Apocalypse Healer - Path of Death

The silence following Jack and Flora's departure was deafening. It was overwhelming.

Was that the right thing to do?

David had to see them one last time since he got the chance. He had to see how they would react…and respond accordingly.

Maybe things could have ended differently…but what does it matter now?

David wasn't perfect. He would probably never be, and that was okay.

His eyes momentarily trailed to the cans of food and beverages before turning to the headless Infected. His head started to ache, but David tried suppressing it.

"Using a Tier-1 Skill Rune has been an…interesting experience," he murmured.

It cost more holy power than he'd expected and burdened his mind heavily, but the power output was excellent. Even if [Holy Touch] couldn't be considered a Skill Rune with great offensive powers, it enhanced David's strength.

The only issue was the severe headache assaulting his mind after using the Skill. How was he supposed to use [Holy Touch] in battle if he couldn't maintain it without dying from a fried brain? There had to be a better way to use [Holy Touch].

If not, David might as well not use it at all. Not in battle, at least. It was an unknown variable, a threat to his life if used at the wrong moment. He cocked his head to the side and went through the last notifications, hoping to find something of use.

That might work. David thought and jumped into action.

[One Attribute Point has been used to enhance the User's Mind.]

Low(Basic) → Low(+)(Basic)

The headache eased up as the Attribute Point disappeared, reinforcing his Mind. It merely took a few seconds before the headache was no more, leaving David somewhat satisfied.

"I had to enhance my Mind to remove the strain on my mind. That makes sense. Using a Skill Rune of a higher Tier means I can wield more potent power. That – probably – puts a heavy toll on my mind and body, depending on the Skill Rune's effect," David murmured to himself, "I expected [Holy Touch] to put a toll on the Holy Sea, or my body when its power surged to my hand, but not the Mind."

David ignored the headless Infected, the arrows sprawled around the couch, or Jack's backpack lying ownerless. He removed his backpack, put it next to the other, and crashed on the couch.

So, what do we have here? The Holy Sea is larger and it replenishes holy power much faster, but holy power isn't everything. Skill Runes also require concentration? Mental power? What exactly do they consume?

David recalled feeling exhausted after using his Skill Runes the first few times. His condition improved as he used [Cleanse] and [Cure Wounds] more often, but the strain remained. It never disappeared.

Flora's condition was even worse. Casting [Mana Bullet] a few times overwhelmed her.

That was enough proof to validate one theory: Using Skill Runes required an adequate Mind stat.

The more potent the Skill Rune, the more mentally challenging it is to activate.

Did that mean using [Draining Touch] would have killed him? David shuddered as he imagined his head bursting apart and shook his head.

"Whoever is responsible for replacing [Draining Touch] with [Holy Touch]...Thanks, buddy! I misunderstood your intention!"

After increasing Mind, David noticed several things. His senses were more focused on the details in the vicinity, but it might also be his mind finally learning to sort out everything his senses were taking in. David also had a much easier time remembering events of the past. His memory was never bad, but it improved considerably with Mind's enhancement.

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He also started wondering how long he could use his Skill Runes now that his Mind was stronger than before.

That was worth testing, but David didn't have enough holy power to experiment. That being said, he got up again. Since his Holy Sea naturally replenished energy, David chose to spend his time more efficiently.

The first thing he did was secure the perimeters. He thoroughly checked the house and was glad to find it empty. Once the house was clear, David moved to the entrance. He walked outside, but no unwelcome guests were waiting for him.

He moved some furniture around, blocking the entrance with the refrigerator, a wardrobe, and the couch. It wasn't enough to block several uncommon Infected, Kobolds, or the like, but it would make enough noise to warn David while he climbed the flight of stairs to the second floor with the backpacks.

David walked back and forth several times to collect all the cans and other goods before he rested in the bedroom. A large window connected him to the backyard, which had to be enough in case of an emergency.

It took a while to finish everything, so David opened a Coke and a can of ravioli to quench his thirst and fill his stomach.

What now?

His parents were too far away to reach by foot. Not anytime soon, at least. He considered short-circuiting a car or motorcycle, but driving around would attract too many Infected, Kobold, or worse. David recalled the creature coated in lightning from earlier and shuddered. It had been too fast. Escaping its pursuit while driving through an earthquake-ridden region was suicidal.

David was deep in thought, his fork poking into the can of ravioli. It was cold and not as pleasant as the food he had eaten the last few years, maybe even decades, but it was food, and it filled his stomach. It reminded him of a camping trip with his friends years ago. The trip had been his first and last with his friends. Reminiscing, David winced.

William and Basti should be fine. Those bastards were probably waiting for something like this. As for Felix…who knows what he's up to? The others, they're probably dead.

Even if it sounded harsh and heartless, David didn't have high hopes for most of his friends. Then again, most of them had been friends of convenience in the first place. They liked his parents' money. David never bothered pushing them away, hoping being around them would fill his heart with something. Excitement or maybe even purpose.

But now that he thought about it, that wasn't it. He understood that now.

Felix is probably a Mage now. He's smart and will probably not suffer as much from mental exhaustion as other Mages. He did some martial arts too, so maybe he will be fine.

Thinking about his friends did not necessarily help David, but it prepared him for the inevitable. Maybe they were all dead. Even if his friends were still alive, he might never see them again.

Fate will decide if our paths cross again.

That thought put aside, David had to devise a plan.

He considered his options, put the cans aside, and checked his Holy Sea again. Once he was certain that he had enough holy power, David cast [Holy Touch] again.

He closed his eyes tightly and focused on the mind space. David watched as tendrils of holy energy channeled into the Skill Rune of [Holy Touch], empowering the Skill.

One second…

His holy power evaporated much faster than it would have if he'd used his other Skill Runes, but David kept it going.

Two seconds…

A light headache formed in the back of his head. It crept to the front and grew more intense.

Three…barely three seconds.

David slumped onto the bed, forced to stop due to his low amount of holy power and the distinct fear of his brain melting.

He had no idea what was happening on the outside, but what he saw while [Holy Touch] was actively used was enough to put a smile on his face.

A plan formed in his head.

A plan filled with pain and torture.

But even more important: It was a plan filled with excitement.

The first day of the integration into the Pantheon was filled with chaos, death, and destruction. David had already learned a lot, not only about the new system and the changes happening to the world but also about himself. The desires rooted deep inside him were finally unraveled, but he was just getting started.

It was only the first of many layers to discover who he truly was and what he wanted.

David understood that. He also understood what it meant to take one step back to let the bigger picture unfold before him.

So that was what David did. He took a step back and got started with his plan.