Lyerin stood atop the tallest building in the city, he could feel the wind whipping through his dark hair as he gazed out over the ruinedndscape.


    The sky had lightened slightly, it was tinged with the pale hues of early morning, but the sun had yet seemed to fully rise.


    The city was a sprawling graveyard of steel and concrete, the streets below choked with the debris of a world that had crumbled into chaos.


    "My body is getting tired as I keep moving, and it''s been this way for hours," he mumbled.


    His eyesid on bodies of the fallen eldritch fleshers strewn across the streets and alleys below, he could even see their twisted forms grotesque in the dim light.


    Lyerin had killed 1,200 of them in thest few hours, pushing himself to the limits of his body endurance. Each kill had brought him closer to his goal, each fallen creature another step toward power, yet also brought him to get tirer easily.


    Lyerin flexed his fingers, feeling the residual energy from his recent level-ups thrumming through his veins. He had reached the Eighth Stage of the Second Cycle, an achievement that would have seemed impossible just a short while ago. But here he was, tired already.


    "What should I do? My body is tired of dispatching the fleshers with whatever I could find—stones, bricks, shards of metal—anything that could pierce their skulls in one go. But killing them this way is so tiring…"


    Lyerin muttered to himself, he could somehow focus and hear that his voice were barely audible over the howling wind. "This city… it''s probably a midsize city. Two hundred fifty thousand to a million residents, maybe more." He looked out over the expanse of ruined buildings and deserted streets. "There''s no shortage of these damn creatures.


    Plenty of them are still crawling around, waiting to be put down."


    His eyes narrowed as he considered his next move. "But the problem isn''t finding them. No, the problem is my mana." He clenched his fists, feeling the burn of frustration in his chest. "I recovered some mana when I leveled up to the Sixth Stage, then more at the Seventh and Eighth, but it''s still not enough.


    Not for arge-scale massacre, not for wiping out hordes of these flesh-eating zombies in one go."


    Lyerin''s mind raced, sifting through the possibilities. He needed to think, needed to n his next move carefully. "Hmm… what should I do?" he mused, his voice growing louder as he tried to puzzle out his dilemma. "It''s still early. Probably around seven in the morning. Plenty of time to figure this out." He closed his eyes, allowing his thoughts to wander.


    His mind scanned the city, mentally mapping out the ces that might still hold concentrations of the fleshers, ces where he couldunch a devastating attack and level up even further.


    "The subway stations…" Lyerin''s eyes snapped open as he considered the first option. "The underground tunnels are probably packed with those creatures. Dark, enclosed spaces, a perfect breeding ground for them. I could take them out in one fell swoop, use the confined quarters to my advantage. But…" He shook his head, dismissing the thought as quickly as it came. "But no, I can''t.


    The tunnels are too unpredictable. Copsed passages, hidden dangers… If I get cornered down there with a depleted mana, it could be a death trap. And thest thing I need is to get stuck underground with my mana drained. It''s not worth the risk."


    He moved on to the next possibility. "The industrial district," he muttered, picturing the sprawling factories and warehouses that dotted the city''s outskirts. "Plenty of potential there. Those buildings are probably full of fuel, chemicals… explosives. I could use them to my advantage, set off a chain reaction, wipe out hundreds of fleshers in one go.


    But…" He trailed off, frowning as he considered the downsides. "But the problem is getting in and out. Those ces are heavily fortified, and the eldritch creatures that have taken up residence there are tougher, more dangerous. And if one of those explosions goes off too soon, I could be caught in the st. It''s too risky. Too many variables."


    Lyerin rubbed his temples, trying to think of a safer option. "What about the stadium?" he wondered aloud, picturing the massive sportsplex that had once been a symbol of the city''s thriving culture. "A ce that big could be crawling with them.


    If I could lure them all into one spot, I could take them out with a well-ced trap, or use the enclosed space to my advantage." He paused, weighing the pros and cons. "But again… it''s too unpredictable. The stadium is too open, too exposed. And if I miss even a single group of fleshers, they could overwhelm me. It''s a gamble I''m not willing to take."


    He let out a frustrated sigh, his eyes scanning the cityscape once more. "The hospital?" The thought struck him suddenly, and he considered it for a moment. "It''s probably overrun. Full of sick and dying patients who turned into these monsters. Could be a goldmine for leveling up. But…" He shook his head, the idea quickly losing its appeal.


    "But hospitals are full of tight corridors, blind corners… too many ces for an ambush. If I get trapped in there, I''d be fighting on their terms. It''s too dangerous."


    Lyerin''s shoulders slumped slightly as he realized he was running out of viable options. Each ce he considered was fraught with dangers, too many risks for too little reward. He needed something more… something that would give him an edge, a way to maximize his power without exposing himself to unnecessary peril.


    Then, as if a light bulb had flickered on in his mind, he thought of a new possibility. "The mall…" His voice was soft, almost disbelieving as the idea took root. "Of course, the mall. How did I not think of it sooner?"


    A slow smile spread across Lyerin''s face, his eyes lighting up with a newfound excitement. "The mall is perfect," he whispered to himself, his mind already racing with ns. "Wide-open spaces, multiple floors… and plenty of ways to control the flow of enemies. I could lure them in, pick them off one by one… or set up traps, take them out in groups.


    And if things get too hairy, there are plenty of exits. I can always retreat, regroup, and try again."


    He clenched his fist, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. "Yes… the mall is the perfect ce for this. I can take out hundreds of them, maybe even more. And if I''m smart about it, I can do it without burning through all my mana."


    Lyerin''s mind was made up. The decision filled him with a sense of rity, a calm that had been absent for far too long. "This is it," he said, his voice firm with determination. "This is how I''m going to level up. The mall… it''s the key to everything."


    Without another moment''s hesitation, Lyerin stepped to the edge of the building. He nced down at the street far below, the wind tugging at his clothes as he stood on the precipice. There was no fear in his eyes, only excitement, a fierce anticipation of the battle toe.


    He took a deep breath, feeling the cool morning air fill his lungs. And then, with a final nod to himself, he let his body fall forward, plunging from the rooftop like a stone dropped into a well.


    The wind rushed past him, a deafening roar in his ears as the ground hurtled toward him. But Lyerin''s eyes were wide open, glinting with the thrill of the descent.


    This was what he lived for. The rush, the danger, the promise of power. And as he plummeted toward the city streets, his mind was already racing ahead, nning his next move, his next kill, his next level.


    For Lyerin, this was just the beginning. The mall awaited, and with it, the next stage of his evolution. In his past life, he was tired of being weak but now, it is a different story!