Chapter 25: Belfort Fortress City
"Sigh, is that all you have for breakfast here?" Ryu mumbled as he stared at the dried bread with a dull expression. There was only plain water beside it.
John and Maki smiled.
"Life is hard, kid. Not just here, but even inside the walls," John said as he explained the harsh truth of their world. "The fertile soil outside has been polluted, and the land inside keeps shrinking. Because of that, we’re always short on resources. Make do with what you have for now."
"I see." Ryu took a bite and asked, "Is the meat from those berserk beasts not edible?"
Maki shook her head. "No. The hollowfied ones are completely unsafe. But those that aren’t infected can be eaten. The problem is, hunting them is incredibly risky. Every hunt is a gamble."
John cut in, "Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m saying. Life was a lot easier before all these Gates and Awakening nonsense started. Back then, we had more land, more resources, and the world was full of prosperity."
Maki fell silent, unable to argue against his words.
Instead, she changed the topic.
"So, Ryu, are you also one of the Awakened like us? I mean, do you have a System too?"
Ryu paused, carefully observing their expressions.
They seemed curious. maybe even hopeful.