In a depressing world, shrouded in darkness and despair, life was like a withered memory, a forgotten echo of what once was.
Like a solitary flower in a withered field, an insignificant human emerged, miraculously surviving the plague that consumed all life in its path. He was an old man, destined to witness the downfall of an entire species...
Huff... Huff... Huff...
"You've got to be kidding!"
"Sh*t!"
Amidst the darkness and desolation, Angus ascended the stairs of a towering, ancient, and decrepit building, his breath carrying curses whispered under his breath.
His face was covered in sweat and grime, hidden behind a thick, dirty, and unkempt beard.
Angus wore something akin to a tight, dark spandex suit. Over it, he donned a striated and gleaming chest plate adorned with the symbol of a sword with wings at its center, softly glowing with a discreet blue luminescence.
Additionally, he sported imposing black shoulder pads, along with metallic forearm guards and sturdy greaves on his legs.
The armor itself displayed a peculiar combination of medieval and futuristic elements, but unfortunately, its brilliant appearance was now concealed under layers of rust and dirt, completely devoid of its former splendor.
As he continued to climb, he raised his right hand, marked with calluses and scars, and from his palm emerged a tiny hologram projecting a three-dimensional display.
The faint white light emanating from it illuminated his weary face, marked by horrible scars and wrinkles.
The hologram displayed a set of blinking coordinates in glowing letters, accompanied by a circle representing a green dot, undoubtedly indicating his current location.
As he observed it with growing unease, Angus noticed a dark red dot slowly approaching from the distance!
"Son of a b*tch! That bastard won't give up! I'm supposed to be undetectable with the Frequency Eclipser, how the hell is that despicable creature still detecting me!?"
Angus fixed his gaze on a tiny circular device resting on his hip, emitting intermittent pulses of light every second. The old man furrowed his brow, engulfed in a mix of confusion as he realized that the Frequency Eclipser was still functioning perfectly.
Huff... Huff...
With each step he took, his footprints left deep and distinct marks in the thick dust.
The walls and floor, on the other hand, bore stains of dried blood, grim reminders of the unimaginable horrors that had plagued that place for decades.
Resting on his back was an imposing two-handed sword, its neon-red glow exuding a soft and mysterious luminosity. In contrast, along its edge, there were splinters and nicks, as if it were on the verge of crumbling into pieces.
At the lower part of his back, he had holstered a futuristic-looking pistol, its rusty and worn appearance revealing the passage of time.
His gaze reflected a mixture of nervousness and exhaustion, as he had been pursued for half an hour by something that far surpassed his current strength.
"Fuck*ng piece of sh*t building!"
But he was forced to halt as he realized that the staircase leading to the next floor was completely destroyed and blocked by enormous rocks.
For a brief moment, he stood perplexed, but as he directed his gaze towards the ceiling, Angus discovered the existence of a gaping hole through which the starry sky was glimpsed.
Whoosh!
Leaning slightly forward, his boots lit up with a blue neon glow, and with an agile and swift leap, he traversed the empty space between floors, generating a powerful gust of wind!
Clank!
Zzzt!
Upon landing, the boots emitted a metallic crunch, and their neon light flickered, on the verge of extinguishing.
Tsk!
Clang!
The old man simply clicked his tongue and banged them against each other, causing them to regain their shine and normal functionality.
"These old artifacts... I wish Chris were alive to restore them like new."
Whoooosh!
Without wasting a moment, he continued ascending through the hole, relentlessly approaching the top of the building.
"Argh! That damn zombie is incredibly persistent!" Angus exclaimed with his raspy voice, marked by the passage of years, as he observed the red dot continuing to draw closer to him.
"Well, it shouldn't be powerful enough to corner me. After all, those bastards with ridiculous strength in this area were exterminated long ago."
Angus was talking to himself as he climbed, knowing it was the only way to not completely lose his sanity in his solitude.
Huff...
"For now, this place should offer me some security until dawn. Even if that shit reaches here, I'll have enough time to escape by jumping to other buildings."
Finally, he collapsed exhausted onto the rooftop, burdened by an overwhelming weight on his body, wrapped in a deep fatigue that transcended the physical. It was a weariness that seemed to emanate from his very being, as if he were exhausted from carrying the weight of life itself.
"Damn it, how did we come to this? The vibrant city full of hope that I once swore to protect, now reduced to rubble and death..."
From there, he gazed sadly at the desolate landscape: vines covered everything, ruined futuristic architecture stood as monuments to despair, and dust blanketed every corner like a somber shroud.
The only source of solace was the faint moonlight, bathing his troubled and aged heart with a little additional serenity.
"... Somehow I became the last remnant of humanity still breathing. But compared to those brave and strong individuals who once populated this world, I feel so insignificant and pathetic..."
"Why the hell was I chosen to witness our extinction? Is it punishment for not putting in the effort at the beginning when everyone else was?"
The chilly wind gently caressed the silver strands of his hair and beard. His deep blue eyes, vast like the ocean, seemed lost in the immensity, as if longing to dive into the past to escape the harsh reality.
Unfortunately, that fleeting moment of apparent tranquility was interrupted by a shiver running down his spine as he felt a presence behind him, overshadowing the moonlight.
"What the..."
Swooosh!
A monstrous hand emerged from the outside of the building, extending with an overwhelming presence. In an instant, it descended upon him with the intention to mercilessly crush him.
Crack!
In the blink of an eye, the terrace was invaded by a swarm of cracks snaking relentlessly across every inch of the floor.
Screeeeech!
"A sneak attack!? These blasted zombies are really unpleasant!" growled the man angrily as he slid across the terrace floor, his metallic boots producing sparks as he evaded the forceful blow.
Although his countenance reflected anger, deep inside he felt fear, as the detector hadn't warned him of the presence of any zombie so close to him!
"Let's see who the hell has been following me all this time!"
His worried gaze fixated on the imposing hand, of immense size, covering a quarter of the terrace. It was covered in corroded metal armor, barely concealing the repulsive sight hiding underneath.
Chunks of putrid and foul-smelling flesh, grotesquely fused with circuits and cables, protruded from decaying skin.
"W-wait, that size and that metallic armor. How can such a zombie still exist in this place!?" his voice trembled as he remembered the stories of all those incredibly strong people who died at the hands of the same type of creature before him!
Crack! Crack!
With a chilling creak, the structure of the building began to tremble as something slowly peeked out from the side of the terrace.
It was a head of colossal proportions, the size of a car, with a terrifying and disfigured face pulsating rhythmically. The metal armor enveloping it showed cracks and wear, evidence of having endured countless battles.
Its eyes were dull and lifeless, but occasionally, a sinister red light flickered from its pupils, as if about to shoot lasers, erasing everything in its path.
The wind stirred its strands of rotting flesh, grotesquely swaying the cables and circuits.
"Grooooaaaarrrrr!"
Without warning, it let out a deafening roar that shook the foundations of the building and echoed in the ears of the man like an infernal echo.
Decay emanated from its gaping maw, releasing a nauseating stench that filled the air. Its cracked lips contorted into a grotesque grimace, while the darkness of its throat seemed to swallow the surrounding light.
"Oh, for God's sake!"
The old man screamed, covering his ears in pain, finding himself at a crossroads between fleeing from the terrifying creature looming over him or facing it.
Although the obvious answer in this moment was to run, but...
Swooosh!
Angus watched in slow motion as the zombie's other gigantic hand descended slowly upon him. Under normal circumstances, he would have chosen to flee and hide like a frightened rat.
However, a deep reflection seized his weary mind.
What good was it to run if he was the last living human? He had spent his entire existence escaping, and he was already exhausted from running!
Shiiing!
Without hesitation, he unsheathed his two-handed sword, his faithful companion throughout the years. In that moment, his sword glowed with an intense red radiance, and his boots shimmered with a vibrant neon blue.
Whoosh!
Crack!
Rooom!
Unable to bear it any longer, the building instantly collapsed under the impact of a second devastating blow.
However, the man was already in the air, having skillfully evaded the attack, and in a swift motion, he descended with his sword aimed at the enormous rotten head of the zombie!
"I, Angus, a platinum-ranked hunter graced with the honor to serve the most formidable warrior to have set foot on this earth, have been the faithful guardian of the fortress city known as Miracle for over thirty years. In this momentous time, in the final breaths of my existence, I embrace my duty to annihilate these creatures until my last breath, regardless of the consequences!"
The dazzling crimson light of the sword intensified, bathing the city in a scarlet glow.
Slash!
Without hesitation, he performed the most powerful strike of his life, causing the sword to cleave through the air with immense force!
"Grooaaa-"
Chas!
His battered and worn sword shattered into countless fragments upon impact with the head of the gigantic zombie, but he did not lament his action.
He had severed that repugnant, putrefied head in two!
"Hahaha, in the end, humans have proven to be more powerful!" exclaimed Angus amidst laughter, with tears and mucus covering his face, as he stood on the zombie's clavicle.
"Hrrgghh!"
"Groarr!"
"Urrraaahhh!"
"S-sh*t..."
Unfortunately, his joy quickly faded when a multitude of deformed and grotesque creatures emerged from within the body of the gigantic zombie.
Dozens and dozens of zombies with strange forms emerged from the cut he had made!
Though they varied in appearance, they all shared one unsettling characteristic: they were equipped with advanced technology implants embedded in their putrid bodies.
"F*ck off! This is why even those far more powerful than me fell victim to this abomination. This zombie is a living hive!" Angus shouted, his face revealing a mix of helplessness and desperation.
"Groarr!"
"Uuuurrrrgh!"
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Angus threw away the hilt of his sword and quickly drew his pistol, firing bursts of blue energy in a desperate attempt to annihilate as many enemies as possible.
However, his bravery was quickly overwhelmed by the overwhelming number of foes pouncing on him, leaving him no room to escape!
"Ahhhh, you cursed bastards!"
Angus could only helplessly witness as he was bitten from all sides, feeling his flesh torn apart in unimaginable pain. In his final moments of life, he pressed a button on the side of his pistol, causing a dazzling blue light to concentrate within.
In his mind, a fleeting memory of his younger self observing the backs of a group of people, particularly a man with black hair radiating great confidence, as if there was nothing in the world that could bring down that imposing back, briefly flashed.
Tragically, that beautiful memory crumbled before his eyes, like a sandcastle swept away by the relentless waves of despair.
"Go to hell!"
Angus's anguished cry reverberated throughout the city, leaving behind a haunting echo. His eyes, clouded by uncontrollable tears, reflected an ineffable mix of fury and self-loathing.
Boom!
Suddenly, the pistol exploded, generating a massive dome of energy that engulfed hundreds of meters around him!
After a few minutes, the dazzling blue light completely faded, leaving behind a colossal crater that marked the spot of the explosion. Now, there remained a desolate landscape devoid of any signs of life.
"Arrrrrghh!"
"Hrrgghh!"
"Brrrraaawwl!"
But soon enough, an uncountable horde of deformed and putrid figures emerged from every corner of the city, rushing toward the epicenter of the explosion.
Their arrival unleashed a sinister symphony of roars that resonated throughout the urban area.
Although it lasted only for a few minutes, it didn't take long for the city to sink back into a gloomy silence, only occasionally interrupted by the whisper of the wind, intertwining among the debris and vines.
Whispers that seemed to recount the forgotten secrets of an extinct race, the last echoes of humanity...
Sadly, there were no witnesses to mourn the departure of the last human, only the sepulchral silence of the place where he fought until his last breath.
In contrast, within the depths of the boundless cosmos, distant from the confines of planet Earth...
Leaving behind the tragic fate of Angus, the crimson destiny of another human who lost their humanity long ago is about to reach its final stretch.
On a remote and sinister planet, red as if drenched in blood, a male human figure was seated atop a towering mountain of corpses of terrifying demons, each one bearing horrifying and abominable forms.
This was Ethan, a demon who had long abandoned and left behind his former human identity.
The last corpse upon which he sat was that of a gigantic wolf-like demon, but with a spine-chilling mutation: instead of one head, it had five, each one shattered and crushed.
Bloody fragments and twisted remnants of the heads hung from their necks, emitting a nauseating stench.
In the midst of this eerie scene, the man held in his hand a dark reddish-black mist, an accursed and sinister essence that seemed to pulsate with malevolent energy.
With an expression of ecstasy and thirst for power, he slowly brought the mist towards his mouth and greedily absorbed it as if it were a delicacy.
As the mist dissipated in his hand, a sensation of supernatural power seemed to flood him, his eyes gleaming with indescribable malevolence.