Smasher (1)

Shinon, Rico, and Kira had come to the place Shinon had urged them to go, a long-abandoned warehouse, in search of much-needed supplies in the post-apocalyptic world infested with zombies.

As they entered the warehouse, the light from Inferno's edge pierced through the darkness, revealing piles of debris and scattered crates. The air was musty, and the smell of decay hung heavy.

"This place reeks," Rico muttered, adjusting his grip on his trusty machete to light the way forward.

Kira, being the most agile of the group, moved silently, her eyes darting around, ever watchful for any signs of danger. Meanwhile, Shinon scanned the area with keen eyes, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

He had suggested they check out a specific section of the building, insisting that he had a feeling they would find something valuable there as the chest icon was showing in that area. The others had followed him, but now they were starting to regret it.

"This place is a dump," Kira complained, wiping sweat from her forehead. "Why did we even come here?"

"Shinon said there might be something good here," Rico reminded her. "We just have to keep looking."

"...right."

They moved deeper into the building, their footsteps echoing on the empty floors. The air was thick with dust, and the silence was oppressive. They had found a few things of value already, but nothing that would make their trip worth it.

They had encountered a few Roamers and Walkers in the building but nothing more dangerous. The lack of dangerous and evolved zombies also freaked them a bit, as it was a known fact they gathered around resources deemed critical to their living counterparts.

Suddenly, they heard a noise, a low growl that seemed to come from all around them. They froze, looking around for the source of the sound, and that's when they saw it.

A massive figure emerged from the shadows. It was a zombie, unlike any they had seen before. This creature was huge, with bulging muscles and a formidable presence. Kira recognised it as a bloater, a type of zombie known for its size, but Shinon shook his head.

"That's no bloater," Shinon said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I've fought bloaters before, and they weren't built like Mr Olympia. They are bloated from head to toe and hence are called Bloaters. Does that guy looks bloated to you?"

"Then what is it?" Rico asked, his voice firm.

"I don't know," Shinon admitted. "But we can't let it get the drop on us. We need to take it out fast."

"But how? That fucker doesn't look normal to me!" Kira retorted.

Shinon was puzzled as he stared at the new zombie before him. He studied the creature carefully. It was built like a tank, with bulging muscles and thick, armoured skin. It was also strangely silent, unlike the other zombies that groaned and snarled.

Shinon's eyes scanned the area around them, searching for other zombies nearby. He was surprised to find that the new zombie didn't appear on the map imprinted on his eyes till that very moment, which meant that the creature was good at hiding its presence.

Shinon rubbed his temples, trying to think. This new development was not something he had anticipated, and he wasn't sure what to do next.

He was still trying to process what he had just witnessed when a notification popped up in front of his eyes, interrupting his thoughts. It was the system notification that he had been expecting.

__

You have been assigned a surprise quest!

[Ridding The Smasher]

Kill Smasher, a powerful and dangerous zombie that has appeared in your current location.

Condition for failure: Escaping the scenario or failing to kill Smasher.

Punishment for failure: The user's stats will be reduced by 30%.

Reward for success: 2000 experience points and a rare loot drop.

__

Shinon's eyes widened with excitement as he read the reward. He had been looking for a challenging opponent to test his new creations for a while, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. He looked up and saw the creature still standing there, waiting for its prey to make a move.

Without hesitation, Kira drew her gun and aimed at Smasher's head. She fired several shots, but to their surprise, the creature didn't flinch. The bullets bounced off its thick skin like they were nothing.

"What in heaven's name is this bastard made of?" She cursed under her breath.

Shinon realised that this would be a challenging fight. He quickly glanced at Rico and Kira, who were also staring at the creature in shock. Similar thoughts rushed into their heads.

"No matter what, we have to take it down," Shinon said, his voice firm and determined. "We can do this if we work together."

Rico and Kira nodded in agreement, and together they charged at Smasher. Kira repeatedly fired her weapon, trying to figure out the creature's weak points.

In the meantime, Shinon summoned half a dozen shadowy tendrils, wrapping them around the Smasher to hinder its movement before enhancing his sword.

Rico, being the warmongering brute he was, charged at the Smasher, intending to knock it over and impale it with his machetes.

However, the Smasher, standing tall and imposing, seemed unfazed by their initial onslaught. It raised its massive fists, ready to attack.

"Rico, get back!" Kira yelled.

Rico jumped back, thinking he was out of the zombie's reach. But the Smasher wasn't aiming for Rico as it suddenly slammed its fists onto the ground.

The impact created a shockwave that sent the humans flying back. They struggled to get up, stunned by the attack they had just experienced, their weapons slipping from their hands.

"What the hell was that?" Shinon groaned, holding onto his sword tightly again.

"That was insane!" Rico shouted, clutching onto his machetes.

"We need to be careful!" Kira mumbled through gritted teeth.

After attacking once, the Smasher got calm and silent once again. It appeared to be toying with them, waiting for them to make a move. Something which none of them like at all.

"We need to form some sort of plan first..." Kira coughed, caressing her exposed torso.

Shinon nodded, but he didn't know how they would defeat a seemingly impenetrable zombie.