Without delay, the zombie attacked again. Roaring, she shot forward like a cannon ball which Leon narrowly dodged to avoid crushed ribs.
Her body crashed into a nearby piller which instantly crumbled.
Growling, she got on all fours and prowled towards him.
"Unintelligent."
Leon flipped over her charging figure while his eyes scanned for any opening on her silver-armored skin.
'None yet.'
Leon ducked under another blow while he swept her off her feet with a kick. Before she could land, his boots struck her head, pushing it further into the concrete pavement.
As expected, the zombie reacted quickly. Her claws lashed out at his leg, drawing blood.
Leon didn't even flinch, his face impassive. Instead, he simply brought the other leg up and stomped on her face again.
Bang!
A pained cry was elicited from the female zombie as she struggled to pull herself out of the ground.
"Incompetent."
Leon scowled. Although the zombie's defense and claws were strong, it didn't know how to utilize them well. If it had been more intelligent, he would have had at least more than ten fatal injuries on him.
With his bare hand, he grabbed her hair and pulled her out of the ground only to smack her into the ground again.
"Ah!"
Hurt and confused, the zombie scrambled to her feet and ran from him. Leon stood frozen.
It ran?!
"Wise choice but pathetic."
He didn't dilly-dally. Picking up his katanas, he eagerly chased after the zombie.
Although Leon was fast, the Second Level Zombie was faster. And he soon came to realize this fact that chasing it was rather unfruitful.
'I need to make it think I'm vulnerable.'
Suddenly, Leon collapsed, his body convulsing. The female zombie paused, then stared at him in confusion.
Why was the creature chasing her suddenly shaking on the ground? After a bit of thinking, she realized. It must have been the venom in her claws. He was probably going to turn into her kind soon. Although she was wary, her intelligence didn't account for deception.
Grinning, she walked over, ready to watch him transform then eat him. Suddenly though, the creature's hand shot forward and clamped around her throat.
Surprise flickered in her eyes as her mouth involuntarily opened. Before she could even react, Leon's hand went into her mouth with his hunting knife.
Spurt!
Realizing something had stabbed her throat, the zombie bit down on his arm wildly.
Leon's gaze remained focused. With surgical precision, he sliced her innards cleanly, then stabbed up towards her brain.
After a little bit of resistance, the skull cracked and allowed the modified blade in.
A heartbeat later, the zombie stopped struggling, her body growing limp. Leon calmly removed his bloodied arm, his own flesh mangled beyond recognition.
Dropping the hunting knife, he watched as the wound slowly knitted, healing at an inhuman pace. Thanks to being a zombie, he could heal his own injuries very quickly—at least compared to humans.
With his other hand, he dug out her essence crystal and stored it away. Staring at her body, his tongue licked his lips in anticipation.
The rest was history.
With his teeth becoming canines, he easily devoured her flesh which had grown softer and easier to consume. He didn't leave any single part behind and ensured he consumed everything her body had.
By the time he was done, all his injuries had healed.
Stretching his arms, he smiled in excitement.
"More to come."
He could feel it. Energy coursed through his veins as his body throbbed with newfound strength. The yellow tint on his crystal had spread, signifying his advance towards evolution.
"Still... there's something different."
He stared at his arms curiously. Beneath his smooth skin, he saw a pale silver sheen reflecting slightly in the sun.
"I have inherited her attribute?"
He smirked, amused. That was definitely a surprise. Although he didn't know why this happened, it was definitely not an unpleasant thing.
With the day still young, he proceeded to look for more Second Level Creatures.
.....
"Hah!"
Cassie panted as she struck down two zombies simultaneously, her face dripping with sweat. Behind her, Old Pipe, Ice, and Shadow watched grimly.
"Isn't that too intense? She's killed like fifty zombies already." Shadow whispered, eyes darting towards Anna's figure that stood quietly in the distance.
"If this is the training she's giving someone, I can't imagine what training she went through." Ice commented, her blue eyes filled with curiosity.
At that moment, Anna turned to them silently, her expression blank. Yet, Ice had a feeling she was saying "wanna give it a try?"
Shivering softly, Ice averted her gaze, then turned to Old Pipe.
"We also need to grow. Experience is the best teacher." Old Pipe smirked, then slammed his hammer to the ground—attracting nearby zombies.
"Come!"
He bellowed heartily, then charged at the gathering zombies.
Anna watched the whole thing from afar, feeling a bit empty. Still, her eyes showed a hint of approval as she silently commended the old man's actions.
'In this world, weakness is a sin.'
She sighed, then shifted her gaze to Cassie. After studying her for some time, she realized Cassie had a large amount of potential. The girl had greatly improved since yesterday and was now able to face a mini horde without panicking.
As she continued to watch, Anna's senses suddenly picked up on an unusual aura among the zombies. Her eyes sharpened instantly, and her sword moved according to her will.
CLANG!
As expected, the sneaky zombie blocked her attack, though it blew its cover. Snarling, it lunged at Cassie who was still unaware.
Before it could reach her though, Anna intercepted its path.
'It's a Second Level zombie. Yet...'
Her eyes narrowed as she watched the zombie pause and growl at her.
'It looks quite normal. Intelligent though.'
She thought as she ran forward and attacked. By now, the others had understood the situation and paid some attention to the confrontation. After all, Anna was finally facing a Second Level zombie again.