"Swish—"
The blade crackled with lightning as it sliced cleanly through the monster, splitting it in two. Blood sprayed everywhere, and a crystal core shot out, spinning through the air.
Robert reached out, caught it mid-flight, and tucked it into his backpack.
"One down..."
But there was no ti to rest. More monsters surged forward, their grotesque forms closing in. Robert moved like a shadow, weaving through them with an almost dance-like grace, his katana flashing in arcs of deadly precision.
The katana, embedded with an A grade lightning-attribute crystal core, was razor-sharp, capable of cutting through anything in its path.
With flawless technique, Robert dispatched over a dozen monsters in quick succession. Their bodies crumpled to the ground one after another, and he deftly collected the crystal cores that burst free from their remains.
But the horde seed endless. From the darkened street ahead, the sound of chaotic footsteps and guttural growls grew louder. Dozens more monsters erged from the shadows, their eyes glowing with primal hunger.
Robert scanned the scene, his gaze sharp and calculating.
"First impressions matter. Showing up late would be rude," he muttered to himself.
With a powerful leap, he vaulted onto the rooftop of a nearby building. Using the cracked and crumbling structure as cover, he disappeared from the monsters' line of sight.
But the creatures weren't about to let him go. Agile and relentless, they bounded after him, scaling the building with unnerving ease.
Yet when they reached the rooftop, they froze, their glowing eyes darting around in confusion. The rooftop was empty—Robert had vanished without a trace.
...
anwhile, in a four-star hotel across town, a group of humans had just wrapped up their strategy eting. They were following Ethan's plan: once they reached the monsters' lair, they'd seal off the entrance to prevent reinforcents, take out the leader, and then find a safe exit to escape.
The only thing they still needed was a guide—soone who knew the layout of the lair inside and out.
"He should be here any minute now. Let's head out," Mia said.
"Got it," the group replied in unison. They gathered their gear, checked their weapons, and stepped outside.
Night had fallen. A full moon hung high in the sky, its light casting a silver glow over the city. A few scattered stars twinkled faintly, like shy fireflies.
The streets of Santa Clarita were still a ss—rubble everywhere, the air thick with the stench of decay. A cold breeze swept through, carrying with it the faint tallic tang of blood.
"The moon's huge tonight," Chris remarked as he stepped out of the hotel, his voice tinged with awe.
"Yeah," Brandon nodded, then added with a smirk, "Looks like a giant whole-grain pancake."
"Shut up!" Chris snapped, glaring at him. His eyes flicked toward the woman standing next to Zane, and he frowned. He needed to think of a way to make an impression—this wasn't looking good for him.
Just then, a shadow flickered in the moonlight. A figure was moving—no, leaping—from one high-rise to another, fast as a blur.
"He's here," Mia said, her eyes narrowing as she looked up.
The group followed her gaze. Atop a tall building, silhouetted against the moon, stood a lone figure. His black trench coat billowed in the wind, his hair tousled by the breeze. The moonlight outlined his form, casting a long, dramatic shadow.
"Who is this guy?" soone murmured, a mix of awe and unease in their voice. The sheer presence of the figure radiated strength.
Surviving alone in a city overrun by monsters wasn't sothing just anyone could do. Whoever this was, they were no ordinary person.
The figure leapt down from the rooftop, landing lightly in front of them. His face, strikingly handso, broke into a confident, almost boyish grin.
"Hey there," he greeted, his voice smooth and casual. "I'm Robert Smith, Santa Clarita's Number One Awakener. You can call Star Knight, Night Demon, or Nightblade—whichever you think sounds cooler."
"Ugh, tone it down, edgy boy," Mia said dryly, tossing him a bottle of camouflage serum.
"Uh... right," Robert said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. He uncapped the bottle and began applying the serum to his skin. For good asure, he pulled up the collar of his trench coat and donned a black mask, leaving only his bright, star-like eyes visible.
He had to be careful. Having spent so much ti in Santa Clarita, he was well aware that the parasitic monsters could recognize him if he wasn't properly disguised.
"Oh my god, he's so cool!" one of the won in the group whispered, her eyes sparkling.
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"Doesn't he kind of look like a movie star?" another chid in.
"Who?"
"You know, the guy from n in Black..."
"Wait, what?"
The group of won exchanged excited glances, their admiration for Robert growing by the second.
Of course, Ethan had his own kind of charm too. But there was sothing about him—a cold, unapproachable aura that scread stay away. It was like an invisible wall, keeping everyone at arm's length.
Even though he occasionally joked around with Mia and Sean, giving the impression of being sowhat easygoing, there was still an icy, deathly stillness about him. It was the kind of vibe that made strangers instinctively avoid getting too close.
anwhile, a few of the female Awakeners had already gathered around Robert, eager to strike up a conversation.
"I've heard so much about you," one of them said, her eyes sparkling. "Santa Clarita's Number One Awakener—strong, skilled, and, well... really handso."
"Is that so? Hahaha!" Robert laughed heartily, his grin as bright as ever.
Another girl nodded enthusiastically. "We're counting on you for this mission. Please take care of us!"
"Don't worry, I've got your backs," Robert replied with an easy confidence, his deanor relaxed and approachable.
The group of girls giggled and chatted with him, their voices light and cheerful, as if the looming danger didn't exist.
From the back, Brandon leaned toward Chris and whispered, "Uncle Chris, looks like you've got so serious competition now. Look at him—strong, good-looking, and charming. You don't stand a chance."
"Rubbish!" Chris huffed, clearly offended. "He lacks the refined appeal of a mature man. That's what really matters."
With Robert now part of the group, the team was finally complete. He scanned the group with a quick, assessing glance before speaking. "Alright, let's move out. We're heading to the monsters' lair—what used to be the old shelter."
A murmur of acknowledgnt rippled through the group, though the atmosphere had noticeably shifted. The ntion of the lair brought a heavy tension. Everyone knew how dangerous this mission was. The shelter had been overrun by monsters for a long ti, and no one could predict what horrors awaited them there. The risk of unexpected dangers was high.
But they had no choice. If they didn't act now, the monsters would continue to evolve, becoming an even greater threat. Gritting their teeth, the group steeled themselves and began the trek toward the lair.
The journey was quieter than expected. Most of the group fell into a tense silence, their thoughts weighed down by the task ahead.
Well, most of them—except for the carefree ones, like Sean.
Sean rummaged through his bag and pulled out a slightly rotten apple. Without hesitation, he took a big bite, the crunch breaking the silence.
"Hey, Night Owl," he said, addressing Robert with a casual nickna. "Did your Santa Clarita shelter have apples?"
"Yeah, plenty of them," Robert replied. But then he added with a smirk, "Though by now, they're probably all rotten."
"Ugh..." Sean's face twisted in dismay, his brows furrowing. "What a waste! Such a waste!"
As the group trudged on, Ethan's gaze lingered on Robert. It wasn't subtle either—his eyes road up and down, studying him with an intensity that felt almost predatory. It was the kind of look that made Robert feel like he was being sized up as... food.
Robert shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny, his cheeks flushing slightly. "Uh... hey, buddy. Is there sothing you need?"
"That weapon of yours," Ethan said, his eyes narrowing as they landed on the katana strapped to Robert's back. The hilt glead faintly, embedded with a bright, lightning-attribute crystal core. "It's A grade, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it is," Robert replied with a nod. He hesitated for a mont before adding, "It was my dad's."
Ethan's expression flickered with surprise. He hadn't expected that. There was sothing oddly sentintal about the idea of embedding a parent's crystal core into a weapon.
Mia and Sean, overhearing the exchange, turned their heads toward Robert, their curiosity piqued. It was clear there was more to the story.
Robert's bright, star-like eyes dimd slightly as he continued. "My dad... he was killed by a parasitic monster. Before he died, he told to embed his crystal core into my weapon. He said it was his way of protecting one last ti."
"That's... nice," Mia said with a small nod, her tone neutral.
Robert blinked, montarily stunned by her response. He turned to her, his expression incredulous. "Nice? Are you serious? How is that nice? It's tragic!"
Mia shrugged, completely unfazed. "I an, it's not that bad. At least you had a dad. None of us do."
"..."
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