Victor and the other four had settled inside a small clothing store, empty of any creatures. It had probably still been closed when the apocalypse began, which would explain the absence of any of the Fallen.
He sat on the checkout counter, swinging his legs in the air.
The two sisters—whose names Victor had learned were Anna and Melissa—were both tending to Daniel, doing their best to keep his long wound wrapped.
Mary leaned against the wall a few meters away from the boy, observing him carefully.
Even though he had saved their lives, she had learned not to trust anyone—no matter the situation.
« Thank you for saving us. »
Victor nodded in her direction.
« No need to thank me. »
The blonde continued.
« Can we know what you were doing here? »
Victor shrugged, stood up from the counter, and walked toward the clothing racks.
« I'm looking for my sister. And I also needed new clothes. »
That wasn't a lie. Anyone present could see the state of Victor's clothes—torn to shreds, stained in blood, and carrying a nauseating smell.
As for searching for his sister, yes, he indeed had one—he just couldn't care less about her.
Victor continued.
« And you? What are you doing here? »
Mary sighed, sliding down the wall until she was sitting, knees pulled up.
« We came for supplies. Food, hygiene products… maybe even survivors, if any were left. »
She clenched her teeth, thinking of earlier events.
« But we didn't expect monsters like that to be here! That invisibility trick… we've never seen anything like it. »
Victor undressed and slipped into a black hoodie and jogging pants.
« They could turn invisible? »
Since he wasn't supposed to have witnessed the mantises' ability, he tried to look as surprised as possible.
One of the sisters stood up—the taller one, brown hair tied in a ponytail, with a fringe nearly covering her hazel eyes.
It was Melissa.
« Yeah. What's your sister's name? »
A softer voice continued.
« We can help you find her. »
« Come with us. Maybe she's at the hospital. »
« The hospital? »
Mary shot a sharp look at the two women.
« We already talked about this, girls. »
The sisters held her gaze.
« He saved Melissa. »
« He saved Anna. »
The blonde sighed, rubbing her eyes tiredly.
« Yes, I know—but you also know those aren't my words. They're his. »
She turned her gaze to Victor, who was calmly inspecting clothing, choosing a few pieces and stuffing them in the backpack he had just taken.
« Well, whatever. Too late now. We've set up a sort of base at the hospital—it's pretty well secured.»
The boy showed no reaction, simply taking a long black coat and putting it on.
« Is that an invitation? »
« You can just stay with us while we finish what we came for, and then come back with us. »
Victor nodded and began walking toward the exit.
« Where are you— »
Mary didn't have time to finish. Victor had already disappeared, leaving the four companions alone.
*
[You have slain a Vioren (Lvl 11)]
[Level up. You gain 5 free points]
Victor, expressionless, looked around, observing the extent of the massacre.
The parking lot, once filled with creatures, was now devoid of any sign of life.
Dozens of bodies of all shapes and sizes were scattered across the concrete and between burnt-out cars.
The boy had completely cleared the area, gaining several levels in the process.
However, he hadn't done this for no reason. Something about this mall put him on edge—the silence inside was suffocating, and the fact that none of the creatures dared to enter only intensified his suspicion.
That's why he cleared a path—making sure his escape wouldn't be obstructed.
Besides, if things went too wrong, he had several perfect decoys to ensure his survival. He just needed them to last long enough for him to slip away.
But Victor hoped he wouldn't have to resort to that—after all, he needed them alive.
The boy then returned to the store where he had left the others. They had all fallen asleep except for one of the sisters—Anna—who seemed to be keeping watch.
That wasn't surprising; the fight had exhausted them, and night was almost falling.
She was slightly shorter than her sister, her brown hair tied up in a messy bun. She wore the same outfit as Melissa—black leggings and a sports bra.
It didn't protect her body much, but it allowed for optimal movement.
She straightened slightly when Victor entered, then relaxed when she recognized him, greeting him with a gentle smile.
« Welcome back. Had fun? »
« You can sleep. I'll keep watch. »
« You're not very talkative, huh? »
Victor didn't reply. He sat once again on the counter, cleaning the long knife he had taken from Stefan's corpse.
« I already rested. And besides, I need to keep an eye on you too. Just in case you decide to kill us in our sleep. »
The boy stopped moving, fixing Anna with his lifeless black eyes.
His lips curled slightly.
« If I wanted you dead, you would already be dead. Whether you watch me or not wouldn't change anything. »
His voice was flat, devoid of any emotion.
It was neither a threat nor a warning.
Just an undeniable truth.
Anna frowned.
« Aren't you a bit too sure of yourself? Just because we owe you doesn't mean I'll let you insult me.»
Victor shrugged.
« It wasn't an insult. Just a fact. »
« Mmh… if you say so. By the way, you never told us your name. »
« Victor. »
Anna nodded and turned her attention back toward the entrance—much to Victor's relief.
He didn't like talking much. He usually only said what was necessary.
He had never enjoyed conversation—and the decades he had spent trapped in Beelzebub's memory with no one to speak to but himself had only made it worse.
But to blend in, maybe he would have to change that habit—whether he liked it or not.
*
The group members woke one by one, eating the little food they had brought.
Victor had nothing left; he had eaten the last of his supplies the night before in the apartment where he had killed the four men.
Under the questioning gazes of the others, Anna approached him and offered him a small cereal bar, which the boy accepted after a brief hesitation.
« Thanks. »
Ten minutes later, preparations were complete. Except for Daniel—still badly injured—everyone was in good enough shape.
They headed first to the pharmacy just a few meters from the clothing store.
Victor kept watch at the entrance while the other four filled their bags with everything useful they could find, painkillers, bandages, disinfectant, paracetamol, and various medications.
That was what they needed most. Even though they had taken over a hospital, medical supplies were running out at an alarming rate—so many wounded arrived daily it was staggering.
Mary and the others seemed in good spirits despite losing their comrade the previous day. Maybe they hadn't been that close… or maybe the world had already changed them more than they realized.
Victor, on the other hand, was growing more and more tense. The feeling of unease in his gut was getting stronger, the fluttering sensation inside him intensifying.
But aside from that, nothing suggested anything unusual.
That was what made it worse.
They then moved to the next store—one of the few gun shops in the region.
Exactly what Victor needed right now — a weapon.