'Odd... why am I still... conscious?'
Erick mumbled, feeling his hands twitch, still being able to move and control, which meant his hand wasn't buried with him.
But it still didn't explain the situation; he was already bitten.
And not just once, but multiple times.
He should have turned already, but he's still here.
'Enough with the thinking... if I'm alive... then I'll continue living! Infected or not!'
He tried moving his entire body this time, feeling the heavy concrete weighing on him, but it oddly felt like nothing.
Like, pain wasn't even a factor in being buried alive.
As he squirmed, he could hear the faint sounds of small rocks falling, which meant he was working, albeit very slightly.
But it was still progress, and with him now feeling strangely energetic and experiencing painless sensations, his urge to live was even greater.
"HMPPH!"
He grunted, continuing his ministrations for hours. He spent the entire night like that, slowly making his way out of the rubble.
Squirming like a worm desperate to survive, at this point, he developed a theory that he may be immune to zombification. After all, why was he still sane after hours of squirming?
'Is it a hidden ability or something...? I heard it existed from rumours.'
He thought as he continued, but now he finally saw the light.
The sun's rise, finally giving light in the dark rubble, using it as a guide to find the exit.
RUMBLE.
Rocks exploded outward as Erick found a small opening, managing to break free from an entire building burying him alive with zombies.
But instead of relief, he faced shock, looking at his skin in surprise.
"W-what!?"
He fell to the floor, looking at his pale and sickly skin, similar to that of a zombie, but... that couldn't be it.
He was still sane.
"I-im... im a zombie... yet..."
Erick bit his lower lip, clenching his fist as he looked straight at the sky, seeing small indescribable tentacles squirming, a fallen god slain years ago by a hunting party.
It made a disgusting contrast to the sun's rising light, but Erick was used to it, years after the apocalypse made sure you did.
'I guess I'm a sane zombie...'
Erick let out a disappointed laugh. He was right then; he truly was immune, but his immunity was different from what he had expected.
His immunity only meant that he would stay sane, not prevent himself from being a zombie.
"Let's think of the benefits... don't need to eat... overall stronger... and... invisible to zombies."
He muttered the last word, seeing a zombie from a few steps ahead blatantly ignoring him, shambling along the ruined streets.
"That reminds me... I wonder what my system says now..."
[Erick M. Matthews]
[Boon: Vermin]
Str: 6
Dex: 2
End: ??? (The Undead Require No Stamina)
Int: 1 (Your Race Lowers Your Mana)
[Skills]
- Sane Undead (Unique): You are one in a trillion, an anomaly, information unknown.
- Aiming (Lvl 4)
'I lost my old ability for something unique, and now I have unlimited stamina?'
Erick stood up, stretching his limbs as he looked around. He had gathered all the information he needed for now; wasting more time in contemplating his situation would only mean death after all.
But as he looked at his body, it was definitely worse for wear, with his entire stomach area having a huge hole in it.
[!]
A sudden marker appeared on top of the previous shambling zombie; it meant a quest, one that is usually granted to top-tier boons.
This was Erick's first time seeing one, and it made him strangely excited.
It meant... despite his now lacking humanity... it was somehow an upgrade?
'View Quest.'
[Kill and Eat The Zombie]
[Rewards: Passive Healing]
Erick physically gagged at the quest, seeing the conditions it required for completing, but... it wasn't the worst thing he had done.
He had to resort to eating rats years ago after all, and now that he's undead... hopefully that meant his taste buds were also out of the picture.
"I'll just eat him with my eyes closed..."
Erick instinctively tried to grab for his knife, but obviously, it wasn't there, buried along with the rest of his gear.
"Damn it..."
But he thought about it more, the undead don't really fight each other, even in a horde situation where their limbs hit each other's heads.
Basically... it was a free kill, and with his now superior undead strength, it should be a breeze.
THUD.
Erick punched the back of the zombie's head, causing it to fall over, but it was still alive.
And as expected.
It didn't even care.
SPLAT!
Erick finished it off by stepping on its head, feeling slightly disgusted at the feeling, he wasn't new to killing undead, but then again... he had to eat this one.
"Bottom's up, I guess."
He tore the corpse's arm, placing it close to his mouth. Surprisingly, the smell didn't disgust him; his new undead nature had made him desensitized to its scent.
And it made him smile slightly; it meant it should also apply to taste.
CRUNCH.
He took a bite, and it was... bland.
"Tastes like stale bread."
[Completed]
[Kill and Eat The Zombie]
[Rewards: Passive Healing]