Chapter 13: Fragments of the Unknown"

The night was thick with the scent of blood and decay. I stood in the middle of a battlefield, my breath heavy as I surveyed the carnage around me. The moon's dim light cast eerie shadows over the piles of mangled corpses, their bodies twitching as if refusing to accept death.

The fight had been brutal. More so than I expected. These weren't just the usual zombies—mindless, rotting husks that existed to feast on the living. No, these ones were evolving. Getting smarter, faster, and far more coordinated.

A deep growl echoed through the empty streets.

I tightened my grip on my katana, blood dripping from its edge. My muscles ached, exhaustion settling in, but there was no time to rest. The final wave was coming.

The ground trembled as a massive, grotesque creature stepped forward. Unlike the mindless undead, this one had intelligence gleaming in its sunken, bloodshot eyes. Its grayish skin pulsed with unnatural energy, bones protruding from its elongated arms like makeshift blades.

[Mutant Reaper - Level 15]

My system alerted me, displaying the monster's stats. It was the strongest foe I had faced so far.

"Figures," I muttered, rolling my shoulders. "The world just won't let me catch a break."

Zhao Yue stood beside me, breathing heavily. Her police uniform was torn, smeared with grime and blood, but she was still standing, still ready to fight.

"You're planning something stupid, aren't you?" she asked, wiping sweat from her forehead.

I smirked. "Wouldn't be the first time."

Before she could protest, I launched myself forward. The Reaper roared, swinging its bone-bladed arms in a devastating arc. I barely managed to dodge, rolling under its attack before slashing my katana across its ribs.

The blade bit deep, but the creature didn't even flinch. Instead, it retaliated with a speed that shouldn't have been possible for something so massive.

A sharp pain tore through my side as I was sent flying, crashing into a wrecked car.

[-120 HP]

"Shit…" I groaned, pushing myself up. I barely had time to react before Zhao Yue unleashed a barrage of bullets at the monster, each shot precise, aimed at its joints.

The Reaper staggered, snarling in frustration. That gave me an opening.

[Skill Activated: Shadow Step]

My body blurred as I reappeared behind the beast, my katana slashing down with all my strength.

[Critical Hit!]

The Reaper howled as black blood sprayed across the pavement. It spun around, but I was already moving, ducking under its attack and driving my blade deep into its throat.

With a final, gurgling roar, the creature collapsed, its body convulsing before falling still.

[You have defeated Mutant Reaper - Level 15!]

[+6,000 EXP]

[Level Up! You have gained +2 Stat Points!]

I exhaled sharply, wiping the blood from my face.

Before I could catch my breath, another wave of zombies charged at me, their snarls filling the air. I braced myself, my katana flashing as I cut through the first one.

Zhao Yue was right beside me, her gunfire tearing through the horde. A mutated zombie lunged at her, but she dodged expertly, spinning around and smashing its skull with the butt of her gun.

A monstrous figure emerged from the shadows—a zombie three times the size of a normal one, its body covered in jagged, bony spikes.

[Spiked Brute - Level 13]

The brute roared and charged forward, swinging its massive arms. I barely managed to duck as the ground where I stood shattered into dust. I countered with a precise slash, aiming for its knee.

[Direct Hit!]

The brute staggered, but it wasn't enough to bring it down. Zhao Yue fired into its head, emptying her magazine, but the creature kept moving.

I cursed under my breath. "Alright, enough playing around."

[Skill Activated: Phantom Strike]

In a blink, I dashed forward, my katana gleaming as I struck the brute's exposed neck.

[Critical Hit!]

The monster let out a strangled growl before its head separated from its body, crashing onto the pavement with a sickening thud.

[You have defeated Spiked Brute - Level 13!]

[+4,500 EXP]

[+2 Unknown Crystals Acquired]

Panting, I wiped my blade clean. Zhao Yue reloaded her gun, shaking her head. "I swear, you make fighting these things look too easy."

"I wish," I muttered, checking my system notifications.

[You have acquired: Unknown Crystal x4]

My eyes narrowed. The last time I had found one of these, it felt… different. More important than regular loot. And now, there were four more.

Something pulsed in my inventory, drawing my attention. The five crystals I now owned were glowing, vibrating with an unseen force.

[System Alert: Unique Items Detected]

[Would you like to merge them?]

My heartbeat quickened. Without hesitation, I selected 'Yes.'

The crystals shot out of my inventory, hovering mid-air. Energy crackled around them, and then, with a blinding flash, they combined into a single object—a dark stone slab, its surface carved with ancient runes that pulsed with a faint, golden light.

Zhao Yue took a step back, shielding her eyes. "What the hell is that?"

I didn't answer immediately. I reached out, touching the slab. The moment my fingers brushed against it, a surge of information flooded my mind.

Visions. A ruined city. A tower reaching beyond the sky. Gates tearing open, creatures spilling into the world.

And a voice, deep and hollow, whispering in a language I didn't understand.

Then, it was gone.

I staggered, panting. Zhao Yue caught my arm, her expression worried. "Hey, you good?"

I swallowed hard. "This… this isn't just some random loot. It's a key."

"To what?"

I looked up at the desolate cityscape, the fires still burning in the distance.

"To something much bigger than we ever imagined."

The night passed without another attack, but neither of us could sleep. The slab rested in my inventory now, its weight pressing on my mind. Zhao Yue sat by the window, absentmindedly reloading her gun.

"What do you think it unlocks?" she asked, breaking the silence.

I exhaled. "I don't know. But whatever it is… I have a feeling we're not ready for it yet."

She turned to me, studying my face. "That's the first time I've heard you admit to not being ready for something."

I chuckled, running a hand through my hair. "Yeah, well… I'm not an idiot."

She smirked. "Debatable."

The teasing felt normal. A reminder that we were still human in this nightmare.

But deep down, I knew the apocalypse was far from over.

This was just the beginning of something much, much worse.