The principal’s office was cold and imposing as usual, causing Micheal to shift uneasily in his chair. Next to him, another student sat with a smug expression. Micheal gritted his teeth in silent fury. He looked bruised and battered, his uniform torn in various spots, yet the other one looked crisp and devoid of injuries. Well, except for the dried splatters of blood that stained the Academy’s pristine white shirt. His blood. Merely seeing both of them, it was obvious who was the victim in the fight, yet Micheal’s heart palpitated when the principal’s voice tore through the silence:“Ah, this is a troublesome matter. Haven’t I warned you against getting into fights, young man?” The man’s gaze was directed at Micheal. “What?!” Micheal blurted. “I didn’t do anything! I was preparing to go home when–”“Silence.” The principal declared coldly, causing Devon, the obvious assaulter, to snicker. Micheal clenched in fists. Still, he obeyed and remained quiet. After all, this was how it h

The sky looked redder than normal. A scorching wind blew past, stirring up debris and other toxic substances. Next to a half-collapsed pillar was a heap of corpses. At first glance, the corpses seemed like they belonged to everyday animals. Upon closer inspection, however, one would begin to notice strange details like extra limbs, protruding organs, and so on.A teenage boy sat atop the pile of corpses. His brown eyes stared into the distance with a bleak expression. His clothes–if they could still be called that–were tattered and drenched in blackened blood. His face was similarly stained with dirt and mud. “Ah, how long has it been now?” Micheal sighed and brandished the gleaming blade in his hand. With a thought, he summoned his profile tab and glanced at the new additions:{{Profile Tab}}[Name: Micheal Baker][Titles: Decimator Of Profanities, The Lone-walker][Class: Pariah][Rank: Forged][Progress: 4/80][Skills: Outcast’s Law (Passive), Divide (Active),][Inventory: Shari

Micheal’s thoughts went into full throttle. Earth had been plunged into the apocalypse while he was away, and it was very much possible that every other person now possessed a system of their own.Come to think of it, that old man didn’t react when I suddenly pulled out a bag from space. He also mentioned ‘Profanities’. That’s the same term the system uses for those creatures. I should’ve pieced together the clues…Micheal jumped over a barricade as he took the vast underground tunnel that led to the entrance of the tower. Since the tower had fallen from the sky, most of its base sunk into the ground. And so, it could only be accessed via tunnels.“In a way, that test was preparing me for this. Still, I have to be wary. I know very little about the situation inside the tower.”The last few things the old man explained was how the tower had multiple levels, and the levels were basically different worlds that housed all sorts of monsters. However, there was also something called a ‘Blue

Cassandra hadn’t asked any questions due to the urgency in Micheal’s tone. They left the association headquarters and walked towards another part of the city. Soon, they stood in front of a modest two-storey building with a rather Victorian-esque style.“Let’s go in.” Cassandra said to him.Micheal nodded quietly. He looked composed on the outside, but his mind was raging with thoughts, and his heart quaking with pleas. A young lady in a simple gown–the receptionist–ushered them to the waiting room upon entering. She explained that the manager would be with them in a moment.Micheal sat patiently, his palms clasped together. When the manager arrived, she greeted them with an amiable smile. After all, it was the wealthy folks in the tower that often sought the househelp service. In her hands was a thick-width book that she opened with grace. She explained to Cassandra, whom she assumed was the rich folk in this case, seeing as Micheal was still a teenager, “As you can see, we have a

“May I know your name?” Hearing his sister's question, Micheal felt an explosion of emotions. Relief, joy, and most especially, guilt.He couldn't come to terms with the fact that he had been away for seven entire months, and his sister had gone through hell and back in that period. It made his chest ache. But everything only stood to fuel his hatred for Devon’s group.They might as well have unleashed the devil himself on the planet.He chuckled behind the mask, then said in his normal voice, “Let's leave this place.”The little girl did not ask any questions. Her ragged clothing fluttered in the wind as she followed the grown-ups to a secluded alley. When they were safe from sight, Cassandra immediately said, “Uh, I'll step away for a minute.”Micheal nodded. Kara remained puzzled. She glanced at the retreating figure of the lady, then back at Micheal, who was still masked. “W-what's going on?” The girl asked, apprehension creeping into her voice.“Kara.” Micheal held her shoulde