Chapter 3: Chapter 03: System Panel
[SYSTEM PANEL]
=============================================================
Name: Princess Liora
Age: 20
Title: Royalty (Former Dynasty Princess)
Class: Survivor (Awakening)
Race: Human
Stats:
~~~~~
Health: 20/50
Stamina: 10/30
Strength: 15/40
Agility: 4/40
Intelligence: 7/40
Endurance: 3/40
Abilities (Unlocked):
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Basic Combat Training: Level 1 (Use basic melee weapons)
Basic Survival Instincts: Level 1 (Awareness of surroundings, find food/water)
Alcohol Tolerance (Passive): Level 1 (Reduces alcohol effects by 20%)
Current Tasks:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Survive 24 Hours
Reward: +50 Survival Points, +5 Strength
[Status: In Progress]
Kill level 1 Rotters Zombie
Reward: +10 Survival Points, +5 Strength
[Status: Done]
Find Shelter
Reward: +30 Survival Points, +10 Endurance
[Status: Pending]
Inventory:
Broken Glass Shard (Weapon)
Durability: 10/10
Ragged Clothes
Defense: 2 (Poor Defense)
Character Progression:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Survival Points: 10
Level: 1 (EXP to next level: 20/100)
Unspent Points: 0 Special Features:
Map: [Empty] (As she explores, the system will mark key locations.)
=============================================================
[End of Panel]
Liora furrowed her brows as her eyes roamed over the various information displayed on the panel.
"Why are my stats so low, and what will happen when they reach zero?" Liora murmured.
[You will die...] the system said in its mechanical voice, devoid of any emotion.
Liora's expression cracked when she heard its nonchalant tone. "Are you fucking serious? Are you threatening me or kidding me? My endurance is only three, and it can turn to zero any minute.
And you're telling me that I will die when it reaches zero? Damn you, system! I would fucking kill you with my last bit of endurance."
"It would be worth dying," Liora said with a sardonic tone.
The system shuddered at Liora's cruel tone and immediately answered, [You will not die if you complete more missions. Completing missions will reward you with stamina, endurance, and more.]
"And what counts as completing a mission? Where would I find shelter in this ruin? You want me dead without a coffin. Hmph, am I not right, my dear system? With three endurance, do you think I can even survive more than two hours with these disgusting creatures looming over my head?" Liora said with disgust in her tone. The image of that zombie was still vivid in her mind, and encountering more of them filled her with nausea.
"You give me a solution, system. No, you have to. After all, you are here to help me," Liora demanded.
[You can buy a potion at the mall to boost your stamina, endurance, and other stats. There are different potions for everything,] the system said with a resigned sigh. It had never met such a troublesome human in its life.
Liora's eyes brightened with delight, and she hurriedly opened the mall. It was the small button on the sidebar.
She reads the title on every colorful bottle one by one....
health potion level 1, 10 survival points,
strength potion level 1: 15 survival points,
Stamina level 1: 20 survival points,
Agility level 1: 10 survival points,
Intelligence level 1: 30 survival points,
Endurance level 1: 10 survival points,
Level 1 potions restore 50% of the corresponding stat.
She looked at the menu with astonishment, unable to believe that such a wonderful thing existed in the system.
"Hmm! I can buy everything in the mall. After all, I am the royal princess of power—" but her voice grew smaller and smaller with each word as she remembered that she was no longer the princess surrounded by endless wealth.
At the same time, the system notification appeared, almost as if mocking her.
[You need survival points to buy these potions, princess.]
The system's voice rang again, lingering on the word princess with an intensity that was clearly mocking her.
Liora's face darkened as she heard it. She looked at the pitiful amount of survival points she had. Only ten...
Her mind went blank as she stared at the meager points she possessed. With that amount, she could only afford an Endurance Level 1 potion.
A crack sounded in Liora's mind—it was her heart breaking. She had never imagined that one day she would be broke. Her eyes filled with tears.
The system's voice rang again. [You can earn—]
"Shut up! Shut your mouth! If you say one more word, I will kill you, and then I will kill myself!" Liora shouted in frustration. Her head was ringing from its nonchalant and proud tone.
If she heard one more word, she would surely lose her mind from anger.
With an angry expression, Liora clicked on the small button beside the Endurance Potion. Soon, a small bottle with green liquid appeared in her hand.
Liora looked at the strange liquid and thought to herself, I won't die after drinking this… right?
"Hmm, why does it look more like poison?" She wanted to ask that loudmouthed system, but her ego got in the way. Even if she died, she would not go back on her words and talk to it.
Liora pinched her nose and gulped the green liquid in one breath. Surprisingly, it was bland with no taste—just like water.
After drinking it, Liora instantly felt relief wash over her body, and the aches that tormented her subsided significantly. She checked her stats panel and saw an increase of 20 points.
Stats:
~~~~~
Health: 20/50
Stamina: 10/30
Strength: 15/40
Agility: 4/40
Intelligence: 7/40
Endurance: 23/40
Before Liora could celebrate her small victory, a faint, unsettling sound reached her ears. It wasn't the low growl of a lone zombie—it was something else.
Soon, the strange noise grew louder. She could hear multiple noises and the hard sound of something walking on the ground. Her heart raced. It wasn't just one or two—there were many.
She clutched the glass shard tightly, its jagged edge biting into her palm. Instinctively, she stepped back, moving as quietly as she could until she found the cover of a crumbling wall.
She pressed herself against it, barely daring to breathe as the noise drew closer. Peeking out, she caught a glimpse of shadowy figures approaching. Fear prickled her spine. "Zombies?" she whispered. But why were there so many at once?
The memory of her previous encounter flashed in her mind, fueling her determination. As the first figure passed the corner, Liora reacted on instinct. With a sharp cry, she lunged, aiming the shard directly at its neck.
Her attack, however, never landed. Instead, her wrist was caught in an iron grip. Shock froze her in place. Her voice trembled as she murmured, "Why… why does this zombie have a mind? It's not stupid…"