Lana sighed as she watched the Warped monster closing in on the woman. It looked like it was going to catch her right below the window. At least Nathan’s not here right now to see her dying. The poor guy has been through enough, she thought.

Nathan was sixteen years old and one of those bright, reclusive teenagers who skipped high school and got straight into a college. Although he was one of her classmates, they had hardly ever spoken before the Calamity. But that was before their world got turned upside down. Before the Tec.

Now, she and Nathan were the only ones left on the campus. Everyone else had either evacuated to one of the fortified shelters or had been caught by the roaming monsters. They were alone, depending on each other for survival and comfort. Somehow, despite the danger, they had managed to endure unscathed.

As the running girl and the pursuing monster got closer, two lines of text flashed in front of her eyes.

Nori, Human, level 0

Warped, level 2

Lana closed her eyes. One of the changes brought on by the Tec was the ability to view simple information on anyone they met. This was both a blessing and a curse. You always knew the names of the people you watched getting slaughtered.

A metallic howl drew her attention back to the street. Lana frowned. “What the hell is she doing?”

Nori changed her course and was running straight towards the wall under her window.

Lana’s eyes widened. The woman had given up her small lead. Is she trying to get herself killed faster?

The monster was about to corner Nori. The woman looked fit and athletic, but she was no match for a Warped. In the six months since the creatures had first appeared, to her knowledge, no one had managed to kill one.

Lana’s hands flew to her mouth as the monster leapt, its maw wide open and its metallic tentacles pointing forward, aiming to tear apart the woman’s flesh.

But things didn’t turn out as she expected.

At the last possible instant, just before the monster’s jaws closed on her, Nori launched herself forward. Both her palms reached for the ground while her left leg came around to compensate. The maneuver was smooth and flawless, putting the woman’s entire weight and momentum into a single spinning kick. Her heel smashed against the side of the leaping monster’s jaw and the hundred-kilo beast was sent flying, crashing against the wall. Before the creature could recover its wits, Nori ran toward it and leaped on its raised muzzle, using it as a platform to reach high and catch a metal bar three meters off the ground. Making use of her momentum, Nori launched her body higher, caught the edge of the raised fire escape, and pulled herself upward.