The Author's Draft-Chapter 37: Rooftop Sprint II

Aiden pushed the thought aside and started toward the barricade. The soldiers parted to let him through. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

"System," Aiden said quietly, knowing only he could hear it. "What am I walking into? Breakdown of the dungeon monsters."

[Analyzing dungeon energy signatures...]

[First Dungeon Break: E-rank classification]

[Estimated enemy count: 20-30 creatures]

[Species: Mostly kobolds and lesser goblins]

[Threat assessment: Negligible for your current abilities]

[Second Dungeon Break: B-rank classification]

[Estimated enemy count: 15+ B-rank creatures, 20+ C-rank creatures]

[Species: Unknown]

[Boss detected: A-rank reading, species unknown]

[Threat assessment: Extreme danger. B-rank creatures will pose significant challenge. A-rank boss is potentially lethal.]

Aiden’s steps didn’t slow. "How long until my cultivation fully transfers?"

[Current synchronization: 67%]

[Estimated time to full integration: 10 minutes]

Ten minutes. He could work with that.

"And if I’m at full strength? Can I handle this?"

[Analysis:]

[E-rank creatures: Effortless elimination]

[C-rank creatures: Moderate difficulty in large numbers]

[B-rank creatures: Challenging but manageable individually. Avoid being surrounded.]

[A-rank boss: Will pose significant difficulty. Estimated win probability: 60% if fought one-on-one. Probability drops significantly if fighting multiple B-ranks simultaneously.]

"So as long as I’m not surrounded, I’ll be fine. And the A-rank is just a headache."

[Correct. Though I’d classify it as a severe migraine rather than a headache.]

Aiden crossed through the barricade into the evacuated zone. The street ahead was empty, abandoned cars sat with doors open, engines still running. Papers blew across the pavement. The distant sound of roaring monsters echoed between buildings.

It looked like the apocalypse had arrived early.

Aiden broke into a run, heading toward Whitechapel Road. His father was somewhere in this mess, injured leg and unable to run, sitting in their flat while monsters poured into the streets.

’Hold on, Dad. I’m coming.’

He’d gone maybe two blocks when the first monsters appeared.

Kobolds. Six of them. Small, lizard-like creatures with rusted weapons and too many teeth. They were E rank and barely dangerous to normal hunters, laughable to a cultivator.

They spotted Aiden and charged, their war cries high-pitched and grating.

Aiden didn’t slow down. He raised his hand, channeled Sword Aura into his palm—no weapon needed for creatures this weak—and swiped.

A crescent of invisible energy shot forward. It cut through all six kobolds simultaneously, their bodies falling in pieces before they’d closed half the distance.

Aiden kept running.

More kobolds appeared. Then goblins—slightly larger, slightly smarter, still E-rank trash. Aiden cut them down without breaking stride. Sword Aura made the fights trivial, each slash eliminated multiple enemies, each step carried him closer to his destination.

Whitechapel Road came into view. Number forty-seven—a narrow building with a red door, just like his mother had said.

Aiden burst through the door and took the stairs two at a time. Second floor and the flat door was locked.

He kicked it open. The wood splintered, the lock tearing free from the frame.

"Dad!"

His father sat in the living room, a walking cane clutched in his hands like a weapon. His bad leg was propped up on the coffee table. When he saw Aiden—masked, covered in monster blood, radiating dangerous energy—he nearly fell out of his chair.

"Who—"

"Your wife sent me." Aiden kept his voice disguised. "We need to go. Now."

"I can’t run—"

"You don’t have to." Aiden crossed the room and scooped his father up in a fireman’s carry. The old man weighed less than expected. "Hold on."

He ran back down the stairs and out into the street. The barricade was visible in the distance, maybe five blocks away.

Aiden sprinted, his father’s weight barely registering. His cultivation-enhanced strength made carrying a grown man feel like carrying a backpack.

They had almost made it out when they ran into kobolds once more. After placing his dad down safely, Aiden made quick work of them.

He picked up the old man again and sprinted the remaining two blocks. The barricade came into view, soldiers and then his mother.

Aiden set his father down gently on the safe side of the barrier.

His mother screamed and rushed forward, wrapping her arms around her husband. Tears streamed down her face. "Thank god. Thank god."

His father looked at Aiden through his wife’s shoulder. Gratitude and confusion mixed in his eyes. "Thank you. I don’t know who you are, but thank you."

Aiden nodded once and turned back toward the dungeon breaks.

The commander approached. "You got him out. That’s—that’s incredible."

"Don’t celebrate yet." Aiden looked at the dark pillars of energy still rising into the sky. "The monsters are about to advance. Dozens of B-ranks. An A-rank boss. This area isn’t safe."

The commander’s face went pale. "How long do we have?"

"Minutes. Maybe less." Aiden checked the time mentally. "The Hunter Association team?"

"Still ten minutes out."

Aiden looked at the dungeon breaks, then back at the evacuating civilians. His parents were safe now. That was what mattered.

But there were still people in danger. And an army of monsters about to spill into the streets.

"System," Aiden said quietly. "When will my powers fully transfer?"

[Current synchronization: 89%]

[Estimated time to full integration: 3 minutes 20 seconds.]

A timer appeared in his vision, counting down.

[3:19... 3:18... 3:17...]

"And when they do? Can I handle all those monsters?"

[Analysis:]

[At 100% synchronization with Peak Qi Gathering,]

[Those E-rank creatures should be effortless.]

[As for those C-rank creatures, moderate difficulty in large numbers.]

[B-rank creatures: Challenging but manageable individually. Avoid being surrounded and you should be fine .]

[A-rank boss would be the only problem especially if it doesn’t attack alone.]

[Overall assessment: As long as you are not surrounded by multiple B-ranks simultaneously, you should not face insurmountable difficulty and knowing you that’s exactly what’s going to happen.]

[The A-rank boss will be your primary challenge—difficult, but should only give you a slight headache if approached strategically.]

Aiden stared at the countdown timer. Three minutes until he was at full strength.

Three minutes to decide if he was going to fight an army of demons alone.