Chapter 136: A map
One of the 1st Echelon zombies noticed an incoming arrow and raised its sword just in time to block it.
The arrow shifted slightly under Nathan’s control.
Instead of striking the blade head-on, it curved beneath the zombie’s guard and entered through the underside of its jaw.
The arrowhead pierced straight into its skull.
The creature’s body stiffened before collapsing.
Another zombie suddenly rushed toward Cain from the side.
Cain had already noticed it and was about to move when an arrow flew past him.
Shhk!
The zombie’s head snapped backward.
Its body dropped less than two meters away from Cain.
Cain turned toward Nathan and raised an eyebrow in amusement.
"You know that I can defend myself, right?"
Nathan was already pulling another arrow from his quiver.
"I know." He replied with a chuckle as he released another one.
The arrow passed over Cain’s shoulder and struck another zombie approaching from behind him.
Cain looked at Nathan for a moment, then decided to stay silent as there was nothing worth saying.
Jack’s side of the battlefield was much louder.
A 1st Echelon zombie swung a heavy axe toward his head.
Jack raised one of his gauntlets.
Bang!
The axe crashed against the dark metal covering his forearm.
Jack’s feet barely shifted from the exchange.
The zombie’s eyes widened when it realized that even its full-strength attack had failed to push him back.
Jack glanced at the axe.
"That’s it?"
His other fist slammed into the zombie’s chest.
A heavy impact echoed through the area.
The armor protecting its body collapsed inward as the zombie was sent flying several meters before crashing onto its back.
Jack followed immediately as his fist came down before the creature could even recover.
Crack!
The zombie’s skull collapsed beneath the blow.
Alex fought in a completely different manner.
Raw physical strength had always been his greatest advantage, and after advancing to the 1st Echelon, that advantage had only become more obvious.
A zombie slashed toward him.
Alex caught its wrist before the blade could reach his body.
The creature immediately tried to pull away, but Alex merely tightened his grip.
Crack!
The bones in its forearm broke beneath his fingers.
Before the zombie could react to the pain, Alex dragged it toward him and slammed his forehead into its face.
Its nose and several teeth broke instantly.
The zombie staggered backward, but Alex did not give it any room to recover as he grabbed its neck with both hands, then twisted violently.
Another crack sounded and the zombie’s body went limp in his grasp.
Around them, the battle was rapidly becoming one-sided.
The remaining Unranked zombies attempted to support their stronger companions, but Cole and Professor Irina kept them from reaching the frontline.
Arrows repeatedly crossed the battlefield.
Cole’s attacks were nothing like the stupid training arrow he had fired when Cain first met him. His aim had improved tremendously since then, and nearly every shot was directed toward a vulnerable area.
A zombie raised its arm to protect its face.
Cole’s arrow struck through the side of its neck instead.
Another attempted to rush Professor Ian from behind, only for an arrow to enter through its eye before it could get close.
Professor Irina was even more composed beside him.
Mana flowed into each arrow before release, increasing its speed and penetrating power enough to punch through the strengthened skulls of high-Level zombies.
Near the rear of the formation, Professor Ian and Maya had a harder time.
A 1st Echelon zombie forced its way through their attacks and drove Maya backward with a heavy swing.
Professor Ian immediately stepped between them.
Clang!
His sword collided with the zombie’s weapon.
The impact forced him back one step.
Maya reacted immediately as she slipped around Ian’s side and thrust her sword forward.
The blade pierced the zombie’s shoulder.
Its head snapped toward her.
However, that momentary distraction was enough as Professor Ian stepped inside its guard and drove his sword beneath its ribs.
The zombie staggered.
At that moment, Maya withdrew her weapon before thrusting again.
Her second attack entered through its eye.
The creature’s entire body stiffened, then collapsed.
Both of them released a breath.
It had taken considerably more effort than the others, but they had still managed to kill a 1st Echelon enemy without help.
By then, the battle was nearly over as the remaining zombies were quickly surrounded and eliminated.
Less than two minutes after the fight had begun, silence returned to the area.
Dozens of corpses now covered the ground around the tent.
Evelyne stood near the back with her staff held in both hands.
She slowly looked around, but nobody was injured.
"...I didn’t do anything."
"Isn’t that a good thing?" Cain chuckled as he was already walking toward the corpse of the 2nd Echelon zombie.
"I know, but..." Evelyne paused briefly before continuing with a sigh. "Nevermind, don’t mind me."
Cain rolled his eyes before crouching beside the dead commander.
He then opened its chest and removed the Mana Core before storing it inside his Inventory.
Around him, the others had already begun doing the same.
The dozen 1st Echelon zombies all possessed Cores, and nobody needed to be reminded to collect something that valuable.
Resources were resources.
Leaving them behind would simply be stupid.
Once the battlefield had been cleared, Cain stood and looked toward the large tent.
"Let’s see what they were keeping."
The others followed him inside.
The interior was much larger than it had appeared from outside.
Several crude tables occupied the center, while weapons had been arranged along one side. Dark wooden crates were stacked near the rear, together with containers whose purpose Cain could not immediately identify.
A large piece of rough animal hide had been spread across the biggest table.
Cain approached it.
Numerous lines and strange symbols had been drawn across the surface using dark ink.
He only needed a glance to understand what the item that he was looking at.
A map.