Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Zombie Apocalypse (27)
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Accepting the quest triggered immediate changes in my body.
The mangled bones in my left arm began to realign.
An excruciating wave of pain hit me in that instant.
Fresh flesh started sprouting from my right arm.
An unbearable itch tormented me.
But I endured.
I gripped the baseball bat Na-eun had tossed me in my right hand and rose to my feet.
"Haaaaah…."
I expelled all the stale air from my lungs and drew in a deep breath of fresh air.
The evolved zombie watched me with curious eyes.
I wanted to smash those black pupils to pieces.
A quick glance back showed Na-eun trembling on the ground, clutching her right arm.
She's alive.
But if I leave her like this, that blind zombie might bite her.
So.
Right now, while I'm healed up like this.
"I'm going to bash your head in."
Thankfully, the busted baseball shield didn't get in the way as I gripped the bat with both hands.
A power beyond anything I'd felt before surged into my hands.
I will win.
I will protect her.
The evolved zombie struck first.
Its right arm shot out at blinding speed.
Composure activated, making that right arm seem to crawl through the air in slow motion.
And now I could use Insight too.
Kaang!!!
I deflected the right arm outward, then twisted my hips for a massive swing.
Kaang!!!
The evolved zombie's body was shoved backward.
Its black eyes blinked wide, intrigued.
With the officetel wall at my back, I swiftly backed up to secure space.
My mouth went bone-dry.
Come to think of it, this evolved zombie had the raw strength to smash through the officetel walls.
And I'd been planning to block or parry that with my shield.
The best defense is a good offense.
With Composure and Insight, I could deflect it like before.
I gripped the bat tight, then loosened just a fraction.
I need to blow its head off, but will that leave an opening?
The thought had barely crossed my mind when the zombie's left arm came flying.
Composure and Insight.
Kaang!
I smacked it outward again.
Aiming for the head would've been risky—the follow-up right fist closed the gap.
Kaang!
This time, I knocked the right arm upward.
The zombie spun wide, flinging its right arm at me.
Insight warned me: that spinning strike was impossible to bat away.
I hugged the bat close to my body and dodged.
Before its left arm could follow up from the spin!
Kaang!!!
Thud!
I slammed a full-power crown strike down, but paid for it by sacrificing my right arm.
"Urgh…."
My right arm throbbed, but I had no intention of letting go of the bat to rub it.
Once I kill this bastard, I'll have plenty of time.
This much pain is what Na-eun endured with her normal body.
And the evolved zombie shook its head, clearly taking real damage from that hit.
"Does it hurt, you fucker? It hurts me more."
I took another deep breath.
Swapped out the air in my lungs and gripped the bat tight again.
Its right fist rocketed toward me.
Insight picked up the slight inward curve.
Kaang!
Not deflecting outward this time—I shoved it inward!
Its left arm couldn't extend properly, opening up a second crown strike chance.
As I swung with everything I had, Composure kicked in.
Why?
Slowly assessing the zombie, me, the situation.
Damn it.
Whooom
The zombie leaned back just enough to dodge my full-body spin punch.
My bat swings had reached the point where they could graze its crown at the tip—so a tiny shift let it evade.
The moment my strike missed, the zombie sprang up like a spring for a headbutt.
Its head was its weak point, but tough enough that most attacks wouldn't even scratch it.
Composure kept firing.
Block it? Dodge? Or…!
I thrust out my left wrist.
Kagaang!!!!!
I shoved the makeshift shield—three bats taped together—right into the zombie's face, and it rammed the tip.
It had been taped up from the start, but loosened from earlier hits, so the tape ripped and the shield disintegrated.
The impact on me was minimized, while three circular dents etched into the zombie's skull.
This seemed like a desperate all-out attack from the evolved zombie, but Composure and Insight let me turn it against it.
The strongest shock it'd taken yet—it staggered.
I swung the bat hard at the reeling zombie.
Kaang!!!!!
Crack!
It raised its right arm to block my downward strike.
I heard the steel-like arm bone snap.
And my bat was nearing the end too—dents pockmarking it.
I twisted my grip to the undamaged section.
The zombie wildly swung its dangling right arm.
Broken bone extended its reach a bit—I had to take two big steps back.
The instant I retreated, its left hand stabbed out.
An opening appeared.
I gripped the bat tight, dove into its right side, and smashed its shin.
Pak!!!
The right leg's shin bone shattered loudly.
I landed the hit and pulled away slightly.
"Haa… haa…."
The Indomitable Will apparently didn't let me burn mental energy forever—my head started pounding.
Swinging with all my recovered stamina tore up my palms; blood smeared the bat's grip.
My right arm felt swollen and stiff.
I hadn't taken a single clean hit, and I'm already like this?
Still, the zombie was in bad shape now.
Its head had taken heavy damage, right arm and shin shattered—stamina, attack power, and mobility all tanked.
Time to finish it.
While I still had the edge!
I gripped the bat with both hands, tensed up, and charged.
The mobility-crippled zombie swung its left arm; I used Insight to bat it outward.
Now its broken right arm and deflected left.
With the busted leg, it couldn't even lean back to dodge.
Perfect opening—full swing at the exposed head!!!
That instant, the zombie's eyes turned red.
"Buaaaaaagh!!!!!!"
It twisted its waist further, thrusting out the broken right arm.
Klang!
The bat, striking the pinpoint arm with full force, snapped with a clear ring.
I ditched the handle and bolted for the bat by the entrance.
Thump
The zombie leaped.
Considering its insane physicals, it could jump far on one leg alone—but where to?
I activated Presence Detection, sensing the situation behind me.
The zombie jumped right toward my path.
Aiming for the moment I grabbed my only weapon, its left hand extended.
Composure, Insight, Presence Detection.
All three fired at once, dictating my move.
I slammed my right foot down for a hard stop, grabbed the stabbing arm, and hurled it out of the officetel.
Kagagagak!!!
Its steel skin scraped the asphalt, a grating assault on my ears.
I snatched the fallen bat, gripped it two-handed, and charged.
The crawling zombie.
Red eyes fixed on a nearby zombie corpse—probably to recover stamina—as I smashed its skull.
Kaang!!!
"Die!!!"
Kaang!!!
"Haa… haa…."
Dizzy.
Abusing mental energy like this felt like my head was shattering.
The fight to protect—now shifting to kill under the new Survival Rules—had drained my Indomitable Will.
Still, I had to finish.
If I don't drop it now, Na-eun's life is at risk again.
Both hands on the bat, raised high, channeling every last drop of mental energy!
Downward chop.
Splat.
"Huh…?"
For a split second, blue mana seemed to scatter from the bat's tip.
The end bent unnaturally.
I tossed the useless bat aside.
[Plague Lord is shocked.]
[The world sends its applause.]
"Hooah… Did it work…?"
Killing the evolved zombie brought a crushing wave of mental fatigue.
My pounding head felt like hundreds of needles stabbing it while pumping electric currents—pure agony.
But collapsing outside with zombies around was suicide.
I shook my head to stay conscious and stumbled back into the officetel.
I scooped up the swollen-armed Na-eun and slowly climbed the stairs.
"Uh… Hey…."
The two guys from the fourth floor tried to say something.
I ignored them, heading to my open door….
"Huh…?"
I opened my eyes in my room.
My room?
I was lying on the floor.
"Huh…?"
I should've gotten Combat Sleep's effects, but my head still throbbed.
My right arm wasn't healed yet, so the transcendent recovery from yesterday's quest reward must've caused some side effects.
I pushed up from the bed and spotted Na-eun groaning in pain.
She clutched her zombie-battered arm even in sleep, and scrapes on her cheek and ear from the floor had crusted blood on the pillow.
"Haaa…."
Tears streamed down at the sight.
We survived.
I protected her.
We survived.
"Thank goodness."
I licked my parched lips and cracked a dry smile.
Turning my head, the front door was wide open.
I staggered up and left it… open.
Emergency meds, bandages, retort pouches by the door.
'I have to move forward.'
Day 5 was over.
Zombie apocalypse Day 6 was about to begin.
And I knew I had to press on.
Sitting, I gathered the meds and food by the entrance, muttering to the oblivious mart crew.
"If they don't let me in, I'll raise hell."