A World Unraveled

After a few minutes, Isabella's sobs began to subside. Emily spoke comforting words to reassure her that it wasn't her fault. However, the trauma had left Isabella mentally shaken. After all, it's not every day that your husband of two years turns into a zombie and attacks you.

Once Isabella calmed down, the Holts helped her choose her class. Despite the strangeness of the situation, they realized the importance of utilizing the abilities that came with each class. Isabella opted for the caster class since she had no prior fighting experience.

Having recently graduated from college and working as an accountant, she felt more inclined towards using her intellect and magical abilities.

As they continued walking down the street, they noticed a man engaged in a fight with a nearby zombie. Before they could intervene, the man managed to dispatch the zombie, albeit sustaining an injury on his left arm. He sat down to bandage the scratch when the group approached him.

"Hey, I'm Mark. Are you okay?" Mark stepped forward and addressed the man.

"Hey, I'm Mike. What the hell is happening? What happened to Mr. Thompson? Why did he attack me like that? And his eyes... I had no choice," Mike exclaimed, his voice filled with confusion and distress.

"We know," Mark replied. "He turned into a zombie. We're not entirely sure what's happening, but it feels like the end of the world. You can join our group. We're heading to the city center to find shelter somewhere safe. The government should be doing something about it by now."

Mike nodded and finished tying the bandage on his arm. As he attempted to stand, he lost his balance and fell to his knees. Within moments, he began vomiting blood, his skin turning pale and cracking. The group instinctively stepped back, witnessing the horrifying transformation.

Understanding the inevitable, Sarah readied her bow, her heart heavy with reluctance. Mike stopped vomiting and looked up at the group, his pale, cracked skin and white pupils mirroring the other zombies they had encountered. Without hesitation, he lunged towards them. Sarah swiftly released an arrow piercing through his head.

[You have slain (Mana Zombie - Level 1)]

"Are they contagious? I thought we were safe after passing that strange mana poisoning test," Isabella murmured, her words audible to everyone present.

"From now on, it's better to kill them on sight and not risk getting infected," Mark declared, his voice laced with urgency. The day's events had left him on edge, and the safety of their group became his top priority.

As more people poured into the streets, the group's progress became increasingly difficult. They soon realized that the number of zombies in the vicinity was growing rapidly, attacking anyone in sight. Knowing that a mere scratch or bite could transform regular people into mana zombies added to their distress. However, there was a silver lining: the zombies could be killed in the same ways as humans. They didn't require a headshot; they could succumb to blood loss or other fatal injuries. The zombies exhibited no apparent intelligence, driven only by their instinct to kill and consume.

The group witnessed heartbreaking scenes as individuals attempted to reason with their zombified family and friends, often resulting in their demise or reluctantly killing their loved ones in self-defense.

In the midst of this chaos, their attention was drawn to a young girl, around 13 or 14 years old, running in tears from two approaching zombies—a male and a female. The resemblance between the girl and the female zombie was striking. Sarah's heart sank, knowing what needed to be done. Determinedly, she aimed her arrow at the two zombies and brought them down in two precise shots.

[You have slain (Mana Zombie - Level 1)]

[You have slain (Mana Zombie - Level 1)]

[Congratulations! Your class (Archer) has reached level 1. All stat points have been allocated, plus +1 free point.]

As Sarah eliminated the two new threats, she received a prompt indicating her level-up. She felt a surge of energy coursing through her body. She could sense herself growing stronger than before. Meanwhile, the little girl stopped running, looked back at her parents' lifeless bodies, and began wailing and crying uncontrollably. Emily and Sarah rushed to her side, providing comfort and support as Emily held the distraught child in a tight embrace.

After comforting the little girl, Emily, and Sarah decided to take her under their wing, offering her a sense of security amidst the chaos. They introduced themselves and learned that her name was Lily. With a heavy heart, they explained to her the gravity of the situation and the need to stay together for their survival.

The group continued their journey towards the city center, navigating through the streets teeming with zombies. They encountered more harrowing scenes of people fighting to protect themselves or desperately trying to reason with their infected loved ones. Each encounter was a grim reminder of the dangers lurking around every corner.

As they pressed on, they noticed a growing sense of desperation among the survivors they encountered. Many sought refuge and safety in numbers, forming impromptu groups to defend against the relentless onslaught of the mana zombies. The once-thriving city now resembled a battleground, with sporadic fires and the sounds of distant screams permeating the air.

As the group pushed forward, their journey grew increasingly perilous. They dedicated themselves to refining their combat skills, mastering the art of precision and resource conservation. Sarah's remarkable archery prowess became a crucial asset, her arrows unerringly finding their targets. Mark, realizing the advantage of a two-handed weapon, borrowed his son's sword from Sarah, leveraging his strength and resilience to fortify the group's sense of security. However, the relentless zombie threat continued to escalate, with the creatures growing stronger and deadlier with each life they claimed. Sarah's skills were put to the test when she successfully took down a formidable level 4 zombie, showcasing her exceptional ability.

As the afternoon approached, the group, bolstered by over thirty additional survivors, strategically stopped at a grocery store to gather essential supplies. They meticulously raided the store for an hour, ensuring they had provisions to sustain them. Their next destination was a nearby high school building, where they converged upon the gymnasium. Inside, they set about fortifying the structure, erecting barricades, and creating a makeshift shelter to shield themselves from the growing dangers of the outside world.

The atmosphere among the survivors was somber and heavy with grief. Many sought solace in each other's embrace or found solace in silent tears. Sarah approached her mother, Emily, who was comforting Isabella and Lily. Lily, overwhelmed with emotions, wept in Isabella's arms while Isabella struggled to hold her own feelings at bay.

"Mom, have you heard anything from Adam?" Sarah asked, her voice filled with concern.

Emily's eyes welled up with tears as she responded, "No, Sarah. I've been trying to call him every hour since we left home, but the calls won't go through. I'm consumed with worry. What if he's turned into a zombie? What if he's... gone?"

Sarah embraced her mother, holding her tightly, and whispered softly, "If anyone can survive this ordeal, it's Adam. I've reached level 3 now, and I'm confident he's surpassed that by now. He's strong, Mom. Try not to worry too much. We'll find him."

Emily clung to those words, finding a glimmer of hope amidst the despair. She wiped away her tears and mustered a faint smile, grateful for Sarah's reassuring presence. They were in this together, and as long as they had each other, they would face whatever challenges lay ahead.