Apocalypse Reset: My Crab Can Heal the World! - Chapter 99

Chapter 99: S Rank Hero Affinity
“S Rank Hero Affinity?”

The skill sounds fake, at least to Barns. But what Roscoe says next convinces him otherwise. That, and the eager young swordsman has a system prompt that he promptly shows off.

[Hero Affinity (S Rank)

Ability: Stamina Recovery (S)

Description: Passive. Recovers stamina at 200% normal rate. Increases to 300% when training with a hero.

Ability: Demigod Rising (A)

Description: Passive. Training has a chance to permanently increase the corresponding attribute (ex., Push-ups & Strength). This can happen once per month per attribute. Chance doubles when training with a hero.

Ability: Rousing Resonator (B)

Description: Once per week, half of your attribute points can be added to a hero of your choice, giving them a temporary boost of power. Current duration: 10 minutes. Duration increases with rank.]

“Roscoe, whoa! These abilities are amazing!”

‘If I had this at fourteen, I’d be a god by now. This isn’t just an overpowered skill, it’s a fast track to legendary status.’

The young Adventurer blushes. “Yep, pretty cool huh?”

“Beyond cool…”

Barns reflects on all the information and reads over it once more. If he had gotten these powers, he’d have finished resetting the apocalypse by now – at least, it seems so. The ability to grow his attributes even without leveling made Roscoe formidable indeed. If he had ALSO been given the power of leveling, the young man would be unstoppable.

Especially with that stamina. With even just the 200% boost, Barns would never need to take breaks for anything. It is no wonder how quickly Roscoe has taken to his training.

“Do you know how to check your attributes, too?”

Roscoe nods. Barns starts wondering if he’s the only one who doesn’t know how to navigate the system well.

He opens up a panel for Barns and let’s him take a look.

[Name: Roscoe Ralloway

Level: 0/0

Strength: 12

Vitality: 12

Agility: 13

Intellect: 13

Control: 11

Charisma: 11

Luck: 33]

Barns’ jaw nearly drops at the Luck attribute. No wonder the boy got such an OP skill at such a young age.

All the other attributes look to be good, but nothing else is shocking. He is surprised to see that Roscoe, a fourteen-year-old, was better than an average human in every single dimension, however.

Barns wonders if maybe he hasn’t given ‘Little Bro’ enough credit. This was all certainly more than the average Adventurer had access to. If the boy learns the Secret Arts, he could already become a force of nature.

“Roscoe…” Barns says quietly. He hesitates, because he knows it’s a big decision, and he doesn’t make it lightly. But now, more than ever, he’s convinced.

“Little bro. I want you to come with us tomorrow. I think you’re ready for some real combat experience. What do you say? Want to kill some zombies with me?”

Roscoe never had a bigger smile than he does now. The moment he waited for his entire life has finally arrived – an adult is taking him seriously.

“I was born ready, Big bro! Let me at ’em!”

Barns laughs heartily. “Maybe not right on the front lines, but you can provide defensive support to our logistics team. How’s that sound?”

It wasn’t the most exciting first mission, but Roscoe didn’t care. The idea of being invited by the legendary hero himself to participate in a field operation was enough for him.

“You got it!”

They chat for a while and before long, Barns realizes the time. He agrees to meet back up with Roscoe in the morning, and retires to his tower.

…

The morning arrives, calm and bright. Barns awakens to the sound of chirping birds – they’d taken a particular liking to the ledge outside his window.

He gathers his things together and heads back to the Adventurer Guild, where his allies have already mostly gathered. There, he touches base with Godrick. It had been a while since he chatted with the Bravuran warrior.

“G’day, Barnacles.”

“Godrick! Glad to see you’re recovered.”

“Oh, right good, I tell ya. Them nurses in Ordella are miracle workers. They’ve been working the last six years, treating the folks what got maimed and mangled by those nasty vampires. They’re in a class of their own, even developed some new Secret Arts if you can believe it, mate.”

“Really?” Barns says, impressed. He’d been so busy that he hasn’t spent much time in Ordella. Hearing about their world-class medical team certainly puts his mind at ease, and gives him yet another reason to be proud of their burgeoning kingdom.

Godrick is quick to change the topic though – there’s something he needs to get off his chest.

“Boy, I sure am sad to hear about old Haima though, aren’t you?”

The words tore through Barns in an instant. Godrick didn’t know, but Barns and Haima were kind of, sort of dating.

“Yeah, you’re telling me,” Barns mumbled. “You think you know someone, and then…they end up with a lot more than ghosts in a haunted house.”

“Eh…right,” Godrick says, unsure of what Barns is referencing. “But to slice up some bugger in their sleep, that’s a tough one. A right shame, too. She had just agreed to go on a date with me and everything, I was looking forward to my recovery.”

Barns opens his mouth to say something, but for the second time that morning, unexpected news from Godrick leaves him unsure of how to react.

Haima…agreed to go on a date with Godrick?

Even if it didn’t come to pass, it stings for Barns. He starts to wonder if any of it was real at all, or if Haima was just using him as a cover to her depravity.

He wonders if the reason she has such a close affinity with ghosts is because she’s a killer herself.

“There’s…a lot I didn’t know about her,” Barns says quietly. He only wants to remember the sweet times, and the times she made him feel not just like a legendary hero, but as someone who she might one day come to love.

But the darkness surrounding her seems to grow deeper and deeper.

Barns takes a deep breath. Loathe as he is to admit it, it would appear Haima is not the romantic partner he thought she’d be.

But he didn’t let it get him down. Bad breakups were part of life, and he has no qualms about getting back out there – once the right girl reveals herself.

As he steadies his thoughts, Maria calls out from over the gathered crowd.

“Everyone – Operation: Kill the Horde begins now!”