The Third Zombie Queen

[1. Power Amplification: Telekinesis power increases by two times.]

[2. Steel Attribute: Telekinetic hands become as hard as steel. Level-proportional effect applies.]

[3. Forced Explosion: Can detonate telekinetic hands like bombs. Level-proportional effect applies.]

[4. Grip Strength Increase: Actual hands also possess the same power as Telekinesis.]

[5. Quantity Increase: Number of telekinetic hands doubles.]

'Nothing worth looking at.'

I scanned the list of ability specializations ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and chose number 5 without a second thought.

I was secretly curious about number 3, Forced Explosion, but 4-channel weapons were enough for that kind of offensive capability.

[You have selected number 5.]

[The number of telekinetic hands doubles.]

With this, I now had 16 telekinetic hands.

Now, I could wield 16 Taehwa Nine-Style swords and wipe out every monster in sight.

'On top of this.'

I didn't stop there; I swallowed over 5,000 Bloodstones to reach level 49.

'Now my Telekinesis power is 4.5 tons. Range is 450 meters, huh.'

Plus, since I had 16 telekinetic hands, I could lift a total weight of 72 tons.

With power increasing like this, I even thought number 2, Steel Attribute, from the options earlier might have been okay too.

'Should I go for level 50 while I'm at it?'

The thought was tempting, but I immediately shook my head.

Every 10 levels, the probability drops by 10 times, and at level 50, it's a whopping 0.0001%.

'Is it still higher than the odds of winning 1st or 2nd place in the lottery?'

For reference, it's 28 times harder than the odds of winning 3rd place in the lottery.

The fortunate thing is that I can increase the probability, but that wasn't easy either.

'Since the probability dropped by 10 times, if I assume it costs 10 times the points I've used so far...'

That means nearly 4 to 5 million points would fly away.

Even for me, spending that many points was quite a burden.

"By the way, Survivor. Wouldn't it be better to raise Eli and Sirien to A-Grade before leveling them up?"

"It doesn't matter, but I feel like it would be pointless."

I thought that if the grade went up, better options might appear for ability specialization.

However, after raising the grade of Tipina, the fox-tribe beastkin, I didn't really feel a big difference.

"Even when we raised Tipina-ssi's grade, no special options appeared."

Still, just in case, should I ask Ice Queen?

If a loss occurs due to my mistake, that would be troublesome, so I decided to ask Ice Queen right away.

<Survivor★(2ch): Ice Queen-nim. Is there a difference between the ability specialization obtained at C-Grade and the one obtained after raising it to A-Grade?>

<Ice Queen☆*(3ch): Some people say it's more beneficial to get the ability specialization after raising the grade, but there is no clear difference.>

<Survivor★(2ch): Then I can just raise it.>

<Ice Queen☆*(3ch): But human nature isn't like that, is it? It would be more comfortable to get the ability specialization after raising the grade.>

It meant that rather than getting the ability specialization at C-Grade and leaving a lingering sense of discomfort, it's better to just raise the grade.

'Ice Queen said there's no clear difference, but.'

After hearing that, I got a strange feeling.

As Ice Queen said, it might be better to just raise the grade rather than leaving this feeling behind.

'At least I won't feel uneasy.'

<Survivor★(2ch): Yes. I'll try raising the grade first. Though I have to find High-Grade Awakening Stones first.>

<Ice Queen☆*(3ch): You've already used up all the High-Grade Awakening Stones you obtained before, right?>

<Survivor★(2ch): Because I raised the ability orb grade. Ah, by any chance, have there been any leads on High-Grade Awakening Stones?>

<Ice Queen☆*(3ch): Unfortunately, no. And... I think there won't be any contact for a while.>

At that moment, Ice Queen said there wouldn't be any news about selling High-Grade Awakening Stones for a while.

<Survivor★(2ch): Is there a reason?>

<Ice Queen☆*(3ch): A problem occurred in the Busan group. There's talk today that the S-Grade Awakener Jang Seong-ho died in Busan.>

<Survivor★(2ch): If it's the Busan group, do you mean the place that traded two High-Grade Awakening Stones before?>

<Ice Queen☆*(3ch): Yes. Thanks to that, the gallery is in a chaotic atmosphere too.>

I felt doubtful at the news that an S-Grade ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Awakener had died.

How could they kill someone who received various supplies, including bullets and high-explosive shells, from me?

<Survivor★(2ch): Do you know how they died?>

<Ice Queen☆*(3ch): There's a guy among the raiders who controls zombies. Judging by the circumstances, it seems they were done in by that guy.>

'Raiders again.'

These damn raiders didn't disappear even though I warned them so much.

<Survivor★(2ch): Is there a photo or something?>

If there was a photo, I could check the nickname and kill them with a grenade.

I thought the first time was hard, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but the second time wouldn't be that difficult, so I asked for a photo.

<Ice Queen☆*(3ch): Unfortunately, no. Since that incident, the raiders haven't been using the gallery.>

"..."

Come to think of it, if I were a raider, I probably wouldn't use the gallery either.

'By the way, how do they control zombies?'

Is it an ability?

There are all sorts of abilities in channel 3, so it wouldn't be strange if there was one that controls zombies.

<Survivor★(2ch): If possible, tell the people in the gallery to take photos of the raiders and upload them.>

<Ice Queen☆*(3ch): Photos... Yes. I understand what you mean. I'll post it as a notice.>

I wondered if the raiders would see it if it was posted as a notice, but I didn't object.

Because it would be enough if the raiders who saw the notice got even a little scared and stopped raiding.

'Though I don't know if the raiders will stop raiding because of that.'

If I kill about 10 of them and the rumors spread, maybe they'll quiet down.

"..."

As soon as I thought that, I felt that I, too, had changed.

But I pushed all this off as the fault of the raiders who kept killing the same people, let alone cooperating.

'In reality, it is the raiders' fault.'

Anyway, ending the conversation with Ice Queen about the raiders, I said to Elisicia.

"Hero-nim. Just in case, only raise it to level 19."

"Are you going to raise the grade first?"

"Yes. They said there's no difference, but just in case."

Conversely, Aila, who acquired the A-Grade [Summon Light-Buddy] ability, was different.

Since she was A-Grade from the start, I supported her with Awakening Stones and Bloodstones to raise her to level 30.

'As for the ability specialization...'

I left the level 20 and 30 ability specializations entirely up to Aila's choice.

Like the level 10 ability specialization, Aila chose abilities that support Elisicia.

[Aila's Ability Specialization]

[1. Light-Buddy acquires 'Physical Enhancement'.]

[2. Light-Buddy acquires 'Veil of Light'.]

[3. Light-Buddy acquires 'Light Flame Imbuement'.]

For reference, Physical Enhancement was an effect that increased overall physical abilities.

On top of this, Veil of Light was a protective barrier that blocked attacks. Light Flame Imbuement made white flames rise on weapons.

'It looks incredibly cool.'

And when I used it on Elisicia, she truly looked like a hero from a fairy tale.

White light particles were rising from her whole body, and white flames were gathered on her sword, brightly illuminating this labyrinth.

'Plus, since I raised Light-Buddy to level 30.'

Perhaps because all effects increased upon reaching level 30, Elisicia performed amazingly against monsters afterward.

Slaaash!―

Come to think of it, she probably would have caught the monsters easily with or without Light-Buddy's support effect, but the person involved seemed to think otherwise.

"It's amazing. The monsters' magic barriers are being torn apart easily."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. I think it's probably because of the white flames gathered on my sword."

Elisicia looked at the white flames with a fascinated expression.

It was 'Light Flame Imbuement', chosen as Light-Buddy's level 30 ability specialization, and it seemed to have an effect that increased attack power.

'If there's any good news, this is it.'

For me, having heard bad news from channel 3 following channel 4, this was at least some comfort.

'I wish I could keep hearing only good news like this.'

Unfortunately, looking at the situation unfolding in channels 3 and 4, it didn't seem like that would be the case.

Channel 3.

"Ah... Aaaah!"

Jang Ha-young, a member of the Busan group, Sea Guardian, trembled in disbelief as soon as she ate breakfast.

[You have been infected.]

[Awakening as a Zombie Queen begins.]

Jang Ha-young shouted immediately without even a moment to figure out what was happening.

"Everyone, don't eat!"

She shouted urgently, but people were already eating.

It was a late shout, but the group members asked Jang Ha-young what was going on.

"Jang Ha-young-ssi. Why are you suddenly like this?"

"If you eat it, you'll get infected!"

There wasn't a single person here who didn't know the word infection.

Therefore, everyone stopped their spoons and started looking at Jang Ha-young in unison.

"No, you might have already eaten it, so the infection might have started. Treatment! Where is Yang Woo-jin-ssi?!"

As Sea Guardian was a large group, there was an Awakener who had acquired infection treatment.

It was Yang Woo-jin, and people immediately looked around for him, but he wasn't there.

"Yang Woo-jin-ssi... isn't here?"

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen him today?"

As soon as Jang Ha-young confirmed that Yang Woo-jin wasn't in the cafeteria, she immediately ran outside.

Then she immediately ran to the room where Yang Woo-jin stayed, naturally to cure the infection.

"Haa. Haa."

Click!―

"Yang Woo-jin-ssi!"

Arriving at Yang Woo-jin's room, Jang Ha-young immediately opened the door.

While running here, Jang Ha-young thought he would definitely be sleeping in.

"...!?"

Inside, Yang Woo-jin was dead with his torso gruesomely torn apart.

"H-how...?"

Jang Ha-young's mind was chaotic looking at the dead Yang Woo-jin, but the only thing that came to mind immediately was infection treatment.

There was an ability orb called Infection Treatment in the exchange, but it was a whopping 40,000 points, so she couldn't buy it.

'Jang Seong-ho. I have to go to Jang Seong-ho's room.'

However, the leader of Sea Guardian, Jang Seong-ho, had purchased about two ability orbs in preparation for emergencies.

Thinking that those ability orbs were the only way, Jang Ha-young tried to run to Jang Seong-ho's room immediately, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but...

Stab!―

In an instant, her body was pierced by a long arm and sharp claws that popped out of the wall.

"Ugh."

Jang Ha-young barely managed to turn her head to check what had happened.

There, a mutant zombie was walking out through the wall like a ghost.

"Ph-Phantom?"

It was a 4th-stage Phantom, an evolved entity of a 3rd-stage Assassin.

A mutant zombie known to lead to annihilation with a high probability if not noticed in advance.

"How... is a Phantom..."

The raider leader, Bae Jong-su, had succeeded in evolving it by feeding it the S-Grade Awakener Jang Seong-ho and about 10 other Awakeners.

However, Jang Ha-young, who didn't know that fact, felt her consciousness fading while wondering how on earth a Phantom could be here.

And.

[You have become a Zombie Queen.]

The third Zombie Queen was born.

"Hm?"

The raider leader, Bae Jong-su, looked at his zombies suddenly moving on their own.

It was the first time they had moved like this without him ordering them, so he expressed his confusion and immediately gave an order.

"Where are you going? Stay still."

But even at that command, the zombies didn't care and headed toward where the Sea Guardian group was.

"..."

Only then did Bae Jong-su grasp the seriousness of the situation and immediately opened the gallery to contact the person who had infiltrated inside.

<Zombie Master(Me): Did something happen over there?>

<Elite Scout: No? As planned, I infected them with the Phantom's blood and killed the person who came looking for Yang Woo-jin.>

<Zombie Master(Me): So nothing special happened?>

<Elite Scout: Not yet. But why?>

<Zombie Master(Me): It's nothing. Keep up the good work.>

Bae Jong-su replied that it was nothing and ended the 1:1 conversation.

Then, he abandoned even the raiders who were with him, snuck out alone, and got as far away from the Busan group as possible.

Gwoooooh...

Fortunately for Bae Jong-su, the zombies that received the 'Gather' command didn't persistently chase Bae Jong-su and just headed toward the Sea Guardian group.