The First Dragon God-Chapter 52: "Weak"

Ves was clearing the 18th floor of the residential building alongside Miguel’s group when she heard a loud, earth-shaking roar, followed by a rumbling sound that seemed to reverberate through her bones.

Ves froze mid-strike. Her fist, which had just connected with a zombie’s skull, paused as the sound sent a chill down her spine.

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"Leo…" she whispered.

Her heart pounded as the ground beneath her feet rumbled slightly, followed by another roar that seemed closer this time.

Her heart sank.

She clenched her fists, panic rising in her chest. She tried activating [Life Force Detection], but her range wasn’t enough to locate Leo. The absence of his unique purple-golden flame only heightened her dread.

"Dammit!" she hissed. She activated [Predator Sight], as she scanned the surroundings. Still nothing.

She stood frozen for a moment, before a familiar howl pierced the air. Fiona’s.

Ves’s eyes widened, her body moving instinctively toward the elevator at the end of the hall.

"Ms. Ves!" Mia called out, but Ves didn’t stop. Her legs carried her forward, as if she was on autopilot.

....

Mia watched Ves disappear into the elevator, worry etched into her features. Her gaze returned to the incapacitated zombies sprawled across the floor.

"He’ll be okay… right?" one of the men asked nervously.

Mia’s grip on her daggers tightened when she heard the man’s question.

"We can only hope," she said coldly, her gaze hardening as she turned back to the crippled zombies on the floor.

"But if anything happens to them… we’re screwed."

Hatred burned in her chest. It was a type of rage she had never known before the world fell apart. Three days ago, those creatures were people. Friends. Neighbors. Family.

Now they were monsters.

She gripped the twin daggers Ves had given her, even more tightly, causing her knuckles to whiten.

"You took everything from me," she muttered, her voice trembling with fury. "My parents. My sister. Everything."

With cold movements, Mia approached a zombie that twitched on the floor. Its cloudy, lifeless eyes stared at her, unseeing, as she raised the dagger.

She didn’t hesitate.

The blade sliced through the creature’s neck effortlessly. Blood spurted from the wound, splattering her hands and face, but she didn’t flinch.

[You have acquired Level 1 Normal Zombie Life Force.]

[You have reached Level 2. You have received three stat points.]

Mia barely registered the notification. Her mind was consumed by hatred as she moved to the next zombie.

"I’ll kill every last one of you."

****

Meanwhile, Ves burst out of the building, the cold air hitting her face but she barely registered it.

She didn’t stop to catch her breath. Her feet pounded against the wet pavement as she pushed her speed to its limit, racing toward the source of the sound.

"Leo… please be okay," she muttered, her heart hammering in her chest.

She activated her detection skills repeatedly as she ran, hoping—praying—to sense Leo’s unique life force. But still, nothing.

Her mind raced with worry. She regretted letting him go alone, despite his reassurances. He was strong, yes, but the world was far more dangerous than either of them had anticipated.

"He should have listened to me…" she whispered, tears stinging her eyes.

****

Leo opened his eyes to darkness. The familiar dark space stretched endlessly around him, devoid of light except for the massive purple-golden sun hovering in the distance.

The purple-golden sun floated in front of him, massive and radiant, casting a soft, otherworldly glow across the endless void. The colors swirled violently, refusing to mix, creating an almost hypnotic pattern.

Leo frowned.

"So… I’m back here," he muttered. "Does that mean I’m still alive?"

The thought brought a flicker of hope, but it was quickly overshadowed by the memory of the fight. His body had been battered, broken, on the verge of collapse.

He remembered the beast’s claws almost tearing through him, the overwhelming strength that had left him helpless.

"I should have listened to Ms. Ves," he admitted bitterly. "I thought I could handle it, but I was wrong."

His gaze drifted to the purple-golden sun and he slowly stretched his hand toward it, but an invisible barrier stopped him. No matter how hard he pushed, he couldn’t move any closer.

Before he could ponder further, a familiar sense of dread crept over him as the air suddenly grew cold.

The light from the sun dimmed slightly and the familiar, suffocating presence enveloped him.

And it was stronger this time, crushing him under its weight. It pressed against his chest, stealing his breath, crushing his ribs, causing his heart to race, as it pounded against his ribcage like a drum.

Leo gasped for air, clutching his neck as if trying to force his lungs to work. But there was no air to breathe, no escape from the oppressive force.

His vision blurred. His muscles trembled. His body screamed for oxygen he didn’t need.

Then, it spoke.

"Weak."

The voice boomed through the dark space, reverberating through Leo’s very soul. It wasn’t just an insult, it was more of a judgment, a declaration of his worth.

"Weak."

The word cut deep, striking something within him and whatever that was, roared in defiance.

Leo clenched his fists, his eyes blazing with determination.

"I’m not weak!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the void.

The purple-golden sun pulsed, and for a brief moment, Leo thought he saw a pair of glowing eyes within it—eyes that watched him with cold indifference.

.....

Leo gasped as he snapped back to reality. His lungs burned as he sucked in air, his vision clearing.

He was lying on the wet asphalt, the sky above him blue and beautiful.

He sat up slowly, wincing as he expected pain—but there was none.

Leo glanced down at his body, stunned.

His wounds were gone. The broken ribs, his mangled arm, the gashes, the bruises—all healed. His clothes were still torn and bloodstained, but his skin was unmarred.

"What… the hell?"

A sharp yelp drew Leo’s attention.

Fiona and the wolves were locked in a brutal battle with the mutant creature. The beast, towering and monstrous, swiped at the wolves with its massive claws.

The creature was relentless. It caught one of the wolves, slamming it into the ground with bone-crushing force.

Leo’s heart clenched.

"No!"

He pushed himself to his feet, Nightshade appearing in his hand.

The beast roared, its glowing red eyes locking onto him.

Leo’s grip on Nightshade tightened, his jaw set in determination.

Seeing Leo standing back on his feet, the creature didn’t bother with the wolves as it charged towards him, its footsteps shaking the ground.

Leo’s mind replayed the voice in the dark space.

"Weak."

The word echoed in his mind, fueling his anger.

He narrowed his eyes. "I’ll show you weak."

The beast lunged at Leo, its massive claws slicing through the air.

Leo activated [Shadow Steps], vanishing into the shadows.

He reappeared behind the creature, leaping into the air and slashing at its exposed back. Nightshade’s venom-coated blade bit deep, drawing more of the creature’s black, tar-like blood.

The beast howled in rage, whirling around to face him.

Leo landed on his feet and met the creature’s gaze, unflinching.

"You think I’m weak?" he whispered. "Let’s see who’s standing at the end of this."