He had initially believed that with the antitoxin and his own strength, he could face the hospital's zombie horde alone. Bringing Arnold along was merely an added layer of security. Facing small groups of zombies had never posed any danger to him, and this had led him to underestimate the zombies. However, he hadn't expected this endless zombie horde, one that could potentially wear down any Awakened being if they weren't careful. His overconfidence was getting the best of him!
Clark reflected on his own actions. In the world of the apocalypse, no matter how strong an Awakened person was, they were still just struggling ants. With himself only at the First Tier, he had no reason to underestimate these monsters.
"Eye of Judgment!" Clark shouted, and a pale blue mist began to rise. All the information within his field of vision transformed into a vast stream of data.
"Current number of zombies within the scanning range: 4197."
"Mutants: 0."
"Mutants: 1."
On the screen, the number behind "Mutants" kept fluctuating as if being interfered with. Clark's face turned grave. It was the first time the Eye of Judgment failed to provide accurate data. The numbers kept shifting. When a mutant approached, the number would change to 1; when it moved away, it would revert to 0.
Clark's expression grew increasingly serious. The anomalies in the underground garage, the piercing screeches he'd heard the previous night, the existence of mutants he'd never heard of in his past life, and the strange connection between them all. What could it all mean?
"Roar!" The black bear roared in agony. In a matter of seconds, Arnold was surrounded by zombies. Zombies clung to him like bloodthirsty ants, and even more flew at him like locusts.
If it weren't for the bear's fur and the cotton clothing he had prepared in advance, he would have been infected within seconds. His massive bear form was covered in zombies, almost submerging him.
At the same time, "Crack!" Metal shattered. Clark's Nepalese kukri had been completely destroyed, turning into shards that pierced through several zombies in front of him. The situation had taken a turn for the worse.
Clark had no time to ponder what was happening. He had to retrieve two pieces of zombie spine from the Judgment Ring to use as makeshift daggers.
"Step forward and stab! Spin attack!" Using his waist for power, Clark took a step forward. With his makeshift daggers in hand, he broke through the zombies in front of him like a fierce drill, making his way to support Arnold.
The number of zombies was just too great. The ground was already covered in thick layers of minced flesh, and the slippery blood was viscous, creating a veritable mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
Quick and decisive action was necessary. It was time to use the stimulant! He had kept this ace up his sleeve, but there was no need to conserve it now. When a person died, there was nothing left.
Clark bit into a stimulant, mixing the potion with shards of glass and swallowing it.
"Ding! Strength +1, Constitution +1, Agility +1."
"Ding! Burst power increased by 50%, endurance and resistance to attacks increased by 30%, attack speed increased by 20%."
With two doses of the potion in his system, he felt the familiar surge of power!
"Explosive Strength!" Clark immediately activated Explosive Strength again, ensuring that his momentum wasn't interrupted. A golden aura flashed, and his stamina returned to its peak.
"Ding! All attributes +2!"
A slight fluctuation of psychic energy radiated from him. Clark suddenly felt the makeshift bone daggers in his hands weigh almost nothing, and his body seemed to be surging with power. Time slowed down, and the once swift and ferocious zombies now moved in slow motion in his eyes.
The thought flashed through Clark's mind. After breaking through the threshold, a strange perception spread. Clark was incredibly excited. With the combined effects of the two substances, he temporarily sensed a higher level of power.
"It seems like I can wipe them all out?" Clark's heart was pounding with excitement. Like an engine, he pumped blood throughout his body, briefly obtaining the power of a higher tier. Clark felt that, at this moment, his strength was even enough to tear The Licker apart with his bare hands, his muscles bulging with endless strength.
"Straight thrust!" Clark gripped the bone spikes in both hands and exerted force. With this surge of power, a series of sonic booms resonated around him as the bone spikes shot forward, instantly piercing through the zombies in front of him. It was like using a traditional gourd-shaped weapon, as a single strike cleared the area in front of him.
"Reverse swing!" Empowered by this tremendous strength, Clark's battle spirit soared. He swung the bone spikes in his hands as if they were chopping blades, delivering a powerful strike. Rather than slicing, it was more like smashing. With a sharp whistling sound, a large number of zombies were crushed into a bloody mess.
This feeling, this power! A gleam of delight flickered in Clark's eyes; this overwhelming power was intoxicating.
"Hah!" A thunderous roar, as if a clear sky had thundered. Filled with killing intent, Clark grabbed a nearby zombie as if it were a heavy hammer and began smashing it into the horde, as if swatting flies.
The dense congregation of zombies surrounding Clark was instantly cleared, reduced to a pile of flesh and gore. Clark felt exhilarated, his previous sense of gloom vanishing entirely, and his formidable presence remained unchanged.
Taking advantage of the time when the stimulant and the power surge were in effect, Clark quickly moved to Arnold's side.
"Boom!" A vast number of zombies grouped together were smashed into a pile of pulp on the ground. Limbs and intestines scattered, and blood splattered.
"Boom!" Clark didn't know how many zombies he had used as improvised hammers in just a few seconds. Within moments, he had cleared a path through the horde.
Arnold stared in disbelief, his face filled with terror. This was beyond brutal! Unable to control his fear, he swallowed hard. The bear-like face of the transformed Clark was now covered in blood, and he wielded zombies as if they were even more terrifying than mutants in Arnold's eyes.
"Boom!" The ground trembled as Clark casually killed the zombies beside him, then wiped some blood from his face with a grin. However, this expression sent shivers down Arnold's spine.
"Clark..." Arnold's voice over the team voice chat was no longer as loud as before; he was now speaking softly. The zombies around them had been briefly cleared, allowing him to catch his breath.
"Yeah?" Clark looked at Arnold with a puzzled expression, his crimson eyes emanating a reddish glow. With only a moment's pause for breathing, the horde was approaching again.
Clark habitually picked up a zombie, but he realized there was not a single intact corpse around him. He looked at Arnold, whose massive and sturdy body might make a good improvised hammer.
"Damn it!" Arnold was terrified. He understood Clark's blatant intention from his eyes. "Clark, no, don't!"
Clark looked satisfied at the cleared pathway and quickly sprinted to the end of the corridor, reaching Arnold's side.
Suddenly struck by an idea, Clark used Arnold to crush a few zombies, and then he decided to use him as if he were a bowling ball. With Clark's second-tier strength, Arnold's massive two-ton body effortlessly flattened the zombies along the way.
"How are you feeling?" Clark took advantage of the cleared space and pulled Arnold, who was lying on the ground.
Arnold, who dared not speak, couldn't bring himself to say anything. His eyes were filled with resentment. He felt as if he had been beaten up. Anyone who had been used as a hammer for some time and then kicked like a ball wouldn't feel great, especially when the person responsible was Clark.
"I'll say it again! I'm not a ball, goddamn it! And hey, shouldn't we hurry up and find [Skullcrusher's Hand] now? The zombies are about to surround us again!" Arnold was on the verge of tears, and his bear transformation had already ended. His tattered clothing barely covered his rear end. His helmet hung lopsided on his head, and his body was covered in bloody debris.