The Weight of Leadership

Zephyr touched down with a bone-jarring thud, the Strato leaving a crater in its wake. The Sentinel lay crumpled nearby, a testament to the Exo-suit's overwhelming power.

The Strato Exosuit emerged from the fray unscathed, its armor a testament to its remarkable resilience. Unlike its Polaris Exosuit predecessor, it weathered the onslaught with ease.

Silence descended upon the camp. The cacophony of terror was gone, replaced by a tense stillness. The survivors stared in awe at the towering figure before them. Whispers rippled through the crowd – visions of fantastical robots from their limited media flickered in their minds.

The truth about Zephyr piloting the machine remained a mystery for them. A disquiet settled over them despite their newfound safety. Doubt gnawed at their hearts. Was this metallic savior a friend or foe? Did humanity possess such technology? What monstrous threats lurked in the shadows, necessitating this mechanical titan?

Before the stunned silence could morph into panic, the Strato Exosuit's visor hissed open, revealing a face obscured by the dim light. "No need to be afraid. The situation is under control," a voice boomed from within the suit, laced with authority.

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd, especially those who understood the Korean language. The awe deepened as the realization dawned – a human-piloted this marvel of technology. And that person was none other than Zephyr.

Mi-Ran approached and asked haltingly, "Did all this stuff come from where you are? Is that place a future city with cutting-edge technology?"

Zephyr's disembodied voice held a note of conviction. "Yes. There, you will not only find a place to rebuild your lives but also the means to defend yourselves from such threats." He gestured towards the Sentinel's carcass.

A pause. Then, a spark ignited in his tone. "Perhaps some of you possess the courage to become more. To join the Legion, protectors clad in these very suits." The last sentence hung in the air, a challenge and an inspiration aimed at rekindling the survivors' will to fight for their future.

Mi-ran and the others conveyed what Zephyr said to the group. Instead of stimulating their will to survive, they simply threw their gazes at each other, hesitant to be told to fight and risk their lives.

Zephyr emerged from the Strato with a sigh. Disappointment flickered across his features. By default, it seemed that humanity was once again clinging to its primal fears. Information about the existence of places that provide protection was available, making them reluctant to try hard, even though survival was at stake.

Yet, this wouldn't deter him. He realized words might not ignite the spark. Perhaps they needed a harsher teacher – the brutal reality of their world. He knew real experiences held the power to shape those people's choices, to forge within them the will to survive.

With the immediate threat neutralized, a semblance of peace returned. Children, their earlier fear forgotten, gravitated towards the Strato Exosuit. Its imposing form, a stark contrast to the sleek Swiftwind hover car, held a captivating, almost artistic allure. Whispers of "iron suits" from forgotten movies echoed in their innocent chatter.

The nascent euphoria, however, was quickly quashed by the adults. The memory of raw danger was still fresh, and their priority remained the safety of their children. Disappointment flickered across the youngsters' faces, but exhaustion soon settled in. The journey to Zephyr's promised haven, it seemed, would be a long one.

However, a handful of adults couldn't shake the awe they felt. They watched Zephyr, a solitary figure near the metal giant, with newfound respect. Some people, emboldened by the brief incident, subconsciously swung the military knives in their hands with a new spark of determination appearing in their eyes.

The night surprisingly passed without any further events while Zephyr stood guard, thinking of a solution for their safety on the journey. That was because he realized after killing the last Sentinel that the journey would be longer than he expected.

His initial estimate of three or four days now seemed woefully short-sighted. He factored in the ever-present threat of mutated and rampaging animals along with the beasts, but a more pressing concern emerged – the fragility of the survivors themselves.

The harsh Apex World atmosphere had taken its toll, causing many of them to get sick and have poor immune systems. Rushing it would actually backfire on the goal of increasing the population of the Fortress of the Divine Light.

Fortunately, Zephyr had prepared a backup plan in case he would spend more time on the road.

Dawn broke, casting the world in a soft glow. Zephyr remains vigilant, leading small, relaxed patrols around the perimeter. Unnoticed by him, a few figures mimicked his actions – those amazed by his skills, their hearts flickering with the spark of Zephyr's midnight proposition: Become a Legion.

When he finished observing the camp area, he finally realized that several people were doing the same thing as him. He got the gist of their intentions but didn't want to give a long lecture or provide motivation. The real-world experience was more credible as a benchmark for their readiness and seriousness.

"We have to leave immediately. The sooner we arrive, the sooner you will recover from the coughs and red bumps. Apart from that, the necessities of life will also be available there. Much better than you can imagine out here." Zephyr said, trying to stimulate their passion to encourage them to keep going.

Mi-Ran approached and asked, "Do you have other food? Some people in this group are starting to starve because the supplies they had since leaving were initially not enough to begin with."

"Soon. You'll find out later." Zephyr answered mysteriously.

Mi-ran just shrugged her shoulders. She knew that she couldn't force anything on someone capable of killing those monsters. A bittersweet mix of hope and trepidation settled in her heart. She could only believe those words now. After all, she and others were embarking on a journey to a new life in a foreign world, one that bore the faintest echo of the Earth they once knew. Without a sliver of trust in their guide, how could they hope to reach their haven?

But after walking for more than an hour, some people in the group started to get restless. And it had a ripple effect because what was initially only a few, now almost half of them started to grumble from hunger and exhaustion.

Mi-ran and several young men who put their trust in Zephyr begin to worry that a riot would break out if the commotion was left unchecked.

Zephyr, his gaze fixed on something unseen, suddenly stopped his casual stroll with the auto-piloted Swiftwind. The chatter faltered, replaced by a tense silence.

"You each have the knife I gave you last night, right? Now, I will teach you how to survive in this new world." Zephyr said while pointing ahead.

Dozens of pairs of eyes followed his outstretched arm. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. Where their leader pointed, a horrifying sight awaited – dozens of cows, mutated and crazed, stamped on one spot.

"Form groups of five," Zephyr commanded, his voice firm. "Each group will be responsible for taking down one of those..." He gestured towards the chaotic animals.

A collective gasp escaped the survivors. Disbelief morphed into raw fear as they stared at the mutated cows.

"What?!" A man's voice cracked with panic. "Are you telling us, the weaklings, to kill those chaotic beasts? Impossible!!"

A chorus of murmurs rose in agreement. "That's right. We are starving, and most of us are elders and children. Why are you telling us to kill those feral animals?" A woman cried. "Isn't that your job? You should have protected us after promising to take us to a safe place. Not telling us to die."

Mi-Ran and a handful of young men watched the scene unfold, a knot of helplessness tightening in their stomachs. Memories of past encounters with Apex World-corrupted creatures flickered in their minds – battles that have claimed countless lives, strong men and women alike. They understood the raw fear gripping the crowd.

But calming the protestors felt like an impossible feat. The terror in their eyes mirrored their own. How could they argue for a fight when their own hearts pounded with a primal urge to flee?

Zephyr raised his hand, silencing the rising wave of panic. As if anticipating their fear, twin pistols appeared in his grasp, gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

"There's no need to panic," he said, his voice filled with steely determination. "I'll be here, and none of you will die under my watch. Besides, this is also related to food. So you better do as I say."