Kazuki's breath hitched, his back screaming in agony, the pain flaring hot with every movement. Still, he clenched his jaw and forced himself to stand.
Around him, the groans of undead echoed like chant, with dozens of them closing in, surrounding from the front, sealing off every escape. The roll had flung them off the road, in space between two huts.
Lillan hands raised, hurling ice spears with snarl on her lips, her magic circled around her fingers, each cast barely buying them seconds. Limbs snapped. Heads burst. But the horde just kept coming.
Kazuki coughed, rolled onto one knee, and pushed himself up, wincing.
"From where are they even coming from?" he muttered under his breath, his eyes darting as if looking for an answer. Instead, his gaze fell on a torn zombie corpse, which was reforming, stitching itself together as flesh from other mangled bodies slithered over and fused into it. Arms, Torso, Head fusing together to create another grotesque patchwork of meat and rot.
His stomach churned.
Kazuki's voice came out hoarse. "That's not normal… Lillan, we need to go. Now."
She turned, eyes catching the abomination taking shape, her face went pale with disbelief.
"We need to find the source," she growled, breath ragged. "Or they'll keep regenerating—no matter how many we cut down."
Kazuki didn't need convincing, reaching for her wrist, he pulled her back as another wave pushed forward.
"This way—through the huts!" he barked, dragging her through the narrow gap.
Behind them, the undead shrieked and howled, their frenzy groans echoing like a war drum, Lillan and Kazuki slipped through the narrow crack between the huts just in time, ducking low as they squeezed past broken beams and crumbling walls. The gap was too tight for the whole horde.
The first of wave tried, mindlessly rushing in, Zombies clawed at each other, shoving and scrambling to reach them, they jammed into the alley, trampling on each other, slamming face first into the wall, another bit down neck off other, the crowd devoured itself in desperation.
As they slipped out of the narrow gap, reached the other side, things changed. Compared to another lane this one was much more peaceful, Kazuki stumbled forward, panting, his shirt clinging to his back with sweat. "It's… quiet here."
Lillan nodded, still tense, her eyes scanning lane—then froze. Few zombies stood at the far end of the road, shambling aimlessly, their movements slow and disjointed, it was pretty obvious they haven't noticed both of them.
"They haven't heard us," she whispered, barely moving her lips. "Not yet."
Kazuki followed her gaze, chest still heaving. "Great. Let's keep it that way."
He leaned against the wall, catching his breath—but Lillan didn't relax, her eyes flickering from the idle zombies at the end of the lane, then slowly trailed upward toward the higher road that curved into the heart of the village.
"So…" Lillan muttered, trying to keep voice down, "do we sneak deeper in—"Her eyes narrowed."—or pack our bags and run away?"
He didn't answer, or he didn't need to, in his stead Sharp ding of system echoed, like a tiny bell chiming through his skull. A transparent system screen flickered into view, glowing faintly above his vision, declaring its judgment.
[Time Remaining for Mission Upgrade: 15:00]
Mission: Seal of the Abyss: Stabilize the construct.
Progress: Insufficient
Upgrade to Grade B: 15 minutes remaining.
He closed his eyes for a brief moment, jaw tightening as the pain in his back flared again. "Let's get to the root of it all…" he muttered, voice low, but steady.
Lillan blinked, surprised for a breath, her lips parting slightly, but then closed them—she didn't question him. The hesitation vanished as quickly as it came.
"Good," she said, cold resolve sharpening in her gaze. "Let's get rid of the source once in for all"
Without another word, they moved, quick, silent—steps tip toeing along the side of the lane.
Kazuki stopped mid-step, his brow furrowing. "Did you hear that?"
Lillan froze, ears straining. "What—?"
Then she heard it too.
A screech.
A bone-splitting, soul-rending wail—like metal scraping against marrow.
Their eyes widened.
Before either could react, the wooden wall beside them exploded, rotten planks and dust flying as a monstrous figure burst forth in a grotesque blur of faces and arms.
Fleshbound Wailer.
Its maws stretched wide across all three faces, unleashing a chorus of wails—Despair, Wrath, and Hunger—each screaming through its own twisted mouth. Behind it, trailing wave of zombie poured from the shattered house like a dam breaking.
Kazuki barely got a sound out—"Lillan!"—before a twisted claw wrapped around his skull. Arms flailing, feet scraping, Kazuki was yanked into the swarm, the Wailer dragging him like a prize.
"KAZUKI!!" Lillan screamed, lunging after him.
But overwhelming tide of zombies surged between them, her hand lit with magic circle, hurling a jagged spear into one skull, then two—but they just kept coming, they crashed against her like a wave, forcing her back.
Kazuki's figure vanished into the far end of the street, dragged like a broken doll, the shrieking wail fading at the end of the path.