[Would you like to learn the Mythic Grade Skill: Butterfly Extraction Level 10?]
Although the skill's description appeared lackluster at first glance, Enzo couldn't help but feel that there was more to "Butterfly Extraction" than met the eye. As a mythic-grade skill, he suspected that its true potential was far greater than what was conveyed by the brief summary.
And as such, Enzo decided to learn the skill.
As the black scroll disintegrated into fragments, its energy flowed into Enzo's body. The power he felt surging within him was indescribable, and he sensed a profound transformation taking place as the energy coursed through his veins. It was clear that this single skill had altered him in ways he could scarcely comprehend.
Nevertheless, he felt great.
[Would you like to extract a butterfly from a nearby corpse?]
[Y/N]
Enzo accepted immediately, not wasting any time.
The scene before Enzo was far more gruesome than he had anticipated. The bird's stomach was being devoured by a strange creature, and blood was spilling everywhere. After a time, a butterfly emerged from within the carcass, its wings fluttering weakly. However, the creature was covered in blood and an assortment of other strange substances, marring its once-beautiful appearance.
[A new butterfly has been added to your collection]
[You have acquired x1 low-grade Carnivorous Butterfly]
[Stockable butterfly: 1/10]
As the butterfly fluttered toward Enzo, he instinctively took a step back. But the delicate creature proved too swift for him, alighting on the bridge of his nose in a swift, graceful motion. Enzo held his breath, afraid to startle the butterfly as it settled into a comfortable position. He couldn't help but marvel at the intricate patterns on its red wings, which seemed to glow in a red hue.
Enzo's hand moved of its own accord, drawn to the butterfly perched delicately on his nose. To his surprise, the creature remained perfectly still, as if sensing that Enzo meant no harm. He couldn't help but be in awe at the softness of its wings beneath his fingertips. "You're quite trusting, aren't you?" Enzo mused aloud. "Yet you're a carnivorous butterfly, so I should be careful."
Enzo's daze was short-lived, interrupted by a series of ominous noises from behind his door. He spun around to face it just in time to see the door crash to the ground, revealing three of the zombies he had seen earlier. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, Enzo realized that he may not be as lucky as earlier.
Enzo knew that he was at a disadvantage; he was alone, and the zombies had the numerical advantage. The odds were not in his favor, and he couldn't count on the same stroke of luck that had saved him from the bird earlier. The only glimmer of hope was that the zombies were painfully slow, their movements sluggish and labored.
Enzo couldn't help but think of all the zombie movies he had watched as he surveyed the approaching undead. If they were anything like the ones on the screen, even a single scratch would be enough to infect him. He quickly made a decision, tossing his computer at the zombies in a desperate attempt to slow them down. He knew that the device was now useless to him, but if he could at least inflict some damage on the creatures, he would consider it a small victory.
Enzo's makeshift weapon seemed to have had some effect; one of the zombies stumbled and fell to the ground. For a moment, Enzo allowed himself a glimmer of hope that he might be able to defeat them after all. However, his optimism was short-lived, as he watched the fallen zombie begin to stir once more, slowly rising to its feet with a menacing determination. Enzo realized that he needed to act fast if he wanted to survive this encounter.
And right at this moment, Enzo felt a sudden fluttering above his nose. He looked up to see the carnivorous butterfly that had landed on him earlier, circling the zombie he had hit with his computer. Enzo watched in amazement as the creature danced around the undead, seemingly distracting it from its original target. The other zombies remained oblivious, continuing their slow and steady march toward Enzo. For a moment, Enzo felt a glimmer of hope - could this tiny creature be the key to his survival?
Enzo's question was answered almost immediately. Without warning, the tiny butterfly darted forward, its jaws opening wide as it made contact with the zombie's head. In one swift motion, the creature crunched down with an astonishing amount of force, severing the zombie's head from its body with ease. Enzo could hardly believe his eyes - the little butterfly had just single-handedly taken down one of the zombies, leaving two more to kill.
[You gain 2 Zombie Eden. Strength +1; Stamina +1]
Unfortunately, Enzo didn't get the message of making a new butterfly. Was it the distance? He believed it was the reason why he couldn't extract another butterfly. Nonetheless, he felt like he could now win against the two remaining zombies that almost cornered him now.
Enzo didn't hesitate for a moment. Grabbing the chair he used earlier to kill the bird, he swung it with all his might at the two approaching zombies. The impact was tremendous, and both creatures tumbled to the ground with a sickening thud before the chair bend in strangely. Enzo breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that the chair was still somewhat usable. After all, despite not being particularly muscular, he was still in good physical shape, and his strength had served him well in that moment of need.
As the zombies struggle to get back on their feet, the butterfly came and attacked the zombies as well. Though, this time, it took a little bit more time as it didn't go for the head immediately but separate parts of their bodies instead.
[You gain 2 Zombie Eden. Strength +1; Stamina +1]
[You gain 2 Zombie Eden. Strength +1; Stamina +1]
[You have reached level 2. You gain two stats points to distribute freely]
Enzo watched as the carnivorous butterfly fluttered over to the fallen zombies, quickly dispatching them with its razor-sharp mandibles. Despite feeling relieved that the creature had once again come to his aid, Enzo couldn't help but notice its vulnerability. He knew that the butterfly was like a glass cannon, with incredible offensive capabilities but no real defenses to speak of. If the zombies had targeted the creature, he would have been in serious trouble. Enzo felt a renewed sense of respect for the butterfly's incredible strength, but he also knew that he couldn't rely on it entirely if he wanted to survive.
As Enzo approached the lifeless bodies of the zombies, he searched them for any sign of loot. To his disappointment, he found nothing of value. "I guess it's rare to get something out of a combat in the first place," he muttered to himself. However, he soon realized that he had gained something even more valuable than loot. As he stood near the corpses, he received three messages from the system, each telling him if he wanted to extract another butterfly.
He agreed without hesitation, and the same gruesome scene from earlier happened.
[New butterflies have been added to your collection]
[You have acquired x1 low-grade Carnivorous Butterfly, x1 Poisonous Butterfly, and x1 protective butterfly.]
[Stockable butterfly: 4/10]
The three butterflies came to his side as well. He had now two red butterflies, one purple, and one yellow which was the protective one.
Enzo didn't know what the could possibly do, but he was still more than happy as the more butterfly he has, the easier it will be to survive. "I knew it was the right choice to learn the skill!" He exclaimed as he made his way out of the room.
However, Enzo also knew that he couldn't stay in this room forever. He needed to find a way out and make his way to safety. The cramped space was a death trap waiting to happen. "I have to get to the gymnasium," he told himself. "It's the largest and most secure building on campus. If I can make it there, I might have a chance at surviving this nightmare." With renewed determination, he peaked his head outside of the door just enough to see if there were any monsters waiting for him.
Thankfully there was none.
"I hope I won't have to encounter more zombies," Enzo muttered to himself as he cautiously made his way to the stairs. The memory of the previous encounter with the zombies was still fresh in his mind, and he couldn't shake off the feeling of terror. He took each step slowly, making sure not to make any noise that could attract any unwanted attention.
Since it was the weekend, there was almost no one in the male dormitory. Most went out to enjoy their time, leaving almost no one in the dormitory. And the few who were still in the dormitory were mostly dead now.
Moving carefully, he made sure that the few open doors didn't have anyone in it as he didn't want to be trapped between two enemies if possible.
As he reached the stairs, he peeked through the window and scanned the area outside. He couldn't see any zombies nearby, but he knew better than to let his guard down. With a deep breath, he pushed open the door and stepped outside, the butterflies resting on different parts of his body.
But unlike what he saw through the window of the stairs, what he saw once he came out of the building sent shivers down his spine. There were several lifeless bodies all around and monsters fighting each other. There weren't only zombies, but birds, bees, and even dogs as well. It was so fierce that Enzo hesitated for a moment as he didn't know if he should continue staying outside or not.
"Let's continue, there's no point in giving up now!"