Kaël walked through the ruins of an old school. The ground was covered with ashes, bones, and papers torn by time. The blackboard still bore the last words written before the collapse: "Tomorrow, surprise test." But tomorrow never came.
He ran his fingers across an old student desk. A name was carved into it with a knife: Sophie M. Kaël clenched his jaw. These details haunted him more than the corpses.
— What was this school? asked Leonis, balancing on a collapsed beam. — Doesn't matter. It's nothing now, like everything else.
---
Their mission that day: clean block E. A sector infested with half-human walkers. Creatures of famine, survivors who had been alone too long. They no longer spoke. No longer thought. They ate. Anything.
Ayden cleared the way, striking the ground with his fist. Stone spikes erupted, impaling the abominations. Zeyra burned them without restraint, laughing like a madwoman. Eliah watched, arms crossed, darkness vibrating beneath his skin. Mika… trembled in silence but held position at the rear, ready to heal. Leonis surged from the shadows, slashing throats. And Naël… slaughtered without distinction between human scream or beastly howl.
Kaël, however, had not yet moved. His gaze analyzed every gesture, every scream, every waste of time.
---
When the last infected fell, Kaël stepped into the center of the hallway and spoke.
— We have six days left. After that, my law begins.
The group watched him in silence.
— Those who steal, we cut off the hand. Those who rape, we burn. Those who kill without reason, we offer them to Zeyra.
Zeyra burst out laughing. Mika turned away. Ayden nodded slowly. Eliah did not react. Naël barely smiled.
— And the others? asked Leonis. — Those who want to live, we protect. But they will obey. There is no freedom without order.
Kaël cast his gaze on the horizon, where the collapsed church marked the boundary of their territory. Fifty survivors already lived under their banner. Others would come. Some would want to discuss his rules. Others would try to overthrow him.
But Kaël was ready.
— If they don't want to obey… then they have no place in my world.
---
Later that night, while everyone slept, Kaël stayed alone on the roof of a building. He looked up at a starless sky, consumed by dust.
And he murmured to himself:
— Am I becoming a monster… or is it the world that's forcing me to become one?
The system blinked before him.
> [Option – "Possess: Destroy the Earth" – 12% activated]
Objective: rebuild or destroy. The final choice approaches.
Kaël closed his eyes.
Silence answered him.
The sky was gray.
No clouds. No sun. Just... gray. Like a world on pause.
It was D-Day.
The Elemental Brigade, Kaël's armed arm, marched in line.
Their steps made the tiles tremble.
They were a hundred, each a master of an element: Earth, Fire, Water, Wind.
Their objective? Cleanse the city.
But this morning, they didn't carry tools.
They carried weapons.
In front of the old abandoned building, the heart of the ruined neighborhood,
All survivors aged 15 to 25 had been lined up, silent.
Kaël descended the stairs.
He didn't need to shout. His presence was enough.
A look. A cold aura. A deadly silence.
— From today on... I make the laws.
I am the law.
A breath passed through the crowd. No one dared speak.
— If you disagree, leave. Leave the city.
But if you stay here... you will work.
You will obey. And you will live.
The gazes grew nervous. Whispers started.
— You think I'm going to make you slaves?
He smiled coldly.
— I'm going to make you... human.
He pointed to the ground beneath his feet.
— We're going to rebuild everything.
Schools. Hospitals. Roads.
Work will be from Monday to Friday, 10 AM to 4 PM.
On weekends, you're free. But during the week, you're useful.
And you will be paid.
A wave of hope spread through the ranks.
But Kaël raised his hand.
— This isn't a choice. It's a condition.
If you refuse to serve this city... you will leave. Or you will die.
He stepped forward. His voice grew harder.
— Now! Each person here, step forward in order, and announce:
Your rank, your name, your class, your element, and your role.
Warrior, Tank, Archer, Healer... or other.
The first ones began to step forward, hesitant.
Some confessed to being Supremes. Others didn't even know their class.
Kaël noted every answer.
He was building an army. A society. An empire.
Zeyra watched. Mika healed the most injured.
Eliah stayed in the shadows. Ayden dug trenches.
Kaël, however, listened. Classified. Planned.
And just as a boy was about to declare his identity,
the system resonated in every mind.
---
[Universal System – Supreme Level Alert]
> An Ogre Weapon is approaching.
Estimated time until impact: 47 minutes.
Size: 3.8 meters. Class: Supreme Superior Monster.
Objective: Total destruction of the active urban area.
Prepare yourselves.
---
Silence became a cold blade lodged in every throat.
Kaël inhaled slowly... then screamed:
— ALL WARRIORS, FRONT LINE!
TANKS, FORM THE FRONT.
ARCHERS, ON THE ROOFTOPS!
HEALERS, IN THE CENTER OF COMBAT.
THOSE WHO HAVEN'T FOUGHT? BEHIND, WATCH THE FLANKS AND PROTECT THE CIVILIANS!
He raised his arm to the sky.
— YOU WANT TO LIVE? THEN PROVE IT.
THIS MONSTER WILL NOT DESTROY MY CITY.
NOT TODAY. NOT AS LONG AS I'M STILL ALIVE.