22 Spirit Synthesis

Kael took a steadying breath as he analyzed the approaching zombie horde. His undead army surrounded him in a loose formation, their eerie blue-glowing eyes flickering dimly in the blood-red moonlight. They stood in complete silence, waiting for his command.

In the midst of the rotting swarm, one figure stood out—a hulking Elite Zombie, nearly twice the size of the others. It moved with calculated steps, its tattered flesh barely concealing the raw power underneath.

Kael's instincts screamed at him—he knew from experience that Elite Zombies were the true threats. If left unchecked, they could crush his spirit army and disrupt his formation.

"Both of you—take it down first!"

At his command, his two Elite Spirit Zombies rushed forward, their movements far more fluid and aggressive than the mindless undead they once were. Unlike the zombies they fought, they were undead with purpose, driven by Kael's will.

As the battle commenced, Kael began charging his Mana Bolt, crackling blue energy forming between his fingertips. He would be ready this time.

Just as his spirits clashed against the zombies, Kael heard something—

A deep, guttural roar, followed by another.

The sound sent a chill down his spine.

Turning his head sharply, his eyes widened in shock—

Another massive horde was approaching from the other side of the ruined street.

And this time—it wasn't just mindless zombies.

Two Elite Zombies stood at the front, their decayed eyes glowing ominously, their bodies bulging with unnatural strength.

Kael's jaw tightened.

"Damn it… this is getting worse by the second."

He was now facing two battles at the same time.

If he didn't act strategically, he could easily be overwhelmed.

Kael needed to finish off the first Elite quickly before the second horde arrived.

"Launch it toward me!" he commanded.

His Elite Spirits worked in unison—one sweeping the Elite Zombie's legs, while the other delivered a devastating kick, sending the enemy flying through the air.

The moment the zombie's massive body left the ground, Kael unleashed his Charged Mana Bolt—

BOOM!

The crackling blue bolt pierced straight through the Elite's skull, causing it to burst apart in a gory explosion.

Kael didn't even pause to admire his work—he immediately collected the spirit, ensuring it wouldn't be wasted.

But he had no time to celebrate.

The second horde had arrived.

Kael sent his Elite Spirits forward to intercept the incoming swarm and the two new Elite Zombies leading the charge.

At the same time, he started collecting spirits from the fallen zombies, rapidly increasing his undead numbers before his forces could be overwhelmed.

One by one, new spirits were added to his army, reinforcing his ranks.

With his undead legion strengthened, the second battle was over in just under a minute.

Kael exhaled sharply, feeling a brief moment of relief.

But that relief didn't last long.

Kael was about to check his Spirit Synthesis progress when—

BOOM!

A thunderous explosion rocked the ruins, sending dust and debris flying into the air.

Kael froze.

His eyes snapped in the direction of the blast, narrowing as he processed the sound.

"An explosion? In a dead city?"

That didn't make sense.

Was there someone else here?

Without hesitation, Kael started moving toward the source, his spirits following in eerie silence.

As Kael crossed several ruined city blocks, the stench of fresh blood filled the air.

Then—he found them.

A warrior and a mage lay lifeless on the cracked pavement, their bodies ripped apart in horrific fashion.

The mage had fired a final Mana Bolt, but his throat had already been torn open.

The warrior had a massive hole in his chest, his ribs shattered beyond recognition.

Kael's expression darkened.

"So… we're all in the same city after all?"

That meant there were other players here, scattered throughout the ruins, fighting for their lives.

How many were still alive?

How many had already fallen?

The zombies that had devoured the fallen players suddenly turned their rotting heads toward Kael.

As soon as they spotted him, they let out deafening screeches and charged forward.

Kael's blood ran cold.

Just then—

Ding!

A system notification popped up.

[Spirit Synthesis Result: Partial Success]

[New Spirit Created: Elite+ Zombie]

Kael's excitement vanished instantly.

"Partial… success?"

He had never seen that before.

Did that mean his new spirit wasn't fully evolved?

But before he could even think about it—

The zombies were upon him.

Kael summoned his new Elite+ Spirit, hoping to test its strength.

It was slightly larger than normal Elite Zombies.

Its body was bulkier, its muscles more defined.

Its eyes glowed a deeper blue, exuding a powerful aura.

But was it actually stronger?

Before Kael could even give a command—

His Elite+ Spirit charged on its own.

THUD!

With inhuman speed, it tackled the first Elite Zombie, sending it slamming into the pavement.

Then—CRACK!

It smashed its fists down, shattering the Elite's skull in an instant.

Kael's eyes widened.

But it wasn't over.

It rushed forward, delivering bone-shattering punches, decimating every Elite Zombie in its path.

In just one minute—

All seven Elite Zombies were dead.

Kael was stunned.

"What the hell did I just create…?"

In just a couple of minutes, the entire horde of zombies was decimated as Kael collected there spirits. After collecting all of them, now his total spirits were about 72 with 12 being Elite spirits and 1 Elite+ spirit.

Kael clenched his fists.

"If a partially evolved spirit is this powerful… what about a full one?"

Just then—

Ding!

[Job Level Up: Spirit Mancer - Level 4]