Meanwhile...
The situation inside the small shop grew worse with every passing minute.
Several people had begun to fall sick. Some wrapped their arms around themselves as chills ran through their bodies, while others shivered uncontrollably. The food supplies had long since run out, and hunger was beginning to consume everyone's hope.
The silence didn't last.
"We have powers now... don't we?"
"Should we keep hiding?"
"Maybe we should check outside."
"We can protect ourselves... right?"
The room filled with nervous whispers.
Sitting quietly across from them, the bearded man listened to every word. Without saying anything, he slowly lifted his head and looked at the ceiling.
Crack...
The roof groaned under pressure.
If another one of those monsters crawled across it...
The entire building would collapse.
Ivan, a tall and heavy-built man, exchanged a glance with Xavier before stepping forward.
"Everyone!" Ivan shouted. "If one more monster climbs onto this roof, this place is going to collapse! We have to leave before we're trapped!"
The room instantly became chaotic.
Some agreed.
Most refused.
They all knew Ivan was right.
But the monsters outside terrified them even more than the collapsing building.
The argument only grew louder...
Until the bearded man finally spoke.
"I think we should leave," he said calmly. "If this building falls, anyone without a System will die under the rubble. Personally... I'd rather search for a safer place than wait here to be buried alive."
The room fell silent.
Ivan had heard enough.
"I don't care if any of you come," he snapped. "I'm leaving."
He turned toward the exit.
"Wait!"
A short, dark-skinned young man hurried after him.
"We're coming too."
Ivan glanced back. Although still irritated, he felt slightly relieved that someone had made a decision.
"Everyone. Stay in a single line and follow me."
Taking a deep breath, Ivan slowly opened the door.
He carefully looked around before slipping outside and pressing himself against the wall. After checking every direction for monsters, he signaled for everyone else to follow.
One by one, they quietly left the building.
Ivan led the group through the deserted streets, staying low and keeping watch from every angle.
After several minutes of careful walking, they spotted a large grocery store with its metal shutters completely closed.
Ivan pointed toward it.
"See those shutters?" he whispered to Xavier.
"There might be survivors inside."
The group cautiously approached.
Ivan knocked softly.
"Hello? Is anyone inside?"
Silence.
Just as they were about to give up, a deep voice echoed from behind the shutters.
The bearded man's eyes widened.
He immediately stepped forward.
"Hey, dumbasses! Open up! It's me, Rust!"
His loud voice echoed across the street.
Ivan and Xavier nearly panicked.
They instantly covered his mouth.
"ARE YOU STUPID?!" Ivan whispered furiously.
"ARE YOU TRYING TO GET US ALL KILLED?!"
Rust simply stared at them with an annoyed expression.
Something about his confidence made Ivan instinctively step back.
Moments later...
The shutters slowly rose.
Inside stood five people.
Most of them were elderly men.
Only one was a woman.
The moment the opening was large enough, Rust casually walked inside and stood beside the woman.
The others attempted to enter—
Click.
A Glock was aimed directly at them.
Ivan glared at Rust.
"Tell them to let us in!"
Ignoring him, Rust leaned toward the woman and whispered something into her ear.
She smiled.
Then raised a hand.
The guard reluctantly lowered his gun.
"But, ma'am," he protested, "we don't have enough supplies for this many people."
The instant those words left his mouth...
An overwhelming wave of killing intent exploded throughout the building.
Everyone collapsed to their knees.
Some without Systems were forced flat onto the floor.
Only Ivan...
...and Clay...
remained standing, though both struggled to keep their balance.
The woman's eyes glowed a brilliant gold.
Her smile widened unnaturally.
"Come in."
The killing intent vanished instantly.
Everyone gasped for air.
"Come in," she repeated sweetly.
No one dared refuse.
Terrified, they stepped inside.
The woman gestured toward Rust.
"Take them upstairs."
Rust nodded.
"Second floor. Move."
As everyone reluctantly climbed the stairs, Ivan looked back.
The guard was kneeling before the woman...
As though begging for forgiveness.
The next second—
His head exploded.
Blood splattered across the floor.
Before Ivan could react, the others pushed him upstairs.
A short while later...
Everyone had been tied up against a wall.
Rust laughed.
"Stay quiet."
"If you make noise, you're dead."
"If you annoy Boss, you're dead."
"If you lie..."
"You're dead."
"So keep your mouths shut."
Laughing to himself, he left.
The room immediately exploded into arguments.
Everyone blamed Ivan.
"This is your fault!"
"We would've been safer if we'd stayed!"
"You led us here!"
Only Xavier stood beside him.
"He only did what he thought was right!"
No one listened.
Ivan simply lowered his head.
Then...
The door opened.
An old man carrying a wooden club slowly entered.
His eyes wandered across everyone...
Until they stopped on the girls.
Xavier's face darkened.
"Hey!"
"Where the hell are you looking, you old creep?!"
The old man's expression twisted with rage.
"You little bastard!"
He rushed forward.
BAM!
His kick slammed directly into Xavier's face.
Xavier crashed onto the floor.
Even then...
He glared back defiantly.
That only made the old man angrier.
Kick.
Kick.
Kick.
He repeatedly stomped on Xavier while everyone begged him to stop.
Ivan remained frozen.
The sound of Xavier's screams echoed throughout the room.
Then...
Someone laughed.
Everyone turned.
It was Clay.
The old man's face turned crimson with fury.
"You think this is funny?!"
He grabbed Clay by the collar.
"I was already planning to kill someone..."
"...now I'll make sure it's painful."
His eyes glowed a deep crimson.
Clay simply smiled.
The old man dragged him downstairs.
As they passed Ivan...
He suddenly struck Ivan's chin with his heel, forcing him to look toward Clay.
At that exact moment...
A rope quietly fell onto the floor.
Clay casually spread his arms.
Hidden in his hand...
Was a small knife.
Ivan's eyes widened.
It was the very same knife Aqua had used when he first threatened Rust.
Clay silently tossed it toward him before disappearing downstairs.
Ivan immediately cut through his ropes.
Then Xavier's.
Then everyone else's.
Looking closely, he realized Xavier was badly injured.
Just then, a girl with a pink hair clip stepped forward.
"Hey... Ivan..."
"My power..."
"It's healing."
"I can heal him."
Ivan looked at her in surprise.
"Please."
She nodded and placed her hands on Xavier.
A warm light covered his body.
Moments later...
Xavier slowly opened his eyes.
"...Is this heaven..."
"...or hell?"
Ivan couldn't help laughing.
Then he remembered Clay.
His smile disappeared.
"Everyone..."
"I know I'm the last person you want to listen to..."
"But please stay here until we find a way out."
Without waiting for a reply...
He quietly made his way downstairs.
Peeking through the railing...
He saw several old men surrounding Clay.
The woman stepped forward.
"These kids aren't worth my time."
"My level is already high enough."
"And I still need my servant."
"You can have him."
The old men bowed.
"As you wish."
Once she left, all of them turned toward Clay.
Ivan slowly descended the stairs, using the couch nearby as cover while the men argued.
"I'm the Boss's guard! I deserve the kill!"
"No! I'm her most trusted servant!"
"I'm taking the experience!"
Clay remained silent.
Head lowered.
Ivan's eyes began glowing yellow.
Like a predator stalking its prey.
Now.
He lunged.
The knife pierced the nearest man's throat.
At the exact same moment—
Xavier drove another knife into a second man's back.
Clay exploded into action.
He punched the man holding him, twisted his wrist, stole the Glock, shot another man, then shoved the barrel into the final man's mouth.
Bang.
Silence.
"You okay, Clay?" Ivan asked.
Clay nodded.
Xavier immediately shouted,
"Everyone! Run!"
The captives rushed downstairs.
Ivan threw open the shutters.
"That restaurant!"
He pointed across the street.
"Go!"
Everyone sprinted outside.
Suddenly.. The corpses stood back up.
Headless.
Throats torn open.
Their eyes had turned completely white.
The employee-only door opened.
The woman stepped out, covered in blood.
She smiled.
"Haha..."
"You killed them surprisingly easily."
"I suppose..."
"I'll have to give you a stronger opponent."
She waved a hand.
The headless old man rushed toward Ivan.
Ivan dodged one punch.
Then another.
Then a third.
Suddenly...
Its speed doubled.
Before he could react—
BOOM!
A kick slammed into his chest.
Ivan flew across the grocery store, smashing through shelves before crashing into a wall hard enough to leave a crater.
He collapsed unconscious.
"IVAN!"
Clay rushed toward him.
Meanwhile, Xavier attacked another undead servant.
Punch after punch.
Kick after kick.
Nothing landed cleanly.
The creature effortlessly dodged every attack before striking Xavier with a powerful punch.
Then...
It vanished.
Appearing directly in front of him.
Just as it attacked—
BOOM!!
The wall exploded inward.
Smoke and debris filled the grocery store.
Both Xavier and the undead were thrown backward.
As the dust slowly settled...
Two familiar figures stepped through the rubble.
Abu.
And Aqua.
Aqua looked around at the chaos before letting out a sigh.
"I knew you idiots wouldn't listen to me..."
"So I came back just in case."
A faint grin spread across his face.
"Looks like I was right."