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Under the soldiers' tutelage and Jhon's merciless supervision, the new members of the community became more than just survivors. They became soldiers. The exercises were brutal, adapted to the confines of the bus and the surrounding landscape. Shooting training with moving targets, infiltration and extraction techniques in simulated scenarios, and even hand-to-hand combat. Jhon, with his enhanced strength and Mythic Katanas, was both an example and a terror. He tolerated no weakness or hesitation.
"You have to be faster! The monster won't wait for you to shoot!" John shouted to one of the older men, who was struggling to quickly reload a rifle. "Your life, and the lives of others, depend on it!"
The man was sweating, his eyes filled with fear, but also with a new determination.
During those four days, the bus continued its gathering mission. Jhon, along with the snipers, made regular forays to hunt monsters. Each hunt followed the same method: Jhon and the soldiers killed the beasts, and he, in his mind, commanded Loli to multiply the meat.
The Leviathan's giant refrigerator, the size of a supermarket, was becoming a protein arsenal. The meat of common, uncommon, and rare creatures multiplied exponentially, ensuring an inexhaustible supply for the nearly 600 mouths on board. John's strategy wasn't just one of survival, but of abundance.
The air inside the bus smelled of freshly slaughtered meat, training sweat, and a strange mix of clean technology and earth. The nights were filled with the low rumble of the flotation system and the muffled sounds of new recruits training, their movements becoming more fluid, their reflexes sharper.
Jhon's concubines—Lyanna, Sylvana, Faelan, Elara, Seraphina, and Zara—assisted where they could, from distributing supplies to caring for the wounded, but their eyes often turned to Jhon, their bodies responding to his magnetic presence. The dynamic between them was cooperative, without apparent jealousy, all united by devotion to their leader. Lua and Lyra, as the "first" companions, guided the others, setting the standard for loyalty and service.
Finally, at the end of the fourth day, Loli announced: "Jhon, we are just a few hours from the first intersection on the highway. The meeting point is near. The life signatures are converging."
Jhon felt a surge of anticipation. More people. More mouths to feed, yes, but also more hands to work, more minds to think, and more hearts to fight for the future he was building.
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Dawn on the fifth day revealed the first intersection on the highway: a tangle of cracked asphalt and collapsed overpasses, a grim reminder of ancient civilization. The Leviathan stopped at a safe distance, its presence barely visible in the morning mist. Jhon sat in the cockpit, watching the movement on the radar.
Small convoys of makeshift vehicles, some with rudimentary armor enhanced by John's Insignia, and groups of people on foot began to emerge from the mist, converging on the rendezvous point. Most were Dark Elves, their pale skin and unusually colored eyes distinguishing them from the humans and elves of Lua and Lyra. There were other peoples as well, some with elven-like characteristics—slightly pointed ears, glowing eyes—and others closer to humans, but with unique traits, like unusual skin tones or vibrantly colored hair. It was a mosaic of survivors from different worlds and lineages.
Loli, her voice carrying to all who approached, repeated John's rules: "Those who wish to enter the Ark, know this: John's authority is absolute. Everyone will have a purpose, a role. Insubordination will not be tolerated. This is your chance to survive. Those who do not wish to follow these rules, do not proceed."
Despite the harsh conditions, none of them strayed. The promise of safety and a future seemed worth any cost. The vehicles were inspected by Jhon's soldiers, and the passengers were directed to the Leviathan's entry points, where Jhon's teams would greet them and guide them to their designated sectors. The bus, which already seemed immense, expanded again to accommodate the new arrivals, its internal modules readjusting themselves.
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The transition was a coordinated ballet of order and efficiency. Jhon's soldiers, ruthless in their training, now demonstrated their efficiency in organization. The new arrivals, some hungry and wounded, were directed to the feeding modules and the infirmary, while others, more capable, were quickly assigned to basic duties. Jhon's system worked like clockwork.
Within hours, the bus housed over a thousand people. The Dark Elves mingled with humans and other elves, a new society forming within the metal structure. Jhon could feel the weight of every life, every hope, every fear now under his protection.
"Loli, what does the radar indicate now? More people approaching?", Jhon asked, his eyes fixed on the projection that showed the highway and the surroundings.
Loli adjusted the screen. "The flow has slowed considerably, Jhon. There are only a few scattered signs of isolated individuals, but no cohesive groups approaching. Most of those who were able to reach us are already here. We can assume that everyone who accepted your offer is on board."
John nodded. He had gathered an army of survivors. This wasn't the end of the game, but the true beginning.
"I've already waited for everyone. No one else will come," Jhon said, his voice firm, echoing through the cabin speakers. "Loli, prepare the Leviathan. Let's go to the trading posts."
The bus responded to his command. The gates closed, the floatation systems stabilized, and the silent giant began moving again, gliding smoothly over the cracked asphalt of the highway. It no longer looked like a bus, or even a train. It was a city in motion, an ark of hope in the midst of a devastated world.
The journey to the trading posts promised to be long and dangerous. But John was no longer alone. He had an army of survivors, his harem, and a vehicle that was an impenetrable fortress.