Chapter 4

After leaving the hospital, Raven headed straight to his apartment. The closer he got, the more desolate the streets became. People were scarce, and the devastation grew increasingly apparent—crushed vehicles, shattered windows, and the eerie remnants of battle now past. Fortunately, Raven's apartment was on the outskirts of the disaster zone, so he didn't have to venture deeper into the heart of the destruction.

As he made his way through the damaged streets, he saw emergency responders—police officers, members of the Hunter Association, and firefighters—checking buildings for survivors. Even hunters were among them, their battered and bloodstained equipment speaking volumes about the fierce battles they had fought. The remnants of the chaos were everywhere, etched into the broken cityscape.

Despite the lockdown, there were still people roaming the area—residents who had been away during the incident and returned to check on their homes. But not everyone had honorable intentions. The destruction had left homes vulnerable, easy targets for looters who took advantage of abandoned properties, sneaking in through broken doors and shattered walls.

Because of this, the authorities were particularly cautious. When Raven approached, the police questioned him, wary of anyone wandering through the restricted area. He explained that he lived nearby and only needed to retrieve some personal belongings. Though still suspicious, the officer allowed him to pass under the condition that he be escorted for safety. Raven agreed without hesitation—the officer could serve as an extra layer of defense should there still be monsters lurking.

As they moved through the quiet streets, the atmosphere was tense. Raven studied the destruction around him, taking in the cracked walls, overturned cars, and bloodstained pavement. The damage caused by a single C-rank dungeon break was staggering—it hadn't been enough to level the city entirely, but the scars it had left were deep. The officer beside him remained vigilant, scanning for any signs of lingering threats.

Before long, they arrived at the apartment building. Raven came to a halt, taking a deep breath as he looked up at the eerily silent structure. His face hardened.

'I guess it's expected… after what happened here.'

His grip tightened as the memories resurfaced—the recollections from the memory crystal hitting him with unsettling clarity.

At the time of the dungeon break, chaos had erupted without warning. The monsters that had spilled into the city wasted no time attacking anything in their path. When they breached his building, the tenants barely had time to react. Some acted fast, screaming out warnings and slamming their doors shut, plunging their rooms into silence and darkness. Not every monster was a skilled hunter—some relied on light and sound to detect prey. Because of this, most ignored the building, losing interest when nothing stirred.

But some stayed.

The second floor suffered the worst of it. Those living there had noticed the commotion, but few understood the true horror unfolding below. Some, driven by curiosity, made the grave mistake of stepping outside to investigate.

The moment the monsters laid eyes on them, hesitation was no longer an option.

The lizardmen had been swift—merciless.

Raven could still picture it.

Three of them had emerged from the stairwell, their glowing red eyes menacing in the dim lighting.

For a brief moment, a chilling standoff occurred—humans frozen in shock, monsters calculating their next move.

Then, someone screamed.

And just like that, all hell broke loose.

Panic set in, shattering the silence. People turned, scrambling for their rooms—desperate to shut their doors before the monsters reached them.

But the creatures didn't hesitate.

In a blur of movement, they lunged forward, cutting down the fleeing tenants without mercy.

Raven knew the halls offered no chance of escape. Instinct took over. Without hesitation, he and several others rushed toward the windows, throwing themselves into the air in a desperate bid for survival.

But just as their bodies left the building—before gravity could take hold—the attack came.

One of the lizardmen had spotted the fleeing humans. Enraged, it cocked its arm back and hurled its spear with vicious force.

The weapon struck another person first—its sheer power cleaving through him mid-leap, cutting his body apart before he ever had the chance to land. His severed form tumbled lifelessly to the ground.

Had it not lost some momentum upon impact, Raven's fate would have been no different.

Instead, the spear tore into him while he was still airborne, piercing his lungs, shattering ribs, and violently propelling him even farther before he finally crashed to the ground in unbearable agony.

The agony had been beyond words—his body barely functioning as blood filled his throat.

But fate had other plans.

Hunters had arrived—late, but not too late.

They had been delayed, occupied fighting the monsters outside. But when they finally reached the building, the scene before them was one of absolute carnage.

Even experienced hunters, hardened by countless battles, faltered at the sight.

The civilians who had been running saw them arrive—hope flickering in their eyes.

Only for that hope to be snuffed out in the next instant.

The monsters struck faster than anyone could react.

Heads rolled. Bodies collapsed.

The cruel reality shattered any illusions of safety.

Raven let out a slow sigh, the weight of the memories pressing against him. The cruelty of monsters was something he could never forget, no matter how much time passed.

But dwelling on it wouldn't change anything.

With a deep breath, he stepped forward, entering the building. His footsteps echoed through the empty halls as the police officer followed closely, ever watchful.

Despite the silence, the air felt heavy—thick with the remnants of fear and destruction.

Without hesitation, Raven made his way to his apartment.

...

Walking through the corridor, Raven took in the marks left behind from the fight. Slashes from weapons and deep claw marks scarred the walls, while bloodstains and cracks added to the tragic scene.

Beside him, the police officer's gaze moved cautiously around the area. Even though this place had already been cleared of monsters, the devastation left behind made him wary.

On the third floor, Raven reached his apartment door—now nothing more than splintered debris lying on the ground.

'Looks like a monster forced its way in,' Raven thought, scanning the damage inside.

The officer followed him in, silently assessing the room. His eyes soon landed on a broken picture frame on the floor.

He picked it up, examining the image—a family of three. A man and a woman stood on either side of a young boy.

The resemblance between Raven and the child in the picture was uncanny. The officer sighed, finally confirming Raven's identity. He carefully placed the frame on a nearby table before waiting by the door.

Now that he was sure the young man was telling the truth, he left him to gather his belongings. It had been four days since the dungeon outbreak, and with the lockdown expected to be lifted soon, there was no issue with Raven retrieving his things.

Many families had also been requesting permission to return home. The Hunters Association was confident that all the monsters from the dungeon break had been eliminated. They were only conducting final sweeps to ensure nothing had been overlooked—and to check for any remaining trapped civilians.

Raven moved through his apartment, searching for anything useful. Soon, he found his phone and wallet, which contained his ID, some cash, and a credit card.

Opening it, he counted the bills—four thousand two hundred pesos.

He slipped the money back into the wallet and placed it in his pocket. As he continued looking around, his gaze unconsciously fell upon a broken mirror on the wall.

Even after four days in this world, it still felt strange seeing an unfamiliar face staring back at him.

Raven took only a brief glance at his reflection before resuming his search. Yet, in that fleeting moment, his mind wandered—comparing his current appearance to his previous one.

Before, Raven—Allan—had mid-length curly hair, average eyebrows, a strong jawline, and tan skin. He might have been considered good-looking if not for his height—5'4, shorter than most, though not exceptionally so.

Now, Raven had short, slightly curly hair, sharp eyebrows, and lighter skin. When standing straight, he measured 5'8—a couple of inches taller than Allan. But unlike his former self, Raven appeared frail, his height making him look thinner than he actually was.

Thankfully, as his *Vitality* stat increased, his body gained muscle, gradually improving his appearance.

That adjustment hadn't come easily. His difficulty completing daily quests had mainly stemmed from his body's inability to handle intense physical exertion. The sudden shift in activity had taken a toll, forcing him to adapt to a routine he hadn't been prepared for.

After a few minutes, Raven remembered the police officer waiting at the door. He approached him and handed over his ID and document as proof of residency, hoping to confirm his ownership of the apartment. At the same time inquire when he can be allowed to return.

The officer casually examined the documents. He checked Raven's ID photo and address before returning them.

"We just received a report that the ban will likely be lifted today," the officer informed him. "We're just waiting for final confirmation from the Hunters Association that all monsters from the gate have been dealt with. Once that's verified, the official notice will go out."

Raven frowned. While the lockdown was expected to be lifted later in the day, the announcement hadn't come yet. That meant he still needed to figure out where to stay in the meantime.

For a moment, he weighed his options. With no nearby friends or relatives, finding a temporary place on such short notice wasn't easy. He could wait elsewhere, but the uncertainty of when exactly the announcement would come made things frustrating.

After seeing the state of his apartment—especially the broken door—he hesitated to leave it unattended. If the ban was lifted soon, opportunists might take advantage and sneak into abandoned units before their rightful owners returned.

"Can I wait here for the announcement?" Raven asked, hoping the officer would allow him to stay since he had already confirmed his identity.

Unfortunately, the officer shook his head.

"I'm sorry, but civilians aren't allowed to remain alone in the danger zone until the official notice is given. As long as the lockdown is still in place, you can't stay here."

Seeing Raven's disappointment, he quickly added, "But don't worry—we've set up a shelter nearby where you can wait until the ban is lifted. There are already families staying there, waiting for the announcement."