Free Web NovelChapter 250: Science Centre (1)
After reloading the launcher, Shinon took a moment to survey the area. The distant moans of zombies hinted at the direction they were popping up from. With a deep breath, he loaded the rocket launcher; the metal barrel felt cool against his hands.
"Stay back," he warned Kira. "Even I don’t know what abomination I’ve upgraded this thing to be."
In the meantime, Kira focused on dismantling the nest using her enchanted vines, acknowledged with a nod.
The air around them was tense, but the duo was having fun, especially with the rocket launcher by their side. Wasting no time, Shinon aimed the rocket launcher at the heart of the horde.
The rocket soared through the air, leaving a fiery trail before making contact with the ground. A deafening explosion followed, a burst of flame and smoke obscuring the immediate area. However, this was just the beginning.
As the smoke cleared, something strange happened. A black arc of darkness, infused with the essence of shadow, emanated from the point of impact. It expanded rapidly, enveloping the surrounding zombies in a dome of absolute darkness.
The undead tried their best to escape the dome, but it was like a black hole, sucking them inside. Once the darkness had touched them, there was no escape.
Shinon could see the undead struggle out of the dome. Even though they managed to peek out, the shadows dragged them back inside.
The undead, trapped within this realm of shadows, were momentarily disoriented. The unnatural darkness distorted their perceptions, creating a chaotic scene of confusion within the dome.
Shinon, watching the spectacle unfold, couldn’t help but appreciate the effectiveness of the shadow-infused rocket launcher. Even if it was a scary. Shinon didn’t even want to think what it would feel like to be trapped inside such a space.
"This... isn’t what I had in mind," he mumbled while scratching his head. "But I’ll take it."
The next instant, the dome of darkness collapsed, and the implosion crushed the trapped zombies to death. But it wasn’t just the undead; a massive chunk of the area had disappeared into thin air just like that.
The eerie silence that followed starkly contrasted the earlier chaos, and the sunlight resumed its watch over the now lifeless area. Shinon, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction, turned towards Kira.
"How’s it going over there?"
"Don’t even think about interfering! I’ll manage this on my own!" Still in the midst of her own battle, Kira looked up and gave a thumbs-up.
"I wasn’t planning to... but that’s for the warning."
Kira rolled her eyes. Soon, her vines had taken control of the nest, tearing it apart with relentless force. The once-active centre of undead activity now lay in ruins. But there were still some zombies keen on fighting.
"Looks like you’ve got this one under control," Shinon called out, a triumphant smile on his face. freeweɓnøvel.com
"Yeah..." Kira replied, her voice strained as she crushed another chunk of the nest.
"Nice work with those vines," Shinon said as he approached her, his steps careful among the remnants of the defeated zombies. "You made quick work of the nest. Perhaps taking you with me wouldn’t be a bad choice."
Kira beamed with satisfaction. Shinon’s approval was all she needed to join their secret adventure.
"Your shadow thing wasn’t too shabby either."
"What can I say? It’s all about finding new ways to deal with this undead because these buggers keep evolving," Shinon chuckled, appreciating the camaraderie.
He continued. "That’s why one can’t afford to be predictable in this world. Come on, we got to check the remnants to ensure we killed everything. It’ll be a pain in the ass in case we’d have to return."
"Like anything would survive that-"
As they surveyed the aftermath, a rustling sound caught their attention. From the broken nest emerged a lone zombie, its movements sluggish and disjointed. It seemed to have survived the earlier onslaught.
"See... this is what I was talking about," Shinon, not one to take chances, raised the rocket launcher again. "Let’s shoot one more rocket for good measure." frёewebηovel.cѳm
Saying so, Shinon pulled the rocket streaked across the sky, another explosion echoing through the quiet landscape. The lone zombie was reduced to ashes, ensuring that no threat remained.
The duo stood amidst the aftermath of their successful mission, a sense of accomplishment settling over them. The strong sunlight bathed the scene in a surreal glow, casting long shadows that seemed to dance with the remnants of their battle.
"Mission accomplished," Shinon declared with a satisfied smile.
Kira nodded, wiping her hands free of any lingering dirt. "Not bad for an hour’s work. Time to get going."
***
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the settlement as Rico and Lova approached the gates. Their preparations had finished early, so they decided to go out and look for Shinon instead of waiting for him.
But to their surprise, as soon as the guards opened the gates, Shinon and Kira stood before them.
"Well, well, looks like you two settled your differences." Rico grinned at the sight.
Shinon’s cheeks flushed slightly, still feeling embarrassed from their earlier interaction. He shrugged, attempting to downplay it.
"We’re all good now. No need to dwell on it," Shinon replied, immediately changing the subject. "Oh, by the way, Kira is joining us on the next mission."
"Really? That’s great news!" Rico exclaimed, wrapping his hand around the two of them. "The old gang is finally back together."
Everyone was happy, but Lova. She had been quietly considering the possibility of spending some quality alone time with Shinon. But after receiving the news about Kira, she felt a twinge of disappointment. After all, her plans for a romantic evening seemed to be slipping away.
Shinon, however, could sense the sudden tension in the air. He glanced at Lova, whose expression seemed caught between surprise and consternation.
"Uh, Lova, something on your mind?" Shinon inquired, sensing his decision might not be received with enthusiasm from her.
Lova blinked, recovering from her momentary lapse. "Oh, no, nothing. Just didn’t expect Kira to join us, that’s all."
"Well, surprises keep life interesting, don’t they?" Rico chuckled, interpreting her response as a genuine surprise.
However, Kira had something else on her mind.
"Thank you so much for the opportunity, Shinon. But after some thought, I’ve realised I might not be on the same level as you guys. Besides, I don’t want to be a hindrance."
"Kira, you’re plenty strong. Don’t sell yourself short," Shinon, with a reassuring smile, approached Kira and patted her gently on the head. "But, if you feel this way, I won’t force you."
"Thank you, Shinon," Kira nodded, a mixture of gratitude and disappointment in her eyes. She had hoped Shinon would try to stop her, but she was wrong.
She continued, "In the meantime, I’ll be here, helping around the settlement. It’s better than doing nothing."
"Well, maybe we’ll have some fun together the next time Shinon is around," Rico, though slightly disappointed, respected Kira’s decision. "But next time, I won’t be so understanding!"
Kira laughed and bid them goodbye. But she felt a knot in her chest as she watched them walk away. Her guts were screaming at her to stop them or else something would go wrong, but Kira shook such thoughts out of her head.
"Shinon is with them... what could go wrong with them there?"
