Apocalypse Tyrant

…Huh.

A short breath automatically bursting out after carefully reading the status window message.

I slightly scratched my forehead while narrowing my eyes.

It was exactly the same as when choosing the specialization for ‘Deductive Domination’.

There was no clear correct answer.

Only two paths with very clear pros and cons urging me to choose.

Ding—!

[Intelligence: 1]

I quietly stared at the only item that hadn’t changed even once since I first recognized the status window.

Even while looking at the stat still staying at ‘1’, I don’t regret my decision then.

No, I’m certain it wasn’t wrong even at this moment.

The start of hell where crazy zombie corpses covered the university.

What I needed when placed in the middle of monsters wrapped in cannibalistic instinct was to surpass physical limits.

Running away from zombies rushing like crazy.

Killing zombies attacking grotesquely.

The very beginning when action, not thought, was more important than anything.

Crunch—!

But now that I can beat zombies to death with bare fists, it was strange not to be conflicted.

Because a bit of leeway, not really leeway, was created thanks to the gradually increasing physical stat point requirements.

The reason I didn’t invest in Intelligence stat even in such moments of deliberation was—

To be really honest, because I hadn’t felt the need to allocate Intelligence until now.

Because there was no problem at all in dominating the library camp just by carrying out the growth plan I set in the beginning.

But thinking about gradually expanding the area beyond the College of Education changes my thoughts a bit.

Because I know there are too many ‘unknowns’ I haven’t encountered yet, I need to clearly solve the unknowns I can solve now.

Wasn’t there an experience where I almost lost Cha Seolhee due to lack of imagination?

Such a very careful fork choice must be made only after tapping the stone bridge.

Ding—!

[Intelligence: 2]

Intelligence raised for the first time by consuming some of the remaining points.

I quietly closed my eyes and waited for the aftermath of the Intelligence increase.

“……”

Understanding of speed felt after allocating Agility, the first stat I raised.

The increase in destructive power of the body itself naturally felt from the Strength stat raised next.

And what I felt after allocating Intelligence was—

Wooong—!

I quietly looked down at the brilliant golden light enveloping my hand again.

A subtle sensation that can be known because I’m the owner of ‘Royal Authority’ moving naturally like a third hand.

I clearly understood the advantage given by the Intelligence stat while seeing Royal Authority shining more brightly than just before.

‘…Increased efficiency of abilities.’

It didn’t seem to make the brain itself smarter, but it was quite an important element not to leave neglected like a sack of barley sewn up.

“…Damn— If it made the head smarter I should have allocated it earlier—”

Even if not, it’s true that confirming the purpose of the ‘Intelligence’ stat was too late.

Probably if the specialization hadn’t urged me to make this choice, I would have invested points in Intelligence stat even later than this.

Thud—!

I picked up the iron pipe again in irritation and tapped— my thigh.

Just because it wasn’t necessary until now doesn’t mean it’s absolutely not necessary going forward.

There will clearly be moments when skill efficiency or output acts as a critical factor in battles with beings like me.

But—

Even so, the separation of main stats and sub-stats must be very clear.

It would be a more idiotic decision to suddenly change the combat and growth direction I had already decided long ago and was becoming proficient in.

Ding—!

[Intelligence: 2 -> 10]

[Remaining Points: 9 -> 1]

[You have chosen ‘Shut up and pour some drinks’ as the specialization for the Tyrant exclusive skill ‘Vulgar Dignity’.]

[Vulgar Dignity Lv.5]
[You are too vulgar to be a king.]

[Bonus stat of (Royal Authority × 0.2) applied to physical stats]
[All who watch your actions will feel unpredictable fear and pressure.]

[Applied Specialization: Shut up and pour some drinks (Always Hide)]

The explosive surge of the body’s potential after choosing the specialization.

I languidly closed my eyes at the vitality more actively stirring my body in an instant.

Ding—!

[Strength: 51(30+21)] [Agility: 51(30+21)] [Intelligence: 10] [Royal Authority: 105]

Physical stats totaling over ‘100’ at once.

I smiled deeply again at my status window that I couldn’t even imagine when I first allocated Agility stat and escaped the College of Humanities.

If there’s a bit of dissatisfaction even at such a moment, it’s that the multiplier only increased by 0.1 including the specialization choice despite spending the large sum of 100 points to raise it to level 5 at once.

Instead, a new skill description saying it gives some fear or pressure was added, but that’s that and this is this.

Well, roughly estimating, it seems like an adjustment considering the stats increasing explosively with each 0.1 increase in multiplier—

I was very uncomfortable and twisted about it, but it didn’t seem like they would change it even if I bitched about changing it.

Plus, just that 0.1 increase to 0.2 multiplier already gave a total of 40 bonus stats.

Even with Banseok University’s library and about 30 camp members.

I calmly recalled the many survivors still remaining in Banseok University and the university territory I hadn’t obtained yet.

The increase in Royal Authority was just beginning, and stat pumping to receive that bonus was also just starting.

All that’s left is for the growth graph already bent upwards as if hitting the peak to achieve an even steeper rise.

“…Nice.”

I left the large lecture hall while nodding my head very satisfactorily.

Tong—! Tong—! Tong—!

The clear resonance of my iron pipe continuing to call for zombies.

I no longer needed the help of tools thanks to the explosively grown physical stats, but I didn’t want to just throw away the blunt weapon I was used to on the ground either.

Like that, the 2nd and 3rd floors of the new building including bathrooms.

The impression felt while examining every corner of the new building was that the College of Education’s new building seemed built for promotion saying ‘Our College of Education is such a good place’.

I lightly looked around the 4th floor that was a huge lounge itself and looked up at the last unchecked area remaining.

“…Oh.”

The thick gray iron door of the rooftop feeling quite familiar to me.

The new building’s rooftop was welcoming me with a clearly different impression from the rooftop doors I’ve checked so far.

The new building’s rooftop door wide open unlike other iron doors and long bloodstains below that.

Squeak—

I grasped the open iron door once more strongly and grasped the view of the rooftop.

A rooftop with terrace structure giving a kind of luxurious beauty befitting a newly constructed building.

I frowned while looking at traces of people overflowing everywhere on the terrace.

Swarms of flies moving buzzingly on something black and burnt.

“…Damn—.”

While turning my head at the dirty sight automatically making me curse heavily—

“Kieeeeek—!”

As if not very pleased by my cursing, the zombies on the rooftop all started rushing at me at once.

I slightly narrowed my eyes while examining the tools and blood messily discarded around where they had been wandering going ‘Kieeee—’.

The wide open rooftop door and rough bloodstains around it.

And zombies wandering cornered in the corner.

Splash—!

The zombies now perishing to my iron pipe were zombies that had been survivors who couldn’t endure hunger or waiting.

Possessors of reckless endings who chose to fight and were infected as a result.

“…Huh!”

Splash—!

I let out an empty laugh I couldn’t hold back while swinging at the last zombie’s head.

Ding—!

[You have secured territory where the threat level has decreased below a certain level.]

[Your new territory: Banseok University College of Education New Building]

[Royal Authority: 105 -> 130]

Increased Royal Authority and system’s territory certification.

However, I just quietly looked around the rooftop strewn with corpses.

The three rooftops I’ve seen so far.

And their different endings.

Whoosh—!

I slowly walked cutting through the wind and looked down the railing opposite the railing where zombies had been gathered.

The tops of camp members’ heads transporting convenience store items to the library in regular lines are visible at a glance.

Looking alternately at the library rooftop that didn’t open the door to the end and the new building rooftop that finally opened the door, the College of Humanities rooftop naturally came to mind.

My first hideout and the start of everything.

Catching zombies fallen over using department jackets as obstacles there and meeting Ko Janghun.

Plus the quite abundant store food piled up.

“…Ah.”

I let out a shallow exclamation only after my reminiscence continued that far.

Whoosh—!

The clear rooftop wind fiercely rubbing my bangs slightly sticking out and the distance to the ground looking quite high.

But— I no longer needed the help of tools.

I lightly leapt over the rooftop railing with a small run.

The emptiness not supporting my feet and the floating sensation briefly occupying the back of my neck.

Swish—!

However, I continued falling while staring down without any worry.

The ground getting closer to view faster and faster then soon—

Boom—!

The ground cracked like faint spider webs along with thick dust.

“Ueeeeek—!”

A strange shout heard while looking down at my legs not hurt at all despite falling from 4 floors high.

When I turned my head towards the new building’s main entrance, Ko Janghun was landing on his butt while throwing away the notebook in his hand.

“Di-di-di-director—?!”

Ko Janghun stammering while sitting on his butt unsightly.

I looked at Ko Janghun with eyes bulging as if about to pop out and camp members popping out of the convenience store noticing the commotion.

Ko Janghun looking whisk— whisk— at the camp members hurriedly gathering in one place suddenly started clapping.

Clap— clap— clap— clap—

“10, 10 points… 10 points.”
“……”

My brows naturally furrowed at his joke I couldn’t grasp the context of.

Ko Janghun becoming a yes-man faster than anyone at my expression.

I jerked my chin towards the College of Humanities beyond the new building and continued speaking to Ko Janghun.

“I’ll go bring the food we left at the College of Humanities now.”
“…Ah!”

His face letting out an exclamation with clear eyes as soon as my words ended.

Farming the convenience store delivery vehicle and now farming the new building convenience store.

The task of massively updating the food inventory will probably continue, so then it’s the efficient choice to bring the food left at the College of Humanities now.

Plus, it was also timing to start worrying about storage methods even though I stored them in the rooftop shade as much as possible.

The corpse hill I left abandoned nearby without thinking deeply at the time was also on my mind.

“Hehe— Don’t worry and go. I’ll wrap things up here neatly.”

I nodded my head at Ko Janghun’s boast bowing as always and turned my body.

Well— It’s not something that will take that long, and Ko Janghun will finish the work well on his own.

Thud—!

Air resistance fiercely rubbing my face is vividly felt in contrast to my footsteps lightly pushing off the ground.

I started breaking through the forest path I had quietly advanced while suppressing noise as much as possible in reverse.

Weeeng—!

A zombie corpse with quite advanced decay catching my eye.

The memory of ambushing a zombie blankly standing in front of a tree clearly replays in my mind.

Swish—!

I was sprinting through the forest path very deliberately with agility on a different dimension from then.

Naturally, the forest path between the College of Humanities and College of Education ending in less than 1 minute.

I scanned the exterior of the College of Humanities for the first time in a very long time from the parking lot wall where I had reached out my hand and pulled up Ko Janghun.

My eyebrows involuntarily twitching at the exterior not much different from then.

Sniff sniff—!

Subtle smells are detected by my greatly sharpened five senses, especially smell.

Acrid burning smell and a strangely savory smell lingering in my nose.

Plus my narrowed eyes found the only changed piece in the College of Humanities like a spot-the-difference puzzle.

The clothes rope that had safely transported me and Ko Janghun to the ground was gone.

“……”

I looked up at the College of Humanities rooftop while naturally tensing my relaxed body.

The clothes rope that had extended long to the ground was cut midway and fluttering in the wind.

Clear black marks on the cut end of the rope.

I took a small breath and bent my knees a bit deeper.

Pat—!

My body springing out like an afterimage and my feet first touching the College of Humanities outer wall.

Thud—! Thud—! Thud—! Thud—!

I climbed the outer wall naturally like climbing stairs.

Both feet fully landing on the rooftop railing at the end of four footholds.

I quickly scanned the rooftop without making a sound.

The acrid burning smell detected more strongly after coming up to the rooftop.

Something black remaining like ash and white human bones were rolling around where the small corpse hill had been.

Above all, the chairs and tables where food had been.

Only a ridiculously small amount of food was keeping its place there.

And snack bags carelessly discarded on the rooftop.

I quietly looked around at all that scenery.

“……”

Very quietly, for a long time.