Julian was chilling in the cafeteria, leaning back against a chair, half-eating a sandwich, half-lost in thought. The orange light of evening dimmed outside the broken windows, and the silence around him remained almost too calm.
Meanwhile, in the right wing of the building…
Lucian Rowen's group moved forward steadily.
They encountered a few goblins here and there, but nothing overwhelming. Surprisingly, the path was far less crowded than expected.
"This side is… quiet," Marcus Reed muttered, glancing around warily as they stepped over broken tiles and debris.
Lucian, as always, maintained an air of cold composure, his golden eyes sharp and calculating.
"Don't get comfortable," he said. "Quiet only means we haven't met them yet."
They continued down the corridor.
Unluckily for the other group, the left wing of the building was a nightmare. The entire side had been overrun by goblins and wolfs—shambling, moaning, hungry. Every step they took was met with growls and snapping jaws.
But Lucian's team moved forward without much trouble, silent and precise.
Then, out of nowhere, another group appeared.
Emily Carter's group was heading the same way. Their cautious steps mirrored Lucian's, though their tension was far more visible, far more frantic.
And then, they met.
At the three-way corridor.
Emily's eyes widened, and without hesitation, she rushed toward Lucian, her voice bright with relief.
"I was sure you would survive, Lucian!"
Lucian looked just as surprised by their sudden reunion but smirked lightly.
"Me too," he replied, his tone both playful and confident.
He turned toward the other students as if simply catching up with old acquaintances.
His golden eyes scanned their status windows using {scan}.
In a split second, his pupils widened just slightly.
They had two epic paths and one legendary: Emily Carter, Olivia Hale, and Clara Winters.
Especially Clara. Her path rank was just one realm below his.
As expected for my future harem, Lucian thought smugly.
(Author's note: This dumbfuck really thinks he's the protagonist.)
Lucian approached Olivia and Clara, wearing a gentle smile. His tone was soft, almost kind, as if no apocalypse surrounded them.
"I'm relieved to see you both alive. Truly. It would've been… disappointing otherwise," he said, his voice calm, measured, laced with false sincerity.
"You two are far too important to me," he added, "and now that we're together, survival seems a bit easier."
Both girls immediately saw through him.
Clara's eyes narrowed slightly, her gaze cold and indifferent. Her face barely changed, but a subtle edge of disgust lingered in her expression.
Olivia smirked, amusement flickering in her twilight-colored eyes, as if she were already plotting how to use him for her own entertainment.
But Lucian remained blissfully unaware, continuing his friendly, kind facade.
Meanwhile, Emily stood back quietly, observing everything. No words, no judgment, just careful calculation.
Their goals were the same now—survive and make it to the cafeteria.
Without further delay, the group began to march forward, each step synchronized in purpose, each mind focused on the same grim objective.
The corridor ahead stretched dark and uncertain, but for now… they moved together.