Leo opened the the door so fast, the sudden shift threw the nearest zombie off balance, and before it could react—
SLASH.
Leo's blade sliced cleanly across its throat. But he wasn't done. One cut wasn't enough.
With a quick twist of his wrist, he plunged the blade upward, directly into the base of the skull. No hesitation. No wasted motion.
The zombie twitched, then collapsed.
[You have slain a Zombie]
[+20 XP]
Leo took a step back, watching as the others turned toward him.
Their movements were slow but not dumb. The moment they saw him, their moans grew louder, more desperate.
They were calling more.
"Annoying."
He shifted his stance, blade steady, eyes locked on the next one.
This one was missing an eye, its remaining socket a mess of blackened rot. It lunged at him, arms outstretched.
Leo sidestepped effortlessly—precise, controlled.
One step to the right.
One quick stab to the temple.
Dead.
[+20 XP]
The third came faster, moving more aggressively, its decayed hands swiping at him in a frantic hunger.
Leo dodged, ducked low, and drove his blade deep into its jaw—straight up, piercing through the skull.
It twitched violently before dropping lifelessly to the ground.
Three down.
[+20 XP]
But the sound of heavy, dragging footsteps coming from above told him—this was only the beginning.
Leo wiped the blade clean against his sleeve and smiled.
He had all night.
The building was old and claustrophobic, its narrow hallways barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side. It worked in Leo's favor. Less space meant fewer zombies attacking at once.
He moved swiftly, sticking close to the walls as he advanced toward the staircase.
A shadow flickered in the dim emergency lighting.
Leo stopped, his grip tightened on the blade.
A zombie stood just around the corner, half its head missing, its skin pale and sagging. It hadn't noticed him yet.
Leo took a silent step forward.
Another.
Then—a groan from behind.
"Damn."
He twisted just in time to see a pair of bony hands reaching for him. The zombie had crawled out of one of the apartment units, its jaw unhinged and snapping wildly.
Leo reacted instantly.
He stepped inside its reach and shoved it back. The creature stumbled, crashing against the hallway wall.
With a swift motion, Leo plunged his blade into its skull. The body twitched violently, then went still.
The commotion, however, had drawn attention.
Heavy footsteps echoed from above.
The zombie around the corner turned its rotting head toward him. It wasn't alone.
Two more emerged from a nearby doorway, their hollow eyes locking onto Leo like a predator spotting fresh prey.
Leo didn't hesitate, he sprinted forward, ducking low as the first zombie swung clumsily at him.
With a brutal efficiency, he slashed across its knee.
The zombie collapsed instantly, unable to support its weight.
Before it could react, Leo drove his blade into the side of its skull, twisting it sharply.
The second lunged.
Leo sidestepped, letting it crash against the wall.
With a single fluid motion, he sliced across its throat before following up with a deep stab under the jaw.
The third was faster than the others. It snarled as it charged, its decayed fingers reaching for his throat.
Leo ducked, driving his shoulder into the zombie's chest and slamming it into the wall.
It flailed wildly, trying to grab hold of him.
Leo pinned it with his knee and stabbed straight through its eye socket.
The body convulsed, then went still.
Leo exhaled. That was three more.
[You have leveled up]
He wiped the sweat from his brow, then checked his surroundings.
The hallway was clear—for now.
Leo knew better than to charge up the stairs blindly. Zombies weren't smart, but they were dangerous in numbers.
Instead, he paused, listening. "There were more above—at least a dozen." He murmured to himself.
But something felt off. The moans were… different. It was deeper, hungrier.
Leo frowned. These weren't like the slow, shambling corpses he had fought downstairs.
Something stronger was up there.
He gripped his blade tighter and moved forward.
The first zombie appeared as soon as he stepped onto the stairs.
It was faster.
Not just a mindless corpse—this one sprinted.
Leo barely had time to react.
It lunged at him, closing the distance in a heartbeat.
Leo ducked low, twisting his body to the side as the zombie flew past him.
It crashed into the railing—hard.
But unlike the others, it didn't stop.
It turned on him immediately, its yellowed teeth snapping just inches from his face.
Leo didn't give it a chance.
He stepped in close, ramming his blade up through its chin and into its brain.
It went limp instantly.
Leo pulled the blade free, breathing heavily.
That one was different.
A mutation? Or was it just another sign that the rules had changed?
More zombies were coming.
Leo could hear them rushing down the stairs.
Not walking. Not stumbling. But running.
He gritted his teeth. It didn't matter.
He adjusted his stance, raised his blade—and prepared to cut them all down.
If this was the new world, then he would survive it his way.
Through skill. Through knowledge. Through sheer, brutal efficiency.
And tonight? He was going to level up.
And he already started to feel his stats rising up.