The smell of food filled the air, making Dean's stomach growl, reminding him he hadn't eaten in hours since he had been asleep all that time.
Upon seeing his master awake, the skeleton stepped aside from his guard position, giving way for him to go to the pharmacy's main room, where the others were gathered.
"Ah, you're awake, Dean!" Clara jumped a little when she saw him arriving.
"You've been sleeping for hours, we were starting to get worried," Mila said while stirring the food over the fire.
Leo nodded in agreement as he looked at Dean.
"You seem different from yesterday, but I can't quite tell what it is."
Clara, hearing that, looked directly at Dean and scanned him for a few seconds. Her face flushed slightly.
"Did your muscles… get bigger?"
That question was supposed to stay in her head, but somehow, it slipped out.
Mila and Leo looked at their friend, who was now blushing as red as a tomato.
"Haha, you're right. It's all thanks to the system. Everything now works like a game," Dean said, scratching his head.
Among the three, Mila and Leo were the most skeptical about the system, struggling to grasp that their lives had turned into some kind of game. But after seeing the changes in Dean's body, they were starting to believe—it was impossible for muscles to grow that much overnight.
"I wonder why there are so few zombies in this area. Did something big happen here?"
Hearing Dean's question, Leo sighed and began to explain what had happened the night before.
"An army helicopter flew by, drawing a massive horde of zombies. We barely had time to hide inside the pharmacy. Then some kind of giant bird attacked and brought it down, causing a huge explosion. Since then, the zombies all moved in that direction."
Dean listened closely to every detail. He wasn't surprised about the giant bird—what really intrigued him was how strong those monsters were.
His mind drifted to how much EXP he could earn by killing one of those… and how amazing it would be to tame a flying monster.
"Which direction did they go?" Dean asked after entertaining some insane thoughts.
"North," Mila answered, joining the conversation.
"Alright, thanks. I'm planning to head that way. I wanted to know if you guys are coming or staying here. I'm going to check if I can find a safer place."
Dean looked at the three, waiting for their reactions.
The atmosphere grew tense for a moment. Mila stopped stirring the food and stared at Dean with an uncertain expression, while Leo furrowed his brow, weighing his options. Clara, on the other hand, lowered her eyes, clearly worried.
"You just woke up, and you already want to head out? Alone?" Clara was the first to speak, her voice low but full of emotion.
"I get your concern, but if we want to survive long-term, we need somewhere safer than this pharmacy. It won't hold if another horde comes through," Dean replied firmly, yet calmly.
"Even so…" she started, but couldn't finish. The memory of the exploding helicopter and the muffled zombie screams still echoed in her mind.
"If you're going, I'm coming too," Leo suddenly said, standing up.
"I'm not as strong as you, but I'm good with maps. I can navigate well, and that might help."
Mila's eyes widened. "Are you crazy? What if we run into another one of those birds? Or worse?"
Dean looked at Leo, impressed by the initiative. It was a surprising change from someone who had seemed more inclined to hide than face the outside dangers.
"I… I want to go too," Clara said, her voice a little shaky but determined. "I don't know how to use magic yet, but… I don't want to just wait around. I want to learn, fight… help."
Dean's eyes locked with hers for a moment. He saw the determination behind her fear, and it touched him in an unexpected way. Part of him wanted to shield her from the cruel world, but another part knew she needed to grow stronger herself.
"Then it's just you left, Mila," Dean said, turning to her.
She huffed, clearly frustrated. "I should say you're all insane… But if I stay here alone, I'll just be dead weight. Damn it… Alright, I'm coming too. But if I die, I'm haunting all of you."
The group laughed softly, breaking some of the tension in the air.
Dean stood up fully and grabbed the Viper Tactical Bow leaning near the door. His eyes gleamed with a spark of excitement, as if hunting giant monsters was a fun hobby. Maybe it was.
"Eat and get ready. We leave in a few hours," he said, grabbing his own plate of food and sitting near a window.
Meanwhile, in the northern horizon, a massive shadow crossed the sky, letting out a beastly roar that made even the dead go silent for a moment.
…
Hours passed, and Dean was finally ready to begin his new journey. As he unblocked the entrance, a harsh sun, smoke, and the smell of blood welcomed him.
Inside the pharmacy, Clara, Mila, and Leo were finishing their preparations. Each had makeshift backpacks and whatever supplies they had managed to gather in the past few days: food, some medicine, bottles of water, and basic tools.
Dean adjusted the strap of his bow and checked his equipment:
Viper Tactical Bow [Uncommon]
Viking Axe [Uncommon]
Silent Heart Arrow [Rare Skill]
2x Minor Healing Potion
4 Free Attribute Points (unassigned)
He hadn't yet decided where to invest the points. He knew he needed to be ready for anything.
"Everyone ready?" he asked seriously.
"Kind of…" Mila replied, tying her hair into a ponytail. "Still waiting for courage to rise from my soul."
Leo smiled, trying to ease the tension. "If it doesn't rise, adrenaline will push it."
Clara just nodded, clutching the hem of her shirt. Her eyes met Dean's briefly, and she gave a faint but genuine smile.
The skeleton, silent as always, suddenly appeared, marching to Dean's side like a loyal shadow. The purple flames in its eyes seemed more intense that morning.
Cautiously, the group left the pharmacy. The streets were too quiet. Abandoned cars, shattered glass, dried blood stains on walls and sidewalks. It was a warzone without victors.
Dean led the way, followed closely by the skeleton. Clara came next, watching the surroundings carefully. Mila and Leo guarded the rear.
As they advanced north, Dean felt something strange in the air. A slight pressure… as if they were being watched.
After nearly an hour walking through narrow streets and silent alleys, they stopped to rest near an abandoned park. The place was covered in dry leaves, with rusted playground equipment and toppled benches.
That's when they heard it.
Clack... Clack... Clack...
Steps. But not zombies. Firm… coordinated footsteps.
Dean raised his fist, signaling for silence. The group crouched immediately, hiding behind a broken wall. The skeleton stayed still, like just another forgotten corpse.
From behind a fallen truck, four figures emerged. But they weren't human… nor regular zombies.
These creatures were humanoid in shape, but their bodies were a grotesque fusion of metal and flesh. Long, crooked legs. Arms ending in rusted blades. Red glowing eyes beneath cracked helmets. And in their chests… something was pulsating.
[Alert: New species detected – Medium Class]
Name: Mechazombie Soldier
Description: Zombies reinforced with remnants of military tech. Low tactical intelligence, but coordinated behavior. Extremely resistant to normal bullets.
Dean felt a chill down his spine. These weren't just zombies. They were evolutions. Experiments… or worse, fusions. And they were right in their path to the north.
"I think we just found the reason there are so few zombies around here…" Dean whispered.
Clara looked at him, pale. "What are we going to do?"
Dean scanned the scene. The four soldiers were patrolling—two of them coming straight toward them.
He looked at the skeleton, then at Clara.
"Let's test something. If it goes wrong, run."
Before anyone could protest, Dean stood and drew a regular arrow.
Twang!
The arrow sliced through the air and hit one of the Mechazombies in the neck. The creature let out a metallic growl and turned violently. Its red eyes glowed brighter.
All four began charging toward them.
"Now!" Dean shouted.
The skeleton dashed forward, sword in hand, clashing with the first enemy. The impact was loud—metal versus bone. The zombie's blades hit the skeleton, but it didn't flinch.
Clara instinctively raised her hand. A blue spark flickered between her fingers, but… nothing happened.
"Damn it!" she muttered.
Dean ran beside the skeleton and activated his skill.
[Silent Heart Arrow – Activated]
The arrow flew with a dark, cold aura. The moment it touched the Mechazombie's chest, time seemed to freeze for a second. It pierced through the improvised armor and struck the pulsing core.
The creature fell instantly, lifeless.
"Aim for the chest! That's their core!" Dean shouted.
Leo, wielding a metal rod, tried to protect Mila as another Mechazombie charged. But the creature was fast—much faster than it looked.
"Dean!" Clara cried out, seeing Leo in danger.
Dean didn't hesitate. He fired a regular arrow, hitting the creature's leg and making it stumble.
Just enough time for the skeleton to decapitate another one.
Two left. One jumped on Dean, pinning him down.
Clara screamed and ran forward, grabbing a rock from the ground and hitting the zombie's head, distracting it for a moment.
Just enough for Dean to drive an arrow straight into its chest.
The last creature hesitated. It looked around… and backed off, limping away.
Dean got up, sweaty and out of breath.
"Clara… you saved me," he said, surprised.
She nodded, eyes wide. "I wasn't going to let you die."
He smiled. And this time, it wasn't a forced one.
You defeated: 3x Mechazombie – Level 4
Your monster defeated: 1x Mechazombie – Level 4
EXP gained (skeleton): 20
EXP gained (Dean): 140
You reached Level 6
Dean took a deep breath. The monsters were evolving.
"You guys need to be able to defend yourselves. Let's find some low-level zombies for you to kill."