Alex surged forward toward the creature writhing violently across the broken ground, its twisted body convulsing as pained screams echoed, black blood spilling endlessly from its shattered skull.
The creature thrashed wildly, its limbs twitching uncontrollably as its cries grew distorted, the sound of agony mixing with the wet splatter of dark blood pooling beneath it.
This time, Alex didn't form a fist, his expression remaining focused as he shifted his stance slightly, preparing something different instead of another straightforward attack.
He twisted his body with controlled precision, channeling strength into his core as his leg moved, setting up for a powerful kick aimed directly at the creature's exposed stomach.
His leg swung forward rapidly, cutting through the air as it closed the short distance, his eyes locked onto the target just a foot away.
But the moment he reached it—
His body suddenly accelerated beyond his control, overwhelming force surging through his muscles as his speed spiked far beyond what he intended.
His kick landed.
BOOM
The impact exploded through the ruined street, sending a violent shockwave outward as debris lifted and cracked under the sheer force released from that single strike.
The creature's scream abruptly stopped, its body jolting violently as the kick crushed into its stomach with overwhelming power, completely overpowering its resistance.
A wave of pain greater than before surged through its body, surpassing even the agony from its shattered skull as its entire form convulsed violently.
Alex's leg tore through its abdomen with terrifying force, ripping flesh and bone apart as black blood burst outward in a gruesome explosion.
But his body didn't stop there.
The recoil from the impact surged backward through him, violently pushing his body away as the force he unleashed turned against him instantly.
His body spun uncontrollably through the air, completely losing balance as he was launched several meters upward, unable to stabilize himself mid-flight.
Then—
THUD
He crashed heavily onto the ground, the impact sending dust and debris rising into the air as the surrounding rubble shifted under the force of his fall.
For a moment, everything stilled.
Then Alex slowly pushed himself up, brushing dust off his black clothes, his movements steady despite the chaotic force he had just unleashed moments ago.
"Hooo…"
He exhaled deeply, rolling his shoulders slightly as he adjusted himself, trying to regain full control over his body after that overwhelming burst of power.
"That was intense."
His gaze shifted toward his leg thoughtfully, analyzing the movement and force behind the attack as realization slowly settled into his mind.
"Looks like I still can't fully control this speed and strength."
Then his gaze moved back toward the creature, his expression slowly changing as something felt different this time compared to before.
The creature wasn't screaming anymore.
It lay completely still, its body lifeless as the violent energy that once filled it had completely vanished without leaving any resistance behind.
Alex frowned slightly and began walking toward it, his steps slow and measured as he approached the unmoving body lying in the ruined street.
Step…
Step…
Step…
When he finally reached it, the reason became clear immediately, the sight in front of him far more brutal than he had anticipated.
The creature's stomach had been completely torn open, its body ripped apart as thick black blood and grotesque organs spilled across the ground in a horrifying display.
It was dead.
Alex stopped walking.
He stared at the corpse silently, his thoughts beginning to drift as the reality of what had just happened slowly caught up to him.
I killed it…
His eyes slowly moved down toward his hands, noticing the faint trembling that ran through them despite his calm outward appearance.
I really killed something.
It was the first time.
A strange feeling filled his chest, something unfamiliar that he couldn't immediately understand or put into words.
Not excitement.
Not fear.
Just confusion.
What… is this feeling?
Black blood continued dripping from the creature's torn body, the quiet sound echoing faintly in the otherwise silent and ruined surroundings.
Alex slowly looked away, breaking his gaze from the corpse as his attention shifted toward the environment around him for the first time.
For the first time since returning, he truly observed the surrounding houses, taking in the destruction that had spread across everything.
And what he saw—
Made him freeze.
Bodies.
Everywhere.
One man leaned halfway out of a shattered window, his upper body hanging lifelessly as his head dangled loosely from his neck, barely attached.
Alex turned slowly, his expression tightening as another horrific sight entered his view without warning.
Another body lay nearby, completely mutilated, its head and legs torn off as blood stained the ground beneath it.
Then he looked further.
And saw something even worse.
A woman's corpse lay on the ground while another creature, similar to the one he killed, crouched over her, devouring her head without hesitation.
Alex's pupils widened instantly, shock and disbelief flashing across his eyes as the reality of the situation became undeniably clear.
The monsters…
They had slaughtered everyone.
For several seconds, he stood there in silence, unable to move as the weight of what he was seeing pressed heavily onto his mind.
Then suddenly—
A thought struck him.
His friends.
They lived only two or three kilometers away.
His breathing grew uneven as panic slowly began to rise within him, breaking through the calm he had maintained until now.
"A-Are they safe…?"
He didn't wait for an answer.
His body moved instantly.
WHOOSH
Alex shot forward at incredible speed, his body turning into a blur as he rushed through the ruined streets without hesitation.
Within seconds, he appeared inside a narrow alleyway, his sudden stop scattering dust beneath his feet.
Several creatures stood there, their forms smaller but eerily similar to the one he had just killed moments ago.
They turned toward him instantly.
Still dangerous.
Still monsters.
Alex took a step forward—
Then suddenly, his ears caught a scream that pierced through the air.
"AHHHHHHH! NOOOOO!"
His heart skipped.
That voice…
His eyes widened.
Don't tell me…
"No… NO!"
Alex exploded into motion again, his body accelerating even faster as urgency replaced every other thought in his mind.
He became a blur, rushing toward the direction of the sound without slowing down even for a second.
Moments later, he appeared in an open field.
Or what used to be one.
Now it was nothing but destruction, the ground cracked and buildings around it collapsed into piles of lifeless rubble.
And in the center—
A girl stood frozen.
She trembled uncontrollably as several creatures slowly surrounded her, their movements deliberate as they closed in step by step.
The girl tried crawling backward, her hands shaking as fear consumed every part of her.
"No… please… No…"
Her voice broke.
Alex stepped closer.
Then he recognized her immediately.
"Lucy…?"
Lucy stopped crying.
She turned when she heard her name, her tear-filled eyes locking onto the figure standing before her.
Her gaze fell on a man wearing black clothes, his presence calm yet overwhelming compared to everything else around them.
Tall.
Handsome.
But unfamiliar.
"W-Who are you?"
Then panic returned as she pointed toward the creatures, fear overwhelming her once again as reality crashed back in.
"H-How do you know my name?!"
"Anyway—Run!"
"Run away from here! You'll die!"
She shouted desperately.
Alex looked at her calmly.
"Lucy."
"I'm Alex."
"Your friend."
"I came to see if you were safe."
Lucy froze, her mind struggling to process his words as disbelief clashed with the situation unfolding around her.
Alex turned toward the creatures.
"We'll talk later."
"First… I'll deal with these things."
Killing intent leaked from him again, heavier than before as his presence alone began to pressure the surrounding creatures instinctively.
Then—
Alex vanished.
He appeared in front of the first creature instantly, his movement too fast to follow with normal sight.
BOOM
His punch pierced straight through its chest, destroying its heart completely before it could even react to his presence.
Before it even fell—
He disappeared again.
Second creature.
BOOM
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Each punch pierced their hearts instantly, ending their lives before they could even comprehend what was happening.
All five collapsed lifeless onto the ground, their bodies hitting the surface almost simultaneously.
Alex reappeared in front of Lucy.
Lucy stared in disbelief, her eyes wide as her mind failed to keep up with what had just occurred in front of her.
She hadn't even seen what happened.
Everything had ended in an instant.
Her mind filled with questions.
Before she could speak—
Alex spoke.
"Questions later."
"First, we get you somewhere safe."
He crouched beside her and gently lifted her into his arms, his movements careful despite the urgency surrounding them.
"Excuse me, Lucy."
Lucy froze instantly, her cheeks turning red despite the chaos, her body stiffening from the sudden closeness.
"O-Okay…"
Alex stood up.
"Hold on tight."
"You might fall."
Lucy wrapped her arms around his neck tightly and closed her eyes, trusting him despite the confusion filling her thoughts.
The next moment—
WHOOSH
They arrived at Alex's ruined house, the sudden shift in location leaving the air around them unsettled from the burst of speed.
He gently placed Lucy on the ground, making sure she was steady before stepping back slightly.
Nearby lay the giant creature he had killed earlier, its massive corpse radiating a presence that kept smaller creatures away.
"Lucy."
"You can open your eyes now."
She slowly opened them, her gaze adjusting as she took in the new surroundings cautiously.
Alex pointed toward the corpse.
"Stay here for two minutes."
"You'll be safe."
"The smaller creatures won't come near here."
And he was right.
The smaller creatures stood far away, staring fearfully at the dead giant, unwilling to approach even a step closer.
Alex disappeared again.
Lucy sat there in confusion, her thoughts racing as she tried to process everything that had just happened.
Alex…?
Is he really our Alex from college?
But his face… looks different…
And it's only been two years…
Before she could think further—
Alex returned.
This time carrying two people.
A boy.
And a girl.
He laid them down gently, careful not to worsen their already injured condition.
"Liam. Julie."
"You can open your eyes now."
They slowly opened them.
When they saw Lucy—
"Lucy?!"
Both shouted in shock, their voices filled with disbelief and relief at the same time.
Lucy gasped, tears immediately filling her eyes as she saw their injured and exhausted states.
Their clothes were torn.
Their bodies bruised.
They looked like they barely survived.
"Liam… Julie…"
"You're alive…"
She rushed forward and hugged Julie tightly, her emotions overflowing after holding everything in for so long.
"Thank God…"
"Thank God you're okay…"
Julie hugged her back just as tightly, her voice trembling with relief and exhaustion.
"I'm so glad you're safe too…"
Liam wiped his tears quickly, trying to compose himself before turning toward Alex with a serious expression.
Suspicion filled his eyes.
"Who are you?"
"How do you know us?"
"And why did you save us?"
Alex smiled slightly.
"I'm Alex, Liam."
"Does that name ring a bell?"
Silence fell over the ruined street, the weight of his words settling heavily among them.
Liam stared at him carefully, studying his face as memories slowly surfaced in his mind.
"Alex…?"
He stepped closer, disbelief growing as he examined him more closely, noticing both familiarity and change at the same time.
The face looked familiar.
But different.
Stronger.
More mature.
His eyes widened suddenly.
"Wait… no way!"
Julie also stared closely, her expression shifting as realization began forming in her mind.
"Hold on…"
"Isn't this…?"
Lucy suddenly stood up, her voice trembling as emotions surged through her.
"Alex…?"
"Our Alex… from college?"
Alex scratched the back of his head awkwardly, a small, almost embarrassed smile appearing on his face.
"Yeah."
"It's me."
For a moment, none of them spoke, the weight of reunion mixing with shock and disbelief in the ruined world around them.
Then Liam suddenly punched Alex lightly on the shoulder, his emotions finally breaking through.
"You idiot!"
His voice shook.
"You disappeared two years ago!"
"We thought you were dead!"
Julie wiped her tears angrily, frustration mixing with relief as she looked at him.
"Yeah! No calls, no messages, nothing!"
Lucy looked at Alex quietly, her emotions calmer but deeper than before.
"Where were you…?"
Alex opened his mouth to answer—
But suddenly—
A distant monstrous roar echoed across the city.
All four froze instantly, their bodies stiffening as the sound carried an overwhelming pressure unlike anything they had heard before.
The sound was far away.
But powerful.
Far stronger than the creatures they had seen or heard before.
Alex slowly turned toward the distant skyline.
His expression grew serious.
"…Looks like this is only the beginning."