A flurry of quick feminine blinks painting her expression with surprise.

  “Why? Are you crazy?” She yelps.

  “First, Yes, probably. Secondly, I need to check my new skill, do it slowly but have a clear intention of pierce me” he states.

  With decisiveness Ethan didn’t expect, She lunged the blade forward for a non-vital area of the abdomen.

  A weird sensation dulled his senses, everything went out of focus, Dana and her spear were the only exception to this, becoming much more clearer than everything around him, to a point that the attack looked as if slowed down.

  A successful dodge on Ethan’s behalf with a twist of his pelvis made Dana nod in appreciation to the quick response.

  Still, he frowns, noticing some glaring pros and cons from the get go, ‘this is very good for a specific situation, but what happens in a feint? If there are two opponents, or more? Will one get out of focus?’

  Flabbergasted by his glare, a rain of questions is dispatched by Dana, afraid there was a misunderstanding with his request. “Was it not what you wanted? Was I too rushed? Did I almost get you stabbed?”.

  “You did great, the skill is great, but it has side effects I need to work out. When we finish with this meeting I'll need a sparring partner. Will you help me?” He asked

  For a moment he thought he saw a grin on her face, but just as fast it turned into a polite smile colored, “Obviously”, she replies.

  ‘We are all going crazy here’, he dryly chuckled, keeping his thoughts to himself.

  “This just happened to be one of the things we need to speak of in the meeting” She breaks the silence, “now come, Everyone must be waiting”.

  Following her, they walked past the communal area of the first floor. By the people he directed here he receives sincere gratitude, as for the people he helped against the goblins, they were worrying about him missing for more than half a day.

  There was still some remnant of doubt for he is the one who broke jamey’s arm after the loss of his family, but clearly some social persuasion was at play while he was gone.

  He overall felt his heart warms up hearing the recognition of the people, but just like he suspected, life serves both sweet and bitter.

  He suddenly felt a tug of his focus to the people on the back lines of the crowd, this is the kind of focus he got from the danger sense skill, ‘It might be the distance or the intensity of their feeling but I can slightly sense hostility now’, Ethan tried to discern the exact people but it was too much of a general direction, the skill detection was still to weak for such feature.

  ‘So that's what the ‘Ill intention sense’ of the skill feels like’ Ethan nods thoughtfully.

  He thanked all the people who greeted him and moved to the upper floors.

  On the way, while following Dana, he checked if there is a next evolution for his skills.

  They both have evolutions.

  [Ding!

  Type: Passive skill

  Name: Danger sense

  Grade: Common

  Evolution requirement: dodge 500 attacks using danger sense (1/500)

  Discern the true intentions of 100 people (0/100)]

  [Ding!

  Type: Passive skill

  Name: spirit of a warrior

  Grade: uncommon

  Evolution requirement: 100 kills using 7 different weapons:

  Knife (26/100)

  unarmed(1/100)

  ??? (0/100)

  ??? (0/100)

  ??? (0/100)

  Third circle core (0/1)]

  ‘As expected of this new world, 700 kills for just uncommon skill, also gun kills are not included’ Taking a deep sigh, lost in thoughts he realized that he arrived at a fancy looking hall with 4 rooms entering one of the rooms.

  This is a meeting room that can hold up to 25 people. The walls were pearly white and There is a long oval Table, on its sides there were two rows of 12 brown, fancy looking chairs, while at the head of the table there was a big, black, leather chair, leaving no doubts of where the big boss was sitting.

  The room was looking fancy, big windows allowed fresh winds to cool the room, and by the grace of the automatic air fresheners - rosy aroma permeated the room. The only downside of the room was that what was once a view of a highway separating a luxurious neighborhood with a park turned into a dark reminder of what a chaotic mess lies behind the safety of their fortress’ walls.

  His family, Leah, Guy, Rina, Rowan, Jamey, and two unknown middle aged couple, a man and a woman - sitting on the brown chairs, chattering, exchanging their experiences of the new world.

  The entrance of the two new arrivals stole the attention of any conversation that was taking place and drew the gaze of everyone in the room.

  Dana puts on a face Ethan never saw her with before, a commanding tone colors her usual casual tone, “Let's us begin”, she says and sits next to The fancy black chair.

  Wanting to stay low profile he took one of the random brown chairs. as he was about to sit Dana called for him, pointing on the fancy chair, “this is yours”.

  Ethan blinks in confusion, Guy and Leah nodding in sync, his sisters’ jaws fell off, John And Sarah opening their eyes wildly and The strangers sending scrutinizing gazes trying to scout the value of the allegedly new leader of their.

  Weirdly enough one of the people present, draws his danger sense with a slight hostility.

  Understanding the situation, he relocates himself to the black chair, unwilling to disappoint his parents and Dana he played along, ‘What could go wrong? Worst case scenario I will give someone else to role’ a decision reached.

  ‘I don't think she was joking when calling me ”commander” back then’, Ethan now realizing what she meant by telling the guards to refer to him as commander, she appointed him as the commander of this whole place.

  “Is that going where I think it is?” he asked her skeptically.

  Standing up and picking up a microphone, her next words were explaining what was happening with the people's recognition towards him around here.

  “this is an announcement made with the last battery of the closed media circle, after this moment, using this mic will be used only for emergencies” She takes a dramatic pause.

  “Ethan, know this, everyone in the shopping center hears me now. You saved this shopping center and everyone in here, me included, one way or another. We are alive thanks to you, your knowledge, your strength, your unruly behavior and your ability to adapt. All of those were recognized by many. We all picked based on a voting system for you to be the leader of this fortress” She takes another dramatic pause, polishing her next word.

  “In a day when the sun stood still in dark skies, the world changed, the rules we knew got abolished and modified to a degree we are all walking aimlessly towards unknown future, yet you since the first moment, every word, action or thought - calculated and performed flawlessly, please guide us”

  She sits down, her theatrics making her blush; the room falls to silence waiting for his response.

  Ethan picks up the microphone - he is speechless, digesting all the information he just heard. creating a minute of awkward silence, he is calculating a set of the next of actions and words.

  After a long moment he speaks, “Everyone is to gather up in the communal area in an hour”, the message was short and dry, his voice unsure, his decision - unknown.

  Passing her the cold heavy microphone, he gestured to close the microphone, she did as told.

  “First, let's attend to the elephant in the room, I sense a person with ill intentions towards me in this room, Jamey” Ethan takes a dramatic pause looking at the man with padded arm.

  “This Is not me!” He jumps up, “I am not on The finest terms with you, yes. I still bear Slight indignation towards your actions, but I had a lot of time to think” His anger and confusion turn into one of reverence.

  I heard of your action and reconsidered my offensive acts. I misunderstood you and you misunderstood me but I worked hard to reform this place, and even spoke with others to support you when you take the lead. Your actions, cruel as they are…they are effective, and that's what we need!” He sits down as if waiting for his verdict.

  ‘His sense of survivability is quite good’

  Staring at him, Ethan nods lightly, “I wanted to apologize for my actions back there, the first journey here was a lot tougher than I wanted to willingly admit, it seems it had a toll on me. I am sorry for hurting you, we were both in a bad place”

  Still flaky in his emotions, losing his family less than a day prior he sits down, his gaze lowered to the table, but the tears in his eyes are visible.

  “Do you wish to stay?” Ethan asks, “Do you want us to give you a moment?”.

  “Go on” his gaze still lowered as he thumbs up.

  ‘Stubborn, straightforward and honest’ Ethan’s impression of the man grew positively by the second.

  “You two, may I ask your names?” He addressed the two middle aged duo.

  “Jessica, I had a cosmetics business and I was on good terms with the management’s secretary, we often walked idly around here, and I helped manage the people around to groups and over take the lower living quarter establishment” she introduced herself politely highlighting her contribution.

  “My name is Rob, shorts for Robert” he takes a long pause.

  “I was one of the security supervisors, when those green f…monsters popped out of nowhere I managed to lock down and escort a few people, closing them in stores and hide outs. I lost two of my shift members while we managed to take down a few of the goblins using our guns. When ammunition ran out, I had to hide myself.” He lowers his head and pauses for a moment, Ethan's Danger sense tugging on his focus stronger towards this man.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  He then continues, “After everything was cleaned up and basic order came to be, as much as we can call it like that. I helped with closing and securing all entrances and exits” he spoke in a cold and professional voice, if not for the skill Ethan would have most definitely missed the ill intentions the man bore, “Currently the main entrance is the only viable entrance and exit, an emergency exit is prepared”.

  “Jessica, Rob, thank you” He decides to put it aside for a moment and address the next people.

  “Rina, Rowan the food distribution and management of the supermarket area is impeccable.

  And before we continue we need to have a clear guideline, everyone in this room has to be united and willing to work together. Isn't It the minimum requirement for us to overcome the ordeal?” Ethan asks.

  In his mind Ethan slowly starts to freak out, he starts realizing the responsibility he takes with every word he speaks.

  “Thus, I need to leave the room with Rob for a moment” Ethan said, drawing everyone's attention to Rob.

  No one forgot about Ethan’s remark about someone Carrying hostility towards him.

  “What do you want with me?” Slight cracks of his facade make itself known.

  “May I not speak with you?” Ethan asks calmly once more.

  Standing up, Rob speaks impatiently, “lead the way?”

  Leading the way to one of the side rooms Ethan caught him eyeing his belt line where the guns are holstered.

  Raising up his awareness for whatever Rob will try to do, he starts speaking, “I won't lie, I have an ability to discern whenever someone holds hostility towards me, and you seem to do just that” Ethan is about to keep on speaking when Rob bursts out.

  “WH-” Rob just opened his mouth but a hand caught his lower part of the face and squeezed.

  “I am now speaking” Ethan's eyes turn cold.

  Rob’s tone and the look on his face - he was not about to conduct a polite conversation, so Ethan paid with the same currency.

  “First, I have a private reason that requires me to understand how that little head of you work without your help” He wanted to see if analyzing someone feeling and guess using danger sense.

  “Secondly, friends speak, enemies fight. I have no reason or will to shout, it's beneath me” he said, trying to assert dominance.

  “I will now guess what's wrong with you. You nod when I'm right and shake your head when I am wrong. You are not allowed to interfere. I assume you know how serious I'm regarding my threats” Ethan states pointing to Rob’s arm, his eyes full of seriousness.

  Rob looks at him grudgeful, but nods, he is smart enough to not get his arm broken on the second day of the apocalypse.

  “That look of yours, its frustration, the world flipped upside down in your shift - literally so, people died, and your employees, brothers at arms, most likely friends died too.” - he nods.

  “Monsters and events that made you feel as useless and helpless as it gets came like a flood one thing after another.” - he nods again slowly

  “In the midst of this all, a man, younger than you came, with no fancy tricks, with a knife and exploding deodorant came out of nowhere and started saving everyone, rebuilding a whole place with two girls.” - he does an awkward head moment of in between agreeing and disclaiming the assumption.

  “You didn't even met me, yet I somehow I got unanimously chosen to lead this few dozens of people, and that irks you to no end you think I'm unworthy, you wanted me to come earlier and saved more people, your friends even” - another moment of thinking and he shakes his head.‘Not completely there, what would make a man rage like this, he still cooperates, he doesn’t want to get hurt by me, he needs to do something that can’t happen if he reaches Jamey’s state’ Ethan mentally analyses the situation himself, “Oh! Of course”.

  “Your family, are they still out there? It must be your working place so you must be living close by, at least relatively. but you are still here instead of going out and helping them, and without a weapon and knowledge of what’s happening outside, you need more people and firepower! You said you helped closing entrances and helped the people, you feel in debt for the failings that happened under your supervision, and the only outlet is me who just keeps on bringing survivors, but not your family…and acting really rude right now” Ethans looks at him waiting for his response.

  “And you making a trivia of my personal life is not making it any easier” He admits.

  The danger sense tugs wildly from high to low, it was like a Rollercoaster of emotions, Rob's eyes were darting between disbelief and anger.

  ‘is he a mind reader?’ Rob’s mind swirled by his on point deductions.

  “Now that I established power and brains, I need you to work with me, and this is something you want back, so take it, I noticed how you eyed it” he draws one of the guns he had in his belt,

  “this yellow light reflecting sticker, is a guard's way to tug a weapon and clips, right? Was it yours or your friend’s?”

  The moment he held the gun, the danger sense pull of attention decreased tremendously.

  “It was my best friend's”, anger and sadness visible on his face once more, but it was not felt by danger sense, ‘A progress’, Ethan smiles emphatically, coming in for a hug - the man broke down in tears.

  After a minute, Rob looks at Ethan with intense reverence, his intelligence, and social ability earned yet again the heart of another person.

  “Listen up! We are going to finish up this meeting as soon as possible, I will put you all up to speed, I will tell you almost everything I know, and I mean everything. From there on, we quickly let the administration roles take care of inside house hold, and rescue scouts, that will be lead by me and you will start in three hours time, it’s not even the middle of the second day, we can still save the families of people living close by” Ethan picked up his pace.

  “Now get a grip of yourself and help me move things faster, believe me I myself would rather beat up some monsters and bad guys instead of talking, that’s why my family is here” Ethan smiling wryly, “Are you with me?”.

  Rob head tilts feverishly, “Yes! Let’s do it!”

  “Before we return, I have a feeling we are going to go long way together, you already have an important role here, know this, “Ethan picks up a random one of the two handguns on his person, “This is but a relic of the past, this is good only against dumb humans, We need to start and get used to a physical labor, and grind our own bodies into weapons, you will know better soon enough, now come” Ethan holster the gun, and leave the room, Rob in toe.

  ‘Two on me, one on father, one on Dana, one on Rob, one on Rina’ A quick inventory check to stay in the loop.

  Entering the room, a heated chatter suddenly came to a stop.

  “So, we are gonna rush things through, this is no time for meetings, this is time to take actions, to save lives!” Ethans stand up walking back and front, his gears grind on full throttle.

  “Rina, Rowan and Jamey, are we good with rations for the next two weeks? What do you assume the max number of people we can maintain?”

  Rina speaks up “I wildly assume, 150 is our maximum capacity now. with 150 we can hold for a month”

  “My mom and dad have experience in this kind of management, would you accept making place for them as main leaders of this project, with our growing numbers we will need more capable and trustworthy guys like you to help them, when work overloads, we can expand this department and letting you regain main lead in branching project of the rationing and foods, for now follow their lead and assist them”

  “We will very much like that, you practically threw this work on us and we are stumbling around to succeed it” Rina embarrassedly coughs.

  “Good, mom and dad, go with the theme, take the reins and teach them the ropes, next” Ethan looks at Jessica.

  “So I heard that some individuals are referred to as organizers, Elaborate” He runs to the next subject.

  “Those are certain trustworthy individuals that were willing to help the newcomers, extra foods and better sleeping areas were offered on the first floor” She replies like she rehearsed it.

  “Good, you are now the first floor populace representative, how many deputies do you need?” He improvises roles on the spot.

  “With currently around 65, and by your estimate to reach 150 survivors, currently 2, later on two more will be required” She decisively answers.

  “Take my sisters with you, Zoey and Lily, make a list of people and jobs they want to work around here. We need builders, farmers, medics, caretakers for the kids while their parents work around, caretakers for orphans we shall rescue, fighters, scouts, everything.

  Go wild, and let everyone write even two options for any case.

  We shall work on it later on, we need to see what crowd we are dealing with.

  There must be no slackers around here, even children should pick a safe and educating role like gardening or taking care of people younger than them” Ethan speaks his mind unrestrained.

  Everyone gawks in awe, as Ethan spits orders of reforming a small apocalyptic society as if it is a simple math equation, Ethan stopped walking back and forth after saying this, realising how much he just spoke.

  ‘Was I speaking too fast?’ Ethan freezes comically.

  “I need feedback, why are you all staring at me like that!?” confusion and embarrassment color his face.

  “Are you a reincarnated president? Or a general?”, “How many books of politics have you read?”, “What games were you playing all those years?”, “I think you picked the wrong field to study”, who ever didn’t talked kept on gazing at him with feverish admiration.

  “What were you two talking about?” John asks simply, side eyeing Rob, “You came in as if your pants are on fire, speaking of a plan to restructure society with the same difficulty of pouring a glass of water”.

  “I will be honest, I want to start running rescue runs for families of the survivors present around here, and the more we hold it, the more lives will be lost” Ethan admits.

  Squirting his eyes, John noticed Rob’s fist twitching, he was not the only one to notice it, the message was clear for everyone who saw it.

  “Now let’s continue, we have yet a lot more to cover” Ethan sits down, rearranging his thoughts, his concentration broken, “Don't cut my thinking process again, please”.

  It took him long minutes to recall his thoughts once more, everyone understood how deep was the trance he was in.

  “Mom, Dad lead the supermarket and food area.

  Rina, Rowan, you take the deputy role for each, study from them and help them.

  Jessica, you recruit 2 deputies to help you as representative of the first floor.

  Zoe, Lily, follow Jessica, make a list of names of all present, assign new IDs and ask what they can do to contribute.

  Jamey, you shall be the representative of the second floor, you also need two deputies, find two trustworthy people to work with and for you.

  Leah and family, you are the logistics and general management.

  Rob, external offensive unit, patrols, recon missions and scouting.

  Dana, you are the head of inner security, you shall take a group of people and take charge of patrolling and entrance guard, some of you shall often join outer reckon missions to get levels and train.”

  At the mention of ‘levels’, there were multiple reactions in the room.

  Half the people present had already grasped the basics of the new world’s structure and were now delving into deeper thoughts, pondering the morality, complexities, and implications of the system and their new way of life.

  The other half, was not aware at all of the system, while some got a glimpse, like Rob, he must have at least seen the notifications for defeating the goblins, Jessica must have seen charisma stat increase notifications for handling complex social situations.

  Looking at the more confused side of the table, “You still haven’t seen the status page I assume?”

  The confusion intensifies.

  “Figures, I will continue for now, bear with me. Rob, for starters, you and I together are going to lead the search and rescue runs. We shall look for a selected few who are proficient and strong enough to fight, we shall begin in two-three hours.

  Top priority: First, assume all important roles for constant progression and improvement in our community and fortress.

  Secondly, initiate a patch of farm land project.

  Third, constant guard on the gate.

  Fourth, combat melee training.

  fifth, list of current capable hands and goals.

  Everyone knows their role?” Ethan concludes

  In turns, everyone speaks of how he or she is planning to carry their roles, brain storming the process collectively, everything is quickly patched up.