Supreme Blades
Chapter 3. Guests from Another World
Cassian left the school grounds. Nearby ran a small drainage canal. He approached it, intending to wash his face. In the water's reflection, he saw himself.
His facial features had become sharper and more defined. His skin looked paler. His dark, wavy hair remained long, reaching his shoulders, unchanged.
Cassian pulled out his phone. There was still no signal, so he slipped it back into his pocket.
He tried to wash anyway, but the water carried a sharp, unpleasant odor. The cause was the corpses floating down the canal. It was already obvious: the catastrophe had struck at least the entire city.
Who am I kidding? Cassian thought.
Most likely, the same thing is happening all over the world right now.
He poured the water out of his palm. He wanted to wipe his hand, but realized his clothes weren't suitable for it. His entire school uniform was soaked in blood.
Cassian recalled the words spoken by that voice before the catastrophe began.
Your world has been selected as the arena for the Royal Battle between worlds. In the next few minutes, guests from other worlds will begin to arrive here.
So they're aliens? he thought.
And that voice is the host?
He also noticed that the voice which had spoken to him about the status was different. Also female, but completely unlike the first one.
That means the leveling system and the Royal Battle itself are most likely not connected. Or they are connected, but the system isn't part of it. Though… anything's possible.
Cassian descended into the city. He walked along ruined streets, lost in his thoughts.
"How did you manage to survive?" a voice suddenly came from behind.
Cassian turned around. About ten meters away stood a walking corpse. It was the body of a schoolgirl with a mutilated face, but intact limbs.
"Another type of alien?" Cassian snorted.
"You're a quick one," she smirked. "No wonder you survived. But considering you're just a pathetic human, it's still a miracle."
"I'm planning to outlive all of you too," Cassian replied with a grin.
"Even if you do survive…" the creature said. "Will you be able to spend eternity alone?"
"What makes you think I'll be alone?" Cassian asked.
"You need to learn to listen," the creature replied and sat down right on the asphalt, crossing its legs. "Didn't the voice in your head say the winner would be the last one standing?"
The creature continued:
"To be honest, I don't believe your race has any chance at all."
It stood up. From around the corners of buildings, more dead began to emerge. They quickly surrounded Cassian.
"Well, well," he said. "So scared of one ordinary human that you won't even face me one-on-one?"
"Sorry, my friend, but cheap taunts like that won't rile us up," the creature replied.
I wonder if their abilities are limited to what a human body can do? Cassian thought.
Or can they control corpses however they want?
He scanned them. In their hands they held bats, knives, and some even had firearms.
With my new abilities, maybe I can handle…
No. Better to run.
At that moment several of them charged at him.
Cassian raised his sword and assumed a stance. One leaped at him first with a knife. In a single instant Cassian swung and severed its head.
The rest froze.
My abilities already surpass human limits. That'll work in my favor, Cassian thought.
Suddenly something slimy crawled out of the severed head. It was completely transparent, almost liquid, with no definite shape. Inside, capillaries could be seen, just like in a human.
The creature tried to slither away, but Cassian immediately stabbed it with his sword. In that instant it hardened and seemed to dry up.
The creatures exchanged glances and charged at Cassian en masse. There were definitely over a hundred. For the first few seconds Cassian froze, unsure what to do. Then an idea came to him.
He threw the sword into the air and began controlling it remotely. The blade spun at high speed around Cassian, slicing the creatures in half. Within a couple of seconds they froze and retreated. A moment later, each one scattered in different directions.
Reinforcements began arriving from the alleys. Their numbers grew even larger. But now they didn't charge head-on. The creatures spread out, vanished from sight, and started attacking in small groups from different sides.
The sword couldn't stop them all. One already swung a knife at Cassian's head. In a fraction of a second Cassian dodged and recalled the sword to his hand. One swing — and the creature's face was split in two. Blood sprayed across Cassian's face.
While he was distracted, several more attacked from his blind spot. One sank its teeth into his neck. Another smashed a bat straight into his face. Cassian kicked the third away, sending it flying back.
At that moment they charged again all at once. Cassian released the sword, and it sliced through the one biting his neck. Blood got into his eyes, blinding him.
A second later he felt several knives sink into his body. Just before that, he managed to recall the sword to his hand. The sword wouldn't let Cassian die.
He shoved several aside and wiped his face.
Continuing to fight here is pointless. I need to run, Cassian thought.
He roared at the top of his lungs and charged forward, slashing with the sword at everything in sight. Those in his path scattered, terrified of death. As long as the sword was in his hands, his wounds regenerated quickly, but from behind they kept stabbing him.
Cassian spun around and swung the sword several times. The creatures halted. Then he turned and ran.
He ran for about ten minutes. Finally Cassian stopped and looked around. No one was nearby. He pulled the knives out of his body. All this time the sword had been glowing, preventing him from dying. The wounds began to close.
He didn't even have time to sit down and catch his breath before he heard screams coming from one of the buildings. Cassian ran toward the sound, but it seemed he was too late. The screams fell silent.
Climbing to the third floor of a large supermarket, he saw three monsters — the same kind as at school — and several fresh corpses. The monsters didn't get the chance to attack — Cassian cut them down in seconds.
Next to one of the bodies he found a radio. It was only emitting static.
Might come in handy, Cassian thought and took it.
He grabbed a backpack from the shelves, stuffed it with water, canned food, and dried fruit. Then he found new clothes and changed.
It was already starting to get dark. He needed to find a place to spend the night. Cassian decided to head to a hotel. To his surprise, there was electricity there. He chose an empty room and decided to stay the night.
The room was on the fifteenth floor. Cassian walked to the window. Before him stretched the view of a dead, ruined city.