The moment the pale-looking zombies appeared, everyone except Klaus turned as white as paper. The white zombies are a dangerous variant. They possess unnatural speed, strength, and viciousness, which most warriors can't even comprehend.
Like normal zombies, they crave flesh and blood. However, their primary food is the human brain. They prefer to suck out the brains of their victims. No one knows exactly why, but through many battles, humans have learned that zombies, like people, come in different races.
White zombies are particularly feared for their power and brutality. The ones approaching now are all Tier 2, and by the way they are moving and the aura around them, it won't be long before they advance to Tier 3.
"You guys handle the remaining zombies. I have a destiny with these white ones. Try not to die," Klaus said as Anna and her team panicked.
"Huh, those are White Zombies. They are very fast and strong. We should run while we still can," Anna said, her tone grim.
"Don't worry, they're nothing against my sword," Klaus chuckled and dashed toward the hundreds of white zombies. Anna and the others looked on in horror as Klaus charged forward.
Despite their panic, Klaus approached the zombies with a determined smile. From lectures he had overheard from Ross Academy, he knew that white zombies carried a unique type of zombie stone. Unlike normal zombie stones, which come in three grades, zombie stones from white Zombies have distinct marks. These marks determine their values. The more the markings, the more valuable it gets.
These marks can enhance weapons when used to refine them, bestowing runes that amplify the weapon's attacks. Klaus had accumulated so much wealth thus far, but a stone from a white zombie was worth far more.
"Moon Slash," Klaus muttered, swinging his sword. A powerful arc of ice surged toward the monsters, slicing through the front line. Five zombies fell instantly, their heads flying off as the icy arc cut through their ranks.
Instead of pausing to collect their heads, Klaus moved like a whirlwind, charging toward the remaining zombies. His sword swung wide, effortlessly severing the head of another white zombie. The head flew into the air before vanishing, swallowed by the chaos of the battle.
Klaus continued his relentless assault, each swing of his sword precise and deadly. The white zombies struggled to keep up with his speed and skill, their attacks becoming increasingly disorganized. His speed is just too fast for them to follow up. As Klaus moved through the horde, his sword left a trail of destruction in its wake.
It didn't take long for the zombies' numbers began to dwindle as Klaus cut through them with unwavering determination. His movements were precise, each strike executed sends a Zombie or Zombies to the aterlife...Literally.
"The sharpness is starting to manifest," Klaus said as he continued swinging his sword. From the moment he entered the forest, he has been feeling a subtle change in his sword. Although he doesn't understand it, as a Weapon Overlord, he knew it was something he needed to comprehend before continuing. However, no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't manaifest the change. But now, with each swing, he started to sense a distinct change.
His attacks felt sharper and more lethal, the kind of sharpness he truely wanted. Realizing this, Klaus intensified his efforts, fighting with renewed vigor.
Unbeknownst to Klaus, inside his Sea of Consciousness, something began to awaken behind one of the Nine Doors. A small opening had appeared beneath the door, through which golden energy started to seep out into Klaus's soul sea, mingling with his essence.
Kay, who was also battling the zombies, looked on in disbelief. "How is he killing them so easily? He's just an Awakened, for Christ's sake," Kay muttered, clearly blew away by Klaus's display of combat.
"He is a genius, just like one of those Heavenly geniuses we keep hearing about," Lily sighed, watching Klaus's back with a mix of admiration and envy.
"This is an eye-opener for me. No matter how powerful or talented you are, there's always someone better," Mark said, shaking his head. He felt a mixture of awe and resignation as he observed Klaus's prowess.
Anna, sensing the expressions stepped in to offer some encouragement. "We can't compare ourselves to him right now, but that doesn't mean we should let his superiority dampen our spirits. Admitting defeat now means accepting that we'll never reach the top."
She continued, "My sister said that when she went to the mountain, she realized how much weaker she was than she thought. Back in Ross City, she was the strongest among her peers, but there, she found out there were others far stronger, better, and more beautiful. But that didn't stop her. Instead, it made her even more determined to climb to the top. Her hard work is already showing results. So instead of feeling down, we should strive to rise, become like him, or even surpass him."
Her words lifted the group's spirits. Lily nodded, her eyes now shining with renewed determination. "You're right, Sister Anna. We were foolish to think we couldn't improve."
Anna smiled. "It's okay. There will always be new geniuses. But if we keep pushing ourselves, one-day people will see us as geniuses too. To be honest, I'm glad someone like him has come into my life. Everywhere I go, people praise me for my talent, and it always feels good. But seeing him now makes me realize I have to work even harder to earn such praise."
Her words resonated with the group, dispelling their doubts and igniting a renewed sense of purpose. Though they were geniuses, in front of Klaus, they felt small, almost insignificant. They had been plagued by the fear that they would never measure up. But hearing Anna's words now, they began to see a new light at the end of the tunnel.
Unbeknownst to any of them, including Klaus, far from the battlefield, two women of breathtaking beauty observed the scene with calm expressions.
"This kid is strong," one of them remarked, a slight glint appearing in her eyes.
"Indeed," the other replied, her expression unchanged. However, her gaze was fixed on Klaus as he swiftly behead zombies after zombies, storing their heads in rapid succession.
"There's something different about his attacks. It's as if he's tapping into a new realm of power. Sister Nia, do you think he might be on the verge of awakening that energy?" one of the women asked the other.
"It's too early to say," Nia replied, her tone thoughtful. "His ice essence keeps getting purer by the second, so it might be due to that. But as I said, it's too early to draw any conclusions."
"But even if he doesn't awaken it, this kid is pretty good. It would be wise to bring him to our side before the great families set their sights on him," the other woman suggested.
"Asha, what did Master tell you? She said it's better to let someone walk their path without interference. What if, in our attempt to recruit him, we actually push him away?" Nia cautioned.
"Sister Nia, I..." Asha began to speak, but Nia gently interrupted.
"It's alright. I know you just want what's best for the academy. But your judgment of a person's character still needs work. Look at him. It's clear he doesn't trust easily. He could have waited until the battle was over to collect the zombie stones, but he didn't trust any of the young experts on the battlefield, so he picked them up as he fought.
This should be enough of a sign to tell you he won't be easily swayed. We can only observe and see how things unfold," Nia said, her voice calm and measured.
Back on the battlefield, Klaus had managed to take down 80% of the white zombies. The experience point he earned was enormous, and he was nearing the bottleneck to advance to the 11th level. However, Klaus wasn't at ease.
Before coming to this Zombie Tide, he had sensed two forms of danger. The first was the Tide itself, which he had now conquered. But the second danger had only grown more intense from the moment broke through to the tenth stage. Now, as he approached the 11th stage, the sense of danger loomed even larger.
Klaus couldn't shake the feeling that his life was in mortal danger, yet the source of this danger eluded him. What was it like? Where was it coming from? How severe would it be? The only thing he could vaguely sense was that this danger would appear sooner than he expected.
"This bastard should just die already so I can level up and see what kind of danger I'm dealing with," Klaus muttered under his breath. His attacks became even more chaotic, striking with increased ferocity. The zombies stood no chance against him.
Outside his battle zone, Anna and the others had cleared the majority of the zombies, earning significant experience points. Anna had already reached the 7th level, while the others were at the 6th. As they leveled up, their attacks became exponentially stronger, allowing them to slaughter the zombies faster than before.
A little over two hours after the battle began, the last of the ordinary zombies were dealt with, causing everyone to sigh in relief. However, the battle was far from over. The white zombies were relentless, but Klaus was even fiercer. His attacks were both lethal and controlled, with a single ice arc leaving a trail of dead bodies in its wake. Slowly, their numbers continued to dwindle, leaving only a couple dozen before the entire battlefield was cleared.
Suddenly, a booming sound echoed from all five entrances, and five zombies appeared, one from each. The moment they appeared, Anna and the others stiffened in fear. "Zombie Captains... and there are five of them," Lily whispered, her voice trembling. "No, they're all peak Tier 3, almost stepping into the 4th Tier, and a Tier 4 Zombie General. This is bad, really bad."
"Humans, you dare slaughter my kind," one of the Zombie Captains growled just as Klaus dispatched the last of the white zombies. At that same moment, a message appeared before Klaus's eyes, making him smile.
[You have leveled up. Current Level: Level 11 Awakened. You have received 200 Stat points.]