Fracture Lines

[Skill: Feathered Footwork (D) activated]

Kazuki darted forward, a blur on the broken ground. The lines flickered in his vision—thin, glowing threads tracing the seams of flesh and bone—but whether it was from the dagger's power or the rush of speed, he couldn't tell. Behind him, the groans rose. In front of him, the path narrowed with bodies.

The first of the zombies lunged, arms stretched wide, mouth open in a crooked snarl. Kazuki saw the line—a thin shimmer cutting diagonally across its chest. He reacted there, slashing toward it—

—but the line vanished.

His blade missed the mark by inches, carving through rotted flesh but not deep enough. The corpse staggered, howled, and flailed wildly. He ducked the swing, cursing under his breath.

"Tch—come on…"

Another one lunged from behind—claws swiping for his ribs—while two more surged in from the front, rotten limbs flailing like broken branches.