Chapter 1: The First Bloom of Shadows in the Apocalypse

Deafening roars tore through the silence, the stench mingling with dust assaulted the senses, and Chu Feng’s heart pounded like a drum. Damn it! This wretched creature couldn’t have picked a worse time to show up!

He stared intently at the approaching black fiend, its blood-red eyes gleaming with a chilling light in the darkness.

This was already the third attack by fiends on Dawn Sanctuary this week. If things went on like this, everyone would be doomed.

Chu Feng, an ordinary young man struggling to survive in the apocalypse, now stood on the verge of life and death. His only hope lay in the impending Rune Awakening Ceremony.

It was said that only humans who possessed runes could resist these terrifying monsters.

“The ceremony will begin in five minutes! Everyone, assemble at the plaza immediately!” Elder Li’s deep voice echoed through the sanctuary, carrying a note of unquestionable authority.

Chu Feng took a deep breath.

“With these miserable crackers, you want me to work? Not a chance!” Wang Hao, the supplies manager, interrupted Chu Feng’s thoughts with his sharp, mean voice.

Chu Feng turned to see Wang Hao, his face full of disdain, clutching a few broken crackers tightly in his hand.

“This is what I deserve!” Chu Feng suppressed his anger; he hadn’t eaten in three days, and even this pitiful ration was being withheld by Wang Hao.

“A useless wretch without awakened runes—what right do you have to negotiate with me?” Wang Hao sneered.

“That’s enough!” Elder Li barked sharply. “Is this the time for infighting? Chu Feng, come here!”

Chu Feng strode quickly to Elder Li’s side, holding back his fury. In his heart, he recalled that once, he too was a young man full of dreams. The apocalypse changed everything, but somewhere deep within, he still cherished his longing for a better life. He would survive in this cruel world—not just for himself, but for those lost dreams and hopes.

Elder Li patted his shoulder and handed him an energy stone. “Take it. You’ll need it for the awakening ceremony. I hope you succeed.”

Dozens of hopeful people gathered in the plaza, awaiting the awakening of their runes. Their eyes shone with hope, yet were tinged with fear.

Chu Feng gripped the energy stone tightly, feeling its warmth, silently vowing: I must succeed!

Suddenly, a piercing scream shattered the sky.

“Fiend! It’s a fiend!” Panic swept through the crowd.

A monstrous black fiend burst from the ruins, swinging its claws.

“Damn it! The ceremony hasn’t started yet!” Elder Li’s face was grim.

Chu Feng watched the fiend draw nearer, his heart racing. A strange power surged within him, filling his body with strength.

“No…” Chu Feng growled softly as black markings crept across his arms like vines.

The black runes spread like venom, swiftly covering his entire body, as if intent on devouring him. He felt an unprecedented power roiling within, almost beyond his control.

People around him stared in terror. Someone whispered, “What’s happening? Why are his runes black?”

Chu Feng was puzzled as well. He remembered Elder Li saying runes should be radiant, each color representing a different attribute and ability.

Yet the black rune on his body radiated a sinister aura, making him uneasy.

But there was no time to ponder. The massive fiend was upon him, its foul breath nearly suffocating.

“Run!” Elder Li shouted hoarsely, but the plaza was already chaos, people scattering in all directions.

Chu Feng knew it was too late to flee.

He had to fight.

Clenching his fists, the black runes gleamed with an eerie light as power flooded his body.

“Roar!” The fiend let out a deafening howl, claws slashing at Chu Feng.

Chu Feng faced it without fear, charging straight at the fiend. His body felt light and agile, as though he could command the air itself.

Dodging the fiend’s attacks, he swung his fist, black energy crackling like lightning around it.

“Bang!” His fist landed hard on the fiend, emitting a dull thud.

The fiend staggered back with a howl of pain.

Those witnessing the scene were stunned. No one expected an ordinary man without awakened runes to stand toe-to-toe with a fiend.

“He… he actually hurt the fiend?” a young man stammered.

Chu Feng ignored the crowd, eyes locked on the fiend. The power of the black runes still surged within him, making him feel stronger.

“Again!” Chu Feng shouted and charged once more.

Suddenly, the rune altar at the center of the plaza erupted in dazzling light.

Chu Feng’s blows rained down like a storm, each strike infused with black energy, lightning crackling from his fists. With every blow, the fiend screamed in agony, shaking the very air.

Just as Chu Feng thought victory was near, the altar burst forth with blinding light.

Boom!

A powerful wave of energy swept out like a tsunami. Chu Feng was instantly wracked with unbearable pain, as if countless blades were tearing his flesh, his bones grinding to dust, his organs churning.

He let out a muffled groan, collapsing to his knees as sweat drenched his clothes.

“Chu Feng! Are you alright?” Elder Li’s anxious voice sounded nearby, but Chu Feng couldn’t respond. The pain was overwhelming, nearly obliterating his consciousness.

It felt as though this energy would rip him apart, darkness swallowing him like a tide.

Those around watched in horror, unable to help as the energy wave kept them at bay.

Despair spread through the crowd; it was as if the apocalypse had arrived.

Just as Chu Feng’s mind blurred and he was about to collapse entirely, the power of the black rune surged once more within him.

A cold, potent shadow force surged from the depths of hell, enveloping him instantly.

The agony faded, replaced by a sense of unparalleled strength.

He slowly raised his head, his once-dark eyes now flickering with a mysterious, abyssal light.

Clenching his fists, black energy coiled around him like serpents, radiating a chilling aura.

The fiend, still reeling from Chu Feng’s attacks, howled and lunged again, its foul stench thick in the air.

“Get out!” Chu Feng roared, his figure flickering like a phantom, vanishing from sight. The fiend barely had time to react before a searing pain shot through its neck. Chu Feng, like a vengeful spirit from hell, gathered black energy into his fist, forging a shadow blade, and drove it into the fiend’s neck with devastating force. A dull sound rang out as the fiend’s neck was pierced, dark green blood spurting like a fountain, splashing across Chu Feng’s resolute, cold face. The fiend let out a heart-rending scream, its massive body collapsing with a thud, dust rising like a banner of victory at Chu Feng’s feet.

Elder Li watched the black shadow power swirling around Chu Feng and murmured, “Well, this awakening ceremony truly exceeded all expectations…”

Chu Feng stood his ground, feeling the immense power within. He slowly turned, his abyssal gaze sweeping the crowd, pausing on a single figure—a girl who watched him with wary curiosity, her own gaze assessing him.

The heavy scent of blood hung over the plaza, the fiend’s corpse lying in the center, dark green blood trailing across the ground, the air thick with nausea.

Chu Feng stood quietly, the black runes slowly fading from his body, as if the previous ordeal had been a hallucination.

His gaze swept the fearful crowd and settled on the girl. She wore her hair short and sharp, her eyes alert and piercing, fixed upon him as if to see through his soul.

Chu Feng met her gaze, reading wariness, curiosity, and an emotion he could not decipher in her eyes.

The two stared at each other, as if time itself had paused.

The surrounding clamor seemed to fade, leaving only the two of them in their world.

“He… he actually killed the fiend!” someone exclaimed, breaking the eerie silence.

Only then did the crowd return to their senses, all eyes now upon Chu Feng. They had never witnessed such power, nor imagined that a man without awakened runes could slay a fiend with his bare hands.

“How… how is this possible?” someone muttered.

Elder Li walked over and patted Chu Feng’s shoulder. Once a university professor, Elder Li had used his knowledge and authority to organize resistance against the fiends within the sanctuary after the apocalypse. He agonized daily over supplies and safety, every decision a matter of life and death. He placed his hopes in the young people’s rune awakening, dreaming of rebuilding humanity’s home.

Chu Feng nodded slightly. The fiend attacks would not cease, greater dangers loomed ahead.

He must complete the Rune Awakening Ceremony to gain true power against the fiends.

“The ceremony will proceed!” Elder Li called out. The people gathered around the altar once more, tense and expectant.

Chu Feng walked to the altar, took a deep breath, and placed the energy stone upon it.

The runes on the altar glowed again, a powerful wave of energy spreading outward, enveloping Chu Feng.

He closed his eyes, feeling the energy wash over him, silently vowing: I must succeed!

But then, a sudden change occurred…

The runes on the altar flickered erratically, emitting a harsh humming, as a powerful energy storm swept through the plaza.

Elder Li’s expression darkened. “This is bad! The altar is out of control!”