As they hurried downstairs, Ren noticed the gruesome injuries inflicted upon the victims –– wide holes in their heads, smashed skulls, and scattered brain matter littering the floor, each serving as a stark reminder of the horror that had unfolded within these walls.

"Are these your doing?" Ren asked Joker and Angelica, pointing at the exploded skulls of the creatures on the floor.

Joker grinned. "How do you think we reached you in your room?"

"I don't know. Flying maybe?" Ren deadpanned.

"As much as I'd want that kind of ability, my class doesn't lean in that direction."

"Class?" Ren inquired.

"You should have known about it," Angelica said. "The interface that displays your stats. You're an evolve like us, so you can access that interface now."

Ren did.

|| R E N ||

Crafter, Technomancer

O Credit Points

lightsΝοvεl ƈοm 1st Stage, Apex Evolution

|| E N D ||

"Did you see it?" Angelica glanced at Ren under her eyelashes.

Joker chuckled. "It's the reason why we wanted you in our team."

Ren closed the interface. "I didn't remember telling you about my class."

Angelica and Joker exchanged a meaningful glance.

"Oh, we kind of guessed what it is," Joker said playfully.

Ren frowned.

"As a sign of goodwill, we will give you a clue. Your class is related to your class in the game," Angelica said.

Ren looked to the side. He somehow knew that by now."By that, you probably have a clue to our class and abilities as well," Joker added.

Ren didn't comment, and they continued their descent.

"They are called Stingfeeders."

"What?"

"Those mutated mosquito-like beings are called Stingfeeders," Angelica repeated and further explained, "They are numerous in a lower-rank world like this."

"So, you mean to say that . . . there are different kinds of mutations?" Ren asked.

Angelica nodded. "That's right. This kind are usually weak, but there are those who mutated over time and became stronger. There are also different kinds of mutations, so expect that Stingfeeders aren't the only monsters we're going to face here."

"Great," Ren thought.

They stopped when a Stingfeeder blocked their way.

"I guess one managed to survive," Joker said, stepping forward. "Leave this thing to me."

At the sight of them, the Stingfeeder rushed in their direction, buzzing as it did. It reached its hand out but stopped midway.

"See this, Ren. This is what I can do," Joker laughed heartily.

BaAanNg!lightsnovel

The Stingfeeder's head exploded, and blood would have splattered across Joker's face if he hadn't stopped them midair.

"Hey, Angelica, I'm still talking here."

Angelica had a small gun in her hand. It appeared weird, made of crystal, and seemed like a toy at first sight. Blue lights circulated around it. Its handle was small, but its main body was bigger than a normal gun. Its destructive power was enough to explode the Stingfeeder's head with one shot.

It didn't use any bullets either but something akin to a powerful laser.

Then the strange thing happened when it disappeared in Angelica's hand.

"Stop wasting time, and let's move on ahead."

For someone so little and appearing like a child, Angelica didn't spare any punches.

"Is there, like, a space inventory where you store that thing?" Ren asked.Angelica smiled knowingly. "No. But there are . . . items that can store items."

"Real-life extraordinary items," Joker added. "Don't worry; you'll get your hands on one if you have enough credit points."

That must be the CP in his interface. Ren thought. "How do you get those?"

"By defeating them," Angelica nodded at the Stingfeeders' corpses. "However, this is only a Rank-D planet, so the mutants here are weak. You can only earn like 1 credit point if you kill one."

Weak? Ren mulled over the term.

They were weak? Ren thought and reminded himself of Evie's strength when she was transforming.

Maybe to Angelica and Joker, they were weak.

Ren found himself contemplating their power levels. As a first-stage evolve, he couldn't help but wonder what stage the two were.

Ren couldn't shake off the feeling that this realm operated akin to a game. If there existed a first stage, logic dictated there must be second, third, and beyond.

The question lingered: how many stages existed, and what advantages did each stage confer?

For the time being, survival took precedence over answers. Ren resolved to focus on immediate situation, knowing there would be ample time for inquiries later.

Ren chose not to voice his thoughts and continued down.

Finally, they arrived outside, and Ren saw just how devastated Earth had become.

The city was a haunting reflection of its former glory, now shrouded in an eerie atmosphere of desolation and decay. Skyscrapers now loomed like silent sentinels over the abandoned streets, their windows shattered and facades marred by the ravages of time and neglect.

The once-bustling thoroughfares were now eerily silent, save for the occasional howl of the wind as it whipped through the derelict buildings, carrying with it the whispers of a forgotten past.

The streets were littered with debris and wreckage, the remnants of a once-thriving civilization now reduced to rubble and ruin.

There were pockets of eerie stillness and foreboding darkness, where shadows seemed to linger and unseen eyes watched from the depths of abandoned buildings.

Ren didn't know how much time had passed since Evie's death, as the once-familiar cityscape outside transformed into a surreal landscape of chaos and upheaval.

"Don't looks so surprised," Angelica's voice pierced through the disarray. "This is merely the beginning. The END will arrive soon."

"Before that happens, we must reach Tower A," Joker interjected with a playful tone.

"What's in Tower A?" Ren inquired, his curiosity piqued despite the looming danger.

"It's one of the key transportation hubs in this world. If you possess a [Green Car], you gain access to the interdimensional train bound for Nexus, the sanctuary city," Joker elaborated.

"Nexus?"

"It's the singular beacon of stability and safety in this tumultuous universe," Angelica clarified. "We'll provide further details once we're there. But for now, our priority is reaching the tower and dealing with the threats."

Ren noticed the mutated creatures emerging one by one, their grotesque forms sniffing the air while their insect-like eyes spun in erratic patterns.