Noah emerged from City Hall Station, the dim glow of the streetlights long gone, replaced by the cold gleam of stars. Above, the moon hung like a silver coin, illuminating the empty streets of New York City. Once alive with the hum of life, the city now lay eerily still, as if the metropolis itself had fallen into a deep slumber.
It had only been a few days since the Event, but the transformation was already undeniable. Buildings stood like silent sentinels, cars were abandoned in the middle of the roads, and not a single voice echoed down the once bustling avenues. Silence had claimed the city, reigning supreme over the ruins of the once unstoppable New York.
As Noah stepped onto Park Row and headed towards Centre Street, his boots crunched against the broken glass and debris scattered across the pavement. Abandoned cars littered the road, their doors flung open, as though their owners had fled in a desperate rush. The haunting absence of any signs of life pressed down on him like a heavy weight.
He glanced around at the desolation.
"I never thought I'd have to go through this again," he muttered under his breath.
His mind wandered back to the first time he had walked this same route in a previous life. The same feeling of dread, the same eeriness—but this time, he was ready. Prepared. The past had taught him harsh lessons, and he wasn't about to make the same mistakes again.
As he turned onto Lafayette Street, the devastation only worsened. Windows had been smashed, storefronts looted, and pieces of concrete and metal lay scattered across the ground like remnants of a forgotten war. He stepped over the rubble, weaving through the destruction with an air of detachment. Nothing could surprise him anymore. Not after everything he'd seen.
Reaching Broadway, the hulking shadow of the Flatiron Building loomed ahead, its once pristine façade now cracked and crumbling. Most of the windows had shattered, and pieces of the building had fallen away, leaving gaping holes that exposed the skeletal remains of the offices within.
Noah kept moving, passing Madison Square as he merged onto 5th Avenue. His eyes fixed on the distant silhouette of the Empire State Building, its towering form cutting through the night sky. It was like a grim monolith, watching over the desolate city, as if waiting for the world to bow before its silent judgment.
The hairs on the back of Noah's neck prickled. His steps slowed, and his gaze flicked to the shadows cast by the surrounding buildings.
"Someone's watching me."
He turned sharply, his eyes locking onto the mouth of an alley nearby. The swirling mists and the suffocating darkness made it difficult to see, but there was no mistaking the feeling. He wasn't alone.
*Crack.*
*Crack.*
The sound of footsteps echoed from the alleyway, slow at first, then growing louder, closer. Noah's hand instinctively tightened around the handle of his scythe, the cold metal grounding him as he prepared for whatever was to come. From the shadows, six figures emerged, each one dressed in ragged clothes, their eyes gleaming with predatory intent.
"Hey!"
One of them shouted, stepping forward with a sneer. He was tall, muscular, and wore a makeshift bandana around his forehead.
"Stop right there and hand over all your coins, unless you wanna die."
Noah glanced at them, his expression unreadable. He had seen this kind of desperation before. After the Event, people were left scrambling for resources. Some scavenged, others survived through sheer determination. And then there were those like these men—jackals, scavengers who preyed on the weak, taking whatever they could by force.
"I don't have time for this…"
Noah muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing.
The leader of the group barked a harsh laugh.
"You deaf, kid? I said hand over your coins! Or we're gonna make this real painful for you."
Noah's grip on his scythe tightened, but he didn't move. He had fought worse than these scavengers, and he wasn't about to waste any more time than necessary.
"Get down here," Noah commanded softly.
From above, a series of clattering sounds echoed through the night. Before the scavengers could react, skeletal figures dropped from the rooftops, their bones clicking together as they landed on the ground with a heavy thud.
"What the hell...?"
One of the men whispered, backing away in shock.
The leader's face twisted into a snarl.
"You think some skeletons are gonna scare us? Get him!"
Noah didn't wait for them to make the first move. He dashed forward, his scythe slicing through the air with deadly precision. In an instant, he was on top of the first man.
*Splat.*
Blood sprayed across the pavement as the man collapsed, his throat slashed open by Noah's scythe. The others barely had time to react before Noah was already moving toward his next target. The second man raised his arms in a feeble attempt to block, but Noah's fist connected with his ribs, the force of the blow sending him crashing to the ground.
*Crack.*
The sound of bones breaking echoed through the alley.
"You bastard!"
One of the remaining scavengers roared, charging at Noah with a katana in hand. The blade sliced through the air, aiming for Noah's side. But Noah twisted, dodging the attack with ease.
"Too slow."
He said coldly, pivoting on his heel.
The katana wielder swung again, but Noah parried the blow with the handle of his scythe, then in one swift motion, he twisted the weapon and severed the man's arm at the elbow.
"Agh!"
The man screamed, clutching the bleeding stump where his arm used to be.
Noah barely spared him a glance as he surged toward the fourth man, using the shaft of his scythe to strike the man in the stomach. The force of the blow knocked the wind out of him, and as the man doubled over, gasping for breath, Noah brought the blade of his scythe up, driving it through the man's jaw. With a savage twist, he pulled the scythe free, splitting the man's face in two.
Meanwhile, the skeletal rats had already torn the fifth man to pieces, their sharp teeth gnawing through flesh and bone with terrifying efficiency.
The final scavenger, now the last man standing, dropped his weapon and fell to his knees, trembling violently. His face was pale, his eyes wide with terror. A dark stain spread down his pant leg as urine dripped onto the pavement.
"P-please..." the man stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I have a family! Just let me go, I swear I won't bother you again!"
Noah stood over him, his expression emotionless.
"Who do you serve?"
The man blinked, confused.
"W-what?"
"Who do you serve?"
Noah repeated, his voice cold and dangerous.
"I-it's the Beast King! Yong Nam-joon! Please, I told you what you wanted, now let me—"
*Splat.*
Noah's scythe arced through the air, cutting off the man's plea along with his head.
"Thanks,I was going to pay him a visit anyway."
Noah said, wiping the blood from his blade.
He sheathed his scythe and bent down to pick up the katana that had been left behind. It wasn't the best weapon, but it would do for now. As he stood, the sounds of the city began to fade back into the background, the distant hum of the skeletal creatures returning to their positions on the rooftops.
"Yong Nam-joon, huh?"
Noah murmured to himself as he glanced toward the distant skyline. The Beast King was a name he hadn't heard in a long time. It seemed like fate was finally aligning the pieces.
Noah turned and began walking toward the heart of the city, his steps deliberate and steady. The night was far from over, and there were still many things left to be done.
The empire of the Beast King awaited him, and Noah had no intention of leaving the city until he had taken everything from him.