Dante, Jack, Nir, and Ron moved cautiously among the supermarket shelves, their footsteps muffled by debris scattered across the floor. Shards of glass crunched faintly underfoot, and the bodies of zombies, skeletons,goblin and unfortunate humans lay in grim testament to the chaos that had overtaken the world.

  As they ventured deeper into the supermarket, they encountered a makeshift barricade—overturned carts, broken shelves, and other debris piled high to block access. Dante held up a hand, signaling the group to stop.

  “It’s not just monsters here,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “Someone’s built this to keep people—or things—out.”

  Jack examined the barricade, his brow furrowed. “Whoever’s on the other side isn’t looking for company. We’ll have to be careful.”

  Dante nodded. “Let’s move it quietly. No unnecessary noise.”

  The four of them worked in silence, carefully disassembling the barricade piece by piece until they created an opening just large enough to squeeze through. On the other side, they were met with a series of locked doors, likely an attempt to secure the deeper sections of the supermarket.

  Nir stepped forward, pulling out the dagger Natalie had given him. He knelt by the locks, his hands steady as he worked. “I’ll handle this,” he said. “It might take a minute.”

  Ron kept watch while Dante and Jack examined their surroundings. The air felt heavy, the dim lighting casting eerie shadows across the aisles.

  After a few tense moments, Nir stood, holding up the now-open lock with a quiet grin. “Got it.”

  They pushed the door open slowly, revealing a darker section of the supermarket. As they stepped through, faint murmurs reached their ears. Voices.

  The group exchanged cautious glances before Dante gestured for them to move forward. They crept closer, the voices growing clearer.

  Hiding behind a towering display of canned goods, the group peered ahead and spotted the source of the voices.

  A hulking figure stood at the center of a group of survivors, his blood-streaked apron and menacing aura marking him as a figure of authority—or fear. The Butcher. Behind him were ten armed followers, wielding makeshift weapons: knives, spears, and crude clubs.

  The Butcher’s voice thundered as he berated the cowering survivors. “You worthless scum! You dare question my authority? I killed the monsters that came to tear you apart! I am your salvation in this wretched world, and this is how you repay me?”

  A young girl, her cheeks streaked with tears, stepped forward despite the fear etched across her face. “You’re a monster,” she said, her voice trembling but defiant. “You killed the creatures, but then you… violated those women. And when their husbands tried to stop you, you murdered them. You let your men do the same.”

  The group’s hearts sank as they took in the scene. Scattered around the survivors were lifeless bodies, the evidence of the Butcher’s reign of terror stark and undeniable.

  Dante clenched his fists, fury bubbling beneath his calm exterior. He gestured for the group to be in silence .

  argument erupted among the Butcher’s men. Shouts and accusations filled the air, the tension among them escalating rapidly.

  Dante seized the opportunity, whispering to the others, “This is our moment. We disrupt them now, or we lose the chance.”

  He stepped forward, raising his hand and summoning a Bone Bullet. With precise aim, he fired at the Butcher’s leg. The bullet struck with a metallic clang before ricocheting off harmlessly.

  Stolen story; please report.

  Dante’s eyes widened in surprise. “He has some kind of defense skill,” he muttered.

  The Butcher staggered slightly but quickly regained his balance. His gaze turned toward the source of the attack, confusion and anger clouding his expression.

  Dante didn’t falter. Stepping into the open, he raised his voice. “Your tyranny ends here, Butcher.”

  The Butcher grinned, drawing a jagged blade from his belt. “Ah, fresh meat for the slaughter. You’ve made a grave mistake, stranger.”

  His men, though still arguing, turned their attention to Dante’s group. They moved to surround their leader, brandishing their weapons.

  Jack stepped forward with his bat, his eyes locked on one of the Butcher’s followers. “Let’s see what you’ve got,” he said, swinging with brute force.

  The clash erupted with ferocity. Jack’s opponent lunged, thrusting a crude spear toward him. Jack sidestepped, bringing his bat down hard on the man’s wrist. A sickening crack echoed as the spear clattered to the ground.

  Nearby, Nir darted between two of the Butcher’s men, his dagger flashing as he struck at their sides. Though his blows weren’t fatal, they were precise enough to disable his enemies, leaving them groaning on the floor.

  Ron found himself facing a wiry man wielding a knife. Though not as physically strong as the others, Ron used his analytical skills to anticipate the man’s movements. When the attacker lunged, Ron ducked low, sweeping the man’s legs out from under him and disarming him in the process.

  Dante kept his focus on the Butcher, firing another bone bullet. This time, he aimed for the Butcher’s hand. The projectile struck true, forcing the hulking man to drop his blade with a roar of pain.

  The survivors, emboldened by Dante’s group, began to fight back. Though untrained, their sheer desperation and numbers helped overwhelm the remaining followers.

  The Butcher, now disarmed, lunged at Nir with a feral growl. Nir dodged, driving his dagger into the Butcher’s side. The larger man howled in pain but didn’t falter.

  Dante moved in, unleashing a spinning bone bullet that pierced the Butcher’s shoulder.

  The hulking man staggered

  Disarmed and surrounded, the Butcher roared in frustration. “You think you’ve won? You fools haven’t seen the last of me!”

  Before anyone could react, he reached into his bloodstained apron and pulled out a small, cylindrical object. With a flick of his wrist, he threw it to the ground.

  A hissing sound filled the air, and thick black smoke erupted, quickly obscuring the entire area.

  “Stay together!” Dante shouted, his voice barely audible over the chaos.

  Through the smoke, they could hear the Butcher’s heavy footsteps retreating. Jack swung his bat wildly, but it connected with nothing. By the time the smoke cleared, the Butcher was gone.

  The remaining followers, seeing their leader’s escape, dropped their weapons and fled. The survivors, emboldened by Dante’s group, began to emerge from their hiding spots, their expressions a mix of relief and gratitude.

  After Butcher had made his hasty escape, he found himself in a dimly lit room in the next building. His chest heaved as he struggled to catch his breath, his mind racing with fear and regret. He was alone, except for one other person who occupied the room.

  "I am sorry," Butcher panted, his voice filled with desperation. "I tried to kill them."

  The person, who had been sitting in the shadows, slowly emerged into the dim light. Their expression remained unreadable as they responded, "I know you did."

  As Butcher's eyes widened in realization, a sinister twist of shadows and spikes erupted from the person's body. Before he could react, the deadly tendrils pierced his flesh, and Butcher let out a blood-curdling scream.

  In a matter of moments, it was over. Butcher's lifeless body crumpled to the floor, and the room returned to an eerie silence.

  the person go back and disappear in thin air

  Back in the supermarket, the atmosphere had shifted dramatically. With Butcher's retreat and the dispersal of his underlings, a sense of relief washed over the survivors. They had been freed from the grip of a tyrant, thanks to the intervention of Dante and his group.

  Natasha, the courageous young girl who had spoken up against Butcher, stepped forward, her eyes filled with gratitude. She extended a trembling hand to Dante. "Thank you for saving us. We didn't think anyone would come to help."

  Dante shook Natasha's hand firmly, a reassuring smile on his face. "We couldn't stand by and let such cruelty continue"

  Jack, who had been observing their surroundings, spoke up. "We should gather what supplies we can from here . It's not safe to stay in one place ."

  The survivors quickly began collecting whatever food and essentials they could find,