I looked at the two girls—Jasmine and Aria—standing awkwardly by the corner. I was exhausted. My legs ached, and my mind was screaming for rest. But I couldn't waste any more time. The faster I moved, the better. This world didn't wait for the tired.
Just as I was about to leave pouted and looked up at me, her voice soft with concern.
"Already? You just came back..."
I chuckled and gently patted her small head.
"At least someone will be here to accompany you this time. And make sure you don't skip training, alright?"
She didn't respond, only let out a small sigh. I handed her a Food enough for her. She accepted it quietly, then gave me a faint smile before waving goodbye.
Turning my eyes back to Jasmine and Aria, I noticed they still couldn't look me in the eye. Their pride wouldn't let them.
How could they? The boy they once laughed at and tormented now stood as their superior, holding power they couldn't dream of before. And yet, if you looked closely—really looked—you could see something flickering behind their pride.
Gratitude.
That alone satisfied me. Everything was progressing just as I planned.
My expression hardened as I stepped closer. My voice, once casual, now dropped into something cold and commanding.
"Don't think just because i will help you awaken all of your powers, you can rebel... or run away."
Their bodies stiffened.
"I promise," I continued, voice now sharp as a blade, "if any of you even try to betray me... it won't end well. I will hunt you down and kill you myself."
My words sank into their minds like ice water down their spines. Goosebumps rose on their skin. They knew I wasn't bluffing. Even if they awakened like Trish, could they survive alone out there? And if they ran to the government?
Sure, they'd be praised at first. Maybe even hailed as heroes. But once the fanfare faded, they'd be worked like dogs—endlessly. No rest. No choice. That's the truth they understood. That's why they never tried escaping. I was the lesser evil.
I reached into my inventory and pulled out some scrolls—bronze enhancement abilities I'd earned from the last zombie horde. Technically, they were useless to me now. Once you acquired a better speed or strength boost from silver or gold enhancements, the bronze became obsolete. They didn't stack.
But for them... it was perfect.
I stepped forward and placed my hand on Aria's forehead. She flinched and tried to push my hand away, but I held firm. Jasmine reacted the same, but it was too late. Energy surged into their bodies.
They gasped.
Their eyes widened as they felt it there body getting enhanced once more...
Their muscles tensed and shifted, enhanced far beyond human limits. I pulled my hand back and watched the changes with a curious eye.
So they were not a G-Rankers? I hadn't expected that.
I tossed each of them a sword—simple but sharp.
"We're going to the city again," I said. "Each of you will kill at least one hundred zombies."
Aria sighed, gripping the weapon with both hands. One hundred? It sounded excessive—even cruel.But she didn't retort the two of them Did not
But then again... what had she ever done with her life?
Jasmine always believed she'd coast by on her parents' wealth. No ambition. No goal. She had expected luxury, not apocalypse.
And Jasmine? She had always chased thrills anything to feel alive. Her path was self-destructive, but she thought it made life worth living.
Now, survival was the thrill.
We finally reached the abandoned shelter, and what greeted us was a scene from a nightmare. Corpses roamed everywhere, their rotted limbs twitching, eyes glazed in undead hunger.
The girls froze.
If they had stayed here... they would've met the same fate as the civilians I failed to protect.
The sun was still climbing—no mutated variants yet. Just a swarm of slow movers. Manageable.
I gave a sharp nod toward the horde.
"Now."
They swallowed hard and gripped their swords tighter. Their gazes flicked to me, as if seeking a final reassurance. All they saw was my unwavering stare.
They stepped forward. The ground trembled as the swarm approached.
Jasmine was the first to act. Her blade moved instinctively, slicing through the first zombie with shocking ease. She blinked. Something stirred in her chest—excitement. Her lips curled into an unconscious smile as her speed picked up. The thrill coursed through her veins.
Aria followed. Her blade cut through decaying flesh, her movements awkward at first but growing more precise with each kill. Her eyes gleamed with something unfamiliar—greed.
The Two of them is really strange as i looked at there expressions
Each swing was faster. Cleaner. Stronger. They were adapting.
From my hiding place behind a rusted car, I watched them, arms crossed, a smirk tugging at my lips.
They were improving faster than I expected.
But then I noticed something else—movement.
Two men, bulky and bald, emerged from the shadows of a collapsed building. Tattoos wrapped around their necks and arms like snakes. Their eyes weren't focused on the zombies.
They were watching the girls.
Their expressions were twisted with malice. Predators sizing up easy prey.
I narrowed my eyes, my hand inching toward the hilt of my blade.
Looks like these bastards thought the apocalypse gave them a license to do whatever they wanted.