Chapter 14 – The Road to City Hall
The first rays of sunlight broke through the smoke-covered sky.
For the first time since the apocalypse began, Elysia saw a new day.
Unfortunately...
Nothing else had changed.
Monster corpses littered the streets.
Burning buildings continued to collapse.
Abandoned cars blocked nearly every road.
The world outside the shopping mall remained a battlefield.
Inside, however, hope was slowly returning.
People prepared breakfast using portable gas stoves found in camping stores. Volunteers distributed bottled water while doctors treated the injured.
Azrael looked over the bustling atrium before turning to Seraphina.
"They’re doing better than I expected."
She smiled.
"They’ve stopped thinking about surviving one minute at a time."
"Now they’re thinking about tomorrow."
Elena walked toward them wearing a new black combat jacket she had obtained from the Dungeon rewards.
"Everyone’s ready."
Azrael nodded.
"Let’s hear the plan."
A holographic map of Elysia appeared as Elena opened her System.
A blinking marker highlighted the shopping mall.
Another blinked over City Hall.
Between them...
Hundreds of red dots covered the streets.
"Those are monster concentrations," Elena explained.
"The System updates them every few minutes."
Azrael frowned.
"So the direct route is impossible."
"Exactly."
She pointed to a narrow path running through residential districts.
"If we go this way, we’ll avoid most of the larger nests."
Seraphina noticed another symbol.
"What’s the gold marker?"
Elena smiled.
"A supply cache."
"The System occasionally generates them."
Azrael grinned.
"So we can get stronger on the way."
Before anyone could move, the little boy from yesterday ran toward Azrael again.
"Mister!"
He saluted awkwardly.
"My mom said this belongs to you."
He held out a folded black cloth.
Azrael unfolded it.
Inside was a simple black scarf.
"The sewing group made it."
"They wanted to thank you."
Azrael blinked.
"You made this?"
The boy nodded proudly.
"Everyone helped."
Azrael wrapped the scarf around his neck.
"It looks good on you," Seraphina said with a smile.
Elena crossed her arms.
"It actually does."
Azrael chuckled.
"Guess I have to come back alive now."
"You already had to," Seraphina replied.
The little boy grinned before running back to his mother.
The moment he disappeared into the crowd, the System chimed.
Hidden Reward
Because of your actions, the survivors have placed their trust in you.
Faith Points Unlocked
Current Faith: 27
Description:
Faith is earned by protecting, inspiring, and leading others.
Future features locked.
Azrael tilted his head.
"Faith?"
Seraphina read the description.
"So not everything is gained by killing monsters."
"I like that."
Elena looked thoughtful.
"I’ve never seen this feature before."
Azrael shrugged.
"Maybe everyone’s System isn’t exactly the same."
"That would explain a lot."
Thirty minutes later...
The three of them stood outside the mall entrance.
The golden barrier shimmered behind them.
Several survivors waved goodbye.
"Please come back safely!"
"We’ll keep the shelter secure!"
Azrael gave a confident nod.
"We will."
As the barrier closed behind them, the atmosphere changed instantly.
The city felt unnaturally quiet.
Only distant explosions and occasional monster roars disturbed the silence.
They had barely walked two streets before Seraphina stopped.
"What is it?"
She pointed toward a collapsed apartment building.
"I heard someone."
The three carefully approached.
Faint cries echoed beneath the rubble.
"Help..."
"Please..."
Azrael immediately began lifting chunks of concrete.
Elena joined him while Seraphina strengthened the remaining supports with Genesis energy.
After several minutes...
They pulled out a teenage girl and an elderly man.
The girl burst into tears.
"I thought..."
"I thought no one was coming."
Seraphina smiled gently.
"You’re safe now."
The System appeared.
Side Quest Completed
Rescue Survivors
+100 Evolution Points
+5 Faith
Azrael looked at the new total.
Faith: 32
"It keeps increasing."
Elena nodded.
"I wonder what it’s used for."
"We’ll find out eventually."
They escorted the rescued pair toward the shopping mall before continuing their journey.
An hour later...
The trio reached a small shopping district.
Most stores had already been looted.
Broken glass covered the sidewalks.
Suddenly...
Azrael raised a hand.
"Stop."
Three figures walked out from a nearby alley.
Unlike ordinary survivors...
Each carried weapons.
One held a baseball bat reinforced with metal spikes.
Another carried two hunting knives.
The tallest rested a fire axe over his shoulder.
All three possessed visible System windows.
The leader smirked.
"Well..."
"Looks like we found other Awakened."
Azrael remained calm.
"We’re just passing through."
"So are we."
The man’s gaze shifted toward Seraphina.
Then Elena.
A greedy smile appeared on his face.
"You’ve got some nice equipment."
Elena’s expression instantly turned cold.
"I don’t like where this is going."
The System identified them.
Awakened Humans
Leader
Level 4
Name: Marcus
Threat Assessment:
Hostile
Marcus tapped the fire axe against his shoulder.
"Hand over your equipment."
"And your Evolution Points."
"We’ll let you leave."
Azrael sighed.
"I was hoping people would wait at least a week before becoming bandits."
Marcus laughed.
"This isn’t banditry."
"This is survival."
His companions spread out, attempting to surround them.
Seraphina frowned.
"They’re humans."
Azrael understood what she meant.
Neither of them wanted to kill another person.
Marcus mistook their hesitation for fear.
"Smart choice."
"Now drop your weapons."
Azrael slowly drew the Oblivion Iron Sword.
"I’m afraid..."
"...that’s not happening."
Marcus’s smile vanished.
"So be it."
He charged.
His fire axe swung toward Azrael’s head.
Azrael sidestepped effortlessly.
Marcus was strong.
But compared to the Crimson Devourer...
He was slow.
Very slow.
Azrael struck the side of the axe with his sword.
CLANG!
The weapon flew out of Marcus’s hands.
Before he could react, Azrael’s blade rested against his throat.
The entire exchange lasted less than three seconds.
Marcus froze.
His companions immediately backed away.
Azrael looked directly into Marcus’s eyes.
"I don’t want to kill you."
"So listen carefully."
He lowered the sword.
"There are monsters everywhere."
"If humans start hunting each other now..."
"We’ll never survive long enough to see tomorrow."
Marcus stared silently at the ground.
For the first time...
He realized the gap between them.
These weren’t ordinary Awakened.
They had defeated things far beyond his imagination.
Azrael stepped back.
"Leave."
Marcus slowly picked up his axe.
Instead of attacking again...
He bowed his head.
"...I’m sorry."
He turned toward his companions.
"We’re leaving."
As the three disappeared down another street, Seraphina smiled.
"You could’ve finished it."
Azrael shook his head.
"If people can change..."
"They deserve the chance."
Elena looked at him with quiet admiration.
"You really are different."
Before Azrael could answer, every System window flashed crimson.
Regional Event
A Supply Drop has landed.
Location:
Central Plaza
Distance:
600 Meters
Warning:
Multiple Awakened are converging on the location.
Azrael looked toward the distant plume of golden light rising into the sky.
"A supply drop..."
Elena smiled.
"Looks like we’re not the only ones heading there."
Seraphina adjusted the strap of her staff across her back.
"Then we’d better get moving."
None of them noticed the figure watching from the rooftop of a nearby skyscraper.
A man dressed in silver armor folded his arms as a pair of radiant white wings slowly disappeared behind him.
Unlike the Fallen Arbiter...
Unlike the monsters...
He looked completely human.
He smiled as he watched the three walk away.
"So..."
"The Heirs of Genesis and Oblivion."
"It seems Lord Michael’s prophecy was correct."
He stepped off the edge of the skyscraper.
Instead of falling...
He simply floated downward, disappearing into the morning mist.
Their paths were destined to cross sooner than any of them realized.