Apocalyptic town. (edited)

"Let's see how dangerous this world is."

He placed his foot on the window frame and then jumped, using the momentum from the run-up to grab the top of the wall. After holding the wall, he put some strength in his arms and pulled himself up to the top of the building to get a nice view.

"What the hell is this!"

Freed was unable to refrain from commenting on the scene that was unfolding in front of him; both the building and the house were utterly smashed. It appeared as though they had been melted with some odd liquid or acid since the building was covered with a substance that was black in color. In addition to this, he could see the bodies of deceased individuals strewn throughout the roads. The fact that they were missing their heads was something that they all had in common.

"Well, according to the reports we have, it is caused by a mid-rank stray devil that killed its master, who was a high-rank devil from the house of Vapula."

She paused before continuing.

"As a result, the Vapula house has placed a massive bounty on this devil, and our organization has decided to accept the bounty and hunt this devil. The Vapula house is also willing to provide some extras, but I don't know what they are because that is classified information and none of our business."

She looked towards Freed and continued with a sigh, "So let's go. You go to the north, and I'll go to the south; that devil must be wandering around someplace on the outskirts of this town." Raynare stated this, and then she flew away without waiting for Freed to respond, leaving him to reflect on the words she had just uttered.

Freed looked at the fading silhouette of Raynare and jumped down from the building. He decided to follow her orders for now, after all, she is stronger than him for now, so he proceeded in the north direction according to her order, venturing into the abandoned town on his own.

It was a small town known as "Bridnageab," and it was located in the most southern region of Norway, quite close to the border with Sweden. Bridnageab almost covered a little more than 10 square kilometers, which meant that the town was neither particularly large nor very small.

The town itself was fairly rudimentary, and it still included a large number of old-fashioned homes constructed of wood. If the homes hadn't been destroyed to the point that they were uninhabitable, it would have been a lovely location for a wonderful long vacation.

While he was strolling down the broken streets and gazing at the terribly damaged buildings and shops, he couldn't help but think, "Did a middle-class stray devil really do all of this?"

Freed went into a nearby building since the odor was so horrible; once inside, he calmly observed that the interior was coated with the same kind of black sticky liquid, although these seemed to be a much darker color and were producing a tiny bit of heat as if they were fresh.

He made the decision to leave the building because he didn't feel well. As he was about to leave, he noticed something odd from a neighboring window.

BANG!

It was a shotgun blast. Freed took a look around just to gauge the situation.

BANG… BANG.

The sound of a gunshot erupted. The fact that an old man was actually firing those bullets surprised him more than anything else. He witnessed the man firing his pump-action shotgun erratically at something. They appeared to be entirely covered in the same black substance that was present everywhere and were humanoid in shape.

"I will fucking kill you all! Come at me."

The old man screamed, which attracted more of those creatures towards him.

When the gunfire stopped, it was likely because he had run out of ammunition and was rapidly reloading. Freed was taken aback by the fact that somebody, although having a frail and slight build, was readily able to endure the recoil of the shotgun and began to fire his gun again.

Freed seized the opportunity to observe the situation more closely. He quickly exited the building and found a vantage point in a nearby house. As he waited, an individual entered the same house, unaware of Freed's presence.

"Hooh, I finally found a safe place..."

The individual's words were cut short as he spotted Freed.

"Who-"

The person had barely begun to speak when Freed moved swiftly, sinking to the ground and stomping his feet into the dirt. He approached the individual in a quick, agile manner, similar to a cheetah. Before the person could finish his sentence, Freed struck him in the midsection, causing him to bend over.

Freed then covered the individual's mouth and nose, preventing a scream. However, his actions didn't stop there. He used one hand to muffle the person's mouth while the other hand forcefully beat against the person's chest.

Boing...

The impact produced a distinctive sound. Freed could feel the individual's chest beneath his hand, and the person's face was filled with terror. Despite the person's efforts to suppress it, a weak moan escaped. Freed pressed his finger against the person's heart, feeling a gentle pulse.

"A woman?"

He did this because he was unable to determine if the individual was an enemy or not, and he decided that it would be best to attack them nonetheless.

"Don't, don't hurt me!"

A faint, almost inaudible sound was heard. She pleaded with tears in her eyes. Freed immediately searched her for weapons. Despite the dust covering her face, her cheeks were still pale, and she was dressed in linen. She was quite slender for her age.

"What's your name?" Freed had a hunch about her reason for coming here, which was to seek safety.

"I'm Camilla Knowles," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "I have no intention of harming you; please don't attack me." After the attack on her heart, she felt dizzy and needed a moment to gather her thoughts and catch her breath.

"Stay quiet, or I'll kill you," Freed warned, ready to take a life to protect his own. However, he wasn't yet at the point where he could kill someone who hadn't harmed him, so he decided to spare her life for now.

Camilla, who looked only 15 or 16 years old, swallowed hard. "Okay, I swear I won't make any noise. Please don't hurt me, sir."

Camilla felt that staying inside was no safer than being outside. The sound of gunshots gradually faded, indicating that the scene was nearing its end. Freed waited, knowing the old man would likely die, as the creatures kept coming without end.

The gunfire eventually ceased. The only sounds left were the old man's continued suffering. Freed saw the creatures consume the old man, transforming him into one of them. After twitching a few times, the old man also changed into something similar to those creatures and slowly walked away, joining the horde.

'So, they're like zombies!' 

Freed decided it was safe to move in because the entire street was deserted, and there were no humans or monsters left. He decided to examine the dead bodies of the creatures. To avoid being discovered, he remained in a crouching position the entire time.

He saw enormous heaps of human corpses rather than those of the creatures, and the stench was so repulsive that it made him want to stop breathing for a moment. For now, Freed decided to disregard it. Instead, his eyes spotted the shotgun the man had been using, lying on the ground some distance away.

It was similar to John Moses Browning's Winchester 1893, one of the first shotguns ever crafted; however, it was quite old and outdated and not as powerful as a modern human-made weapon.

Nevertheless, it was an item that could end a human's life instantly. Freed decided to take the gun because its previous owner was killed by those creatures and transformed into one of them.

As he took the gun and hung it on his back with its strap, he heard a growl behind him and turned around to see a creature walking toward him. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the creature had no hands and was seeping a black, strange sludge. The most interesting observation he made was that the creature was leaking a small amount of demonic energy.

Without hesitation, he grabbed his exorcism pistol from his jacket and fired it at the monster's head. The head exploded like a water balloon, and the monster's entire body was instantly reduced to ash.

You killed a low-level demonic summon. 

Your skill [Harvest] is triggered, adding 1 point to Mana.

You gained a treasure chest (white).

This is the first time you killed an enemy, Inventory has been unlocked (2 cubic meters), and your Inventory can be upgraded by using system points.

Freed momentarily ignored the notification and focused his attention on the dead creature. Recognizing that these creatures were made of demonic energy, he noted that attacks using light or holy elements were particularly effective against them. Upon contemplating this, he decided to take cover behind the building to avoid further encounters with these annoyances.

Despite his curiosity to explore further, he was deterred by the onset of night, a time when demonic forces are known to be more potent. Consequently, Freed retreated inside the old house and sat down, with Camilla, the girl, looking at him fearfully and stating, "I won't talk."

Camilla, realizing she had already spoken, quickly covered her mouth and stared in awe at the pistol Freed held. She observed how the seemingly ordinary weapon had dispatched the beast with a single shot.

Ignoring Camilla's glances, Freed focused on the notice that had appeared. 

Item: Pump action shotgun

Quality: White

Durability: 12/30

Number of bullets: 3/8

Attack power: 5~50 (depending on the distance)

Equipment requirements: 3 Strength, 2 Agility.

Rating: 1 (Remark: white equipment points from 1 to 10, Equipment with 10 points can be considered 'rare', which will have an additional attribute.)

Description: This is an old gun that is not maintained properly. That made its rating drop from 3 to 1 point. Please use it sparingly, and maybe the next shot is its last shot as well as your last shot.

Price: 150 system points

Tip: For the first time, the Player used Equipment.

Introduction of the equipment system continues. According to quality, equipment is divided into the following colors: white < green < blue... you cannot receive more information because your authority level is too low.

Recorded the first instance of the Player interacting with the system point.

Tip: We will now move on with the introduction of system points. As long as you have a sufficient amount of system points, you will be able to make purchases from the "Reincarnation System" by using your SP (system point).

Freed nodded his head as he read the terms and clauses related to the SP and then he cast his {Observation} on his exorcist pistol curiously.

Item: Exorcist Gun

Quality: Green

Durability: 97/100

Number of bullets: ∞ 

Attack power: 100~500 (Depends on the target)

Equipment requirements: 6 Strength, 5 Agility, and 5 mana (minimum).

Rating: 21 (Remark: white equipment points from 10 to 30; Equipment with 30 points can be considered 'rare', which will have an additional attribute.)

Description: The Exorcist Guns were developed to help Exorcists battle supernatural foes, especially those impure and creatures of darkness propelled by angelic light. The Light Swords are an excellent complement to the weapons because they provide close-range attacks, while the cannons allow for long-range attacks.

Price: 600 system points 

Freed also recalled that he has finally gained access to an inventory and that he has been granted a treasure chest in the process. When he was deep in thought about it, he suddenly saw a notification appear on the inside of his eye.

Treasure chest (white): open: Yes/No

'No'

Freed placed the chest, along with the shotgun and the pistol, into his Inventory without opening it. He mentally requested the gun to materialize in his hand, which it did. He was pleased with his new Inventory feature.

As Freed finished, he noticed his housemate, Camilla, cautiously observing him from the corner. Her eyes held a strange fascination as she watched the pistol appear and disappear from his hand. This was the first time Freed had paid her any attention. He noted her non-local appearance, with her creamy white skin, auburn hair, and aquamarine eyes, dressed in heavy clothing for protection against the cold, and covered in dust and debris.

Freed was surprised by Camilla's survival in this post-apocalyptic town without a weapon. Despite her attractiveness, her ability to survive without one was remarkable. When she noticed Freed looking at her, she became startled and tensed up.

"What are you going to do?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Are you hungry?" Freed asked, offering her a friendly gesture but with a cold gaze. He was not known for his kindness.

Camilla nodded, recalling her hunger. It had been three days since she last ate. She scavenged for food by digging through trash cans and shopping carts. Freed pulled out compressed cookies from his bag, a lucky find.

He saw a forest nearby and had a gun, so he wasn't worried about finding food.

Camilla hesitantly took a bite of the cookie, quickly finishing it.

"You're called Camilla, right? If you tell me what happened here, I'll give you these cookies."

Camilla finished the cookies and looked at Freed, asking for a promise that he wouldn't hurt her. Freed nodded and gestured for her to continue.

Camilla explained that she was a high school student visiting her grandparents when strange monsters appeared and captured everyone. She managed to escape and hide, but her grandfather was killed and transformed into one of the monsters. She didn't know what happened to her grandmother.

Freed understood that the kidnapped humans were likely eaten by the stray devil, which had settled in the town due to its isolation and the town's population. He was puzzled by Camilla's ability to escape the monsters.

"How did you escape them?" Freed asked, his expression turning menacing. Camilla hesitated, then whispered, "I can do magic, just like you."

Freed was surprised to see a luminous bow materialize on her hands, emitting a trace of holy mana.

He recognized it as a sacred gear called Staring Blue, which made more sense of the situation.