Chapter 41: A Fucked-Up Advancement Mission
They ran for more than a kilometer before Cain told the group to slow down.
Several zombies appeared along the road.
The first wandered from an apartment entrance and another stood beside an overturned motorcycle.
Cain ignored both as he was focusing on their pursuers.
Killing weak infected people would only delay the group and reduce the distance between them and the park.
Cain examined the surrounding streets, then pointed toward the eastern intersection.
"Turn there."
They changed direction.
The eastern road led toward an open commercial district. Most buildings stood only two stories tall, and the broad pavement provided enough room for Nathan to use his bow freely.
After another two hundred meters, Cain stopped.
"This is far enough."
Nathan looked at the west and said, "They’ll reach us soon."
Cain looked around.
Several abandoned cars occupied the roadside, but the center remained open. There were no narrow alleys close enough for zombies to surround them unexpectedly.
The university park was now far away from their location.
Whether that distance was enough to hide the battle from a Second-Echelon creature remained uncertain.
It was still the best opportunity they would get.
"Elara, stay away from the First-Echelon zombies until I say otherwise."
She drew her sword and nodded.
"Understood."
"Ron, Jack, don’t rush into the center."
Cain took out the Blacksteel Longsword.
The weapon had accompanied him since the fencing hall.
It had cut apart numerous zombies and endured Ruin Dragon Force quite well, partially because he had never gone all out using it.
Cain ran one thumb along the sheath.
Low growls reached them.
The sound rapidly increased.
Dozens of infected people turned into the eastern road.
More than 60 zombies filled the width of the street.
Most moved faster than ordinary infected people as their Levels had strengthened their bodies, allowing them to run without the awkward stumbling common among weaker zombies.
Three figures led the horde.
The first appeared almost human from a distance.
Its skin had darkened slightly, but no obvious armor or enormous muscles covered its body.
[First-Echelon Zombie | Level 38]
Another followed close behind.
Its body was similarly ordinary in appearance, though its cloudy eyes carried a faint crimson glow.
[First-Echelon Zombie | Level 35]
The final creature looked completely different.
Both forearms had transformed into long curved blades.
Unlike the Blade Mantis Zombie Cain had killed inside the hospital, this creature’s entire upper body had adapted around the weapons. Its shoulders were narrow, and its spine leaned forward to support sudden bursts of acceleration.
The edges of the mutated limbs scraped against abandoned vehicles as it ran.
[Blade Mantis Tyrant | Level 40 | First Echelon]
Nathan focused on the Level 35 zombie.
"That one has the weakest presence."
"It’s yours," Cain said.
The horde continued closing the distance.
Two hundred meters.
Then one hundred and fifty meters.
Cain unsheathed the sword in his hand, Ruin Dragon Force surged from the Primordial Chaos Dragon.
Dark energy entered his muscles.
Undying War Body endured the power without the immediate strain Cain had experienced during the Tyrant battle.
Every physical attribute rose sharply as Ruin Dragon Force circulated through his entire body.
As the sword became covered with the Ruin Dragon Force that surpassed its limit, fine cracks spread across the black blade.
Cain felt them immediately through Faultline Vision.
The weapon would not survive the amount of power gathering inside it and he had already expected that.
The Level 38 zombie ran near the center.
It was fast enough to separate slightly from the Unranked horde but still slower than the blade-armed creature.
One hundred meters.
Cain lowered his body.
His fingers tightened around the handle.
Years of throwing practice had taught him how to transfer power from the ground through his legs, waist, shoulder, and arm without wasting motion.
Piercing Momentum responded to the familiar posture.
The destructive force inside the sword increased.
Cain stared at the old weapon for a brief moment.
"Thanks for all this time, Blacksteel Longsword."
Ron heard him.
"What are you doing?"
Cain immediately threw his weapon.
The weapon vanished from his hand.
Even though the Level 38 zombie saw Cain’s arm move, it did not see the sword.
The black blade struck the center of its face.
Ruin Dragon Force destroyed the strengthened skull on contact, while Piercing Momentum carried the weapon through its head.
Bang!
The entire upper portion exploded. Fragments of bone and black blood scattered into the zombies behind it.
The sword continued forward and flew toward the west.
This was also the reason why Cain chose this place for their battle.
As they faced west, when he threw his weapon, it wouldn’t be in the direction of the park since he was kind of playing safe in case the weapon flew too far because of his strength and the 2nd Echelon Zombie managed to detect it.
Even though it didn’t make a move, he just thought of the worst case scenario and would rather play it safe rather than regret it later.
The headless 1st Echelon corpse collapsed.
[Ding! You have killed the Level 38 First-Echelon Zombie.]
[Ding! You have obtained Strength +10, Agility +6, and Physique +5.]
[Ding! You have leveled up to Level 23, obtaining 3 Free Stat Points.]
[Ding! You have leveled up to Level 24, obtaining 3 Free Stat Points.]
[Ding! You have leveled up to Level 25, obtaining 3 Free Stat Points.]
[Ding! You have obtained 12,000 System Points.]
The familiar energy poured into his body again.
Cain watched the headless corpse hit the road and thought to himself as he noticed that his rewards were worse compared to when he killed the Ironhide Tyrant.
’Either the reward decreases as my own Level rises...’
His gaze moved toward the body.
’Or this zombie was simply much weaker than the Ironhide Tyrant.’
Both possibilities could be true as level did not determine everything.
The Ironhide Tyrant’s entire evolution had focused on physical power and defense. The ordinary-looking zombie had reached Level 38, yet its body possessed no specialized protection capable of surviving Cain’s throw.
Cain had no time to consider the rewards further, since another panel appeared.
[You have reached the maximum Level of the Unranked stage.]
[Further Levels cannot be obtained until you complete your 1st Echelon Advancement Mission.]
Cain’s expression became expectant.
Nathan’s mission had only required him to remain on the battlefield while a First-Echelon was being killed.
Elara needed to kill twenty-five high-level Unranked beings independently.
Cain wondered what kind of requirement the System would give him.
The next notification answered.
[1st Echelon Advancement Mission]
[Kill the designated 2nd Echelon zombie while remaining an Unranked Awakener.]
Cain’s face stiffened as he read the notifications.
[The target must be killed by the Host alone.]
[No other being may damage, distract, restrain, weaken, or otherwise interfere with the designated target, since receiving assistance against the designated target will invalidate the mission.]
[Until this mission is completed, the Host will be unable to advance to the 1st Echelon.]
[Designated Target: 2nd Echelon zombie located within the western public park.]
Cain stared at the mission.
For several seconds, the approaching horde disappeared from his attention.
The System did not merely want him to kill a Second-Echelon zombie.
He had to do it alone.
Cain needed to face a creature one full Echelon above the Ironhide Tyrant while his own rank remained Unranked.
The Core information Nathan had explained returned to his mind.
Advancing to the First Echelon would double his stats.
It would also allow him to form a Mana Core, refine his Mana, strengthen his Skills, and use the purified Ironhide Essence.
Cain had planned to obtain all those improvements before returning to the park.
The Advancement Mission had removed that option as he could not become First Echelon until the Second-Echelon zombie was dead.
He could not kill it with the group as he had to kill it on his own.
Cain slowly raised his head.
Nathan had drawn Emerald Tempest, Green Wind gathered along the bowstring as the remaining First-Echelon zombies approached.
"What happened?" Nathan asked as he noticed his expression.
Cain’s eyes moved toward the Level 35 zombie Nathan had prepared to fight.
"Change of plan."
Nathan kept the arrow drawn.
"What do you mean?"
"I’m taking all the First-Echelon zombies."
Ron turned sharply.
"You just gave that one to Nathan."
"Not anymore." Cain said with a solemn expression.
As he needed every bonus stat he could get.
Anything that could increase his chance of even surviving the mission first, since he thought that it was ridiculous for the system to give him such a mission.
Cain unsheathed the Frostveil Sword.
"I need to kill all of them myself."
Nathan studied his face and immediately understood that the decision was not driven only by greed.
"What did your Advancement Mission say?"
Cain’s gaze focused on the blade-armed zombie that sprinted ahead of the others.
His grip tightened as he replied, "I have to kill the 2nd Echelon zombie in that park."
Ron raised an eyebrow.
"Isn’t that basically the same as the Emergency Mission you received before?"
Cain drew the replacement sword.
"Alone."
The single word silenced them, especially Ron who widened his eyes as he was stunned with what Cain had just said.
He understood how unbelievable Cain’s mission was, especially when Nathan explained that every time they advanced to the next rank, their strength would increase massively and asking someone to kill two ranks above them was just too absurd.
That’s why he understood why he was desperate to kill them and even took back his words.
Nathan slowly lowered the arrow he had aimed at the Level 35 zombie.
Cain stepped forward and stared at the two remaining 1st Echelon creatures.
"I need every stat I can get."
Cain’s voice remained calm, but nobody mistook the weight behind those words.