The Humvee crested a hill, revealing a stretch of open road ahead. In the distance, a plume of smoke rose into the air, dark and foreboding. Saya squinted, adjusting her glasses. "That's near the estate," she murmured. "We need to hurry."
The urgency in her voice galvanized the group. Shizuka pressed the pedal, the Humvee picking up speed as they hurtled toward the unknown. Guldrin checked his gear, ensuring his weapons and tools were ready for whatever lay ahead. The others followed suit, the atmosphere inside the vehicle shifting from contemplative to battle-ready.
As they approached the source of the smoke, the scenery around them grew more chaotic. Abandoned cars littered the road, some overturned or burned out. The bodies of the undead, some still smoldering, were scattered across the asphalt. The Humvee slowed, weaving through the wreckage.
"This wasn't zombies," Rei said, her tone sharp. "This was something else."
"Humans," Guldrin confirmed grimly. He pointed to a cluster of shell casings glinting in the sunlight. "Gunfire. And recent."
Saya's face paled. "My family…" she whispered, her voice trembling.
"Let's not assume the worst just yet," Guldrin said, though the edge in his voice betrayed his own unease; he and Shiro had looked into each of the main characters, and both believed Yuriko having been special forces would be a perfect addition to their group's base. So her potential demise was enough to make Guldrin's calm facade fade, replaced by an unlaying anger. He placed a hand on Saya's shoulder. "But be ready. If this was an attack, whoever did it might still be here."
The Humvee rolled forward, the tension in the air thick enough to cut with a blade. As they rounded a bend, a gruesome scene unfolded before them. Survivors, armed with makeshift weapons and scavenged firearms, swarmed a fortified estate wall. The screams of the desperate mixed with the crack of gunfire and the guttural growls of the undead drawn by the chaos.
"They're attacking the estate!" Saya shouted, her voice breaking with fear and fury.
Before anyone could respond, Kohta was already moving. He climbed onto the Humvee's roof, his rifle slung across his back. "I'll give us cover," he said, his tone devoid of hesitation. "You guys focus on getting in there."
Kohta's eyes glowed as his first shot rang out, the crack echoing like thunder after he removed the suppressor for more stopping power. A man in a makeshift helmet dropped instantly, clutching his throat. The survivors scattered, some firing blindly in Kohta's direction while others ducked for cover.
Guldrin opened the rear hatch, his body trembling as a surge of primal instincts took hold. His breathing deepened, his pupils dilated, and a predatory grin spread across his face. "Stay behind me," he growled, his voice guttural. Without waiting for a response, he leaped from the Humvee, combat knife and Mk 23 gleaming in his hands.
The others barely had time to process what was happening before Guldrin activated his Primal Surge, and was among the attackers. His movements were a blur, faster, and more savage than anything they had seen before. His blade carved through flesh with surgical precision, each strike efficient and brutal. Screams erupted as he cut down one after another, his path a crimson trail of carnage. Guldrin felt his wounds ache, but after having healed at an accelerated rate, it was a mild inconvenience, especially with his past life of pushing through worse injuries.
Kohta provided deadly precision from his vantage point, picking off anyone who tried to target Guldrin. A survivor armed with a shotgun aimed at Guldrin's back but dropped mid-squeeze of the trigger, Kohta's bullet splitting his skull. Guldrin gave a small nod, he knew the guy was there and if you looked closer, his MK 23 was aiming backward ready to kill the idiot, but Kohta took him out before Guldrin needed to act.
Rei, with her face pale and spear in hand, was the first to follow Guldrin into the fray. "We can't let him take all the risk!" she shouted, charging after him. Even if she didn't want to kill humans, these men were creatures worse than zombies. Whether it was due to evolution or just her mindset changing due to the environment, she steeled herself and was willing to do what had to be done.
Saeko and Saya exchanged a glance before nodding and joining the fight. Saeko's katana flashed in the sunlight, slicing through anyone who dared come close. At the same time, Saya used her newfound agility to dart between enemies, striking with the Glock and a collapsible baton Shiro had given her as a backup.
As the group advanced, they were met with the horrifying aftermath of Guldrin's rampage. Bodies littered the ground, some still twitching. The attackers were in complete disarray, their morale shattered by the sheer ferocity of his assault.
Shiro saw everyone else leave and decided to stay and protect Shizuka and Kohta. Shizuka remained in the Humvee, her sharpened reflexes allowing her to maneuver it closer for Kohta to provide cover if, and when needed. "Be careful!" she shouted, her voice filled with uncharacteristic urgency.
Guldrin didn't stop. He moved like a predator in his element, his combat knife an extension of his will. He tackled a man who looked to be a leader giving orders and panicking trying to reload his rifle, driving the blade into his chest and twisting it with a sickening crunch. Another lunged at him with a crowbar, but Guldrin ducked under the swing, slashing the attacker's Achilles tendon before plunging the knife into his neck. As of yet, Guldrin hadn't fired a single shot from his .45, Kohta was doing a superb job covering him from the roof of the Humvee.
The others were in awe and horror. Saeko, usually composed even in battle, found herself momentarily frozen as she watched Guldrin dispatch an entire group with nothing but raw, primal fury. "He's... unstoppable," she murmured, her grip on her katana tightening, her face flushing.
Rei snapped her out of it. "Stay focused! We're not done yet!"
The survivors who hadn't been killed or incapacitated began to flee, their cries of terror echoing across the battlefield. Kohta continued to pick off stragglers, his rifle steady despite the chaos.
Guldrin finally stopped, standing amidst a pile of bodies. His chest heaved, his blood-splattered face a mask of fury and satisfaction. The knife in his hand dripped with gore, and his eyes burned with an intensity that made even Saeko hesitate to approach, not from fear, but undisguised lust.
"Guldrin!" Shiro's voice broke through his haze. She had climbed out of the Humvee and was running toward him, her expression a mix of relief and concern. "Are you okay?"
He blinked, the feral light in his eyes dimming. He sheathed the knife, letting his hand relax after having been clenched tightly around the handle of the knife. "I'm fine," he muttered, though his trembling hands betrayed the toll the fight had taken on him, his wounds were hurting, but nowhere near enough to slow him down. Shiro threw her arms around him, grounding him with her presence; it was a welcome comfort.
The group regrouped near the Humvee, their eyes scanning the carnage around them. Saeko sheathed her katana, her usual calm returning. "That was... intense," she said, her voice low.
Saya adjusted her glasses, her expression grim. "We need to secure the estate. There could be more of them."
Guldrin nodded, his voice steady despite the lingering adrenaline. "Let's move. Stay alert. This isn't over yet."
As they approached the estate gates, the sounds of fighting inside grew louder.
The group quickened their pace, the adrenaline of survival fueling their movements. The estate's walls bore signs of intense combat, bullet holes riddled the stone, sections blackened by fire, and the once-pristine grounds were littered with bodies, human and undead alike. The moans of the undead, mixed with the crack of gunfire and the occasional scream, created a symphony of chaos.
Inside the gates, Yuriko and her former squad were locked in a brutal struggle. The once-disciplined unit was scattered, fighting in small clusters to fend off waves of attackers and the undead drawn to the noise. Yuriko stood at the forefront, her tactical knife flashing in the dim light as she dispatched an assailant with a clean thrust to the throat. Her sharp commands cut through the chaos, rallying her team.
"Fall back to the main hall! Regroup!" she shouted, her voice a mixture of exhaustion and resolve. Beside her, one of her squad members, Miki, a red-haired, red-eyed woman, let out a grunt of pain as she drove a makeshift spear into a lunging zombie's skull. "Captain Yuriko, we're running low on ammo!" she called out, her voice tinged with desperation.
"Then use your blades! We can't let them breach the house!" Yuriko barked back, her gaze sweeping the battlefield. She spotted a trio of survivors with scavenged revolvers trying to flank their position. She reached for her sidearm, a Luger P08 that had seen better days, and fired off three quick shots, dropping them with deadly accuracy.
The sudden roar of the Humvee's engine drew everyone's attention. The vehicle crashed through the estate gates, its reinforced bumper sending a cluster of undead and attacking survivors alike flying high in the air. Kohta, still perched on the roof, fired relentlessly, providing cover as the rest of the group disembarked.
"MOM!" Saya screamed, her voice cracking. The sight of her mother alive sent a wave of relief through her, but it was quickly overshadowed by the carnage surrounding her.
"Saya!" Yuriko's voice wavered for the first time, but she quickly steeled herself. "Get inside! It's not safe out here!"
Guldrin didn't hesitate. He surged forward, his combat knife in one hand and his Mk 23 finally getting to see some action in the other. His movements were a seamless dance of efficiency and brutality. He shot a charging attacker in the kneecap, then closed the distance to slit their throat before they hit the ground. His path toward Yuriko was a crimson blur, leaving bodies in his wake.
Rei and Saeko moved to flank him, their teamwork honed from countless battles. Saeko's katana cleaved through attackers with elegance and precision, while Rei's spear delivered powerful thrusts, each strike aimed to incapacitate or kill. Saya stayed close, her Glock firing with surprising ferocity as she took down a zombie that lunged at her mother from behind. Kohta's training had paid off as he squeezed off shot after shot.
The remaining members of Yuriko's squad took notice of the newcomers. Miki, her face streaked with blood and dirt, let out a breath of relief. "Reinforcements?" she asked, half in disbelief.
"Not exactly, that is my daughter and her group" Yuriko muttered, her sharp eyes on Guldrin. She didn't know who he was, but the raw ferocity in his movements sent a shiver down her spine. "I have no idea who that boy is, but he is dangerous."
The tide began to turn as the attackers, now outnumbered and demoralized, began to retreat. Guldrin, however, was not in the mood to let them escape. He activated his Primal Surge again, his speed and strength surging to superhuman levels. He sprinted after a fleeing group, his knife flashing in the evening light as he cut them down one by one. Blood sprayed in arcs, and the sounds of their gurgled screams echoed in the night.
Kohta provided overwatch, picking off anyone who tried to ambush Guldrin or the others. His hands were steady, his shots precise. One by one, the remaining attackers fell, their cries fading into silence. Shiro stayed inside the Humvee and ripped anyone who approached the vehicle apart using her mana threads. Body parts, guts, and gore were strewn around the Humvee, but she knew this wasn't the time to think about that. 'Hesitation will get you killed, do what you must, then contemplate.' Guldrin always told her, and those words gave her a steady ground to rely on at this moment.
When the dust finally settled, the estate grounds were a scene of utter carnage. Bodies were strewn across the lawn, the blood-soaked earth glistening under the faint light of the moon. The stench of death hung heavy in the air, a sickening blend of decay and fresh blood. Rei, Saya, and even Shiro were throwing up after their adrenalin died down, the situation set in; they had killed people, living, breathing, people.
Guldrin stood amidst the chaos, his chest heaving as he struggled to rein in the primal rage that still coursed through his veins. His knife dripped with gore, and his Mk 23 was hot from the rounds he'd finally expended. He glanced at Yuriko, their eyes meeting for a brief moment. In that silent exchange, an understanding passed between them, an unspoken acknowledgment of the lengths they would go to protect those they cared about.
Yuriko turned to her squad, her voice firm. "Secure the perimeter. Make sure there are no stragglers. And someone, move the injured inside! Make doubly sure they aren't bitten or scratched, if they are, give them mercy!"
Saya ran to her mother, tears streaming down her face. "Mom, are you okay?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"I'm fine," Yuriko said, pulling her daughter into a brief, fierce hug. "Thanks to all of you."
The group began to regroup, moving the injured into the estate and fortifying the remaining defenses. Guldrin stayed behind, his gaze scanning the battlefield for any lingering threats. His hands were still trembling, though whether from adrenaline or something deeper, he couldn't say.
Saeko approached him, her katana sheathed but her posture tense. "You fought like a demon out there," she said softly, her eyes searching his face. "Are you... alright?"
Guldrin wiped the blood from his knife, his expression unreadable. "I did what needed to be done," he said simply, his voice low. "It isn't the first or the last time I will need to do what has to be done. They left us no choice, now they are dead. That is all there is to it." Guldrin nodded as Shiro approached and gave him a comforting and painful hug.
As the survivors worked to secure the estate, the group couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The attackers may have been repelled, but the world outside was still a nightmare, and their fight for survival was far from over.
(Give me your POWER, Please, and Thank You! Leave reviews and comments, they motivate me to continue.)