Fin's vision cleared just in time to see a zombie charging at him, mouth gaping wide, vines pulsing along its rotting face.
"The fuck?" he yelped, scrambling to his feet. His head still spun and he nearly toppled over, legs shaky.
The zombie lunged, claws out.
He twisted his wobbly body, throwing a wild punch. His fist slammed into its jaw with a crack, sending it flying back into a pile of rubble. He blinked, surprised that actually worked, but there was no time to think.
Chaos erupted around him. Zombies poured from the streets, attacking anything that moved. Hunters fought back—some slashing with swords, others blasting mana—but a few were still dazed, clutching their heads
Those ones didn't last long. A scream cut off as a zombie tore into a fallen Hunter nearby.
Fin scanned the mess for Ken. No sign of him. "Probably helping his team," he muttered, shaking off the dizziness. Then a thought hit him hard ,'Juliana.'
He bolted toward the building where Lena had taken her, weaving through the madness. A zombie swiped at him, and he ducked, barely dodging its claws. Another rushed in, and he swung his dagger, aiming for the vines. The blade hit—and bounced off with a dull clang.
"Damn, these fuckers are tough," he growled, jumping back as the zombie snarled and charged again.
"Dammit, there are too many of them," he thought, spinning mid-air to dodge a glob of acid that hissed as it hit the ground. "That looks painful."
He landed and jumped back, eyes darting around. The street was a wall of zombies—snarling, clawing, relentless. No way through without getting torn apart. The other Hunters were locked in their own fights, too busy to care about Juliana.
"Guess it's just me," he muttered.
He froze as a zombie burst out of the building, Juliana slung over its shoulder like a sack. "For fucking sake," he growled. Mana surged into his legs, hot and sharp, and he leaped—higher, way too high, soaring over the chaos.
The zombie sprinted off with her, weaving through the horde. Fin tracked it from above, eyes locked on its path. Below, the Guildmaster glanced up, spotting him mid-air. She took a step to follow, but a fresh wave of zombies swarmed her, forcing her back into the fight.
'It's like they don't want us interfering, just how important is that girl?' she thought as she sliced off the heads of many zombies.
Fin hit the ground running, determined not to lose sight of Juliana.
"Why am I going through all this shit?" He grumbled, sprinting after the zombie toward the tower. Zombies lunged at him from every angle, but he was getting the hang of dodging—twisting sideways, ducking low, even flipping over one that swiped at his legs.
Then a zombie below chucked a massive rock. It smashed into his side, sending him crashing to the ground.
"FUCK!" he yelled, pain shooting through his ribs. He scrambled up, but the zombie with Juliana was gone, lost in the chaos.
He hesitated, glancing back. "Wanted to save her…" He shook his head. "But I've come this far. No turning back now." The streets ahead looked clearer.
"Guess all the zombies left to fight the Guild," he muttered, starting toward the tower again.
Or so he thought. A hulking zombie burst from an alley, wielding a massive axe, charging straight at him. He smirked, adrenaline kicking in.
"Screw running," he muttered, eyeing the axe-wielding zombie barreling toward him. "One-on-one? Let's dance, big guy." He gripped his dagger, legs buzzing with leftover mana.
The zombie swung its massive axe in a brutal arc. Fin dove to the side, but the edge clipped him, sending him smashing through a crumbling wall. Bricks rained down as he hit the floor inside, coughing up dust.
"Okay, you're strong," he groaned, rolling to his feet. "But I'm not done."
He charged back out, mana flaring in his legs, and leaped—spinning mid-air to slash at the zombie's arm. The blade bit into the vines, green ooze spraying, but the thing didn't flinch.
It roared and swung again, forcing him to duck. The axe cleaved the air above his head, smashing a chunk out of the building behind him.
"Missed me!" He laughed, the bloodrush pumping through him. He darted in close, stabbing at the zombie's chest. The dagger sank in, but the monster grabbed him with its free hand and hurled him across the street.
He slammed into a rusted car, denting the hood, pain exploding in his back.
"Ow, you're a real charmer," he wheezed, pushing up. His suit was shredded now, blood trickling from a cut on his arm. But the sting just fired him up more. "Come on, ugly, let's see what you've got!"
The zombie charged, axe raised high.
Fin rolled forward under the swing, popping up behind it. He slashed at its legs, cutting deep into the vines. It stumbled, growling, and spun faster than he expected, backhanding him into a pile of rubble. He hit hard, tasting blood, but grinned through it.
"Nice one!" he spat, wiping his mouth. "You ever think about joining the Guild? We could use the muscle." The zombie didn't answer—just swung the axe down like it wanted to split him in half.
He kicked off the ground, flipping backward as the blade buried itself in the concrete where he'd been.
He landed on his feet, adrenaline surging. "Too slow!" He poured mana into his dagger, the blade glowing, and rushed in. He feinted left, then darted right, slashing across the zombie's chest.
More vines snapped, and the thing staggered, but it roared and swung wild, catching him with the flat of the axe.
He went flying again, crashing through a window this time. Glass shattered around him as he rolled to a stop inside a dark room.
"Okay, that hurt," he panted, laughing despite the ache. "You're fun, you know that? Bet you're a hit at parties."
The zombie smashed through the wall after him, axe swinging. He ducked and weaved, the room shaking with each miss. He lunged, driving his dagger into its side, twisting it hard.
Green sludge poured out, and the zombie howled, grabbing him by the jacket and slamming him against a pillar. The impact cracked the stone—and maybe a rib—but Fin just laughed louder.
"Keep it coming!" he shouted, blood dripping from his nose. He kicked off the pillar, flipping over the zombie's arm, and landed behind it. With a yell, he stabbed down into its shoulder, severing a thick vine.
The axe arm drooped, weakened, but the zombie spun and headbutted him square in the chest.
He flew back, hitting the floor hard, sliding until he crashed into a pile of debris. Breathing hurt, but the fire in his veins wouldn't quit.
"You're tough," he gasped, staggering up. "But I'm stubborn as hell. Let's go again—talk to me, what's your deal? Boss make you carry that axe?"
The zombie roared, charging with its good arm swinging. He sidestepped, slashing its side, then jumped onto its back, wrapping an arm around its neck.
"Hold still, damn it!" he yelled, stabbing down into its spine. The blade sank deep, and the zombie thrashed, throwing him off. He hit the ground rolling, coming up with a grin.
It swung the axe one-handed now, slower but still deadly. Fin dodged, weaving between strikes, each move sharpening his focus. He slashed its leg, then its chest, then ducked a wild swing to stab its gut.
Green blood soaked the floor, and the zombie's roars grew ragged.
"Getting tired?" He taunted, panting. "I could do this all day!" He leaped again, aiming for the neck this time. The dagger sliced clean through a vine, and the zombie's head jerked. It swung blindly, clipping his shoulder, sending him spinning into a wall. He slid down, bruised and bleeding, but the rush kept him going.
"Alright, big guy," he said, standing shakily. "One more round. Let's make it count."
The zombie lumbered toward him, axe dragging, vines dangling loose. He tightened his grip, ready for the next clash, his heart pounding with wild energy.