Chapter 52: the melee
Author’s Appreciation
I would like to give my heartfelt thanks to my new reader, SleepyTea, for following my story.
Your support means a lot to me and motivates me to keep writing.
Thank you, and I hope you enjoy the journey ahead!
Leo instantly closed the distance and leaped forward. He drove his boot straight into the chest of the nearest Mutant Zombie.
Thud!
The heavy force of the kick sent the mutant flying backward before it crashed onto the hard concrete floor.
The moment his feet touched the ground, Leo ducked.
Whoosh!
A Crawler Zombie’s sharp claw swept through the empty air, passing right over the spot where his head had been just a second earlier. Leo didn’t hesitate. He swung both arms upward in a quick, powerful motion.
SSHHK!
The hidden blades sliced cleanly through the crawler’s arm, severing it completely from the shoulder. Thick black blood sprayed into the air as the severed arm spun across the parking lot. The crawler staggered back, letting out a shrill screech.
Before Leo could even stand up, another crawler lunged at him from behind. Still crouching low, Leo twisted his waist and swung his right arm backward.
Shhk!
The sharp hidden blade sliced off several of the crawler’s fingers before carving a deep gash straight across its chest. The crawler stumbled backward, screeching in pain.
Using that momentum, Leo planted both hands firmly on the ground and flipped backward through the air.
Bang!
The heel of his boot slammed hard into the crawler’s chin, launching it several meters away.
The instant his feet hit the ground, another Mutant Zombie attacked from behind. Its sharp claws raked viciously across Leo’s back.
Srrk!
The claws slid harmlessly across the Robe of Shroud, failing to leave behind even the slightest tear.
Leo turned around calmly. The blade on his left gauntlet silently retracted back into place. He reached out and grabbed the mutant tightly by the throat with his left hand. Then, his right hidden blade shot forward repeatedly.
Chk! Chk! Chk!
The sharp blade pierced through the mutant’s skull again and again. Black blood splattered in every direction.
Before he could finish it off, a third mutant pounced at him from the side. Leo released the mutant’s neck and threw a heavy, brutal punch.
Bang!
The solid steel gauntlet smashed straight into the creature’s face. Its nose caved inward, and one of its eyeballs burst from the sheer impact.
But the attack didn’t stop there. Another mutant crashed into Leo from the opposite side.
Thud!
The impact knocked them both down, and they tumbled onto the ground. The mutant immediately pinned him, slashing wildly at Leo’s face. Leo quickly crossed his arms, using the steel gauntlets to block every single strike.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Just then, the crawler he had kicked away earlier saw its chance and leaped toward him.
Without panicking, Leo reached behind his back and grabbed his rifle. With a powerful yank, the rifle tore free from its sling. Holding it tightly by the barrel, he swung the entire weapon like a heavy club.
Bang!
The rifle’s solid stock smashed directly into the crawler’s jaw. The jaw caved inward instantly as the creature was sent flying through the air once again.
Without wasting a single second, Leo flipped the rifle around in his hands. His finger found the trigger and squeezed.
Bang!
The bullet tore straight through the mutant pinning him down. Its body instantly dissolved into countless glowing particles of light before condensing down into a single card.
Leo performed a quick kick-up and landed lightly on both feet. Almost at the exact same moment, the one-armed crawler rushed in, slashing at his neck from the side.
Leo simply leaned his head backward, doing just enough to avoid the sharp claws. He calmly raised the rifle and adjusted his aim.
Bang!
The crawler’s head exploded in mid-air. Its body dropped heavily to the ground before dissolving into particles of light.
Another Mutant Zombie and the one whose eye Leo had just burst were already prepared to pounce.
But before they could even take a step—
Bang! Bang!
Leo calmly swung the rifle toward them and squeezed the trigger twice. Both bullets hit dead center, punching right between their brows. The first mutant’s head blew apart, sending its heavy body crashing onto the hard concrete floor. The second one stiffened up for a split second before its entire body dissolved into countless glowing particles of light, shrinking down into a card that dropped softly to the ground.
Without missing a beat, Leo shifted his gaze to the crawler whose jaw he had smashed earlier. The creature was still sprawled on the floor, dazed and struggling to push itself back up.
Leo walked over to it with slow, deliberate steps. He gripped the rifle tightly by its barrel, raised it high over his head, and brought it down with all his might.
Crack!
The heavy rifle butt slammed directly into the crawler’s skull. The monster twitched violently, but Leo didn’t stop.
Smash! Smash! Smash!
He brought the rifle down again and again, pouring his weight into every strike until the crawler’s head was reduced to a bloody pulp. Only then did the body finally break down into particles of light, leaving behind a second card.
Right at that moment, the sound of hurried, heavy footsteps echoed from the darker corners of the parking lot. More of them were coming.
Leo glanced down at the smoking rifle in his hand and muttered, "This baby makes too much noise... and bullets aren’t something I can waste."
He slung the rifle back over his shoulder, then rolled his neck from side to side to loosen up.
Crack. Crack.
Next, he clenched his fists, knuckles popping in the quiet air.
Pop. Pop.
Finally, he bent down and scooped up the Kusarigama resting on the ground. The heavy iron chain scraped loudly against the concrete.
Clang...
Leo tightened his grip around the handle, his eyes locking onto the dark shapes rushing toward him. A faint, cold smile slowly appeared beneath the shadow of his hood.
"Come."
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