Fallen In Apocalypse

#### The Sound of Trouble

The gunfire echoed sharply across the city's ruins, disrupting the deathly silence that had become the norm in the post-apocalyptic world. Rade crouched low, his sharp eyes scanning the horizon as he gripped his rifle tightly.

Ignis, his juvenile dragon, perched on his shoulder and let out a low rumble, sensing danger.

"Stay sharp," Rade whispered, his voice barely audible. The dragon's fiery orange eyes flickered, its small body tense.

The sound of screams soon followed, leading Rade toward a chaotic scene in a narrow alleyway. A group of masked men in black robes was chasing three young women, one of whom had fallen and was struggling to get up.

The men carried a mix of crude weapons and firearms, their shouts mingling with the terrified cries of their prey.

"Not on my watch," Rade muttered.

His map interface, a glowing grid in the corner of his vision, marked the group of robed figures as hostiles. What it didn't show was the horde of rank-D monsters drawn by the noise.

Rade raised his rifle, aiming at the closest cultist. The shot rang out, and the man fell, dissolving into mist and leaving behind a Void Token.

#### A Tactical Retreat

Rade's precise shots disrupted the cultists' formation, and Ignis added to the chaos with a small burst of flame. But as the fight continued, more monsters appeared—rank-D wolves with glowing red eyes and jagged fangs.

The monsters didn't differentiate between cultists and their prey. They attacked indiscriminately, forcing everyone to scatter.

Rade fired at the wolves, but their speed and numbers were overwhelming. His map interface showed more monsters approaching, and he quickly realized that staying to fight was suicide.

"This isn't the time for heroics," he muttered, retreating toward the women.

"Get up! We're leaving!" he barked, grabbing the hand of the girl who had fallen.

She stumbled to her feet, and the group followed Rade as he led them through the maze of ruined buildings. The cultists and monsters clashed behind them, their screams fading as Rade guided the women to safety.

#### Back at Camp

Once they were safely inside the camp's barrier, Rade let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

Clare rushed to greet them, her worried expression softening slightly when she saw Rade. "You're back. But… who are they?"

"These are Elina, Mina, and Lina," Rade said, introducing the women. "They were in trouble. The Demon Cult was after them."

Clare's eyes widened. "The Demon Cult? What do they want?"

"Nothing good," Rade replied grimly.

#### Assessing Strength

After ensuring the women were settled and Clare was tending to them, Rade opened his system interface to check his stats. The fight had been a stark reminder of his limitations. If not for the monsters attacking the cultists, he wouldn't have stood a chance against the pack of wolves.

He'd earned enough Void Tokens from previous hunts to level up his stats, and it was time to distribute the points.

**Current Stats:**

- **Strength:** 20

- **Agility:** 20

- **Endurance:** 20

- **Intelligence:** 20

- **Perception:** 20

Rade frowned, his finger hovering over the interface. His philosophy was simple: balance was key. If he wanted to survive the apocalypse, he needed to be equally skilled in every area.

He allocated the points evenly, increasing each stat by 5.

**New Stats:**

- **Strength:** 25

- **Agility:** 25

- **Endurance:** 25

- **Intelligence:** 25

- **Perception:** 25

The increase was immediately noticeable. Rade felt a surge of energy coursing through his body, his muscles more responsive, his mind sharper. He tested his new strength by lifting a heavy steel beam in the camp—a task that would have been impossible before.

#### Growing Power

With his improved stats, Rade estimated he could now handle a pack of five rank-D wolves on his own. This was a significant leap from before, where even three wolves would have been a challenge.

He also noticed an improvement in Ignis's abilities. The dragon's flames burned hotter, and it seemed more attuned to Rade's commands.

"I'll need every advantage I can get," Rade muttered, thinking back to the overwhelming numbers of monsters and the cultists' firepower.

#### Convincing the Group

Over the next few days, Rade focused on integrating the three women into the camp.

Elina, the eldest and most cautious of the group, remained suspicious of Rade's motives. She watched him like a hawk, often questioning his decisions.

Mina, on the other hand, was completely smitten. She followed Rade around the camp, her admiration for him growing with each passing day. Her gentle nature made her a comforting presence, and she quickly bonded with Clare.

Lina, the youngest, was quiet but sharp. She had a knack for problem-solving, often offering suggestions for improving the camp's defenses.

When Rade explained the concept of Void Tokens, Elina's interest was piqued. "So, these tokens are the key to everything here," she said. "And you want us to help you gather them?"

"Exactly," Rade replied. "The more tokens we have, the stronger we can make this place. I can even use them to build houses for each of you."

Elina frowned but eventually agreed. "Fine. But if you're lying to us…"

"I'm not," Rade said firmly.

#### Searching for the Demon Cult

The threat of the Demon Cult loomed over Rade's mind. If they had targeted the idols, they could easily target his camp next.

Rade ventured out alone, following leads he had gathered from scavenger merchants. One rumor pointed to an abandoned factory on the city's edge.

Inside the factory, Rade found a lone cultist guarding a makeshift altar. The man didn't resist when Rade confronted him, though his smug demeanor was unsettling.

"The Demon Cult is everywhere," the cultist said, his voice dripping with malice. "You can't stop us."

Rade pressed him for information, but the man only laughed. "You'll find our branches everywhere. But that's all you'll get from me."

Rade left the factory with a list of potential cult locations. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

####Preparing for the Future

Back at the camp, Rade shared what he had learned with the group.

"So, what's the plan?" Elina asked, her arms crossed.

"We gather more information," Rade said. "The Demon Cult isn't just a threat to you—it's a threat to everyone. If we're going to survive, we need to know what we're up against."

Mina placed a hand on his arm, her gaze steady. "We'll help you. Whatever happens, we're with you."

Rade nodded, his determination renewed. The apocalypse was far from over, and the challenges ahead were only growing. But for the first time, he felt like he wasn't facing them alone.

Returning to the Camp

Rade walked back toward the camp, his boots crunching against the gravel of the ruined streets. His mind buzzed with thoughts of the Demon Cult and their mysterious operations scattered across the city. Despite the lack of concrete information, the discovery of their branches was a step forward.

Ignis, perched on his shoulder, chirped with excitement. The juvenile dragon had been unusually active since their encounter with the cultist.

"Why are you so cheerful?" Rade asked, giving the dragon a sideways glance.

Ignis puffed out a small flame in response, its orange eyes gleaming.

As the camp's barrier came into view, Rade felt a wave of relief. The glowing dome of safety he had created with his system was a haven in a world of chaos. Clare was waiting at the entrance, her expression a mix of worry and relief.

"You're back!" she called, running up to him.

"Of course," Rade said with a faint smile. "I always come back."

Behind her, Mina peeked out from the camp's main structure, her face lighting up when she saw him. Elina and Lina were busy inspecting supplies, but both glanced his way as he entered.

Leveling Up

As soon as Rade stepped inside, a familiar notification appeared in his vision.

Ding! Level Up!

Congratulations! You are now Level 5.

The system's announcement was accompanied by a surge of energy that coursed through his body. He opened his interface to check the updated stats and abilities.

Current Stats:

Strength: 30

Agility: 30

Endurance: 30

Intelligence: 30

Perception: 30

Abilities:

Camp Expansion: Your camp's safe area has increased to 250 square meters.

Resource Durability: Supplies within the camp are now more resilient.

Rade glanced around, noting how the camp's boundary had visibly expanded. The increased space gave him room to add new facilities or house more people.

"250 meters, huh?" Rade muttered. "That's a lot more room to work with."

Civilian Work

With the expanded area, Rade began organizing the camp to make it more efficient. He assigned tasks to the group, ensuring that everyone contributed.

Clare continued to manage the food supply and medical needs, her healing ability invaluable in keeping everyone healthy.

Mina helped with organizing supplies and maintaining the camp's cleanliness. Despite her delicate appearance, she worked tirelessly, often humming to herself as she moved.

Elina took charge of security, patrolling the camp's perimeter and sharpening weapons. Though she still didn't fully trust Rade, she respected his leadership.

Lina focused on logistics, using her sharp mind to optimize resource usage and plan future expansions.

Rade also encountered a wandering civilian group nearby—three men and two women who had been surviving on scraps. After assessing their intentions and ensuring they weren't a threat, he welcomed them into the camp.

"We need hands," Rade explained to Clare. "If we're going to survive, we need to build a community."

The civilians were assigned simple tasks, such as building shelters, fortifying the camp's defenses, and scavenging for resources. They were grateful for the safety and quickly adapted to their roles.

Ignis Levels Up

As Rade was organizing the new arrivals, another notification appeared.

Ding! Ignis has leveled up!

Ignis is now Level 5.

Rade stared at the message in surprise. His juvenile dragon had been leveling up at an unprecedented rate, far faster than he expected.

He opened Ignis's status screen to check its stats.

Ignis - Level 5

Health: 500/500

Flame Strength: Moderate

Agility: High

Abilities:

Fireball: Emits a concentrated burst of flame.

Ember Shield: Creates a temporary barrier of fire.

Rade observed Ignis closely. The dragon seemed more vibrant, its scales gleaming like polished obsidian. Its flames were hotter and more controlled, and it moved with an agility that rivaled Rade's own.

"What's going on with you?" Rade murmured, scratching Ignis under the chin.

The dragon purred contentedly but offered no answers.

A Growing Mystery

That night, Rade sat by the campfire, watching Ignis chase sparks in the air. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something unusual about his dragon.

Clare sat down beside him, her expression curious. "You've been quiet since you got back. Something on your mind?"

"It's Ignis," Rade admitted. "He's growing stronger—faster than I expected. I leveled up today, but it took weeks of fighting to get there. Ignis has leveled up five times in just a few days."

Clare tilted her head, watching the dragon. "Maybe it's because he's bonded to you. Dragons are special, right? Maybe they grow differently."

"Maybe," Rade said, though he wasn't entirely convinced.

Preparing for the Next Step

With the camp secure and the civilians integrated into the community, Rade turned his attention back to the Demon Cult.

The locations he had uncovered were scattered across the city, each marked with symbols of fire and shadow. They were likely outposts, but their exact purpose remained a mystery.

Rade shared the information with Elina the next morning.

"We need to check these places out," he said. "If the cult is a threat to us, we can't just sit here and wait for them to find us."

Elina nodded, her expression grim. "Agreed. But we need to be careful. If they're organized enough to chase us, they're organized enough to set traps."

Rade smirked. "That's why we'll take it slow. One step at a time."

As the sun rose over the camp, Rade felt a renewed sense of purpose. The path ahead was dangerous, but he was stronger now—strong enough to face the challenges waiting in the shadows.