Dawn of New World

"Hold it!!!" I shouted to my family as I held the door that connected the storage room we were in to the main hall of the supermarkets.

"Help me, Dad, Mom, Valno, Tessa… Ughh…" I groaned, my plea echoing in the tense air.

Brakk brakk brakkk!!

Graaooghhhhlleaaaa!

Ghraaaaghooooo!

Ghawrrrgghoo!

The ominous sounds of ghoulies, just beyond this door, instilled fear in our hearts. This door stood as the sole barrier between us and the pack of ghoulies outside, and I couldn't hold it alone. That's why I pleaded for their help, shouting frantically to rouse them from their frozen shock.

Ahhh… Cmon, help your brother, Valno!! My dad responded, being the first to wake up. My brother followed his command, sprinting alongside him towards me.

Brakk brakkk brakkkk!!!

Ghleaaaaghhhh! Ghraghoooooo! Gghhhhhaaaa!! Ghaaaaa!!!

Find something to block the door! Try looking for something heavy and bring it here!” My dad commanded. My mom, along with my sister Tessa, immediately went towards the nearby rack and tried to move it towards the door.

Damn! Its heavy. Ughh…” My mom struggled to move it alongside my sister. The rack moved slowly, but the pack of ghoulies outside became more aggressive. There were approximately four to five of them, all banging on the locked door.

"Hurry!" I shouted as I pressed my back against the door, attempting to transfer as much force as my feet could generate, combined with my body weight. My dad struggled alongside me. Sweat started to drip down our heads. My legs began to ache, and it hadn't even been five minutes. The only thing keeping the door secure was a piece of metal slotted between it and the connecting wall. The moment it gave way, our lives would be over. All our efforts thus far were focused on reinforcing that connection, adding more support and reaction forces against the relentless banging of the ghoulies. However, even with our combined efforts, theirs were undoubtedly stronger. The bending of the door inwards marked the beginning of our horrifying fate.

"Goddammit, can you be faster?!" My dad's frustration boiled over.

"It's heavy, for heaven's sake! Ughhhh..." My mom complained as she exerted all her strength to move the heavy rack a little closer to the door, but exhaustion was setting in.

"Arghhhh… I can't hold it any longer…." My brother started to complain. The heavy banging continued, bending the door even more, and before long…

Kreaakkk…

Brakkkkk!!!

Ghghhhraoooo!!! Ghaaaaa!!! Ghleaghaaa!!!

"Gahhh!!!” I was thrown backward along with my father and brother as the connection failed to fulfill its purpose. The door had been forcefully opened. The first thing that happened was the ghoulies charging and scraping us up. I felt their claws slowly penetrating my skin, as the ghoulies swiped their arms repeatedly. Fallen and seated on the floor, I guarded my head with my arms and my body with my feet, while trying to push them away every now and then. The moment I was off guard, they immediately mounted on me, teeth started to dig in. Their hands gripped tightly onto my body, scratching my skin slowly. In that state, I could only watch the depletion of my HP. Slowly but surely, I was led to the final moments of my life.

"Ghraaaaagghhhh!!! Go away! Go awayyy!!!” I heard my mom and my sister scream. Their eerie cries echoed throughout the room, intensifying the horror unfolding within. The ghoulies scraped and bit them slowly. We could only endure, without knowing how long this would last. Thanks to the status, we didn’t die easily. Yet, also thanks to the status, we would die slowly and painfully. What an irony.

We screamed, cried, and tried desperately to fend them away. Fear and pain consumed us. We yearned for a swift end to this torment. Even without the status, dying in such a manner was agonizing enough, and now, with the status, we were enduring a literal hell's torture.

"Aaaaaaaaarrrggggghhhhhh!!! It hurtsss!! It hurtssssss!!!!”

"Please..!! No more!!! No moreeee!!! Just kill me already!!!”

"Arrghhhh, dammittttt!!!!”

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGHHHHHH!!!!”

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"Brrrrrtttttt!!! Rat-tatatatatatatata!!

"Uh...?!”

Ghleaaaaa. Ghrragghhoooo.. Ghaaaaa…

I heard shots—rifle shots, not just from one source, but many. As the clips fell, I witnessed the ghoulies dropping, ceasing all movement. Then, individuals in military uniforms, heavily armed, entered the scene. As they approached, my vision began to blur. Blood streamed down my body, and I felt the exhaustion setting in. Both my HP and SP were critically low, and I teetered on the verge of death.

"Mom… Dad… Brother… Sister… are you… okay…"

The sound of a final shot echoed, and then...

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"Gahhhh!!!!” I awoke in the front yard of the old church, a ghoulie carcass lying next to me.

"My bag… Damn, where’s my bag?” Scanning the surroundings, I was recalling the direction of my throw before the encounter with the ghoulie.

"Ah, there.” I spotted my bag lying by the church gate wall.

"Fuck that ghoulie!” I cursed as I looked down at the lifeless creature, "and fuck me!" Again, I swear to myself. "What on earth was I thinking? Falling asleep in an open area where any monsters could easily ambush me. I'm such an idiot. How could I just doze off anywhere? I could end up dead!" I berated myself in a frustrated tone. My reckless behavior truly needed to stop. Despite the status, I'm still a mortal.

"Hhhh… It's time to start carving, I guess… " I walked towards my bag to retrieve my carving knife from one of the pouches. The knife was small but compact, with a short, sharp, curvy edge.

I headed back to where the ghoulie carcass was. I initiated with the arms, endeavoring to detach the scaly hide, claws, and fins. These items fetched a good price, as they could be utilized in crafting equipment. The fins were sharp and suitable for making blades, while the thick scaly hide was ideal for crafting armor. Then there were the claws, possessing sharpness and hardness suitable for both weapons and armors.

Yes, the associations’ armorers and weaponsmiths turned monsters’ materials into weapons and armors. This necessity arose due to the scarcity of firearms and ammunition, forcing us to revert to the old fighting style of sword and shield. Wielding a firearm required considerable wealth.

Crack.

Ahh… There you go.” I finished removing the fins from its arms. I decided to carve this first, as it was a challenging part. The fins were attached to the forearm bone radius, requiring forceful disconnection for extraction. Imagine breaking a bone in the old world – it was challenging, right? Now, add the status that strengthened them. Despite the thin connection, it was tough, and it didn't always come out clean. Since this was my first time carving it for real, the result was a bit messy, but it was still worth some money.

Now, the claws.” Unlike humans, ghoulies' claws were thicker and bulkier, equivalent in size to their fingers and about 5 cm long. They were more solid and robust than normal human nails. Coupled with the fact that the claws were directly attached to their finger bones, you could imagine the difficulty. Honestly, this was the most challenging part. So, once again, I had to exert myself, with added effort this time, to carve these claws, one by one. Believe me when I say, “Fuck this shit!”

Crackkk!

Yes! Finally… Oh God….” The last of the claws had been successfully removed. Moving from the claws to the scaly hide, this part proved to be the easiest to carve among all the valuable components. Following the skinning path, I…

Sratttt.

There you go. The ghoulie’s scaly hide.” Placing the scaly skin beside the nails and the fin, there were still more materials to carve. My job was still far from over.

"Ahhh, let's move on to the back!" I then approached the ghoulie's back and began carving the protruding spines. These spines served as protection against sneaking attacks. The bones in this area were notably hard, similar in quality to the fins and claws, and quite large. However, unlike the fins and claws, removing these bones was relatively easy due to the joint connections. All it took was a snap, and...

Krakk krakkk. Pop.

You might be wondering how I developed the stomach for this, considering the ghoulies used to be humans. Well, the answer is simple. It's part of the hunter’s trial.

The ghoulies were the weakest among all the monsters in the New World, but since they resembled our own race, carving them was the most challenging. It demanded substantial mental fortitude and persistence, but as part of the trial, I had no choice but to master it. Eventually, it became second nature to me. After all, a hunter's income mainly came from selling materials. That's why, no matter how skilled they were in combat, a hunter couldn't be truly effective if they couldn't carve.

However….

Even after passing the trial, carving this one part of the ghoulie remained challenging for me. It was the most valuable material of all—the heart.

A monster's heart holds an abundance of energy that can be harnessed as a new power source. A ghoulie's heart alone could be sold for almost the salary I earned during my time in a civilian job before becoming a hunter. This is a significant reason why many aspire to be hunters. Even the currency issued by the military is infused with the essence of monsters' hearts, bolstering its value. This elucidates why hearts are the most prized part of a monster.

Snikt snikt snikt.

"And the heart... Damn, I hated this part!" After creating incisions on its chest, navigating through its bones and muscles, and then severing the arteries that held it firmly, I finally removed its heart.

"Ahhh, Fuck! It was messy... Bloody messy." I then placed the heart into a special sack designed solely to contain monsters’ hearts.

"Hookayy, my job here is done." I placed all of the carved materials into the material pouch and my knife into the round holder on my bag before grabbing it and continuing the hunt.

"Oh, damn it! My spear, how could I forget it?" I quickly changed course, making my way back into the building to reclaim my weapon.

"Shit!" I muttered under my breath as a ghoulie emerged from within the building. Swiftly, I darted to the side, seeking cover behind the church wall.

Huff… Huff…“ I controlled my breath, trying to calm myself down. Peeking cautiously at the ghoulie, it seemed to have just awakened from its sleep.

Gleaghgaaaa… Ghhhlghaaa...! Ghghaaaa! Ghlghhaaa!! GHLGHHAAAA!!!!!

The ghoulie screamed the moment it saw its brethren's carcass.

“Ahhh.. Shit. Is it going to summon its brethren? Fuck! I'm in deep trouble now. Facing all of them alone… Sigh…” I exhaled deeply. The ghoulie dashed toward its fallen comrade, seemingly mourning the loss. Observing such a reaction weirdly tugged my sympathy. I mean, I could feel the sorrow in that scream. The sadness, the frustration, the anger, “but I had no choice, the ghoulie tried to kill me. Well, that's only because I aimed to hunt them down, right…?” I started to question my morality as a hunter.

…

Fuck it!” Suddenly, the memory struck me. The harrowing dream of my family being pursued by those monstrous creatures. Had the military not intervened, we would have become the ghoulies' meal. Our survival owed itself to the timely arrival of the military.

I peered once more, and there I witnessed two more ghoulies emerging, with another one following closely. I dropped my bag, then turned my back and made my way towards the basement. My strategy was to flank them, even though I was uncertain about the number of them lurking within the building. Caution was crucial now; they might have all awakened, and stirring up a commotion would only draw them towards me. I couldn't afford multiple encounters as the odds would be stacked against me.

The basement entrance was located on the right side of the church. As soon as I entered, an unpleasant smell greeted me.

Owhh… Fuck! It stinks like shit…no, more like a decayed corpse.” I grimaced while navigating the dim basement. This place had been abandoned for like an eternity. Now, with the man-abominations, the ghoulies, infesting it and the confined space, it was no surprise that the air here reeked of their foul odor.

"Gotta be careful now. I’m gonna flank them, not be flanked by them, so I have to stay vigilant. They lurk everywhere. They could be in that dark corner there, or under those stairs, or maybe behind me all the time..." I immediately turned around since my last words sent a chill down my spine. What an idiot.

"Okay… okay… keep it together, Rama…? Don’t be an idiot!" I scolded myself. The basement was filled with pillars supporting the entire building. As a mechanical engineer, I knew that this could last for years, even if it's abandoned. Well, precisely because it’s abandoned, the loads would be much lower than normal, and the creep build-ups would be little to none. That’s why there’s no point worrying about this building collapsing. I could freely explore, hunt, or even claim this place once I got rid of the ghoulies or other monsters lurking within. Who knows, right?

The basement, surprisingly, wasn't cramped or closed; instead, it had an open layout. The sunlight could still enter and light the whole basement, but since it’s still morning, there’s not much light coming in. It wasn't enough to brighten the entire area, yet visibility was quite clear.

Not far from the basement entrance, to the right, a staircase led up to the ground floor. While I could use those stairs, I'd have to deal with the ghoulie slumbering beneath them.

Hhhh… Shit. Should I proceed and confront that ghoulie? Well, yes, it's only one, but the noise will get the other four up there coming.” My thinking led me away from those stairs and headed towards the other staircase near the basement exit, hoping there were no ghoulies there.

Tap tap tap tap tap

Traversing the basement was relatively easy. Though there were sleeping ghoulies, they were, well, sleeping. According to the association journal, monsters inherit the traits of their former species. For ghoulies, being once human means they follow the human sleep routine, from dusk to dawn. That's why I had chosen to start my hunt early, to flank sleeping ghoulies and have an easier fight. However, my plan was ruined due to my stupidity and carelessness. Not only had I lost my spear, but I also slept after the first battle. It was around 7 AM now, and the sun had begun to shine. The ghoulies were about to wake up. I was only fortunate that the five ghoulies slumbering here were still asleep.

I ascended the rear stairs to the ground floor.

Okay, I’m here, and now what…?” Despite reaching the ground floor, fear lingered. I was unarmed.

Fuck!” I swore in desperation. Successfully flanking them wouldn't guarantee a one-shot victory. It would inflict considerable damage initially, but the battle would persist. The noise was a concern, and I pondered a realization. “Yeah, but the previous battle also made noise. Outside, yes, but still noisy. It didn’t wake them up. So, I guess it’s safe if I take them outside for a one-on-one battle. I wonder, should I target the ones in the basement or those lurking on the ground floor? Hmm….”

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Let’s take on those on the ground floor!” I decided. “I can lead them easier outside, so the noise won’t echo through the hallway. Yes, that’s the plan!” I then proceeded to collect some stones before searching for the ghoulies. I tried to locate them in the backyard, so I took the stairs leading outside.

Oh, wait….” The ghoulies mourning their dead brethren began to scatter. Two of them headed in my direction. One went to the basement, and the other continued straight toward me.

Shit! Is it heading towards the ground floor?”

Gleaggghhh!!

Another noise echoed from the hall. The one heading toward me passed not long after. That one proceeded toward the backyard, indicating the one in the hall….

Ghleaghhhoooo….

The ghoulie in the hall suddenly appeared behind me, charging, and without any cue….

Ghghraoooo! Ghleaghaaaa!! Ghrghhaaaaaa!!!

Oh shit! It just screamed. Will it bring the others here?”

Ghraaaa… Ghrrragghhooo… Ghleaaaa….

Other screams reverberated from afar.

Shit. Shit. Shit. How many of them would I take on at once?” There was no escape, so I initiated the battle early against the one in the hall. I stepped my right foot across my left, spun my body, then used the built-up momentum to load my right hand, preparing to throw a straight. The ghoulie charging towards me readied itself for retaliation, retracting its right arm backward, preparing to throw a swipe.

Heyaahhhhh!!!!!”

Ghhleeaaaghaaaaaa!!!!

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