I’m the Only One with Powers in the Apocalypse – Chapter 5

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Xrecker
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Carefully.

One step, one step.

Leaning against the right wall, I looked outside.

The long stretch of road.

The street lined with cars.

No sign of anyone.

I cautiously detached myself from the wall and sidestepped.

My view opened up.

A three-way intersection bordered by an uphill road was right in front of me.

Where the hell was I?

The roads and buildings were unfamiliar.

Normally, I wouldn’t have given it a second thought and just continued on until I found a familiar route, but now everything felt strange.

I stuck to the left wall.

The long row of shops, the streetlights lining the sidewalk, and the traffic lights blinking above the road were the only splashes of color in the streetscape.

So quiet.

“Ha… ha…”

My breathing sounded particularly loud.

Gripping the baton tightly, I slowly stepped out of the building.

Listening intently.

For any sounds.

For any signs of presence.

I continuously scanned my surroundings as I entered the road.

All sorts of cars were parked there.

But the doors were all closed.

Even as they fled, the drivers had closed their doors properly.

Damn it.

I carefully walked between the cars and found one with its door open.

There it was!

A white, new model Avante! Perfect!

I grabbed the window frame and slid into the driver’s seat.

Closing the door would make a loud noise.

Even the sound of a car door closing might attract something in this silence.

It was that quiet.

Couldn’t there be at least the sound of a barking dog, for fuck’s sake?

Ha…

I carefully pulled the door closed and placed my hand on the steering wheel.

And then I realized.

…There were no keys.

Shit!

This was driving me crazy.

I needed to find a car with keys, not just an open door.

I got out of the car and walked between the vehicles.

The sight of the lined-up cars, completely silent and motionless, felt unnatural.

And I was alone, walking in the middle of this wide road.

…Found one.

…Shit.

A blue 5-ton truck.

Driving this would be pretty loud.

…What should I do?

Growl.

Ugh…!

Shit…!

Ha… Damn it.

I hadn’t eaten anything all day and had just been running, so my stomach felt like it was about to die.

Damn it.

Change of plans.

The car could wait.

These cars were likely to stay parked here for a while anyway, so there was no need to rush into driving one.

First, I needed to eat something and survive.

I left the road and returned to the sidewalk.

It was a bizarre scene.

All the stores were open in the middle of the night.

Products were all neatly displayed.

But the store owners were nowhere to be seen.

Holding onto a utility pole, I looked around.

There was a convenience store up ahead.

Ah, shit.

The silence made it so uncomfortable to move.

Were there even any people here?

Trying to be quiet, I carefully walked along the pavement.

The convenience store drew closer.

…Was there a clerk?

Keeping an eye on my surroundings, I peered inside the convenience store.

At the counter…

No one. But…

There was blood on the cigarette display…

Spread violently, as if someone had splashed it from a bucket.

…Was it safe to go in?

Was someone dead in there?

…This was driving me crazy, shit.

“Ha… ha… ha…”

I was getting short of breath from the tension.

Hoo, let’s go in.

I had to eat something.

I gently pushed the convenience store door open and peeked inside.

Music was playing softly.

But there were no other signs of life.

Good.

It seemed like no one was there.

I cautiously entered the convenience store.

Bright.

I would be clearly visible from outside through the glass walls.

Like I was in a spotlight, incredibly conspicuous.

Damn it, I had to grab something quickly and get out.

I carefully walked towards the refrigerator.

Ramen, or anything would do, but I needed to get something to drink first.

No, I should grab dumplings from the freezer first.

I took a step towards the freezer.

Just then, I heard the ding of the door opening.

I instinctively crouched down.

Holy shit!

What!

Was it one of those beasts?!

What?!

My hand gripping the baton was sweating.

It was trembling from how tightly I was holding it.

“…See, I told you no one was here.”

“Yeah, but there’s blood over there.”

…People?

Women’s voices?

I peeked my head out from behind the display I was hiding behind.

…High schoolers?

Two girls, one in a school uniform, the other in casual clothes, were talking about the bloodstains on the display.

What were they doing?

Ah, were they here for food like me?

Then we were comrades.

Ah… shit.

I felt strangely relieved.

“…Ahem.”

I cleared my throat and slowly stood up.

The two girls gasped and turned to look at me.

Their expressions were startled.

They reached for the door.

…Look at them fumbling for the door, shit. If I were one of those beast-humans, you’d be dead already.

“I’m here for food.”

I said quietly, holding out my palms.

The girls flinched and stared at me.

Fear filled their eyes.

“I’ll grab some food and leave. If you’re here for food too, hurry up. No one knows when those things will show up.”

Whether they were scared or not, I said what I had to say. In a low voice, as quietly as possible.

If these girls screamed like idiots, this convenience store, practically a sealed box, would become my tomb.

I didn’t care if they died from screaming like morons, but I didn’t want to be dragged down with them.

I was here to do what I needed to do, so they should do the same.

“Hoo, hoo.”

Trying to breathe as calmly as possible, I stood still for a moment, hands outstretched towards the girls.

Judging by their expressions, they seemed to have calmed down a bit.

They weren’t completely clueless, I guess, since they weren’t screaming.

I glanced out the glass wall.

Thankfully, it was still quiet.

I glanced at the girls, then grabbed some dumplings from the freezer and stuffed them into my bag.

Was there anything else to grab?

Snacks…

I wasn’t full.

Those nitrogen-filled bags wouldn’t fit much in my bag.

I’d just grab some more dumplings.

Two bags, three bags.

And drinks.

I grabbed a large Gatorade, stuffed it into my bag, and looked back to see the girls picking out food.

…Why were they grabbing gum?

They wouldn’t be able to eat it.

Just then, I heard a crashing sound from somewhere.

And a scream.

Someone had been attacked!

Damn it, it was close!

The scream was so loud!

Like someone was screaming with all their might with a loudspeaker!

It echoed through the convenience store!

The girls screamed in terror.

“Kyaaagh!”

And at that moment, something dark sprang up from behind the counter.

“Kraaagh!”

Oh no!

It had been lying down behind the counter!

Damn it, I hadn’t checked!

It was the convenience store clerk!

Half of his face was gone!

His jaw was exposed, teeth bared!

“Kraaagh!”

The clerk, eyes rolled back, leaped onto the counter.

He jumped with his body hunched over.

Just like a beast.

“Uwaaagh! Kyaaaaagh!”

The girls screamed.

And then they just sat down.

Why were they sitting down?!

These crazy bitches, shit!

The clerk lunged at the girls.

I lunged at them too.

As I approached from one side and the clerk from the other, the girls clung to each other and screamed.

I saw the clerk’s jaw drop open.

The damn thing opened its mouth so wide, its lips tore at the corners!

Holy shit!

If I was late, we were screwed!

Even a moment’s delay, and we were screwed!

Faster!

Even faster!

At that moment, the clerk, who was pouncing on the girls, froze in mid-air.

“Krwa-a–a—”

Amazing!

He moved slowly in mid-air like a slow-motion shot in a special effects movie!

But this wasn’t the time to be thinking about that, damn it!

I swung the baton upwards with all my might.

The metal connected squarely with the clerk’s face.

Crack! His nose broke instantly.

Blood slowly scattered in the air, drop by drop.

His face crumpled like it had been crushed.

I gripped the baton with both hands and swung it like a baseball bat.

The metal slammed into the clerk’s face again.

Splat!

His… his eyes!

Eyes…!

His eyeballs popped out!

Holy shit, they looked like boiled eggs, damn it!

Shit, crazy!

“—a–uh-uhrk!”

The clerk spun in mid-air and crashed into the display.

Crash! The display toppled over, scattering products everywhere.

Accelerate wore off!

“Kyaaaaagh! Aaaaagh!”

Those crazy bitches, shit, still screaming, oblivious to the situation!

I quickly slung my bag over my shoulder and grabbed one of the girls by the arm, pulling her up.

“Get up! Hurry!”

You clueless bitch!

“Kyaaagh! Aagh! Kyaaaaagh!”

Holy fucking shit!

The collapsed clerk convulsed and made a strange sound.

“Gurgle! Grrr!”

He… he looked like he was about to get up!

Holy shit!

I heard sounds from outside.

…Roaring.

No, beastly growls.

We…

We were discovered…!

“Kyaaagh! Uwaaagh! Aaagh!”

The crazy bitches were sitting there, hands trembling, screaming and drawing attention to us.

I couldn’t get out like this!

I didn’t know where they would attack from!

Crazy, what should I do?!

I looked around.

A wrong decision here, and we were screwed!

“…!”

Found it.

I found it!

The convenience store’s storage room behind the counter!

It was slightly ajar!

Holy fucking shit, thank god!

I grabbed the girl’s arm and dragged her towards the storage room.

“Come here! Or you’ll die!”

This bitch was still screaming and not moving!

The roars came again from outside!

“Kraaagh! Kraaagh!”

It wasn’t just one!

Holy shit, it sounded like several of them roaring at once!

They were swarming!

“Kyaaagh! Aaaaagh!”

These fucking crazy bitches!

I roared,

“Hurry up! Do you want to die?!”

Yelling and pulling, I somehow managed to drag her along.

I grabbed the other girl, the one in the school uniform, and pulled her hard.

This bitch was practically being dragged along the floor.

“Kraaagh! Kraaagh!”

Crash!

The glass wall shattered!

Dark figures poured in!

Holy shit!

I grabbed the school uniform bitch and rushed into the storage room.

The last thing I saw was the beast-humans stumbling over each other as they swarmed in.

I shoved the two screaming idiots into the storage room, immediately turned, and slammed the door shut.

A blood-soaked, monstrous face flashed past the gap in the door.

Bang!

“Holy shit!”

The door was closed!

And immediately started to rattle violently.

Roars echoed!

“Kraaagh! Kraaagh! Kra!”

“Kyaaaaagh! Kyaa! Uwaaagh!”

This was fucking insane!

My heart was pounding, my mind blank!

With trembling hands, I somehow managed to turn the lock.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Kra! Kraa!”

My body jolted with every bang as I leaned against the door. Damn it, the door was going to break!

Was there anything?!

Cleaning supplies were right in front of me!

I immediately grabbed a mop and jammed it against the door.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

More, something more!

I grabbed a shelf stacked with boxes and pulled it towards the door.

“Kra! Kraaagh!”

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Aaaaagh! Kyaaaaagh!”

Amidst the deafening cacophony, I gripped the storage room door with both hands, gasping for breath.

“Huff, huff, huff!”

This shit…!

This was fucking insane…!

Then, a message appeared before my eyes.

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