Chapter 53
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Field Boss
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Still 30 kilometers to the school, but the road was no longer in any condition to drive through.
"From here on, we'll run."
With Agility at 59, I could sprint several times faster than any normal person.
【Remaining Time】
Death: 02:24
I pulled over roughly by the roadside and hopped out of the car when a message popped up in midair.
【SYSTEM】
You have cleared Field Boss Phase 1. Proceeding to Phase 2. Movement range restrictions have been lifted. Please exercise caution.
"There was a Field Boss?"
Those things only showed up depending on your class—usually some kind of variant zombie took the role.
"Someone said they'd taken one down once."
A glance at the Navigation showed three black dots clustered in the middle of the school grounds.
That meant the Field Boss was tangling with two unknowns.
"Hope the Field Boss wins."
It was a powerhouse, sure, but not a bad matchup for me.
If they went at each other, at least one of the three villains would get wiped out.
Best case? Both villains drop, leaving just the boss.
As a hardcore vet, I had every boss strat memorized.
Whoever was left standing, time was still razor-thin.
I decided to max out Agility and burn rubber to get there ASAP.
【SYSTEM】
For the next 25 minutes, all abilities will rise to maximum (MAX). From Level 6 onward, additional effects can be used. Please select an additional effect below.
— Area Attack
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With the skill at Level 6, only one additional effect was available.
I picked "Area Attack."
【Area Attack】
During skill duration, deal damage to all targets within range at ATK MAX. Can be used once per skill activation. Does not apply to Field Bosses.
Nice additional effect.
I'd always wanted a way to wipe out clustered enemies, and now I had one—even if it was skill-limited.
A pack of zombies clustered up ahead.
I charged close and leaped right into their midst.
"Kraaaah—!!"
The zombies screeched and lunged as I appeared.
At just the right distance, I slammed my fist into the ground with everything I had.
Booom!!
A deafening roar echoed as the pavement cratered like a meteor strike.
The shockwave was so brutal it crumpled nearby cars like paper, and the zombies' bodies burst apart.
Seeing the scattered car debris and zombie chunks finally drove home the raw power of Area Attack.
Couldn't use it on the Field Boss, but this would mop up any surrounding zombies in one go.
I checked the Navigation and bolted full-tilt toward Woojin University.
[Remaining Time 23:47]
【Remaining Time】
Death: 02:17
"Grrr..."
The cheers of victory died in an instant.
Because they'd heard a sound they absolutely shouldn't have.
"Wh-what is that?"
"Wasn't it dead?"
It didn't take long for surprise to twist into terror.
The monster staggered to its feet, and its wounds began to knit shut.
More precisely, grotesque tumors sprouted from the gashes, morphing it into something even more horrific.
Its body swelled in places, arms elongating like whips.
Red eyes gleamed fiercer through the curtain of molten flesh.
"Kaa... grrr, kraaaaaah—!!"
Its roar alone made the ground quake.
No one dared step forward amid that terrifying presence; they just exchanged wary glances.
"What are you waiting for?! Charge it like before—charge, I said!!"
The Cult Leader, standing far off, ranted and raved, urging on the subjugation squad.
He yanked out every Offense/Defense Ticket he had and flung them wildly.
A few emboldened members started to move—when the hulking monster leaped into the air.
It was heading straight for the Cult Leader, the farthest from the plaza.
"Uh... uhhh..."
The beast landed past him, spinning to cut off his escape.
"Th-that thing..."
"Wasn't it trapped in the plaza?"
The monster snatched up the frozen Cult Leader.
It all happened so fast no one could react.
"Gaaah! S-save... me..."
For all the items crammed in his Inventory, they were useless now.
Terror blanked his mind.
He thrashed desperately to break free, but it was no use.
He screamed for help till his throat burst, but no one came near.
"You bastards—!! Hurry, save me nooow—!!"
Those were the Cult Leader's last words.
The monster seized his head with its other hand and ripped his entire neck free.
Blood sprayed from the headless stump.
Spine torn out, the Cult Leader shuddered violently before going limp.
The beast tossed the head into its maw and crammed the body into a gaping slit across its chest.
The cultist who'd tormented survivors met this ridiculous end.
"Gack... why... this..."
"Wh-what...? Suddenly... ugh..."
The scattered subjugation squad dropped to their knees or asses.
They'd been flying high moments ago; now strength drained from their limbs.
The Cult Leader's death had nullified the tickets' effects.
They were just strong normals again—no superhumans.
The monster charged at the rest.
Toward those pinned immobile by fear.
Woojin University Student Union Building—
"They still aren't back?"
Student Council President Seong Gi-pyo asked Chief of Staff Park Yun-ho, his face etched with anxiety.
He'd gone out with the rear gate scout team that morning and returned to find the plaza and lakeside park teams still missing.
With eyewitness reports of odd behavior from the plaza monster, he was on edge.
"Let's wait a bit longer. We cleared all the zombies on that route, so they should be fine."
"It's the activity at the rear gate that's got me worried. Zombies were heading toward the plaza."
"Really?"
Suddenly, a massive boom rocked the entire building.
"Wh-what?!"
The conference room door flew open.
"President! Th-the... the monster from the plaza..."
Booom—!!
"Gyaaah!!"
"Kyaaak!"
The shaking intensified.
"The monster from the plaza... it's come all the way here—!!"
Seong Gi-pyo and Park Yun-ho stared at each other in horror.
The massive plaza guardian had stormed the student union.
*
Woojin University loomed in the distance.
[Remaining Time 00:00]
【Remaining Time】
Death: 01:43
The men's 10K world record was 26 minutes.
I'd just covered 30K in 22.
Sweat poured like rain, but I wasn't as winded as I'd feared.
I caught my breath and sprinted to the school gate.
The gate area was eerily empty, like someone had swept it clean.
"This can't be right."
Woojin University fronted one of the busiest districts around.
Heavy foot traffic meant zombies everywhere—yet not even an ant stirred.
Just overturned cars and black stains on the sidewalks.
Inside the grounds, a building labeled Management Hall came into view.
A human shadow near the door vanished as I approached.
Survivors inside, probably.
Zombies lurked along the path, so I ripped off a car door.
Smashed heads as I went, clearing the way—until a huge plaza opened up.
"Damn it."
Fresh corpses littered the ground.
None intact—who knew what hit them.
Missing limbs were standard; scattered guts made walking treacherous.
Something was off. I pulled up Navigation: only one black dot left.
Two villains down among these bodies.
"Did the Field Boss really solo them?"
A massive explosion thundered from ahead—like a building collapsing.
I bolted over to see a house-sized zombie smashing through a wall.
It looked like dozens of zombies stitched together—a nightmare mashup.
"Franken Zombie."
The Field Boss I'd seen to death in the game.