"Get moving," I spoke, calmly, "It won't attack unless we give it a reason to," I said.

Michael started urging the people to move up ahead while I had to remain behind. The crocodile wasn't your regular crocodile, like I mentioned, those don't live in sewers that's just a myth, this thing, however, is a system created.

The crocodile growled in a low tone, it was debating whether to devour us all or let us be.

Not all creatures are aggressive by nature, most are pretty self-preserving and would rather not dive into a whole mob of creatures it didn't fully understand, nor could It recognize as prey.

The crocodile's eyes were slowly scanning the people around me, going left to right as they walked behind.

I made sure to remain facing the crocodile with my sword in hand, I could probably take it out easily, it doesn't require a great effort to kill it, even if it looked as big as a car, it was still slow and easy to eliminate.

The crocodile must have realized this too, a creature that didn't look afraid of it, didn't escape in panic was standing calmly in front of it. It didn't attack, but the human also didn't attack, it was a stalemate that no one wanted to break.

Soon, the group had all disappeared from behind me, and I slowly began making my way walking backward.

The crocodile decided that it would be a good opportunity to take a step forward, but I immediately stopped the moment it raised its leg.

There was no way I was going to show this thing that I was afraid, I am only withdrawing because I don't want to fight, not that I can't fight back.

The crocodile seemed to have understood this, and slowly placed its foot back, hissing as it withdrew its form back.

Soon, I made it away from the closed tunnel and was back with the group. They didn't look all too good, especially after having seen something so scary.

"Keep going ahead, don't look back," I said as I made sure to keep a watch behind us for at least a while longer, making sure nothing was following us.

Soon, I headed to the front of the group, "Michal, get someone to watch our backs, here," I said as I handed him a flashlight.

The priest did as asked and delegated a middle-aged man to the task.

The old man didn't complain or bicker and readily accepted the job and went to the back of the group walking backward while aiming his flashlight at the end of the sewer tunnel.

We took several detours, and several pathways until we arrived at our destination. It was a sewer exit that was pretty close to the safe zone.

Thankfully, the sewers are still relatively safe. Soon, however, they'll be infested with undead and rats…

Wait, not the rats, we already killed their brood mother. Now it will be just undead.

I slowly got up the ladder leading up to the sewer exit, then pushed it up.

Looking at the skies, it was already dark.

Damn, we spent a long time in the sewers.

"Follow me," I said as I got up and out of the sewers. Then the rest of the people followed after us.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

There were no undead in this area, thankfully, the forces of the Safe Zone did a great job at keeping the Undead at bay, and from the looks of things, the area is still looking pretty solid.

There weren't any humans walking the area and no undead either, it was quiet for now.

Our group headed towards the gate of the Safe Zone and we were immediately lit up in tower lights.

The guards at the gate pointed their tower lights at us and one of them spoke, "This is a private area! Remove yourself or be removed!" he spoke.

"It's me," I said as I approached and removed my biker helmet.

"Oh, Lucas, one moment," the guard said and waved at someone behind the gate.

Soon, it screeched open, and we were given access to the Safe Zone.

Just as the people walked behind the gate, most of them fell to their knees, sobbing and crying. The pent-up stress of the days they spent in that horror having finally ended, was enough to break that dam they had raised to block the emotions of frustration and injustice incurred upon them by a world they never knew existed.

I could understand that, but I had to be the villain in this story. For the survival of everyone.

"Don't relax, get cleaned up, you'll be given a room where you'll all be waiting in. Everyone here will go through a rigorous body search for wounds, and once you're all set up, in comes morning you'll be given your first tasks. As I said, the stay here isn't free," I said.

Though I sounded rude, brash, and pretty commanding, these people, who were given a new lease on life, appreciate it.

"Thank you!" an old man spoke, "We'll never forget this," they said.

"Thank you, young man, you saved our lives," another said.

And the thanks continued.

I sighed and extracted myself from the group. I'm not a fan of drama.

Sooner than later, Mom and Dad came rushing toward me.

"Son, you're back!" Mom said.

"Yeah, I told you I needed to do something," I said.

She looked behind me at the group of people and said, "Why are you going yourself, there are a lot of capable people here, why do you have to risk yourself, let the others do it!" she said, panicking clear in her voice.

I sighed, I could understand her worry. But I don't know how to even tell her…

"Honey, you know for a fact, from what Mr, Dilbert had said. No one can do a better job than Lucas, let him be," Dad said.

"But he's been going outside to where the monsters are, why can't he just stay here. Where it's safe!" she said, "You want to kill me with worry don't you!" she said scolding.

"Mom," I spoke, in a cold tone, I appreciate her worry, but this is too much, "Only I can do this. Do you think that people who don't know anything can do this? Can help prepare for this? Can even stay calm in such a situation? You think I don't also want to stay in a safe area away from the monsters?" I said.

"Then why are you going out!" she said.

"BECAUSE I HAVE TO!" I said shouting back which caught her and dad by surprise.

"Because only I can do it, because only I can give us a sodding chance at survival. Only I can do it, so please… stop worrying, I'm not the type who'll die in a random ditch somewhere. I'm not that weak." I said.

She didn't seem to be accepting of my words and was on the brink of tears, but this had to be done.

I'm not some sheltered princess, hell, relatively I'm older than my own parents if that even makes sense. They can't be dictating how my life goes.

"I'll be heading back in, I need to clean up," I said.

"We still need to talk about this," mom said.

"No, we don't, it's done and over with, I made my mind and I'm not changing it. Life is good when one is hiding behind walls, but to keep these walls a few must work hard to keep them standing, and I'm the best one for it," I said and walked away.

I soon entered the main building rubbing the bridge of my nose.

"Had a fight?" I heard. It was Vivian.

She was wearing a pajama and had a completely different vibe than when she was in her formal dress.

"Just your regular parent-children fight, nothing to worry about," I said.

"Interesting, anyway the person you asked us to bring is already here," she said.

"Wait, really?" I said surprise clear in my voice.

"Yes, why you weren't expecting him to come or something?" she said.

"Something along those lines, he isn't easy to deal with," I said.

"You're right about that, he is a bit too cold and aloof, a bit too hard to deal with," she said.

"Yeah, Sasaki has always been like that, but he is a good guy, anyway, I'll need to meet up with him soon," I said.

"He's in the furnace thing room, I don't know what's the deal with all those hammers and screws," she said.

She clearly didn't understand the value of weaponry and armor crafting, it's normal, people from her world wouldn't ever think of wielding swords and carrying armor, those are the dreams of the poor.

She would never wish to be a knight in shining armor or a hero, in her world she was already one.

"It's something important, needed for the world to come," I said and headed towards the smithy.