Chapter 12 - The Storm is Brewing
Sigh.
I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples. The world was becoming more dangerous by the minute. Yet, sitting here in this remote area, it hardly felt like it. Only a single dungeon had appeared nearby, and the streets remained eerily quiet.
I scrolled through the latest reports. Dungeons appearing everywhere... Some places had multiple. Then my eyes landed on something different—Red Dungeons.
A frown crept onto my face. A Red Dungeon here? Fortunately, it was far away. But that wasn't the problem.
There was also one near Dragon City.
Red Dungeons weren't normal. They didn't just spawn monsters; they unleashed them. If one appeared near a major city, then things were going to spiral out of control fast.
I clicked another article, my attention shifting.
Hmm? A change in rankings?
Suddenly, a barrage of excited messages flooded the chat forums.
AZRAEL: GUYS, GUYS! DID YOU SEE THE RANKINGS?!
JAZZ: YEAH, YEAH! SOMEONE JUMPED TO TOP 1 IN JUST TWO HOURS! HOW STRONG IS HE?!
Overtaking literally everyone in the Top 10...
A sharp glint flashed in my eyes as I scrolled down.
---
[DRAGON COUNTRY RANKINGS]
(Points = Number of Kills)
1. Maximus - Level 2 (7310 pts)
2. Aly - Level 2 (5480 pts)
3. Zephyr - Level 2 (4689 pts)
4. The One Above All - Level 1 (4456 pts)
5. Executioner - Level 1 (4325 pts)
6. Emperor - Level 1 (4260 pts)
7. Zion - Level 1 (3970 pts)
8. Atlas - Level 1 (3609 pts)
9. Blaze - Level 1 (3480 pts)
10. Peerless Tyrant - Level 1 (3260 pts)
---
A notification popped up.
[Only the Top 10 will be displayed publicly. To view the Top 100, think the command.]
So, the Top 10 changed, huh?
My gaze moved to the new name at the bottom—Peerless Tyrant.
Then Blaze. He's been farming well.
And Emperor—he rose three ranks. Summoners are truly strong... I need to keep an eye on him.
Zion, an assassin-type, overtook Atlas, a strength-type. Interesting.
But then my eyes landed on the top spot.
Maximus.
I blinked. Then I chuckled. Hah... so I really made it to the top.
Below me, the points difference was significant. Unless someone cleared an entire dungeon, they wouldn't surpass me anytime soon.
Then I scrolled to the forums.
---
USER 1: GUYS, GUYS, DO YOU KNOW WHO THE TOP 1 IS?!
USER 2: HE DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER TO CHANGE HIS NAME!
USER 3: YEAH, MAXIMUS! DOES ANYONE KNOW HIM?!
USER 4: I ALREADY SEARCHED HIM. HE MIGHT BE A STUDENT FROM DRAGON UNIVERSITY. HE'S IN PROFESSOR ANGEL'S CLASS!
USER 5: WAIT... MAXIMUS OMNICLONE?
---
I let out a slow breath. So they've already found out.
I shut the screen and stood up, stretching.
It wouldn't take long before more people started looking for me. I needed to move before trouble came knocking.
---
I should find a shelter.
With dungeons appearing everywhere, staying outside wasn't safe anymore. But before leaving, I needed to maximize my MP and get better equipment.
I copied another golden chest, then duplicated a set of swords and knives.
That should be enough.
Two hours passed.
Now, I had:
3 Golden Chests
10x Steel Swords
30x Steel Knives
I checked the time. It's already night.
I pulled out my phone and opened the group chat.
---
Maximus: Hey, is there a shelter near the school?
A few moments later, a response came.
Angel: Yes, a shelter has been built nearby. Most of the citizens and students have already evacuated here.
Angel: Where are you?
Manny: Bro, don't leave your house. It's already night.
Dave: Yeah, just go tomorrow.
Sophia: By the way… are you really the one in the ranking, Maximus?!
Andrina: Yes, Maximus! You're so strong! Are you really THAT Maximus?!
---
Two hours by motorbike… that's manageable.
I typed a quick reply.
Maximus: Thanks. I'll be safe.
No need to confirm my identity. If I did, students would start acting arrogant around me. Better to ignore them for now.
My stomach grumbled. Tch. I haven't eaten since morning.
If I passed by a mall, I'd make a quick stop.
I grabbed my Swift Boots and Camouflage Skill, then activated invisibility. My golden eyes flickered as I stepped outside.
Time to move.
---
The streets were quiet.
I started the motorbike. Broom-broom.
Yet, oddly enough, the sound didn't carry far.
So zombies can't hear from a distance?
That was useful.
I sped through the city, avoiding wrecked cars and abandoned buildings. The eerie silence sent chills down my spine.
Then—
In the distance, a grocery store came into view.
Parked outside were three trucks. Armed men stood around, their faces masked, a snake emblem on their shoulders.
A gang?
They were heavily armed. The store's windows were barricaded. Hostages.
I parked nearby and moved closer, my presence masked by Camouflage.
---
A Desperate Struggle
Inside, eight men, seven women, three kids, and an old man were huddled together.
One of the gang members shouted, "Come out, or we'll kill you all!"
One of the men inside clenched his fists. "What the hell is your problem?! What do you want from us?!"
BANG!
A gunshot echoed—only to be cut off as a fist smashed into the gunman's jaw.
Boom!
Another gang member reacted, raising his gun. But before he could fire, a massive man tackled him, choking him out.
Outside, the leader—Viper—scowled.
"They're resisting?" His eyes gleamed viciously. "Fine. Kill them all. If even one girl survives, that's enough for me."
The remaining men rushed in, opening fire.
---
Watching from the darkness, my expression darkened.
Bastards.
They wanted to slaughter innocent people just because they resisted?
My grip tightened around my knives.
Then I moved.
Three men outside didn't even react before their heads fell—cleanly decapitated.
Viper barely had time to register the deaths before a blade sank into his forehead.
Chik!
His body slumped, lifeless.
One by one, the remaining gang members were silently erased.
---
A Future Forged in Blood
Inside, the battle was still raging. The last two gangsters raised their guns—only to have their necks snapped.
Silence followed.
The hostages stared, wide-eyed.
A little girl clutched a lifeless body. Tears streamed down her face.
"My parents… my grandma…"
I sighed. A child, forced to face this cruel reality.
I crouched beside her and placed a hand on her head.
"It's over now."
Her sobs quieted.
Then I looked at the survivors.
"You want to leave?"
They nodded.
"There's a shelter near the school."
At dawn, we'd leave.
But one thing was certain—this was only the beginning.