Under the horrified gazes of everyone around him, Novak casually flicked his wrist and remarked thoughtfully, "Its strength isn't bad. I'd estimate it's around 50 points—worthy of the name 'Roshan.'"
Had Novak not evolved the Blacklight virus in recent days, even he might not have been able to withstand that blow. Even now, despite his high Constitution of 48, the ache in his arm made it clear: this mutant was powerful.
The sheer force of the creature made Novak narrow his eyes slightly. Yet, Roshan's strength was secondary; its true terror lay in the monstrous Constitution it had built, layer upon layer. But as many would assume, with such a massive body comes a lack of flexibility.
However, that lack of flexibility did not mean lack of speed.
Ruri and the others had been horrified by the speed Roshan had shown earlier, but that was only because they were too weak to properly assess it. To their eyes, the hulking mutant appeared deceptively fast. Novak, however, excelled in speed.
He flexed his sore right hand, and in the next moment, black scales began to cover his palm. From the back of his hand, three sharp claws extended, like blades forged from steel.
The bizarre transformation left those who had yet to recover from the earlier spectacle in stunned disbelief. What on earth was happening in this world? First a terrifying monster, now a strange man with unimaginable power—everything felt increasingly surreal.
Although Daphne and Nicole were also shocked, they managed to stay calm. While the sight of Roshan was unsettling, Novak's sheer display of invincibility reassured them.
And rightly so.
In a pure fistfight, Novak estimated he might not last more than ten minutes against this mountain of flesh. Internal bleeding and muscle breakdown would be inevitable. Even the punch he took earlier carried considerable risk and left him feeling uncomfortable.
Still, Novak's confidence remained. He had enough experience with mutants to know how to use his advantages effectively.
'Ghost Claw.'
He invoked the ability in his mind. Almost instantly, a ghostly shadow enveloped the black claws on his hand, and then—before anyone realized it—Novak vanished.
Neither Roshan nor the onlookers could follow where Novak had gone. Their vision simply couldn't keep up with his speed.
Too fast!
Even Novak was surprised by how quick he had become. His Agility had surged to 48 points after his Blacklight virus awakening. With the Zombie Claw equipped, that number jumped by another 10 points, and activating 'Ghost Claw' boosted his Agility by yet another 10 points, with a 20% increase in strike speed.
68 Agility!
At that level, his movements became invisible to the naked eye. With such speed, the massive mutant before him was like a helpless creature waiting to be butchered.
Whoosh!
Novak moved like a gust of black wind. Before anyone could react, a large wound appeared across Roshan's belly, exposing gray fat and grease. Yet, the one responsible for the strike was nowhere to be seen.
"Roar!"
Roshan's deafening scream echoed for miles, rattling eardrums—even for those inside parked cars far away. Yet no one cared about the pain. Every eye was fixed on the towering mutant.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
The sound of something slicing through the air rang out repeatedly. Submachine guns and grenades had been useless against Roshan, but under the force of Novak's black claws, the creature's flesh was torn apart like paper.
Each strike peeled away layers of fat and muscle, spraying black and red blood in every direction. The once-terrifying mountain of flesh now looked helpless—dissected by an invisible force.
Ruri, quick to find her words, managed to murmur an apt description of the scene: The Art of Precision.
Each time Novak's figure darted past, it was with exactness and grace. There was no reckless slaughter, but rather the calculated skill of a surgeon at work. Though zombies didn't die from physical injuries alone, the loss of arms, legs, or other body parts significantly diminished their power.
The brain remained their only true weak point.
Despite his speed, Novak didn't rush the kill. Like a venomous snake, he struck patiently, waiting for the right moment to finish his prey.
Many in Novak's past life, evolutionaries with similar speed and strength, had made the mistake of charging straight for Roshan's head, aiming for a quick kill. Most of them ended up as part of Roshan's next meal.
Without proper leverage, one could not easily accelerate or change direction in mid-air. Any blocked attack could result in certain death.
Roshan, after all, wasn't just a mindless, slow-moving sandbag—it was a highly evolved predator.
Finally pushed to madness, Roshan let out an enraged bellow. Its entire body convulsed as massive lumps of flesh writhed and twisted. From its back, grotesque appendages began to emerge, struggling to take shape. Even the head—its weakest point—reared up, revealing a bloody maw at the base of its skull.
Novak, however, anticipated these moves. He smiled coldly.
His sharp claws danced with deadly patience, methodically slicing through the creature. In ancient times, there was a punishment called 'Death by a Thousand Cuts'—and Novak now wielded his claws with that same deadly precision.
Roshan lashed out in desperation, its enormous body smashing through everything in sight, even collapsing part of the chemical plant. Yet, the shadowy figure of Novak moved so quickly, Roshan couldn't land a single hit.
Boom!
The plant's structure crumbled under the force of Roshan's rampage, but the mutant's body was now covered in deep gashes, blood pouring from every wound.
Finally, Novak's eyes gleamed. As Roshan's movements slowed, its massive hands and jaws recoiling from pain, Novak seized the opportunity.
With a powerful leap, he soared into the air and landed on Roshan's shoulders.
For the first time, Novak became visible to everyone.
As the setting sun dipped below the horizon, Novak's black silhouette stood tall, cloaked in the red glow of twilight. His long, dark coat billowed in the wind, giving him an otherworldly presence.
Then, in one swift motion, he plunged his black claws into Roshan's head.
With that final strike, Novak descended gracefully, not even bothering to look back. The dark 'Zombie Claw' retracted and disappeared.
Behind him, the colossal Roshan collapsed, its enormous form crashing to the ground.
As the last rays of sunlight faded and the world plunged into darkness, no one could tear their eyes away from the scene.