Chapter 20 - Break

 The forest was three kilometers long, and the road followed through it. Weirdly enough, Jason found some road signs here and there as well… some he recognized. He was pretty sure that they were part of the area that belonged to the northern side of his hometown.

"My guess seemed crazy, but not so much now," Jason thought while frowning.

 If Earth had expanded while accommodating other versions of itself, Jason imagined that such a thing would happen. Their current Earth would be split like a gigantic puzzle, and other parts of the puzzle would be attached to it. Eventually, every single piece would fall on the right spot, but the final image of the puzzle wouldn't make any sense.

 Jason confirmed that when he left the fortress, he, he saw the city's northern area destroyed and mostly burned down. He couldn't see any signs of the large buildings downtown, though. They were supposed to be only five kilometers away, and yet… 

"It looks like finding a home will take a lot more work," Jason thought since he lived between downtown and the northern part of the city. "I probably am following the right direction, though."

The area had been reduced to an eerie wasteland. Once a bustling neighborhood, it had fallen victim to a relentless invasion of monstrous creatures, leaving behind a scene of desolation and ruin. The destruction that unfolded there was as terrifying as it was tragic.

 The once-charming streets of the are now mere remnants, cracked and fragmented under the weight of destruction. Buildings that once stood tall and proud have been reduced to skeletal remains, their walls scorched and blackened, their windows shattered like vacant eyes staring into oblivion. The acrid smell of smoke still lingers in the air, a haunting reminder of the fierce battles fought against the encroaching horde of monsters.

 Amidst the rubble and debris, twisted remnants of vehicles lie strewn about like discarded toys, their metal frames twisted and charred. Streets once filled with the sounds of life are now eerily silent, broken only by the distant echo of crumbling structures and the occasional gust of wind, carrying with it a melancholic howl.

"Enough with the Shakespearean shit," Jason said while looking for houses that looked intact but empty. "I hope that it isn't a crime to look for food in times of alien or monster invasion. Is there anything about that in the constitution?"

 Jason had his bow in hand, ready to be used. He. He also had to master the ax, but he was getting quite accustomed to using that weapon already. It also felt satisfying to take down the enemies before they could get too close. Still, Jason found the signs of their activities but no monsters whatsoever.

 A dungeon was probably nearby. Jason could take advantage of that opportunity after filling his belly, taking a shower, and sleeping for a couple of hours.

 In the end, Jason crossed the area in less than twenty minutes… only half of the northern part of the city was there. Beyond it, there was only a greenfield with some hills. Jason didn't recall seeing anything like that in the area, so he wondered if those parts came from the other parts of the same planet in the multiverse.

"Someone did a poor job copying and pasting things," Jason thought. "Anyway, this area is safe, but the people don't want to return… they are afraid that the monsters will do the same if they do it, I guess."

 Most of the houses in the area had been destroyed completely; the beasts able to do that were at least at the level of the gray giants. The other half had been destroyed in one way or another. None of them had doors; the monsters made sure to check every single house. Jason couldn't tell their numbers, thanks to the asphalt, but it should have been closer to one hundred.

 Jason checked some houses and confirmed that most of them had been turned upside down. All kinds of electronics had been destroyed… it took a while before Jason found a fridge that had food that hadn't gone bad thanks to the lack of electricity.

"It makes sense…" Jason thought while he was eating some bread. "If the city was split and the world expanded, all-electric wires would be disconnected."

 Food could only last so long without electricity, and producing it would also be difficult. While many vehicles would gather food with fuel, most of the process afterward would use electricity. Jason didn't like the idea of eating monster's meat, but he might have to consider that eventually.

 Old and cold bread had had never tasted so good in Jason's mouth;uth; he felt relaxed like never before. The downside after that act was that the house only had a small amount of water… no water on the well.

 After finding a clean piece of cloth, Jason cleaned himself after wetting it. It wasn't the best way, but it was his only option at the moment. Soon afterward, he fixed the couch that was upside down, and then he laid on it.

"I should only sleep until noon… the best time to gather intel and check the enemies is during the day," Jason thought. "Ambushing them at night will be easier with a bow, but I should learn as much as possible during the day. I just hope that I can wake up calmly instead of seeing some monster claws closing into my face."