Kai shifted his focus to the Survival Tool Gift Pack.
"I'll choose you…"
[ You have selected the Survival Tool Gift Pack. ]
[ You can now receive your Talent. ]
Kai could only pray that he had made the right decision. After all, he didn't know where he would end up.
The fire starter meant he could create warmth and cook food, if he could find them, without relying on luck. The pocket knife was small but dependable. It would be useful for cutting, carving, or defending himself in a pinch.
Rope and a compass offered flexibility for climbing, securing, or navigating unfamiliar terrain, while the whistle and thermal blanket could probably save his life in emergencies.
Compared to a pistol with limited ammunition, these tools were practical, reusable, and sustainable as long as he wasn't forced into a battle as soon as he arrived in the starting region.
"Hmm?"
He then noticed the loading bar or progress bar appearing at the corner of his vision…
[ Beginning Survivor Analysis… ]
[ Scanning biological data… ]
[ Vital signs stable. ]
[ Neural activity detected. Cognitive adaptability: Above Average. ]
[ Emotional stability: Moderate. ]
[ Physical endurance: Low. ]
[ Risk assessment: High. ]
[ Cross-checking Apocalypse parameters… ]
[ Matching optimal Talent configuration… ]
Just like that, he felt as if the system had completely stripped him…
[ Analysis complete. ]
[ You have awakened your Survivor Talent! ]
[ You have equipped your Tier 1 Survivor Gear. ]
It didn't say what talent he got, but Kai knew he would learn about it soon.
Kai let out a helpless smile. Everything was happening too fast. Even with all the books he'd read and the countless fantasy games he'd played, the reality before him still felt surreal.
Nonetheless, he knew that in this situation, he had to keep calm at all times. Especially if he couldn't control the situation, it was something he had learned after being a systems engineer for years.
There was no point in reacting too much… this was already happening.
The next moment, his vision blurred. His body felt weightless, and before he could even take another breath, the white void around him collapsed.
"Ooomphh!"
When his sight returned, he was standing in a place that reeked of rot and decay.
"…A garbage dump?" Kai muttered.
Mountains of trash surrounded him… There was broken furniture, rusted metal, torn plastic bags, and piles of rotting food. The stench was overwhelming, forcing him to cover his nose with his sleeve.
"What the heck? Why throw me here?!"
This seemed to be one of the worst starting regions... or maybe not?
He then turned slowly, scanning the area. There was no one else. He was completely alone.
The sky above was dim and lifeless. There was no sun or any sight of blue sky at all. It was just a heavy gray blanket of cloud that made the world feel suffocated.
Kai looked down at himself and froze.
"Hmm?"
His office clothes were gone.
Instead, he was wearing rough, practical gear… It was a dark jacket, durable pants with six pockets, sturdy boots, and a belt with simple pouches. It wasn't stylish, but it was clearly meant for survival.
"…Starter gear," he muttered. "So this is how it begins."
Kai clenched his fists as he forced himself to stay calm.
He wanted to take a deep breath, but the stench was overwhelming. Breathing too much of it would only make him sick.
As he looked around, the garbage dump stretched endlessly in every direction, and the silence was also quite unsettling.
He couldn't even see the end of this garbage dump since there were mountains of trash blocking his sight.
Furthermore, there were no birds, no machines, no voices… just the faint rustle of trash shifting in the wind.
Kai exhaled slowly. "Alright… first step. Survive."
He already resigned himself to this new reality. With no family left behind on Earth, there was nothing to regret. Fear still gnawed at him, but he forced his thoughts into order.
As he accepted his new life, another message appeared.
[ Welcome, Survivor of the Versailles Continent! ]
[ As a beginner in this Apocalypse Event, you will have three days of Beginner Protection. Enemies will not appear in your area! ]
[ However, leaving your starting area will expire your Beginner Protection. ]
[ You can explore during these three days and plan your survival for the first week's Mech Siege to get a reward! ]
[ Hint: You only need to survive during the Mech Siege in your area. You can either escape or fight them off, depending on your preference! ]
"Beginner protection, huh…" Kai gently nodded as he saw this message. Then, Kai noticed a digital timer in the corner of his vision. It confirmed the 3-day duration of the Protection.
Thankfully, the system or whoever brought them here wasn't that cruel.
The Mech Siege was certainly concerning, but he felt that if he could hide well, there might be a chance of survival.
As for his goal here, it must be related to the previous message from the system... He recalled it clearly.
The fate of the continent is in your hands. Survive and earn the title that is rightfully yours, and save your own world.
'I have to survive and earn some title? Then save the world?' He knew that it wasn't as simple as that, but he would certainly do his best to survive.
'Wait… I still have that talent and gift pack. How to check that?' Kai thought.
He then paused for a moment, wondering if there was some kind of command to bring up his information.
Then, just like in many games he had seen, he tried… "Status."
A faint chime rang in his ears, and a blue panel appeared before him.
[ Survivor Status ]
[ Name: Kai
Title: Beginner Survivor
Level: 1
Health: 100/100
Spirit: 50/50
Stamina 50/50
Talent: Weekly Gift Cycle (Rare)
Active Skills: None
Passive Skills: None
Inventory:
Survival Tool Gift Pack (Basic) x1 ]
"What kind of talent is this?" Kai muttered as he checked the Talent's Description.
Just the name of it didn't sound that great, but it could be an incredible talent.
"Let's see..."
[ Weekly Gift Cycle (Rare): You can receive three Gift Packs every week. The packs will be delivered automatically at the start of each cycle, and you may freely choose which ones to claim. This talent ensures a steady supply of resources, giving you a consistent advantage in survival planning. ]
"Three gift packs every week? Seriously? But is this even good?" Kai certainly liked seeing that his talent was Rare. It's better than Common or maybe Uncommon, after all.
However, he recalled the contents of the Gift Packs and surviving with only those things against the Mechs and the A.I. Overlords would be tough… It might be impossible unless he just continued hiding forever, since he would get some weekly supplies anyway.
Perhaps, if he finds a bunker or any hidden place, he could just live there silently and wait for this to be over.
'Living like that… no way.' Kai shook his head as he didn't like this idea, although it sounded reasonable.
Then, before he could relax, the blue panel started blinking again... The letters distorted, breaking apart like corrupted code…
"What now?!"
[ Error… ]
[ Talent configuration mismatch. ]
[ Reassigning… ]
[ Error… ]
[ Override detected. ]
[ Talent Upgraded: Infinite Gift Pack (SSS) ]
Kai froze.