As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the desolate streets, Zenith made her way back to her old apartment.
The air was heavy with the stench of decay, and the usual chirping of crickets had been replaced by distant groans, howls, and unnatural screeches.
With each step, she dispatched the zombies and other miscellaneous monsters that crossed her path, her movements swift and precise as she cleaved through them with her greatsword.
The creatures seemed to be drawn to her, their rotting forms stumbling out from darkened alleyways and abandoned buildings, but Zenith took most of them out with ease, her level rising up to the following:
Level 8
MP: 10/10
EXP: 25/80
AP: 500
WST: 650
---
Endurance: 10
Speed: 10
Precision: 1
Strength: 4
Arcane: 1
Zenith sighed, laying down on her bed.
[God... What a long day.]
In truth, it had only been a few hours since she'd come back to life, but for Zenith, there had been no resting period.
The period between her death and resurrection happened in the blink of an eye.
So, effectively, she'd woken up before the world ended, went to take her classes, hung out with Asuka for a few hours, died, came back to life, took a dungeon on, and wiped out dozens of murderous beasts all in one day.
And, Tamira had the gall to ask:
"Are you sure you want to call it here? As soon as the clock strikes 12, your buff is going away and you're not getting it back. I think you'll find that leveling up isn't quite that easy after that."
Zenith looked up at the time on her interface. It was currently 10:00 pm. She would be wasting 2 hours by going to sleep now.
And yet, Zenith couldn't get up and fight more even if she wanted to.
Every muscle in her body was crying for rest.
"If I'm going to save Asuka tomorrow, I need to be in top condition," she muttered to herself, her voice resolute. "I need to get some rest."
Tamira hovered in front of her, her ethereal form glowing faintly in the darkness.
"You should already be able to tell that Asuka's situation is rather complicated," she said, her voice tinged with concern. "I would advise that you manage your expectations a bit."
Zenith paused, her brow furrowing as she considered Tamira's words.
"Whatever the case may be, I need to see for myself," she replied firmly, her gaze unwavering. "At the very least, I need to see how she's doing."
"Very well. I look forward to seeing you head out tomorrow," Tamira stated.
Then, with a nod, Tamira disappeared, leaving Zenith alone in the darkness once more.
A sense of weariness washed over her. The walls were cracked and crumbling, and the windows were boarded up, probably by some other people who'd squatted here briefly, to keep out the ever-present threat of monsters.
But despite its dilapidated appearance, it was a welcome sight after a long day of fighting.
Melting into her bed, Zenith closed her eyes, exhaustion weighing heavily on her limbs.
Memories of warmer days flickered through her mind. Lazy afternoons spent with Asuka, laughing and joking as they wandered through the city streets.
But the distant growls and howls of monsters outside soon shattered the illusion of peace, reminding Zenith of the harsh reality of her new existence.
[Good,] she thought, however. [It's better that way. I don't want to lose focus.]
With a heavy heart, she drifted off to sleep.
But even in the darkness, a flicker of determination burned within her, driving her forward in her quest to rescue her friend from whatever fate awaited her.
---
The hours dragged on as Zenith lay in wait, her eyes fixed on the basketball stadium in the distance.
She had taken refuge in an old, dilapidated house just outside the stadium, a decent vantage point from which to observe her target.
As the sun hovered in the center of the sky, casting harsh shadows across the deserted streets, Zenith's patience was finally rewarded.
[Hm?] She heard footsteps, standing up and looking out the window.
In the distance, she spotted a group of figures making their way towards the stadium, their forms silhouetted against the glaring sunlight.
As that girl had said, among them was of course, Dylan.
Zenith's eyes widened.
He used to be a fairly athletic individual, but now, his figure had turned downright imposing, his massive frame flanked by several men and women, their faces obscured by the glare of the sun against their armor.
Still, Zenith recognized two of them.
Asuka and that girl from yesterday, Courtney, were among them.
As Zenith's eyes fell on her friend, a surge of emotion swelled within her.
[Asuka...] Zenith was leaning so far out of the window she nearly fell.
Gone were her friend's fashionable, skin-tight, faded jeans and the usual low-cut shirt she'd wear and now, instead, she wore a set of white robes, holding a staff in her hands.
She didn't look particularly happy to be there.
Zenith's gaze then fixed on Dylan's towering form. His silver-tinted armor gleamed in the sunlight, a stark contrast to the battered and worn equipment of his companions.
From her vantage point, Zenith strained to hear their conversation, her ears pricked for any snippet of information that might give this trip of theirs some context.
They spoke in hushed tones, their words barely audible over the distant rumble of traffic.
"...to me, just make sure you block anything that might touch me, or I'll make you wish you had," Dylan was saying, his voice tinged with authority.
Zenith clenched her fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. That memory, how Dylan took Asuka and dragged her away, leaving Zenith to be devoured by ravenous monsters played back in her thoughts.
[I hope Dylan's been helping her out... But I'm not about to forgive him for making that call.]
As they neared the stadium, Zenith's heart pounded in her chest, the weight of her mission pressing down on her shoulders.
One way or another, she was going to learn everything she needed to know.
"Alright, everyone ready?" Zenith heard Dylan ask. "This is the only dungeon we're doing today. Give it your all."
Then, they moved through the shimmering portal, disappearing into the other realm.
Zenith slipped out of the house and into the street, her movements swift as she followed in the group's wake.
As she reached the portal, Zenith's resolve hardened, her determination burning bright within her.
She looked at the player count.
The Blood River of Greymore
Recommended Level: 25 - 35
Player Count: 7/8
[... Well, I'm not planning on fighting anything. I just want to see if I can eavesdrop a little. Maybe talk to Asuka while she's away from the others.]
Taking a deep breath, Zenith steadied herself.
[As soon as they get back to that supermarket, Asuka will be out of reach again. This is the best chance I'm going to get to talk to her.]
Then, she stepped in.
As her boots touched down on the unfamiliar terrain, Zenith took in her surroundings.
[This world feels like something out of a horror movie.]
The landscape stretched out before her in eerie silence, a desolate expanse shrouded in crimson hues. The sky above bore the same ominous color, casting a sickly pall over the land below.
She glanced around cautiously, her eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of movement. The air was thick with an oppressive stillness, broken only by the occasional rustle of twisted branches and the distant echoes of unseen creatures.
The path ahead beckoned, winding its way through the gnarled trees and rocky outcroppings that dotted the landscape.
[Is this place a real world that exists in the universe or was it "generated" or something like that?]
Tamira's voice quickly replied:
"Does it matter? If something here kills you, you'll just die all the same."
[... I guess you're right.]
With a sense of trepidation, Zenith set off, her steps measured and deliberate as she followed the trail left behind by Dylan's group.
It wasn't long before she encountered the first signs of their passage.
Ghastly bodies lay strewn along the roadside, their twisted forms silent testament to the dangers that lurked in this forsaken realm.
Zenith grimaced at the sight, her heart heavy with the weight of their fate.
[Picked clean. Yeah, makes sense. Even if these things drop loot they can't use, they'll just sell it off.]
Pressing onward, she moved with stealth and caution, mindful of the need to remain undetected.
More bodies soon came into view, their lifeless forms serving as grim markers along the path.
Among them, Zenith spotted a figure that stood out from the rest.
It was Courtney.
[Hm... Unfortunately, you were right,] Zenith thought as she recalled what the girl had said yesterday.
Given that the girl was in nothing but her underwear, it came as no surprise that everything she had was taken by her "friends."
Save for a small diary.
[Ah, of course,] Zenith thought, plucking it from the girl's inventory. [They didn't bother taking this. It's worth 0 tokens.]
Zenith put it away in her own Inventory, rising to her feet.
[I might be able to use this to learn a little about the state of the world. It might be worth no "tokens", but it could be invaluable to me, personally.]
A message popped up.
Death Knight Choice!
Choose your path:
The Vengeful Spirit
Rejected by those you swore to serve, your blade has gone from being used to uphold the virtues you believed in to burning down the society that spurned you. Monsters, humans, they are all the same. Anything that breathes is an affront to your existence and must be eliminated.
To follow this path, break your oath, kill anything or anyone you see, and desecrate corpses. This is the most direct way to gain strength as a Death Knight but naturally will result in the highest amount of enemies made for you.
The path of the Vengeful Spirit leaves little room for diplomacy, but with the strength you will acquire, perhaps you will not need diplomacy.
---
The Scorned Servant.
Though the heavens have rejected you, you have not rejected the heavens. Your love for purity is one-sided, given your own impure state, but in continuing to serve divinity even in your tainted form, you may yet acquire forgiveness.
To follow this path, kill the undead, give those who have passed a proper funeral, and ensure that you never break your oath. Put as much of your heart and soul into working toward your oath as you can, and you will be rewarded. That said, you are still impure. There is a very low chance you will change how others see you.
The path of the Scorned Servant is an arduous one, but regardless of what god is being discussed, one thing is true for all of them.
Hard work rarely goes unrewarded.
(This path requires that you make a separate oath to a deity of your choosing. If you already have one, you do not have to do this. If you already have a pact to a non-deity, you do have to make a new one, and you will have two oaths to uphold now.)
As Zenith internalized these words, she felt she had a question to ask.
[Do I need to make this choice here and now?]
"No," Tamira replied.
[Then, I won't.]
Thus, she put the message away.
As she resumed her journey, Zenith couldn't shake the feeling of unease that gnawed at the edges of her consciousness.
But despite the darkness that surrounded her, Zenith pressed onward, her determination unwavering as she sought to uncover the truth behind Asuka's situation.
More time spent trailing them brought more monstrous bodies and two more human corpses, neither of which were Asuka, thankfully.
A few of them had crossbow bolts sticking out, but most of them had either been smashed or bisected, likely by a blade that was bigger than Zenith's own.
The small clearing exuded an eerie stillness, broken only by the hushed murmurs of Dylan's group as they rested, their figures illuminated by the faint glow of the crimson sky above.
Zenith crouched behind a thick tree, her heart pounding in her chest as she strained to listen to their conversation.
From her vantage point, she could see Dylan's imposing figure towering over the others, his face shrouded in shadow as he listened to their discussion.
[... How the fuck did he get so big? I guess leveling your Strength will do that.]
The group seemed agitated, their voices tinged with frustration as they debated their next course of action.
"We've been searching for hours and still can't find the boss room," one of the girls said, her voice tinged with frustration. "Maybe we should just call it quits for today and try again tomorrow."
Zenith's eyes widened in shock as she watched Dylan draw his sword with a swift, fluid motion.
In one quick movement, he swung the blade, severing the girl's head from her shoulders.
The clearing fell into stunned silence, the remaining members of the group casting wary glances at each other as they processed what had just occurred.
Before anyone else could add to the conversation, Dylan's voice cut through the air like a blade, cold and devoid of emotion.
"No one leaves until I say so," he stated firmly, his words leaving no room for argument.
They sat there like that for a while after that, everyone's eyes falling on the girl's body on occasion.
Suddenly, Dylan's gaze shifted, his eyes narrowing as he focused on something in the distance.
"Use Detect Life," he ordered one of the men, his voice low and commanding.
The man nodded, his brow furrowing in concentration as he closed his eyes and extended his senses. After a moment, he opened his eyes, a look of recognition crossing his face.
"There's someone here," he announced, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
[... Well,] Zenith sighed. [The jig is up, I guess.]
Without hesitation, Zenith stepped out from behind the tree, her eyes locking with Dylan's in a tense standoff.
Asuka's own eyes widened in disbelief as she recognized her friend, a mixture of shock and confusion flickering across her features.
Before Asuka could react, Dylan's voice rang out, cutting through the silence like a whip.
"Stay where you are," he barked, his tone leaving no room for disobedience. He sounded far, far more tense now than he had a moment ago.
Zenith's gaze remained fixed on Dylan, her expression unreadable as she braced herself for whatever was to come.
The air between Zenith and Dylan crackled in the air like lightning.
Zenith's eyes narrowed as she scanned Dylan, her senses alert to any potential threat.
He stood before her, a towering figure cloaked in shadow, his formidable presence radiating power and authority.
Her interface flashed with information as she assessed him:
Level 32
MP: 150/150
[A formidable opponent by any measure. Well, no. "Formidable" doesn't quite cut it. It would be suicide to fight him right now. But... What else can I do right now?]
Dylan's voice broke the tense silence, cutting through the air like a blade.
"How are you still alive?" he demanded, his tone laced with a mixture of curiosity and contempt.
Zenith met his gaze with unwavering resolve.
"Certainly not thanks to you," she retorted, her voice cold and clipped.
A heavy silence settled over the clearing, broken only by the distant sound of thudding footsteps echoing through the night.
Zenith's senses prickled with unease, but she pushed the distraction aside, her focus fixed solely on the confrontation before her.
Dylan's voice cut through the silence once more, his words carrying a weight of authority.
"Well, this is a pleasant surprise."
[Yeah?]
"We used to be acquaintances," he said, his tone almost casual. "You looking to team up? I wouldn't be opposed to letting you join us."
Zenith's jaw tightened at the mention of their past connection, memories flashing through her mind like lightning strikes.
She knew she couldn't afford to antagonize him, not when Asuka's safety hung in the balance, but the burning questions that simmered beneath the surface demanded answers.
"I'll consider it," she replied, her voice measured. "But first, I need to know why Asuka is wearing that collar."
Before Asuka could respond to that question herself, Dylan's voice sliced through the air like a whip.
"Shut up," he commanded, his tone sharp and dismissive.
A surge of anger welled up within Zenith, threatening to boil over, but she forced it down, her resolve steeling against the onslaught of emotions. She knew that now was not the time for recklessness.
Dylan's next words sent a chill down her spine, his voice dripping with malice.
"Because she's my property," he declared, his words like a dagger to the heart.
The air seemed to grow colder, a heavy weight settling over Zenith's chest as she struggled to contain her rising fury. Every fiber of her being screamed for retribution, but she knew that now was not the time to act.
Dylan's next offer hung in the air like a sinister promise, his words laced with deceit and betrayal.
"If you join us, you won't have to worry about that," he said, his tone almost mocking. "I don't care about you like that."
It was a bitter pill to swallow, but Zenith knew she had no choice.
As much as it pained her pride, she had to agree, if only to buy herself time to find a way out of this nightmare.
Of course, the offer wasn't genuine, though.
She barely thought of any words to say before Dylan moved with blinding speed, his form a blur as he appeared before her in an instant.
With a sickening thud, his fist connected with her gut, knocking the wind from her lungs and sending her crashing to the ground.
Zenith fell.
"... I don't know what you were expecting, sweetheart," Tamira whispered in Zenith's ear, making the pain sting even further.