Shattering the Zombie Wall
Mu-hyuk's brow furrowed.
He had been checking the skeletons' status through View Field and continuing to command them when suddenly a horde of zombies appeared outside the wall.
Of course, just like the ones that had popped up inside, their speed was sluggish, so it wasn't a huge concern.
Just annoying.
But then something happened that flipped his assessment in an instant.
Red light absorbed into the zombies.
Grrr……!
Their movements had become incomparably lighter than before.
Twitch.
He watched the situation briefly.
Armor Knights blocked the approaching zombies.
The sound of impacts on their shields rang out.
Thud, thump.
The zombies' punches and headbutts hit harder than expected.
He had boosted his summons' stats with limited revival, but there were just too many zombies.
On top of that, plenty of enemy players remained, making this moment a genuine crisis.
What to do?
He couldn't let them keep hammering the wall forever.
Alright, then……!
Mu-hyuk ordered the Armor Knights to focus on defense, then personally commanded the mounted archers, Armor Mages, and Armor Cavalry.
-Power Shot.
-Wind Storm.
-Thunder Lightning.
-Ice…….
First, the mounted archers' bone arrows and the Armor Mages' tier-1 spells burst forth.
-Multi Shot.
-Fire Spear.
-Thunder Fist.
-Wind…….
Followed by a fan-shaped barrage of massive bone arrows and tier-2 mage spells pouring out in succession.
Not stopping there, the Armor Cavalry kicked off the ground hard.
-Charge!
The bone arrows and spells slammed first into the backs of the enemy players blocking the entrance.
Someone had been watching the rear, but the attack was too sudden for a proper response. More people than expected failed to raise their shields.
Boom, kaboom!
Skills embedding directly into unprotected flesh.
Contribution (21) increases.
Contribution (19) increases.
Contribution (26) increases…….
The rising messages alone gauged the enemies' damage.
Good!
Mu-hyuk clenched his fist and focused on the Armor Cavalry.
A powerful aura erupted, strong enough to scatter the raging storm in all directions. It inflicted heavy damage on the surviving enemy players.
In the disorienting blast of wind, light flashed.
All units, accelerated thrust!
The extreme speed maximized destructive power.
Stab, skewer.
Some were impaled like kebabs.
Others bounced back.
"B-block it!"
"Squad 5, defensive formation! Squad 6, use all healing magic!"
The enemy players near the entrance, who had taken less damage.
They snapped to and responded, but they couldn't stop the Armor Cavalry with their charge skill's momentum.
A bit more. Just a bit further.
The Armor Cavalry finally halted right at the entrance.
"It's stopped! Surround and kill it!"
"V-Vice Guild Leader! The Forma guys are coming through the entrance!"
"Squad 9, focus on the entrance!"
"Not enough manpower!"
"Damn it! Hold! Hold somehow! The Guild Leader's zombies are coming soon!"
But the zombies were blocked by the Armor Knights' shields. Of course, they couldn't withstand the endless attacks forever. They were dying one by one, but not quickly enough.
The zombies had grown stronger by absorbing others.
He had steadily enhanced their weapons and shields recently.
And above all.
Mounted Archer 7's HP (1,134) recovers.
Spirit Power (10) consumed.
Mounted Archer 8's HP (1,134) recovers.
Spirit Power (10) consumed.
Dark healing spirits steadily kept them patched up.
"Vice Guild Leader, at this rate, they'll break through soon!"
"Damn it……!"
The vice guild leader's face paled.
Just one day left……!
He knew the guild leader's situation.
He had kept it secret from the guild members, but not from his real-life best friend and vice guild leader.
That's why he had fought tooth and nail to hold out for a week for him.
But now……!
Lost in thought, the entrance broke open.
"It's through!"
"You damn Kairon user bastards!"
"Wipe 'em out!"
But it wasn't over yet.
Snap out of it!
The vice guild leader's chaotic expression hardened quickly.
There were still plenty of zombies, and they were strong.
Plus, a good number of guild members survived.
Lots of Forma continent players were pouring in, but they could hold.
Above all, with enough loot, reversing this wasn't impossible.
Yeah, we can do this.
He bellowed orders.
"Everyone, fall back behind the zombies!"
"Fall back, fall back!"
"Retreat behind the zombies!"
Mages and mounted archers stood in the path, but he figured they had dumped all their skills already.
Pushing forward fearlessly, the skeletons retreated as expected. Mounted archers fired bone arrows on the move, but they weren't a big threat.
"Hurry! Move it!"
Mu-hyuk watched through View Field.
Hmm.
After some thought, he left the Armor Knights be.
He even used the Armor Cavalry to slow the approaching enemies.
If he left it like this, zombies in front, enemy players behind—they'd be surrounded. But Mu-hyuk trusted his Forma allies coming through the entrance.
Hold out as long as possible.
Until all the surrounded enemies fell.
*
The vice guild leader's face grew desperate.
"Break through!"
"They won't die!"
"I know! Just break through! It's the only way we survive!"
Skeletons in front.
Forma players behind, pressing the attack.
Blocking had its limits.
If they could just reach the zombies and guild members behind the skeletons, they'd make it—but it was brutally hard.
Whenever a path opened, an Armor Cavalry would barrel out and body-block.
Even indiscriminate hits brought more throwing themselves in.
Ironclad defense.
Followed by relentless attacks.
"Urgh!"
Over half the guild was already dead.
Unbelievable.
But greed stirred too.
Gangster Necromancer, Mu-hyuk.
One player shifting a small battlefield's tide.
Meaning if their guild leader got zombie shaman, he'd be one-man army too. The guild's status would skyrocket. His own position as vice would solidify.
So hold!
His eyes gleamed with budding madness as he drew his sword.
Clang!
The Armor Knight in front of him.
"Die, you bone bastard!"
He hammered the shield with force.
As it dipped from the impact, he triggered his skill.
Flash Thrust……!
Too bad, right before thrusting.
———!
A ki blast from the side swept him up.
Wha?
The world spun.
Dozens of arrows lodged in the vice guild leader's back.
Kaboom!
HP plummeted to zero.
U, ugh…….
But no thoughts came.
Just dizziness.
Another attack landed.
HP reaches 0.
You have died.
A ridiculous death.
*
Quite a few skeletons had been reverse-summoned.
Regrettable, but.
Thanks to them, all the surrounded enemies were wiped.
Now left: zombies blocked by Armor Knights, players behind them, and the zombie shaman hiding somewhere.
"Let's break the wall first?"
"Sounds good!"
Then Yura and Kang Ji-yeon led the other players.
"Alright. Let's rescue Mu-hyuk first."
"Ah, tank-class players, block the zombies and enemy players!"
"Got it!"
Players split.
Tanks headed to flank the Armor Knights and Cavalry; attackers faced the wall.
Mounted archers and Armor Mages positioned behind.
"Attack!"
A barrage of skills.
Boom, kaboom!
But the wall barely budged.
"When's it gonna fall?!"
"Just a bit more."
"We've attacked through two cooldown cycles already!"
"Tanks are in danger too!"
"Then one more minute!"
"Hoo, fine."
Players pooled strength for another skill dump.
About 30 seconds later.
Rumble.
The wall shook violently.
"Ooh, it's crumbling?"
"Don't stop!"
Then Armor Mages' tier-1 spells poured at that moment.
———!
With the explosion, the wall finally collapsed.
Billowing dust.
A mage blew it away with wind magic.
"Got it……!"
Mu-hyuk and Sung Min-woo shielding fully with shields. And surviving players confirmed.
"Whew."
Mu-hyuk lowered his shield with a smile.
"Oppa!"
"Yeah, it finally fell."
"You okay?"
"Fine. Let's end the fight first."
"Yeah!"
"Alright, everyone—clean up the zombies and remaining players!"
"Ooh, yes!"
"With Mu-hyuk here, we actually get shit done."
All headed toward the zombies.
Armor Knights and Cavalry already over half reverse-summoned.
Survivors' HP precarious. No hesitation—he used Summon Absorption.
Absorbing part of summon's abilities.
Please select summons to absorb.
Selected Armor Knights and Cavalry—massive energy surged from them into Mu-hyuk.
All stats greatly increased for 10 minutes.
No more for Armor Knights and Cavalry.
Mu-hyuk and players, backed by mounted archers and Armor Mages—enough.
Good work.
No need to reverse-summon deliberately, so he tucked them into corners.
Looking at the zombies and remaining Kairon players, a laugh escaped.
The outcome was clear.
Obvious Forma victory.
Of course, one variable remained.
Zombie shaman.
Quickly mop up zombies and enemies, then hunt him.
Meanwhile.
Guild leader Baku, secretly checking outside, trembled with uncontainable rage.
"Th-these…… pathetic bastards!"
Couldn't lose the small city now.
How much had he sacrificed as tribute!
Problem: almost no items left for tribute.
No, some.
Baku unceremoniously dropped equipped items into the statue's small hole: ring, necklace, bracelet, gloves, shoes.
Not enough—scraped inventory to barely fill quota.
"Damn it."
Light leaked from the hole.
Items vanished.
Acquire power of Zombie Shaman (Temporary).
Can use one skill.
No more loot—must be cautious.
What to use?
Had to reverse the situation.
Scrutinizing skill window carefully, excitement flashed in Baku's eyes.
Ho? This is insane?
But no rash choices.
Calmly reviewed again.
Others too.
Nodded after deliberation.
Yeah, this'll do.
Finally selected it.
[……] used.
Smirking, convinced it could turn the tide.