Chapter 5: The Ruined World

Ren and Lena walked cautiously through the desolate streets, their footsteps barely making a sound against the cracked pavement. The world around them was unrecognizable—a city once full of life had become a graveyard of twisted metal and collapsed buildings.

The sky was a deep, ashen gray, casting an eerie glow over the ruined landscape. Smoke rose from several places in the distance, the faint scent of burnt metal and scorched flesh lingering in the air. Abandoned cars lined the streets, their windows shattered, doors left wide open, as if their owners had fled in a panic. Some vehicles had crashed into buildings, others lay overturned, their once-shiny exteriors now covered in dust and dried blood.

Fallen streetlights flickered weakly, some sparking as their wires hung loose like torn veins. Trash and debris—clothing, bags, and even shoes—were scattered across the sidewalks, remnants of people who had once lived here.

Ren swallowed hard. This isn't a game. This is real.

---

Avoiding the Monsters

As they continued walking, Ren instinctively raised a hand, signaling Lena to stop. His gamer instincts screamed at him—something wasn't right.

Lena followed his gaze, her breath hitching when she saw it.

A mutant creature lurked near an overturned bus ahead, its body hunched over as it devoured something. Its back was twisted, long, jagged spikes protruding from its spine. Its skin was a sickly shade of purple, covered in pulsating veins, as if it had been infected by some kind of disease.

Then, suddenly, a blue window popped up in front of Ren.

[System Identifying Entity…]

[Species: Ravager]

[Rank: F+]

[Abilities: Enhanced Smell, Quick Reflexes, Bloodlust]

[Weakness: Fire, Blunt Force]

Ren's breath caught. The system can scan monsters?!

He clenched his fists. We can't fight that… not yet.

He slowly turned his head, scanning the area. They needed to move—quietly. If this was a game, running would only make noise and attract more of them.

He leaned toward Lena, whispering, "Move slowly. Don't make a sound."

Lena nodded, her face pale but determined.

Step by step, they inched forward, keeping their breathing steady. The creature sniffed the air, its elongated claws scraping against the pavement. Ren held his breath. It turned its grotesque head slightly, but then…

It went back to eating.

Ren exhaled silently. Good. It didn't notice us.

They continued their slow, careful pace, passing by abandoned shops with shattered windows. Inside, mannequins stood eerily, their faces cracked, as if staring at them in silent warning.

Then, a shadow loomed overhead.

---

The Winged Nightmare

A deep, inhuman screech tore through the sky.

Ren and Lena froze.

Above them, a massive creature with leathery wings circled the sky. Its body was covered in dark crimson scales, its eyes glowing with hunger. The creature's talons were large enough to tear through a car, and its wings flapped with a powerful force, kicking up dust and debris as it searched for prey.

Ren felt a chill run down his spine. What the hell is that?!

Another blue window appeared.

[System Identifying Entity…]

[Species: Night Terror]

[Rank: C]

[Abilities: Aerial Predator, Sonic Screech, Sharp Talons]

[Weakness: Light, Piercing Attacks]

Ren's face paled. A C-rank monster?! That thing is way too strong!

Lena grabbed his arm, trembling. "Ren… that thing… it's huge…"

Ren swallowed, his mind racing. If it sees us, we're dead.

He acted without thinking. Grabbing Lena's hand, he pulled her toward the nearest building—a mall with shattered glass doors. They ran, ducking behind an overturned car just as the winged beast let out another ear-piercing cry.

Dust and rubble rained down as the monster's wings sent a gust of wind through the streets. Ren gritted his teeth, keeping his head low. Don't look. Don't move.

Lena clutched his arm tightly, her breathing uneven.

The monster hovered for a moment… then, after what felt like an eternity, it let out another screech and flew off, its massive form disappearing into the smoke-filled sky.

Ren let out a shaky breath. That was close.

Lena looked up at him, her hands still gripping his. "Ren… what if there's more of them?"

Ren glanced at the dark mall entrance ahead. It wasn't safe out here, but maybe inside… maybe they could find shelter.

He nodded toward the building. "We hide. Come on."

---

Into the Mall

They hurried inside, stepping over shattered glass and debris. The interior was a mess—shelves overturned, blood smeared on the walls, and abandoned food carts left scattered across the floor. Most of the lights had either gone out or flickered dimly, casting eerie shadows in the empty hallways.

Another system window appeared.

[You have entered a Restricted Zone: Blackwood Mall]

[Threat Level: Unstable]

[Unknown Entities Detected]

Ren frowned. Unstable? That doesn't sound good…

Lena checked her map ability, her fingers trembling slightly. "It's showing some safe zones… but it's not perfect. We should be careful."

Ren gave her a reassuring nod. "We'll be fine… We just need to survive."

As they stepped deeper into the mall, Ren couldn't shake the feeling that something else was watching them.