The creature let out an ear-piercing screech.

It dropped down onto the metal staircase, its six razor-sharp legs puncturing small holes into the surface below.

Theo’s eyes narrowed immediately as a deep anger settled over him.

’’D-rank, huh,’’ he said through gritted teeth.

The creature opened its mouth, letting out another sizzling screech.

At the same time, ice started forming around its body like a shell.

’’As if I’d let you do that!’’

Theo quickly raised his hand, pouring out water mana and shaping it into a large ball.

Seeing that, the creature immediately lunged forward.

Theo’s eyes went cold.

Before it could even reach him, the water sphere swallowed it whole.

The creature screeched wildly as immense pressure crushed against its armored body from every direction.

Its claws slashed violently inside the sphere, yet the water only tightened further around it.

Then Theo clenched his fist.

BOOM!

The entire water sphere shot down like a cannonball, then suddenly vanished.

The creature smashed through the metal staircase beneath them before plummeting toward the streets far below.

CRASH!

Dust exploded into the air as the creature slammed into the street.

For a moment, everything went silent.

Then blue blood slowly began spreading through the shattered crater.

Theo just stared at it for a moment, squinting his eyes.

’I’m on the seventh floor of this building,’ he thought coldly. ’Doubt it survived that fall.’

After a few more seconds, he finally turned back around.

Theo stepped back into the room with a heavy heart.

David’s body still lay completely motionless near the front door.

For a moment, he just stood there quietly.

The guard’s eyes were still open, blankly staring toward the ceiling above.

Theo slowly crouched down beside him.

"...Sorry," he muttered quietly.

Then he carefully reached out and closed the man’s eyes.

’’...And thank you.’’

The room fell silent again, except for the faint explosions echoing outside.

Theo’s gaze slowly drifted to David’s pocket, clenching his jaw tightly.

After hesitating for a brief second, he reached inside and pulled out the man’s phone.

Though its screen was completely cracked, it still lit up to its home screen.

’Thank god,’ he thought, letting out a quiet breath.

Without wasting another second, he typed in his mother’s number.

The phone rang once.

Then twice.

Finally—

Click!

’’...Theo?’’ his mother’s voice came out quietly through heavy static.

Theo’s expression darkened immediately.

’’Mom,’’ he said, forcing himself to remain calm. ’’Where are you and dad?!’’

Loud screaming and crashing noises echoed faintly through the call.

"We... hiding..." she said, barely coming through the distortion. "...you... safe?’’

Theo’s grip around his phone tightened.

’’Where are you hiding?! Mom, I can barely hear you!’’

The signal crackled violently.

KRRRZT!

The line died before another word could be said.

’’No, no, no...’’

Theo’s pupils shrank as anger, worry, and sadness all ran through him at once.

He immediately tried calling again...

And again.

He even switched to his father’s number.

But it kept failing.

’’Fuck!’’

He cursed loudly as he slammed his fist into the ground.

’Am I not getting enough signal? Did the monsters already destroy the cell towers?’

For a moment, his mind overloaded, calculating as many different scenarios as possible.

Another explosion echoed outside moments later, causing the lights above him to flicker again.

This time, the building shook far more violently than before.

Theo stumbled for a moment, feeling a chill run down his spine.

’I’m sure I’ll be able to get to them,’ he thought, nodding once. ’But I need to get out of here now!’

There was no doubt in his mind.

He could already tell the building wouldn’t last much longer from how violently it had started shaking.

Without another thought, Theo quickly dashed to his spear, umbrella, and special robe.

’The other door is locked firmly,’ he thought. ’Besides... those creatures that killed David are waiting there.’

That left him with only one other option.

’I have to climb down the fire escape.’

Quickly binding his weapons to his back, he started running toward the emergency exit while pulling the robe over his head.

As he reached the escape, he glanced back one final time.

’’...Goodbye, David.’’

Despite having only known the man for two days, he’d left a lasting impression on him.

But... as much as he wanted to make promises about saving his family or avenging him, Theo knew better.

Right now, he couldn’t even guarantee his own family’s safety.

And they would always be his top priority, no matter what.

If he came across David’s wife and son during all this chaos, then he’d help them without hesitation.

And if they survived this disaster... he’d support them however he could afterward.

But he couldn’t promise more than that.

’’I’m sorry,’’ he muttered once again.

Then he turned and stepped onto the metal staircase outside.

Cold wind immediately slammed into Theo’s body the moment he stepped outside again.

The metal staircase trembled beneath his feet while distant explosions continuously echoed through the night.

Far below, the streets looked even worse now that he was fully focused on escaping.

Creatures sprinted through the flooded roads in packs, smashing through abandoned cars and shattered storefronts without slowing down.

Even the number of hunters fighting back had clearly grown less.

’There’s no fighting this,’ he thought. ’I’m better off trying to lay low.’

BOOOOM!

Another deafening explosion rang out at the shoreline.

Theo instinctively grabbed onto the railing tighter as the entire building shook violently once more.

Pieces of concrete suddenly broke loose from somewhere above and crashed down past him.

’Shit!’

He immediately began descending the staircase.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

His boots slammed against the metal with every step.

Parts of the metal staircase had already been heavily damaged from the earlier impacts, forcing Theo to slow down multiple times to safely jump across broken sections.

Suddenly, a grim look flashed across his face.

The staircase connecting the fifth, fourth, and third floors had completely broken away.

Only twisted chunks of metal remained attached to the wall.

"...Seriously?" he muttered, skidding to a halt.

Theo quickly stepped back slightly, preparing himself to safely jump down.

CRACK!

His head snapped up as his stomach dropped.

A massive crack spread through the entire middle portion of the building.

Before he could even react—

BOOM!

Another massive explosion rang out inside the building.

Just like that, the middle section crumbled... leaving the top floors collapsing straight down.

Theo’s heart skipped a beat.

’’No way...’’

His head snapped around rapidly.

But there was no escape.

He was still dozens of yards above the ground, with a collapsing building above him!

’I’m going to be crushed!’

The sound of collapsing metal and concrete roared closer every second.

Then—

An idea flashed through Theo’s mind.

He glanced down at the ground below and gritted his teeth.

Without hesitating any further, he pushed off the staircase with all his strength.

The wind exploded against his body as he dropped straight toward the flooded streets below.

For a split second, Theo’s stomach completely flipped.

The ground rushed toward him at terrifying speed.

Just mere yards before he hit the ground—

’’System! Daily Descent!’’