Ethan didn’t even break a sweat. He quickly distributed his stat points, focusing on more strength and vitality. He could feel the new power surging through him. Even with his monstrous strength, his expression remained unchanged. Cold, detached. As if this was just another day in the life of survival.

  [Monster’s Claw x1]

  [Scrap Metal x1]

  [Stale Ration x1]

  Ethan examined and touched the loot briefly, before giving them to the others.

  “Here.”

  Mia grabbed the Stale Ration, inspecting it carefully before tearing it open. “Guess we eat whatever we find now,” she muttered, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

  Cameron picked up the Monster’s Claw, turning it over in his hands. “Not sure how much use this’ll be, but it’s worth taking.”

  “Hey, if it makes me look like a badass, I’ll take it,” Alex said with a grin, flicking the claw with his fingers.

  “Don’t get distracted,” Ethan finally spoke, his voice steady. “We move.”

  The group exchanged hesitant glances, but without argument, they fell in line behind him.

  Seeing his strength firsthand they consciously followed his lead.

  As the group pressed on, their stamina was starting to wane. The weight of the fights, the constant movement, and the looming threat of more monsters were taking a toll on them. Sweat dripped down their faces, their muscles sore from hours of combat.

  Even Ethan, who seemed unaffected by the grueling pace, looked a little worn. The battle against the monsters had been brutal, and the group had taken hits, bruises, and scrapes.

  Ethan, ever observant, noticed their exhaustion and the increasing wounds on their bodies. Without a word, he reached into his pack and pulled out several small vials of shimmering liquid. The vials glowed faintly, the liquid inside pulsing with a soft, eerie light.

  He handed them to the group without a second glance. "Drink," he instructed.

  Mia, her body aching, hesitated for a moment but then took the vial, uncorking it. The liquid was cool and tasted strange, like mint and something bitter. But the instant it hit her stomach, she felt warmth flood through her, the pain and fatigue melting away. Her bruises faded, and the gash on her arm sealed itself in seconds.

  "Whoa," Mia muttered, blinking as she flexed her arm, feeling stronger. "What the hell is this?"

  Alex, already reaching for his own vial, shot a look at Ethan. "Yeah, this is… a bit too good to be true. Where the hell did you get these?"

  Ethan didn’t answer immediately. His face was expressionless as he grabbed a vial for himself, quickly draining it. The fatigue in his eyes faded, and his posture straightened as though the potion had recharged him entirely.

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  "Please, don't ask questions," Ethan said, cutting them off with a finality in his tone that brooked no argument. He wiped his mouth, his voice as calm as ever. "It doesn’t matter."

  The group exchanged confused glances. The potions had worked far too well for them to ignore, but Ethan's tone made it clear they weren’t going to get an answer anytime soon.

  Cameron, who had been watching Ethan closely, shook his head and downed his own potion. "Fine," he muttered, the edge of his voice betraying his curiosity. "But if you’re holding out on us, I swear—"

  "I’m not," Ethan said flatly, cutting him off once again, his tone a little sharper. "Just focus on the fight. We still have work to do."

  The group fell silent, the question lingering in the air. They knew better than to press him further. Instead, they continued their trek through the ruins of Nova York, feeling their bodies and spirits rejuvenated by the potions. The healing didn’t just fix their physical wounds; it gave them a renewed sense of determination.

  As they moved, Ethan's eyes scanned their surroundings, his pace never slowing. Despite the earlier grumbling and exhaustion, they were now back in action, their bodies pushing forward once again.

  "Level 7," Ava muttered as she removed the blood from her bat. "I can feel it. We’re leveling up. This… this is working."

  "Level 8 here," Alex added, a grin forming on his face as his spear cut through another monster. "Can’t say I’m not enjoying this. Finally, some progress."

  As they kept pushing forward, the sounds of the city—broken glass, distant roars, the hum of twisted metal—were ever-present. With each step, each new wave of monsters, they grew stronger. The loot dropped by the fallen creatures only added to their arsenal—broken weapons that could be reforged, scraps of armor to reinforce their clothing. It wasn’t much, but it was enough.

  As he swung his axe through another enemy’s skull, his thoughts wandered for a brief moment.

  None of them have awakened yet.

  He studied their movements as they fought, watching for any signs, any telltale signs of latent abilities. But there was nothing. Nothing that indicated they had been Awakened. Mia fought with the skill of an inexperienced knife fighter, but there was no spark of magic, no surge of raw power.

  Alex was fast with his spear, but his strength seemed purely physical, nothing beyond that. Cameron wielded his polearm with deadly precision, but even his resilience seemed like pure determination, not enhanced ability. The same could be said for the other two.

  Ethan didn’t know why he’d expected anything else. They could be hiding it... or maybe they just don’t have anything special. Either way, it doesn’t matter right now.

  He shoved the thought to the back of his mind, focusing once again on the battle ahead. No sense in worrying about things he couldn’t control. It wasn’t like he was one to open up about his own abilities either. His Perfect Replication power was his secret, his advantage in this cruel, broken world. And as far as he was concerned, the less anyone knew about it, the better.

  But despite their progress, the gap between them and Ethan’s level remained stark. Mia was level 8,, Ava Level 7, Alex level 8, and Cameron level 7. Meanwhile, Ethan stood at level 16, his power growing faster than any of them could keep up with.

  After another battle, they took a brief moment to assess their progress. Sweat slicked their brows, their weapons clutched in tired hands.

  [Ethan Walker]

  Age: 22

  Level: 16

  Strength: 31

  Dexterity: 31

  Vitality: 31

  Wisdom: 20

  Intelligence: 20

  Stat Points: 0

  Skills:

  Perfect Replication [Lvl. Max]

  Skill Points: 0