Zorvax and Ophelia found themselves standing against a hulking behemoth, the likes of which they had never seen—a level 3 zombie with skin-like red-hot coals and a flaming sword that seemed to crave destruction. The pair exchanged a glance, a silent communication of their shared unease and resolve.
"Target its weak points—the joints and eyes," Zorvax instructed, his voice steady despite the towering foe before them. "Use your elemental bullets. We need to slow it down."
Ophelia nodded, her grip on her guns tightening. She focused, calling forth the power of water within her, channelling it into the firearms. With a concentrated effort, she pulled the triggers, sending forth bullets formed from condensed, high-pressure water.
However, as the bullets made contact, they splashed harmlessly against the zombie's thick hide, leaving no mark. Ophelia's eyes widened in shock. "It's... it's like shooting at a mountain!"
Zorvax also watched in disbelief. "I knew it would be tough, but this is beyond my expectations," he gritted his teeth. "Their strength is off the charts."
But surrender was not in Zorvax's nature. With a determined grunt, he took advantage of the monster's large, lumbering movements. He charged forward, agile and quick, darting past the fiery arcs of the zombie's sword.
He leapt high, sword poised for a decapitating blow, only to find his weapon unable to penetrate the creature's skin. The bone sword, a formidable weapon against lesser zombies, was akin to a blunt instrument against this adversary.
Landing nimbly on his feet, Zorvax scowled at the futility of his attack. "Damn it," he cursed under his breath. "It's like hacking at stone!"
Retreating to Ophelia's side, he reassessed their strategy. The frustration on his face was clear, the situation growing more dire with each failed attempt.
Ophelia, seeing the concern etched into Zorvax's features, asked, "What's the plan now?"
He took a moment, his mind racing for solutions. "We continue," he finally said, his expression hardening. "It's slow, which is its only weakness. We use that. We keep moving, keep attacking. We chip away at the mountain."
Ophelia nodded, inspired by Zorvax's unwavering spirit despite the odds. "We'll bring this giant down together," she said, a determined glint in her eyes.
They circled the zombie, keeping a distance from its sweeping, fiery blade. Zorvax would dart in, delivering swift, calculated strikes before retreating to safety. Ophelia kept up a steady stream of elemental shots, now aiming not to penetrate but to distract and disorient.
Despite their disadvantage, Ophelia pressed on with her assault, the water bullets from her guns streaming towards the giant with unwavering precision. She was the embodiment of focus. Her brow furrowed in concentration, and each shot a whisper of hope against the looming threat.
"Keep firing!" Zorvax's voice cut through the tumult, a commanding tone that spurred her on. His stance was wide and ready, his every muscle coiled like a spring, prepared for action.
Ophelia did not cease, her fingers working the triggers steadily. With each impact of her watery ammunition, the giant's movements grew sluggish, the water seemingly seeping into the crevices of its fiery armour, dampening its unholy power. The beast began to stumble, its balance wavering under the persistent barrage.
A shout of encouragement from Zorvax fueled her efforts, and she noticed the giant's knee buckling under its own weight. "It's working!" she called out, a note of victory in her voice.
As if on cue, the red zombie's knee gave way, and it crashed down with a thunderous impact that shook the ground beneath their feet. Zorvax wasted no time. He knew their window of opportunity was brief, and their foe was far from defeated.
"This is it!" Zorvax exclaimed, sprinting forward with the grace of a panther. He was acutely aware that his bone sword lacked the ability to deliver a killing blow to such a formidable opponent. Instead, he aimed for the creature's arm, the limb that held the menacing, flame-engulfed sword.
The impact of his strike was met with a resounding clang, and the red zombie roared in a mix of anger and surprise. Its grip on the burning blade faltered, and with a swift kick, Zorvax knocked the weapon away. It spun through the air, landing several yards away, its flames sizzling against the damp earth.
"Great move!" Ophelia cheered, momentarily lowering her guns as she watched Zorvax's maneuver. Her face, usually so composed, was now lit with an exuberant glow.
Zorvax didn't have time to acknowledge her praise; his attention was fixed on the now unarmed giant. He knew the real danger was far from over. "Stay alert," he warned, panting slightly from the exertion. "Without its weapon, it's less dangerous but still deadly."
The red zombie, now rising to its full, imposing height despite its injury, bellowed in rage. It turned its malevolent gaze toward Zorvax, the intent to crush clear in its smouldering eyes.
Ophelia raised her guns again, her previous joy replaced with a steely determination. "I've got your back," she stated, the resolve in her voice as solid as the ground beneath their feet.
Zorvax, seizing the momentary advantage, turned his focus to the fallen flaming sword. He moved with purpose, his footsteps swift, kicking up clouds of dust as he closed the distance between himself and the formidable weapon.
"It's heavy; be careful!" Ophelia called out, her voice laced with concern as she continued her barrage to keep the zombie's attention divided.
Grasping the hilt of the fiery sword, Zorvax felt the weight of the weapon—a stark contrast to his own lighter-bone sword. His muscles tensed, his veins standing out against his grey skin as he hefted the sword with a grunt of effort. The heat from the flames licked his skin, but it did not burn him; the bionic enhancements in his body seemed to ward off the flames' damage.
"Keep its focus, Ophelia!" Zorvax shouted back, his voice resonant and commanding. "I need an opening!"
Ophelia did not miss a beat, ramping up her assault, her guns blazing with increased fury. The water bullets, now infused with a tinge of her elemental energy, struck with more force, causing the giant to reel with each hit.
With the beast distracted by Ophelia's relentless attack, Zorvax found his opportunity. He sprinted, the heavy blade in his grasp feeling lighter with each adrenaline-fueled stride. He was a blur, a shadow that moved with the precision of a seasoned warrior.
The red zombie's head was an inferno of rage, its eyes tracking Ophelia's movements, oblivious to the true threat approaching from the side. Zorvax leapt into the air, and the flaming sword raised high above his head, his body coiled like a spring.
"NOW!" Zorvax roared as he descended, channelling all his supernatural strength into a devastating downward arc.
The blade met the zombie's head with a thunderous clang, the sound of metal cleaving through the resistance of flesh and bone. The fiery sword, coupled with Zorvax's full might, did what his bone sword could not—the red zombie's head was severed, toppling to the ground with a dull thud. The body stood motionless for a moment before crumpling into a heap, the light in its eyes extinguishing like a snuffed candle.
Ophelia ceased firing, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she witnessed the fall of the titan. A sense of awe and disbelief washed over her, her guns lowering as the reality of their victory sank in.
Zorvax stood panting, the fiery sword now resting at his side, its flames dimming upon the zombie's death. His chest heaved with exertion, his expression one of exhausted triumph.
"We did it," Ophelia whispered her voice a mixture of relief and amazement.
"We did," Zorvax agreed, a small smile cracking his stern demeanour. "Your aim was true, Ophelia. You've become quite the sharpshooter."
Ophelia, still catching her breath, managed a weary chuckle. "And you... quite the swordsman. Who knew a level 3's weapon could be turned against them?"
Together, they looked at the fallen giant, their minds already turning to the rewards their victory would yield. The hunt had been perilous, and the fight was gruelling, but together, they had emerged victorious.