Chapter 94: Stronger Version of Himself
[Zombie King | Level 75]
Cain stared at the information floating above the zombie.
For the first time since the apocalypse began, far more information appeared than the simple name and Level he normally saw.
[Zombie King]
[Level: 75]
[Race: Zombie]
[Rank: 2nd Echelon]
[Trait: Sovereign of the Dead]
[Talents: Energy-Forged Body, Bottomless Furnace, Energy Reinforcement]
[Skill: Flesh Armament]
— — —
[Sovereign of the Dead: Allows the user to naturally suppress and command zombies weaker than itself. Zombies within its influence instinctively recognize the user as their superior and can be controlled through simple thoughts and commands.]
[Energy-Forged Body: The user’s flesh, muscles, bones, and organs have been continuously reforged by Mana and biological energy, granting tremendous physical strength, speed, durability, and resistance to damage.]
[Bottomless Furnace: Transforms the user’s body into an enormous reservoir capable of storing vast amounts of Mana and biological energy. The stored energy can continuously replenish stamina, accelerate regeneration, and provide energy for other Talents and Skills.]
[Energy Reinforcement: Allows the user to naturally concentrate Mana and biological energy into different parts of its body, greatly increasing their strength, speed, durability, and explosive power. The more energy concentrated into one area, the stronger the enhancement becomes.]
[Flesh Armament: Allows the user to reshape and condense its own flesh, muscles, and bones into biological armor and weapons. Hardened flesh can envelop its fists, arms, legs, or other parts of the body to greatly increase offensive and defensive power, while the created armaments can be rapidly withdrawn and formed elsewhere.]
— — —
Cain’s expression gradually became strange because the more he read, the more familiar the creature’s abilities sounded.
An absurdly durable body.
Power that could be concentrated throughout different parts of that body.
Extreme regeneration.
An enormous energy reserve supporting everything.
Cain almost laughed as he thought to himself. ’Isn’t this bastard basically a stronger version of me?’
Naturally, there were significant differences.
The Zombie King did not possess Ruin Dragon Force, nor did it have anything comparable to Faultline Vision.
Cain’s regeneration came from a Divine-rank Talent, while the creature relied heavily on the energy stored inside Bottomless Furnace.
However, their basic combat approach possessed uncomfortable similarities.
Both could force their bodies beyond ordinary limits and endure injuries that would immediately cripple weaker beings.
The greatest difference was obvious.
Cain had only 260 Mana Stat Points.
He had no idea how much energy was contained within the Zombie King’s body.
Considering the word Bottomless appeared in the Talent’s name, he doubted the answer would make him happy.
Ron noticed the subtle change in his face.
"What?"
Cain did not answer immediately as he watched the seated zombie carefully.
The Zombie King still had one hand placed against the enormous spatial opening. Despite clearly noticing their arrival, it had made no attempt to stand.
Its cloudy eyes were already fixed on Cain.
There was awareness behind them, but not that kind of human intelligence.
However, it was definitely more than the instinctive hunger he saw in ordinary zombies.
Cain opened his Inventory.
The Uncommon-rank spear he had borrowed before entering the park appeared in his right hand.
Ron finally understood why Cain had requested it.
"You’re going to throw that thing from here?"
"I’m going to see how hard it is to kill."
Dark gray energy immediately surged through Cain’s body.
He did not slowly increase the output this time as Ruin Dragon Force rose sharply.
The faint discomfort he had maintained since entering the park disappeared beneath something far more intense.
More and more energy circulated through his arms.
Cain pushed until his body reached the highest output he could currently sustain.
Pain spread beneath his skin.
Several muscle fibers began tearing from the strain almost immediately, only for the Undying God Body to start reconstructing them.
His right hand tightened around the spear.
The Zombie King’s expression changed as it felt the Ruin energy.
Cain saw its eyes sharpen.
’So you noticed.’
The dark energy flowing through him continued into the weapon.
Its metal shaft began trembling.
Fine cracks spread near Cain’s grip as the amount of Ruin energy exceeded what an Uncommon-rank weapon was designed to withstand.
Cain concentrated most of it around the spearhead.
Dark gray energy thickened around the point until the metal underneath was barely visible.
He drew his arm backward.
The Zombie King instantly moved, its hand left the spatial gate for the first time.
The enormous opening behind it flickered faintly.
Cain’s foot pressed into the ground, his waist rotated.
Everything from his legs to his shoulder moved through a motion he had performed thousands upon thousands of times.
Piercing Momentum naturally took effect.
Cain then released the spear from his hand.
The air erupted.
Nathan was shocked when he barely saw the weapon leave Cain’s hand.
The Zombie King crossed both arms in front of its upper body.
Mana surged from somewhere deep inside it.
Its arms visibly changed as the flesh surrounding its forearms compressed first. Muscles thickened beneath the skin before dark tissue wrapped across both limbs.
Its bones seemed to grow denser underneath.
BOOM!
The Zombie King’s body shifted backward.
The enormous zombie beneath it collapsed under the sudden force.
The spear pierced directly through the Zombie King’s right forearm.
Dark blood exploded outward.
However, the point slowed drastically after penetrating the first arm and it finally struck the left.
A small section entered the reinforced flesh before stopping completely.
The Zombie King remained standing behind its crossed arms.
Cain stared with a blank expression.
Nathan and Ron stopped breathing for a moment.
Cain had thrown that spear with everything to the point that Ruin Dragon Force pushed to the current limit of what his body could sustain.
And yet, it had only gone through one arm.
"Fuck..." Ron muttered.
Cain remained silent as he was stunned too.
The Zombie King merely lowered its arms.
The spear remained embedded through its right forearm.
Its left arm had only suffered a deep puncture.
Then its flesh moved, the muscles around the damaged areas contracted. Blood flow decreased almost immediately and the puncture in the left arm began shrinking.