Run!

Shinon, Rico, and Kira trudged through the desolate city, their eyes scanning their surroundings for any signs of danger. The streets were littered with debris, and the once-bustling buildings were now empty and neglected. The only sounds were the occasional groans of the zombies that lurked in the shadows.

Shinon led the group, his hand firmly gripping the handle of his machete. Rico walked at the back, his weapon at the ready. Kira sandwiched between them, clutched a backpack filled with supplies.

"I never thought there would be multiple factions of survivors if I'm being honest," Shinon said, breaking the silence.

Kira smiled. "Well, there are many. When we lived in the settlement, we had our fair share of encounters with them."

"Like?"

"Hm... first off, there are people like us, the Survivors," Kira commented. "These are ordinary people who have managed to avoid getting infected and are just trying to stay alive. They may form communities or go solo. Ring a bell yet?"

Shinon smiled, "Of course it does."

"Don't forget about the military," Rico chimed in. "My hate for those bastards is as big as towards the Raiders."

Kira continued, "Yes, those groups are made up of military or ex-military personnel. They're usually well-armed and organized, but they can also be pretty ruthless when restoring order and safety to the world. They may not see eye to eye with other factions, either."

"In other words, they think the word belongs to them, and everyone should obey?" Shinon questioned, to which Rico grunted loudly.

"Exactly," he said. "Not only that, if anyone goes against them, the military immediately brands them as enemies. It was because of those bastards that the Raiders could attack us so easily. They took our weapons and medic supplies by force!"

Shinon could feel the anger Rico was feeling. Nobody liked being stolen, especially by some twisted radical group.

Kira sensed the rising tension and immediately changed the topic. "Next up, there are the Cults. These groups have turned to extreme beliefs and ideologies in the wake of the apocalypse. For example, they may see the zombie outbreak as a sign of the end times or have other twisted beliefs. They can be pretty dangerous to outsiders."

Shinon frowned. "That sounds... creepy."

"Indeed- did you guys-" Kira mumbled, drawing her pistol.

"Yeah... zombies," Shinon replied, imbuing his sword with [Shadow Enhancement], "Get ready."

A group of evolved zombies had emerged from an alleyway up ahead, their eyes glowing with a menacing red light. These were not the slow-moving, mindless creatures that they had grown accustomed to. These zombies were faster, wiser, and far more dangerous.

Without hesitation, Shinon stepped forward, his hand gripping the hilt of the Blade of Eternity.

"Stay back," he warned his companions, his voice steady and calm. "I'll take care of this."

"Hell no," Kira jumped ahead, brandishing her newly remodelled pistols. "I haven't tested these beauties yet."

"Alright, but try not to attract more zombies." Shinon shook his head.

As Shinon advanced towards the group of zombies, the creatures snarled and hissed, their clawed hands reaching out towards him. But he was too quick for them. He darted forward, his sword flashing through the air as he cut down one zombie after another.

Kira lifted her pistols, firing off explosive shot after shot at the creatures. Her aim was true, and she managed to take down several of the zombies before they could even get close to her. But she knew that her pistols would only be effective for so long.

Rico, meanwhile, had pulled out his two flaming machetes. He spun them around in a deadly dance, the flames casting eerie shadows on the walls around them. The zombies hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to approach him.

But then, with a sudden burst of speed, one of the creatures lunged forward, its teeth bared. Rico met it head-on, his machetes slicing through the air as he deftly dodged the zombie's attacks.

Shinon, too, was holding his own. He had always been a skilled swordsman, but his Shadowmancer powers gave him an added advantage. He was four men packed into one, dispatching creatures left and right.

As the battle raged on, the three companions fought with everything they had. But it soon became apparent that they were outnumbered. More and more zombies were emerging from the shadows, drawn by the scent of blood.

"There has to be a nest somewhere around here!" Rico yelled while slicing yet another frigid zombie.

Just then, a notification popped open in front of Shinon's eyes.

__

You have been assigned a surprise quest!

[Run!]

Escape the area. Your level isn't suitable for this place yet!

Condition for failure: Escaping the scenario or becoming the zombie's dinner.

Punishment for failure: The user's stats will be reduced to 0.

Reward for success: UI Upgrade (Map feature will be unlocked!)

__

Even though the zombies weren't tough, Shinon knew something must be wrong if the system was telling him to escape.

"We need to get out of here," Kira shouted, her voice barely audible above the sounds of battle.

Shinon nodded, his eyes scanning the area for an escape route. "This way," he yelled, pointing towards a nearby alleyway.

The three companions sprinted towards the alleyway, the zombies hot on their heels. They were almost there when one of the creatures lunged forward, but Rico chopped its head off its shoulders before the zombie could do anything.

They ran down the alleyway, their hearts pounding in their chests. The sounds of the zombies grew fainter and fainter behind them until they were finally out of earshot.

They collapsed against the wall, gasping for breath. They were tired to the bones, but they were alive.

"Well, that was fun," Rico said with a grin, twirling his machetes around.

Kira scowled at him, "I wouldn't call that fun. Remind me not to accompany you fools anywhere!"

Shinon chuckled, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Come on," he said. "Let's get out of here before any more of those things show up again."

"Right... By the way, I'm not cooking tonight." Kira shrugged before punching Rico. "At least not for this oaf!"

"What did I do!?"

"You were having fun, right? Have fun cooking some food with berries and fruits!"