Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Virel City

There were five of them.

At the front walked a broad-shouldered man with a worn cloak draped over his back. He glanced ahead, squinting slightly.

“…We’re close,” he said.

One of the younger men behind him stretched his arms. “Good. I need a drink. Been days since we saw a decent town.”

Another chuckled. “You say that every time.”

Their pace slowed as the outline of Stoneford Town came into view.

But something felt… off.

The leader frowned.

“…Wait.”

The others stopped.

Up ahead, the town gate stood wide open.

No guards.

No movement.

And the wooden walls, what was left of them, were broken, splintered, some parts completely torn down.

The group exchanged looks.

“That’s not right,” one of them muttered.

“Bandits?” another suggested.

The leader didn’t answer immediately. His eyes scanned the surroundings, sharp and cautious.

“…Stay alert. We go in, slow.”

No one argued.

They stepped forward, crossing through the open gate.

The moment they entered, the smell hit them.

Blood.

Old, dried, but still heavy in the air.

The young man from earlier covered his nose slightly. “…Damn…”

The streets were empty.

Bodies lay scattered across the ground, guards, civilians… no one was spared. Some were slumped against walls, others sprawled in the middle of the road. Weapons were still clutched in stiff hands.

It was silent.

Too silent.

“…Yeah,” one of them said quietly, looking around. “Just like I thought.”

“A massacre,” another finished.

They walked deeper into the town, their footsteps echoing faintly.

Burn marks scarred parts of the ground. Doors were broken open. Some houses had collapsed entirely.

But there were no survivors.

Not even a single sound.

The leader stopped in the middle of the street, his jaw tightening slightly as he looked around.

“…Clean work,” he muttered.

The young man looked uneasy, glancing at the empty houses. “…Damn. Even out here…”

He shook his head, clicking his tongue.

“They still have to wipe each other out.”

A short silence followed.

Then one of the older members let out a dry laugh.

“Well… that’s how we humans are.”

He stood there, staring at the lifeless town.

“Never-ending destruction.”

No one disagreed.

They stayed there for a while, quietly taking in the scene. Not out of respect, this world didn’t allow for that luxury, but because something about seeing an entire town erased like this…

It never really got easier.

Even for people like them.

They were about to leave.

The leader had already turned around, ready to call it. There was nothing left here, no work, no survivors, just the aftermath of slaughter.

“…Let’s go,” he said.

The others nodded. No one wanted to stay any longer than necessary.

But just as they were about to head back toward the gate.

A faint sound cut through the silence.

“…H-Help…”

Everyone froze.

The young man’s head snapped to the side. “You heard that?”

“…Yeah,” another replied, already scanning the area.

It came again. Weak. Shaking.

“Help… please…”

The leader’s eyes sharpened. “Over there.”

They moved immediately, weapons half-drawn, footsteps quick but cautious as they followed the sound. It led them down a narrow alley between two damaged houses.

“…Behind that wall,” one of them whispered.

They rounded the corner.

And found her.

A girl, no older than fifteen, curled up against the wall. Her clothes were stained with dirt and blood, not all of it hers. Her hands trembled as she clutched her head, rocking slightly back and forth.

“…No… no… please…”

Her eyes were wide, unfocused. Tears streamed down her face.

For a moment, the group just stood there.

“…A survivor,” the young man said under his breath.

The leader slowly lowered his weapon. “…Easy.”

He stepped forward carefully, keeping his voice calm.

“Hey… hey, it’s alright. We’re not here to hurt you.”

The girl flinched violently at his voice, letting out a sharp cry.

“It’s fine,” another said quickly, raising both hands. “We’re travelers. We just got here.”

She shook her head frantically, her breathing uneven.

“M-Monsters…!”

Her voice broke as she screamed it.

“Monsters! They’re monsters!”

The group exchanged glances.

“Monsters?” one of them muttered. “What is she talking about…?”

The leader crouched down slowly, keeping a bit of distance so he wouldn’t scare her further.

“Listen,” he said gently. “There are no monsters here right now. You’re safe.”

“No!” she shouted, her voice trembling. “They were here! They killed everyone! I saw them—I saw them!”

Her hands gripped her hair tighter, her whole body shaking.

“They… they don’t die…! They just keep coming back…!”

Silence fell over the group.

The young man frowned slightly. “…She’s in shock.”

“Yeah,” another said quietly. “Probably saw something she couldn’t handle.”

The older man sighed. “Bandits, maybe. Or practitioners. People always start seeing things after something like this.”

But the girl kept shaking her head, tears falling endlessly.

“No… no… not people…”

The leader studied her for a moment, then stood up.

“…Doesn’t matter,” he said. “She’s coming with us.”

No one objected.

One of the women in the group stepped forward slowly and knelt beside the girl.

“Hey,” she said softly. “Can you stand?”

The girl hesitated, still trembling, but after a moment, she calmed down and nodded weakly.

“…O-Okay…”

They helped her up carefully. She nearly collapsed, her legs barely able to hold her weight.

“Easy,” the woman murmured, supporting her.

As they began to lead her away, the girl clutched onto her sleeve, her grip tight and desperate.

“They’ll come back…” she whispered.

No one responded.

But as they walked out of the ruined town, a few of them couldn’t help but glance back one last time.

—

An hour later, the road widened, and the outline of a city rose ahead of them.

High walls. Guard towers. A steady flow of people coming and going through the gates.

“…Finally,” one of them muttered.

“Virel City,” the leader said, his voice calm but clearly relieved. “We’ll stop here.”

The group approached the entrance, blending in with the usual traffic, merchants with carts, travelers, a few cultivators like themselves. The guards gave them a brief glance, but nothing more. A weary group escorting a shaken girl wasn’t exactly unusual in this world.

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