The Awakened Zombie Who Got Hard for Mother and Daughter

Hwaek! Hwaeek!!

"What the hell is this feeling?! A zombie? An Awakened?!"

Geum Tae-yang snapped his head forward — and Kim Min-jung and Park A-young immediately followed his gaze.

All three of them currently possessed the Mana Detection trait. They also held the Heightened Senses trait. Against ordinary zombies, Heightened Senses usually fired first, triggered by that distinctive, rotting presence. Against Awakeners, Mana Detection was the one that reacted.

The reason all three of them were staring ahead without being able to pin down what they were dealing with was simple: both traits were firing at once, tangled together in a single confused surge.

"Holy shit…"

Tae-yang, the first to get a clear look at the unknown presence, wore an expression of pure, stunned disbelief.

"Sung Gap… yong?????"

The identity of that unknown presence was none other than Sung Gap-yong.

"But Tae-yang… that form he's in — that's a zombie, right? Isn't it?"

Kim Min-jung's eyes, too, confirmed what had left all three of them wide-eyed. The figure's appearance was unmistakably Sung Gap-yong. But what stood before them seemed to mean far more than simply the fact that he was the owner of this house.

She took a careful step closer to Tae-yang, her eyes serious as she pointed toward Sung Gap-yong, and spoke in a low voice. The word that left her lips was zombie.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr…!

Just as she said, the thing wearing Sung Gap-yong's face was pouring out bestial sounds. Pale skin webbed with purple veins. Bite marks and rotting flesh scattered across his body. And those eyes — pupils completely gone. Every inch of him was pure zombie.

"Yeah. The exterior is definitely a zombie, Ajumma… but the mana energy coming off Sung Gap-yong… that's unmistakably an Awakener's mana."

Tae-yang relayed to Kim Min-jung the real reason all three of their identification traits had fired simultaneously.

"That bastard is an Awakened Zombie."

Sung Gap-yong had been infected by the zombie virus while already Awakened — and the zombification had taken hold on top of it.

"Oh my god…! An Awakened Zombie???"

"Hah… so he shows up as a real pain in the ass. Sung Gap-yong… fuck…"

Hearing Tae-yang's words, Kim Min-jung and Park A-young each registered their shock in their own way.

So that Special Quest the Status Window handed me — protect your family from an unknown opponent — it was talking about Sung Gap-yong as an Awakened Zombie…

Just like that, Tae-yang understood the background of the Special Quest that had been suddenly thrust upon him.

"Grrrrrrrrrrrr…! Grrrrrrrrrr…!"

Sung Gap-yong, now a mutant zombie, seemed to have registered the three of them as well. His gaze locked in place, and he stopped advancing — holding position at roughly twenty-five meters out.

The presence on this thing is something else… The eyes have no pupils, just like a regular zombie, but looking at the way he holds his head and everything else, his target recognition is clearly on another level.

Tae-yang studied him and immediately began sizing up the enemy. He was already in combat readiness.

If becoming a zombie had weakened or wiped out his Awakened abilities, the Status Window wouldn't have bothered handing me a Special Quest. The fact is, I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠can still feel a solid amount of mana rolling off him continuously.

Outwardly, he wasn't that different from a regular zombie. But compared to the Sung Gap-yong from before, his physicality itself felt distinctly improved. That was the Awakening's influence.

But that doesn't have to be purely bad news.

A formidable opponent with an Awakener's abilities — yet if you shifted the perspective just slightly, there was a point Tae-yang's side could exploit.

"Awakener Scan."

Namely: there was a strong chance that Awakener Scan would work on Awakened Zombie Sung Gap-yong.

Tae-yang activated Awakener Scan at once.

Ohho! Just as I thought!!

Exactly as Tae-yang had predicted, Sung Gap-yong — a zombie still radiating an Awakener's mana energy — was a valid target for the Awakener Scan skill.

Hmm… same class as Yu-mi. The difference is his awakening reason is Superior Genes…

Setting aside the satisfaction of a correct prediction, Tae-yang began digesting the scanned information on Sung Gap-yong.

Matchup-wise, Enhanced Human is a close-range class, so I've got a real advantage… but there's a variable here…

The moment he learned Sung Gap-yong's class was Enhanced Human, Tae-yang had reason to welcome it. With Transcendent Footwork and his projected iron pipe alone, he already held the high ground against a pure close-range Enhanced Human. On top of that, he possessed the ranged attack Mana Bullet — making him nearly a hard counter by class matchup.

But one line made him tilt his head slightly.

Warning… so zombification might have given him specific buffs, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠huh…

Honestly, I'm not that worried about the zombie virus itself — I've got confidence in the suit's durability. But ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠predicting what kind of extra buffs this guy might be packing isn't easy…

The Warning entry near the bottom of the scan data had seized Tae-yang's attention.

Tch… looks like I'm going to need to do some probing first.

If the opponent only had standard Enhanced Human stats, Tae-yang already knew every trait of that class through Jo Yu-mi — he could go straight into a full assault. But the Status Window had specifically flagged a Warning, which meant a variable was in play. He felt the need for a reconnaissance fight.

"Park A-young. You scan him with Awakener Scan too?"

Tae-yang asked in a low voice toward A-young behind him. As an Alchemist Magic class, Park A-young — unlike Kim Min-jung — possessed Awakener Scan just like he did.

"Yeah. That's how I confirmed for Mom that Sung Gap-yong really is an Awakened Zombie."

She nodded slowly, deliberately.

"The part about him getting buffs from the zombification is bugging me. I need to figure out what kind of ability that is. It's not just about winning or losing this fight — it'll be a major foundation for piecing together other information too."

Hearing her answer, Tae-yang laid out his plan. Still in a low voice — because he had no idea how sharp an Awakened Zombie Sung Gap-yong's perception actually was.

"So here's the thing, Ajumma. Even if I look like I'm in danger, just watch. And Ajumma — you focus on protecting A-young as much as possible."

Tae-yang dropped into a dash stance, preparing to engage Awakened Zombie Sung Gap-yong. At the same time, he gave advance instructions to Kim Min-jung — the woman who would walk through fire for his safety.

"Alright, Tae-yang. Ajumma trusts her Tae-yang. I'll do exactly as you say."

Kim Min-jung's eyes filled with resolve as she gripped her Supporter staff tightly, answering like a vow.

"Then…"

Tae-yang bent his knees slightly —

and exploded forward with tremendous force, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rocketing toward Awakened Zombie Sung Gap-yong twenty-five meters ahead.

"Be right back!"

After the initial dash, Tae-yang didn't close the distance with long strides. He maintained speed with rapid, short footwork instead.

Let's see how he responds… Does he charge straight in like a zombie… or does he try to probe like a person…

This was an opponent full of variables. The dash style was designed so Tae-yang could react instantly to whatever Awakened Zombie Sung Gap-yong did.

"Grrrrrrrrrrrr…!"

The moment Tae-yang closed to within roughly ten meters, Sung Gap-yong bent his knees — taking a preparatory stance for a sudden movement.

Huh? That stance feels like…???

Tae-yang's eyes went slightly wide as he caught it.

Then Sung Gap-yong moved — fast.

This bastard is cutting sideways????

A full side-step peeling off to the flank. Recognizing the movement a second time, Tae-yang immediately killed his straight-line short-step and stopped dead.

That son of a bitch is targeting Ajumma and A-young!!!!!

His expression turned grim as he whipped his head toward the direction Sung Gap-yong had broken for.

Tae-yang's expectation had been that Sung Gap-yong would either charge head-on like a regular zombie, or — if his cognition was a bit better — recognize Tae-yang's strength and take a defensive posture. But Sung Gap-yong had chosen neither. He was going after Kim Min-jung and Park A-young behind them.

"A-young, get behind Mom! That monster is coming for us!"

The movement was so blatant that Kim Min-jung caught it too. She immediately stepped in front of her daughter, Park A-young.

Kieeeeek!!!

Sung Gap-yong closed on the mother and daughter with agile, rapid motion. Like a beast running along walls — he scrambled across the complex wall structures, trying to shake the Tae-yang who had started chasing him.

Fuck, I can't predict his movements!

In raw speed, Tae-yang was faster. But Sung Gap-yong's motion was so bizarre and unnatural that reading the next action was nearly impossible.

Then eat this, you bastard!!!

Tae-yang thrust his left hand forward and fired his new finishing move — Mana Bullet — straight at Sung Gap-yong.

The Mana Bullet struck Sung Gap-yong's temple dead-on.

Guaaaaargh!!!

Sung Gap-yong tumbled off the wall and crashed to the ground.

"Nice reaction, Ajumma!"

Confirming the hit, Tae-yang repositioned himself between Sung Gap-yong and the mother-daughter pair.

"Grrraaaaaah…!!"

The damage looked substantial, but one Mana Bullet hadn't cracked Sung Gap-yong's skull. He recovered his senses before long and put distance between himself and Tae-yang.

Not just recognition of the opponent right in front of him — he can grasp the entire situation?? That makes this a real headache…

Watching him, and connecting it to that unexpected earlier movement, Tae-yang couldn't hide his astonishment.

"T-Tae-yang!!"

At that moment, Kim Min-jung called out to him.

"Yes! What is it, Ajumma!"

Tae-yang answered while maintaining his wary stance toward Sung Gap-yong. And the words Kim Min-jung whispered to him —

"Sung Gap-yong… that man… I think he's got an erection!!!"

Sung Gap-yong was hard.