primal lifestyle that Jack had to stop and stare for a moment, unable to reconcile the two worlds.With a low chuckle, he fished the keys from his pockethed retrieved them from their hiding place in the cave before leavingunlocked the door, and sat in the vehicle. It groaned under his weight. Constitution made him heavier; not too much, but noticeably.Brock jumped in the co-drivers seat like the experienced monkey he wasnt. He then realized he couldnt see anything from there, so he jumped behind the steering wheel. The windshield was a shockthe poor thing hadnt seen glass before. Thankfully, it was dirty, or he would have headbutted it for sure. It took three swipes of the wipers to make out the road beyond through a green-brown smug.Jack revved up the engine, welcoming the familiar rumbling of the car below him. The seat was soft on his back and a bit scratchy, while the wheel felt like a toy in his hands.The car jumped a bit as it started, then rolled on slowly. Jack lowered the windows and let his arm hang outside, while Brock was quick to stick out his head and enjoy the faint breeze. He even occasionally put his hand out and tried to resist the breeze. It was nice.The dirt trail quickly ended on a snaking asphalt road that crossed the forest, and Jack could finally pick up some speed. He stepped on the pedal, eager to feel the acceleration; the wind buffeting his face. The trees zoomed past him, the occasional stone crunched under the wheels, his body leaned on the turns.It was fun for a moment. Then, the acceleration stopped, and Jack got bored. He could run faster than this.Poor car companiesAt least it was comfortable.The snaking road gave way to a larger one, where the speed still wasnt up to Jacks standards, until small houses began to pepper the countryside. It was Jacks first contact with civilization in over a week. He kept his eyes wide.By the side, Brock had climbed on the co-drivers seat and couldnt pull his eyes from the forest behind them. His tail curled up in sadness. Eventually, the forest drifted out of sight, and the little monkey fell on the seat defeated, staring at the empty road ahead.Theirs was the only car on the road.The houses were mostly abandoned. The few people Jack saw stared hard at him until he made some distance. They held guns, bread knives, or anything dangerous they could get their hands on and protected their homes. Many were injured. Some wore armor, though he couldn't make out details from here.He also saw a few monsters. There were small packs of goblins roaming the countryside, along with feral wolves, oversized wild dogs, small scaly people, walking mushrooms, and all sorts of nasty things. There were even large maneater plants in the middle of nowhere, where it would take tremendous amounts of idiocy to fall for them. Right on cue, he saw a goblin stumble into one of the plants and get summarily swallowed. He chuckled, turning back to the road.The wind buffeted his arm outside the window, making the little hairs wave. His right hand felt the hard leather of the wheel, while his bare foot stepped on the pedal. Brock screamed in joy as they accelerated, maneuvering around the occasional goblin that littered the road. The poor little fuckers were dumb enough to simply stare at his car as it approached, and a few even dared each other to jump in front of it. One tried, but thankfully chickened out at the last moment.Jack only scanned a few of those monsters, but they all seemed weak. Only a distant stag with vines on its antlers was somewhat threatening, and thats because everything else avoided it. The monsters were pretty sparse overall and didnt seem to group together, letting the few farmhouses survive.With the notable exception of the goblins, they also had the good idea of keeping their distance from the road, which let Jack simply drive through.Soon, the houses grew denser and the monsters thinner. Neighborhoods appeared, which soon gave way to wide streets and dense infrastructure. Jack saw an upturned bus by the side of the street, along with a few burned or violently ruined houses. Most cars were just sitting there.The Systems coming had not been easy, but at the very least, the scenery reaffirmed that Jack wasnt hallucinating.There were more people, too. Jack spotted them roving in large bands, upwards of ten members each, and attacking any monsters that came within sight. A twelve-person group armed with bread knives fell on a pack of five goblins. After a fierce fight where three of them were injured, they managed to take the goblins down.Jack shook his head. Their weakness would have been funny if it wasnt sador even expected. The leveling speed of such large groups would be atrocious, but who in their right mind would go against the odds to hunt alone?He didnt stop the car.As he rode deeper, the people had been growing denser, too. There were guards where the town began, holding handguns. They flagged him down.Halt, said one of them, a woman with sharp eyes and a ponytail. You are approaching Valville, the territory of Henrys Fang. Please enter on foot and surrender any firearms youre carrying.Brock narrowed his eyes at them, and Jack saw him clenching his little fists. He was already getting a headache; maybe thats why Harambe dumped the little menace on him like that.No attacking, he told Brock strictly. Everyone here is a friend by default. You wont touch anybody unless I say so. Understood?Brock released a small holler of protest but eventually buckled under Jacks gaze. He was in an unknown place, surrounded by unknown people, and his only connection to his home was this weird big bro next to him. He would listen.Jack parked at the side of the road and got out of the jeep. Their eyes widened. Whether that was due to Brock on his shoulder or his barbaric appearance, he didnt know.I have no firearms, as you can see, he said, approaching carefully, and I dont mind leaving my car here.He didnt intend to cause trouble, though he was pretty sure he could survive gunshots. His close to 100 Constitution wasnt for show. As he approached, he scanned them.Human Earth-387, Level 5Faction: Henrys Fang F-GradeThe System wasnt too talkative about sapients, it seemed. Still, Jack got a bunch of information.The head guard here, on a major road artery, was only Level 5. The other four were even lower. Moreover, what kind of stupid name was Henrys Fang? Jack finally felt better for naming his faction Bare Fist Brotherhood.Jack.His hand was sweaty and hard, but Jack didnt mind. They smiled at each other.So? George the blacksmith asked, wiping some sweat off his forehead again. How can I help you?Im just looking, if you dont mind.George gave him an odd look. Not with your Level, I dont.What happened to Valville?Another odd look. George grabbed a chair and took a seat. You werent in town?Forest.Lucky you. Things went to shit at first. Many died before the strong people banded together to drive the monsters out of Valville. They were goblins, mostly, so easy opponents, but it still took four days. Then, we rebuilt with monsters in mind. Most people are warriors or losers now, so we dont need accounting and all that shit. We have plenty of food and water, thankfully, what with many dying and the towns food storage. We also have the farms.Losers? Jack raised a brow. Thats a bit harsh, dont you think?Everything is harsh now. George shook his head.Jack nodded slowly. He didnt quite agree, but he could see where the sentiment was coming from.And Henrys Fang? he asked.At this, the blacksmith raised his eyes. He deliberated his next words for a moment, then said, Theyre okay, in a way that clearly implied the opposite. After all, Jack could have been an ally of Henrys Fang.A bad omen, Jack thought, nodding again. I hope the professor is okay.Realizing he had nothing else to offer and was just taking up the mans time, he stood up. Thank you, George. Happy smithing.Anytime, Jack. Come find me if you ever need a new weapon. He eyed Jacks empty hands. I reckon it will be soon.Jack smiled and didnt reply. He walked away, hearing metallic clangs again the moment he turned his head. At least he wasnt the only one enjoying the apocalypse. Enjoying? When did I become like that He shook his head. Enough sight-seeing. Now; the professor. He ventured deeper into Valville.Stares fell on him as he walked. He stood out, what with his bare-chested musculature and monkey on his shoulder, so it was natural. He even felt kind of proud when a wave of whispers followed his path through the town as people noticed his Level.He was quite an outlier. Jack scanned dozens of people and only saw one person above Level 7; everyone else ranged between 1 and 5. The members of Henrys Fang were raremost people were factionlessbut when he found one, they usually walked around with a swag that resembled his. Other people took their distance from them, looking over with a mixture of fear and disgust.All members of Henry's Fang also glared at Jack before noticing his Level, at which point they instantly became subservient. He shook his head and ignored them.Brock was clearly excited, too. He tried to jump off once or twice and explore or play with something, but Jack held him backany random accident could get him sliced to pieces. He was just a monster monkey, after all, and the people of Valville were now warriors. A clear edge shone under their jovialty; Jack had no doubt they would have cut Brock into pieces if he came here alone.Warriors.. He focused on this feeling, looking at individual people rather than the general image.They were different than he remembered; hardened. Hushed whispers and commanding voices were everywhere under the clamor. When he crossed gazes with someone, most held his gaze for a moment. Groups of people were either going out to hunt monsters or returning, carrying their wounded and seemingly random monster partsfrom goblin eyes to brown hearts. The former had clenched fists and set jaws; the latter, empty eyes and palpable relief that they were still whole.They had also tried to armor themselves. Jack saw people wearing several thick coats, with pans and pots tied in front of their vulnerable parts as armor, or even holding thin iron plates with jagged sides like shieldsmaybe thats why most cars lacked a roof. When it rained, they would quickly begin to stink of rot.Overall, the weapons and armor of these monster hunters were makeshift, and their tactics ineffective, but they were clearly doing their best. Jack could respect them.The exception to that was the members of Henrys Fang. They held actual swords or handguns as they went out hunting in groups of three to five people, and they wore what looked like real leather armor. They must have had leatherworkers and blacksmithslike Georgeworking for them.Moreover, they were relaxed, even cracking jokes as they strutted through the town, shooting mocking glances and pointed comments at those who werent as well-equipped. Despite their overt mockery of others misfortune, nobody dared retort. No doubt there would be consequences. This disharmony really ruined Jack's image of the new Valville.The people of Henrys Fang seemed like dickheads, but he didnt want to judge too quickly.After all, he stood out himself. His steps carried confidence, and his gait was wide. His Level sent everyone out of his way, including the members of Henrys Fang.It felt good.Jack made a beeline for the towns west side. His first priority was making sure the professor was okaymost of his friends were in other towns, and telecommunications were down, so he couldnt contact them. Then, hed speak to Henry of Henrys Fang. If they were good guys, Jack could work with them to ensure the towns safety. He had much to offer. If not...His walk through the town took the better part of an hour. He didnt hurry, taking the time to observe the situation.The areas near the town entrances and close to downtown were as lively as he'd seen them. Everywhere else was abandoned, highlighting the previous dichotomy. There were destroyed buildings and injured people everywhere. Many were obviously sick, too, probably from the dust and grime they carried. Nobody was cleaning or working for the benefit of the town, only hustling from place to place to hunt monsters or procure necessities. There were no ambulances or electricity, either, though the hospital would certainly be filled to the brim.It seemed like nobody cared for the townspeople, but again, Jack didnt want to judge too quickly. This was a ton of work, and it was the apocalypse. Maybe Henrys Fang was just doing their bestthough their many hunting groups indicated otherwise.At least the town seemed safe from monsters.A small white house entered Jacks vision as the sun reached its peak. It had a single story and a pink chimney rising from its tiled roof, while the windows were clean. It would have been a picturesque image if not for the patches of blood where the walls met the floor.Jacks worry mounted as he approached. A stubborn knot was in his throat, like when he had been about to fight the rock bear. There were no sounds coming from the house, and no lights were on, eitherbut why would they? It was noon.Jack reached the door, mustered his resolve, and knocked.Coming!His worry deflated instantly. Oh, thank God, he whispered.The door opened to reveal a woman in casual clothing. She was short and slim, while her brown eyes remained sharp despite their wrinkles. Jack used to joke that her mind was filled with firecrackers. She kept her white hair short, above shoulder-length, and always spoke and moved around with an energy that belied her old age.When her gaze met Jacks barbaric form and monkey, she gasped in fear. Then, she scoured his face and recognized the lines. She shivered.Jack! she exclaimed in joyful disbelief.Professor! Jack shouted back, rushing in to hug hercarefully. Besides a suspicious swelling on her cheek, she was not injured. Everything was okay.Except for the unknown burly man standing with crossed arms behind her. That one was not okay.
