The First Dragon God

The sun had barely risen when Leo stepped out of the residential building, the wolves padding silently by his side. The ground was still damp from last night's rain, and the morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of wet earth. The sky was a clear expanse of blue, with no clouds in sight—a deceptive calm after the chaos of the past few days.

Leo took a deep breath, savoring the fresh air. It was a rare moment of peace, but he knew better than to be lulled into a false sense of security. Danger lurked around every corner in this new world, and he couldn't afford to let his guard down.

"Let's go," he muttered, and the wolves, led by the pack leader, followed closely behind him.

His plan for the day was simple but risky. He would scout the area surrounding the residential buildings, mapping out any potential threats or hiding spots for monsters. After that, he'd head to the nearby supermarket to gather food, clothes, and other essentials.

Normally, this kind of endeavor would require a team. But with their current shortage of manpower, Leo had no choice but to go alone—well, almost alone. He glanced at the wolves beside him, their sharp eyes scanning their surroundings. Their presence gave him a sense of security.

The weakest of the pack was at least level 4, and their agility and strength far surpassed that of ordinary animals. Combined with Leo's own abilities, including his [Shadow Steps] skill, he was confident in his chances of survival.

Still, he couldn't deny the risk.

"Let's just hope we don't run into anything too nasty today," he murmured, tightening his grip on Nightshade.

---

For over an hour, Leo and the wolves combed through the neighborhood, moving cautiously and keeping to the shadows. They checked alleyways, rooftops, and abandoned cars, searching for any signs of danger. But to Leo's surprise, the area was unusually quiet.

There were no mutant beasts prowling the streets, no zombie hordes lurking around corners. It was almost… peaceful. Too peaceful.

"Something doesn't feel right," Leo muttered under his breath.

He crouched beside Fiona—the wolf he had bonded with—and ran his hand through her fur. The wolf's ears twitched, but she showed no signs of distress. That, at least, was reassuring.

They continued their sweep, and it wasn't long before they stumbled upon something unusual. At the edge of a small park, Leo spotted a tall, solitary tree. Its branches stretched high into the sky, and its leaves were a deep, vibrant green. But what caught Leo's attention wasn't the tree itself—it was the ground around it.

The soil looked dead. It was cracked and dry, as if all the life had been drained from it. The grass around the tree was yellow and withered, creating a stark contrast against the lush foliage above.

Leo approached cautiously, his eyes narrowing.

"What the hell happened here?" he whispered.

He knelt down and touched the ground. It felt brittle, crumbling beneath his fingers like ash. Yet the tree remained healthy and green, standing tall and proud amidst the desolation.

Leo circled the tree, searching for any clues. Was this the result of some kind of mutant plant? Or perhaps a sign of something more sinister?

"Strange," he muttered. "But I don't have time to figure it out now."

Making a mental note to investigate further later, Leo and the wolves continued their journey.

---

After another twenty minutes of walking, they finally reached their destination—a towering structure that loomed over the surrounding buildings. The supermarket was massive, easily as tall as the residential complex they were staying in.

Leo stopped at a safe distance, crouching behind a rusted car to survey the area.

His eyes widened in shock.

The entrance to the supermarket was crawling with zombies. Dozens—no, hundreds—of them shuffled aimlessly around the parking lot and near the entrance. Their decaying bodies moved in jerky, unnatural motions, and their low groans filled the air, creating a haunting symphony of death.

Leo did a rough count, estimating the number of zombies to be well over a hundred. And that was just the ones he could see.

"Wow," he breathed. "That's… a lot."

He let out a sigh of relief, grateful that he hadn't walked straight into their detection range. The last thing he needed was to alert a horde of zombies to his presence.

"I was wondering why the area around the residential buildings was so quiet," he muttered. "Guess I found the answer."

The zombies had gathered here, drawn to the supermarket like moths to a flame. It made sense. In the early days of the apocalypse, people would have flocked to places like this in search of supplies. The supermarket would have been a hub of activity—a prime feeding ground for the undead.

Leo observed the horde carefully, noting their movements and behaviors. Most of them seemed to be ordinary zombies, slow and mindless. But he spotted a few that moved differently—quicker, more deliberate. Those were the ones he needed to watch out for.

"Runners," he muttered. "Great."

Leo leaned back against the car, running a hand through his hair. Taking on that many zombies alone was suicide. Even with the wolves, it would be nearly impossible to clear them all out without drawing more attention.

But he needed to get inside. The supermarket was their best bet for finding long-term supplies.

"What do I do?" he whispered, tapping his fingers against Nightshade's hilt.

The wolves sat patiently beside him, their eyes never leaving the horde. Fiona nudged his arm with her nose, as if sensing his hesitation.

Leo smiled faintly. "Yeah, yeah. I know. I'm thinking."

.....

After a few minutes of contemplation and observing his surrounding, Leo came up with a rough plan. He couldn't take on the entire horde, but he could try to draw a smaller group away and deal with them one by one.

"Divide and conquer," he murmured. "It's risky, but it's the best shot we've got."

He turned to Fiona and the other wolves, crouching down to their level.

Before they began, Leo crouches beside Fiona and gently scratches her behind the ear.

"Alright, girl. Here's the plan. You take the others and create distractions. Lead the zombies away, but don't engage unless you have to."

Fiona growls softly in acknowledgment.

"Stick to the shadows. If you sense anything unusual, howl. I'll be listening."

Fiona licks his hand before turning to the rest of the pack. The wolves spread out, each taking their positions as Leo gives a final glance toward the supermarket.

Alright. Let's get to work."

Leo takes a deep breath and steps forward, his hand tightening around Nightshade.

"Let's do this."

With one last glance at the supermarket and its zombie-filled entrance, he stepped out from behind the car, the wolves following close behind.