In a world that blurred the lines between fantasy and reality, the term "undead" had often been associated with creatures that defied the natural order. It was a term that found its place in the realms of fantasy and horror fiction, where it conjured images of zombies, vampires, and ghouls. These beings, the stuff of nightmares and tales spun around campfires, were often depicted as creatures that fed on the living, depending on their species.
Jack, however, was not well-versed in the lore of the supernatural. He hadn't been particularly interested in such matters, and his knowledge was limited to the basics. He knew, for instance, that these undead beings were known to feed on flesh, a fact that sent shivers down his spine when he considered the implications.
His recent awakening in this mysterious and nightmarish place had thrown him into a world he could hardly fathom. The sudden appearance of a strange notification, out of nowhere, had caught him completely off guard, obstructing his vision and plunging him into a reality he could neither comprehend nor accept.
The message read:
[Undead detected]
[Race: Zombie]
[Ability: none]
As the notification faded, Jack's mind reeled. He couldn't wrap his head around the sudden intrusion of this cryptic message into his life. A sense of dread gripped him as he muttered an expletive under his breath.
The shock of the notification, however, was overshadowed by the horrifying scene before him. Bodies, lifeless and strewn across the floor, surrounded him. There were fifteen of them in total, each one a grim testament to the horrors of this place. And amidst this ghastly tableau, something else had caught his attention.
About two meters away from where he stood, Jack noticed what seemed to be a person. Their face was buried in the flesh of one of the corpses, and the disturbing sounds of their feasting filled the air.
For a fleeting moment, Jack's heart soared with hope that he had found another living being in this nightmarish labyrinth. However, as he ventured closer, the truth became painfully apparent.
'Whatever that is, it's eating a dead man's corpse!' Jack's realization sent shivers down his spine. It was an inhumane act, a scene straight out of a horror story.
Jack had intended to retreat silently, avoiding any contact with the abomination before him. However, his attempt at stealth was in vain. A sudden noise, a mere whisper of his presence, had broken the silence, and Jack cursed aloud, his voice rough and deep from days of disuse.
"What the?"
But it was too late. The grotesque feasting ceased, and the creature turned to face him. Jack's eyes met a nightmarish visage: a being that resembled a human but bore the unmistakable signs of death and decay.
The creature's skin was an eerie pallid color, akin to the lifeless corpses littered around it. Its eyes, an unsettling white devoid of any trace of humanity, sent a chill down Jack's spine. The teeth, now dripping with the blood of its macabre feast, seemed designed for one purpose: to tear into living flesh.
The creature's sudden awareness of Jack's presence ignited a hunger for fresh prey. It moved toward him with unsettling speed, its outstretched hands reaching for him, longing for the taste of living flesh.
Jack's mind raced as he tried to make sense of the situation. The strange notification, the undead creature, the words that appeared and disappeared without explanation – it was all too surreal. It left him with a single thought: 'This is either a dream or a result of a severe blow to the head.'
As the creature closed in, its clawed hand extended toward Jack, the notification reappeared, offering a peculiar directive:
[Battle mode activated]
[Defeat the Undead in front of you]
[Reward: 100Exp]
Jack's confusion deepened. How could he possibly defeat something categorized as an "Undead"? After all, the very nature of the undead was that they were already dead, immune to conventional harm.
But time was not on Jack's side, and he couldn't dwell on the mysteries of this place any longer. In the face of the impending threat, he had to react. He couldn't allow himself to become the next meal for this monstrous being.
With a deep breath, he refocused his attention on the creature. The bizarre notification had given him a clear command: defeat the undead in front of him. He had no choice but to confront the menace head-on.
He knew he had to act quickly, even as questions swirled in his mind. Firstly, he needed to survive this unexpected encounter.
The creature lunged at him with a three-inch-long claw, and Jack, driven by instinct, managed to dodge the attack, narrowly avoiding a gruesome fate. The claw tore through the air, mere inches away from Jack's abdomen. The close call left him both relieved and terrified at the same time.
Jack was wearing a hospital patient's gown, which revealed a portion of his back. The claw had sliced through the fabric, leaving a deep, claw-shaped gash. Strangely, there was no pain accompanying the wound, as if his body had been numbed to the sensation.
A new notification flashed before him:
[Warning!! Damage dealt]
[Healing injuries]
Jack's mind barely registered the information. He was in the midst of a life-and-death struggle, and there was no time for distractions. The immediate threat was the undead creature with its ravenous appetite.
His assailant made another attempt to slash him, this time with a newfound agility that defied the conventional portrayal of zombies. Jack's attempt to evade the strike was not as successful, and he cursed himself for his slowness. The claw grazed his shoulder, leaving a minor but noticeable wound.
The wound, however, was not the focus of Jack's attention. He was more concerned about the creature that seemed far from the slow, unintelligent zombies he'd read about in fiction. It moved with disturbing speed and coordination, defying the conventional expectations of the undead.
With his heart pounding and his survival instincts taking over, Jack knew he had to act decisively. As the creature prepared for its next attack, Jack mustered his strength and delivered a powerful kick to its stomach. The force of the blow sent the undead stumbling backward, crashing to the ground.
But Jack didn't hesitate. He spotted a makeshift weapon – a broken-off pole with one end pointed and sharp. The pole appeared to be the product of hasty improvisation, he knew that when someone's cornered, they would make any decisions without thinking about it properly.
Tightening his grip on the pole, Jack quickly walked up to the Zombie, and before it could stand up pushed the pole's pointy end downwards. The pole dug right through the Zombie's head, breaking the skull like it was nothing.
There was no resistance as the pole went deep into its head. Jack himself was even surprised by his strength, which wasn't natural.
*******
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