Chapter 3: Lockdown

However, the news reports didn't seem to be different from what I remembered. Frowning, I began flipping through the different news channels. 'Then was Silver City like this in the past as well?' The more I thought about it, the more it just didn't make any sense. Why would Silver City be any different then all the rest of the cities in the country?

"What appear to be cracks are appearing all over the country."

"Help! Monster-like creatures are coming out of the cracks. Is this the end of humanity?"

"Reporting… from Silver City… heroes have appeared to defeat the monsters. There is hope…"

I watched as the feed went dark. It would be off for a few days as the monsters ravaged much of the country. I could be out there fighting against the outbreak too… However, that would draw way too much attention to me. I wasn't the type who did well in the spotlight. I would wait until I could slip into a crowd of other Awakened Hunters.

Silver City was quiet. In my past I remembered the howls and growling of monsters outside my window. I couldn't help but wonder, if I had lived in Silver City back then, would my life have gone differently? I shook my head. There was no point in wondering about that now. This time I was more prepared and I would have better options. Hopefully…

I removed a corner of the cardboard boxes I had taped to the windows. The streets were completely empty, as if a global outbreak was not even happening. The deafening silence was the only thing that hinted that this was not just another day in Silver City. The day bled into night and I pulled back the cardboard once more. In the direction of the barricades that I had passed through before, came several flashes of light.

Did that mean that magic was being used? A silencing spell? It should be too early for anyone to have developed magic. I wanted to investigate further, but something about this situation made alarm bells ring in my mind. I did not want to become some kind of experiment for the government again. Some part of me knew I should be out fighting the outbreak too. After surviving the horrors of the first days of the dungeons, I had no love for helping others.

Maybe if I had been stronger… No, I can't dwell on the future that does not exist now. I just needed to worry about myself. If I can just make enough money to live on, I won't have to worry about being at the mercy of the government. I can go to another country and disappear. There were several abilities that would make it easy to cross the border. Especially in the early years of the outbreak.

I hugged my chest and laid sideways on the couch. 'Everything will be fine. This time everything will be different.'

*********

"The first finisher bonus has already been taken…"

"How could this be? No one should have gone into the tutorial towers this early. Did someone else come back?"

"That would be impossible! It was only supposed to be you and me. That is what the scroll said."

"What if there was some sort of description we didn't have the access to see on the scroll though?"

"Don't talk like that. No one was able to prove the existence of that rumor. Someone must have just stumbled into the tower unaware."

"That still means there is another Awakened out there."

"True. I am sure we will come across them soon enough."

"You're always way too optimistic about things!"

"Another wave incoming!"

The two began cursing and jumped over the barricades protecting Silver City. It had been difficult to persuade the city officials that all of this was necessary, but now it was time to build their prestige for the future.

"These low level monsters were really able to take out so many cities?!"

"You forget how powerless an Unawakened is. We were able to come back with our existing skills. Of course, it won't stop us from getting all of those starting bonuses this time around."

"Well we already missed out on the first one…"

"Ugh, you need to start focusing on what we have gained this time around!"

"Just focus on culling this wave!"

The night was filled with flashing lights as the two used ability after ability to destroy as many monsters as possible. They had come back to the past after finding a certain scroll in a Rank D Dungeon. Surprised by their luck they decided to rewind time so that they could create a better future for themselves. Finding the scroll set off a series of events in that dungeon. One of them unlocked a monster, allowing a Rank C monster to be unleashed.

Kai, had encountered this monster and got swept up in the chaos of the scroll. The system that controlled the dungeon decided to clean up its mistake by resetting her profile. However, it had no access to wipe the memory from Kai's mind. The reset also cleared all set max potentials. The system eagerly awaited the choices of the two who found the special S class scroll. After all, it needed to create the best entertainment for its masters.

*********

I woke up in a cold sweat as the sound of a loud explosion rang over my neighborhood. I remembered what was happening and peeked outside again. A Rank F monster was smashing up one of her neighbors cars. It must have slipped through the barricades. I gulped down the saliva that was caught in my throat. What did I do now? Did I go out and defeat it?

No, then they would know that I was Awakened. It is too early to be noticed. I bit my lip as I struggled to decide what the best choice would be. Armored cars began rolling down the street before I could finish making up my mind. Soldiers poured out of the vehicle and began fighting the monster. The sounds of machine guns and loud voices hurt my ears. I closed the window before I was caught. The screams of the monster dying echoed in my mind.

I turned around and slowly slid down the wall while covering my ears. It was just a Rank F, but the memory of those first nights from my past life were still ingrained within my soul. I need to be stronger than this! Of course, I was still the loser Awakened with practically no potential like before, but if I monopolized resources early on I could at least make enough to live decently.

I just needed to wait a few more days and then, as the number of Awakenings increased, I could pretend to go through the tower and come out. This time I won't blindly sign my life away and I will make myself worth more than just a throwaway citizen they can do with as they pleased. Taking a deep breath, I clenched my fists as I thought through my get rich early scheme. I had spent hours online researching how to go through dungeons efficiently.

My desperation to survive in my last life would be my secret weapon in this life. I would use everything I remembered from my last life to become successful in this one! Pulling out the notebook I filled with the memories of my last life, I began pouring over all the words I had filled the pages with. Reading the old words made me feel better about my situation. I had a goal, all I needed to do was take it one step at a time.

First things first, I needed to enter a beginner dungeon and get the first quests done early. Since I already knew what quests were given up to Rank D, I could get some bonuses early on.

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