novelraw Chapter 14: Clearing the Third Extra Condition
Chapter 14: Clearing the Third Extra Condition
The source of the roar soon revealed itself to be a towering, grotesque zombie with a form even more horrifying than the others we’d faced. The octopus on its head had partially fused with its skull, its tentacles burrowing deep and anchoring themselves grotesquely down its neck and shoulders, but still leaving the terrifying mouth uncovered.
[Mutated Octoferal Zombie – Lv.22]
Once a human, now transformed into a zombie controlled by the octopus-like monster on its head. Its enhanced strength and durability make it far deadlier than regular Octoferal Zombies.
The scenario wasn’t about to let us complete the third extra condition without a challenge. Not only was this monstrosity significantly stronger than the others, but its level surpassed twenty, making it one rank higher than the other monsters. Clearly, its stats were many times that of the others.
“Be careful,” I warned, keeping my grip firm on my blade. “That thing’s far more dangerous than the others!”
Boris responded with a hearty laugh, undeterred by the creature’s intimidating presence. “Now that’s more like it! A real fight!” He stepped forward, rolling his shoulders as if loosening up for a sparring match. “This one’s mine. Michelle, Maxim—stick to the plan and clear the rest.”
Michelle and I exchanged a quick nod before splitting off to handle the other zombies and flying octopuses. Time was limited, and I needed roughly twenty more kills to finish the third condition. If we were efficient, Michelle could still complete the second condition and secure a better reward.
“GRRAAGHH!!” The mutated zombie let out another ear-splitting roar before barreling forward with surprising speed for its size. Boris met it head-on, his fist colliding with the creature’s chest in a thunderous impact. The zombie staggered but didn’t fall, swinging a massive arm toward him in retaliation.
But Boris was a true master of martial arts. While the mutated zombie had the edge in raw strength, Boris more than made up for it with his superior skill. With fluid precision, he sidestepped the creature’s clumsy swing, grabbing hold of its outstretched arm. In one swift motion, he twisted the limb, forcing the zombie to stagger off balance.
“You’ve got some weight to you,” Boris remarked with a grin. “Let’s see how well you fly then!”
Using the creature’s own momentum against it, Boris shifted his grip, wrapping his arms around its midsection. With a loud roar of effort, he leaned back, lifting the hulking zombie clean off the ground.
“GRAAAHH!!” The mutated zombie thrashed wildly as Boris hoisted it overhead in a perfect arc.
With a loud thud, he drove the creature into the ground in a devastating German suplex. The impact echoed through the garage, accompanied by the sickening crack of bones shattering beneath the force.
“Hahaha! Not bad. Not bad at all!” Boris exclaimed, rising smoothly to his feet and cracking his neck.
However, the mutated zombie slowly rose to its feet, its spine jutting out at an unnatural angle, and one of its arms dangled limply, barely connected by torn sinew. Despite the brutal damage, the creature was still not dead.
Meanwhile, the lack of Boris’s support at the barricade was quickly becoming apparent. The incoming wave of enemies pressed harder, and it took everything I had to keep them at bay. Michelle focused on shooting down the flying octopuses before they could latch onto us, but I had to hold the line, protecting her while she reloaded and aimed. Thankfully, the pile of corpses clogging the choke point slowed the monsters’ advance.
Even so, my head was spinning, the cursed coat’s effects intensifying with every passing moment. The disorienting sensation made it feel like I was floating, my focus threatening to slip. I gritted my teeth, forcing my body to move despite the dizziness. Is it a mistake to use it here? Nah, I need to pull through this!
As another zombie lunged at me, I steadied myself and drove my sword straight into its chest. The creature staggered but didn’t fall immediately, forcing me to twist the blade and pull it free in a sharp motion. Blood sprayed across the ground as the zombie finally collapsed.
You have hunted [Octoferal Zombie Lv.5].
You have gained 5 EXP.
Not even giving me a moment to catch my breath, two zombies pounced at me from opposing sides. I barely managed to sidestep one, swinging my blade desperately to fend off the other. Their claws came within inches of my face, forcing me to retreat.
I tried to reposition, but the corpses scattered across the ground made it nearly impossible to move freely. My foot caught on a mangled limb, and I stumbled, barely keeping my balance as the zombies pressed closer. Backpedaling, I felt the cold, unyielding wall of the garage against my back. Trapped in the corner, I tightened my grip on my sword. The cursed coat’s effects were truly troublesome, making my head swim as if I were spinning in place.
“Damn it,” I muttered under my breath. Still, being cornered wasn’t entirely a disadvantage—it meant I only had to defend from the front. No surprises from behind.
“Maxim!” Michelle shouted at me with concern. But she couldn’t afford to assist me; she was fully occupied fending off any incoming threats on her way.
Boris, too, remained locked in a brutal wrestling match with the mutated zombie and might take a while before he could offer any help.
But I didn’t need them to save me. My survival depended on my own grit.
[Desperate Willpower Lv.1] has activated.
Your overall combat power has been temporarily increased by 10%, and your resistance to pain and mind-affecting status effects has been increased.
When the nearest zombie swiped its claw toward my throat, I sidestepped just enough to avoid the strike and drove my blade into its abdomen. With a sharp tug, I dragged the blade downward, tearing through its stomach to inflict maximum damage. The creature let out a guttural groan before collapsing, convulsing as I wrenched my sword free.
The second zombie took advantage of the opening, swinging its claw toward my shoulder. Thanks to the temporary boost from the skill, I was able to duck in time, feeling the rush of air as its claws scraped the wall behind me. Gritting my teeth, I countered with a swift upward slash, my blade carving into its jaw and cleaving through half its face.
“Stay down!” I snarled, pulling my blade back into position.
You have hunted [Octoferal Zombie Lv.5].
You have gained 5 EXP.
You have hunted [Octoferal Zombie Lv.5].
You have gained 5 EXP.
How many more do I have to kill? I quickly opened the scenario detail to check the progress on the extra condition.
3. Kill 100 Octoferals or Octoferal Zombies. (82/100)
Reward: Two Uncommon-Grade Armament Vouchers
Eighteen more! I clenched my fist, feeling the adrenaline inside my head. “I can do this!”
Before I could steady myself, another zombie staggered toward me. Behind it, a flying octopus had slipped past Michelle’s defenses and swooped low, heading straight for me.
Lacking any offensive skills to rely on, I had to depend entirely on my sword. Bracing myself, I swung hastily, slicing through the zombie with a clean horizontal slash. At the same moment, the flying octopus swooped down, forcing me to pivot sharply. I swung my sword in a wide arc, the blade connecting with its fragile, slimy body mid-flight.
Even after killing dozens of these creatures, the sensation of cutting through the gooey flesh of the octopus-like monster never stopped making my stomach churn.
You have hunted [Octoferal Zombie Lv.6].
You have gained 6 EXP.
You have hunted [Octoferal Lv.3].
You have gained 3 EXP.
I repeated the sequence again and again, fending off the relentless waves of monsters with methodical precision. I could feel myself becoming better with the sword as I continued cutting down the enemies one by one.
“Haaa! You’re dead!” Before long, Boris’s triumphant roar echoed through the garage. The mutated zombie lay in a crumpled heap at his feet, finally defeated. He wasted no time in returning to our original position and tipping the scales in our favor.
With Boris back in the fight, our formation regained its full strength, and it wasn’t long before I fulfilled the third extra condition, and the timer finally hit zero.
Time Remaining: 0 seconds
The time limit has been reached.
Congratulations.
You have cleared Scenario #1 [Survive the Horde].
You have fulfilled the third extra condition of the scenario — Kill 100 Octoferals or Octoferal Zombies. (108/100)
Basic Rewards: 500 Soul Coins & Aleph-Tier General Lootbox
Additional Rewards: Two Uncommon-Grade Armament Vouchers
Your Strength has increased by 1.
Your Mind has increased by 1.
Basic Swordsmanship has leveled up.
You have acquired a skill: [Mental Tolerance Lv.1].
Rows of notification screens, just like those from my first completion of the first scenario, popped up before me in rapid succession. Before I could fully process them, a blinding light enveloped the three of us, and we found ourselves standing a few meters away from the Rift of Scenarios—the exact place we’d entered.
“Congratulations on clearing the first scenario, divine warriors,” Elysia greeted with her usual smile.
Boris stretched, rolling his shoulders as if shaking off the last remnants of battle fatigue. “Hah! That was a good workout. I could go for another round already!”
Michelle, on the other hand, was still heavy on her breath. “Sure, but I need to rest for a bit… How about you, Maxim?”
“Hmm, I think we should prepare a bit and spend the soul coins before attempting the second scenario,” I said thoughtfully, opening my status screen to review my progress.
Maximillian Anderson Lv. 20/20 (EXP 112)
Rank: Aleph [1]
Patron God: Istellia (Goddess of Imagination)
Class: Novice
Title: The Unyielding Survivor
Status: Normal
Strength: 9 + 5 | Dexterity: 6 + 3 | Stamina: 9 + 5
Mind: 8 | Magic Power: 5 | Luck: 14
Free Attributes: 30
Signature Skill(s): [@!$#%*?&]
Skill(s): [Basic Alchemy Lv.2], [Basic Spearmanship Lv.1], [Basic Swordsmanship Lv.2], [Desperate Willpower Lv.1], [Fast Reading Lv.1], [Inventory], [Mental Tolerance Lv.1], [Negotiation Lv.1], [Pain Tolerance Lv.1]
Class Advancement Prerequisites:
Defeat 3 Level 21+ Monsters Complete the Second ScenarioSuccessfully Complete at Least One F+ Rank Quest or Scenario