The zombie's head exploded as Fin channeled mana through his blade. Green fluid splattered across the broken concrete, and he quickly stepped back to avoid the spray. He learned the hard way that whatever infected these creatures was best avoided.
"That's fifteen today," he muttered, wiping his dagger on a cleaner part of his torn suit. What had once been expensive fabric was now a collection of rips and stains, barely resembling the outfit Juna had bought him.
Hunting the zombies was becoming easier. Three days inside this dungeon had taught him their patterns—how they moved, how they attacked, and most importantly, how they died.
The vines wrapped around their bodies were the key. Cut those, and the creatures dropped like puppets with severed strings.
But still no sign of Mara or any other Guild members. Just corpses of hunters he didn't recognize, torn apart and half-eaten. The thought that Mara might already be dead kept surfacing, but he pushed it down.
He approached a large building that rose above the others, its facade less damaged than the rest. He glanced behind to ensure no zombies followed, then focused mana into his legs—a technique he'd been practicing since that desperate leap across the bridge.
The energy flowed like liquid fire through his muscles, and he crouched slightly before launching himself upward. The jump carried him easily to the roof, where he landed softly, controlling his descent with precision he hadn't possessed days ago.
"Getting better," he said, allowing himself a small smile. His control was improving. Not just in his jumps, but in how he channeled mana throughout his body.
From this vantage point, he scanned the ruined city. The buildings stretched for miles in every direction, but he wasn't exploring blindly anymore. Since yesterday, he'd been following a sensation—a pull of mana coming from the northeast section of the city. It was faint but distinct, like hearing a whisper in a noisy room.
"That way," he said, pointing toward the tallest structure in the distance—a massive tower reaching toward the gray sky. The pull was strongest there.
He also noticed something concerning: the zombies were more numerous in that direction. Every block he advanced, their numbers increased.
"Great. Just my luck."
He began moving again, jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Each leap carried him further than the last, his confidence growing with every successful landing. The mana flow was becoming more natural, requiring less concentration.
As he neared the denser part of the city, movement below caught his eye. He stopped, crouching at the edge of a roof to observe.
In a small plaza between buildings, a girl was surrounded by zombies. She fought with a short sword, her movements precise but weakening. Blood soaked her left side, and her attacks were slowing. Six zombies circled her, waiting for an opening.
Fin gripped his dagger tighter, mind racing. Should he help? The smart move would be to continue toward the tower, avoid unnecessary risk. But if she died...
"Damn it," he growled, making his decision.
He didn't have time to plan. The woman stumbled, and two zombies lunged at her exposed back. Fin launched himself from the roof, channeling mana into his blade as he fell.
He struck the first zombie before his feet touched the ground, separating its head from its body. The second one turned, but too slowly—his dagger sliced through the vines at its neck, dropping it instantly.
"Run!" he shouted at the girl, preparing to fight the remaining four.
But something strange happened. Instead of attacking, the zombies hesitated. One of them grabbed the injured girl, hoisting her over its shoulder. Before Fin could react, they were running—not shambling, but sprinting away, carrying the girl with them.
"What the hell? They never did that before."
Without thinking, he gave chase, pushing more mana into his legs to increase his speed. The zombies were fast, but he was faster. Within seconds, he closed the distance to the one carrying the girl.
He struck hard and precise, cutting through the vines at the base of its skull. The zombie collapsed, and Fin caught the girl before she hit the ground. The other zombies noticed and changed direction, rushing toward him.
"Not today," he muttered, scooping the unconscious girl into his arms. With another burst of mana-enhanced speed, he took off running, quickly outdistancing his pursuers.
They kept coming, but they couldn't match his pace. After several blocks, their sounds faded behind him. He ducked into a building with intact walls and a defensible doorway, then carefully set the girl down to check her wounds.
The room was dusty but secure, with only one entrance he could easily defend. His eyes scanned for immediate threats before turning his attention to her.
Blood soaked her side, but as he examined the wound, he froze. Thin green vines pulsed beneath her skin around the injury, similar to the ones controlling the zombies. Yet unlike them, the infection seemed contained, not spreading across her entire body.
"How is this possible?" he whispered.
He'd seen what happened to people infected by those vines. Those dead hunters turned mindless within minutes, becoming just another zombie. But this girl showed no other symptoms—her breathing was steady, her skin normal except for that one area.
His hand moved to his dagger. The smart choice was clear: kill her before she turned. One less zombie to deal with later.
He placed his fingers on her forehead, ready to channel mana through her brain and end it quickly. It would be merciful, at least.
Just as he began gathering energy, her eyes snapped open.
"Get away from me!" she screamed, lashing out with surprising strength.
Her fist connected with his jaw, sending him stumbling backward. She scrambled to her feet, grabbing a broken piece of metal from the floor and brandishing it like a weapon.
"Stay back!" Her eyes darted around wildly. "Where am I? What have you done to me?"
Fin raised his hands. "Calm down. I saved you from those things out there."
"Saved me?" She laughed, harsh and bitter. "Is that why you were about to kill me?"
"I..." He hesitated. "You're infected. Look at your side."
She glanced down at her wound, then back at him with narrowed eyes. "I know what I am."
This caught him off guard. "You know? How are you still... you?"
"That's none of your business." She backed toward the door, still holding her makeshift weapon. "Thanks for the rescue, I guess. Now I'm leaving."
"Wait," he said, stepping forward. "It's not safe out there. Those zombies were taking you somewhere. They weren't trying to eat you like the others."
This made her pause. "What do you mean?"
"They grabbed you and ran. I've been in this dungeon for days, and I've never seen them do that before."
She lowered her weapon slightly. "Who are you? Dungeon? what are you talking about?"
"Uh, huh?" He was confused, processing her words.