Some time after they walked, Six Eyes Rian caught something in the distance. He immediately stopped walking and tapped Luis lightly on the shoulder.
Luis turned his head with a confused expression. "What is it, amigo?"
"There's a cabin up ahead. But be prepared... lots of Ganado," Rian replied briefly, pulling his revolver from his holster.
Luis frowned, surprised. "How do you know, amigo?"
"This handsome man has very good instincts," Rian said. "It's time for this handsome man's revolver to shine."
Although still curious, Luis heeded the warning. He pulled the gun from under his jacket, and they started walking again at a more cautious pace.
It didn't take long for some of Ganado's figures to come into view. One of them turned around, pointing directly at Rian and Luis.
"¡Intrusos...!" he hissed with wild eyes, gripping the knife in his hand.
The exclamation made the other Ganado turn his head.
"¡Mátenlos!"
"¡Sacrifíquenlos!"
The atmosphere became instantly tense, like the seconds before a storm explodes.
They walked, their steps now faster than before. The Ganado's movements seemed different, more agile, more aggressive.
"This rain..." muttered Luis while pointing his gun. "Amigo, be careful! Without sunlight, they become wilder. Their reflexes are also heightened."
"Understood," Rian replied briefly. He immediately pulled the trigger of his revolver.
Bang!
Bullets whizzed through the air and the rain, aiming at one of the axe-wielding Ganado. However, Rian's shot missed. The ganado immediately retaliated, throwing its axe straight at Rian's head.
Calmly, Rian tilted his body to the side. The axe missed, digging hard into the tree trunk behind him.
"It's only natural, it's my first time using a firearm," he muttered as he kept his revolver at a safe distance. "Even though I have Six Eyes, I'm still having trouble with the revolver's recoil. I think 5 STR attribute points is still difficult."
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Rian turned his head in the direction the gunshots came from, to find Luis reacting, firing three measured bullets to take out two Ganado that were trying to get close.
At the same time, one of the Ganado was already quite close to Rian. He swung his rusty butcher knife, intent on slicing Rian from shoulder to chest.
However, without turning around, Rian raised his revolver and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The Ganado's head shattered instantly, splinters of brain and blood splashed out, mixing with the rainwater that pounded the ground.
Ding!
[Killing a Ganado +100 system points]
Other Ganado came from all directions, armed with scythes, old axes, and harpoons surrounding Rian in a circle of death.
Luis, who was some distance away, was busy shooting at other enemies, unaware of Rian's situation which was now almost completely surrounded.
To them, Rian seemed like the perfect target.
But reality said otherwise.
With light steps but deadly precision, Rian moved. He dodged every swing and jab, his body dancing in the rain. The revolver in his hand barked in close range, each shot placed right between the eyebrows.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The Ganado fell one by one, floundering in a pool of blood and mud. Rian remained calm, his eyes cold behind black lenses, as if rain and death were just part of his routine.
Just then, the system notification sound echoed in his mind.
Ding!
[Kill Ganado +100 system points]
Ding!
[Killed Ganado +100 system points]
Ding!
[Killing Ganado +100 system points]
Rian blew lightly on the still-warm barrel of his revolver. "If it's close enough, this handsome man can shoot with precision," he muttered, taking a step back to a safer position.
Then, Rian loaded the revolver with calm movements, even as the rain continued to pour down.
However, the remaining Ganado's steps suddenly stopped.
Their bodies began to shake violently, muscles writhing unnaturally. Then, their heads exploded, scattering blood and tissue onto the muddy ground.
From within the exposed neck cavity, two long, dark tentacles emerged. The tips were sharp like knife blades, glinting under the lightning.
In the center of the tentacles, there were pulsating yellowish eyes, staring wildly in all directions.
The tentacles waved slowly, giving off a deadly aura. Their bodies advanced slowly, menacingly, as if tasting the air with a thirst for blood.
Rian hissed softly, squinting behind his ultra-black lensed glasses.
"Did they mutate?" he muttered, as he again drew the revolver, now with the pressure of his finger tightening on the trigger.
On the other side, Luis approached Rian. Their backs were now against each other, surrounded by Ganado that had mutated to a more monstrous form.
In front of Luis, several Ganado dragged their feet slowly. From their split necks, long tentacles extended, each threatening with a sharp, shiny tip.
Yellow eyes glowed in their centers, as if full of murderous lust.
Luis muttered softly, his voice quite audible in the pouring rain, "Their Plaga mutation went this far? Dios mío... It must be the cloud cover."
He turned his head slightly, just enough for Rian to hear, "Amigo, be careful. They're getting stronger... We must find a safe place. But to open a gap to escape... it's not an easy thing."
Hearing that, Rian smiled slightly. Undaunted, he took out a small mirror from the inside pocket of his shirt, then looked at his own reflection.
"Nothing is impossible for this handsome man," he muttered casually, flipping the mirror to its original place. "Just a gap, right? Then get ready to run."
Luis turned around with a face mixed between confusion and surprise. "What?"
Rian did not answer. The glasses with very dark lenses were taken off, revealing bright blue eyes. Meanwhile, the glasses had been placed on the collar of his shirt.
Rian's body darted forward towards one of the nearby Ganados.
The tentacles whipped at him, but Rian moved nimbly, dodging in one oblique step. In an almost dance-like motion, he raised the revolver, aimed it at the glowing yellow eyes on the creature's neck, and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The bullet pierced right through the center of the eye. The ganado staggered, then fell to the ground with a heavy thud.
Ding!
[Killed Ganado + 100 system points]
Meanwhile, two other Ganado approached from the left side. Rian did not slow down and spun around, firing twice in quick succession, one bullet for each eye.
Bang! Bang!
Efficiency and precision. Blood mixed with rain dotted the muddy ground.
Luis stared at the scene for a moment, then raised his gun and moved, following Rian from behind.
They didn't need words.
Their goal was one: to clear a path, and survive.
They continued to run along the forest path, the rain soaking the ground and making it difficult to see.
Along the way, they were even intercepted several times by Ganado: some of whom had undergone horrific mutations.
However, Rian was able to overcome all of this with ease and the number of Ganado in his way was drastically reduced.
From 30 Ganado kills, Rian managed to collect 3000 system points. In this way, Rian's first mission could be considered complete.
Suddenly, amidst the pouring rain and the sound of hurried steps, there was a gunshot from quite a distance away. Not from their weapons.
Luis slowed his pace, turning his head momentarily in the direction of the sound. Faintly behind the rain curtain, he could catch the silhouettes of two figures, a man and a young girl.
The man seemed desperate to protect the girl, making her his top priority in every move.
"They..." Luis muttered under his breath. "Thankfully, he managed to save the girl."
On the other side, Rian who could see more clearly relied on his Six Eyes. However, Rian chose not to say anything.
'Oh... so i finally met Leon and Ashley,' Rian thought, before continuing on.
The man, Leon S Kennedy, looked dashing in his dark tactical shirt and pants, black gloves clutched tightly in his hands.
Leon's slightly long golden-blonde hair was damp from the rain, but his eyes were sharp and alert.
He held the gun swiftly, his every movement, such as firing at the approaching Ganado reflecting the experience and determination of a veteran agent.
Beside him, a charming and beautiful girl named Ashley Graham, wearing a dark orange sweater and a green pleated skirt that was now slightly dirty and wet. The handkerchief around her neck drooped limply in the rain.
Although the girl's face still held fear, her eyes showed that she was trying to stay strong, trusting in the man who protected her.
***
Finally, after walking down a slippery and dangerous path, Rian and Luis arrived at an old cabin that looked like it was still standing despite the passage of time.
Wasting no time, they immediately opened the door and went inside, the cold air and the smell of damp wood greeting them.
Outside, Luis saw two figures that became clearer in the rain, the man and the girl they had seen earlier. In a loud voice, Luis called out while waving his arms, "Hey, come here! Hurry up!"