Regressing Through the Apocalypse with the Third Male Lead-Chapter 19

10:00 PM

---

"Monica and Gwenette," Freyah murmured, jotting their names in her record book. "Tatay Timothy..."

She glanced at the others. "The twins, that student, Harley, and Florence..."

Each entry detailed their skills and timelines. Freyah checked her phone; since the apocalypse began, there had been no messages from her family in Bohol. Now, with internet services completely down, hope dwindled.

Sighing, she closed the record book, sealed it in a plastic bag, and placed it neatly in her backpack.

Tomorrow, they would head to the airport, as planned. Departure was set on the 19th of December.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Freyah turned toward the door as Harley opened it slowly. "Ate Freyah, can I talk to you?"

"Yes," Freyah nodded, patting the bed beside her. "What do you want to talk about?"

"You mentioned that we will leave for the airport tomorrow."

"Yes, that’s correct."

"What exactly are we going to do at the airport?"

"I plan to go to Bohol, where my family resides," Freyah explained. "There, I intend to establish the strongest fortress for the apocalypse."

"That’s incredible..." Harley looked down. "You’re like the heroes I read about."

"I only save those I can," Freyah replied. "I’m no hero. Honestly, you must have realized it by now. If you hadn’t delivered that pizza to me that night, we might never have met at all."

"And I might not survive as well," Harley said with a faint smile. "I want to stay here in the Metro."

Freyah was surprised. "Is this about your aunt?"

"Yes. I still haven’t found her," Harley said. "I know I’m being selfish at the moment. But knowing that she is out there, roaming around somewhere, I want to give her a proper rest. You don’t need to come with me this time. I know you want to see your family badly."

"I understand," Freyah sighed. "I’ll leave at the 19th. Until then, I’ll help you find your aunt and help you understand your ability so that even if we can’t find your aunt by then, you will be able to defend yourself."

Harley’s eyes widened. "Yes! Florence did mention that you said I have a skill."

{Name: Harley Johnson Role: Part-Time Delivery Boy, Junior High School Skills:

Psychic Skill: Locked

Physical Skill: Speed Application

Soul Skill: Locked}

"It’s in the manual I gave you. Have you not read it yet?"

Harley smiled sheepishly. "Right. I forgot about that."

"Follow me outside," Freyah grinned. When it comes to practicing physical skills, there’s one way to learn it fast.

***

Moments later...

"There are three types of skills a person can have. First is the Psychic Skill, which allows you to control things using your mind."

"Just like Tatay Timothy!" Harley shouted enthusiastically. He was running laps around Freyah’s front yard, his energy boundless. Freyah, on the other hand, sat comfortably on a bench, occasionally glancing at her phone.

"That’s correct," Freyah confirmed.

"Next is the Physical Skill. That’s the type of skill you have right now—Speed Application. I’m not entirely sure how it works because I only know its name, not the details of its functionality."

"Then how do I use it?" Harley asked, finishing his third lap but showing no signs of slowing down.

"Physical Skills rely on your body’s movement. You need to be actively engaged, unlike Psychic Skills, which don’t require physical activity. To use it, you’ll need to understand the principle behind your ability. Your body will guide you—it’s almost instinctual."

"And how do I understand its principle?" Harley pressed, his curiosity matching his stamina.

"No one can tell you exactly how. Your body will reveal it to you naturally, almost like it’s teaching you itself," Freyah explained. "That’s how I learned to use mine. Most others discover their abilities in the same way. But since we already know the name of your ability, it’ll help us figure it out more quickly."

"Is that why you’re making me run?" Harley asked, a hint of realization in his voice.

"Exactly," Freyah replied. "We’re starting by applying your skill to running. Activating your ability works the same way for all skill types but you must do something on where you can apply it. Imagine a light surrounding your entire body right now. Absorb that light and let it flow throughout you—from your head, down to your chest and arms, all the way to your legs and feet. Keep running while you do this. Don’t stop."

Harley did as he was told. When he closed his eyes, he could see a light surrounding him.

Absorb. Absorb.

As if his body were starved for it, the light was drawn toward him, flooding his entire being. Almost immediately, a warm sensation coursed through his veins like a rushing stream.

"Control it from your head to your feet!" Freyah yelled.

Control. Control.

Harley focused, guiding the light through his body. It flowed to his mind, down his face, then spread to his chest, arms, stomach, legs, and feet. In that moment, his entire body felt wrapped in a cocoon of warmth and light.

---

Speed Application.

The knowledge of his newfound skill unfolded in his mind as if it had always been there:

You can apply Speed Application to anything you touch, whether it is living or nonliving. The speed can range from -1000 m/s to +1000 m/s. To use it, you must state the exact amount of speed you wish to apply. The effect can be canceled at will, even without physical contact.

---

It was an enlightenment. Harley absorbed the principles of his skill effortlessly.

He opened his eyes, halting in his tracks as he caught his breath.

"How is it?" Freyah asked.

"I think I understand how it works now," Harley replied, determination glinting in his eyes.

He reached down and touched both of his legs. "2 m/s," he said confidently.

Immediately, he began running, his speed noticeably faster than before. The wind whipped past him, and his feet barely seemed to touch the ground.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Stop!"

He skidded to a halt, panting but grinning wide with amazement.

Freyah looked down at her phone, her grin mirroring his. "It used to take you two minutes to complete a half-kilometer lap. This time, it only took you thirty seconds." She held up her phone to show the timer.

Harley’s grin widened. "I really have powers now!"

"Yes, you do. Congratulations," Freyah said, standing up with a proud smile. She raised her fist, and Harley eagerly bumped it with his own.

"Thank you, Ate Freyah."

---

Florence stood silently, observing from the rooftop. His eyes shifted between the manual in his hands and the scene below—Freyah and Harley talking. He had been watching everything unfold from this vantage point.

"You should clean yourself up and rest," Freyah said.

"Yes, I will," Harley replied before the two of them headed back into the house.

Florence remained outside, flipping through the manual. ’I can’t ignore the similarities. The light they see is like an aura. The way they activate it is almost the same. But this so-called ’enlightenment,’ which happens within seconds of awakening—that’s different.’ His mind continuously flooded with thoughts.

"These similarities to my world... Are they just coincidences?" He muttered.

His grip on the manual tightened as he recalled Tatay Timothy’s demonstrations. "I’ll keep observing for now. If I find my answers, this could be the key to figuring out how to return to my world."

Meanwhile, Freyah returned to her room, resuming her notes in her record book.

---

The next day...

December 18, 2024

8 a.m.

"Wow. If I didn’t know better, I’d think my house had been ransacked," Freyah muttered, surveying her now empty home. "We could’ve left the furniture and appliances, at least."

Tatay Timothy let out a hearty laugh. "Let’s take everything! Who knows? We might find a use for it somewhere."

"You do realize we already have enough supplies to fill a mall, right?" Freyah raised an eyebrow. "I really wonder just how much your storage can hold."

"You don’t know?" Tatay Timothy looked surprised.

"Not exactly. I understand how the skill works," Freyah replied, though she kept her thoughts to herself. You explained it to me in my past life, but you never mentioned its full capacity.

"I see." Tatay Timothy stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Well, to be honest, I don’t know either!" He burst into laughter. "But for now, the greenfield is still pretty spacious."

"How convenient," Freyah remarked, a hint of envy in her tone. "I’m jealous of that skill."

"You don’t need to be! We’re in this together," Tatay Timothy said with another laugh.

"Lolo! Ate Freyah! Let’s go!" Cheral called out from the gate.

"Alright, alright!" Tatay Timothy responded, stepping outside.

Freyah took one last look at her house. This was the home she had worked so hard to buy, one she hadn’t even finished paying off.

How ironic. She had been overjoyed when she first moved in. Now, she felt the same joy at the thought of leaving it behind.

Her mind was focused on something else—seeing her family in Bohol.

In this life, fear and doubt no longer clouded her decisions. For the first time, she clearly saw the path she wanted to take.

Turning away, she stepped outside, where a black van waited in the garage. The others were already calling out to her.

"Freyah, hurry up!" Monica and Gwenette yelled from the van.

In this life, she wasn’t alone anymore.

"Coming!" Freyah shouted back, breaking into a run toward the van.

---

Terminologies:

Ate: A Filipino term of respect used to address an elder sister or an older woman.

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