The university campus was massive.
It wasn't just a school—it was practically a small city.
Supermarkets, karaoke halls, restaurants… everything a student needed was inside.
Before the apocalypse, it had been lively.
Now—
It was a battlefield.
The distance between the male dormitory and the gymnasium was barely four hundred meters.
But now—
That distance felt like crossing hell itself.
Zombies roamed everywhere.
Mutated insects crawled across walls and ceilings.
Strange beasts hunted anything that moved.
Every step forward—
Was a risk.
Ash moved at the front of the group.
His expression was calm.
Cold.
The Glacial Tyrant swung again and again.
Each swing—
Precise.
Deadly.
Bodies fell behind him.
Blood painted the ground.
Along the way, he had saved more survivors.
The group behind him had grown to over twenty people.
None of them spoke loudly.
None of them complained.
Because they all understood—
Without Ash…
They would already be dead.
Among the group, one man stood out.
Tall.
Handsome.
Wearing gold-rimmed glasses.
His name was Ethan Cole.
Before the apocalypse, he had been one of the top students on campus.
Smart.
Confident.
Respected.
Even now, some girls still looked at him with hope.
As if he could protect them.
But Ash didn't look at him that way.
Titles meant nothing anymore.
Only strength mattered.
Ethan had survived by fighting zombies.
He was Level 3.
Strong enough to handle one or two zombies.
But nothing more.
When Ash found him, he had been surrounded by six zombies.
Desperate.
Terrified.
Ash killed four instantly.
Ethan barely survived.
Since then, he stayed with the group.
Helping when he could.
Staying alive.
But Ash didn't trust him.
Because fear reveals the truth about people.
Suddenly—
A sharp sound cut through the air.
Swoosh!
Ash's eyes narrowed instantly.
Something was coming.
Fast.
Too fast.
A green blur shot toward the group like lightning.
Before anyone could react—
It broke past Ash's defense.
And appeared—
Right in front of Ethan.
His face turned pale.
Fear filled his eyes.
He stepped back.
He knew—
He couldn't survive.
And in that moment—
He made a choice.
A selfish one.
He grabbed the girl beside him—
And pushed her forward.
She didn't even understand what was happening.
The green blur flashed.
Her body split in two.
Blood sprayed across the ground.
Her eyes were wide open.
Filled with disbelief.
Even in death—
She couldn't understand why.
The group panicked instantly.
Some screamed.
Some ran.
Some froze.
Only a few moved closer to Ash.
Because they knew—
He was their only hope.
Ash saw everything.
But his expression didn't change.
Not now.
Because the real threat—
Was in front of him.
The green blur stopped.
And revealed itself.
A giant mantis.
Almost two meters tall.
Its body was sleek.
Deadly.
Its scythe-like forelegs gleamed sharply.
Its eyes locked onto Ash.
It had chosen its prey.
Ash raised the Glacial Tyrant instantly.
Clang!
The mantis attacked.
Their weapons collided.
The impact echoed loudly.
Ash slid back slightly.
"Strong…"
The mantis attacked again.
Faster.
Sharper.
More precise.
But this time—
Ash could see it.
Barely.
But enough.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The battlefield erupted.
To the others—
It looked like two shadows colliding endlessly.
Metal rang.
Sparks flew.
It didn't look human.
It looked like monsters fighting.
Ash tightened his grip.
His skill wasn't perfect—
But the Glacial Tyrant made up for it.
Each clash—
Left cracks on the mantis's scythes.
But the mantis—
Was faster.
More experienced.
Ash frowned.
More zombies were coming.
If this continued—
They would all die.
Ash stepped back slowly.
The mantis followed.
Relentless.
Exactly as he expected.
Ash's eyes flashed.
"Now."
Mana surged.
"Chains."
Six frozen chains formed instantly.
They shot forward—
And wrapped around the mantis.
Its body.
Its legs.
Its scythes.
Locked.
The creature struggled violently.
The chains cracked.
They wouldn't hold long.
But—
That was enough.
Ash moved.
Fast.
Decisive.
He stepped forward.
Raised the Glacial Tyrant.
All his strength—
Focused into one strike.
"Die."
A flash of cold light.
The mantis froze for a second.
Then—
Its head fell.
Its body collapsed.
Dead.
The system exploded with notifications.
You have killed Great Fast Mantis Level 25
Agility +14
Strength +10
Magic +10
Mana +10
You have leveled up
Level 10
You have leveled up
Level 11
You have leveled up
Level 12
You have leveled up
Level 13
You gained 2 stat points
Power surged through Ash's body.
Wild.
Addictive.
He exhaled slowly.
"…So this is real power."
Then—
Energy flowed from the mantis into him.
Refining his body.
Strengthening him further.
Ash opened his eyes.
Sharper.
Stronger.
Then—
He looked down.
Three items lay on the ground.
A red orb.
An orange orb.
And a scroll.
Ash's gaze darkened.
"…More rewards."
But before he could move—
A low growl echoed.
Then another.
Then more.
Ash looked up.
Dozens of creatures were approaching.
Drawn by the battle.
Drawn by the blood.
The survivors trembled behind him.
Fear filled their faces.
Ash tightened his grip on the Glacial Tyrant.
Frost spread across the blade.
A faint smile appeared.
"Stay behind me."
His voice was calm.
Cold.
Dominant.
Because now—
This battlefield…
Belonged to him.