The city stretched endlessly ahead of them, ruins layered upon ruins, smoke curling through shattered streets like a living thing.
James followed the boy in silence.
Broken glass crunched underfoot. Somewhere in the distance, something roared.
Suddenly, the boy stopped.
James frowned. "What is it?"
Instead of answering, the boy's face flushed red.
Grrrlll.
The sound was unmistakable.
For a second, the air went awkwardly still.
"…S-Sorry," the boy said quickly, clutching his stomach. "I haven't eaten since before everything happened."
James blinked—then shook his head.
"It's fine."
Without another word, he reached into his inventory. Bottled water, packaged bread, snacks—food and drinks appeared in his hands as if conjured from thin air.
The boy stared.
"…Whoa."
"Eat first," James said, handing them over. "We'll move after."
They ducked behind the remains of a collapsed wall, keeping out of sight while the boy ate ravenously, hands shaking from hunger more than fear.
After a moment, James spoke, keeping his voice low.
"What's your name?"
The boy swallowed and wiped his mouth. "Ark."
James nodded. "I'm James."
Ark hesitated, then glanced at the food in his hands again. "How did you… do that? Is it magic? Did you already get a skill?"
James shook his head. "It's a subspace. Every player has one."
"…Every player?" Ark echoed.
"Yeah. You can store items inside it. The higher your level, the more space you get."
Ark's eyes widened. "I… I didn't know that."
James hummed softly. "Most people don't. Not yet."
When Ark finished eating, they moved again, weaving through debris and avoiding the main roads.
"There," Ark said suddenly, pointing ahead. "The school. I can see it."
James followed his gaze.
The building still stood, but barely. Parts of the walls had collapsed, windows blown out. The surrounding buildings were worse—reduced to skeletal remains.
"Hold on," James said.
Before Ark could ask, James crouched slightly and lifted him onto his back.
"W-What-"
"Hold tight."
James took off.
The world blurred.
Wind roared past them as James sprinted through the ruined streets, leaping over debris, weaving between wrecked vehicles. In seconds—no, moments, they crossed a distance that should've taken minutes.
They landed inside the school grounds.
James set Ark down gently.
The school's court was crowded.
Students, dozens of them, were gathered together, huddled in fear, some crying, some injured, others clutching makeshift weapons. Teachers tried to keep order, though their voices shook.
James scanned the area.
"Where's your sister?"
Ark's head snapped left, then right.
"There!" he shouted, pointing.
A girl turned.
Her eyes widened.
"Ark?!"
They ran toward each other and collided in a tight embrace. The girl sobbed openly, gripping her brother like he might disappear again. Ark buried his face into her shoulder, shaking.
James looked away.
Being separated like that, at the very start of the apocalypse, it was cruel.
Then-
BOOM.
The ground trembled.
A deep, heavy sound echoed through the air, not sharp like a goblin's movement, but slow, deliberate. Powerful.
The court fell silent.
James's senses screamed.
He turned his head toward the source instinctively.
Through broken buildings and drifting smoke, he saw it.
A massive figure.
Green skin stretched over bulging muscles. Each step crushed concrete beneath its feet. Its tusked mouth exhaled hot breath, eyes glowing with savage intelligence.
James felt a chill crawl up his spine.
"This isn't a goblin," he muttered.
"System," James said quietly, eyes locked on the creature. "What is that?"
The reply came instantly.
Monster Identified: Orc
James clenched his fists.
This-
This was something else entirely.