"Sigh, is that all you have for breakfast here?" Ryu mumbled as he stared at the dried bread with a dull expression. There was only plain water beside it.
John and Maki smiled.
"Life is hard, kid. Not just here, but even inside the walls," John said as he explained the harsh truth of their world. "The fertile soil outside has been polluted, and the land inside keeps shrinking. Because of that, we’re always short on resources. Make do with what you have for now."
"I see." Ryu took a bite and asked, "Is the meat from those berserk beasts not edible?"
Maki shook her head. "No. The hollowfied ones are completely unsafe. But those that aren’t infected can be eaten. The problem is, hunting them is incredibly risky. Every hunt is a gamble."
John cut in, "Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m saying. Life was a lot easier before all these Gates and Awakening nonsense started. Back then, we had more land, more resources, and the world was full of prosperity."
Maki fell silent, unable to argue against his words.
Instead, she changed the topic.
"So, Ryu, are you also one of the Awakened like us? I mean, do you have a System too?"
Ryu paused, carefully observing their expressions.
They seemed curious. maybe even hopeful.
After a moment of thought, he nodded. They had already witnessed some of his superhuman traits, so denying it would only raise suspicion.
"Yes, I am. That’s how I managed to survive for so long," he said, taking another bite of the bread.
John leaned back and said, "I Knew it. No normal person could’ve climbed that wall the way you did."
Maki’s eyes sparkled with interest. "That’s amazing, Yuki. You must have a rare or powerful type, huh? Is it combat-based? Support? Maybe a beast-type?"
Ryu gave a small, polite smile. "It helps me survive. That’s all I can say."
Maki blinked, realizing he was being vague on purpose. She didn’t push further, though her curiosity clearly hadn’t faded.
John chuckled. "You’re smart kid. Don’t show your cards to strangers, even if they seem nice. Out here, people have done worse just to steal a loaf of bread."
Ryu nodded silently. That was exactly what he was trying to avoid. Trust was a luxury in this new world and he couldn’t afford to let his guard down again. Not after Chester’s incidence.
Maki softened her tone. "Still, if you ever need help understanding your System better, we can try to guide you. We’ve been Awakened for years now."
Ryu gave a slight bow of his head. "Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind."
A moment of silence passed, filled only by the soft crunch of bread and the whisper of cold wind outside.
After brekfast, Ryu went inside the room telling them he needed some more rest. In truth he needed to go back to his Dragon form to recover energy.
They found it a little odd. But they didn’t pry further.
Next, when the sun moved on top their head, the trio descended from the wall.
As the trio began their journey toward the inner city nestled within the colossal walls of Belfort Fortress, the air remained quiet aside from the hum of the wind and the distant clanks of other patrols.
Ryu kept a steady pace beside Maki and John, his senses on alert and eyes scanning everything. It was his first time entering a major human settlement in this world, and he needed to absorb every detail.
John broke the silence first.
"You know, this place wasn’t always . Before the first Hollow Gates appeared, there were dozens of nations spread across the continent. Each one with its own rules, borders, and pride."
Maki took over, her voice gentler. "But when the Gates opened, none of that mattered anymore. One by one, cities fell. The hollows that came through... They didn’t care who ruled what. All they brought was chaos. So the surviving powers were forced to put aside their hatred and come together."
Ryu nodded slightly, following the story.
"That’s when the Horizon Alliance was born," John continued. "At first, in this continent, it was just five cities that survived the initial wave. But they had resources, Awakened elites, and engineers. With that, they formed the first defensive walls. Then they sent out teams to find other survivors and expand their influence."
Maki pointed ahead. "Belfort was the third fortress ever constructed. Unlike the others, it’s got an almost self-sustaining ecosystem inside. Farms. Factories. Housing sectors. Training zones for Awakened."
"It became a beacon of survival," John added. "But make no mistake. It’s not a perfect paradise. The deeper you go inside, the more politics and rot you’ll see."
Ryu listened silently, taking mental notes. The Horizon Alliance sounded like humanity’s last grasp at control. But he could already tell it was fragile.
"And the leaders?" he finally asked. "Who governs all this?"
"The Central Council," Maki replied. "Each fortress sends a representative. Most of them are high-ranking Awakened with influence and legacy. Some say they’re hiding secrets. Some believe they’re humanity’s best chance."
"Depends who you ask," John added with a smirk.
Ryu’s eyes took in the sight of the city stretching out before him and asked,
"Oh, is there another fortress nearby? Probably to the south?"
He remembered Runa had headed in that direction, so he inquired.
"To the south? Ah, yes, there’s the Twin Moon Fortress in that direction. But it’s really far away. Probably dozens of miles," Maki answered casually. "Why do you ask, Yuki?"
"It’s nothing serious. A friend of mine went that way. I need to find her."
"Ohh, a girl?" Maki teased. "Why did you two separate? Did you have a fight?"
"No. Let’s just say the situation wasn’t in our favor," Ryu replied with a sigh.
Sensing the mood shift, Maki quickly changed the subject.
"So, Ryu, do you want to be a Hunter? Or maybe a guard like us? Or is there another profession you prefer? You see, the Alliance doesn’t prefer lazy people."