Boom!
Aron's foot slammed into the ground, leaving a small dent as he launched forward. His target, the truck, had already sped up, and the zombies that were starting to lose their grip on it suddenly sensed fresh meat approaching.
They abandoned the vehicle and turned toward him.
But Aron didn't care. His chilling gaze was locked only on the truck.
Without hesitation, he ran straight into the horde.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Blood, gore, and severed limbs flew into the sky as Aron's speed never faltered.
[Level 7 zombie killed. +1 EXP.]
[Level 6 zombie killed. +1 EXP.]
[Level 8 zombie killed. +1 EXP.]
[...]
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Notifications kept ringing in his ears one after another.
Even so, the truck remained just a bit faster, slowly widening the gap between them.
Aron narrowed his eyes. Mid-sprint, he grabbed a zombie by the neck. With strength drawn from his entire body, he hurled it like a bullet toward the truck.
Whoosh! Boom! Shatter!
The zombie smashed into the windshield, shattering glass and seriously injuring several inside. The truck swerved violently, as if about to crash, but managed to stabilize. Then it sped up even more, pulling farther away from Aron's reach.
[Level 9 Zombie killed. +1 EXP.]
Meanwhile, Aron, still surrounded by zombies, had gained several scratches across his body. For anyone else, that would have spelled certain death. But thanks to his immunity, infection was impossible.
He ignored the wounds. His eyes, cold and murderous, remained fixed on the truck. Blood flew into the air with each kill, his notifications stacking endlessly: +1 EXP, +1 EXP, +1 EXP…
Suddenly, his gaze shifted. Instead of the truck, he darted toward a nearby building. His legs coiled like springs as he leapt upward, grabbing onto a window frame before pulling and shooting himself to the rooftop.
The zombies below growled and reached for him, unable to climb.
Standing on the roof, his entire body drenched in zombie blood, Aron looked nothing like a human. His eyes, however, remained locked on the truck fading into the distance.
[Level Up! +1]
****
Host Info
Name: Aron
Level: 11
EXP: 196 / 200
Rank: Ascender
Lifespan: 172 years
Mana: 1600 / 1600
****
"Even God himself can't save you from me," Aron muttered coldly, his eyes following the truck.
Without breaking focus, he began running across the rooftops, his gaze never once leaving his target.
⎡Inside the Truck⎦
With great effort, the survivors managed to throw the zombie corpse out of the car.
The driver and the person in the front passenger seat escaped with only minor cuts from shattered glass, but the four sitting in the back were grievously wounded and losing blood fast.
Among them was Mateo, the only one with the least injuries. He was bound and shoved onto the floor, with the others pressing their legs on top of him like he was some kind of animal.
Mateo couldn't help but feel bitter.
When the apocalypse began, he had been thrilled to receive his second notification. His joy didn't last long, though, because the ability he awakened turned out to be support-type.
Still, he hadn't been disheartened. After all, it was a strong support ability with many potential uses. He had dreamed of how colorful his life would become.
But reality came crashing down the moment zombies started appearing. He had hidden like a rat, surviving quietly, until three days ago, when he finally gathered the courage to venture out. With the help of his ability, he maneuvered through the city unarmed and eventually stumbled upon other survivors.
Joy had filled him then. He thought they would welcome him. He thought that, as an awakened, they would treat him well, maybe even with respect.
Looking back now, Mateo could only sigh at how naïve he had been.
Instead of worship, he had been stamped like a product and made a slave. After days of hard labor and inhumane treatment, he found a chance to escape, only to be captured again.
Now, bound like a dog, he was being dragged back.
The truck finally came to a stop. Two men approached and peered inside.
"Show," one of them ordered.
The passengers all lifted their arms, revealing the branded symbol burned into their flesh. The man nodded and signaled. Guards searched the vehicle before allowing it through.
The driver quickly explained what had happened.
The man who inspected them listened, then gave a satisfied nod. "The boss will be pleased when he comes back."
He even smiled as he gave Mateo a hot slap across the face before waving them forward.
All around, guards patrolled wooden towers with guns at the ready. Soldiers below carried weapons, keeping the base tightly secured as the truck entered.
At that exact moment, Aron finally arrived at the shelter's perimeter.
His entire body radiated a murderous aura, intensified by the layers of dried blood covering him from head to toe.
As the truck disappeared inside, he leapt down from the rooftop and walked leisurely toward the settlement's gates.
Every step he took dripped with menace.