Sid didn’t hesitate. He snatched two bottles, twisting off the caps and chugging the cool water greedily. The liquid was ice-cold against his throat, washing away some of the dry, gritty taste from the fight and the dust of the aisles.

"Ah... yes. Salvation. I never knew water could taste this good."

He quickly looted the full rack, bottles disappearing into his inventory with a satisfying shimmer.

[Water Bottle 10x Acqured]

Sid flexed his leg experimentally, wincing.

"Yeah... my legendary moves can save me from exploding meatballs, dodge slow zombies, and pull off grocery cart stunts. But this... this bad knee? My parkour career before I played this game totally haunts me right now."

He shifted his weight, limping forward, the flashlight bouncing over the darkened aisles. A thought flashed through his mind.

"I remember, I had painkillers in my cargo pants, yes!"

He shoved a hand into his cargo pocket, desperation pushing through. Before he died, before all this, he always kept a bottle of painkillers there. His fingers closed around a cold plastic cylinder in the pocket and relief hit him so hard he nearly laughed.

"Thank God!"

He breathed, voice ragged with pain and relief mixing wrong in his chest. He pulled the bottle free, thumb working the cap with shaking hands. For a second he imagined the pills already doing their job, melting the fire in his knee into something manageable.

He flipped the bottle upside down and shook it. Nothing rattled inside; the empty plastic thunked hollow against his palm. Sid blinked hard, hope cracking into annoyance, then into something...stupid self-hatred.

"Are you kidding me?!"

The memory hit him hard. after Anna’s place he’d swallowed the pills before going live. The realization nearly made him cry, and he laughed at how messed up it all felt.

"F*cking hell!!!"

The pain creeping all over his right knee making him squeel like a child.

"Grrr... Okay. Okay, I get it now. This... this is the nerf. The great balancing patch. Because if I had two working knees? Pfft. I’d speedrun this apocalypse in a week. Roll credits. Game over. World revived. No tension. So, yeah, sure, knee destroyed for balance purposes."

He gritted his teeth and adjusted the flashlight in his free hand, leaning on the cart as he limped toward the next objective.

"Alright... medicine section. Knee’s on fire... this is gonna hurt. My body’s making it clear I’m flesh and blood, not some avatar I can wiggle around with a keyboard."

Sid forced himself to hobble forward, each step slow and calculated.

"Focus... pain is just another obstacle. Gotta make it to the meds, grab what I need, and finish this tutorial."

Sid gritted his teeth, leaning heavily on the shopping cart as he shuffled forward. The cart squeaked against the ruined tiles, rattling like a makeshift walker, but it gave him both support and a small sense of defense.

Every shadow in the grocery seemed darker now, as if the sun had slipped further behind the horizon, leaving the aisles in an eerie, oppressive gloom.

"Sun’s almost gone... damn, gotta move!"

He muttered, flashlight swinging across knocked-over shelves. He gripped the cart tight, ready to ram it at whatever jumped out of the dark.

"Meatballs could totally make a comeback... gotta stay alert."

Sid limped carefully, the pain in his right knee screaming with every step. His breathing was ragged, low moans escaping between gritted teeth. Each step felt like dragging a stone, but he forced himself to focus on the next objective: the medicine section.

The darkened aisles were silent, except for the faint hum of his own movement, and despite the fear creeping in, he didn’t encounter a single zombie.

"Okay... miracle or luck? Either way, knee and sanity intact. Just keep moving, Wilder."

When he reached the medicine section, the LootSense skill activated immediately. Green outlines glowed softly across the shelves, highlighting useful supplies. Sid’s eyes widened at the sight.

"Ah... finally, something good!"

He snatched items one by one, muttering in satisfaction:

[Bottle Of Disinfectant x1 Acquired]

[Bottle Of Caffeine Pills x1 Acquired]

[Bottle Of Sleeping Pills x1 Acquired]

He limped further down the aisle, flashlight bouncing over bottles and boxes, his patience tested by broken shelves and toppled containers. Then, finally, his eyes locked on a small, familiar cylinder tucked into a corner... Painkillers.

"YES! YES! YEEES BABY!"

Relief and joy surged through him like a shot of adrenaline. He grabbed it without hesitation, popping the cap immediately and swallowing the contents dry, ignoring the bitter taste.

Almost instantly, warmth spread through his aching knee. The pain faded into a manageable tingle. Sid’s eyes widened, and a system prompt glimmered in his vision:

[NEW SKILL UNLOCKED!]

[Skill Unlocked: Instant Relief]

[Description: All consumables take effect immediately upon use.]

"OH. MY. GOD. Real relief! Legendary moves restored! Legendary knee saved!"

He exclaimed, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet despite the pain lingering faintly. The combination of LootSense and Instant Relief made him feel almost invincible.

"This is really like a game. Is this what the system gives me because I was a player of this game? Oh shit—I freaking love this!"

He breathed, bending his knee and even hopping once, smiling wide. He patted his bag as the empty bottle vanished into his inventory and then sobered.

[Bottle Of Painkillers Acquired: x1]

With that, the system ended his tutorial mission.

[MISSION COMPLETE: Gathered the Essential Items]

Sid let out a long breath and leaned back against the wall.

"Finally. Food, medicine, and water. The second tutorial grind is done baby!"

He pushed himself up to his feet and started toward the exit, legs heavy but steady. For once, he thought maybe luck wasn’t completely against him.

He bolted toward the exit, heart pumping and legs suddenly light thanks to the Instant Relief skill. His knee no longer throbbed, each step smooth and full of confidence. The sunlight outside was already weakening, long streaks of orange and purple stretching across the horizon.

"Alright... daylight’s leaving. Time to hustle before this place becomes a nightmare playground."