I Got Reincarnated as a Zombie Girl

Chapter 497: Chapter 494 – Heavy Rain and the Storm Rift

The next day, the morning sunlight that should have been bright and refreshing was completely obscured by thick, low-hanging clouds over Aeloria. The dark gray sky created a gloomy atmosphere full of bad omens, as if nature itself was warning of a greater threat to come. The air felt damp and heavy, clinging to the skin like an uncomfortable wet blanket. Cold winds blew occasionally, carrying the scent of wet earth and electricity from afar.

After a simple but nutritious breakfast at the palace freshly picked fruits from the garden, crispy leaf bread with natural wild honey jam, and herbal tea that warmed the body from within the entire team began preparing to depart for the dangerous dimensional rift area. The atmosphere in the morning dining hall was tense but filled with determination. King Eldrin and Queen Lirael gave them one final blessing in the form of light protective spells before they parted ways.

Sylvia wore light combat gear adjusted to her elf disguise. A thin black tunic reinforced with faint silver protective runes fit her body perfectly, providing protection without sacrificing agility. Flexible long pants allowed nimble movement on difficult terrain, while a dark green outer cloak helped conceal her abyss chains in the forest. Alicia chose a practical white mage dress with long sleeves that didn’t restrict movement, her crystal magic staff gripped tightly. Stacia wore her signature thick yet lightweight gray robe, with her large grimoire hanging at her waist on a sturdy, waterproof leather strap.

Elara and the two Eternal Party members who joined Lira (a skilled archer with sharp eyes) and Sylvana (an experienced nature mage) were also ready with their bows, short swords, and nature protection cloaks woven from sacred leaves. Because the dimensional rift was in a sensitive area and the elf kingdom was very wary of untested outsider men, only female members were allowed on this expedition. Their team consisted of six capable women: Sylvia, Alicia, Stacia, Elara, Lira, and Sylvana. The men from Eternal Party and the elf troops stayed behind to guard the border and provide logistical support if needed.

They departed with two horse-drawn carriages that had been lightly modified to better withstand harsh terrain. The wheels were reinforced with nature magic, and the roofs were covered with flexible sacred leaves. The road toward the dimensional rift became increasingly difficult and challenging as time passed. The ground turned into slippery clay, full of shallow puddles and sticky mud that caused the carriage wheels to frequently sink. All team members occasionally got down to push the carriages manually, their muscles working hard on the slippery ground.

Heavy rain began to fall shortly after they left the palace. Thick black clouds completely darkened the sky, and the rain poured down mercilessly, creating a curtain of water that limited visibility. The roar of the heavy rain mixed with strong winds made the atmosphere even more eerie.

"Stacia, make a barrier!" Sylvia ordered amid the increasingly fierce rain, her voice nearly drowned out by the howling wind.

Stacia immediately opened her grimoire, which was starting to get wet, her fingers moving quickly to form runes in the air. "Wind Veil!" A thin wind spell appeared above both carriages, forming an invisible giant umbrella. Lira assisted with her nature magic, summoning large leaves that floated and overlapped like living fresh green umbrellas.

At first, the barrier worked quite well. The heavy rain that drenched the surrounding ground seemed blocked, creating a small dry zone in the middle of the storm. However, the longer it went on, the heavier the rain became and the stronger the wind blew. Torrents of water assaulted the barrier with nature’s ferocious power. Stacia and Lira’s mana dropped drastically and quickly. Their faces turned pale from exhaustion, breathing labored, and sweat mixed with rainwater streamed down their foreheads and necks.

"Let’s stop it," Stacia said while breathing heavily, her voice tired and hoarse. "Our mana isn’t enough to keep maintaining this in a storm like this. Better to conserve energy for the battles ahead."

The spell was finally stopped. The heavy rain immediately drenched them all without mercy. Cold water poured endlessly over their bodies, making their combat clothes cling tightly to their skin. Their soaked tunics and dresses stuck perfectly, revealing their athletic and beautiful body curves under the downpour. Their wet hair clung to their faces, necks, and backs. Water streamed down their cheeks, jawlines, and chins. Though drenched and with cold beginning to seep into their bones, the determination in the eyes of all six women still burned brightly, full of blazing resolve.

Sylvia wiped her wet face with her cloak sleeve, water dripping from her slender fingertips. "Keep moving forward. We’re close. Don’t let the weather stop us now," she said in a firm voice, even though her lips were slightly blue from the cold.

The journey grew heavier and more exhausting. The muddy ground made the Eternal Party’s ordinary horses struggle, their legs sinking up to their ankles as they neighed tiredly. But Sylvia’s zombie horses remained strong and tireless, pulling the carriages steadily despite the slippery, thick mud. The heavy rain continued pouring without pause, interspersed with lightning strikes in the distance. Blinding blue-white light illuminated the sky for a moment before thunderous booms shook their chests.

After nearly two hours of grueling travel, their bodies chilled, heavy wet clothes clinging to them, and muscles beginning to ache, they finally arrived at the dimensional rift area. The rift was clearly visible in the middle of the dense forest, a large, black-purple gaping fissure like an open wound in reality itself. Dark mist and unstable swirling energy poured out from within, accompanied by strong winds spinning like small tornadoes. The rain around the rift was far heavier, as if the rift itself controlled the weather in this area.

Many wind and water-type monsters were already roaming the surrounding area. Giant thunderbirds flew swiftly while emitting blue electricity crackling along their wings. Nearly transparent wind wolves moved as fast as the wind, almost invisible in the rain. Living water elements in the form of giant snakes slithered nimbly through the muddy puddles, their watery scales gleaming ferociously and ready to attack.

"We’ll split the team," Sylvia said firmly as she leaped down from the carriage. Her feet landed in the mud with a high splash of water. "Stacia and Lira focus on barriers and long-range attacks. Alicia and Sylvana use debuffs to weaken the hordes. Elara and I will advance to clear the main path. Sol, Qilin, get ready!"

They immediately moved with well-trained coordination. Stacia unleashed a powerful wind spell to disrupt the thunderbirds in the air, creating vortices that threw off their flight. Lira shot nature-energy arrows glowing bright green, piercing the monsters’ wings accurately despite the heavy rain. Alicia stacked weakness and slow debuffs on the wind wolves, drastically slowing their movements and making them nearly trip in the thick mud. Sylvana summoned plant roots from the muddy ground to entangle the enemies.

Elara fired accurate arrows at the monsters’ weak points, while Sylvia launched her Chains of Abyss that moved like living snakes through the muddy ground. Her black chains glistened wet from the rain as they wrapped around a wind wolf and slammed it hard into the ground. Mud flew high. Small black flames appeared at the tips of the chains, evaporating the surrounding water and burning the wind monsters effectively even as the heavy rain continued to fall.

Sol transformed into an impressive medium size, its sharp golden claws slashing at approaching thunderbirds, leaving smoking, glowing wounds amid the storm. Qilin released holy lightning bolts that neutralized the enemies’ thunder attacks, creating dazzling explosions of holy energy in the midst of the rainy darkness.

The battle began intensely and chaotically. The heavy rain made the terrain slippery and dangerous. Every step risked slipping, and the mud pulled at their boots. But this team of six women coordinated perfectly. Sylvia’s chains moved nimbly, pulling monsters into Alicia’s attack range. Her black flames grew stronger, evaporating puddles and creating hot steam that confused the enemies.

Even though the heavy rain continued to drench their bodies, clothes clinging tightly to their skin, and cold seeping into their joints, their fighting spirit did not waver in the slightest. Sylvia felt adrenaline surging through her veins. Her dark red eyes glowed brightly in the middle of the storm’s darkness. Her wet hair stuck to her face, but she smiled faintly, full of spirit.

"Let’s clear this area first before approaching the main rift!" she shouted amid the roaring strong winds and heavy rain, her voice full of inspiring authority for the entire team.

The battle continued fiercely without pause. Wind and water monsters kept pouring out from the rift, but these six resilient women worked together as one unit. The heavy rain that soaked their bodies actually made their movements more agile after they adapted, even as the cold began to pierce their bones. Elara leaped nimbly between puddles, her arrows never missing. Stacia continued chanting spells from her wet grimoire, her voice firm despite her blue lips from the cold.

Sylvia felt her power growing in the midst of this battle. The experience and levels gained would surely be significant for her evolution. This was only the beginning, but she already sensed great potential in this place. In the midst of the ferocious storm, their team’s bond grew even stronger, ready to face whatever emerged from the gaping dimensional rift.