After a short walk through the city, Allen, and co. finally arrived safely at the destination.

The former lively place was now like a den of monsters. Different kinds of monster species could be seen walking here and there. It seems like there were all attracted here by something...

“— Now this is troubling.”

Allen crouched down as he hides behind a building and muttered indifferently. Although he had already expected it but, to see numerous monsters walking nonchalantly was another matter. Even Aileen and Alicia beside him started feeling cold sweat all over their bodies.

Even though Allen killed numerous monsters both in the ‘Past’ and in this timeline, but it was his first time to see such large number of monsters gathered tightly in one small place. Looking through, there are at least dozens in his vision, let alone those hidden in the dark.

This wasn’t a city humans could live but was now literally a monster city.

“Allen, look.” At this moment, Aileen pointed at a place where several monsters were gathered.

Blood and gore were splattered. One could see, monsters hacked to pieces and going cold, laying in a pool of their own blood.

“It’s neat…” Aileen who knows her way in using blades muttered.

Someone wildly swinging a blade definitely wouldn’t be able to do this.

It was obvious that it was done by someone who at least knew their way around.

“That, that’s the place where I saw her,” A short distance behind him the two youth, Alicia was nauseatingly looking down on the corpse.

Allen looked for a moment and then said, “Let’s leave, she’s not here anymore.”

--- ---

"After several nights, the mist has dispersed quite a bit."

Just as Aileen pointed out, the thick mist hanging over the entire city had thinned out greatly.

This thick mist was the product of the seven days of chaos. As for the purpose; unknown.

Even Allen who came from the ‘Past’ didn’t know the true identity of this thick mist as it completely disappears after the seven days of chaos passed. Ever since then, it never appeared anymore.

Currently, as it was already the 4th day, it was now just a layer of light mist. Hence, visibility was not compromised and they could travel smoothly. However,

They could now see clearly, Dumaguete City’s appearance had changed dramatically over these past few days.

The road was blocked by abandoned cars and people had completely vanished off the streets, turning the city into a ghost town.

Other than the bloodstains everywhere, the only things left were the crawling bugs and monsters beasts.

There was barely any space to advance. The intersection was blocked too. If one were in a car, they certainly would be having extreme difficulty maneuvering around.

Allen and the co. quietly crept along the road, fearing to gather any sound and actions that will catch the monsters attention.

Just as the group was traveling, Alicia suddenly pointed at the sky.

"E-Everyone look—!"

A giant purple bird that looked like the pterodactyl in legend was soaring through the heavy mist in the sky.

“[ Poison Wing ]” Looking at the huge bird, Allen muttered.

“What?”

“It’s a [ Poison Wing ]. A Lv3 monster. It’s a nasty monster that breathes toxic poison…”

“Just why the heck does you know every monster we’ve encountered so far?” Aileen touched her forehead like it was sore.

Just how did Allen know so much about Apocalypse? This really puzzles her and even started doubting Allen’s existence.

But just like before, Allen ignored her question and just proceeded forward. At this, Aileen could only pout in displeasure.

Allen has too many secrets. Is this perhaps related to what Mia had said before?

Aileen started to become curious about the human called Allen. Not because Mia told her but for her own.

Allen ignored Aileen and just quietly did his own things. Walking while making sure not to catch any monster’s attention by hiding behind, cars, buildings, trees and any obstacles he encountered. Thankfully, the mist was still there and helped slightly covering their figures.

Just as he continued, screeches of car tires broke the silence.

A car sped through the main street right before crashing into another. The collision and glass shattering could be clearly heard.

At this moment,

Monsters began to gather around the accident, springing out of the whole place like cockroaches.

Despite the family’s effort to struggle out of their seat belts, they had already been completely surrounded. A man and a woman, who Allen assumes are the parents, were dragged out from the door. The daughter, who looked to be the same age as Aileen, had her arm bitten off as she was thrown and dragged on the ground by a leopard looking monster beast.

More monsters crowded the area.

“Stop!” Allen pulled Aileen back as he saw her pulling the gun from its holster.

“I know what you feel but you can’t do anything with that crowd of monsters. No matter how strong you are, it’s just not possible!” Allen reminded.

“Then you’re telling me to only just watch them without doing anything!?” Aileen gritted her teeth. “Is your heart made of stone, Allen?”

Aileen pointed her finger to the girl crying and wailing in pain as her body got dragged off somewhere by a monster. Her eyes dyed with despair.

But Allen’s eyes didn’t waiver. “We can’t save everyone, Aileen. It might sound inhumane but we can’t do anything. That’s the fact!”

“That’s…”

“Then what do you want to do? Save her? But realized it, by doing so, you are taking the attention of these monster into ourselves! Can you fight them all? No, because you are weak and so am I! We will only die if we fight them!” Allen’s voice was cold and even contained a bit of indifference.

There are just too many monsters. And according to his knowledge, these monsters are ranging from Lv2 to Lv3. There are only a few Lv1 monsters that looked like cat-sized rodents with oversized fangs and claws.

“Grit your teeth, this is only the beginning. You might see something like this again in the future but make sure that at that time you have the strength, it might ease your conscience a bit but this time, you need to hold back.”

“… …” Aileen’s hands trembled but she finally loosens the hand where she was holding the gun. “…Allen, how can you be so calm at this time…”

Allen’s calmness that could even be inferred as indifference by someone looking at it, irritated Aileen. Even Alicia who was watching quietly behind them couldn’t help but frowned while looking at Allen’s calm demeanor.

Did he not feel anything…?

How can he be so calm while looking at this pitiful scene…?

Allen looked at them indifferently, “…calm or not, we can’t do anything about it. That is the truth…”

He had seen and experience far worse than this. His powerlessness eating inside of him as he watched someone dying in front of him without doing anything in order to survive, all of it, he had already experienced many times before.

“You need to realize, we can’t do anything unless we had power…” Allen remembered his fight with Alkrasha.

Do you get it now? There was never any way of achieving a flawless victory here. This world is already doomed. The one who you call God has already abandoned you.

Alkrasha’s words reverberated inside Allen’s head. God had abandoned us… so we don’t have anyone to rely on now but ourselves!

“If you want to save anyone, then become strong Aileen…”

“…I know…”

“Uum…are we really going to be safe from this distance?” Alicia timidly asked.

“I think so…” Letting out a deep breath to calm him down, Allen answered. “…From what we saw so far, this mist seemed to have blocked the monster’s sense of smell. If not, we should have already been long attack by them. As long as we don’t blatantly show ourselves or make noise, we should be okay.”

“Are you sure?”

“… …probably.”

Allen heard distant screams before it was back to silence.

“……….”

Allen silently felt for his pocket. He pulled out some gum and took it. The coolness of the gum brought some cool to his heated mind.

Within the mist, everything became vague.

As if getting rid of any lingering regret, Allen lets out a short breath.

“Help!” At this moment, another scream echoed out.

Allen really did not expect that there are still survivors in the vicinity!

Outside a residential building, there gathered about a dozen of bug-looking monsters, they are frantically hitting the security door.

Behind the door are four - five frightened teenagers and some old person, on one hand, they were trying to hold the door tightly, and on the other hand, they were desperately screaming for help.

“Idiots….” Aileen frowned, nervously looked around them.

Screaming like this would only lead to more monsters. Judging from the dented door that looked like it was smashed by something, Allen concluded that the car from before must have hit that door causing some panic from the people hiding inside as well as catching the attention of the monsters nearby. Thus, leading to this situation.

What a misfortune.

Once again, Allen pulled Aileen and Alicia behind the wrecked bus to hide. Saving people right now would only harm themselves.

Soon enough, more monsters were attracted, they continuously hit the security door, issued a “bang bang” sound and the connection walls began to come to loose.

And with the appearance of a giant silver fur ape, with just a swing of an arm, the door was blasted away.

The people inside looked ashen, let go of much more piercing screams of fear….

In just a couple of second, horrifying screams quickly drowned in the waves of monsters…

Although it would certainly be inhuman, however, this was an opportunity for Allen and the others by taking advantage of how all the monsters got attracted there so they could cross this street safely.

After successfully passing through this dense population of monster’s area, Allen and the others did not have time to cheer before he realized that the intersection before them was blocked by one bus and a few cars.

During the apocalypse outbreak, there were enough vehicle accidents, not to mention this kind of bus full of passengers. Whether or not the passengers successfully escaped, or frightened by the situation, terrible things could happen.

“Haa~ another heap of trash… no matter what intersection, they are always like this.” Allen grumbled.

Looking at the situation, the bus collapsed with the death-defying fleeing cars and incurred a chain of the collision, in which its entire shape was deformed.

He has no idea what happened to the passengers inside, perhaps trapped and died, or probably all turned into monsters foods…

“Well, this city is one of the city’s famous in using motor cycles. Cars and buses aren’t that rare either~”

“Man, these things not only pollute but also give many problems during times like this. Can people learn already and limit the use of these goods? Bicycles are good enough, eco-friendly~”

“No use complaining, it already happened either way~”

“Huh, mountain climbing again ey~”

“Um…could I really come with you?” While Allen and Aileen did their usual banter, Alicia suddenly called out with a timid voice.

Although she just comes with them on a whim but was it really okay to bring her with them?

She was alone up until now.

No one dared to bring her along with them as she would only be a baggage. No fighting experience, no strength with those frail arms of hers, and was nothing but another mouth to feed. In this situation where supplies are limited, something like that is the worst.

She’s just a little kid.

Every people she encountered so far were either bringing her because of her body or just avoid her like a plague.

That is why Allen and Aileen bringing her along without complaints is just…

“Well, you are alone in any case. Might as well come with us~” As Alicia was drowned on her self-depreciating thoughts, she suddenly heard Allen firm yet gentle voice.

“But… I might only cause you trouble…”

“Hm, trouble or anything. In the first place, we are already in a big trouble involving the whole world, so what use with adding some small problem in the mix.”

“But…”

“…besides, we can just use you for some other purpose~” Allen flashed a lascivious smile and then quietly gave a lecherous laugh.

Of course, he was just teasing her. Even Mia whose aggressiveness could reach the sky didn’t succeed and could only leave with a deep kiss, much less this little girl that would send him to the jail in a split second!

Though it is still doubtful if the jail was still intact right now~

“Eh?” Alicia froze on the spot.

“Idiot!” With a ‘Bang’, Aileen pounded her fist in Allen’s head while glaring daggers at him.

“Just joking~ she’s just too negative, people were already dead and who knows we might be the next. That is why we should think positively… what’s the use in thinking negatively during a problem, it’s only a waste of brain cells~” Allen shrugged his shoulder as he slowly climbed the overturned bus.

“… …”

“You’re the only one who could think like that. We are just normal people~”

“What? You think I’m not? I’m just a normal man you know. Maybe you forget, it was only a few days ago I was just normal high school boy you can found just about anywhere~”

“Heh, if you’re considered normal then we are all abnormal. Where could the heck you find a normal high school student, shooting guns at monsters like a professional and even killing monsters and humans alike without batting an eye? The world must be crazy if they deemed you normal~” Aileen sneered.

“That hurts you know~ despite my appearance suggest, although I’m considered tall, handsome and genius, I possess a noble, yet fragile heart. It could easily break from those words of yours. So please exercise some caution.”

“Huh, glib tongue.”

Looking at those two happily chatting in this dangerous situation, Alicia couldn’t help but feel awe. Is that because of confidence that they could survive or just plain…foolishness?

Either way, to be able to act like this in this kind of situation is plenty amazing.

Just who are they? At this moment, this bud known as curiosity began to sprout in the little girl’s heart.

--- ---