023 Superpower awaken

"Chandan!"

 Watching Chandan get tackled by the monstrous dog, Anirudh's eyes widened in rage, and he roared furiously, wanting to rush forward and save him.

 But it was too late. Even with Anirudh's speed and reflexes, there was no time to pull Chandan out of the beast's deadly jaws.

 Chandan's death seemed inevitable.

 "Ahhhhh!"

 The enormous dog's gaping maw was now inches from Chandan's face. He could see the bits of flesh stuck between its teeth and smell the foul stench emanating from its breath, making him want to retch.

 Never before had Chandan been so close to death. At this moment, it was as if he could see the Yamraj's Hand descending upon him. The sheer terror of impending death made his body grow colder and colder.

 And just as this chilling fear reached its peak, Chandan let out a frantic, terrified scream.

 But then, something extraordinary happened.

 Boom!

 As Chandan screamed, it was as though a shackle inside him had shattered. A surge of icy blue light erupted from his body, sweeping over the massive dog like a glacial storm.

 The next moment, an unbelievable sight unfolded.

 Crack! Crack! Crack!

 Under the glow of the eerie blue light, the giant dog froze mid-motion. Ice crystals spread rapidly across its body, encasing it in a glimmering icy shell. Within seconds, it was transformed into an ice sculpture, completely immobilized.

 Chandan's scream still lingered in the air.

 Both Anirudh and Chandan stared in utter disbelief.

 "Aaaaah!"

 Finally, snapping out of his daze, Chandan screamed and shoved the frozen beast off him. The icy statue hit the ground and shattered into frozen chunks. Wisps of blue light rose from the fragments and flowed back into Chandan's body.

 This phenomenon was almost identical to what happened when Anirudh absorbed energy by killing zombies.

 "B-Boss…"

 Staring at the icy remains and feeling the cold power coursing through his body, Chandan's face was filled with confusion and shock. "What… what just happened?"

 "Congratulations," Anirudh said with a faint smile, finally piecing things together. "If I'm not mistaken, you've awakened a superpower."

 He then grabbed another monstrous dog nearby and smashed it with brutal force, eliminating the threat with ease.

 Anirudh turned back to Chandan, his tone filled with both envy and admiration. "I read about this phenomenon in a forum. It said that while the world's changes have brought countless dangers, they've also unlocked potential within certain individuals. People with exceptional aptitude can awaken abilities like yours."

 "You, Chandan, are one of those rare talents."

 Chandan stood dumbfounded, staring at his hands. He clenched them experimentally.

 Buzz!

 A faint blue light reappeared, lowering the temperature around him. Raindrops hitting his hands froze instantly, forming tiny crystals that dropped to the ground.

 "It's real! This is amazing!" Chandan exclaimed, his shock giving way to unrestrained joy. "I actually have powers now! This is incredible!"

 He turned to Anirudh with renewed determination. "Brother, it's my turn to protect you now!"

 "Don't get ahead of yourself," Anirudh said, dousing Chandan's enthusiasm with a bucket of cold water. "Do you think your little trick makes you invincible? Go try it against a Tyrant or a Licker and see how far you get. And don't forget, you're still human. A single bite or bullet, and you're as good as dead."

 Chandan froze, his excitement deflating like a punctured balloon. "Oh… yeah, you're right…"

 Then, as if remembering something, Chandan frowned at Anirudh. "Wait… Brother, do you have powers? How else could you be so calm? And your combat skills—those weren't normal at all!"

 Anirudh smirked. "Maybe I'm just naturally strong."

 Without elaborating, he glanced at the growing number of zombies in the distance and said, "Enough talk. Let's keep moving. With mutated dogs like these around, who knows what other horrors are out there?"

 "Got it."

 Chandan loaded a fresh clip into his pistol, his resolve hardened. Together, they resumed their desperate dash toward the command center.

 ---

 By the time they arrived, the scene before them drained the color from their faces.

 Outside the command building, a massive horde of over a hundred zombies had gathered, with more converging on the area. It was as if something inside the building was drawing them in.

 "Damn, that's a lot of zombies!" Chandan muttered, his newfound confidence quickly waning. "What now, Brother?"

 "We charge through."

 Anirudh pulled out the severed tongue of a Licker from his bag, unwrapping its waterproof layers. "There's something I didn't tell you earlier. I didn't just see a Licker—I fought one. And this is its tongue."

 "What?!"

 Chandan stared at the grotesque appendage in shock. No wonder Anirudh had been so composed. He had faced and defeated one of the most fearsome monsters of the apocalypse!

 "This tongue still carries the Licker's scent," Anirudh explained. "It can intimidate regular zombies, but the effective range is only about five meters. Stay close—if you stray too far, I won't be able to save you."

 Chandan swallowed hard and nodded. "Understood, Brother."

 "Let's go."

 With the tongue in hand, Anirudh charged toward the horde. Chandan followed closely, not daring to lag behind.

 As the zombies detected their approach, they howled and surged forward like a wave of death.

 But the moment they entered the five-meter range of the severed tongue, the zombies froze, their instinctual fear overriding their aggression.

 Seizing the opportunity, Anirudh and Chandan wove through the disoriented horde and reached the command building's entrance.

 The doors creaked open, revealing armed soldiers who quickly ushered them inside.

 However, as soon as the doors slammed shut and were bolted, the soldiers turned their weapons on Anirudh and Chandan.

 "Identify yourselves!" one of them barked, his voice sharp and authoritative.