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Chapter 25 - OLD BERRY TOWN VS RIDERS

Simbad, noticing the approaching cook attacker brandishing a knife, swiftly responds by executing an upward kick to disarm the attacker. Subsequently, he tosses the aggressor behind him, causing him to crash onto a table, shattering it. The cook tries to retrieve the knife lodged in the ceiling, but Simbad charges forward, using his impressive strength to propel both of them into a wall, rendering the cook unconscious.

Having dealt with the threat, Simbad retreats and resumes enjoying his meal. However, the attacker, perched on the broken table, manages to leap onto another table to recover the knife suspended above. Swiftly, the attacker aims a downward strike at Simbad. Simbad finishes his meal and reacts quickly, hurling a plate that shatters upon impact with the attacker's face, leaving him stunned. Simbad then questions the attacker's motives, asking if they truly intend to take his life. Disregarding the inquiry, the attacker launches a knife attack. Realizing the imminent danger, Simbad shifts into a more serious mode, evading the knife's attack. He retaliates by forcefully hurling a fork, which pierces through the attcker's chest, ultimately leading him to his death. Simbad gazes at his hand and muses to himself that perhaps he had thrown the fork with too much force.

Meanwhile, Frank delivers a powerful punch to an attacker, sending them careening into a stack of food boxes and rendering them unconscious. Frank pivots around and observes that the other attackers he had previously confronted are all incapacitated. Without hesitation, Frank rushes to Mai's room, where he finds her subduing yet another attacker, restraining them with their arm behind their back. Mai quickly fills Frank in on the alarming situation: Old Berry Town is currently under attack from the Riders. As they exchange information, they spot on a computer the departure of Rex's formidable robot suit as it soars through the mall and exits the premises.

Simultaneously, within the Electric power house, Michael remains motionless and unresponsive as a bullet penetrates his skull, resulting in a gruesome splatter of blood as he collapses to the floor. The attacker holding the firearm, accompanied by the other attackers, commands everyone to get down. Xai, taken aback by the shocking demise of Michael, hurries towards a nearby table in an attempt to retrieve a pistol but gets shot in the shoulder by the armed attacker before he can secure the weapon.

The attacker places the gun against Xai's temple, tauntingly remarking, "Is this the full extent of Old Berry Town's so-called A-tier Zombie?" In response, Xai meets the attacker's gaze and clarifies, "Michael isn't an A-tier zombie; he's a half-zombie with a stronger connection to his human emotions." Unfazed, the attacker retorts that he couldn't care less about Michael's nature, proceeding to instruct another accomplice to carry out their task.

The second attacker declares, "For the System! For The Riders!" before tearing open their jacket, revealing a vest laden with C4 explosives. With determination, he charges toward a power generator responsible for supplying electricity throughout the entire town. Upon impact, the attacker detonates, causing a catastrophic explosion that engulfs the power generator and triggers a chain reaction, affecting adjacent generators.

The resulting explosion emits a shower of electric sparks, causing everyone else to hastily retreat. The armed attacker, holding the gun, breaks into laughter. Amidst the chaos, Xai observes an electric spark making contact with Michael's lifeless body.  Michael's eyes abruptly snap open, charged with electricity.

Michael's recollection transports him back to the critical moment when the bullet approached his brain. The projectile grazed his cerebral tissue, but the electrical activity surrounding his brain mysteriously nudged the bullet upwards, guiding it out of his skull without causing further harm to his brain. In his internal musings, Michael reflects on his transformation into a half-zombie and how he had never anticipated that the very humans he sought to protect would turn against him. Frustration and betrayal swell within him, prompting him to declare that if those he vowed to safeguard were willing to end his life, then they were no longer worth his loyalty.

The electric energy within his brain intensifies rapidly, empowering Michael to rise to his feet. He directs his gaze towards Xai and the attacker, who fires his weapon, only for the electric charges enveloping Michael's body to deflect the bullets away from his head. Seizing the moment, Michael plunges his arm into the attacker's chest, exerting pressure that triggers the attacker's heart to explode. Michael tosses the lifeless body of the attacker into the electricity explosion and the body dissipates into the surrounding electrical sparks near the power generators, Michael becomes acutely aware that if this power surge continues unchecked, the entire town will endure a devastating loss of electricity, forcing him to rebuild it all from scratch again.

With mounting despair, Michael contemplates letting the town suffer the consequences. However, Xai's urgent plea pierces through his turmoil. Confused to what is actually going on, Michael voices his suspicions aloud to why the people of this town would attack him. Xai interjects, insisting that something is amiss and implores Michael to listen attentively. But in the midst of their exchange, Xai gets hit by a electric bolt from the ongoing explosion, crashing into a nearby wall.

Michael, observing the perilous situation, notices Xai still suffering from the electrical shock. At this moment, Xai questions, "Why would we ever attack our Special Zombie?" This inquiry triggers a flood of memories in Michael's mind, including vivid images of Mai. These memories persuade him that the townspeople wouldn't genuinely wish him harm.

Fueled by this newfound understanding, Michael swiftly removes the electric bolt endangering Xai and uses his ears to tunes into the chaos unfolding beyond the power house's walls to hear the Riders attacking the town. He comprehends that Xai had been correct all along. Utilizing his lightning abilities, Michael takes action to curtail the expanding electrical explosion, gradually reducing its destructive potential. With a tone of remorse, he offers a sincere apology to Xai, who watches him attentively, tending to his bleeding shoulder.

Inside Adam's room, Barbra desperately holds the door, fending off five attackers. She finds herself unable to muster any magical defenses due to the excessive energy she expended healing Adam. Meanwhile, Adam's attention is drawn to the window, where one of the attackers attempts to shatter it with a forceful punch. The window fractures slightly, but in that critical moment, Adam witnesses a startling transformation in the attacker's visage. The attacker's face morphs into Sam's face, and he lets out a sinister laugh as he continues pounding the window. Another attacker joins in, and her face transforms into Lia's face. This sight brings tears to Adam's eyes, but a growing rage within him ignites, manifesting as fiery sparks in his eyes.

As the attackers successfully break the window, Adam takes a swift, fluid action. In a single motion, he propels both of them away, but his tremendous strength causes their bodies to detonate upon impact. Barbra is left astounded by this display of power and gore. Covered in their blood, Adam gazes at his hands and chuckles, believing he has finally killed Sam and Lia.

However, the other three attackers enters the room with each of their faces shifting to resemble Sam, Lia, and Conor. Adam's laughter abruptly ceases, replaced by a chilling determination. He swiftly crushes Sam and Lia's heads with his mighty grip that causes blood streams to fill the room.

But when confronted with Conor, who brandishes a bow and draws back an arrow, Adam finds himself immobilized by the agony of harming his own son. As Conor releases the arrow, it hurtles toward Adam's eye, leaving him helpless to evade the impending danger. In a quick act, Barbra intervenes by leaping forward and intercepting the arrow before it can reach Adam. She forcefully thrusts the arrow into Conor's chest as he collapses, coughing up a copious amounts of blood. Barbra proceeds to drive the arrow deeper into Conor's chest, eventually ending his life.

Adam, overwhelmed by the grim turn of events, sinks to his knees amidst the pool of blood, believing that he has lost his son. Barbra reaches out to embrace him, seeking to provide solace and comfort. Adam's tears flow as he witnesses Conor's visage transforming into Sam's, a sight that bewilders and troubles him deeply. Perplexed, Adam is met with Sam's sinister laughter, prompting him to respond with a forceful stomp that crushes Sam's face. In anguish, he questions the eerie resemblance shared by all the attackers.

Barbra places her hand on Adam's head, radiating a calming magical glow as she delves into his thoughts. She comprehending that the attackers have caused hallucinations, making Adam envision Sam, Lia, and Conor. Barbra once more embraces Adam, assuring him that the apparitions he witnessed were not real. Adam's tears continue to flow as he seeks solace in the comforting embrace of Barbra's chest.

Inside the church, a gruesome event unfolds as blood stains nearly every surface, evidence of Rune's lethal confrontation with the attackers. Rune pivots around, spotting the same child who had previously stabbed him. His gaze locks onto the knife still embedded in his side. With alarming swiftness, the child charges towards Rune, fervently shouting "For the Riders!".

Rune reacts swiftly, subduing the child and removing the knife that was embedded on his side. He places the blade menacingly close to the child's eyes and questions the child's commitment to a life dictated by the sword. The child defiantly asserts his allegiance to the Riders. In response, Rune inquires about the whereabouts of Jean and Kayla, to which the child cryptically replies, "To a better life than this one, a life where you live to fight."

Without hesitation, Rune slashes the knife across the child's face, leaving a searing mark and says that this is a reminder for him to remember that the weak should never provoke the strong. The child's agonized in pain. Simbad then arrives at the church. Rune requests Simbad's assistance in detaining the child as a prisoner.

Meanwhile, by the gravestones of Cameda and Will. Agustin's brother, Angel, lies on the pavement, clutching his wounded arm. As he shifts his gaze to the side, he encounters a grim scene—lifeless bodies scattered around, and Agustin lying unconscious, being dragged by other attackers toward a van.

Meanwhile, at the front gates, the fierce battle rages on between the Riders and Rex. Rex relentlessly fires his laser at the Riders, while Stella's men return fire from their defensive positions. Stella seizes the opportunity and wrests a spy's rifle from their grasp. Unbeknownst to her, another spy lurks behind, poised to strike. However, Ezzy intervenes and kills the spy with a well-aimed shot. Stella promptly orders her men to hold the spy, and together with Ezzy, she joins the firefight.

Inside his formidable robot suit, Rex prepares for an escalated confrontation. Jarvis, observing Rex's determination, grins and takes a calculated shot that grazes the side of Stella's head, causing her to stumble. Enraged, Ezzy seizes a rifle and efficiently eliminates several Riders. She takes aim through the rifle's scope, focusing on Jarvis. In a tense exchange, Jarvis retaliates with a shot aimed at Ezzy. With lightning reflexes, Ezzy narrowly avoids the bullet, just in time, as it passes through her rifle scope.

Rex ascends into the sky and unleashes a barrage of laser fire from his suit upon the Riders. Jarvis wears a satisfied smile as he employs his magical abilities, summoning a multitude of mystical doors that open, absorbing all the laser beams into their magical depths. The doors then close and vanish in a shimmer of magic. Suddenly, a magical door appears above Rex, channeling the absorbed laser energy, which strikes Rex with devastating force, causing him to crash violently to the ground. The laser's impact obliterates the front gates in a spectacular display of destruction. This also causes Ezzy run for cover.

Jarvis chuckles, proclaiming aloud that the magic he wields is a gift from his brother Volk. As he revels in his newfound power, Jarvis receives a call over the radio, his smile widening even further. His attention is soon drawn to a van emerging from the gates, approaching their position. Jarvis pivots around to behold a swarm of zombies advancing from their rear and observes that uninvited guests seem to have arrived. He promptly conjures a multitude of magical doors, guiding the van through one of them. Following suit, Jarvis and the Riders also make their hasty escape via the magical portals.  As Rex regains his footing, he bellows in frustration and retaliates by unleashing a barrage of laser fire into the approaching horde of zombies. Rune joins the fray, actively contributing to the effort to eliminate the encroaching zombies.

Shortly after Rex and Rune successfully eliminate all the zombies at the front gate, a scene unfolds where Ezzy is seen carrying Stella towards Robo Mall to get to Mai as they assists in bandaging Stella's head. Michael, using his abilities, manages to neutralize the electricity explosion. Gradually rising to his feet, Xai inquires about the estimated duration needed for repairs. Michael, wiping away his tears, responds that it will require a week to fully restore the situation to normalcy. In the meantime, Frank reaches Angel and carries him to safety.

At the front gates of the island, a magical door materializes as the van and the other cars comes out of the doors. They drive to the island, where Volk eagerly awaits their arrival. The van's back doors swing open, and several Riders and young Riders step out, bringing out Jean, Kayla, Agustin, and a few other town residents with them. Jarvis and the other riders also joins in to form a circle.

Volk begins to speak, explaining that his son, Henry, will make the final decision regarding the captive's fate. This declaration perplexes Jarvis, who reminds Volk that he had been informed that the system required more entertainers. In response, Volk insists that all the Riders should listen to their newly awakened young master.

As everyone watches, Henry, with his distinctive gray skin, glowing eyes, and chest, strides forward. It becomes evident to all that Henry is also an A-Star Zombie(Super Zombie). A sinister smile plays across Henry's face as he points to Jean, Kayla, and Agustin, proclaiming his desire to use them for testing purposes.

Jarvis, taken aback, questions what has transpired with Henry, emphasizing that he believed Henry was a mindless zombie. Volk, however, grins and reveals that his theory about bring his son back has indeed proven successful.