Chapter 42: Overwhelming Difference
The Blade Mantis Tyrant had already separated from the horde. The curved blades growing from its forearms remained spread beside it, occasionally scraping against the vehicles it passed.
The Level 35 zombie followed farther behind.
Cain immediately put 9 free Stat Points to agility.
[Stats]: Strength: 134 (+45) / Agility: 145 (+50) / Physique: 81 (+81) / Sense: 71 (+5) / Mana: 235 / Magic: 135
The numbers were already far beyond what he had possessed during his battle against the Ironhide Tyrant.
However, the creature waiting inside the park was at the 2nd Echelon.
This amount of strength might still be insufficient since he couldn’t be sure of how strong that 2nd Echelon Zombie was.
Cain tightened his grip around the sword.
"Nathan."
The archer tilted his head slightly.
"Control the horde."
Cain glanced toward Elara.
"Anything that goes to her side belongs to her. Don’t touch it."
Nathan naturally understood that he couldn’t touch the enemies Elara intended to use for her Advancement Mission, since even weakening one of them would invalidate the kill.
"What about us?" Ron asked.
"You and Jack finish whatever Nathan disables later."
Cain looked toward the two remaining First-Echelon zombies.
"I’ll deal with those as I’ve said ."
Ron’s eyes moved toward the Blade Mantis Tyrant.
The creature had almost reached them.
"You make it sound easy."
"It is."
Cain poured more Ruin Dragon Force into his body.
The pressure continued rising as more Ruin energy entered his flesh and bones, pushing his effective attributes beyond twice their normal state.
Cain did not stop there because he had reached some fixed limit.
He merely decided that this amount was more than enough.
In the past, circulating this much Ruin Dragon Force would have caused him some kind of discomfort. But now, he didn’t feel anything and believed that he would totally be fine even after being in this state for a long time.
The Skill continued consuming Mana, but the physical burden was no longer a problem anymore–at least when he exerted this much.
A controlled layer of Ruin energy flowed into his sword.
The existing cracks along the blade trembled, forcing Cain to limit the amount entering the metal. His body could endure greater power now, but the damaged weapon could not.
The Blade Mantis Tyrant released a sharp screech.
Green energy erupted from its arms.
Wind gathered around both curved blades before compressing along their sharpened edges. The currents became increasingly thin until they formed two translucent green coverings around the mutated limbs.
The green coating extended slightly beyond the physical blades.
A nearby car stood too close to its path.
The Tyrant’s right arm passed beside the vehicle without touching it.
Screech!
A long cut appeared across the metal door. The upper section slid away from the car and struck the pavement.
Ron’s expression changed as he had never thought that it could cut the car that easily.
Cain noticed that the compressed Wind energy did not merely increase the sharpness of the mutated arms as it also extended their effective reach, making every movement more difficult to judge by sight alone.
For an ordinary opponent, that difference could be fatal.
Faultline Vision revealed the boundaries of the energy clearly.
Cain saw where the Wind coating ended. He could also perceive how the currents shifted whenever the Tyrant changed the direction of its arms.
The Tyrant reached him, swinging its right hand horizontally toward Cain’s neck.
The Wind covering its edge screamed through the air.
Cain moved forward in response.
The sharpened current passed behind his head as he lowered his body and stepped beneath the extended arm.
The Tyrant reacted quickly. Its left shoulder tightened, and the second blade descended diagonally toward Cain’s back.
Cain shifted past its chest before the attack could complete.
The green edge struck the pavement.
Crack!
A deep line opened across the road.
Cain had already reached the Tyrant’s side.
He punched with his left arm, aiming at its ribs.
The Tyrant attempted to turn, but it was to no avail as Cain’s fist landed.
Bang!
The Blade Mantis Tyrant was thrown away, its body flew sideways and crashed into the front of a parked vehicle. The hood folded beneath the impact before the entire car slid backward.
The Tyrant disappeared into the damaged metal.
Cain raised an eyebrow as he looked at his hand briefly.
He simply threw a punch, but it immediately sent the level 40 First Echelon Zombie flying.
He had expected that his strength would be much stronger, but not to the point of this much.
Though, he kind of somewhat understood that the Ironhide Tyrant should be stronger than the Blade Mantis Tyrant even if its level was 5 levels lower.
The Level 35 zombie arrived before the Blade Mantis Tyrant could free itself.
Its crimson eyes remained fixed upon Cain as it lunged with both arms extended.
Cain stood still as the zombie’s fingers approached his shoulders.
Just before they reached him, he stepped between its arms.
The zombie attempted to close them around his body, but Cain had already entered too deeply into its reach.
Its chest was almost touching his shoulder.
A weakness appeared along the side of its neck.
Unlike the Ironhide Tyrant, this creature possessed no specialized armor protecting its body. Its flesh and bones had become far stronger after entering the 1st Echelon, but they could not resist Cain’s current power.
He rotated his waist and swung his sword.
The sword crossed the zombie’s neck.
There was a moment of resistance when the blade reached the strengthened spine, but that was all as the difference in their strength was that massive.
Crack!
The sword completed its path and cut the zombie’s neck cleanly.
The headless body remained upright for another step before collapsing with a thud.
[Ding! You have killed the Level 35 1st Echelon Zombie.]
[Ding! You have obtained Strength +6, Agility +5, Physique +2, and Sense +2.]
[Ding! You have obtained 9,000 System Points.]
The familiar energy entered Cain’s body again.
His Strength increased further, and his movements became lighter as the new stats settled into him.
Just as he was looking at the notifications in front of him, a burst of Wind erupted from the damaged car.
Bang!
The Blade Mantis Tyrant tore itself from the ruined car.
The damaged hood flew into the air and landed several meters away.
Green Wind continued flowing along its blades, though the currents had grown denser than before. The edges vibrated with enough force to release a constant shriek.
The creature lowered its body as it bent its legs.
Then it vanished from beside the vehicle as the road beneath its feet cracked from the sudden acceleration.
The Tyrant appeared at his right side and brought one blade downward.
Cain dodged as he shifted his foot.
The blade missed him, but the extended Wind edge continued along its path.
The green blade passed in front of his chest and struck an abandoned bus behind him.
Screech!
A long cut appeared across the side of the vehicle.
Before the first attack ended, the Tyrant reversed its arm.
The curved blade swept toward Cain’s ribs.
However, the movement of its shoulder had already revealed the change to Cain.