Multiverse System: Rebuilding Humanity

When Aria woke up the next morning, the first thing she noticed was warmth. She blinked groggily and realized she was clinging tightly to Noah, her head resting against his chest. His arm was draped around her waist, holding her close.

Her heart raced as she stared at his sleeping face, his sharp features softened in the morning light. "How did this happen?!"

She shifted slightly, trying to free herself without waking him. But as she moved, her hand brushed against his chest, feeling the firm muscles beneath his shirt.

Her cheeks flushed as she thought, "He's so... well-built."

Unable to resist, she slid her hand under his shirt, tracing the lines of his abs with her fingertips. Her touch was light, almost hesitant, but she couldn't deny the thrill that ran through her.

Just as she was starting to enjoy herself, Noah shifted slightly. Her heart leaped, and she quickly withdrew her hand, pretending to be asleep.

Noah opened his eyes, blinking sleepily. He glanced down at Aria, who was still "asleep" on his chest, and smirked.

"Enjoying yourself?" he murmured, his voice low and teasing.

Aria's eyes shot open, and she scrambled away from him, her face bright red. "I-I wasn't—! You're imagining things!"

Noah chuckled, sitting up and stretching. "Relax. If you wanted to touch, you just had to ask."

"You're impossible!" she snapped, throwing a pillow at him before storming out of the room.

As Noah walked into the kitchen, he found Aria already there, angrily cracking eggs into a skillet.

"You're cooking?" he asked, amused.

"Someone has to feed you, or you'll just live on canned food forever," she shot back, not looking at him.

"Fair enough," he said, sitting down at the table with a wise expression.

Despite her irritation, she couldn't help but smile faintly. Life in the apocalypse was anything but normal, but with Noah, it felt... bearable.

And maybe, just maybe, she was starting to enjoy his company.

Aria stirred the eggs in the pan, the aroma of breakfast filling the small kitchen. As she worked, she asked casually, "But how did you come into the room, Noah?"

Noah, leaning against the counter with his arms crossed, smirked. "We had a deal, remember?"

Her hand froze on the spatula as the memory hit her. She had offered her body in exchange for food in a desperate moment of survival. Her cheeks flushed a soft pink, and she quickly turned back to the stove to hide her embarrassment. "I… I didn't mean that literally," she mumbled under her breath.

Noah chuckled, clearly enjoying her reaction. "Well, a deal's a deal. Don't worry, I'm not collecting… yet."

Aria shot him a glare over her shoulder but said nothing. She focused on finishing the eggs and plating the food, eager to change the subject.

She placed the dishes on the table and sat down across from him, watching as Noah dug in without hesitation. After a moment, she picked up her fork and started eating as well. The meal was simple but satisfying, a rare moment of normalcy in their chaotic new world.

Between bites, Noah spoke, his tone calm but firm. "Here's the plan. You'll stay inside the apartment and handle some chores. I'll go out and see if there are any survivors left in this building."

Aria looked up at him, her expression unreadable. "And after that?"

"After that," he continued, "I'll move on to other buildings nearby. If we're going to survive long-term, we need allies. And maybe someone with useful abilities."

She nodded slowly, her fork pausing mid-air. "Be careful, Noah."

Noah raised an eyebrow, his lips curving into a teasing grin. "Oh? You're worried about me now?"

Aria rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress the faint smile tugging at her lips. "I'm not worried. I just don't want to be stuck doing all the work around here if something happens to you."

"Sure, sure," he said, smirking as he finished the last bite of his breakfast.

As she stood to clear the table, she added softly, "But seriously, be careful."

Noah glanced at her, surprised by the sincerity in her voice. He nodded, standing up and stretching. "Don't worry. I'll be fine. Just hold the fort while I'm out."

...

Noah grabbed his katana, securing it in place, and adjusted the straps on his utility belt. He glanced at Aria, who was tidying up the dishes, her back to him.

"Lock the door after me," he said, his voice steady.

"Got it," she replied without turning around.

As he opened the door, he hesitated for a moment, looking back. Aria finally turned to face him, her expression softer than usual.

"Good luck," she said quietly.

He gave her a small, confident smile. "Luck's for amateurs."

'but I'm a different one Entirely'

With that, Noah stepped out into the hallway, the door clicking shut behind him. The faint sound of the lock turning echoed through the silence as he made his way toward his first destination.

Noah stood in the hallway of the 5th floor, the air heavy with silence. He thought to himself, I've searched my floor and the one above it. No survivors, no signs of life. That leaves me with the last five floors. Hopefully, someone's left alive.

He opened the door to the stairwell and began descending to the 5th floor. Each step echoed faintly in the empty building, a grim reminder of how desolate the world had become.

Pushing open the door to the 5th floor, Noah started his methodical search. He knocked on each door, pausing to listen, but there was no response. He systematically opened them one by one, his katana ready in case of any surprises. Most of the apartments were abandoned, with only the faint remnants of lives that once lived—a half-finished book on a coffee table, a mug left on the counter, and dusty photo frames.

He found a few vegetables in one apartment and some frozen meat in another, quickly stuffing them into his inventory. At least the inventory keeps things from decaying. That'll be useful.

Descending to the 4th floor, Noah's steps slowed when he reached apartment number 76. The faint sound of sobbing filtered through the door. He paused, straining his ears to confirm the sound.

Finally, a survivor, he thought, but he didn't let his guard down. The undead were unpredictable, and fear could drive people to desperation.

After searching the rest of the apartments on the floor and finding only some canned food and rice, he returned to stand opposite the door of 76. The sobbing continued, broken and soft, a sign of someone utterly lost in grief.

Noah knocked firmly on the door. The crying stopped immediately.

"Open the door," he said, his voice steady but not unkind.

From the other side, a shaky voice replied, "N-no… You'll kill me."

He sighed, leaning against the doorframe. "I won't kill you. I'm not one of them, and I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to help."

There was no response. He tried again, softening his tone. "I've got food, water, and a safe place upstairs. You can't stay locked in there forever. Those things will break through eventually."

"I… I can't," the voice stuttered.

"You're scared, I get it. But staying in there won't bring your father back," he said gently, guessing the situation from the tone of her voice. "If you come with me, at least you'll be safe. You don't have to go through this alone."

There was a long pause, then the sound of hesitant footsteps approaching the door.

The lock clicked, and the door opened a crack. A young woman, barely out of her teens, peeked through, her face pale and streaked with tears.

As Noah stepped inside, his eyes immediately fell on the corpse of a man sprawled on the floor. The gray pallor of his skin and the clouded white of his eyes marked him as undead, but he was unmoving.

"That… That was my father," the girl whispered, her voice trembling. She wiped at her tears with the back of her hand. "He… turned, and I couldn't…" Her voice broke, and she looked away.

Noah's thoughts wandered briefly. Why is it always their fathers? One girl's father killed by her, the other by me. This world's cruel to families.

He looked back at her, his tone firm but kind. "You can't stay here. I have food and a secure apartment upstairs. Let's go."

The girl hesitated, glancing back at her father's body. After a moment, she nodded silently, her shoulders slumping in defeat. She didn't say much as she followed Noah out of the apartment, occasionally glancing at her apartment.

The walk back upstairs was uneventful, the silence between them heavy. Noah glanced at the girl occasionally, noting her disheveled appearance and the haunted look in her eyes. She clutched a small bag tightly to her chest, the only belongings she had managed to salvage.

When they reached his apartment, he unlocked the door and held it open for her. "Welcome to your new safe haven," he said, trying to lighten the mood.

She stepped inside, her eyes scanning the neat and well-stocked apartment. The contrast between this place and the chaos outside was stark.

"You can take the room down the hall," Noah said, pointing. "Rest up. We'll talk later."

The girl nodded again, still not saying much, and shuffled off to the room he had indicated. Noah sighed, closing the door behind him. Another survivor. Let's hope this one doesn't try to kill me.

[Dear Readers,

Author here!!

My Exams Are Starting at April 4th so the chapters are gonna come late as I'll be busy, but I have some backed up chapters for you to enjoy! *Fireworks sound effects* and we'll then see the Rebuilding Of Humanity Together!

See You Again, blessed Souls]