Chapter 9: Julius's Final Message

The silence hit like a punch to the gut. After all those screams, all that chaos, the quiet was somehow worse. The city lights were still on, casting an eerie glow over the nightmare below. Bodies everywhere. Blood running down the streets like rivers. And above it all, Julius was actually clapping, that sick laugh of his echoing through the air.

Claude felt the golden light around him starting to fade. The warm cocoon that had wrapped around him flickered once, twice, then disappeared completely. His feet touched the blood-stained asphalt without making a sound.

Holy shit.

The change was incredible. Claude had always been this scrawny street kid, all bones and hunger. But now? Now his body felt like it could take on the world. His muscles were solid, powerful in a way that made him want to flex just to feel them move. His lungs pulled in air effortlessly, even though it still reeked of blood and death.

The constant gnawing hunger in his stomach? Gone. The aches from sleeping on concrete? Vanished. The bone-deep cold that never seemed to leave him alone? History.

He looked down at his hands. The grime and dirt that had been permanently etched into his skin was just... gone. His pale skin had this weird glow to it now, like someone had hit the brightness setting on his entire body. The magic ring on his finger pulsed with a soft light, matching the rhythm of his heartbeat.

I did it. I actually fucking did it.

There was no guilt. No regret about what he'd done to survive this twisted game. Just raw power flowing through his veins like liquid lightning, and the cold satisfaction of knowing he'd made it when so many others hadn't.

Around him, other golden lights were fading too. The survivors—the ones who'd actually managed to kill their targets—were stepping out of their own cocoons. Claude recognized some of their faces from before, twisted with terror and madness. Now they looked... different. Amazed. Powerful. They had the same expression he probably had right now—like they'd just discovered they were gods.

Julius floated down from his perch, landing a few feet off the ground. His creepy smile had changed somehow. Less psychotic, more... approving?

"Welcome," his voice boomed across the destroyed street. No more of that mocking tone from before. Now he sounded almost respectful. "You passed the first test. Congratulations—you're worthy of stepping into the new world."

He spread his arms wide like some twisted messiah. "You're the pioneers now. The Awakened. The foundation of what this world is going to become."

The other survivors started looking at each other, still trying to process what the hell had just happened. Then the questions started flying.

"What happens to us now?"

"How do we control this power?"

"How do I get stronger?"

"What are we supposed to do?"

Everyone was shouting at once, desperate for answers. Claude stayed quiet, but he was listening to every word.

Julius's smile got thinner. "Great questions. But here's the thing—you're going to have to figure all that out on your own."

Are you fucking kidding me?

"This world is huge," Julius continued, his voice flat and emotionless. "Secrets everywhere. Use your power, explore, and you'll find your path. A path that'll lead you to the truth."

Disappointed murmurs rippled through the group. Everyone had been expecting some kind of manual, a guide to their new lives. But Julius clearly wasn't planning to hold anyone's hand.

"My job here is done," he announced, and for the first time, Claude heard something almost sad in his voice. Almost. "I lit the fire. I picked the seeds for the future. Time for me to go home."

Home? What the hell does that mean?

The other Awakened looked panicked. After everything they'd been through, he was just going to leave them here?

"But—" someone started to protest.

Julius raised his hand, cutting them off instantly. "Listen carefully, Awakened." His voice got deeper, more serious, like it was coming from somewhere beyond this world. "You need to get strong. Stronger than anyone else in this world. Until that time comes."

That time? What time?

Claude felt a chill that had nothing to do with the night air. Julius was talking in riddles, but something about the way he said it made it sound like a warning. Or maybe a promise.

"We'll meet again," Julius continued, his golden eyes looking somewhere far away. "But not like this. Not as teacher and student. More like..." He paused, that mysterious smile creeping back. "Colleagues. Or maybe enemies. Depends on how things go."

The threat was subtle, but it was definitely there. Claude's new instincts were screaming at him that this wasn't over. Not even close.

Then something weird happened. Claude felt this overwhelming urge to move forward. It wasn't a conscious decision—his body just started walking. He stepped over corpses and pushed through the crowd of confused Awakened until he was standing directly under Julius.

His small frame looked up at the floating Dark Angel, and before he could stop himself, Claude bowed. Deep and respectful, like he was meeting royalty.

What the hell am I doing?

But it felt right. Natural. Like every cell in his body knew this was what he was supposed to do.

Julius looked down at him, those golden eyes softening just a fraction. He reached out like he was going to touch Claude's head, then stopped.

"I have big plans for you, kid," he whispered, so quietly that only Claude could hear. The words seemed to burn themselves into his soul. "Get strong. Because the path you've chosen is going to be covered in blood, and your destiny is bigger than you can possibly imagine."

Claude tried to look up, tried to ask what the hell that meant, but Julius was already done talking.

Snap.

The sound of his fingers snapping filled the air. A wave of invisible energy washed over everyone, gentler than the crushing force from before but somehow more powerful.

Claude's vision went black. His legs gave out. The last thing he saw was Julius's satisfied smile as consciousness slipped away from him.

When the purple portal finally closed and Julius disappeared, the city was silent again. Hundreds of unconscious bodies lay scattered across the blood-soaked streets, waiting to wake up in a world that would never be the same.

But Claude's last coherent thought before the darkness took him was crystal clear:

This is just the beginning.