Adrenaline was keeping him going, but he was fully aware that without the Way of the Samurai, he would've already been overwhelmed.
He glanced sideways at the group and said between two slashes:
— "If I hadn't activated this technique…" SLASH! "I'd already be dead."
Katie clenched her fists, realizing just how vital the system's power was to them.
Mary, always thoughtful, nodded gravely.
— "He's right… without these techniques, we'd be nothing but fresh meat for those things."
Then, finally, after one last diagonal strike, the last zombie in the hall collapsed, and silence fell.
Hayden took a deep breath, sheathed his blade, and stood up straight.
— "Well. That was fun," he said with his usual sarcastic tone, though it was obvious he was exhausted.
Flora whistled in admiration, a growing smile on her face.
— "You're a real monster in combat, Hay~"
William calmly approached and placed a hand on his shoulder.
— "Well done, mate."
Mary packed away her drone, crossing her arms.
— "Now we just have twenty more to deal with."
Katie smiled softly, a determined glint in her eyes.
— "Yeah. But this time, we'll help you."
Hayden raised an eyebrow, but a faint smirk appeared on his lips.
— "Hmph. Why not."
The group looked up at the stairs leading to the upper floors, ready to continue their mission.
And for the first time, they all felt the same thing:
The thrill of a real fight.
Blue's Surprise and Mary's Mission
The moment the last zombie fell to Hayden's blade, Blue appeared before them, floating in the air with his usual calm, measured voice.
— "Congratulations, Hayden. You handled the first wave well. Here are your updated stat sheets."
Holographic windows appeared around each group member, displaying their new stats. Blue kept his gaze on Hayden, a faint tone of admiration in his voice.
— "You did an excellent job, but remember, this is only the beginning."
The updated stats appeared before Hayden:
Hayden: 900 EXP, Weapon Mastery: 80%, Body Gauge: 25%
William: 250 EXP, Weapon Mastery: 30%, Body Gauge: 10%
Flora: 250 EXP, Weapon Mastery: 20%, Body Gauge: 10%
Katie: 300 EXP, Weapon Mastery: 60%, Body Gauge: 10%
Mary: 0 EXP, Weapon Mastery: 0%, Body Gauge: 0%
Blue's gaze turned to Mary, and he took the opportunity to make her an offer.
— "Mary, I can tell this situation bothers you, so I've decided to offer you the weapon Hayden didn't choose—a 9mm handgun."
Blue's expression softened slightly as he saw Mary's surprised reaction.
— "I know you prefer to think and analyze, but in situations like this, quick action is sometimes necessary. With this pistol, you'll be able to defend yourself more effectively. Plus, you have a drone, which allows you to monitor the surroundings while attacking."
Mary looked at Blue's offer, hesitating for a brief moment before taking the weapon, acknowledging it could be useful.
— "Alright, I'll take it," she finally said, determined to test her ability to act.
At that moment, Hayden turned his head toward her, a sideways smile forming, and spoke:
— "Good luck, Mary. And don't forget what I said… Use your drone to observe, and above all, feel the moment. These aren't people anymore—they're zombies. Stay focused and react faster than you think."
Mary, now more serious, nodded. She activated her drone, eyes fixed on the screen of her system to get a better view of the hotel.
— "I'm heading out. See you afterward."
Hayden watched as Mary moved toward the stairs to the upper floors. His voice echoed again, deep and commanding, addressing the rest of the group:
— "Be ready. If she runs into trouble, we're going in."
Mary's First Battle: From Analysis to Action
Mary took a deep breath as she walked away from the group, the 9mm firmly in her right hand. It was the first time she had to fight alone, and she wasn't sure how to handle the responsibility.
— "Calm down, Mary. Analyze the situation before acting."
She quickly activated her drone, sending it through the building's four floors in search of enemies. A holographic interface opened in front of her, projecting a real-time map with red dots marking the zombies' positions.
First Floor: Almost Empty... But Pressure Mounts
The first floor was relatively quiet. Only two zombies wandered near the ruined elevator, their slow, erratic movements contrasting with Mary's rapidly beating heart.
— "Alright… no need to panic. Shoot precisely."
She positioned herself at a safe distance, her drone casting a cold light on the scene. She aimed at the first zombie's head, hesitated for a split second… and fired.
BANG!
The first one collapsed immediately, but the second, alerted by the noise, turned abruptly toward her with a guttural groan.
Mary's gaze hardened. She forced herself to stay steady despite the adrenaline making her fingers tremble.
BANG! BANG!
Two bullets. Too slow. The creature took two more steps before collapsing.
She exhaled sharply.
— "I need to be faster."
Second Floor: Instinct Takes Over
The drone showed five zombies scattered across a hallway and a ruined room. She crouched down, moving silently to avoid attracting attention.
She activated a drone command to flash a bright light in a nearby room. As expected, three zombies were drawn to the flash.
— "Good. I'll handle the other two first."
She positioned herself behind a cracked wall, steadied her breathing, and fired again.
BANG!
A clean shot. This time, she didn't tremble.
The second zombie, now alerted, lunged at her with jerky movements. Reflexively, she stepped back, raised her weapon, and shot it in the chest.
— "Shit! I missed."
She hadn't aimed for the head. The zombie staggered but kept moving.
It was too close now.
Her analytical mind searched for a solution, but her body reacted first. She thrust her free arm forward, struck the creature to push it back, and in a panicked yet precise motion, placed the barrel against its forehead.
BANG!
The corpse collapsed at her feet.
Mary was panting, her muscles tense—but she felt herself improving.
— "Now I get what Hayden meant… You have to feel the fight, not just think it."
She used her drone to confirm the three zombies distracted by the flash were still occupied. She took them by surprise, adjusting her stance for more effective shooting.
Three controlled shots. Three clean kills.
She was getting better.
Third Floor: The Pressure Builds
Eight zombies waited on this floor, spread across multiple rooms.
— "This time, I'll need to move fast."
She programmed her drone to emit a metallic noise at the far end of the corridor. Half the zombies rushed toward it, cutting down her immediate threats.
She found the perfect angle, steadied herself, and opened fire.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Three down in a single burst.
But one zombie charged straight at her—faster than the others.
— "No!"
Mary had no time to aim. The creature grabbed her arm violently.
A wave of visceral fear rose in her, her brain screaming to flee.
But this time, she didn't let fear paralyze her.
She kneed the zombie, stepped back, and fired instinctively.
BANG!
The bullet grazed its head. It kept coming.
— "Shit, shit—"
She quickly activated her drone, which released a blinding flash. The zombie hesitated for a split second—just long enough for her to press the barrel under its jaw and fire.
BANG!
The monster collapsed for good.
She exhaled violently.
— "Fuck…"
It was intense. But she was holding on.
The rest of the third floor was easier thanks to her drone, which let her anticipate every threat.
Fourth Floor: The Final Test
Only five zombies remained in one of the hotel's former offices.
This time, Mary didn't hesitate.
She advanced quickly, steps light, grip steady on her weapon.
BANG! BANG!
Two heads exploded.
The last three charged her.
She rolled to the side, repositioned, and took them down in a perfect sequence.
Silence.
She was alone on the battlefield, heart pounding—but her mind was unusually clear.
— "I did it."
She looked at her hands. They weren't trembling anymore.
Return to the Group
When she came back down to the lobby, Hayden was waiting, leaning against a wall, arms crossed.
He watched her for a moment, assessing her state, then gave her a sideways smile.
— "So, how was it?"
Mary holstered her 9mm, shrugged slightly, and replied with a calm she didn't know she had just minutes ago:
— "It was… intense. But I think I understand better now."
Hayden chuckled softly.
— "Told you thinking alone wasn't enough. You felt the fight, didn't you?"
She nodded, a faint smile on her lips.
— "Yeah. And… it was different from what I imagined."
Blue appeared, projecting the updated stats. Mary saw she had gained 200 EXP and 10% in weapon mastery.
She clenched her fists.
She was improving.
And she was determined to go even further.
The Observatory Between Worlds
A vast space beyond time, a place between worlds, where a soft, ever-changing light floated — shifting between midnight blue and brilliant white. Here, three figures watched the events unfolding in Hayden's world, like privileged spectators of a play in progress.
Sol, the Elusive Jester
A crystalline laugh rang out in the void. Sol, dressed in fitted white trousers and a floating scarf that danced around him, let himself be carried by invisible winds, gently swirling through the space.
— "Kukuku~! Look at them, look at them, Luna~! They're doing pretty well, don't you think?"
With a graceful motion, he conjured a translucent screen before them, displaying Hayden and his group's progress. He watched Mary for a moment, still trembling after her first battle, before bursting into another mischievous laugh.
— "She's finally starting to move! It wasn't easy, but I love that kind of evolution."
Luna, Wisdom Incarnate
Beside him, Luna remained impassive. Her black kimono contrasted with the surrounding light, and her piercing gaze followed the fighters' movements with almost clinical precision.
— "They are evolving, yes. But slowly. Their progress is far from enough for what lies ahead."
She crossed her arms, analyzing the stats scrolling before her. Hayden's mastery had already risen to 80%, but she tilted her head slightly, skeptical.
— "Hayden already understands how to optimize his training. But the rest of the group… their awakening is still too timid."
Léna, the Reawakened Soul
Not far away, Léna observed the screen in silence, arms crossed over her simple white outfit. Her clenched jaw and hard gaze betrayed barely contained impatience.
— "Tch. They hesitate too much."
She kicked at the air, as if trying to shake off her frustration.
— "If they keep thinking through every damn move, they'll die before they even get the chance to grow. They need to be more instinctive, more ruthless!"
Her gaze locked onto Mary, who was descending the stairs after her fight, then she shot a glance at Luna.
— "Seriously, how can you stay so calm when they're moving at a slug's pace?"
Luna turned toward her gently, her expression as serene as ever.
— "Because evolving isn't just about gaining strength. It's about adaptation and mindset."
Sol burst into laughter, stretching as his scarf twirled around him like it had a will of its own.
— "Ooooh, Luna, Luna~! Always so philosophical~!"
He spun to face Léna with a sly smile.
— "But admit it, it's entertaining, isn't it? Their progress, their hesitation… that tension between life and death~!"
Léna groaned, clearly exasperated.
— "It's not a damn show, Sol. It's survival."
Sol didn't answer right away. He made a theatrical gesture, and a new scene appeared on the screen: Hayden, mid-battle in the hotel, transitioning between techniques with increasing fluidity.
Sol's eyes lit up with excitement.
— "Ohhh~! Look at him, Lena~! He's starting to get it~!"
An Uncertain Future
Luna closed her eyes briefly, as if contemplating a future that was still out of reach.
— "We'll have to see how far they can go."
Léna clenched her fists.
— "They better pick up the pace. Otherwise… they won't last long."
Still floating, Sol gave an enigmatic smile, his laugh once again echoing through the timeless space.
— "Kukuku~! Well then… we'll see, won't we~?"
The screen slowly faded to black, leaving the three observers facing the unknown, in that space where the world's fate was still being woven.
Plans and Departures
The Observatory between Worlds still bathed in its shifting light, oscillating between deep blue and dazzling white. After observing Hayden and his group, Sol, Luna, and Léna turned their attention to the future.
Sol, the Puppeteer of Chaos
Still floating in the air, his white scarf whirling around him, Sol snapped his fingers. Before him appeared a fragmented map of the world, marked with red dots pulsing like beating hearts.
— "Kukuku~! Now that preparations are going well, it's time to send my little friends out to play~!"
He brushed his fingers over the map, and the last 15 special zombies he had reserved appeared as shifting shadows.
— "I'll scatter them near political buildings, shelters, and military bases. Just to… spice things up a bit~!"
He burst out laughing — a crystalline, elusive sound — as the shadows darted away, each heading to a different destination.
— "In a month, I'll go back to see Gabriela. With Léna, of course~! And our dear special zombie."
Léna, the Impulsive One Seeking Revenge
Leaning against an invisible wall, arms crossed, Léna frowned at the mention of her name.
— "Tch. You better have a real plan, Sol. Gabriela isn't the type to sit and wait."
She cracked her knuckles, her impatience almost tangible.
— "And that special zombie… is it really ready? You'd better not drag me out there for nothing."
Sol turned toward her with a mischievous smile, raising a finger in front of her face.
— "Ah~! Such a lack of faith in me, Léna~! It hurts, you know?"
She shot him a dark look, but he only laughed again, teasingly.
— "Don't worry. In a month, you'll have your answer."
Luna, the Silent Strategist
Luna, for her part, remained silent, still gazing at the map. Unlike Sol and Léna, she revealed nothing of her intentions.
— "And you, Luna?" Sol asked, tilting his head slightly, a curious smile on his face.
Luna turned her eyes away from the map, staring at Sol for a moment before answering in a calm, enigmatic voice:
— "I have things to take care of."
— "Kukuku~! So mysterious~!"
Sol didn't press further. He knew Luna only revealed her plans when it suited her.
Each to Their Fate
An invisible breeze swept through as each prepared to depart.
Luna made a simple hand gesture, and her body slowly dissolved into a dark veil.
Still floating, Sol stretched lazily, like a sleepy cat.
— "Well, well, well~! See you soon, my dear friends!"
Then, in one final burst of laughter, he vanished as well, leaving behind only a faint breath of air...
The observatory emptied.
And the fate of the world… continued to move forward.