Which Bitch Dares Touch What's Mine?
Ian had scouted out the area with the highest concentration of zombies before the looters arrived. He returned to the spot where he'd first taken down a zombie, deliberately leaving a trail of blood behind—zombie blood. Then he found another passage teeming with them.
Luckily, the zombies didn't attack Ian, who was draped in their entrails.
"Gruk..."
"Grrrruk."
They even reacted to the sounds he made, mistaking him for one of their own. Zombies moved in packs, and Ian led the horde straight after the looters.
And now.
"Kaaak! Gruk! Kyarak!"
The zombies surged wildly toward the source of the noise.
"What the fuck!"
The female warrior swung her sword. Slash! A zombie's head flew through the air. Slash! Slash! The charging undead dropped one by one. It wasn't the overwhelming power of Arcia, but with skills like that, she could probably cut them all down.
Ian had to hurry—before they wiped out the entire pack.
His eyes narrowed. Target: the archer. The warrior was armored. Taking her out quickly with a dagger seemed unlikely. He crouched low and crept toward the archer.
"Delia! Help!"
The archer was already swarmed by zombies. Unfamiliar with close quarters, she kept getting pushed back. She called for aid from the warrior a short distance away—but
"Sh-shit! You blind or what?!"
The warrior was too busy slashing at the oncoming horde. Slash! Thud! Another zombie crumpled. But the archer's situation was growing dire.
And in that gap.
"Kaaaak!"
Another zombie lunged at her first.
"Ugh!"
Stab. Her dagger lodged straight into the zombie's skull. But there was more than one. Kyak! Another charged.
"Damn it!"
Crack! Unable to retrieve her dagger in time, the archer smashed the zombie's jaw with her fist. Even if she sucked at melee, she was still an adventurer—holding out through sheer physical prowess.
Ian slipped behind her amid the fray. As more zombies piled in, he blended into the pack and rushed forward. The archer grappled with the zombie right in front of her. Stab! The dagger sank into its skull again. But it wouldn't come free. She gritted her teeth and yanked at the hilt.
In that instant, her back was wide open.
Ian's eyes flashed. Now.
Closing to striking distance, he—
Wham! Kicked her leg out from under her.
"Aaaagh! What the—!"
Focused only on threats from above, the archer lost her balance from the sudden impact and staggered. She whipped around reflexively, catching sight of Ian's grinning face.
But it was too late. His kick lacked the power to shatter bone... but it didn't need to. A split-second opening was all it took. The zombies poured in.
"Aaaak!"
A rotten hand clamped onto her shoulder. One became two, two became three, three became four—in an instant.
"Let go! Get off me, you monsters—!"
The archer thrashed wildly. But it was over. The zombies seized her arms, yanked at her shoulders, pinned her down. She toppled backward.
Thud!
The moment she hit the ground, they swarmed over her.
"Aaaaagh! Delia!"
A scream laced with despair echoed through the labyrinth. Ian ducked low, timing the warrior's next move. He'd strike when she rushed to save her—
But it never came.
"F-fuck!"
Slash! The warrior kept hacking at the zombies around her without so much as glancing at the archer. As if she didn't give a damn.
Apparently, looter packs lacked that kind of loyalty.
"Tch."
Ian clicked his tongue in disappointment. Then the warrior bellowed,
"You! I saw you, you little shit!"
She ground her teeth while cleaving zombies nonstop. Of course, she had no slack to come this way.
"Gruk..."
Ian shook his body, mimicking a zombie, and slowly backed away.
"Wait! You bastard!"
The warrior roared in fury. But Ian had already turned tail. He wanted to take her out too, but dragging this on risked reinforcements. Too dangerous.
He slipped quietly deeper into the labyrinth. Scanning for any lingering zombies—none. They'd cleared the area.
Tap-tap-tap.
Footsteps echoed from a nearby passage. More than two. Not Arcia's gait.
"Shit."
Ian quickened his pace. The looter in black armor—he looked strong on sight. Second-floor zombies wouldn't stand a chance.
"Deeper in..."
He squeezed into a dark passage.
A deep labyrinth passage where almost no light penetrated.
Thud.
Something stirred. Ian froze.
"A monster...?"
In the darkness ahead, two red eyes gleamed. Thud... thud... Something massive was approaching.
"Giant zombie..."
From the shadows emerged a zombie over two meters tall. It exhaled lowly. Behind him, looters. Ahead, the giant zombie. At this rate, they'd catch him soon. One giant couldn't hold them off.
"..."
Ian eyed it, mind racing for a plan. To shake them, deal with the giant first. He pulled a finger from his belt pouch—the mage's from the first floor. Grasping it, faint mana stirred around him.
Slowly, he gathered mana. Slower than with Arcia, but his focus was sharper than ever. Once enough pooled, he held his breath and began arranging it at his fingertips.
The mana bolt array Arcia had shown him countless times. Memories of using it dozens of times on the first floor flooded back. Mana trembled from his fingertips, tension thickening the air.
As expected, maintaining the pool while forming the array was no easy feat. Drip—blood trickled from his nose, but he didn't budge.
Humm... A mana bolt took shape in his hand. But it wasn't done. He steadied his breath; sweat beaded and trailed into his eyes.
Now, the incantation.
"Condensed mana..."
Then.
Thud-thud.
Footsteps nearby. Thud-boom, thud-boom. The ground quaked like a heartbeat.
Humm.
His focus wavered; the bolt flickered. Multitasking three things with one brain was tough. Drip-drip... Nosebleed worsening.
"Respond to my will and take form—Mana Bolt."
Light erupted from his fingertips like an explosion. Boom! The spell streaked toward the giant zombie's head and hit true.
Slump. The massive body toppled slowly. Its head was pulverized.
"Over there!"
Tap-tap-tap! Footsteps raced toward the magic's sound.
Grit.
Ian clenched his teeth, head pounding like it might burst, but he forced himself toward the giant's corpse. Stab! His blade sliced the belly, slick innards squelching against his hand. He brushed past organs without pulling them out, wedging his body inside carefully.
"Urk..."
The visceral texture enveloping him churned his stomach. Revulsion and anxiety mixed, but he endured. Disease was a risk. Better than capture.
As Ian fully burrowed into the giant zombie's guts—
"This way!"
The looter archer burst into view.
"He's close."
The black-armored woman following lowered her voice. "Don't scatter. He's a crafty male... not to be underestimated."
The blood-soaked Delia trailed her too. Ian swallowed rising bile, holding dead still. Tap-tap-tap... The three sets of footsteps faded.
Still, he waited patiently inside the corpse, catching his breath.
"Hoo..."
Confirming they'd gone, he crawled out slowly. As he moved cautiously the opposite way—
"Here!"
An adventurer leaped from the reverse passage. Ian's heart skipped. Three he'd killed, three he'd just evaded... and another here.
"Shit..."
He spun and bolted, but the passage was straight—no escape.
"Heh heh heh... Where you off to in such a hurry?"
The black-armored woman approached slowly from ahead, sneering.
"Hehe, boss. I found him... so I get first dibs, right?"
The rear looter closed in too.
"Crazy bitch... you still want this after seeing it?"
Ian, slathered in zombie guts, looked grotesque. But it only excited her more.
"I love breaking ones like that."
The adventurers advanced warily, no openings given.
"You crazy bitches!"
Ian lunged at the lone one—seemed most promising.
"Feisty—I like it!"
But to her, he was just cute. Thud! She closed faster, slamming her foot into his gut. He flew back.
"Ugh!"
Clutching his stomach, he tried to rise—but
"Where?"
She mounted his belly. Crushing weight choked him.
"Urgh... fuck..."
He flailed with his dagger. "Hold still!" But Delia had rushed in, pinning his wrists brutally.
"Urk..."
Pinned fully, Ian thrashed futilely—couldn't overpower them. All he could do was glare.
"Ereine. Wash him off."
Delia addressed the one atop him.
"Was just about to."
Ereine pulled a canteen from her belt and tilted it over Ian's face.
Whoosh—icy water poured down.
"Mmph! Mmph!"
It flooded nose and mouth. Breathless. Ereine laughed, scrubbing his face roughly—trying to wipe off the zombie blood.
"Cough... cough..."
Ian lifted his head, gasping.
"Now you're presentable."
"Hah... hah... you fucking bitches..."
He panted, grinding his teeth.
"Heh heh, yeah. That face."
Ereine's body quivered with arousal. "Love that look. Gets me so wet."
She drew her dagger. Rip. Slap. It shredded his top.
"Gotta clean here too."
The canteen tilted again. Whoosh—cold water cascaded over his chest.
"Ngh..."
His body twitched instinctively. Ereine's hand roamed roughly over him.
"Fuck... fuck... fuck..."
Swears spilled from his lips.
"Won't shut up?"
Ereine narrowed her eyes. Then—shove. Her fingers jammed into his mouth.
"Mmph...!"
He bit down hard. But leather glove. Tough hide blocked his teeth.
"Ha, crazy little shit."
She snorted. "Go ahead, bite. That's all you got?"
Ian's glare screamed murder. Rage boiled. Toying with him, she wiggled her fingers.
"Mmph... mmph..."
They grazed his throat. Against her rough touch, he couldn't even resist properly.
"Heh heh, wanna kill me? Heh heh heh."
Ereine grinned lewdly. That moment.
A red glow spread from Ian's shoulder. Faint at first. Then blazing. Like fire under his skin. A pattern emerged.
"Huh...?"
Ereine frowned. "What the...?"
Then.
BOOM!
A distant explosion. The floor trembled faintly.
"What was...?"
BOOM! Again. BOOM! BOOM! Closer now. Walls quivered. Dust sifted from the ceiling.
Seemed like imagination at first. But—
KABOOM!
Undeniably close.
"Hey, wait—"
As someone started to speak.
KABOOOOOM!!!
The wall beside Ian exploded. Stone shattered, debris flying everywhere.
"Wh-what!!"
"Cough! Cough!"
Smoke and dust choked the passage. Vision blurred to nothing. No one moved. Oppressive pressure, like an unseen presence looming. A suffocating silence crushed the air.
And—
Crackle.
A small flame flickered in the smoke. Red hair swayed slowly behind it. Someone emerged. Through the collapsed wall. Parting the haze.
A low voice echoed through the passage.
Stepping from the smoke was Ian's mentor, lover.
And owner.
Arcia.