It didn't take long for Zach to experience the true might of his newly restored SSS-level skills, reveling in the sheer exhilaration of being able to use them without limit.
It was clear now why the unseen force behind this nightmare wanted to rid itself of him so desperately.
What it wanted wasn't someone wielding world-shattering power. No, it wanted people to be hunted by monsters—specifically the zombie-like creatures it had set upon the world.
Zach harnessed the power of a hundred blue swords, manipulating them with precision to block the guardian knights' swords. Not only did this reduce the damage, but it also stored it, transforming every strike from the Sickle Rats into a weapon Zach would use to annihilate them later.
Boom!
A violent explosion echoed through the battlefield. The guardian knight, though quick to react and block with his sword, couldn't prevent the blast. A gaping hole was torn in the knight's armor, exposing the chaotic, star-like energy within.
With each successive strike, more of the guardians were shattered, their remains evaporating as though they had never existed.
Zach scanned the battlefield through the gaps in the shield wall. The metallic sound of heavy footsteps reverberated, and Zach's heart sank.
It was an iron giant—its appearance completely different from the guardian knights. Unlike the bulky, sword-wielding knights, these titans were sleek and modern, towering over three meters tall, clad in thick, dark armor with strange metallic backpacks that served no clear purpose.
In their hands, they carried modified MP5K submachine guns. The bloody cross on their iron helmets and the silver skull on their shoulder pads made for a terrifying sight.
The numbers of Sickle Rats began to dwindle as the iron giants pushed forward. Zach scowled, recognizing the shift in strategy: "Looks like they're stepping up the game since the Sickle Rats couldn't get the job done."
Zach observed the titans' tactics, noting two main types of attacks. First, their weapons, resembling grenade launchers, released powerful, explosive rounds that affected a wide area. Second, the gun's metal pipe, linked to the iron backpacks, unleashed scorching flames that covered a seven to eight meter radius.
Zach was not idle. He quickly began adjusting his guardian knight summoning strategy. He swiped through the virtual panel, selecting a new template. The silver knights that materialized were smaller and more agile, designed to evade grenade blasts. With a sword in one hand and a shield in the other, they formed a defensive line against the iron giants.
These knights were well-equipped for both offense and defense. The shield, bearing an eagle's wings, could deflect attacks and, when needed, be wielded as a brutal stabbing weapon.
The battle raged on, with the iron giants attempting to encircle the guardians and bomb them with grenades. But Zach's knights weren't so easily defeated. The silver knights used their agility to dodge the blasts, redirecting the projectiles back at the titans. One particularly large shield knight emerged from the fray, towering over the rest. His massive, reinforced shields formed an impenetrable barrier, withstanding the fire and moving forward.
With a final, coordinated strike, the shield knight pierced the chest and head of the lead iron giant with a powerful sword.
[Successfully killed the Titan weapon! Congratulations to the host for getting 250 killing points!]
[Successfully killed the Titan weapon! Congratulations to the host for getting 250 killing points!]
[Successfully killed the Titan weapon! Congratulations to the host for getting 250 killing points!]
Zach couldn't help but smile. While his knights were dealing with the Sickle Rats, he took full advantage of the endless extraction skill, gaining attribute points and new abilities.
[Extraction successful! Congratulations to the host for gaining strength +10, defense +10!]
[Extraction successful! Congratulations to the host for acquiring Blizzard Slash! Strength +8!]
[Congratulations to the host for acquiring Blizzard Slash, automatically upgraded to SSS-level!]
[Extraction successful! Congratulations to the host for gaining speed +10!]
As the chaos continued, Zach received another notification.
[The 1080th attempt was successful! Some permissions have been regained!]
[SSS-level skill Infinite Backpack has been restored!]
Zach raised an eyebrow, but he wasn't surprised. He suspected the system had done this deliberately, likely fearing he wouldn't be able to manage everything in his inventory without it.
Without hesitation, Zach used the new ability to collect all 699 four-bladed sickles dropped by the Sickle Rats.
He was eager to see how the system's next skill recovery would enhance his powers.
[The 1095th attempt was successful! Some permissions have been regained!]
[The world chat channel function has been restored!]
Zach's eyes narrowed as he read the announcement. The world chat channel? Not exactly useful for him, but curiosity got the better of him. He opened it and entered a random conversation.
The first thing he saw was people discussing his status:
[Speaking of the number one in the double list, the one named Zach, why is his name grayed out?]
[Is it possible that it was too inflated and was killed by a monster?]
[It's possible! Otherwise, why would the name turn black?]
[Not only that, you click in and take a look, the screen is black, still tearing and garbled]
[It is estimated that it is gone]
[Hey, it's a pity, the canned food he made is quite delicious, and there are so many buffs]
[Canned food made of zombie monster meat, it's a shame you can eat it]
[Hahaha, it seems that tomorrow, the one who will top the list will be our Sakura people!]
[Little Sakura, also want to compete with our hawks for the first place? Overreaching!]
Zach scoffed at the banter, unconcerned with their idle chatter. He noticed they hadn't exposed the behind-the-scenes manipulation yet. Maybe they were trying to protect their pride.
Closing the world chat channel, he returned to his system interface, where hundreds of Sickle Rats awaited extraction. The mastermind behind all this likely didn't anticipate that Zach would not only survive but grow stronger with every monster he killed.
Zach was ready to turn their attempts at destruction into his own personal advantage. If the people behind the scenes thought they were orchestrating his downfall, they were in for a rude awakening. Zach was about to become stronger than ever.