Chapter 54: Distribution (1) [CASTLE BONUS]
Elara frowned immediately.
"Cain."
"I’m talking about the worst-case scenario."
"That doesn’t make it any better."
Cain ignored her objection for the moment and turned toward Professor Holt.
"Once the surrounding zombies have been dealt with, if I tell you to leave, take everyone and continue west. Don’t wait around for me."
Professor Holt studied his expression for a few seconds before asking, "And what about you?"
"I’ll catch up afterward."
Ron looked at Cain as if he had just heard something ridiculous.
"You say that way too casually."
Cain merely shrugged.
"If I can’t kill it in a direct fight, then I’ll stop trying to fight it directly."
His Advancement Mission only required him to kill the designated target without assistance. There was nothing stating that he had to remain in one place and trade attacks with it until one of them died.
If the difference in strength proved too great, Cain could retreat and recover before looking for another opportunity to attack.
Greater Restoration already gave him the means to deal with serious injuries, while Undying War Body continuously repaired the damage his body suffered. As long as he avoided taking a fatal blow, a prolonged battle would naturally favor someone capable of recovering far faster than an ordinary Awakener.
"I’ll drag it around if I have to and keep attacking whenever an opportunity appears. Eventually, I’ll find a way to kill it."
Elara still looked dissatisfied.
Cain met her gaze and continued, "If all of you stay nearby, I’ll have to keep paying attention to where everyone is while fighting. That would only make things harder for me."
"You don’t have to worry about me."
"I know."
A faint smile appeared on Cain’s face.
"That doesn’t mean I won’t."
Elara pressed her lips together but did not argue any further.
Cain looked away before the conversation could continue for too long.
"Besides, that’s only if things go badly."
His gaze briefly passed over Ron.
Cain had already prepared another option for such a situation, though there was no reason to explain it to his best friend yet.
Ron had agreed to help him once in exchange for the Yellow Scroll and Cain’s promise to help him grow stronger. He knew that Cain planned to take him along during the next round of Leveling.
What Ron did not know was exactly why Cain wanted him to become as fast and powerful as possible before the fight with the 2nd Echelon zombie.
Cain had every intention of keeping that part to himself for now.
He clapped his hands together once.
"Alright. Let’s deal with the loot first."
That immediately drew everyone’s attention toward him.
Cain opened his Inventory, and several pieces of equipment appeared on the auditorium floor with a metallic clatter.
The damaged Impact Gloves they had obtained near the beginning of the apocalypse came out first. Cain followed them with an Uncommon-rank bow, another pair of gloves, two swords, and a saber of the same rank.
Several nearby students instinctively moved closer as the small collection of equipment grew.
Cain was not finished.
Two Blue Scrolls appeared beside the weapons, followed by two Blue Orbs. He then took out two Green Scrolls and six Green Orbs, placing everything neatly on the floor in front of him.
Cain crouched and picked up one of the Blue Orbs.
"Let’s see whether these are actually useful."
Crack!
The Orb shattered between his fingers, releasing a burst of blue light that quickly gathered in front of him.
A large weapon gradually materialized within the glow.
Its blade was considerably broader and thicker than an ordinary sword, while the extended handle was clearly designed to be held with both hands. Even without touching it, the sheer weight of the weapon made it obvious that an ordinary person would struggle to swing it properly.
[Titanbreaker Greatsword — Rare-rank]
[Strength +15]
[Physique +5]
[A massive greatsword forged from reinforced blacksteel. Its exceptional weight and durability allow powerful users to deliver devastating heavy strikes. Attacks made with sufficient force are especially effective at breaking armor and defensive structures.]
Alex’s eyes immediately locked onto the weapon.
Cain noticed his reaction.
"You want it?"
Alex stepped closer without hesitation.
"Yeah."
Ron looked at him, then at the enormous blade.
"That actually suits you."
Alex ignored him and reached for the weapon.
Cain handed it over.
The moment Alex wrapped both hands around the handle, he lifted the greatsword and tested its weight.
The blade was heavy.
However, with Alex’s enormous Strength, it did not look nearly as burdensome in his hands as it would for an ordinary Awakener.
He gave it a slow swing.
Whoosh!
The heavy blade tore through the air with enough force to make several nearby survivors instinctively move back.
Alex stared at the weapon for a moment before a satisfied grin appeared on his face.
"This one’s mine."
"You decided that pretty quickly." Cain chuckled.
"It’s heavy, durable, and hits hard." Alex rested the greatsword against his shoulder, then smiled. "What else do I need?"
Cain waved his hand.
"Keep it, then."
Alex nodded and thanked him.
Cain then picked up the second Blue Orb and crushed it.
Another burst of blue light appeared, but this time the weapon that emerged was far more conventional.
A sheathed sword materialized in front of him.
[Silverfang Sword — Rare-rank]
[Strength +8]
[Agility +12]
[A lightweight yet durable sword forged from Silversteel. Its thin and exceptionally sharp edge allows the wielder to perform fast, precise attacks while maintaining enough durability for prolonged combat.]
Cain only needed a moment to decide who should receive it.
"Maya."
The blonde-haired young woman looked toward him in surprise.
"Me?"
"You’re the most suitable person here for it."
Cain tossed the sheathed sword toward her.
Maya hurriedly caught it against her chest before looking down at the weapon in disbelief.
"You’re really giving me a Rare-rank sword?"
"You use a sword, don’t you?"
"I do, but I wasn’t expecting something this good."
Cain raised an eyebrow.
"You want me to take it back?"
Maya immediately tightened her arms around the weapon.
"No."
"Good answer." Elara smiled faintly from nearby as Maya began examining her new weapon.
Cain turned his attention toward the six Green Orbs.
There was no reason to create unnecessary suspense by opening them slowly, so he began crushing them one after another.
Green light repeatedly flashed across the floor.
The first Orb produced an Uncommon-rank bow, while the second contained a spear. The remaining four gave him a saber, a pair of reinforced gloves, a set of daggers, and a sturdy shield.
By the time the final glow disappeared, another collection of equipment had formed in front of Cain.
He looked over the weapons before turning toward Professor Holt.
"This spear is yours."
Holt stepped forward and accepted it.
He adjusted his grip around the shaft, gave the weapon a brief test, and nodded in satisfaction.
"It’s considerably better than what I’ve been using."
"Good."
Cain then took one of the Uncommon-rank swords he had already stored and handed it to Professor Ian, while Professor Irina received the newly obtained bow.
The remaining weapons were distributed among several of the highest-Level students who still lacked equipment of similar quality.