Kael's heart hammered in his chest as he led Mira through the narrow, debris choked hallway. The world outside their apartment was a cacophony of sirens, monstrous howls, and the distant crackle of fire. Every step felt like a gamble one wrong move, and the monsters prowling the ruined city would find them.
He kept the kitchen knife gripped tightly in his right hand, the blade still sticky with Gremlin blood. The sensation was both familiar and alien. In his past life, he'd wielded swords forged by master smiths, weapons that sang in his hands. Now, he clutched a battered piece of steel, scavenged from a kitchen drawer. But the resolve in his chest was the same.
Mira followed close, her breath coming in short, frightened bursts. She was trying to be brave, but Kael could see the terror in her eyes. He remembered her as a child, chasing fireflies in the palace gardens. Now, she was a survivor in a world gone mad.
They reached the stairwell. The door was ajar, hanging crooked on its hinges. Kael peered down the dark shaft, senses straining. The building groaned around them, every sound amplified by the silence of fear.
"Stay behind me," he whispered. Mira nodded, clutching her backpack to her chest.
They descended, Kael moving with careful, measured steps. His new skill Gremlin's Guile made his movements lighter, quieter. He could feel the difference, a subtle shift in balance and awareness. It was as if the world itself had slowed, giving him just enough time to react.
On the third floor landing, a body sprawled across the tiles a neighbor, Mr. Han, his face twisted in a rictus of terror. Kael forced himself not to look away. Death was everywhere now, and sentimentality would only get them killed.
A low growl echoed from below. Kael froze, pressing Mira back against the wall. Shadows flickered at the edge of his vision. He risked a glance down the stairwell.
A pair of glowing red eyes stared back at him.
The creature was hunched and wiry, its skin a mottled green. Another Gremlin, but larger than the one he'd killed upstairs. It sniffed the air, lips peeling back to reveal jagged teeth.
Kael's mind raced. He had no armor, no backup. Just a knife, a frightened girl, and the faint echo of a king's courage.
The Gremlin lunged.
Kael met it head-on, sidestepping at the last moment. The knife flashed, slicing across the creature's arm. It shrieked, claws raking the air. Kael ducked, driving his shoulder into its chest. The Gremlin staggered, but recovered quickly, slashing at his face.
He twisted, letting the blade lead. The knife found the creature's throat. Hot blood sprayed his hand. The Gremlin gurgled, then collapsed, twitching.
A blue window flickered before his eyes.
**[YOU HAVE SLAIN: GREMLIN (F)]**
**[XP GAINED: 20]**
**[MONSTER CORE OBTAINED!]**
**[DEVOUR? Y/N]**
Kael didn't hesitate. **Yes.**
The rush of energy was less intense than the first time, but still exhilarating. His body felt lighter, his reflexes sharper. He could almost sense the world around him the creak of the stairs, the flutter of Mira's heartbeat, the distant roar of something massive outside.
He wiped the blade on his jeans, then turned to Mira. "We keep moving. Quietly."
They reached the ground floor without further incident. The lobby was a ruin glass shattered, furniture overturned, blood smeared across the walls. The front doors hung open, swinging in the wind.
Kael paused, scanning the street beyond. Fires burned in the distance, casting the city in a hellish glow. Shadows moved between the wrecked cars and fallen streetlights. He could see other survivors some running, some fighting, most just trying to hide.
A notification appeared in his vision:
**[QUEST UPDATE: ESCAPE THE INFESTED ZONE]**
**[REWARD: 50 XP, RANDOM ITEM]**
He remembered the map from his old life, the layout of the city. The nearest safe zone was the old community center, now fortified by the local guild. If they could reach it, they'd have a chance.
"Stay close," he whispered to Mira. She nodded, her grip on his arm tightening.
They slipped into the night, moving from shadow to shadow. Kael's new senses warned him of danger before it struck he could hear the scrape of claws on concrete, the guttural growls of monsters hunting in the dark.
They ducked behind a burned-out van as a pack of Gremlins tore into a fallen police officer. Kael's stomach twisted, but he forced himself to look away. He couldn't save everyone. Not yet.
A scream cut through the night. Kael spun, spotting a young man barely older than Mira cornered by a hulking, wolf-like beast. Its fur was matted with blood, eyes glowing with predatory hunger.
"Help!" the boy cried, swinging a broken pipe at the creature. It batted the weapon aside, jaws snapping.
Kael didn't hesitate. "Stay here," he told Mira, then sprinted toward the fight.
The wolf lunged, but Kael slid beneath its jaws, slashing at its exposed belly. The blade bit deep, and the beast howled, whirling to face him. Kael dodged, adrenaline and his new Gremlin's Guile making his movements sharper and faster.
The wolf charged. Kael feinted left, then drove the knife into its throat. Hot blood sprayed his hands. The beast collapsed, twitching.
**[YOU HAVE SLAIN: SHADOW HOUND (E)]**
**[XP GAINED: 40]**
**[MONSTER CORE OBTAINED!]**
**[DEVOUR? Y/N]**
"Yes," Kael thought, barely pausing.
A surge of primal energy flooded him. His hearing sharpened, picking up the frantic heartbeat of the boy, the distant scuttle of Gremlins, the flutter of wings above.
**[SKILL ACQUIRED: HUNTER'S INSTINCT (PASSIVE: ENHANCED SENSES/TRACKING)]**
The boy stared at Kael, wide-eyed. "Th-thank you. I thought I was dead."
Kael wiped the blood from his hands. "What's your name?"
"Ryu. Ryu Minho." He glanced at the dead wolf, then at Kael. "Are you… one of the Awakened?"
Kael hesitated. "Something like that. Can you fight?"
Ryu shook his head, but squared his shoulders. "I can run. And I know the alleys around here. I'll help you get to the safe zone."
Kael nodded, impressed by the boy's resolve. "Good. We need to move now."
He led Ryu back to Mira, who eyed the newcomer warily. "He's with us," Kael said. "Let's go."
They moved as a unit, Kael in front, Ryu guiding from behind, Mira in the middle. The city was a warzone—monsters prowled the streets, hunting anything that moved. Kael's new senses warned him of danger before it struck, allowing them to avoid most threats.
But not all.
As they neared the community center, a group of survivors burst from a side street, pursued by a massive, hulking figure. It was twice the size of a man, its skin a mottled gray, eyes burning with mindless rage.
"An Ogre," Ryu whispered, voice trembling.
The survivors scattered, but one a girl with a bloodied arm tripped and fell. The Ogre raised a spiked club, ready to crush her.
Kael didn't think. He charged, knife flashing. The Ogre swung, but Kael ducked beneath the blow, slashing at its leg. The blade barely scratched the thick hide, but it was enough to draw the monster's attention.
It roared, swinging again. Kael rolled aside, grabbing a chunk of broken rebar from the ground. He jabbed it into the Ogre's knee, forcing it to stumble.
"Mira! Ryu! Get her out of here!" Kael shouted.
The two rushed forward, dragging the injured girl to safety.
The Ogre bellowed, swinging wildly. Kael dodged, using every ounce of his new agility. He leapt onto the monster's back, driving the knife into its neck. The Ogre howled, reaching back to grab him, but Kael twisted, yanking the blade free in a spray of blood.
The monster staggered, then collapsed, shaking the ground.
**[YOU HAVE SLAIN: OGRE (D)]**
**[XP GAINED: 100]**
**[MONSTER CORE OBTAINED!]**
**[DEVOUR? Y/N]**
Kael's vision swam as he absorbed the core. Power surged through him—his muscles burned, his skin toughened.
**[SKILL ACQUIRED: OGRE'S ENDURANCE (PASSIVE: +10% DAMAGE RESISTANCE)]**
He stumbled to his feet, breathing hard. The survivors stared at him in awe.
"Who are you?" the injured girl asked, voice trembling.
Kael glanced at Mira and Ryu, then at the burning city beyond.
"Just someone who refuses to die," he said. "Let's get inside."
They hurried to the community center, where armed guild members waved them through the barricades. Inside, the air was thick with fear and desperation, but for the first time, Kael felt a spark of hope.
He had survived the first night. But the real battle was only beginning.