Chapter 19: The Cost of Power
The night air was thick with the stench of death. Smoke curled into the sky from the distant ruins of what was once a thriving city, now reduced to rubble and crawling with the undead.
Lucian stood at the edge of a collapsed highway, his crimson eyes glowing under the moonlight. His infinite storage had already been filled with enough weapons, supplies, and resources to last a lifetime—but he wasn't done yet. There was still one thing missing.
More power.
Behind him, Evelyn and the others waited in tense silence. The group had grown—several high-ranking beauties now stood by his side, each of them carefully selected by his system, their beauty score exceeding 90 points. They were loyal, grateful, and willing to follow him into hell itself.
But Lucian wasn't satisfied.
The world was changing.
Zombies were evolving.
And so was he.
His body burned with newfound strength, the result of his latest kill streak. He had massacred over a hundred mutated zombies earlier that day, and his system had rewarded him generously. His speed, reflexes, and strength had grown to terrifying levels.
Yet, something felt off.
A deep, guttural growl echoed through the ruins.
Lucian turned his head slightly. "It's here."
Evelyn clutched the hilt of her knife, eyes wide. "What is?"
The answer came before he could speak.
From the darkness, a massive creature emerged. It was unlike any zombie they had encountered before. Its rotting flesh had been replaced by hardened bone plating, its hands twisted into razor-sharp claws. Its glowing red eyes locked onto Lucian with something unnatural—intelligence.
[Warning: Stage 3 Variant Detected]
Lucian smirked.
Finally, a real challenge.
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The Battle for Survival
The Variant lunged, its speed shocking for its size. Lucian barely dodged as its claws sliced through the concrete where he had been standing. The sheer force sent a shockwave rippling through the ground.
The women screamed, scrambling backward.
Lucian, however, was grinning.
This was perfect.
He activated his system, his body surging with enhanced strength. With a flicker of movement, he dashed forward, blade in hand, and sliced across the creature's ribcage.
Sparks flew.
The monster barely flinched.
Lucian's smirk widened. "So, you're tougher than the others…"
The Variant roared, lunging again, but this time Lucian didn't dodge.
Instead, he met the attack head-on.
His fist collided with the creature's skull, sending shockwaves through the air. The impact cracked the ground beneath them, sending dust flying. The beast staggered back, its red eyes flickering.
Lucian felt it.
The rush.
The thrill.
The power.
[Critical Hit! Vitality Absorbed.]
His body pulsed with energy. He could feel himself growing stronger with every second.
This was his world now.
He was the predator.
And everything else was prey.
---
A New Era Begins
The fight lasted only minutes.
The Variant lay in a mangled heap, its thick armor shattered, its lifeless eyes staring at the night sky.
Lucian wiped the blood from his hands, his breathing steady. He had barely broken a sweat.
The women behind him stared in stunned silence.
He turned to them, eyes glowing in the moonlight. "We move at dawn."
Evelyn swallowed hard, stepping closer. "Lucian… what are you?"
He smirked, stepping forward, pressing a hand against her cheek.
"The one who will rule this apocalypse."
To be continued…
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