Absolute Light

"Ty-Ty, what route do you think we should we take to get off campus?"

Tyler began to consider their options...

"The main gate seemed the most straightforward route, but it wasn't without risks. I'd like to avoid any further distractions."

Liz suggested, "Why not just power through the main gate? There are only low-level monsters there, right?"

Tyler shook his head as he gave her a look of concern.

"Can't  show off too much strength," he said, keeping his voice low.

"If I make things too easy, the Divines might get bored. That could lead to problems. They're already keeping a close eye on my actions. We should take a different route."

Liz nodded as she understood his point.

"The path behind the college, then?" she asked, recalling a quieter exit.

"Sounds good," Tyler replied, as he leads the way toward the back exit.

The duo arrived at the edge the broken college wall. 

They arrived at the remains of the falling-apart buildings, greeted by the sight of destruction and chaos left by the apocalypse. Vines sprawled across the area, snaking through streets and structures.

"It's only been a week," Liv remarked quietly, not surprised by the dismal scene.

Tyler understood her sentiment; they had seen similar sights elsewhere. "It's like this in many places," he remarked casually, indifferent to the state of the world. "What matters is protecting the ones we love. Liv, Dad..."

His resolve remained unwavering. "This doesn't change a thing, Liv," he declared, looking ahead. "Nothing will hinder my progress, nothing will stop me from reaching the top."

Liv smiled at her brother's determined words. Her heart raced with a mix of fear and excitement, unsure of what lay ahead in their adventure together.

"It's so unfamiliar out here," she murmured softly. "I don't know what to expect."

Tyler turned to her, his expression softening. "We'll face it together," he reassured her. "Stick close to me, like always, and we'll overcome any challenge."

With a nod, Liv gathered her courage. "Alright," she said, her voice more steady now. "Let's go."

"There's nearly a hundred of them." Liv muttered. However, she wasn't bothered in any way.

Tyler and Liv pressed on through the dilapidated streets. It only took a few moments before they were surrounded by hordes of monsters ranging from Kobolds to Orcs.

She smacked her lips, a malicious grin appeared on her face. "Finally, some action."

Without a word, Tyler summoned one of his Radiant Spawns, the first one he ever created: the blind swordswoman. They charged forward, slashing through the horde of monsters. Despite being outnumbered, they dispatched the creatures swiftly, not even taking half an hour.

"YOU HAVE GAINED A LEVEL..."

"YOU HAVE GAINED A LEVEL..."

"YOU HAVE GAINED A LEVEL..."

"YOU HAVE REACHED LEVEL 20!"

"YOU HAVE UNLOCKED THE SKILL: ABSOLUTE LIGHT."

Tyler smirked. "Let's test it out." He extended his hand and activated the new skill, forming a blade of light. A broad smirk crossed his face, impressed by the new ability.

"This is akin to the weapons and armors my Radiant Spawns possess," he remarked, creating a shield and switching between various weapons.

After testing several weapons, he settled on a katana. He swung it twice, satisfied. "This feels adequate."

Using the light katana, he swiftly dealt with the remaining monsters. Once the area was clear, he dismissed the blind Radiant Spawn before continuing their journey with Liv.

As they ventured deeper into the city, they encountered a similar scene as before, but they weren't alone. They found themselves quickly surrounded by scavengers who had been lurking in hiding throughout the area.

"Uhm, hello." He waved with a stoic expression.

"Who are you?" One of the scavengers asked stepping forward wielding an axe.

The axe looked old however, Tyler could tell that  although the axe looked as of ot was about to break, it was a decent enough equipment. However, that didn't bother him one bit. His heightened sense helped him pinpoint the exact number and location of the scavengers.

"We mean no harm..." He said simply.

"Liar!" The scavengers yelled together as the others readied their weapons to attack the duo.

Tyler sighed as he stepped back to allow Liv to Unleash her fury.

"Don't blame me on this." He muttered.

"How dare you block Ty-Ty's path?" She stretched out her hand firing a powerful bolt of lightning taking out the scavenger with the axe. He was burnt to crisp as his body withered away with the wind.

The others looked at Liv as if she was a monster. Well, she was. However, watching their comrade fall didn't shatter their spirits, they prepared themselves for a battle.

"Bring it on!" Liv yelled excitedly over the thought of finally letting loose. Tyler on the other hand, decided to resolve things a bit different.

He smashed the car behind him as a way to showcase his overwhelming strength and to completely shatter their spirits for good.

The scavengers that were bloodlust and prepped for combat were frozen solid. The entire place went quiet until Tyler broke the silence.

"We mean you no harm," he said with a firm voice. "We're just passing through."

Tyler figured they were hostile because they were protective over their supplies.

"We have no intention in taking anything from you... That's as given that you give us useful information."

Hearing this and seeing that they had no other choice, the scavengers reluctantly lowered their weapons.

The scavengers told the duo about how players have been forming groups to protect themselves, and how this lead to a growing power struggle between several different factions.

But that wasn't the most terrifying detail...

"The Drakes, they're immensely powerful and ruthless, they are also the reason why supplies are harder to find."

"Drakes eh?"

"Yes, only the top ranked players in the global ranking system can face them."

"Global ranking?" Tyler interrupted.

"It's a part of the system where players can share info and see the names of the highest ranked players," explained one of the scavengers.

Tyler nodded, pulling up his System window to check his ranking. "At level 20, I'm ranked 6th," he said casually, causing the scavengers to gasp. They hadn't expected to meet one of the top 10 players in the global ranking.

"In first place is someone named the Necromancer, already at level 40!" Tyler exclaimed.

Seo-Yeo noticed how rarely Tyler showed surprise or was caught off guard.

A frown creased Tyler's forehead as he considered the implications.

"How did someone level up so fast?" he wondered aloud he mused aloud, his thoughts racing.

He realized the importance of accelerating his own progress, "I figured I was doing alright but I guess I'll have to increase my Leveling up speed, most especially with uncertainties of these annoying trials where every advantage could tip the scales in his favor."

What's more, the necromancer was a name and class tied to the summoning of undead. He figured the necromancer would have an army similar to his light army, in this case their armies would serve as opposites with one powered by evil and dark magic and the other by light.

"I also have to raise more Radiant Spawns and increase their levels as well, I can't start slacking now." He continued muttering to himself as he rubbed his chin.

Just then an invisible light bulb appeared over his head. He wore a malicious smile as he had the perfect idea to raise his level faster...

"Liv, let's hunt down a Drake!"