It didn’t sound close. It was a hectic sound. Like something was roaming and searching around. While Diana just heard it and was becoming nervous, Phobos went next to the door. He cracked it open a bit. What he saw was a crawling humanoid figure that was still far.

Phobos couldn’t see clearly what it looked like. Still, he could make out it was covered with some clothes which were painted with dried blood. The figure was shuffling around and half crawling. However, It didn’t seem to have impaired movement. It looked more like it was tracing a scent.

Phobos slowly closed the door. He wasn’t flustered at all. He had improved his psyche so much that he felt it wouldn’t easily move. Phobos leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. He started to actively improve his stabbing skills.

What he saw in his mind was an image of him stabbing with the ice pick over and over again. After each movement, there was a small improvement in posture and accuracy. As he was using the third aspect of his ability he felt his energy draining. However, it wasn’t that costly. It was mainly improving his comprehension of the skill and only minor improvements to his nerves, muscles and tendons.

No more than twenty seconds had passed but Phobos felt that he had gained the skills of a normal person stabbing for at least a year. He opened his eyes and took a deep breath. He tested his short term improvement, to see that it's working in order. Phobos heard the figure was already just outside the door.

He signalled to Diana to move further away and at the same time opened the door. While opening Phobos temporarily improved his reaction time. He felt that in fighting situations it was one of the most important aspects.

Phobos looked at the figure that was reacting to the door opening. It was mostly human but few features were different. Its teeth were big and sharklike. It couldn't close its mouth fully. The more obvious features were its hands. They were twice as big and had enormous and sharp claws.

Phobos got ready to stab the slightly disproportionate human mutant immediately after opening the door but it reacted faster. The mutant jumped in the air with unexpected speed. It was like a top predator aiming for a kill.

Phobos saw that he wouldn’t be able to stab it safely against those claws. He tried to sidestep but the mutant twisted in the air almost cleaving his head clean off. Thankfully he had strengthened his reflexes so he dogged by a hair.

As the mutant fell unbalanced, Phobos found an opportunity to land a front kick. Phobos felt he had hit with double the power he could usually achieve. It was thanks to his newly coordinated muscles. Although he didn’t have an increase in strength his muscle synergy allowed him to exert a lot more power from the same amount of muscle mass.

That is why when the kick landed the mutant flew a few steps and hit the wall. Phobos took the opportunity while the mutant is still unbalanced to stab accurately in his ear to the brain. The mutant just froze for a second and then went limp.

Phobos started to regulate his breathing. He had been calm throughout the whole fight. There were a few things he had miscalculated. Like how dangerous the mutant would be and the utility of his stabbing comprehension.

Phobos had never been in a fight before. He had underestimated the complexity of life and deathmatch. And although stabbing came in handy if he had simulated overall fighting capability while stabbing, it would have been miles more effective.

Phobos would remember for the next time he wanted to improve a skill. Simulation of overall life utilization of a given skill would trump selective and targeted training. Of course, as a beginner, it would be more beneficial to get a grip of stabbing without complications first. So for the situation with the limited time he had made the right call.

Phobos felt another thing as well. It was that a person can not process the image in the venue without a sequel. He was always a little indifferent to life and death. He felt it was part of nature. But then he would try to never harm anybody and respected life. Whenever he killed a bug that was bothering him, he would stop and think about the meaning of life for about ten minutes.

Phobos, however, thought that his new mentality may be more appropriate for this time. He took out the pick calmly out of the skull. Looking closer at the mutant, it had the characteristics of one of the people in the VIP room last night. Although it looked thinner and with thicker skin.

Phobos didn’t mind the mutant much. He turned towards Diana and didn’t see the scared expression he was expecting. She looked a little dazed but not from shock. Her eyes seemed to be calculating something.

He could feel that she may be using her ability for the first time. It had no outward indications that she was and it was most likely inwardly based like himself. He stepped to the side and waited for her to wake up.

“How are you? How do you feel?”

As soon as Phobos saw her get ahold he asked. He was interested in supernatural abilities and how similar they would be to his. He felt that they would play a big role in the future.

“I’m fine. Just a little dazed.”

As Diana answered she still looked a little dull. Maybe she didn’t read that Phobos was asking about the ability or was still a little dazed.

“I mean what kind of ability did you get? I, for now, have an overall improvement.”

Phobos felt that she was unconsciously hiding that she had an ability. That is why he shared he also had one and that it was safe for her to share as well.

He found no reason for it to be a secret. There was no merit in it. At Least in their situation. If they were dealing with enemies there may be some but not much. After all, if you know you are dealing with a sniper it wouldn’t help past the first shot.

He found it more useful to gather more information about abilities at the moment. As for why he said an overall improvement. It was both the truth and it was easier to understand.

“If you feel you don’t want to share, don't mind. I just think that knowing both of us have an ability, would dampen the shock of having it.”

Diana just looked down at her knees as she was sitting. After a minute she looked up determined.

“I don’t feel much. Just a feeling that I can calculate most things. For example, when you were fighting that mutant I could calculate both your speeds. I could see you that you were enhanced somehow. The force with which you hit was more than your body should be capable of.”

Having said that Diana breathed a sigh of relief. Like knowing she wasn’t strange was a burden off her shoulders. Phobos thought that her ability was interesting but not much else. Maybe it could be used in a combat situation by calculating all factors in a fight. There was the possibility of becoming a good sniper as well.

However, it seemed that it was only targeted to her mind. That is why if you don’t have a body that could respond to that calculation it wouldn't be much use in combat. She would have been useful in a peaceful world. Not to say that the world will be chaotic henceforth but there is the marking of it.

Phobos found another difference with his ability. When he woke up the word that the ability represents he knew almost all he could do. However, she is vague regarding her understanding. And it seemed she just instinctively used it in a stressful situation. It's unknown if she could use it as she pleases.

“Well I know that it's abrupt but I feel we should get out of here. I have a place to be and I don’t think it's very safe here. You can either follow me or we can split.”

While he said that Phobos cleaned the pick in his hand and went to pick up the bag full of calorie drinks. Although he couldn’t get essential nutrients from them he had great use for the pure energy. He would have to find a reliable food source later.

Meanwhile, Diana was thinking hard. The last thing she wanted to do was be alone at the moment. When she checked her phone it was dead. She checked the landline as well but it was dead as well.

Following such a handsome young master would be the best option. She just hasn’t had the best experience when dealing with a man due to her beauty. However, it seemed that this man hadn’t even looked at her properly since she had woken up. It was a little contradictory. She didn’t want to be ogled by man but in this stressful situation, one of her best assets for survival being denied was even more stressful.

Diana noticed that this man didn’t care that much about her. Rather he didn’t seem to care about much. He didn’t even tell her his name and if she were to follow him wouldn't a person normally say where they might be going.

He, however, was aloof. Diana sensed the aura of a hegemon in society. A person who just went at his pace and the world had to accommodate not the other way around. Of course, she didn’t miss the possibility of him just having a naturally indifferent personality or low EQ but him being a VIP guest, the first was more likely.

“What is your name and where would we be going?”

Taking the courage Diana asked. Phobos at this moment was looking around the door to see if it is safe.

“Phobos. We’ll go to one of my properties. Are you ready?”

He turned toward Diana awaiting indication. She felt a little helpless at the moment. Phobos really didn’t care much about anything. Much less for the feeling of the people around him. He had never been required to. Most of his relationships were established with him as the superior. The others were enough in sync with Phobos to just follow his rhythm. It was easier that way.

His temperament was innately indifferent so having the blessing of not being trampled in society was good. In most cases, such people either became bitter, criminal or learned to cope with the least human contact possible. Of course, some exceptions thrived but not much.

Diana nodded indicating that she was ready. She got up and went beside him. Phobos started walking through the corridor going the opposite way of the VIP lounge and Diana followed closely behind.

Phobos thought that finding a back exit was better. There was too high a possibility of stumbling to a horde of mutants at the main entrance. Even if all the mutants that had eaten half the convention were gone somewhere, going through a sea of blood didn’t seem that hygienic.

They progressed carefully and until they got out didn’t meet any other people or mutants. While walking Phobos was examining every direction. Behind him, Diana was trying to actively use her ability. She didn’t have the luxury to examine it in peace. She was doing the best she could while on the move.

They arrived at the back entrance of the VIP passage. The convention had many ways to exit but this one was special. It had an independent parking lot. After carefully prying through a gap in the door, Phobos opened it. It was so bright outside. Until now he hadn’t realized how dark it was indoors as the lights didn’t work.

There were few nice looking cars in the lot. Phobos didn’t know much about cars. He never had an interest in them. He didn’t know how expensive they were because if he wanted something it arrived at his door a few days later. He never had to care.

Diana, on the other hand, knew that the least expensive of these was more than a hundred thousand. Those were the low key luxury ones. She fumbled in her pocket and took out a car key she found in one of the bags Phobos brought. It was for a Mercedes that was near the exit. She pressed the button but nothing happened.

Phobos ignored all this. He had already expected the cars not to work. After all, such a strong EMP that would blow the lights out would have a wide range. He had checked all the appliances he had passed but none worked.

He has never heard of such a powerful EMP. He had read little about it but it is said that most battery-powered electronics should survive but the phone got fried while in his hand. It being able to affect humans is even weirder.

So Phobos from the beginning didn’t have any hope for any electronics in the area to work. If there was a fully mechanical car it should be fine but most have batteries in them. The batteries originally should have been safe but judging from other indicators he highly doubts it.

The convection was a bit far from the centre of the city. Phobos was headed there so they would have to walk for a bit. After Diana was disappointed they started walking on the street.

Phobos didn’t feel the need to hide. He had observed that the streets were quiet. In a few crashed cars here and there he could see gnawed on bodies. Only a few cars were without damage. Most likely from people who had escaped before being eaten.

There was no movement at all. They had walked at least for two kilometres and had already entered the residential area before he saw activity. In the apartment buildings there seem to be people peering through the curtains.

This calmed Phobos don’t a little. After all, he didn’t want to live in a mutant infested world with no hope for a return to normalcy. It seemed that a lot of people had survived but Phobos had been in an unlucky place. Large crowds of people led to a lot of deaths.

He didn’t know where the mutants had gone but he didn’t see much activity from them. That was even stranger. If Phobos had calculated right half the populace should have turned. Now that he thought about it, the mutant he saw seemed lethargic. It may have been looking for a place to sleep when he engaged it.

In the strange calmness and prying eyes from above they continued their journey. It didn’t take long to find a store nearby so they entered. They only took a bag worth of supplies and ate while inside. After that, they continued.

Diana looked a little tired but Phobos felt that she was doing fine despite her build. She may have gotten a small boost to her physique aside from her ability. Phobos was even better and was improving with every step. Now that he had eaten the amount ten people usually would, his improvement ability was working constantly.

Phobos had expected Diana to complain or split-up but she was following for some reason. Especially after seeing that it was relatively safe, she should have no reason to follow. Phobos being non-communicative since exiting the convention didn’t help.

In reality, Diana had nowhere to go. Her mother was in another city and chances of her being alive were mediocre at best. She had just moved here so she didn’t have close friends or relatives.

Following Phobos who looked like he knew what he was doing was her best option. Even though he looked cold and indifferent he had taken care of her somewhat. She felt that if he followed him and didn’t become a burden she wouldn’t be discarded for no reason.

“We are almost there. Be a little alert. I see a commotion at our destination. If you feel safer back off a little.”

Phobos said that after travelling for almost three hours. Logically they should have gotten there sooner but they were walking slowly to preserve strength in case they have to run.

The commotion Phobos was talking about was in front of a restaurant. There were three men there trying to enter the premises. This restaurant was his property. He had quite a lot of small co-ventures with people he liked.

Phobos didn’t expect to see a few gunslinging cowboys outside his restaurant when not even a day had passed from the doomsday event. Well, he could see only one gun on them but that didn’t matter.

“Hey, beauties no need to hide. Uncle here will make you feel good.”

“Kekeke … Even if you hide it's only a matter of time. There is no one coming to save you.”

“Stop flapping your mouths and break the damn door already.”

Phobos felt that he would get an aneurysm. He couldn’t believe he had heard such low-level villain speech in real life. He even began to retrospect if everything was a big prank. With his monetary capacity frying a whole convention and renting half the city should be possible. He just felt that it was unlikely.

For a minute he was in a struggle to figure out which had the better possibility. Of course, he cleared it out fast. His assistants wouldn’t think of such a third rate plot.

Phobos, however, was puzzled. He understood why they were here. The females inside were rare to encounter. Even in the world of law, a person would commit a crime to get them. Phobos just felt that the degradation of human morals shouldn’t be so fast. He failed to factor that these guys weren’t the moral standard even before.

There was a lot of noise at the door. They were close to breaking it down. Phobos started sneaking towards them. For some reason, confrontation or mercy didn’t even enter his mind. He was about to hunt.