The first week passed in a blur.
For the first time since the world had ended, survivors found themselves waking to the sound of work instead of screams. The dome that surrounded the shelter still shimmered faintly under the rising sun, reminding everyone of its ticking countdown. Twenty-two days of protection remained. After that, Myth would stand on its own against the chaos outside.
But in that one week, something remarkable had happened. The shelter was no longer just rubble.
Buildings had begun to rise, crude but sturdy. Streets were cleared of broken stone. Makeshift farms had been planted in open lots, watered by buckets filled at the glittering Cascading Starlight Fountain. The Faction Tower — three meters tall and pulsing with faint silver light — now stood at the heart of it all, humming softly as if alive.
And for many survivors, like Dale, life had begun to change.
Dale adjusted the strap of his worn backpack as he made his way down the uneven street. He had been an ordinary college student before the world fell apart. Now, he was something else — a fighter, a survivor, and, as of yesterday, an official Member of Myth.
The bracelet on his wrist gleamed faintly as he walked.
[Name: Dale]
[Faction: Myth — Member]
[Credits: 200]
[Position: Member]
Two hundred Credits. It wasn't much, but for him, it felt like a fortune. Becoming a Member had changed everything. He no longer felt like a useless hanger-on. He had authority, recognition, and most importantly, a way to grow stronger.
Ahead, the Faction Tower loomed, simple in design but already commanding respect. Made from scavenged steel reinforced by Dare's nanomancy, it glowed with lines of light that pulsed like veins. The doors were tall, and every time they opened, survivors came out with expressions of determination.
Dale's heart raced as he stepped inside.
The interior of the Tower was bright, lit by strips of glowing metal. At the centre stood a large screen, constantly updating with missions. Several people stood in line, whispering among themselves as they read the list.
Dale craned his neck to see.
[Available Missions]
-Assist in Powerleveling unevolved fighters (Reward: 80 Credits)
-Aid in the construction of new shelters (Reward: 50 Credits daily meal bonus)
-Patrol inner streets for security (Reward: 60 Credits)
-Hunt Nulls outside the dome boundary (Reward: 200 Credits per confirmed kill + bonus loot)
Dale's eyes locked onto the last one. Hunt Nulls.
Dangerous, yes. Everyone knew what Nulls were — distorted monsters, fragments of the apocalypse itself. Even with the dome, they prowled just outside its edge, waiting. Hunting them meant risk.
But two hundred Credits per kill…
His bracelet hummed faintly as if it, too, wanted him to choose. Dale swallowed. He had evolved during the first batch, when the Constellations revealed themselves. He had contracted with the Constellation of Fire, and with it came strength, speed, and a burning will.
He clenched his fists. I can do this.
Stepping forward, he pressed his bracelet against the glowing panel beside the mission board. A faint light scanned him, and the mission locked in.
[Mission Accepted: Hunt Nulls at the Dome Perimeter]
[Reward: 200 Credits per confirmed kill]
The other survivors glanced at him. Some with respect. Others with pity. Few dared take that mission.
Dale simply smiled faintly and walked out.
The dome shimmered as he approached its edge. Beyond it stretched the wasteland — broken streets, collapsed buildings, and shadows that seemed too deep.
The moment he stepped out, the air changed. It was colder, heavier, filled with the faint stench of rot and ash.
And then he heard it.
A distorted growl, low and broken, like a radio signal tearing apart. From behind a toppled car, a Null emerged.
Its body was twisted, almost humanoid, but its flesh rippled like liquid. Its face had no features — just a hole that screamed instead of spoke.
Dale's bracelet pulsed faintly, recording the mission in real time.
He took a deep breath. Fire coiled around his fists, faint orange flames licking his skin. Contracting with the Constellation of Fire had changed him. His body was tougher, faster. His strikes carried burning power.
The Null shrieked, its voice stabbing into his skull.
Dale charged.
The Null lunged first, its arms elongating unnaturally like whips. Dale ducked, rolling beneath the strike. Flames burst around his fists as he slammed one into the creature's side.
The impact shook his bones. The Null's body sizzled, flesh hissing as the fire burned it. But it didn't stop.
The monster twisted, its faceless head snapping toward him, and its arm lashed again. Dale raised his forearm, fire hardening around it like armour, and blocked. The force sent him skidding back, boots scraping across asphalt.
'It's stronger than I thought.'
He steadied himself, then dashed forward again. This time, he let the fire spread across his whole body, sparks dancing across his clothes. His Constellation's power was limited, but in short bursts, it was devastating.
"Burn!" Dale roared, driving his flaming fist into the Null's chest.
The flames erupted, engulfing the creature. It writhed and shrieked, its distorted body melting under the heat.
Finally, it collapsed, twitching once before turning into golden particles that entered his body, leaving behind a red orb.
Dale stood panting, smoke rising from his fists.
He picked up the orb as his bracelet blinked.
[Mission Progress: Null slain +200 Credits]
[Total Credits: 400]
A grin spread across his face. He had done it. Alone, without backup.
For the first time since the world ended, he felt proud.
The dome shimmered again as Dale stepped back inside. Immediately, the air felt warmer, cleaner. Behind him, the wasteland waited. But ahead, life thrived.
He paused, taking in the changes.
In just one week, the shelter had transformed.
Where rubble once lay, houses now stood — rough, mismatched, but standing. Makeshift gardens spread across open spaces, watered daily by runners carrying buckets from the fountain. Smoke curled from cooking fires, filling the air with the scent of roasted meat.
Men hauled beams and hammered nails, building new homes.
And towering over it all, the Faction Tower pulsed with steady light, its presence a constant reminder of order.
People glanced at him as he walked. They saw the smoke still clinging to his clothes, the faint burn marks on his hands, and the proud gleam in his eyes. Whispers spread.
"He hunted a Null."Alone?"He must be strong…"
Dale smiled faintly, not stopping.
He walked into the tower, the red orb in his hand. He met the young receptionist with a smile on his face, handing her the red orb. The receptionist typed away on her weird laptop, and a ping reached Dale's ears.
[+100 Credits]
[Total Credits: 500]
A wide smile appeared on his face. This was basically a small fortune, and seeing this made him feel like a rich man.
For him, this was just the beginning.
That night, Dale sat by a small fire, eating roasted bread he had bought with his new Credits. His bracelet glowed faintly, the numbers steady.
He thought of the mission, of the fire that surged within him, of the future waiting. For the first time, he didn't feel like a useless student. He was a Member of Myth, a fighter, a survivor.
And as he gazed at the Faction Tower, pulsing with silver light, Dale whispered to himself, "This is our world now. And I'll carve my place in it."
Beyond the dome, shadows stirred. Nulls prowled, waiting for the day the protection fell.
But inside, Myth grew stronger. Piece by piece. Mission by mission. Life by life.