In the end, Enzo and Rose decided to go back to the gymnasium. While Enzo was reluctant, he still needed to look at the situation at the gymnasium before taking a decision. After all, he might as well just leave them behind. It wasn't as if he needed a bunch of useless people anyway. His butterflies were much more useful.
The only problem was Rose. She was still indecisive and needed more time before taking a decision. While she wanted to help people, she wasn't a saint either. She might come from a royal family and thus had a different education from others, but she wasn't blinded by so foolish ideology.
Especially in that kind of environment. Without a doubt, she might die if she had this kind of mindset.
Moreover, kindness wasn't welcome in such worlds. And she knew it very well. Probably more than anyone else.
As they approached the gymnasium, Enzo could sense Rose's inner conflict. He knew that she carried the weight of responsibility for the people inside, but he also understood the dangers of extending help to those who wouldn't appreciate it or might even take advantage of her kindness.
"Rose, you don't have to make a decision right now," Enzo said gently, sensing her struggle. "Take the time you need to figure things out. We'll assess the situation together and see what's best for both of us."
Rose nodded, appreciating his understanding. "Thank you, Enzo. I just don't want to let anyone down, but I also don't want to put myself in danger needlessly."
As they entered the gymnasium, they were met with the same scene Rose had described earlier. Some people were lounging around lazily, while others looked frustrated, waiting for someone else to take charge. It was clear that the atmosphere lacked the unity and cooperation that was necessary for survival in this harsh world.
Rose's avatars discreetly watched over the area, providing an extra layer of security as they observed the situation. The butterflies swirled around them, a constant reminder of the strength and potential they possessed.
"I'll talk to the others and see what's going on," Rose said, her voice determined. "You stay here for now, and if something happens, just call for me."
Enzo nodded before Rose walked toward where Ren and Marie were.
While he was alone, Enzo could see that people were throwing glances at him. Some looked at him in disdain, while others were scared of him, or rather of the few butterflies around him.
'If it's not a sight to behold.' He chuckled internally. 'I saved two fourth of them, yet not a single person even recognize me? What a joke.' Even though he didn't await anything in return on the first day of the apocalypse, it was still making him a tiny bit angry that those people got used to such a peaceful lifestyle. Especially when he experienced a living hell in the dungeon of fury. 'I guess it's just a matter of time before their demise.'
As Enzo stood there, he couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. On one hand, he understood that survival in this new world required resilience and adaptability. People had to find their own ways to cope with the chaos and uncertainty. However, on the other hand, he couldn't shake off the feeling of disappointment and frustration at how quickly some had become complacent.
"Hey, you there!" A voice called out from a group of survivors sitting nearby. Enzo turned to see a man in his late thirties, with a scruffy beard and tired eyes. "What's your deal? Are you some kind of mutant or something? Those butterflies are freaky."
Enzo sighed inwardly, realizing that his appearance and the butterflies were indeed intimidating to those who hadn't seen him before. "I'm not a mutant. I have a unique ability to control butterflies," he replied calmly.
"Control butterflies? What's the use of that in this mess?" another man chimed in, smirking. "We need real firepower and strength to survive here."
"And what type of strength do you have, then?" Enzo asked, not even intimidated in the slightest by their supposed to be superiority.
Enzo's question caught the group off guard, and they exchanged uneasy glances. The man who had spoken earlier seemed taken aback by the challenge to prove himself.
"I-I'm a skilled hunter," the man stammered, trying to regain his composure. "I know how to track and kill monsters. That's the real strength."
Enzo raised an eyebrow. "Impressive. Tracking and hunting skills are valuable in this world. I can respect that." He smiled. "But don't actually think of surviving with just that in this world. You're still at the bottom of the food chain."
The man's expression shifted from surprise to a mix of annoyance and defensiveness. Enzo's straightforwardness and his confidence in his butterflies deepened their anger.
While Enzo didn't doubt that they were strong, he also didn't see anything special in them. At best, they must have killed five monsters or so. And if it was enough to be confident, what should Enzo do?
"Anyway stop wasting my time when you guys aren't even the leaders here."
"Y-you... What did you say?" A vein bulged in the man's forehead.
Enzo just shrugged and turned back in Rose's direction. If he were, to be honest, he didn't really care about the situation here. It was clear that this group would just make his survival worse than anything else. And so he was already prepared to leave this place. He just accompanied Rose to see what she will do. But she didn't need to know that, did she?
As Enzo turned away, the tension in the room escalated. The man who had claimed to be a skilled hunter took a step forward, his anger evident in his clenched fists.
"You're disrespecting us!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the gymnasium. "You think you're better than all of us with your fancy butterflies?"
Enzo didn't bother to look back at the man. He had no interest in engaging in pointless arguments or petty fights. He had seen enough conflict and death in the dungeon of fury to know that such behavior was a waste of time and energy.
"I don't think I'm better than anyone," he replied calmly. "I'm just trying to survive like the rest of you."
The man's face turned red with fury, and he charged at Enzo, ready to throw a punch. But before he could reach him, a figure stepped in between them, blocking the man's path.
"What do you think you're doing?" It was one of Rose's avatars.
"M-miss Rose, he's disrespecting us. He thinks that he's better than us with his useless butterflies. How many monsters did he fight, huh? I bet he doesn't have a single strength in those arms of his."
Rose furiously turned toward Enzo, and the latter just shrugged his shoulder with a smile. "Enzo please go toward the real Rose." The avatar said before calming the group.
'Sigh, what a pain.'