The air that morning was still and heavy—too still for a city that once lived.
The group stepped out of the half-collapsed convenience store, boots crunching over glass and ash. The wind carried the faint smell of burnt metal and something faintly sweet, like ozone after a lightning strike.
Kuhaku shielded his eyes from the red haze above. The sky hadn't cleared; it only deepened, its color bleeding into the ruined streets like the world itself was wounded.
Behind him, Kiana stretched her arms with a groan.
"Man, it's like we're walking through a furnace. I miss air-conditioning already."
Bronya adjusted the strap of her bag, her voice calm as always.
"Temperature fluctuations are within tolerable range. Complaint unnecessary."
"That's not the point!" Kiana snapped, glaring.
Mei smiled faintly, though her eyes remained cautious, scanning the empty road ahead. "Let's keep moving. Standing still won't help."
Kuhaku nodded and started forward. The road stretched ahead—cracked and broken, lined with half-melted cars and buildings reduced to ribs of steel. Nothing moved. Not even birds.
⸻
As they walked, he opened his System again.
The familiar blue light shimmered before his eyes, calm and cold against the apocalyptic backdrop.
[Free Points: 6]
He had been staring at those numbers since yesterday. The system felt both alien and intuitive—like it was waiting for him to make a choice.
After remembering how easily those creatures tore through his classmates, the answer came naturally.
"Guess being stronger can't hurt," he muttered.
He selected Strength, tapping six times.
The screen pulsed once.
Heat flooded his chest, racing through his arms, settling into his muscles. It wasn't painful—just strange. Like his body had been asleep and was only now remembering how to move.
His breathing felt heavier, deeper.
He clenched his hand. The faint tremor in his fingers stopped.
I'll test it later, he thought, dismissing the screen.
⸻
Kiana was next to speak, holding up her own faint display.
"Alright, I'm going all in on Strength. If one punch worked before, six should be way better!"
Mei sighed softly. "That's not how math—or survival—works."
Bronya thought for a moment. "Stat allocation complete. Two points each to Intelligence and Sense. Balanced. Efficient."
"Efficiently boring," Kiana muttered.
Kuhaku smirked. "At least she'll live longer."
"Probability suggests otherwise," Bronya replied flatly.
Kiana grumbled something under her breath, but even that faint normalcy—their teasing, the rhythm of conversation—made the silence of the dead city feel a little less suffocating.
⸻
They walked several blocks before Bronya suddenly slowed her pace.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. She didn't say anything, just lifted her hand in front of her face as though reaching for something invisible.
Kiana blinked. "Uh, what are you doing? Practicing airbending?"
No response. Bronya's brow furrowed; a faint red glint reflected in her gray eyes.
Then—fwoosh.
A small flame flickered to life above her palm.
Kuhaku froze mid-step. Mei gasped softly.
The fire danced quietly in the air, hovering over her hand like it had a will of its own.
Kiana's jaw dropped. "Holy crap—are you serious?! You just—lit up!"
Bronya tilted her head, as calm as ever. "Correction. I have manifested a skill."
[Skill Unlocked: Pyro Control Lv.1]
Kiana immediately tried to imitate her, clapping her hands dramatically.
"Alright! My turn! Fireball! Flame fist! Flaming—uh—justice!"
Nothing happened.
Mei gave it a try, focusing quietly—but all she produced was a faint shimmer of light that vanished instantly.
Kuhaku frowned, holding his hand up as well. He could feel something—like static under his skin—but nothing formed.
Maybe his body wasn't tuned for this.
"Guess I'm too dumb for fire," he muttered, dismissing the thought. "Maybe if I bump Intelligence next time…"
Kiana crossed her arms. "So Bronya gets superpowers first? Unfair."
Bronya's lips twitched, almost smiling. "Skill manifestation: based on affinity. Not favoritism."
"That's exactly what favoritism sounds like!"
Their banter was cut short by a sudden change in the air.
⸻
The wind died. The temperature dropped.
Bronya's expression hardened immediately. "Movement ahead. Large."
Mei tensed, scanning the streets. "Direction?"
"Northwest. Rapid approach."
Kuhaku glanced around, spotting a nearby house still standing.
"Inside. Move!"
They rushed into the ruined structure—walls cracked, windows shattered, but sturdy enough to hide.
Dust stirred with every breath they took.
Kiana crouched beside Kuhaku, gripping her pipe tightly.
"Please tell me it's not one of those things from before."
Bronya didn't answer. Her eyes glowed faintly, scanning the air. "No. Larger."
⸻
Then, the sound.
Thump.
Thump.
Each step felt like the earth itself groaned beneath the weight.
A shadow passed the broken window—a massive silhouette that swallowed the street.
Through the gaps in the wall, they caught glimpses of its shape:
It walked upright, almost humanoid but impossibly tall—three stories at least.
Black armor covered its body, webbed with glowing red fissures.
Long, blade-like tendrils sprouted from its back, swaying as it moved.
The air warped around it; its mere presence pressed down on them like an invisible storm.
Kuhaku's lungs froze. He didn't breathe. None of them did.
The creature stopped just outside the house.
For a long moment, the world went silent—no sound but the slow rumble of its breathing.
Then, it moved again, continuing down the street.
The ground shook with each step until it disappeared into the distance.
Only when it was gone did Kuhaku finally exhale.
His throat was dry. His body trembled—not from weakness, but pure instinctual fear.
Mei whispered, voice barely audible. "That wasn't… the same as before."
Bronya nodded slightly. "Power level far beyond prior entities. Direct conflict equals annihilation."
Kiana shivered. "So… we're definitely not fighting that one, right?"
Kuhaku gave a weak laugh. "Not unless someone invents nukes."
The silence that followed wasn't comforting—it was heavy, full of realization.
Whatever they thought they understood about this new world, it was only the beginning.
⸻
End of Chapter 1 – Part 10