Erik's heart was pounding in his chest as he ran through New Alexandria's empty streets. He was overjoyed as he killed Nathaniel and obtained his power, but the fact that someone else was implicated in his assassination attempt was disturbing.
Who the hell was this Achim? Why did he help Nathaniel? He knew the two frequently met in the last period, as Erik saw some conversations between them in the past, but they rarely talked through messages and probably only did so in person. He had to find out who this guy was, which was problematic since the Crystal Cross Gang was still searching for him. Aside from this, there was a more concerning problem at hand: Erik had to reach the shelter before a monster he couldn't face found him.
As he ran, Erik kept his eyes peeled for any sign of danger. He knew the thaids were still lurking nearby, searching for prey and waiting for their chance to strike.
The city was quiet but otherwise fine. The buildings stood tall and proud, but the streets were deserted. Everyone had gone to fight the monsters outside, many with their sons and daughters in tow, as the war effort was requested of everyone. Erik hid in the shadows cast by the sun, which was still up in the sky, projecting a warm glow over the empty streets.
He dodged around parked cars and leaped over low walls, his body moving with a fluid grace honed by his training and inhuman strength. He moved quickly but silently, not wanting to draw attention to himself.
As he ran, Erik spotted two thaids ahead. They were prowling around a parked car, snarling and snapping their jaws. Erik's heart skipped a beat, but he remained calm. These were beasts he could kill without problems, and he was forced to do so since the shelter was in that direction.
Erik slowed down, moving with the quiet, deliberate steps of a predator. He crept up behind the monsters, his breath shallow and steady. He could hear their growls and snarls, but he remained focused.
Suddenly, one of the monsters turned and caught sight of Erik. Its eyes widened in surprise, and it let out a loud roar. The other monster turned to face Erik, their jaws gaping wide.
These were Snorps, medium-sized, furry thaids, around the size of a dog, with bright green fur and four eyes. Their bodies were round and bulbous, and they had six legs that ended in sharp claws. Their most notable feature was their mouth, which took up almost their entire face and was filled with rows of razor-sharp teeth.
These creatures usually lived in dark, damp caves, where they could hide and ambush their prey. They fed on large rodents and insect-like thaids, but they had been known to attack even larger creatures when desperate for food. Occasionally, they also got out of their caves to hunt for monsters. The two thaids were easy prey, according to Erik's analysis power.
The awakener didn't hesitate. He lunged forward, his body a blur of motion. He struck the monsters with a swift, precise blow, taking them out individually.
Within moments, the monsters lay lifeless on the ground, their bodies twitching and spasming. The thaids didn't stand a chance against Erik's fighting skills. He had trained a lot, and his stats made him deadly; everything could be seen in the ease with which he defeated them. Erik breathed a sigh of relief as he didn't alert any thaid.
[MULTIPLE HOSTILE SNORPS KILLED: MANA ABSORBING PROCESS STARTING.]
[0%...1%....5%...30%...70%...100%]
[MANA SUCCESSFULLY ABSORBED, STARTING CONVERTING PROCEDURE.]
[3...2...1...0]
[MANA SUCCESSFULLY CONVERTED INTO EXPERIENCE. 16 EXPERIENCE POINTS AWARDED TO THE HOST.]
"Seriously?" Erik said. He only got 16 experience points from the beasts. As he was done with the kills, the young man continued heading towards the shelter. He was relatively calm, but he was still alert since the shelter was still a few hundred meters away, and he needed to be cautious of any other dangers that may come his way. As he walked, he kept his eyes and ears open for any sign of movement or unusual sounds in his surroundings.
He darted down empty streets, turning corners and weaving his way through the deserted city. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the sound of his boots on the pavement and the occasional thaids snarling, growling, or howling in the distance.
As he ran, Erik couldn't help but think about Nathaniel and how much things changed after he got the system. Initially, Nathaniel was someone he couldn't hope to reach; he had money, power, status, and everything one desired, and he had it.
However, things slowly changed to the point that they developed a bitter rivalry that led to this final, deadly confrontation. However, despite having been mistreated by him, he didn't feel the same way he felt when he killed Logan.
Erik had mixed emotions about the situation and was relieved that he didn't harbor the same level of hatred towards Nathaniel as he did towards Logan. He realized that such intense feelings of hatred could become addictive and consuming, leading to a never-ending cycle of revenge and violence that would only put him in danger.
The young man kept moving cautiously through the empty streets, his senses on high alert, but as he rounded a corner, he spotted a group of monsters up ahead again, huddled around a kid's body; they were eating him.
The young man wondered what this guy was doing around here, outside of the shelter, but whatever the reason, it was clearly a bad choice. The monsters were currently ripping off his arms while others were ripping off his legs. His guts were out in the open, and his stomach's content went out of a wound made by the monsters' fangs.
Erik ducked behind a nearby building and peered around the corner, trying to get a better look. The monsters were not that strong, but he wanted to avoid confrontation if possible.
He scanned the area for another way around and spotted a small alleyway parallel to the street. It was narrow and cramped, but it looked like it would lead him past the monsters without drawing their attention.
Erik moved quickly and quietly, his footsteps soft on the pavement. He slipped into the alleyway and began to make his way along its length, hoping not to be heard by the thaid group.
He could hear the monsters growling and snarling as he moved, but he remained focused. He knew he had to stay calm and avoid any to step onto something or make things fall down as that might give him away.
Finally, Erik emerged from the alleyway, glad the monsters didn't notice him; fighting them would have only been a bother.
He continued on his way, moving through the deserted city. As he went on, he recognized some of the buildings and quickly understood that he was getting closer to the shelter.
"Finally," he said.
The shelter up ahead was massive. He slowed down and approached it cautiously, scanning the area for any signs of danger.
He approached the building with a mix of curiosity and trepidation. As he drew nearer, he could see that the walls were thick, made of reinforced concrete and steel and that multiple defenses had been put in place to deter potential attacks.
The entrance to the bunker was guarded by a pair of massive steel doors that were opened by a device that only humans could access. Erik approached the controls, and after having pressed some buttons, the doors opened, and he went inside. Once there, Erik was greeted by a maze of hallways and rooms, all designed to provide maximum protection and safety to their inhabitants. The air was cool and filtered, and the lighting was dim but sufficient.
There were blast doors, airlocks, and escape routes throughout the facility, and heavily armed laser turrets guarded each section. The walls were lined with surveillance cameras and motion sensors. A state-of-the-art communication system allowed for a direct line between the different areas of the shelter and the military.
The place was not as luxurious as the Yellow Palace's shelter, and it definitely had fewer defenses, but he didn't know which one was better at that point since the air system malfunction almost killed him.
Despite the intimidating appearance of the place and its multiple defenses, Erik felt a sense of relief and safety wash over him as he settled into his quarters; he was finally safe.
The bunker was well-equipped, with comfortable sleeping quarters, a well-stocked pantry, ample fresh water supplies, and medical equipment. Erik could finally rest easy, knowing he was protected from the dangers of the outside world.
However, much to Erik's joy, the shelter was empty; there wasn't a single person there. Erik expected to find other survivors inside, but there were none, and the only sound was the soft hum of the air filtration system. Erik went to one of the rooms and sat on a bench. Now, he only had to wait for the attack to end, hoping that the outcome would turn in favor of the humans.
As he sat there, Erik couldn't help but think about his friends as he sat there. He prayed that they were safe and that they had made it to a shelter without incident, particularly Aaron, who was outside of the city.
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