"Voidlings and the System... To be ho, we don't know how this partnership works; we just know it exists. However, there is a question we all want to be answered. No, a question that has to be answered ond for all!

  If the System is here to help us survive, then why does it still assist the mohat hunt us?! Why is it strengthening the Akirians of Ediovr when those demons only sughter our families?! Is it some part of a greater pn of the entity we 't even uand?"

  ~Part of Master of Knowledge's st speech, Ger

  Leo didn't even finish putting his foot down before the duo tehe taller man straightened up, the staff in his hands ready to whirl into a. In the warrior's case, the movement was negligible, yet the sword pointed in Leo's dire said a lot by itself.

  Leo stopped the roll of his eyes as he paused his approach, keeping his hands in the air. For people that had just assisted him, they sure were suspicious. Although Leo couldn't really bme them, he had watched enough post-apocalyptic movies and shows to know that an ally could bee an enemy in a blink of an eye.

  Dear god, I had hought I would be paring those types of movies to real life. Leo almost shis world is a mess... Whatever, let's get this show on the road.

  Keeping a smile on his face, Leo spoke up, nodding toward the ons poi him, "There is no need for that, gentlemen. You probably saved me from some nasty injuries ay reserves. I would have to be a right bastard to just attack you after that. Besides, as you see, I'm unarmed."

  Despite the teuation, the st ent earned Leo a snort and a raised eyebrow from the younger guy as his eyes darted to the cursed arm.

  Leed lightly, "Not much I do about it. Name's Leo Hale, by the way."

  "The local reporter?" The warrior blurted out, his eyes lighting up just a bit.

  A chuckle escaped Leo's lips, hoping to defuse this situation further. They were standing in the middle of a fug street, for Void's sake. Sooner or ter, more Voidlings would e, and Leo really didn't want to fight another small army now.

  "Right in one, not that it means muymore," he finally firmed. "Now, I know that my arm doesn't look too friendly, but the System got it under trol. I'm still a human like you, just with a bit extra added thanks to the Outbreak."

  The mage, who had finally gotten his breathing under trol, nodded and lowered his staff, the warrior following soon after. Although their postures were anything but rexed.

  Good.

  "Apologies, mate. I'm Dyn, and this is Tyler," the older man with the gruff voice said, motioning to his panion. "The st few hours have been rough, so we are still on edge. Besides, your appearance doesn't really help. No offense."

  This time Leo snorted. He could only wonder what he currently looked like to other people. A deranged maniac coated in blood with an arm of a demon? A psychopath on his way to sughter the eown that accepted a deal from the devil?

  Fug shit, I really o somehow myself and ge those clothes. I wonder if anything inside my bag is still usable…

  "aken," Leo waved them off. "There are better things to worry about nowadays than appearances... Like getting the hell away from the middle of the street."

  "Aye, you might be right there, mate," Dyn sighed. "e o's get ihen we talk. We have left Laura alone for long enough."

  "Laura?" Leo asked as they all approached the house from which the duo came out. He lowered his hands, even though it was obvious by the stant staring that Leo was far from trusted. Uandable, even though deep down, he couldn't help but be a bit annoyed. After all, Leo cleared this street to help them out.

  How mue arm ge. This is gonna be a pain once I evolve.

  "My cousin," Tyler muttered, the previous spark in his voice suddenly gone. "We had a run-in with some weird Voidling when the sun rose. It hit Laura once before legging it. Bloody wanker got her good, and now she barely stay awake."

  Hit and run Voidling? Now that's something new. Wonder if any of them have Bestiary.

  "Tyler!" Dyn growled out harshly and stopped at the entrao the building.

  "What?!" The younger man shot back with as much fire, his fists visibly tightening. "How does it help if I lie? Laura's inside anyway. Bloody hell, you saw what happened outside! There's not much we do against him, and we need help, Dyn. Laura needs help."

  Just when the mage repared to retort, Leo stepped in. "Alright, you two, calm the fuck down. We don't he ey to know we are here. And yeah, I could probably take the two of you out, but I didn't go out of my way to clear the ereet just to kill you. I'm not a fug murderer."

  Even as Leo said it, his mind fshed to the moment in the forest shack. The pce where he took his first human life. It was a mercy, Leo. He begged you. Let it go.

  Leo shook his head just in time to see the duo's posture slump slightly, almost as if chastened. Yet, a momeyler scowled at Dyn and shouldered past him, a whisper on his lips. "See?"

  Well, there is that.

  "Sorry about that, mate. Just trying to be cautious," Dyn finally spoke up, running a hand through his dirty locks. They stopped in the house's corridor, and the man pushed a bookshelf to cover the entrance. "Bloody apocalypse is taking its toll on everyone, and with Laura's current dition, it's even worse..."

  Leo raised his hand, stopping Dyn before he could tinue. "Don't sweat it, man. I would have acted the same in your pce. This world is unfiving. One mistake, and you are food for those strohan you."

  "Fug hell," Dyn sighed, leaning against the corridor's wall. "Thanks for being uanding. Tyler... Tyler had always beeional. I had known his family for over ten years, neighbors, you know. When the world went to shit, I was lucky to escape with him and Laura, but we left everything behind. I didn't have anyone, but the two of them? Entire family lost in a matter of seds. And now, with what happeo Laura..."

  "I uand," Leo quickly cut in. "I uand perfectly."

  Lily's babbling and Nick's tired but amused eyes immediately came to mind. If any of them were here with him, Leo would have done anything to keep them safe. Just like there was nothing that could stop him from finding them.

  "Ah, I see," Dyn nodded but didn't try to pester Leo for information. A fact he was more than grateful for. "So, Tainted Human and level ten, eh? Must have been some tough shite, especially going it alone."

  Leo snorted. "That's putting it mildly. The beginning was hard enough, and after the sed Cataclysm, you barely reize that we are oh. Although this eration of the world has its own charm, in a bleak aic sort of way. Definitely helps with sneaking around."

  "Assassin?" Dyn quirked an eyebrow.

  "Yeah," Leo nodded. "It seemed like a good choice for a world full of monsters. I definitely didn't regret my choices. And you? Mage?"

  "Aye," the man answered with a grimace. "'t say I took this erodu seriously... So when given a choice, I let my inner child out a with the magic option. Not the best decision in hindsight, but it's not all that bad, especially with two others to lend a hand."

  Why am I not surprised? It was obvious that not everyone would have believed the introdu.

  "I had learhat as long as it works and helps you survive initially, then it doesn't really matter," Leed. "During the introdu, the System said as much. You learn almost anything as long as you work hard enough. My abilities might focus oh and surprise attacks, but nothing stops me from learning more about Essence manipution."

  "I guess you had takehing seriously from the beginning," Dyn stated more than asked.

  Leo ched his cursed hand and muttered, "That's right." Before he could be dragged down by another painful memory or depressing thought, he posed the question. " you tell me how long it's been sihe sed Cataclysm began? On my way here, I got caught up in some shit, and it messed up my sense of time."

  Dyn frowned, obviously not expeg this kind of question. "Three full days, mate. We are closing in on six days sihis plete shite has begun."

  So just like I feared. Two and a half of a day wasted. Leo closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and looked at Dyn again. "Thanks."

  "Nothing to thank for," the man grinned. "Anyway, I don't wanna e across as pushy, but now that you've sorted the street out for us, are you pnning on going solo or fancy joining our little group? Tyler had a point earlier. With Laura's dition, we could really use some help."

  Leo didn't answer immediately. He had his own pns, pns that had already waited long enough. I guess I could go to Nick's house and bring them here. I might be strong, but I don't know if I keep them safe alone...

  "I guess there is no harm in joining. I just o do one more thing before that," Leo told him. "My brother lives with his family not that far away from here. I have to go there. I must find them even if that's the st thing I do."

  "That's... that's probably for the best," Dyn nodded, and Leo hated the pitying look the man gave him. "It should also give Laura enough time to recover a bit. And when you return, we all head over to the roup together, eh?"

  Leo froze, "roup?"

  "Aye," Dyn said, his expression turning serious. "There's anroup of survivors he old trainyard. We heard from a bloke who passed through here that they've got a safe pce to stay and supplies. It's a risk, but we pn to move as soon as we . A bigger group might be our only ce to survive."

  Leo furrowed his brow. Wait what? Someone is running around the city, spreading the word about a safe house? Seeing no other option, he voiced his question.

  "The d didn't stay long, but he was bloody fast. Assassin like you, just more focused on legging it than fighting," Dyn reted, ae his gruff tohe hope in his words shohrough.

  "He told us that the group formed just after the Outbreak," the man tinued. "Now, after the sed Cataclysm, three of their Assassins are running around the city, trying to find any survivors and give them dires. Bonkers, I tell you, but I couldn't be md. They just might be the reason why we all will survive."

  Bonkers isn't the word I would use, but yeah, 't disagree here. Fug hell, they must be pushing everything into Grad Might to move that fast. A smart thing to do if they want to survive their runs, but iure? Shit might bite them in the ass.

  Leo nodded finally after a longer period of silence. "Strength in numbers."

  "Exactly, mate. So what do you think?"

  Leo let out a small ugh, the fme of hope suddenly burning brighter in his chest. "I say that as soon as I e back with my family, we go. I scout the pce before we enter, just in case, but I don't see a reason to dismiss this."

  Dyn grinned widely, "And that's what I like to hear. Now e, let me introduce you to Laura before you leave. She should be awake by now."

  With that, the man walked down the corridor and turned into an open door. Leo watched him before following with a shake of his head. This meeting definitely weer than his st enter with a human.

  Not all is lost.