BOOM!
Nayowmi felt the ground beneath her feet shaking with the big explosion that seemed to have come from outside.
Even the zombies with her had turned their attention to the sudden sound resonating from outside the walls of the prison they were in. Nayowmi was tempted to scream for help. But she knew it was pointless.
The walls were too thick.
Her voice won't even reach outside. She was sure of that.
"So, this means I'm still in the game. But, what is this madness?" She squinted at her surroundings. She had nothing with her to at least try and distract the zombies, which she knew weren't real. But for the time being, it was their reality.
Hence, if she gets bitten, she'd turn. That was common knowledge.
"So, what am I supposed to do?" Nayowmi grimaced at the monsters that surrounded her. Their snarls and attempts to reach her with their dirty hands were all in vain. They were either locked in jails or chained to a wall.
However, Nayowmi wasn't certain for how long they would stay locked up. For all she knew, they'd suddenly be released.
While she was dreading her fate, the familiar-looking translucent screen had appeared before her, catching her attention in an instant. On its display, the veiled woman was present.
"Hello, Nayowmi."
Nayowmi expected to hear the mechanical voice of the system. However, instead of that pre-recorded one, she was hearing the woman's voice as if they were talking by phone.
"Where am I?" Nayowmi asked, her heart hammering against her chest.
"Don't worry. You will be saved. For now, I need you to listen to me."
Nayowmi stared at the Priestess, keeping her mouth shut.
"Once you get out of here. I am going to need your help."
"What kind of help?"
"You will be my voice as you guide the four children to me. Help them make it to the last stage. I need them to get there."
Nayowmi furrowed her brows. She was suddenly confused about what the veiled woman was talking about.
"I don't understand."
Nayowmi heard the low chuckle before the image of the priestess slowly faded in the background.
The image that replaced the veiled woman revealed what Nayowmi would assume was from outside the walls.
Ruined remains of the building came into her view, several zombies littered in the surroundings while some fell to the ground as shots were fired.
The image zoomed at the four people firing at the zombies.
Her mouth almost dropped open after identifying the four she had been with before they fell into the abyss.
"No," Nayowmi protested. "I refuse to be their fifth member once more."
The veiled woman reappeared.
"Are you sure? Because you know, those four aren't after the reward. If you five make it to the end, you will be savoring the prize without needing to divide it towards them."
Nayowmi stared at the Priestess.
"Those children are no ordinary children. Else, I wouldn't have personally picked them."
"Why me? Out of all the players desperate to get that reward, why did you choose me?"
"Because, Nayowmi, among all the players, only you have the capacity to give me what I want."
–
"Great!" Zera shouted in response to Jaspreth. She successfully hit one out of the four super zombies gaining momentum.
Unfortunately, they weren't staying dead as she had expected them to.
Both she and Astherielle muttered a curse. They watched the one Zera had hit come crawling back on its feet and run like it never fell in the first place.
"Are those the unkillable kind?"
Astherielle fired another shot towards the same zombie in response to Zera, aiming two consecutive bullets to its forehead.
It fell for the second time. They both continued to run and fire at the other zombies, their eyes constantly on the watch for the fallen zombie.
"Nothing is unkillable, Z. Remember what the instruction said about this stage? We need to kill them all!"
"Damn," Zera muttered, her legs beginning to feel numb. "So, we need to fire on its head twice before it dies. I see."
"Yeah. If there's another type, it would probably take three or more bullets before it would stop coming back to life."
"Thank the heavens for unlimited bullets," Zera replied.
"Curse it back for the unlimited zombies," Astherielle immediately countered.
"Jay!" Zera called out, hearing the sound of bullets from where Beatrix and Jaspreth probably were.
"There's a new type of zombie? We know!"
"Not that!" Zera huffed, angrily firing at the super zombie. "What are the last two digits?"
"One and seven!"
Zera frowned after hearing this.
"One and seven. That makes 1-0-7-1-7." Zera muttered. She caught Astherielle's gaze. "We need to go back to the safe zone somehow!"
Astherielle nodded, immediately understanding what must happen. She blew out a sigh, staring towards Zera.
"I freaking need speed!" Astherielle blurted out, frustrated that their limbs were nothing but ordinary limbs.
It was only her way of expressing herself. However, after those words left her mouth, the translucent screen appeared before her.
[Hummingbird Affinity activated. Proceed access? Requirement: 50 Mana Points]
Astherielle's eyes widened. She gasped and smirked right after.
"Proceed," she breathed and watched the screen disappear before her.
Once again, the same golden light surrounded Astherielle minutes after the system's screen left her.
Zera could only stare at what was happening with her friend. She couldn't risk taking her eyes off entirely from their enemies.
"First things first," Zera commented. "That's so cool, A! But what the hell is going on?"
Astherielle savored the warmth the golden light was emanating. She relished in it before it disappeared.
Wanting to test it out, Astherielle pumped her legs to run faster. The previous numbing pain was now gone.
"Woohoo! Come and catch me, you stinky monsters!" Astherielle ran speedily, her ponytailed hair flying behind her.
In Zera's peripheral view, she was almost like a blur.
"Whoa."
"Z! Have you figured out the code?!" Beatrix's voice snapped Zera from mesmerizing at Astherielle's upgrade or whatever it was she had activated.
Zera focused on the task at hand and fired more bullets towards the approaching zombies.
"No! But we need to go back there!"
"At this rate! We might as well pray to all the gods we know!" Zera could hear Beatrix's frustration.
They fired bullets left and right. The sound was attracting more zombies within the vicinity. It was only a matter of time before they would get surrounded.
"You guys head there! I'm going to make myself a bait!" Astherielle whooshed past Zera.
"That's a bad idea, A! I'm staying with you!"
"Ugh, fine! But, stay close!"
Zera snorted.
"Right!"