The streets were littered with corpses, blood pooling in dark rivers along the cracked pavement. The once-bustling city was now a graveyard of the fallen, their bodies twitching in unnatural stillness. The stench of rot was overwhelming.
Damian stood among the carnage, his <b>Bowie knives dripping with blood</b>. His <b>Kill Counter flashed—[527/1000]</b>. He was over halfway there. Despite the overwhelming numbers he had slain, he felt no exhaustion. His <b>Combat AI</b> had guided his movements with cold precision, making every action brutally efficient.
He checked his <b>exoskeleton’s energy levels</b>—<b>[Power: 22%]</b>. It had drained more than expected. He needed to recharge soon.
Behind him, the twins stumbled forward, their bodies trembling with fatigue. Their faces were streaked with blood—some their own, some not. Their hands gripped their weapons tightly, refusing to let go even as their strength faltered.
The older twin exhaled sharply, forcing herself to stay upright. "Is... is it over?"
Damian glanced around. Smoke still curled from burning vehicles, and the distant echoes of screams hinted that the chaos had yet to fully subside.
"For now," he said simply. "But more will come. We leave before that happens."
The younger twin shivered but nodded, tightening her grip on her spear. "Where to?"
Instead of answering, Damian raised a hand. <b>Eight assistant drones materialized from his Unlimited Space</b>, hovering in formation. With a mental command, they dispersed, scanning the corpses for valuable resources.
"They’ll collect the crystals," he muttered. "Search the bodies. There should be some left."
The twins hesitated. They had barely caught their breath, and now he wanted them to sift through the remains of the undead? But they said nothing. If they wanted to survive, they needed to obey.
Damian reached into his <b>Unlimited Space</b> again, pulling out two <b>small knives</b>. He tossed one to each twin. "It’ll be easier to dig through the skulls with these."
The sisters swallowed their discomfort and moved forward. The younger twin crouched beside a corpse, grimacing as she pressed her blade into its rotted skull. With a sickening squelch, she pried it open, revealing a small <b>pale blue crystal embedded in the remains.</b> Her stomach churned, but she forced herself to grab it.
The older twin worked beside her, her face unreadable as she focused on the task. <b>They had to get used to this.</b>
After a few minutes, the <b>drones returned</b>, their mechanical limbs carrying the spoils. A system notification appeared in Damian’s vision:
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<b>[Total Crystals Collected: 87]</b>
He turned toward the twins. "Report."
The older twin held up a handful of <b>pale blue crystals</b>. "We found 21."
Damian nodded. A total of <b>108 crystals</b>. A decent haul.
He stored them along with the drones in his <b>Unlimited Space</b>, ensuring nothing was left behind. Then, without another word, he turned and started walking.
"We’re leaving."
The twins didn’t argue. Their exhaustion was evident, but they stumbled forward, following him without hesitation. They didn’t need to be told twice.
<hr>
<b>Finding Shelter</b>
Damian led them through the ruined streets, his steps never faltering. His <b>Identify Skill</b> remained active, scanning for threats and potential hideouts. More undead would be drawn to the area soon. They needed a safe place to rest.
After several blocks, he spotted an <b>abandoned convenience store</b>. The windows were shattered, but the structure was intact. <b>It would do.</b>
"Inside."
The twins followed him in, their bodies sagging with exhaustion. Damian scanned the interior—no threats detected.
"We rest here for now. Don’t let your guard down."
The sisters collapsed near the back of the store, breathing heavily. <b>For the first time since this all began, they felt a small sense of safety.</b>
The older twin looked at Damian, her voice hoarse. "How do you keep going? How do you not get tired?"
Damian didn’t answer immediately. He checked his exoskeleton again—<b>[Power at 18%]</b>. It was running low, but it would hold for now.
"You adapt," he said. "Or you die."
The weight of his words settled over them. They understood what he meant. <b>Survival was a choice, and weakness was not an option.</b>
<hr>
<b>Damian’s Cold Reality Check</b>
As the silence stretched on, Damian sat down across from them. His eyes were cold and calculating.
"If you’re serious about surviving, then listen carefully."
The twins tensed, sitting upright. Instinctively, they knew what he was about to say was important.
"Your fighting is sloppy. You hesitate. You second-guess your movements. That will get you killed."
The older twin clenched her fists but didn’t argue. The younger twin swallowed hard, gripping her spear tighter.
Damian continued, his voice devoid of sympathy. "If you hesitate, you die. If you don’t kill first, you’ll be the one bleeding out. Understand?"
The younger twin bit her lip but nodded. The older one hesitated, then gave a firm nod as well.
"Good. Because I don’t have time to babysit. You’ll eat when I tell you to eat, you’ll train when I tell you to train, and if you can’t keep up, you’ll be left behind."
They understood what he meant—<b>he wasn’t here to protect them. They had to become strong enough to stand beside him.</b>
After delivering his harsh lesson, Damian reached into his <b>Unlimited Space</b> and pulled out a freshly <b>roasted chicken</b>, its golden-brown skin still steaming hot. The rich aroma filled the air, making the twins freeze for a moment. Their stomachs clenched painfully at the sight of real food.
He tossed the chicken toward them. "Eat."
Without hesitation, they tore into it. Hunger overpowered curiosity, and they devoured the meal as if they hadn’t eaten in days.
Damian pulled out <b>two bottles of water</b>, tossing them over before eating his own share. He chewed slowly, watching them. <b>They were weak now. But they wouldn’t stay that way.</b>
Once they finished eating, he stood. "Rest. We move at dawn."
The sisters didn’t argue. They leaned against the wall, their bodies finally surrendering to exhaustion.
Damian summoned two <b>drones</b>, their glowing sensors flickering in the dim light. "Scan the perimeter. Alert me if anything unusual approaches."
The drones beeped in acknowledgment before flying outside to patrol the area.
The notification confirmed his command. Finally, Damian leaned back against the wall, arms crossed.
For the first time in a long while, Damian allowed himself a moment of sleep.