I did not think the other survivors would die that quickly.
Thank god we had the idea of filling our inventories with supplies from the apartment before leaving.
The moment we reached the ground floor, the air trembled. A massive portal tore itself open directly above our apartment complex, its edges burning like raw flesh peeled back from reality. Waves of red skinned imps poured out first, shrieking as they fell, followed by their brute earth demon brethren who smashed straight through balconies and walls as if concrete were paper.
Anyone who hesitated was already dead.
My siblings and the small group of survivors who chose to follow me ran.
We sprinted straight for the nearby 7 Eleven.
Alfred was in front, Ki reinforcing his legs as he barreled through debris. Ara stayed close behind him, clutching her wand, mana already gathering at her fingertips. Behind them was Martin, a friend of Alfred's, a man who could spit flames from his mouth like a living flamethrower. Rounding out our group was Vanessa, an office worker in her thirties whose passive gift enhanced her reflexes to frightening levels.
The screams from behind us cut off one by one.
I did not look back.
A pack of imps leapt from a shattered storefront, claws extended. I turned mid run and swept my arm forward. Water surged from the air, slamming into them like a wall. Their bodies were flung across the street, bones shattering as they struck parked cars.
Vanessa reached the 7 Eleven first and yanked the door open. Her movements were sharp, precise, every action perfectly timed. Alfred and Martin stormed inside as the mutated beasts lurking within charged.
They did not stand a chance.
Alfred crushed skulls with Ki enhanced strikes while Martin filled the cramped aisles with fire. The smell of burnt flesh filled the store, but the monsters dropped quickly.
"Ara, Miss Vanessa," I said as I stepped inside, water still orbiting my body. "Fill your inventories with supplies. I'll hold them off."
Neither of them argued.
Shelves were stripped clean in seconds. Bottled water vanished into inventories. Energy bars, canned food, medicine, batteries. Anything that looked remotely useful was taken.
Outside, the demons had already reached the street.
Earth demons charged first, massive fists slamming into the pavement. I met them head on. Water wrapped around my legs and propelled me forward as I drove a spear of compressed water straight through one brute's skull. I ripped it free and reused the same water, reshaping it instantly.
More imps swarmed.
I raised both hands and released a wide wave, smashing them into walls and storefronts. Bodies dissolved into light. Points flowed.
We stayed in the 7 Eleven for less than an hour.
That was all it took.
The glass walls shattered under repeated impacts. Cracks spiderwebbed outward before exploding inward as an earth demon slammed through.
"Head to city hall," I shouted. "We'll meet at the point shop!"
Alfred nodded immediately. He understood.
With their group, they could make a straight run for the point shop. That area was already teeming with powerful survivors, which meant fewer monsters roaming nearby. Safety through strength.
They moved the moment I finished speaking.
I stayed behind.
"Ayt," I muttered. "Might as well rack up as many contribution points as I can."
Memories from my parallel selves flickered through my mind. I already knew how to shape the water. Creating large volumes required mana only during the creation phase. Manipulation itself cost nothing but focus.
Water was the basis of my gift.
A barrier formed around my body, layers of rotating currents deflecting claws and debris.
"This way you can't overwhelm me," I said quietly. "Next comes the large wave."
I pulled water from the air, from the broken pipes beneath the street, from every possible source. Mana surged briefly as the mass formed, then vanished as control took over.
I sent it forward.
A towering wave rolled through the street, swallowing imps and smashing earth demons flat. Screams were drowned out instantly.
"Yeah," I said, watching bodies dissolve. "Without allies nearby, I can just go all out on all of you."
More monsters came.
I reused the water, pulling it back, reshaping it again and again. Spears. Blades. Crushing currents that snapped limbs and shattered skulls.
"It takes a lot of mana to summon all this water," I muttered, moving forward step by step. "But if I just reuse it on my way to city hall, I should be fine."
The street was mine.
Behind me, a massive shape formed.
A giant water serpent rose, coiling above the road, its body shimmering with pressure and intent. Its eyes burned with reflected light from the ruined city.
"What did that version of me say again?" I said, feeling the memory settle.
"Ah. Right."
I thrust my hand forward.
"Welcome to my waters."
The serpent surged ahead, tearing through the remaining demons in a violent spiral of crushing force.
The system notification appeared the moment the last one fell.
[You have earned a total of 8,776 Contribution Points from the recent battle.]