"Ahhh!"
"Kuak!"
With peeling skin and blood dripping from their bodies, zombies that craved only human flesh surged forward.
In massive numbers.
Their speed was terrifying. In the blink of an eye, the horde reached the front of the stadium.
"Hyung… will we really stop this?"
Lee Taemin glanced nervously at the plants sprouting throughout the stadium.
The Solar Plant bloomed in the shape of a blazing sun. It was enormous—far too large to look suitable for combat.
"Oppa… no. You didn't deliberately do something like this, right?"
"You're not doing this just for the thrill, are you?"
Even these two veterans had never used plants as a defensive method on the 4th floor.
This was completely unknown territory.
"Don't worry," Jin-hyuk said lightly.
"These guys are a lot more useful than they look."
At that moment—
"They're coming!"
Srng!
Chun Yuseong drew his sword.
Kwakwang!
The ground shook as the zombies charged in with a deafening roar.
They rushed toward the stadium without hesitation.
But the instant the first zombie stepped inside—
[Solar Plants fire Lv1 'Sunlight'!]
The massive plant swelled, releasing a glowing sphere nearly two meters in diameter.
Kwaang!
A ball of magic imbued with solar energy detonated in the middle of the horde.
"Kuak!"
"Kaack!"
Dozens of zombies were blown apart as their bodies ignited mid-air.
"Kuk!"
"W-what kind of power is that?!"
"It's stronger than most flame skills!"
All four of Jin-hyuk's companions stared in shock.
More than fifty zombies vanished in a single attack.
"That's why I said choosing the stadium doesn't matter."
There was a strict condition—only the player who defeated the 3rd-floor boss could attempt this strategy on the 4th floor.
Plant-type defenses, when used properly, possessed overwhelming power.
ṟаNꝋ𝐛ĘṤ
'Of course, they can't be used without me.'
To understand plant characteristics and deploy them correctly required experience.
A lot of real combat experience.
"It'll take about a minute before it can fire again," Jin-hyuk added.
"Then we hold them off until then," Chun Yuseong said flatly.
He didn't hesitate for even a moment.
"Don't overdo it and get bitten," Jin-hyuk warned.
"It'd be annoying if you got infected and mutated."
"Not funny. Do you really think I'd get bitten by those things?"
"Didn't you just call your opponents kids and then almost die to murim?"
Three minutes.
That was all Chun Yuseong had survived.
Honestly, that moment should've been recorded and replayed for a month straight.
"T-that was just because my stamina dipped for a moment!"
"Do you know how many people I fought?!"
"Phew. I get it. Just take better care of your body this time."
"Tch."
Chun Yuseong clicked his tongue and moved forward.
"…Just don't embarrass yourself again," Jin-hyuk muttered.
"Hyung, I'll take the middle!"
Lee Taemin stepped forward. With Machine Lord, handling a wide area suited him best.
Honestly, the ability bordered on cheating.
"Good. Thanks."
"Then I'll take the south," Teresa said calmly.
Silver light shimmered faintly around her.
Only the east remained.
'I can finally test my skills properly.'
Jin-hyuk drew the Twin Dragon Swords.
Their sharp blades sent a chill through the air.
Ba-dump!
His heart pounded.
This was his first time wielding a relic-class weapon.
'Let's start with Sword Grave.'
He circulated his qi.
Woong!
A vicious, suffocating aura spread across the blade.
'As expected…'
The swords accepted the ruthless, heterogeneous qi as if it were always meant for them.
Sword and qi moved as one.
"Kuaak!"
"Kaack!"
The zombies lunged forward, saliva and blood dripping from their jaws.
"You poor things must be starving," Jin-hyuk said calmly.
"I'll make sure you never feel hunger again."
Even if it wasn't the flesh they wanted.
He would feed them qi—until nothing remained.
And then—
At the top of the stadium—
[Black Moon Night has been activated!]
A black crescent moon rose above the battlefield.
[You have blocked the 1st wave.]
[The second wave will begin in 3 hours.]
[Time Left: 2h 59m 59s]
Victory.
Players stationed at other bases collapsed in exhaustion.
"Huk… Huk!"
"Damn it. That came faster than expected."
"If the last wave hits like this, we're finished."
"Hold on. We need the bonus rewards."
On the 4th floor, rewards weren't limited to survival.
Most Zombie Kills
Popularity Vote (Defense Variety & Spectacle)
Each could grant A-grade random boxes, rare items, and high-value materials.
A player needed at least one to stay ahead.
Then—
[Highlight video will be broadcasted.]
A three-minute compilation of each base's defense played worldwide.
"As expected, the Chinese side is strong."
The mart base stood out—perfect coordination, heavy firepower, flawless defense.
Their score was guaranteed to be high.
Then the screen changed.
Sangam Stadium.
"Five people defending that?"
"Idiots. Absolute idiots."
"Plants? Two towers?"
"They're dead next wave."
Laughter filled the chat.
But as the video continued—
Silence.
"W-what?"
"That can't be…"
Shock replaced ridicule.
"Those plants… how are they that strong?"
"They actually grew mid-battle?!"
The defense was overwhelming.
And then—
The eastern gate.
A black-haired Asian man stood alone.
"How is he controlling qi like that?"
"That's not human…"
One name spread rapidly.
Kang Jin-hyuk.
Korea.
S-Rank.
And uniqueness.
Meanwhile—
Jin-hyuk explained calmly.
"These are bundling branches. These are pruning points."
"Re-pot freely. Prune the 6th and 7th branches."
"The 14th—do it in an hour."
Plant growth was also part of defense.
Maximize growth. Remove waste.
"Simple, right?"
"S-simple?!"
Yoo Yeon-hwa sighed.
"Oppa… what kind of botanist are you?"
"Hyung, you could write a thesis on this."
"Mr. Jin-hyuk… you're incredible."
"Competing with you was my mistake," Chun Yuseong muttered.
"You don't walk the same path as others."
…That sounded suspiciously like an insult.
Annoying.
"Take care of the plants until the next wave," Jin-hyuk said.
"What? You're leaving?" Chun Yuseong frowned.
"I'm going to play at the base next door."
The mart base.
At this rate, they'd compete for the most kills reward.
Jin-hyuk didn't like rivals.
And those murim bastards—
Those who pointed their swords at his friends—
They needed to learn a lesson.
One they'd never forget.
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