"Growl..."
With their reddish eyes and gray, decaying heads, the creatures started rising from the ground.
"Kalsie! What now?!" Job asked in hurry.
Despite the barrier being lifted, they were still a considerable distance from the secure buildings. If they were surrounded by the monsters again, it would be perilous because this time they didn't have a fire or burning torch to fend them off.
"Increase your pace! Don't stop! We have to reach those buildings!" Kalsie commanded.
While the Dead Walkers continued to emerge from the ground, some people took the opportunity to eliminate them before they fully surfaced. However, the majority of them were focused on reaching the safety of the buildings.
"Hah... Shouldn't we eliminate them before they fully emerge?" Wendy suggested as she witnessed someone cracking open a Dead Walker's skull.
"Killing those creatures isn't our immediate priority! Our main goal is to find shelter in one of those buildings and survive! Besides, no one knows how many there could be!" Kalsie responded firmly.
"But since that guy headed for the right building, we'll target a different one!"
They sprinted past the Dead Walkers, paying them little mind, and quickly covered half of the field. Thanks to their swift pace, their group surged ahead, leaving the others behind.
"AHHHH!!! OH MY GOD!! HOW MANY ARE THERE!?!"
A sudden scream pierced the air, causing them to glance back while running.
"!?"
A jolt of terror surged through their bodies as they beheld the sight behind them. The gate through which they had entered was now completely open, and from outside, a colossal horde of Dead Walkers was advancing toward them.
Though their progress was slow, it sent a shiver down the spines of those who had lingered behind to confront the Dead Walkers.
"SHIT!! How can there be this many!?"
"RUN!!!"
"If I had known this would happen, I would have fled earlier!!!"
"Wait for me-"
Just as a person attempted to flee, she failed to notice a Dead Walker lurking beneath her. It grabbed her leg with a vice-like grip, dragging her toward itself.
"AH! AH! H-Help! AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Before she could react, her leg was savagely bitten and torn away.
She wasn't the sole victim of misfortune. In the midst of the vast crowd of people fleeing in the same direction, incidents occurred at an alarming rate. Some stumbled on their own, while others were pushed by their panicked peers in a desperate bid for self-preservation.
"GROWL!!!!!"
"AAHHHHH!!! My arm!! My arm!!!!! GAHHH!!!!"
"N-NO!! S-STAY A-AWAY!!! AHHHHHHHHH!"
The sickening sound of bones cracking and the agonized cries of the terrified people reverberated across the field, sending shivers down the spines of those running at the front. The notion of being devoured alive horrified many, causing some to grow pale.
However, no one dared to look back or speak of the gruesome scene unfolding behind them.
As the chaos unfolded around him, Kalsie couldn't help but feel the weight of his heartache. The cries for help and the sight of people succumbing to the relentless horrors weighed heavily on him.
'Is this the life you and Father endured, Mom?' Kalsie's thoughts briefly strayed to his parents. The gruesome scene before him made him feel queasy and powerless for the first time.
However, he quickly refocused his thoughts, realizing that now was not the time for that. He understood that if they became surrounded from all directions, their chances of survival would be nonexistent.
Suddenly, a deafening growl echoed through the air, snapping everyone back to the grim reality.
"Look! The dead walkers are advancing from the front!"
"Why are they at the front too?!"
The menacing monsters continued their slow but relentless approach, sending the people at the front into a frenzied panic as they shoved and jostled one another in their desperate bid to escape.
Fatty turned to Kalsie, seeking guidance in this dire situation. With no escape route left and the dead walkers closing in, Kalsie clenched his teeth in frustration and issued a resolute command.
"Prepare for battle!" Kalsie's voice conveyed determination.
"Are you sure?" Job voiced his concerns, rightfully worried about the formidable number of dead walkers ahead. Time was against them, and they couldn't afford to light torches for protection.
Kalsie reassured them, "Don't forget, we're stronger than before. Pair up and fight! We can take them down and carve a path through. And... look out for each other!"
All they could do was fight and forge their way ahead. Job and the others, though still nervous, wisely refrained from arguing with Kalsie and instead accepted their perilous predicament. It wasn't their first time facing such harrowing circumstances.
As other survivors took notice of the dire situation ahead, they quickly divided into three groups.
Kalsie's group, joined by others, charged straight ahead, determined to confront the approaching threat head-on. Meanwhile, a portion of the survivors veered toward the buildings on either side of the path.
Kalsie's group maintained their lead, with the first building's entrance tantalizingly close. However, their progress was impeded by an ominous sight: over a hundred dead walkers, sluggishly advancing toward them.
This unnerving spectacle left almost everyone in the front momentarily rooted in place, gripped by fear and indecision. But Kalsie and his companions pressed on without hesitation.
With a resolute grip on his sword, Kalsie dashed forward, leaving his comrades slightly behind.
"Growl!!"
"Is that guy out of his mind!?" Onlookers couldn't help but question Kalsie's sanity as they witnessed his audacious charge into the overwhelming number of approaching monsters.
Slash!
Closing the gap rapidly, Kalsie swung his sword horizontally, slicing the neck of the nearest Dead Walker.
Kalsie's focus remained sharp as he observed another approaching Dead Walker.
'Even the sensation coming from the orb is stronger than before,' he thought, his attention divided between the enemy and that mysterious light orb.
Swoosh!
Before Kalsie could react, an arrow from Fred pierced the creature's skull, swiftly ending its threat.
"Don't forget that we are also here!" Wendy's voice cut through the chaos as she and the rest of the group fiercely battled against the relentless horde of monsters.
A small, appreciative smile graced Kalsie's lips as he witnessed his friends valiantly battling the relentless Dead Walkers. However, the odds were stacked against them, with the sheer number of monsters proving overwhelming.
While Kalsie's group fought with valor, their fellow survivors behind them seemed hesitant to join the fray, content to let Kalsie and his comrades clear the path. It was these individuals who irked Kalsie the most, and he couldn't hold back his frustration.
'There is only one option!' Kalsie vigorously wiped the vile blood from his blade, then turned his piercing gaze toward the hesitant onlookers. He saw anxious and frightened faces, but their inaction infuriated him.
"ARE YOU ALL JUST GOING TO STAND THERE?!"