Death System: I awakened SSS rank System

Chapter 72 72: Missing Justin

The moment Zakar stepped into the rift room with Sera and Myia trailing behind him, a strange and unsettling stillness wrapped itself around the space like an invisible fog.

The air felt undisturbed in a way that immediately raised alarms in Zakar's mind, as though nothing had moved for a while, yet at the same time, something had been taken away from it.

Zakar's gaze sharpened almost instantly as he slowed his steps, his eyes moving carefully across every inch of the room with the trained awareness of someone who had lived his life expecting danger at any moment.

And silence lingered too long. His instincts screamed before his mind fully caught up, and when it did, the realization settled in coldly.

Justin was gone.

He didn't say it immediately. Instead, he walked further into the room, his movements controlled, deliberate, as though confirming what he already knew.

The beds remained untouched, the walls intact, the atmosphere unnaturally clean. There were no signs of struggle, no evidence of resistance, no trace of Justin's presence lingering behind. It was as if he had been erased from the room entirely.

"…Something's wrong," Zakar muttered quietly, his voice low but firm enough to catch Sera's attention.

Sera paused, her expression shifting slightly as she glanced around.

"What now?" she asked, irritation laced in her tone, though her eyes had already begun scanning the room as well.

Zakar exhaled slowly before finally speaking the truth he had already accepted.

"Justin's gone."

The words hit Myia immediately. She froze in place, her eyes widening as confusion and concern washed over her face. "…Gone? What do you mean gone?"

Sera frowned, crossing her arms. "He probably wandered off somewhere. That guy isn't exactly reliable."

Zakar shook his head once, firmly.

"No," he said, his voice carrying a quiet certainty that left no room for doubt. "He wouldn't leave like that. Not after everything."

Myia's expression tightened as worry began to take hold. "Then… someone took him?"

Zakar didn't hesitate.

"Yes."

Silence followed, heavy and suffocating.

Sera's eyes narrowed.

Zakar turned slightly, his gaze distant now as his mind began connecting everything with chilling clarity.

"The Negative Entity doesn't act without purpose," he said slowly. "Every move they've made so far has been structured. Controlled. They test, observe, and then act."

He paused briefly, his thoughts aligning with precision.

"They've taken Justin."

Myia swallowed hard. "…Why him?"

Zakar's eyes darkened slightly.

"Because he's useful."

The answer carried weight.

"They're not just attacking randomly," he added. "They're building something. Something bigger than this."

Sera's expression sharpened. "…What?"

Zakar met her gaze directly.

"An army."

Myia's breath hitched slightly. "…From players?"

Zakar nodded slowly. "Strong ones. Survivors. People who have already proven they can endure this place. That's what they want."

A tense silence followed as the implication sank in.

Then Myia stepped forward, determination flashing in her eyes. "Then we go after him."

Zakar turned to her immediately.

"No."

The response was instant. Both Sera and Myia froze.

"What?" Myia asked, disbelief evident in her voice.

"You're not ready," Zakar said calmly, though his tone held no softness.

Sera scoffed slightly. "And you are?"

"Yes."

The confidence in his voice wasn't arrogance it was certainty built from experience.

"You're nothing but a D rank how could you possibly..." Sera froze mid in her statement as soon as she met his gaze. It was terrifyingly ominous.

"I've seen what we're dealing with," he continued. "Faced it. Felt it."

His mind briefly flashed to Nero Void, and the overwhelming difference in power that still lingered in his memory.

"That's not something you rush into," he said quietly. Myia clenched her fists. "Then we prepare together."

Zakar shook his head again.

"No. I'm not dragging you into something you can't survive."

The words were harsh.

But honest.

"…Stay here," he added. "Get stronger. Don't move until you're ready."

Before either of them could argue further, Zakar turned away and left the rift room. Sera and Myia could only stare at D rank they once knew marching like a horde of army.

Once in a secluded area, Zakar decided to use his system for training.

"System, engage me in a mortal combat."

His voice was calm but decisive.

[Command acknowledged.]

"Engage combat training."

[Selecting environment…]

The space around him began to distort, the air bending and twisting as energy gathered.

And in the next instant—

He vanished.

**********

The heat hit him first. It was overwhelming, immediate, and suffocating, wrapping around his body like a living force.

Zakar's boots pressed into scorching sand as the world stabilized around him, revealing an endless desert stretching as far as the eye could see. The sky burned above him, while dry winds carried grains of sand that scraped lightly against his skin.

[Combat Training Initiated.]

Zakar exhaled slowly, adjusting his stance as his hand rested on the hilt of his Tyrann Sword.

"…Alright."

The ground beneath him trembled. At first, it was subtle, then it grew stronger. The sand shifted violently before erupting upward in a violent explosion.

A massive figure rose from beneath the desert. It was an insect but it was monstrous, unnatural and worse still it stood upright on two legs, its massive body covered in hardened chitin that reflected the sunlight like dull armor. Its limbs were jagged and blade-like, while multiple eyes moved across its head, scanning everything at once with an unsettling awareness.

[Target Identified.]

[Rank: S Rank Breed.]

[Breed: Flame Termite]

Zakar's grip tightened slightly.

"…Good."

But before he could move, the ground trembled again. Then again. Zakar's eyes dropped sharply as the sand began to crack and split open across the entire battlefield.

"…What now?"

Then hundreds of smaller insects burst from the sand, crawling, writhing, swarming toward him in overwhelming numbers.

Their movements were chaotic yet coordinated, their countless eyes locking onto him with a singular intent.

The massive S-rank creature remained still simply watching ab intruder about to get beaten and made breakfast for the day.

Zakar stood his ground, his expression calm despite the overwhelming numbers closing in on him.

"…A swarm first," he muttered. His lips curved slightly.

"…Fine."

His hand flicked and a lighting energy sewed up into the Tyrann Sword as his stance shifted, ready.

"Let's begin."