Chapter 2.2.1: A Test Of Engagement (1/2)

Only one zombie has been taken out, and now 43 more zombies to go.

When I was about to take on another zombie, all of a sudden, a flying rodent just fly past right in front of me, merely missing its intended target.

And here I thought that I was going to be dealing with the freaks alone, but I forgot there were these festering flying little organ called the 'demon eye' roaming in the sky high up.

I didn't even see those eyesacks flying in the air. The sky is too dark to see them with these naked eyes of mine. I only got to see one of them up close.

With those airborne freaks along with those grotesque rotten corpses gunning after me, using the hit-and-run strategy would be difficult in the open field.

I can only fight them to where the spaces are limited, like a forest.

But news flash, Loki cut too many trees and only saplings are replaced in the nearby area, and the distance of the available forest is like a mile away here in the meadows.

I'll become those meatsack's lunch before I even got there.

No choice but to run wild.

I started sprinting to the forest while the floating eyeballs were after me.

"Jeezus, you're fast!"

The eyeballs are already catching up to me and preparing for an assault.

I pulled out my shortsword when they're at the striking distance.

One demon eye dives downward for a tackle, I twist my body and swung my sword in a circular motion, shoving them off me and missed its mark.

And as per usual, the demon eye's health dropped just a sliver of it.

Having a taste of my attack doesn't stop them from coming after me and I didn't stop running to the forest.

When I looked back, multiple demon eyes started forming an attack pattern by diving towards me one by one. And I either dodged one or swung my shortsword around to keep them at bay.

They didn't seem to think that I was a threat, just a weak passerby to trample upon.

I could somewhat see their eyes swerving around with content. Almost as if they're enjoying this.

"I swear, once I got the powerful weapons in the arsenal, I will make sure to trample you freakbags in return!!"

I got irritated and couldn't help but shout out loud my pent-up frustration.

I continued running to the forest all the while dodging the pesky hovering eyeballs.

Until I made into the forest.

I started running in all the twists and turns around this forest to scatter all of the demon eyes that are still after me.

One by one, they bump into the physical tree, bending their line of sight and course to a different direction.

Yet it seemed to be rendered useless as they were just gonna turn back towards my direction and mark me again.

But that's alright. Now that I have plenty of breathing space, I can finally take on a mob at my own pace again using the hit-and-run tactic.

One demon eye was on the assault and I just hid behind a tree to take cover.

Once the demon eye bumped into the tree and temporarily stopped moving, in that brief moment I slashed it a few times, wearing off its health points for just a bit before it hovers away.

The demon eye flies off with its health deteriorated. The strategy is working.

Another demon eye dives down and I just hid and redo the same thing.

And with an occurring turn of events, the time stalled for so long doing the same thing over and over.

With the strategy working, a majority of the demon eyes' health bar brought to a steady downfall to the point that they will be killed by just a few more scratches.

While the demon eyes hovers around the forest delaying their attacks, I targeted the zombies next.

By using the cramp spaces of the forest, I was able to fully utilize the hit-and-run strategy and mess with the zombies' health points.

And so I continued poking damage to all the mobs surrounding me.

However...

I felt like I'm missing something crucial. Like I meant to work something out.

"Ahh!!"

I was supposed to work out my swordsmanship skill. I've been handling the mobs like a cautious scaredy-cat.

How could I forget such an important task.

Let's see, scouting the forest around for an undamaged mob and then I saw one; it was a zombie holding a zombie arm.

Now for a moment of truth, how will my shortsword fare to a zombie with long reach?

Only one way to find out.

***

Meanwhile in the wood cabin with fewer zombies surrounding it outside.

Inside the log hut, Ando is sitting in a chair with his eyes closed and was getting angsty from sleep deprivation.

"How the HELL do you sleep on a chair!!"

"Argh.. please don't talk to me. I'm trying to sleep here too." Loki said in exhaustion while trying to sleep in a chair with his head laid on a table.

"Getting restless, boys?" Andrew the Guide asserted.

""Ehh?""

"Well why don't you go outside and take out those mobs. I mean come on, go get some thrill in your life for once. El is beating you boys to it, you know."

Ando and Loki just stared at Andrew with dead eyes before they looked at each other.

"El is...?!" Inserts by Ando.

"That guy..?" Loki followed second.

"Elma is having the time of his life playing around with a sword, so you boys should do so too."

The atmosphere is put on a halt thereafter. Ando and Loki took a peek at each others eyes. Not before long, Ando stood up.

"Ugh.. I guess I should take out my stress to those zombie bastards."

Loki, seeing Ando made up his mind, also stood up.

"Right, I need to step up from the plate too. Since we can respawn, there's no worrying about dying in this virtual world."

"That's the spirit, guys. Go out there fighting."

"Sure."

"Later then, Andrew."

Ando and Loki steps up heading upstairs.

"Have fun struggling."

Not hearing Andrew's last line, the two guys went to the clogged chimney and see the outside world clad in darkness.

"Whoa. What a way to set out this fighting area, it's all dark. Well, except for that torch trail I made from before." Said Ando.

"Hmm.. we need to set out a light for this place before we begin. I can see a bunch of zombies around the base." Loki remarks.

The zombies are starting to gather in the wall where the two boys are standing.

"Yeah. You folks can't reach us from this high up, huh!" Ando mockingly remarks.

Loki put on a stern expression after hearing Ando's remark as if he's jinxing them but soon brushed it off aside and spoke out.

"Hmm. They might be able to stack themselves up if they keep gathering like this so let's think up of something. Do you have a plan?"

"Mmm. Alright, so one of us has to bait these zombies and at least get them to scatter."

"Good plan. Who's doing it?"

Both of them just stared at each other with crickets chirping. Ando continued.

"Hey, I'm not doing it. I'd rather fight them in the distance."

"Heh. That's a coincidence. So do I."

"..."

"..."

"How did Elma lure those zombies out?!" Ando muttered.

"Must be that he used himself as a bait. You know, he's toughen up and just straight up face them head on." Loki answers.

"Wow. So gracious. He's getting himself killed again."

"Well, that might not be the case right now. He's staying alive longer than I thought. I thought he might not last for too long while facing those zombies."

"Right, he's doing better than us at the moment.."

"..."

"Hey dude, would you say something."

"What do you want me to say?"

"That you'll go out there fighting."

"Don't be absurd now, man. Who's sane enough to fight those rotten freaks with their face up close?!"

"Elma is doing just that! How about you man up and get down there!"

"No way! You go down there!"

"..."

"..."

The two boys are in a stalemate.

"Alright, since no one's willing to do the plan. I'll resort to this instead."

Ando moved his fingers to his transparent interface, placing a work bench near him and unveiled a wooden bow.

"A bow? Wait, do you have arrows?" Loki spoke mildly.

"Yep. Found them inside of a chest. And I only got 45 of them."

"You're really nicking the loot out there."

Ando looks at the bow and see 4 transparent ammo slots hovering at the side of the bow. On the top slot was the 45 wooden arrows that he looted.

"Ooh. Will the arrow just pop out if I pull this string?"

"What are you on about?"

Not minding Loki's question, Ando slowly pulled the bowstring and the wooden arrow just unveiled itself in the center of the bow.

"Ouhoho! This is getting interesting!"

Ando aimed the bow and arrow at the zombies and excitedly let go of the string and see the arrow flying off. Except that arrow goes to the different direction far off, not towards the zombies.

"Ah.."

"... Dude, what the hell's with that lousy shot?!"

"Huh, hang on. I didn't pulled it right. Let me try it again."

Ando cemented his stance and once again pulled the bowstring, he carefully set his sight and arrow at the gathering zombies' center. He tighten the grip of his bow and slowly eased his hand that is holding the string.

The arrow took off and see the improvement of his aim. The arrow did not fly off far like it did the first time yet it still missed its mark.

"Bro, you SUCK!!"

"... Wha.. dude, it's my first time!!"

"You suck at your first time!"

"Shut up!!"

Ando attempted on firing another shot but Loki grabbed his wrist.

"You're wasting ammo here. Look, can you just give it to me. Let me do it."

Ando looked dejected at his actions and just naturally gave his bow and arrows to Loki.

"Let's see here.. whoa. There's slots in this bad boy."

Loki was amused by the functions and had his right hand on the bowstring. The arrow automatically unveiled itself strapped between the wooden arc and the string.

"Oohh..! It also does its thing automatically! Now for a tryout.."

Loki pulled the bowstring, targeted at one of the zombie's face. After the bowstring reached its stretching limit, he eased his hand until the string flowed through the air with the arrow piercing the wind.

The arrow's flight directly went straight to the intended target with the result being a bit off the mark; it hit and stuck on the zombie's chest and a number 8 pops out of the zombie's head.

Ando witnessed the action unfold with cringe in his eyes.

"You.. aimed at its face, didn't you?!"

Loki looked astonished by the result of his shooting. He then looked at the bow he was holding.

"I forgot how weak this thing would be. It doesn't have enough firepower. This thing barely made any damage too. How could you do this to me..."

"Huh, is he lamenting on the bow's firepower."

Ando mumbles softly to himself, depicting Loki's state of mind.

The two guys looked despondent. Then they instinctively sense something and looked behind them.

A demon eye dives down towards them for a tackle. Ando pulls out his own copper shortsword and deflect the demon eye off course.

"Argh!! Can't afford getting stuck like this. I'm going in!"

Ando rushed towards the demon eye with his shortsword and leaped off the building, hitting the demon eye a second time before falling down to the dark oblivion.

He safely touched down the grass before the zombies started to flock around him.

"OI!!! Argh, this is no time to be fooling around!"

Loki pulled the bowstring again aiming at the zombies close to Ando and let go. The arrow hits its target.

Ando was surprised that Loki made the shot.

"Get out of there!!"

Ando nods his head in response. Loki then faced the wounded demon eye that was staring at him.

"Now as for you, you flying little jerk.."

Loki put on an expression raring for a brawl.

"I'll take you on!"

The demon eye dives down for a tackle.

Loki, making good use of the flat rooftop, jumped to the side to evade and took out another arrow to the flying mob.

This time, it missed.

"Tch!!"

Loki clicked his tongue when he saw his shot missing the target. The arrow was not fast enough to catch the eyeball zooming in the air.

The demon eye was about to go for another run but Loki just lashes towards it before pulling the bowstring and took aim.

He got close enough to secure a surefire hit at the flying eyeball and fired. The arrow struck the demon eye and its health dropped a sliver of it.

The hovering eyeball slowly reversed due to the arrow's knockback

Loki watched it all unfold and sneered at it.

"Heh! And here I am worrying for nothing. Turns out you're not that big of a deal."

Then Loki crafted a fire arrow and fired it at the demon eye. The eyeball was then covered in flames and shed light to its surroundings, only to see more idled demon eyes that appears to be accompanying the injured one.

"Oh... Uh, hi."

The group of eyeballs starts lashing at the archer one by one. Loki narrowly avoids them and jumped off of the roof.

Oomph.. being on the high ground could also suck, huh."

Zombies that are strolling around then spotted Loki and headed towards him.

"Ahh, great. Getting chased by these undeads also SUCKS!!"

Loki ran keeping his distance away from mobs. He then open fire to the rushing zombie. The arrow, once again, hit and stuck at the zombie.

"Are you kidding me.. They're not backing off."

The zombie swung its arms around wildly. Loki narrowly dodges them before jumping back to put distance between them. Yet the zombie just rushes him all the way.

"Would you back off?!!"

He then checked his inventory and pulled the selection box, marked with the wooden bow, switching into the copper shortsword.

The wooden bow in his left hand changed into sprinkles and in his right hand popped out a ball of light, then formed a shape of a sword before unveiling the appearance of a copper shortsword.

Loki then slashed the zombie head on, shoving it to the side with a little knockback.

He then lunges at the staggered zombie, thrusting his sword on the zombie's back. Both fell down lying on the ground. Loki starts stabbing the zombie's back repeatedly without second thought until the zombie's health points depleted.

Loki raised himself back up after comfirming the zombie's demise

"You freaks are a real piece of work, huh. You guys have so much health too. Too bad, there's still more of you bastards left to kill."

More zombies and demon eyes are looking after the lone player.

"Would you look at that. Now there's more of you staring me down. I wonder how Ando is doing right now..? Welp, let's see how we'll deal with it. Bring it!"

Loki then bravely take a step up at the stampeding horde, ready for another battle.