Everyone stood around staring into the distance, but aside from faint flashes of firelight, all they could do was hear explosions and feel the tremors beneath their feet. As for what had actually happened, they hadn't the slightest clue.The fog was too thick—visibility was barely a meter.They craned their necks and looked about, yet not a single person dared suggest unchaining the doors.Because that was camp rule.Who wanted to be the one to stick their neck out?What if they were expelled?So no matter how curious they were, no one dared climb out through a window.From time to time, faint screams drifted in from outside. But with doors and windows tightly shut and the soundproofing decent enough, only a few people heard them—and within minutes, the screams vanished entirely.In such bitterly cold weather, a person would freeze to death in just a few minutes.And so the night returned to silence.They looked at one another in bewilderment, then went back to sleep.What e

Even if an ordinary person possessed such brute strength, they could never sustain this level of endurance.How long had they been working—from last night until now? Only ability users could last that long.Ray observed them for a while and was able to calculate their breakthrough time almost precisely.Three and a half hours.As for where they would emerge, that was impossible to predict. The four of them had no real sense of direction underground, and their tunnel twisted and curved at random. No one could say where they would finally surface.It didn't matter. Ray only needed to check in from time to time.Since it was still early, he returned to the building.He had been gone only a short while when he found the place in total chaos.A full-scale brawl had broken out. Everyone wanted power. Everyone wanted to be the new boss.Whoever became the leader could order others to gather supplies and sit back to enjoy the spoils.Just as the fighting grew so fierce that brains mi

Ray didn't want to risk leaving any of the four alive. What if one slipped through? If they survived and didn't even know who he was, how would they ever track him down for revenge?Ray moved deliberately, already planning three steps ahead with contingencies for every possible surprise. Of course, the ideal scenario was to wipe all four out at once.He noticed that one woman periodically tapped on the rocks and then listened intently, as if calibrating her position or checking her surroundings. Ray's mind stirred.Could she have a hearing-based ability? A kind of "super ear"?If so, he had to be extra cautious—she mustn't detect his ambush.Still… even a "super ear" might be less effective in combat, right?No. Ray reminded himself: never underestimate any ability user.Inside the building, the chaos continued. No one was paying attention to him. After so much fighting, a few ruthless figures had emerged, each gathering followers. Now they dared not start a new brawl, lest a cl

As they spoke, four more ice spears shot toward them.The four were ready this time, but it was the diamond-headed man who took the lead. Gleaming like polished metal, he charged forward. All four ice spears shattered on impact."We can't just sit here and take it! We have to break out! This tunnel is too narrow—we don't even have room to dodge!" Cathlene, the one with super-ears, shouted."Bah! That bastard keeps using his powers—does he never worry about running out of energy?" the diamond-headed man spat. "Fine, I'll take the lead. Follow me!"The bird-man added, "I'll cover the rear!"With the diamond-headed man leading and the bird-man at the back, they could intercept attacks from both directions, shielding the less-defended Cathlene and the young man.The diamond-headed man pressed forward, ice spears whistling past him, until he reached the tunnel opening. Freedom was within reach. One push, and they'd be out!He bent his legs, took a deep breath, and let out a roar, unl

The young man burst into manic laughter. "I know you're trying to trick me into talking, but what does it matter if I tell you? Our captain used to be a free‑fighting champion. After the apocalypse, his awakened ability enhanced his body even further. When he kills you, you won't sense a thing—your head will already have been blown apart by a single punch!"But for someone like you, our captain won't let you die so easily!"I told you—he'll break your bones one by one, smash them into pieces, and let your marrow spill all over the ground for dogs to eat!"You will die. And you'll die horribly!"A thought stirred in Ray's mind. A combat expert. A pure physical‑type fighter.Indeed, physical‑type ability users looked crude and unsophisticated—like warriors in an online game, charging forward mindlessly instead of wielding flashy spells like mages. Yet once such a "crude" person possessed limitless strength and terrifying speed… the result was monstrous.No matter what attack you la