Chapter 36:

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As the behemoth descended from the sky accompanied by a horde of zombie soldiers, Jason and Raphtalia, along with the villagers who emerged from their houses, watched the unfolding spectacle.

Some timid villagers collapsed to the ground, trembling with fear, paralyzed by the sight before them.

"It's...it's a giant zombie captain! Why is it here?" one villager whispered in terror, unable to tear his eyes away from the colossal figure.

"You've heard of it?" Jason, rushing toward the village center, overheard and asked curiously.

"Yes, Lord Shield Hero," the villager replied. "I've heard tales of such creatures. They appeared during the first wave of calamities and nearly annihilated a village. It was only the timely arrival of the army that prevented disaster."

The villagers were understandably afraid of the formidable giant zombie captain.

"Master Shield Hero, you've already vanquished so many monsters; you must be exhausted. Let's wait for the army to handle the captain," another villager suggested, eyeing Jason with concern.

"No need," Jason replied confidently. "The army won't make it in time. Don't worry, despite having used a lot of SP, handling this won't be a problem. Raphtalia, let's go!"

Without waiting for the villagers' reactions, Jason and Raphtalia charged toward the center of the village.

Watching them leave, the villagers grappled with their fear, clenching their fists and gritting their teeth. One villager finally shouted, "This is our village! We can't run away and let the Shield Hero fight alone!"

"Yes, we're not cowards!" others echoed.

"Let's help Lord Shield!" rallied another.

Encouraged, many villagers picked up their weapons and followed Jason toward the central square.

Lute Village, being small, allowed Jason to reach the center quickly. There, he found the square swarming with zombie soldiers and, towering above them, a giant zombie.

Standing over three meters tall, the giant zombie, clad in formidable-looking armor, wielded an enormous, chilling axe. While perhaps not the main boss of the disaster wave, it was certainly a sub-boss.

Jason had wisely directed the villagers to shelter at the village's edge, preventing what could have been massive casualties.

"Raphtalia, stay back! I'll handle the big one!" Jason declared.

"Yes, Master Jason!" Raphtalia replied.

Stepping forward, Jason's shield morphed into a blue shield emblazoned with a bear's head—the [Storm Bear Shield] obtained from the Earth Violent Bear, boasting the skill: Earthquake.

Jason raised his shield and slammed it into the ground with force.

Boom!

The ground quaked as the shield struck, sending cracks racing outward to encompass the village square.

Given Jason's current level and strength, the [Great Earth Crack] wasn't at its peak power, extending only 10 narrow cracks. However, the loose soil of Lute Village and the weight of the many zombie soldiers and the giant zombie captain caused the ground to collapse.

The zombie soldiers fell, immobilized, and the giant zombie was caught in the shifting earth, letting out a furious roar.

But Jason wasn't finished. Pocketing his shield, he leaped from one zombie soldier's head to the next, swiftly closing in on the giant zombie captain.

From its sunken position, the giant zombie captain swung its massive axe at the fast-approaching Jason without hesitation.

Before the giant axe struck, its wind pressure reached Jason first, tousling his hair slightly.

As the enormous axe, larger than Jason himself, descended, he swiftly raised his shield to meet it.

"When~~~"

The giant axe clashed against the shield with a resounding clang akin to a church bell, the force creating a gust of wind.

Jason stood his ground, unmoved, while the giant zombie captain staggered backward. It couldn't comprehend how the small human before it possessed such strength, almost causing it to lose its grip on the axe.

Yet, with its limited intelligence, it had no time to ponder this.

Jason leaped again, his right fist clenched, and delivered a powerful blow to the captain's head.

In a burst of force, the giant zombie captain's head exploded, leaving no chance for resistance.

The remaining zombie soldiers, now stuck and in disarray, were swiftly dispatched by Jason and Raphtalia. Jason's strength was formidable, able to eliminate many foes with a single punch.

"Let's defend our homeland!" a villager shouted.

"Even if we're not strong, we can support the Shield Hero!" others cried.

The villagers' calls echoed, but their arrival coincided with the end of the battle, thanks to Jason's and Raphtalia's swift actions.

As the villagers reached the scene, they halted, gazing in awe at the defeated foes littering the ground, with Jason and Raphtalia standing victorious.

"Charge—wait, what's happened?"

"Wow, the monsters are already defeated by Lord Shield!"

"Isn't that the giant zombie captain with its army of soldiers?"

"See for yourself!" the crowd moved aside, allowing others a view of the aftermath.

"Lord Shield Hero is incredible!"

"Praise Lord Shield Hero!" they cheered.

Though their contribution was minimal, Jason found the villagers' enthusiasm endearing. Those willing to risk themselves to aid others always deserve admiration.

"The giant zombie captain might be defeated, but more monsters could be on the way. Stay alert, everyone. Raphtalia, can I count on you to handle the rest?"

Jason surveyed the area, noticing the significantly reduced number of monsters, and addressed both the villagers and Raphtalia.

"Of course, we will handle it!" Raphtalia assured with confidence.

"Great, I'll head out now!"

And with that, Jason vanished, sprinting towards the origin of the disaster wave.

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If you enjoy please support me on my patreon Future 80+ chapters at patreon.com/Darkphoenix11

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