A Hundred Times: Ascending With The Strongest System
Chapter 59 - 58: A Saviour’s Burden

Chapter 59: Chapter 58: A Saviour’s Burden

Celina saw the hand outstretched by Zoey, instinctively, she tightened the hug around Lana, a bit hesitant to trust the new woman.

She was always taught when grown up not to trust strangers, and since Zoey was a stranger, one that looked dangerous based off her superhuman feats, how could they trust her?

Zoey felt the hesitation from Celina, her expression dropping a bit, looking more solemn.

She could see a fraction of herself in Celina and Lana, how truly terrified they were, it was something she had a similar experience with, at the hands of her own family.

’....’ Zoey sighed, shaking her head slightly, now was not the time to think of the disgusting faces of her family, she needed to bring these kids back to David.

’They seem untrusting of me. How can I make them trust me? I need to get them out before it gets dark.’ Zoey thought, scratching her cheek as she observed the two girls, that still had a terrified expression on their faces.

"Look, I know you’re afraid, but I’m someone you can trust. I wouldn’t come all this way just randomly, I was sent by your father to get the two of you." Zoey said, her words true and pure as she tried her best to appear as trustworthy as possible.

Lana, the younger girl looked at Celina, her eyes wide but full of hope, as she couldn’t help but look to her sister, waiting for her answer. She didn’t appear to be frightened anymore, but she was still reliant on the words of her older sister.

Celina gulped nervously, narrowing her eyes as she studied the kind expression from Zoey, she was still very afraid of her, especially with how she effortlessly dealt with the zombies.

"My...my father sent you? Where is he.....?" Celina asked, her voice a bit shaky, but she narrowed her eyes to look intimidating, as if silently telling Zoey that she wasn’t going to go down without a fight.

"Yes, he’s at a safe place, I can take you to him, but I’ll need you to trust me okay?" Zoey asked.

Lana looked at Celina who looked back at her, before receiving a nod from her, before returning her gaze to Zoey, her expression still stern, but more willing now.

"Alright...I’ll trust you." Celina said as she took Zoey’s hand, before being pulled up by her, along with her younger sister Lana.

"Good, now then, it’s getting late we need to get out of here." Zoey said as she looked out of the principle’s window, noticing the sky starting to take on a more dark look, nightfall was steadily approaching, and the first hour of the apocalypse was almost up.

[Time Remaining: 23 Hours, 3 Minutes, 04 Seconds]

"Come, let’s go."

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David sat inside of a well furnished room, despite the signs of decay and a few dust particles residing in the air, the room looked well kept, as it wasn’t one of the rooms of the building that were attacked.

David shifted uncomfortably on the bed, trembling slightly as he nervously continued to bite down on his thumb, his thoughts only focused on one thing: His daughters.

"It’s been a while...and they’re not even back yet....." David’s voice was extremely shaky as terrible thoughts of the possible fates of his daughters continued to eat at him, causing his to sink and body to tremble more and more uncontrollably with every second that passed.

"Please...come back..." Just as David was about to sink into a pit of sadness and grief, a knock on the door quickly jolted him from his seat as he looked at the door with wide eyes, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes.

"Who’s there..." David asked as he cautiously stood up, going to the kitchen as he opened a drawer and picked up a knife from it, cautiously carrying it as he got ready to defend himself in case anything that could happen.

’Don’t tell me that some bastards had found this location too?’ David asked himself, he was irritated at the thought of other survivors of the Apocalypse somehow managing to find their way to him, as the Apocalypse was very cruel, and kindness never came free, everything had a price.

However, there were those who never cared for the wellness of others, and those people were devils in human skin, who didn’t bother to bat an eye at the act of murdering somebody to survive, as in the Apocalypse, there were no laws. The only law there was being survival.

"David, it’s me." Zoey’s voice sounded from behind the door.

"...Zoey?" David’s eyes widened immediately as the knife in his hands slipped and fell to the ground, a huge sense of adrenaline charging his body as he consciously dashed towards the door and opened it.

On the other side stood Zoey, her tall and powerful figure appearing as graceful as ever, and beside her, holding her both her hands on either side stood Lana and Celina, their youthful and vibrant appearance causing David’s eyes to light up as the world around him seemed to slow down.

"Lana....Celina....y....You’re both.....alive...." David said as tears unconsciously streamed from his eyes, his heart full of relief to his daughters safe again.

"Daddy!" Both Lana and Celina exclaimed as their eyes were also on the brink of tears, they left Zoey’s hands as they instantly bolted towards their father, reuniting with him as they shared a heart warming embrace, crying in each others arms.

"I’m so glad you both are safe! Thank goodness...." David cried as he expressed his relief, holding his daughters close as if he feared that may dissapear if he let them go.

Zoey watched them as a small smile bloomed on her face, she couldn’t help but admit that seeing the scene infront of her was truly a heartwarming one, and that came from someone who never even knew what love from family felt like.

"Thank you...thank you Zoey..." David’s tearstruck eyes met hers as he thanked her, "I can’t thank you enough for bringing my daughters back, safe and sound." David cried, his voice muffled by his sobs.

"You’re welcome...I suppose." Zoey awkwardly scratched her cheek, a funny warmth starting to bloom in her chest. She had never been thanked much before in all her life, as she had always faced so many hardships during her time as the "Mana-less" girl.

After David and his two daughters had finished crying, he finally stood up from the ground, wiping his tears away. Lana and Celina turned to Zoey, wiping their tears away too as they looked at Zoey with grateful eye befitting of a savior.

"Uhm...Ms. Zoey?" Celina started, slowly approaching her as she kept her head low, before looking up at her, nervously fidgeting with her hands.

"Yes, Celina?" Zoey asked, raising a brow curiously.

"Thank you....for saving us. And for bringing us back to our father, I’m very thankful for that." Celina said, expressing her gratitude.

Zoey blinked, but soon smiled, running a hand through her hair as she replied, "You’re welcome..." Zoey said, she was still not used to being thanked by people, it was such an alien feeling to her.

"Thank you Ms. Zoey! You were very cool!" Lana expressed her thanks too, her tone energetic and full of sunshine as she let out a beaming smile, she truly looked very adorable when she wasn’t scared.

"Now now kids....calm down." David said, watching the exchange between them, his thoughts landed on Zoey as although she was currently smiling, it wasn’t exactly a happy smile, but a more controlled one, as if she was holding back her emotions, or keeping her guard up like a shield ready to withstand any attack.

’She’s very strange....’ David observed, he knew that Zoey wasn’t exactly normal, her superhuman strength and special, otherworldly abilities always made her a mystery as so many questions clouded his mind.

Who is she? Where did she come from? Why does she possess superhuman abilities? And so much more, if he had to define her in one word, it would be: Monster.

’The Apocalypse changed the world forever the moment it happened....this city is a prime example of that as it has been destroyed in mere minutes.

Gangs and organisations that come together live a far better life than people trying to survive on their own, as they not only have henchmen that carry out orders and protect the place, but people who go out and secure food for them too.

These people are very dangerous as they won’t hesitate to kill others for their survival....’ David shuddered at the thought, truly hoping that they wouldn’t be located or unfortunately run into the members of a gang or anything, otherwise they’d be forced to either work for them, or die.

’But with Zoey here, our chances of survival are tremendous. Not only can she protect us from the gangs and other survivors, but she’ll be capable of protecting us from the monsters too.’ David thought, his eyes growing full of hope with every second that passed as he stared at Zoey with deep admiration.

’She might be saviour that this world needs...’ David contemplated, as to him it looked as if for a moment, a bright golden glow surrounded her form as she glowed with a brilliant radiance that filled his world with hope.

Maybe. Just maybe, she could bring an end to Apocalypse.