Free Web NovelChapter 75: [Bonus Chapter: 1/3] Night Of The Zombie Dogs (1)
Shinon stood at the settlement gates. The unfamiliar cool breeze rustled his hoodie, its fabric concealing his features in shadow. Clad in all-black clothing, a backpack slung over his shoulder, he embodied the essence of stealth and readiness.
Unfortunately for him, his partner did not share the same sentiment and was running late. He had accepted Selena’s invitation to join her on the mission to take care of the bandits, but the waiting slowly tested his patience.
They were supposed to leave before sunset, but now the sun was about to disappear, yet there was no sign of Selena.
Minutes stretched into what felt like an eternity, and Shinon grew restless. His mind wandered to the concept of punctuality, his annoyance at the delay simmering beneath the surface.
He had meticulously planned his own schedule, ensuring every second was accounted for. To him, punctuality was a mark of respect and efficiency, and he struggled to understand why Selena seemed to disregard it so blatantly.
’Hm... maybe I shouldn’t expect everyone else to follow my standards.’
As the settling sun cast long shadows upon the ground, a figure emerged from the depths of the settlement. It was Selena, donned in similar all-black attire, her determined gaze meeting Shinon’s.
"Finally," Shinon muttered under his breath, his voice laced with impatience.
"Sorry for the wait. There were some last-minute preparations I had to attend to." Selena mumbled before tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
"I thought, at least in the apocalypse, women won’t take so long to get ready. But it seems even the zombies can’t deter your need to look good."
"So you admit I look good?" Selena replied, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"I admit nothing. Besides, it’s getting dark, so I can’t see shit," Shinon lied as a Shadowmancer, he could see quite well in the dark. "Come on, let’s get going."
As they stepped outside the safety of the settlement, the night air greeted them with a chilling embrace. Silence hung heavy between them as they set off on their mission, their footsteps falling in sync.
The moon rode high in the night sky, casting a pale glow over the desolate landscape. Shinon and Selena navigated the treacherous terrain, their senses heightened and their steps cautious.
The marked location loomed in the distance, beckoning them forward on their mission to rid the settlement of the menacing bandits.
The night air was thick with tension as they weaved through the shadows, careful not to attract the attention of the ever-present threat of the undead. Shinon’s eyes scanned the surroundings, his mind attuned to the subtlest shifts in movement.
It had been a while since the two of them left on a mission together, but Selena didn’t want to remind Shinon of that because, after that mission, things had gone south between them.
But the silence between them was awkward, so Selena decided to do something about it.
"Remember," Selena whispered, her voice barely audible above the rustling leaves. "We need to be careful not to attract any unwanted attention, especially from the zombies. They’re more active at night."
"You’re telling that to me?" Shinon laughed. "I survived on my own in these lands for a while. Rest easy, as you don’t need to caution me."
"My mistake, Sir Know-it-all." Selena rolled her eyes and walked past Shinon.
As she led the way, her steps were confident but hasty. As they ventured deeper into the unknown, Shinon couldn’t help but notice the unease in her movements, a telltale sign of negligence.
Shinon was about to warn her, but it was already too late. Selena’s focus wavered for a brief moment. It was a momentary lapse, but it was enough to cause trouble.
A low growl pierced the silence, shattering the tension in the air. Shinon’s eyes narrowed, and his hand instinctively tightened around the hilt of his blade. In the dim moonlight, a pack of zombified dogs emerged from the darkness, their glassy eyes fixed on their unsuspecting prey.
"Congratulations, Selena. Your negligence finally paid off!"
"It’s all your fault!" Selena yelled back, drawing her daggers.
"Women and accountability..." Shinon sighed and readied himself for the battle ahead.
[Skill: Shadow Mimic has been activated.]
[You have gained the following stats from seven Zombie Hounds:
Strength +16.44 ƒгeewebnovёl.com
Dexterity +24.18]
’Tsk, only seven? There are at least twenty of them!’
[Absorbed stats will be retained for 10 minutes. After the duration is over, the user will gain the following stats:
Strength +8.22
Dexterity +12.09]
"For once, I got some good stats." Shinon smiled. "I guess I should try and hunt more of them."
Without wasting a moment, the first dog lunged at Selena, its rotten jaws snapping in a frenzy. She dodged its attack with practised grace, swiftly counterattacking with a swift slash of her daggers.
The clash of steel against flesh reverberated through the night as she fended the relentless onslaught.
Shinon, his mind focused, tapped into the depths of his shadowmancer abilities. Shadows seemed to converge around him, swirling and pulsating with ethereal energy.
With a swift hand motion, he summoned tendrils of shadow, elongating and solidifying into razor-sharp blades.
As Selena deflected the dogs’ attacks, Shinon moved in tandem, his shadow blades slicing through the air. The undead creatures howled in pain as the darkness claimed them one by one, dissolving them into nothingness.
But the fight was far from over. Undeterred by the loss of their pack members, the remaining dogs lunged at Selena with renewed fury. She spun and twisted, her daggers a blur of deadly precision, but the overwhelming numbers threatened to overwhelm her.
With determination, Shinon channelled his powers further, melding with the shadows around him. He projected his will onto the darkness, shaping it into a protective shield that encased Selena, deflecting the jaws of the undead.
"Still think you don’t need my help?" Shinon shook his head and leapt over the shield, confronting the dogs himself. "Usually, I’m a dog person. But after seeing you, I’m considering taking a trip to Vietnam... if it exists in this timeline."
As the dogs jumped on Shinon, he remained calm and snapped his fingers. Within moments, hundreds of sharp shadowy spikes appeared around him, impaling the attackers with ease.
"Too easy."
