Far across the city, where shadows reigned. Peter and Louise explored the eastern region. The area was full of wide, factory-like buildings, guarded by iron fences that stretched on both sides.
Peter occasionally peeked over his shoulder to see the girl's condition. She looked down on herself too much. From the first time he saw Louise's fighting style, the blue-haired boy gaped, mesmerized by her sharp and precise spear play.
However, after getting to know her better. Peter felt a bit disillusioned because Louise was unaware of the strength she possessed and instead was wasting it.
Perhaps something happened in her past that gave the girl such a self-deprecating personality. But, because of the unwritten rule of their group that did not allow delving into each other's private lives.
This made the boy restrain himself from crossing the boundaries. Of course, it was not only him, but the others were also the same, as they were still afraid to open up their past, except for Abel.
"Are you alright?"
Peter's question prompted Louise to turn to him and nod.
"Y-Yes, I'm feeling better, t-thank you for worrying about me."
The boy shook his head, his eyebrows furrowed. He could hear his heart beating anxiously when he listened to the tone coming from the girl's mouth, which was slightly stuttering.
His habit of worrying others began when he was little, when Peter was active and always causing trouble in the family. He was forced to follow his older sister's training, a true-born warrior.
Not only that. As Peter's sister was calling herself a self-proclaimed lady. Peter was always educated to be aware and attentive to every woman near him.
'No, calm down, we have more pressing matters to do!'
With a dagger in his right hand. Peter tightened his grip and let out a short sigh. His blue eyes were wide open and surveying the surrounding area.
The atmosphere was calm. And only the dark, cold wind blew away the red dust into the air until it disappeared into the horizon. The two walked closer to the iron fences.
However, Peter's body suddenly tensed. His free hand immediately grabbed Louise's wrist and pulled her to a nearby pillar, hiding their own shadows to escape the enemy's eyes.
"W-What's wrong?"
Without answering, Peter brought his index finger to his helmet's lip and mumbled something in his head.
(There are two virus beasts behind the gate.)
(Really?)
Louise widened her eyes, she tried to peek behind the pillar, and it was true. Two virus beasts were roaming around. Their red eyes emitted a fierce light that gave a chill creeping down her spine.
(Louise, you wait here for a moment. I will take care of them.)
(A-alright.)
Peter pressed his back against the pillar. His eyes closed, gazing at the endless void that wanted to drown his consciousness to the bottom of the abyss.
He took slow, steady breaths, trying to activate the stealth ability he possessed. As the boy loosened the tension in his body, his figure gradually faded, detached from the world. He was now blended into the surrounding shadows, lurking mysteriously like an assassin.
Stealth was an ability to erase people's presence, and was usually used for infiltration. It could be used in battle, but it has several limitations.
For example, it couldn't erase one's heat signal, but thanks to the armour suit, Peter managed to blend seamlessly into the surrounding shadow. Second, the moment Peter reveals his intent, the stealth will be automatically cancelled.
So the skill was a one-time kill only.
He obtained this stealth ability after the survival test. And with a bit of help from his sister, Peter could master the ability faster than most people.
(Be careful.)
Louise's gentle voice echoed in his head, pushing him forward. His footsteps were silent, and even the shadow that constantly reflected his movements faded, seemingly merging with the world's darkness.
He drew his other dagger and positioned it behind his back, trying not to be conspicuous by its blazing edge. The boy walked closer as he waited for the two virus beasts to come together.
'Now!'
When the two monsters stood side by side, Peter kicked the ground, his body shot out like a bullet, then plunged both his daggers into the red core of the virus beasts' bodies.
The two monsters' bodies shook as they realized a sharp object had pierced their defences. Then, before their consciousness faded, both virus beasts noticed a shadow manifested beside them.
Peter jumped back, and the two virus beasts staggered before falling limp, making a crisp sound as they hit the ground.
Hasty footsteps came from behind. Peter turned and found Louise stopping beside him while gripping her spear tightly in her hand.
"Are you alright, Mr. Peter?"
"Yeah, let's continue our search. We still have much area to cover."
"Yes."
The two of them stared at the white building together, unintentionally. The building, constructed on a steel foundation, stretched out, and its symmetrical upper part was filled with large holes from broken glass.
They looked at each other and nodded. Both stepped forward simultaneously to explore the building's interior.
***
While the other four of his comrades experienced a smooth journey, the same was not true for Cain, who chose the northern area as his destination.
With the katana held by two hands, Cain sidestepped to the side, dodging a stab from a cable tentacle aimed at his chest.
'Now.'
Utilizing the momentum he created. Cain put extra strength in his legs, and he dashed, leaving an afterimage that confused the enemy.
Cain closed in on the opponent's defence and swung his red katana diagonally from below, cutting the virus beast's body in two.
[Integrity +10%]
His chest rose and fell. The panting boy straightened and glanced around. His eyes narrowed, seeing chunks of iron mixed with flesh scattered around him.
Cain let out a long sigh while sheathing his katana, he grumbled.
'Huff, what's with this area?'
Upon arriving in the northern area, encounters with virus beasts increased. Cain counted and had already defeated seven Common-Rank virus beasts.
Apart from that, he did not mind the challenges themselves. Because the more they came, Cain could grow stronger than before. Yet something doesn't sit still in his heart. It was something fleeting, always escaping his grasp every time he tried to catch it.
The boy took a deep breath, trying to clear his mind of unnecessary thoughts. He clenched both hands to check his physical condition.
'Good, let's continue.'
The black pupil in Cain's eye shrank as he activated his eagle eye ability. His gaze sharpened, revealing every detail of the destroyed structure and the surrounding eerie atmosphere.
As he stepped out of the cluster of buildings and stood in the middle of a dusty street. A flash blinked from the top of a building on his right.
Cain felt a chill that sent adrenaline coursing through him, awakening his dormant power.
He kicked the road surface, creating cracks that resembled a spider web as he leapt back. The boy's gaze narrowed when he saw a bullet penetrate the spot where he had stood moments ago.
His body moved immediately, using the building's shadow for protection.
'Sniper!?'
Wrinkles began to appear on Cain's face. He clicked his tongue as he recalled his experience facing a sniper, especially like Rika.
Looking at the direction where the bullet landed, he began to guess the trajectory and the distance until his vision reached a building across the intersection. Cain chose a roundabout path and tried not to make much noise.
As he approached the intersection, the boy hid behind the wall and focused his gaze on the building in front of him.
Cain widened his eyes. This was the first time he had seen a virus beast with a body like a converging pillar, its tip capped with a muzzle that spewed smoke.
'Found you!'
His lips grinned, seeing that the virus beast's attention was still focused on the direction where it shot him.
The boy entered the building where the monster was located. A spacious hall welcomed his arrival. The place was empty, littered with broken debris and glass, and thick with dust that threatened his lung health.
His legs began to move, guiding him to trace the room until he found an emergency door along with an iron staircase that would lead him to the upper floor.
Without thinking, he immediately climbed the stairs. A sharp 'clanking' sound echoed when he stepped on the metal stair. The sound seemed to chant a scream of misery that eroded Cain's sense of hearing.
After passing several floors, Cain finally arrived at the floor where the virus beast was. He drew his katana, his light steps echoing in a long corridor where, on either side, rusty doors, worn down after long abandonment.
The boy suddenly stopped in his tracks as he saw a room without a door. Inside, he saw the virus beast still standing in its place, but two other virus beasts were guarding its fragile back.
'There's three of them. But, my priority is the one with the sniper.'
Cain gripped his sword in his right hand, while his left hand reached for the pistol he placed on his left thigh.
'Okay, huff, here we go!'
He burst inside and aimed the muzzle of his pistol at the two virus beasts with cable tentacles on their bodies.
A series of explosions resonated through the room, and the two flying bullets accurately pierced the red cores of the two monsters with tentacles on their bodies.
Not finished, the boy lunged forward and mercilessly swung his sword vertically, splitting the sniper virus beast that was still standing firm on its duty to monitor.
[Integrity +10%]
An electric current stung his consciousness awake when he only got experience points from one monster.
The two other machines began to clatter; it turned out the bullet had only held them for a moment.
"Die!"
A flurry of crimson flash danced across the room as if dissecting the monster into smaller parts, prompting the blue panel to appear in his line of sight.
[Integrity Sync Complete.]
[Integrity 100% Reached]
> Level Up → 17.0
> Parameters boosted → All stats +1
> Bonus Point 5!