As they made their way through the ruined streets, the group took in the haunting sights around them. Buildings that once bustled with life now stood silent and decaying. Abandoned cars littered the roads, overturned and rusting. The moans of distant zombies drifted through the air like a sinister lullaby. Everywhere they looked, the city, once a beacon of civilization, had become a rotting graveyard crawling with the undead.
Julian finally raised his hand. "Let's take a break here," he said, leading them to a sheltered spot beside a collapsed café.
Veronica dropped to sit on a broken chair, groaning. "Ugh… I'm exhausted. Why don't we just use a car? It'd be so much faster."
Julian gave her a flat look. "Can you drive?"
Veronica crossed her arms stubbornly. "How hard could it be? I could learn it in a snap."
Emma rolled her eyes. "If we're going to try driving, it should be somewhere open. If we crash or make too much noise, we'll draw every zombie in the city straight to us."
Julian nodded seriously. "Emma's right. Especially now that the zombies seem to be getting stronger, we have to stay cautious."
Aya shifted uneasily, her voice trembling. "Maybe… we should hurry. I'm worried about my family…"
Julian's expression softened. He walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I understand, Aya. But if we rush, we'll exhaust ourselves and won't be able to fight when zombies attack. We need to pace ourselves. Besides, your family might already be safe. Your home is near the military base, they could have been evacuated."
Aya lowered her head, biting her lip. She nodded silently.
Seeing her gloom, Clarissa leaned closer with a bright smile. "Hey, Aya, earlier I saw your arrow hit that zombie right between the eyes. That was amazing! Were you in an archery club?"
Aya's cheeks turned pink. "N-no… my father taught me. It was just… a hobby."
Clarissa beamed. "That explains your perfect aim. You're like a goddess of the bow!"
Aya's face went crimson, stammering. "A g-goddess…? I'm not that good…"
Julian chuckled. "Your archery skills really are impressive. Just by your stance, I can tell you've trained every day to reach that level of precision. Honestly, I was surprised you ended up with a blacksmith skill instead of something like 'Sniper'."
Aya's eyes widened, flustered. "Y-you noticed…? I saw how skilled you were too, Julian, when you fought Erwin and Ryan. As for my blacksmith skill… I think it manifested from my desire to make weapons strong enough to fight the zombies."
The others all exchanged understanding nods. "Oooh… that makes sense."
Just then, Julian froze. His senses prickled, a faint disturbance in the air. He raised a hand, silently signaling everyone to be alert.
Out of the shadows ahead, they spotted a figure approaching at an unsteady pace. It was a man in a tattered business suit, his face pale, eyes sunken with desperation. His tie was torn, his dress shirt stained with dirt and old blood.
He raised a trembling hand as he got closer, his voice hoarse and pleading. "Please… do you have any spare food? For my family…?"
Clarissa took a step forward, already reaching into her pack. "We should help him," she said softly, pulling out some food.
But Julian's hand shot out, stopping her. His eyes narrowed. "Wait. Something's wrong."
He stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the ragged man. "How many people are in your family?" he asked sharply.
The man didn't answer. He simply stood there, staring at Julian's group with wide, hollow eyes, eyes filled with an unnatural horror, as if waiting for them to step closer.
Emma frowned, whispering to Julian, "Why isn't he answering…?"
Veronica's patience snapped. "Hey! If you want something, you should at least come closer!"
The man stayed silent. After a long, eerie pause, he repeated the same words as before, voice hoarse and toneless: "Is there… any food left… for my family…?"
A cold dread settled over Julian. He clenched his jaw. "That's not human."
He raised his hand. "Everyone, battle positions, now!"
The team fell into formation. "Aya, take the shot!" Julian ordered.
Aya's eyes sharpened with focus. She released an arrow with a twang of her bowstring, it struck the man square in the chest. But instead of blood, a strange, dark liquid oozed out. The man's entire form began to ripple like melting wax.
A monstrous roar shattered the quiet night as the illusion crumbled. What had appeared to be a man was revealed as a massive, fleshy tongue extending from the gaping maw of a gigantic creature hidden in the shadows. Its head was wide as a van, its mouth lined with dagger-sized teeth, each glistening with thick, viscous saliva. The creature bellowed in pain and rage, its eyes glinting with malevolent cunning.
The group froze for an instant, never before had they seen anything like it. This was no zombie; it was something far more intelligent, something that lured prey using illusions.
"Attack!" Julian roared.
He launched himself forward, his katana gleaming in the pale light. His Shadow skill burst forth, multiplying his movements as shadows slashed alongside his blade. He darted in and out, landing deep cuts along the monster's thick, rubbery hide.
"Clarissa, restrain it!" Julian shouted.
Clarissa's eyes glowed as her telekinesis wrapped around the creature's body, halting its snapping jaws just long enough for the others to move.
Emma dashed in next, her hands engulfed in tightly compressed flames. She thrust them into the creature's side, the superheated fire burning deep, sending the monster howling.
"Veronica, buffs!" Julian ordered.
"I know!" Veronica shouted, golden light bursting from her body. She first enchanted herself, speeding up her attacks, then slammed a hand against Julian's back. "Enchantment: Strength Boost!"
Aya knelt behind them, breathing steadily. Her arrows streaked through the air, each shot aimed unerringly for the creature's eyes. One arrow struck true, lodging deep into the monster's left eye, causing it to thrash wildly.
With Clarissa's telekinesis still pinning its head, Julian sprinted up the creature's massive tongue, shadows swirling around him like a cloak. He leapt high, katana glowing with Veronica's buff, and brought it down with all his might. The blade carved cleanly through the monster's head, splitting it from crown to chin.
For a moment, everything was still.
Then the creature let out a final, gurgling shriek before its massive body collapsed to the ground, split cleanly in two.
They stood there, breathing hard, hearts pounding in the sudden silence.
Julian lowered his sword, scanning the area. "We need to be more careful," he said grimly. "If monsters have grown this big… and smart… we can't afford to underestimate anything."
Clarissa wiped sweat from her brow, her face pale. "That thing could mimic a human… its evolution is terrifyingly fast."
Veronica shivered. "This world… it's becoming more and more nightmarish."
Julian walked over to the split skull of the beast. Nestled deep in what passed for its brain was a massive, blood-red crystal, the size of a clenched fist. It pulsed faintly with condensed, ominous power.
He pried it free, feeling the weight of its compressed energy, then slipped it into his Inventory.
He turned to his team. "It's getting late. We'll rest here for the night. I'll take the first watch."
Emma opened her mouth to protest. "We should rotate shifts so you can get some sleep, too."
Julian shook his head, a thoughtful glint in his eyes. "It's fine. I want to test something while I'm awake."
The others exchanged wary glances but nodded.
Clarissa laid a comforting hand on Julian's arm. "If you get tired, wake me up, okay?"
Julian gave a small nod. Together, they set up their tents among the ruins, the night air heavy with the lingering scent of blood and burned flesh. One by one, his companions settled down to rest, leaving Julian alone with his thoughts and the darkness.