Three corrupted sprinted down the street toward them.
Their movements were wrong.
Jerky.
Unstable.
Limbs bending at angles no human body should allow.
Their feet barely touched the ground—
Yet they moved fast.
Too fast.
Alice froze.
"Oh no…"
Her voice came out small.
Tight.
Ryan stepped slightly in front of her.
Not fully shielding her—
Just enough to anchor her.
"Don't panic."
"Easy for you to say!"
Alice's heart pounded violently in her chest.
Each step the creatures took felt louder than the last.
Closer.
Closer.
Their black eyes locked onto them.
Hungry.
Empty.
Ryan rolled his shoulders once.
Loose.
Relaxed.
Three corrupted.
Good enough.
[Your mana levels are stable.]
Iris's voice echoed calmly in his mind.
Ryan smirked slightly.
You're enjoying this.
[Just a little.]
The first corrupted lunged.
Ryan moved.
A single step.
Clean.
Precise.
Its claws tore through empty air.
Ryan's fist snapped forward.
Crack.
Bone shattered.
The creature collapsed instantly.
[Absorption activated.]
A faint surge spread through Ryan's body.
Subtle.
But noticeable.
Behind him—
Alice gasped.
"You killed it again!"
"Focus."
Ryan grabbed her wrist.
Not harsh.
But firm.
He pulled her back two steps.
"You're not safe yet."
The other two were already closing in.
Faster now.
More aggressive.
Ryan pointed toward the small tree beside them.
"Use your mana."
Alice blinked.
"My what?"
"Your ability."
The second corrupted lunged.
Ryan dipped under its swing.
His elbow drove upward—
Thud.
The creature staggered.
Didn't fall.
Ryan stepped back.
Creating space.
"Alice!"
Her eyes widened.
"I don't know how!"
Alice's chest tightened.
Too many thoughts.
Too much noise.
But beneath it—
That strange instinct remained.
"You do."
His voice didn't rise.
Didn't panic.
It grounded her.
"That knowledge in your head?"
"Trust it."
The corrupted charged again.
Ryan kicked its knee sideways.
Crack.
Bone snapped.
The creature collapsed with a distorted screech.
"Now!"
Alice turned.
Toward the tree.
Her hands trembled.
Come on…
That strange feeling inside her mind stirred.
Not thoughts.
Not words.
Instinct.
Mana flowed.
Faint.
Unsteady.
But real.
The leaves trembled.
Then—
The ground cracked.
A sharp, splitting sound—
Then—
A vine burst through the concrete.
It shot forward—
Wrapped tightly around the fallen corrupted.
Alice gasped.
"I—I did it!"
Her hands trembled.
Not from fear—
From disbelief.
Ryan grinned.
"Good."
The final corrupted screamed.
It lunged.
Straight for her.
Alice froze.
Again.
The creature was faster.
Too fast.
It was already within reach—
Ryan moved.
A blur.
He appeared beside the creature before it could reach her.
His fist slammed into its skull.
Crack.
The body dropped instantly.
Silence returned.
Only the distant chaos remained.
Alice stared at the vine.
Still wrapped tightly around the corpse.
Her chest rose and fell quickly.
"I…"
She swallowed.
"I actually used it."
Ryan nodded.
"You did."
She turned toward him.
Eyes wide.
Bright.
"And you weren't even worried."
Ryan shrugged.
"You learn fast."
[She does.]
Iris's voice echoed softly.
Ryan ignored it.
Alice looked down at the bodies.
"So these are… corrupted?"
Ryan nodded.
"People who couldn't handle the mana."
Alice's expression tightened.
"So not everyone…"
"…survives."
Ryan finished it.
She didn't respond.
Just looked down.
Trying to process it.
In the distance—
More screams.
Alice looked up.
Smoke was rising now.
Multiple places.
The city—
Was breaking.
"What do we do now?"
Ryan looked ahead.
Down the street.
Eyes sharpening.
First step—
Get stronger.
Then—
Movement.
Between two parked cars—
Shapes emerged.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Alice saw them.
Her voice dropped.
"Ryan…"
Ryan cracked his neck slowly.
A faint smile returned.
"Looks like lesson two starts early."
[Multiple signatures approaching from the north.]
Iris added calmly.
Ryan chuckled.
"Good."
Alice stared at him.
"Why is that good?!"
Ryan stepped forward.
Calm.
Certain.
Because every fight—
Every moment—
Every kill—
Made him stronger.
And this time—
He wasn't going to fall behind.
His grip tightened slightly on his fists.
"This is how we survive."
He glanced back at her briefly.
"This is how we win."
Then—
He stepped forward to meet them.
Because this time—
Ryan Hale wasn't reacting to the new world.
He was taking control of it.
Somewhere behind them—
Something roared.
Louder this time.