As I run, I see a two-story building that looks like it might hold up for a while. I go inside, stay on the damaged staircase, and slowly climb up while continuing to slash zombies nonstop.
"Damn it. I'm Dan Helsing, zombie hunter," I say to myself, remembering that Lila said she seemed to hate these guys. Now they're the second most hated creatures after goblins.
Cut!
Cut!
The staircase seems close to collapsing. I climb to the second floor and see a broken window nearby. I stay close to it. If I have to jump, I'll do it before the building collapses.
[You have killed a 2-skull monster: +0.18]
[You have killed an F-rank human: +0.05]
[You have killed an F-rank human: +0.06]
[You have killed a 1-skull monster: +0.06]
[You have killed an F-rank human: +0.05]
The minutes tick by, and with my hunter's senses, I perceive even the slightest changes in my surroundings. I instill fear in my body and jump out the window.
I roll as I fall from the second floor of the building that collapses behind me. The decision to instill fear in my body was the right one.
I start running again. Less than half of the zombies that were following me are left. I have killed hundreds of zombies, and the buildings have done the rest.
For the first time in a long time, I feel tired again.
Bang!
I was about to ask about my fear points when I heard the shot coming from the direction where Watson is.
"Damn it!" I exclaimed.
"Put half of my fear points into agility and the other half into fear," I instructed the system in my mind and started running toward the buildings.
[Agility: increased from 35.61 to 46.52]
[Fear: increased from 45.5 to 56.41]
Bang!
[You have killed a monster with 1 skull: +0.03]
[You have killed a human of rank F: +0.037]
[You have killed a human of rank F: +0.03]
I smile, and after hearing the second shot and seeing the notifications, I think, "That damn Watson wants to live."
My speed increases and I easily dodge the debris, most of the zombies left behind. I instill fear in my body and my speed increases even more.
Bang!
[You killed a rank F human: +0.03]
[You have killed an F-rank human: +0.038]
I hear a third shot, enter the building, and attack the zombies around the basement entrance.
Cut!
Cut!
...
More than 10 zombie heads roll across the floor, and at the entrance to the basement, bodies torn apart by bullets are visible. Since there is no door, I shout:
-Three! Two! Three! Don't shoot, damn it.
I enter the basement and see Watson in a corner, his hands shaking and the skin on his right hand peeling off. On the floor lies the female zombie who caused us so many problems, now with a large hole in her stomach.
-I want to live... please... don't kill me... I'm sorry.
Cut!
[You have killed a 3-skull monster: +0.50]
[Kill 10 3-skull monsters (2/10): +5 to all attributes]
-Bitch! -I exclaim.
"She surrounds us with hundreds of zombies and asks for forgiveness," I think as I walk over to Watson, pick up Scarlet Rose, and sheathe it.
-How are your hands? -I ask when I see that Watson's hands are shaking due to the tension generated in his hand muscles with each shot.
-I won't be able to draw for a while. -he tells me in a nervous voice.
I laugh because the comment is hilarious. I approach the zombie woman's body and extract her core.
Then I put it in Watson's backpack and say to him:
-Just carry the backpack, you practically killed a 3-skull monster.
He nods and we quickly leave the basement. It's past noon. It's around 3 p.m. We enter a small, dilapidated building with a roll-up door.
We lift it very carefully, go inside, and stay there to rest.
In the distance, in different places, I sometimes hear explosions or the sounds of battle.
Watson takes a bottle of water out of his backpack with his good hand and throws it to me.
I catch the bottle of water, drink half of it, and put the rest in my backpack.
-It's been a hellish day. -I murmur.
I do some stretching to prevent my muscles from tensing up and then aching, although with the fear that absorbs and strengthens our bodies and qualities, it may not be necessary; but it's good to keep up the old, good habits.
Several minutes later, I sit down and lean against a wall, then say to Watson:
-Wake me up if you hear anything in the vicinity.
He nods, and I close my eyes for a while.
••••
When I wake up, it is already night.
Watson has bandaged his left hand.
-It's your turn, get some rest. -I tell him.
He lies down on the floor, covers himself with his blanket, and sleeps.
I remain alert. A lot has happened, even though I have avoided the greatest dangers as much as possible.
When I feel I have recovered enough, I load a bullet into Scarlet Rose and holster it again.
"That's three bullets," I say to myself.
I keep my senses focused on my surroundings, as we are not currently in a safe place.
Everything seems quiet around us. The hours pass, and Watson wakes up just as the terrifying hours are about to begin.
It is 10 minutes before midnight, and we can hear the explosions caused by the attacks coming and going in the midst of a battle not far away.
I sharpen my senses, and I can hear the desperate cries, the cries of courage, and the sinister laughter of the Smilers. However, I quickly restrain my sharpened senses. And with my index finger, I tell Watson to be quiet.
In the distance, I hear the sound of horses' hooves approaching.
It must be that specter again.