Chapter 15: Reality of the World

Carter rested in the building for a few hours, he was also waiting since there was still the possibility that those winged beasts were still somewhere around the building.

Carter went out of the building, still carrying the bat on his hands. His eyes sharp and his senses spread out.

He didn't dare to go out haphazardly, he first peeked out in case danger was looming in the surrounding, he could never be too careful after all.

After checking that it was clear, he started moving in caution. Looking around, Carter could feel his heart sink, the surroundings were a mess, it was as if it was hit by a catastrophic event — which it was.

Still, it looked something out of a survival apocalypse movie. The streets were a mess with cars and other vehicles either crashed or had toppled over. Streetlights were down and the electricity lines were on the ground, creating sparks here and there.

There weren't any less numbers of corpses as in the building, putrid smell of rotting corpse permeated the air. The atmosphere was heavy and was filled with the pressure of looming death.

Carter could barely believe that the world that once had order and peace, where people could go about their day without having to worry about anything, without having to worry about their safety and life, was now all but gone.

That world had been reformed to how the world was right now, where they had to survive on their own without having to rely on any other, where they have to look for food on their own to survive.

Carter could only release a heavy sigh, just why had such a thing suddenly occured on earth? There had to be a reason.

Carter's curiosity rose, the mutated animals that when killed, would manifest a card, a supernatural card that contained supernatural power. And then there were the 'domains' or whatever those were.

Just who was cable of doing something like this?

God?

Carter shook his head, his senses tingled as he saw up ahead a shadow of a four legged creature.

He immediately hid behind a post.

A few meters away, he spotted a beast. It walked on all fours and had a long snout. It's body was covered in grey smooth fur — though it was tainted with red.

It was a wolf! It had a quite the considerable size as well.

Still, it didn't feel as strong as the beast he had fought in the building. It was weaker, though Carter could never be too careless.

Moreover, Carter couldn't help but show a smile.

The wolf was weak, it had trouble walking and seemed about to die. Blood had also soaked it's majestic grey fur, it was clear to Carter that it had been attacked before it reached here.

This was his chance to get a free kill and gain a new card.

He tried sneaking behind the wolf that was staggering and struggling to walk properly, looking like it would collapse at any second.

When he reached the right distance, Carter couldn't afford to sneak anymore, he had to grasp the chance or else the beast would die of bloodloss and there was no guarantee it would drop a card if it died by something or someon else's hands.

He had to make a love now before it was too late. His eyes sharpened as he resolved himself.

Carter kicked his feet and shot towards the wolf, the bat on his hand ready to bash through the wolfs skull.

The wolf that didn't expect the sudden attack could only force out a growl barring it's sharp fangs but was only met with the cruel solid surface of the bat.

Bangg!

Blood splattered as the wolfs skull got deformed.

It fell on the ground dead with a thud creating a pool of blood.

Carter sighed in relief seeing that nothing out of the expected occured. Naturally, the wolf wouldn't be able to fight back or even react seeing that it was on the verge of death.

It was too weak to do anything and could not resist it's inevitable death against Carter's hands.

Soon enough, light shone out of nowhere and began manifesting a card.

Carters upon seeing that phenomenan which he got used to by now, smiled.

His eyes shone as he saw the number of clubs on the card, his smile widening.

The card was a three of clubs.

At this point, Carter had already understood that the number of symbols on the card signified how strong the beasts were. In other words, the beasts strength correlated to the number of cards and the number of cards also corresponded to the level of the skill contained in the said card.

_____

Skill: Beastly Claws

Rank: 3 of Clubs

Description: Allows the user to coat their hands in sharp energy that resembles a beasts sharp claws.

_____

Carter's smile widened, an offensive skill!

Not to mention it was also a no. 3 card, it was bound to be powerful.

He immediately equipped the skill and it's mark branded itself to the back of his palm.

Such a skill only deserved to be equipped, it would be quite ineffective if he consumed it rather than equipping it.

Just as Carter was smiling, he suddenly heard sounds of screams up ahead.

He couldn't see what it was though as a huge truck that had fallen down blocked his view. However, thanks to it, Carter also saw it as a cover for when he would try to take a look at the source of the commotion.

Carter sneakily peeked out of the truck using it as a cover to see what it was that was happening ahead.

When he did, he saw people, humans!

However, when he saw what they were doing, he furrowed his brows.

Carter could only sigh, after finally discovering some survivors, instead of feeling happy, he felt hopeless instead.

Looking at what they were doing, they were clearly up to no good.

Three men holding weapons and ganging up on a woman, one would be able to tell what kind of situation it was.

Carter already expected something like this, with the way the world was right now, rules and authorities didn't exist anymore.

No government, no police, not even religion. Nothing to hold the evil desires and inherent nature of man.

Morals? Ethics? Respect?

Those didn't exist anymore.

Protection? Support? Equality?

None.

With the world as is, all you have to rely on was yourself.

Still, despite these thoughts being what Carter really feels. Watching it in real life was just too disappointing.

Human nature was cruel, selfish, and desire-driven.

Of course Carter wouldn't deny that he himself wasn't like that considering that he had been controlled by his desire and greed all the times he gambled, but what he was witnessing now was different.

It was much more vile and disrespectful.

Carter would never force himself unto others.

He actually felt disgusted by such people.