[Blood Magic]

Cassie skillfully maneuvered near a tree, concealing herself from any potential threats lurking about.

Suddenly, her attention was captured by a glimpse of a zombie, but when she tried to focus on it, the creature seemed to vanish, as if it had disappeared into thin air.

"That's a secured class zombie, a level five," a male figure remarked, surprising Cassie with his sudden presence.

Apparently, he had been lurking in the tree, completely hidden from her sight. It was the same guy she had encountered in the waiting room, instructing Michael and Ronnie to keep quiet.

"How did you manage to see it? You don't even have a scope," Cassie questioned, intrigued by this man's abilities.

He gracefully leaped down from the tree, revealing himself to be the same person she remembered.

"Shouldn't be hard to figure out... Just as you possess the powers of a flame mage, I have the eye that sees beyond," he responded confidently.

Cassie was astonished. The fact that this man had deduced her being a flame mage showcased his impressive perception.

It made her consider teaming up with him, at least until she found her friends.

"So, where did the zombie go?" Cassie inquired, her gaze fixed on the spot where she saw it.

"It vanished. It's invisible to bullets and firearms. As soon as you aim at it, it detects your intention within a fraction of a second and activates its hidden skill,"

The man explained, walking ahead of Cassie. He removed his black gloves, dropping them onto the vibrant green grass beneath the crimson eclipse.

"Indeed, all level fives possess this characteristic, but with the God's Eye, nothing evades my sight," he declared with confidence.

Plunk...

Cassie's eyes widened as she witnessed the man's hand covered in blood. He had just dug his hand through the level five zombie, an act that bullets were powerless against.

Thud...!

The man introduced himself as Brian, acknowledging that Cassie was, indeed, Cassie.

She couldn't help but feel a discomfort, as he seemed to know far too much about her—her desire to pass the exam, her weaknesses, and even the person she loved.

"Thanks, but I believe you're crossing boundaries with your abilities," Cassie retorted. She felt that Brian was intruding on her privacy.

-[Safe zone is now collapsing]

Both Cassie and Brian were interrupted by the notification they received. Without wasting time, Cassie quickly searched for the location of her friends.

-[Ronnie and Michael—location: In a car, outside the safe zone]

Cassie dropped her sniper rifle and started running in the opposite direction. However, she was restrained by Brian.

"You won't be able to save them. Their oxygen is gradually depleting," Brian remarked.

But Cassie took offense to his words, determined to proceed and rescue her friends, regardless of what he said.

"Let go of me... Now!"

———

Meanwhile, in the chaotic situation...

"Drive f**king Faster, damn it!" Ronnie yelled urgently.

Not only were they racing against time to reach the safe zone before their oxygen levels depleted, but they also had the immense red demon wolf with its fierce glowing red eyes and blood-dripping fangs chasing after them—its size twice as large as a helicopter.

-[Ronnie's Oxygen: 40/100]

"Bro, I don't want to die... You have to..." Ronnie's sentence was cut short as Micheal performed a daring stunt, zooming off a cliff and executing a barrel roll that sent his heart racing for a moment.

"This isn't just a game," Ronnie muttered, his anxiety mounting as he struggled to catch his breath, fearing he was losing oxygen rapidly.

-[Zombie Liege's Oxygen: none]

"Sure, I don't breathe in oxygen... Tell me I breathe in carbon dioxide, you freaking interface," Michael thought ironically.

-[Level one Zombies have spawned in front of the vehicle]

Ronnie's mind raced with fear. He believed that death was imminent. If it wasn't the collapsing safe zone, it would be the ferocious wolf or the relentless horde of zombies approaching them.

He couldn't help but give Michael credit for his ability to hold his breath as he skillfully navigated through the obstacles of trees and rocks.

"The same language as the bloody interface... 'spawn.' I can spawn level one zombies... But how?" pondered Micheal, confused yet intrigued by the newfound realization of his abilities.

As Michael glanced out of the vehicle's window, his heart raced. The relentless pursuit of the wolf behind them caused trees to crumble in its wake.

The impending danger didn't stop there. In front of him, a horde of zombies drew closer, their undead presence filling the air with an eerie silence.

But what truly widened Michael's eyes was the sight of Ronnie. His best friend, with lifeless eyes, slumped against the chair.

It was a jolting reminder of the gruesome reality they found themselves in. The apocalypse had taken its toll from the very beginning, and Michael's heart burned with rage.

Gripping the steering tightly, Michael could feel the fury coursing through his veins. In an act of pure determination, he uttered a single word that resonated with power, causing his own zombies to surge forth from the ground.

However, these were not ordinary zombies.

They possessed heads wreathed in red and black flames, akin to the fiery semblance of Ghost Rider, most of them possessing purple flaming chains and some having swords to devour this little zombies.

"Spawn," Michael proclaimed, channeling his commanding presence.

With that word, his infernal army surged forward, ready to heed his call and take on the encroaching threats.

The scene became a chaotic dance of unleashed power, as the fiery-headed zombies clashed with the approaching horde.

In this grim world, Michael had found a way to harness the forces of darkness and transform them into a weapon against the relentless forces of the apocalypse.

With Spawn, his undead minions, by his side, he was determined to fight back and forge his path through the chaos.

Screeeeech....!!

In a breathtaking display of calculated daring, Michael skillfully parked the car and emerged to assess the fate of his wounded companion.

An agonizing haze of uncertainty enveloped him as the hush of Ronnie's breath faded, leaving an air of profound unease.

Yet, a flicker of hope persisted, for if the notification had not yet proclaimed Ronnie's demise, then perhaps a spark of life remained.

However, amidst the gripping turmoil, an urgent imperative tugged at Michael's consciousness, demanding his immediate attention.

"I suppose I have forged my path as the supremely overpowered main character within this extraordinary realm," Michael uttered with a devilish smirk, his gaze fixed upon the approaching monstrosity.

"Spawn."

With unwavering focus, Michael harnessed his inner power, conjuring vivid thoughts of a specific number of level one zombies.

To his astonishment, his manifestation brought forth the precise outcome he desired: five ethereal beings with faces wreathed in red and black flames, each wielding flaming chains that kissed the air.

"Protect him. Should any harm befall him, your chances of resurrection shall perish," Michael commanded, turning his gaze in a sweeping 360-degree arc, witnessing his zombified minions obediently kneel before him.

Without hesitation, Michael thrust himself back into the collapsing zone, bearing witness to the ceaseless clash between his loyal undead legion and the relentless hordes.

Yet, what seized his attention was the phenomenon that unfolded within his party's ranks—the ulterior beings died and instantaneously rose again, perpetually caught in an undying cycle.

"These creatures are undeniably undead... and I find myself captivated," Michael murmured, a trace of intrigue in his voice.

The colossal wolf drew perilously close, mere meters from Michael's poised figure. In that moment, the whispers of blood magic coursed through his veins, an arcane familiarity gripping his consciousness, as if echoes of a former user or creator were etched within his mind—a sensation of lived experience, of past deeds forged in darkness.

"No... this marks the initiation of my journey into the realm of blood magic," Michael declared, snapping his fingers with a flourish, his smirk etching deeper into his features, radiating an aura of diabolical confidence.