Sector 7 was a graveyard of steel and flesh.
The massive military transport helicopter, a CH-47 Chinook, had crashed in the middle of the city park. Its rotors were twisted like pretzels, digging deep into the scorched earth.
Smoke rose in thick black columns.
Aria parked the van two hundred meters away.
"Stay sharp, Onyx," she said, stepping out. She held her silver Sword-Cane in her right hand.
The park wasn't empty.
Around the crash site, about twenty zombies wandered. But these weren't civilians in pajamas.
They wore digital camo uniforms, tactical vests, and Kevlar helmets.
[Target: Infected Special Forces (Level 2)]
[Defense: High (Body Armor)]
[Note: They still remember how to use combat knives.]
Aria frowned. "Armored zombies. My favorite."
A soldier-zombie spotted her. It roared, drawing a serrated combat knife from its vest with clumsy, rotting hands. It charged.
Aria raised her crossbow.
Thwack.
The bolt hit the soldier's chest.
Clink.
It bounced off the ceramic plate carrier harmlessly.
"Tch." Aria clicked her tongue. "Useless."
The zombie was fast. It swung the knife at her face.
Aria didn't retreat. She pressed the button on her cane.
Shing!
She drew the thin, razor-sharp blade hidden inside the stick.
She sidestepped the zombie's clumsy attack. She didn't aim for the chest or the helmet.
She thrust the blade upward, under the chin, through the soft spot of the neck.
Squelch.
Black blood poured out. The zombie collapsed.
"Precision beats armor," Aria whispered.
She moved forward. Two more soldiers charged.
She was about to engage when—
PFFT.
A soft, suppressed sound cut through the air.
The head of the zombie on the left exploded. A 7.62mm bullet had pierced the visor of its helmet, exiting the back of the skull.
PFFT.
The zombie on the right dropped dead instantly. Another headshot.
Aria froze.
She didn't move. She didn't celebrate.
She knew that sound. A high-caliber sniper rifle with a heavy suppressor.
Someone was watching her.
Someone was stealing her kills.
"Onyx, find him," Aria commanded silently through their soul link.
The black cat melted into the shadows of the trees.
Aria turned slowly, looking toward a ruined clock tower on the edge of the park.
"Come out," she spoke to the air. "Or I'll burn the tower down."
Silence.
Then, a man stood up from the bushes just fifty meters away. He was wearing a Ghillie suit (camouflage made of leaves and grass). He blended perfectly with the environment.
He held a long, black sniper rifle. The barrel was pointed at the ground, but his finger was on the trigger.
He was tall. Even under the dirt and camo paint, his features were sharp and cold. His eyes were the color of steel—grey and emotionless.
He looked dangerous. Like a wolf that had been alone for too long.
[Target Detected: Human (Awakened)]
[Name: Kael (Level ???)]
[Class: The Gunmancer]
[Evaluation: Do not engage in ranged combat. Lethal.]
Aria's eyes narrowed. Level ???
That meant his level was either equal to or higher than hers.
"You have good aim," Aria said, her voice steady. She rested her hand on her sword hilt.
"You have good form," Kael replied. His voice was deep, raspy from smoke. "Stabbing the neck gap. Most civilians just shoot the armor and panic."
"I'm not a civilian."
"Clearly."
Kael stepped closer. He didn't lower his guard.
"The crash site is mine," he stated. "I need the ammo."
Aria laughed softly. It was a cold, mocking laugh.
"Yours? I don't see your name on it."
She took a step forward. "I need the radio codes inside. And I hate sharing."
The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife.
Kael's grey eyes scanned her. He looked at her ruined Chanel jacket, her bloodstained cane, and the calmness in her stance.
He seemed... intrigued.
"You are a Tier 1," Kael analyzed. "You Evolved fast."
"And you are a Gunmancer," Aria countered, using her [Eye of Truth] info. "You can infuse mana into bullets."
Kael's expression shifted slightly. Surprise? No, just calculation.
"Smart girl," he muttered.
Suddenly, a screech echoed from inside the crashed helicopter.
ROAAAAAR!
The metal fuselage of the Chinook ripped open from the inside.
A massive hand, green and muscular, tore through the steel like paper.
A zombie, eight feet tall, stepped out. It wore a tattered General's uniform. Its skin was like stone.
[Warning! Boss Detected!]
[Target: The General (Tier 1 - Tank Type)]
[Ability: Bulletproof Skin. Heavy Impact.]
The General roared, throwing a piece of the helicopter wing at them.
Aria and Kael moved instantly.
They didn't speak. They didn't plan.
They just reacted.
Aria dodged left. Kael rolled right.
The metal wing crashed where they had been standing a second ago.
Kael raised his rifle.
Bang! Bang!
Two shots hit the General's eyes. But the monster blinked, and the bullets flattened against its eyelids.
"Skin is too hard!" Kael shouted. "I need to charge a Piercing Shot! Buy me 5 seconds!"
He looked at Aria.
He wasn't ordering her. He was asking: Are you strong enough?
Aria smirked. She tightened her grip on her cane.
"5 seconds?"
She dashed forward, her black heels striking the scorched earth.
"I'll give you ten. Don't miss."
She activated [Shadow Step].
She appeared right in front of the massive General. The monster swung its fist—a blow that could crush a tank.
Aria didn't dodge. She used [Puppet Mastery].
She shot mana threads onto the General's wrist and pulled sideways.
It wasn't enough to stop the punch, but it was enough to deflect it. The fist smashed into the ground beside her.
Aria jumped onto the General's arm, running up his shoulder like a cat.
"Hey, Ugly!"
She stabbed her sword into the General's ear.
SCREECH!
The monster thrashed, trying to grab the flea on its shoulder.
"Now!" Aria yelled, jumping off.
Kael was ready.
His rifle was glowing with a blinding blue light. He had poured all his mana into this one bullet.
"Headshot," Kael whispered.
BOOM!
The shot sounded like a cannon.
The blue bullet spiraled through the air, leaving a trail of energy. It hit the exact spot Aria had stabbed—the ear canal, where the defense was weakened.
SPLAT.
The General's head didn't just have a hole in it. It evaporated. The top half of the skull was blown clean off.
The massive body swayed... and fell.
Thud.
Dust settled.
Aria landed gracefully on her feet. Kael lowered his smoking rifle.
They looked at the dead boss, then at each other.
Kael smirked. It was a small, almost invisible smile.
"Not bad, Princess," he said.
Aria wiped zombie blood from her cheek.
"Don't call me Princess, Sniper," she retorted. "Or I'll sew your mouth shut."