The mall felt… wrong.
Not just empty.
Dead.
Glass crunched under Arien's boots as he stepped forward. The floor was littered with shards, smeared with dried blood that had long since lost its color.
Bodies were everywhere.
Some torn apart.Some half-eaten.Some… still moving.
A low groan echoed somewhere in the distance.
Arien tightened his grip on the machete.
Sophia stayed close behind him, bow raised, eyes scanning every corner.
A faint blue window hovered in his vision.
Quest ActiveKill 100 ZombiesProgress: 46 / 100
From the food court ahead—
Movement.
Figures staggered out.
Too many.
"Here they come," Sophia said under her breath.
Arien didn't respond.
He moved.
One clean step forward—
The blade swung.
A head dropped.
Sophia followed instantly.
Her arrow flew—
Straight through the eye.
Another.
Then another.
They didn't rush.
Didn't panic.
Just… worked.
Level UpLevel 7 → Level 8
The fight ended as quickly as it began.
They pushed deeper into the mall.
Silence returned.
But it wasn't peaceful.
It pressed in from all sides.
Progress: 79 / 100
Arien slowed.
Then stopped.
"…Did you hear that?" Sophia asked.
He nodded.
A voice.
Faint.
Desperate.
"Help…! Please—someone…!"
Arien turned immediately.
"Inside," he said.
They ran.
The sound led them into a clothing store.
And then—
They saw him.
A young man stood in the center.
Surrounded.
Zombies circled him.
Closing in.
But something was wrong.
Every zombie that stepped too close—
Collapsed.
Their bodies cracked.
Smoke rose from their skin.
A faint burning smell filled the air.
They didn't touch him.
They couldn't.
Sophia stared.
"…Why are they dying?"
Arien's eyes narrowed.
He recognized him.
The same boy from earlier.
"…A skill," he muttered.
"Elemental… this early?"
No time to think.
"It won't last long," he said quickly."Sophia—cover me."
"Yes."
Arien moved.
He broke into the circle.
Blade flashing—
Cutting down the ones still standing.
Sophia's arrows supported from behind.
Precise.
Controlled.
Within moments—
It was over.
The last body fell.
The boy stood there, breathing heavily.
Shaking.
Then he lowered his head.
"…Sir," he said. "It's you… from before."
Arien stepped closer.
"Are you hurt?"
The boy shook his head.
"My name is Ash," he said quietly. "You saved me… again."
Sophia glanced around.
"This fire… is it yours?"
Ash hesitated.
Then nodded.
"It activated when I killed my first zombie," he said."The system called it… an elemental skill."
He looked at his hands.
"I can't control it. But… they can't come near me."
Arien gave a small nod.
Useful.
Very useful.
"Sophia," he said, "watch our backs."
"I'll clear the rest."
"As you say."
They moved again.
The remaining zombies didn't last long.
Steel.
Arrows.
Silence.
Progress: 94 / 100
Ash watched quietly.
"…You're strong," he said.
Arien didn't respond.
Then—
Ash dropped to his knees.
"Please," he said, voice breaking."My father… he's upstairs. He went to get supplies."
Arien looked toward the escalator.
The upper floor—
Packed.
Sophia tightened her grip.
Arien nodded once.
"Lead the way."
The climb wasn't easy.
Zombies rushed them from all sides.
Sophia's arrows flew one after another.
Arien cut through anything that got close.
Step by step—
They pushed forward.
Progress: 99 / 100
At the entrance of an office store—
The last zombie fell.
Quest CompletedKill 100 Zombies
Inside—
The lights flickered weakly.
Ash stepped forward.
Slowly.
Then stopped.
"…No…"
A body lay near a desk.
Still.
Cold.
Too late.
Arien lowered his gaze.
"…I'm sorry."
Ash didn't respond.
At first.
Then his hands clenched.
His shoulders trembled.
"I'm weak…" he said.
Quiet.
Broken.
"So weak… I couldn't even save him."
The words echoed in the empty store.
Arien stepped closer.
"Ash."
The boy looked up.
Eyes red.
"If you want to become stronger," Arien said calmly,"come with me."
Ash froze.
"…With you?"
"You'll survive," Arien said."And you'll get stronger."
A pause.
"…Can I really?" Ash asked.
Arien met his gaze.
"Yes."
Ash wiped his face quickly.
Then nodded.
"I will," he said. "I'll follow you."
Arien placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Then stand up."
Ash did.
"Don't break here," Arien said quietly."If you stop now… everything he did for you ends here."
Ash took a slow breath.
Steadying himself.
"…I understand."
A system window appeared.
Sub Quest CompletedTarget: AshStatus: Contract Established
Main Quest CompletedRewards Pending
A faint pulse passed through all three of them.
Levels increased.
Arien felt it immediately.
Sharper.
Faster.
Ash straightened.
Then bowed deeply.
"I'll follow you," he said.
Arien turned toward the exit.
"Our base," he said.
They walked out together.
Behind them—
The mall remained silent.
Filled with the dead.
Ahead—
Something worse was waiting.
To be continued…