Chapter 100: The Ores
The battle was swift and brutal.
Orion's Nail Bat was already a Master-Grade Weapon in the first place!
[ Nail Bat ( Master ): A brutal weapon that can smash zombies with ease. It is made of a wooden bat with nails hammered into it and has a leather grip. It can kill a zombie with a single hit in the head, and can also cause bleed and stun effects. It is also useful for breaking through obstacles and doors, but has a low durability.
Effects: +80% damage against Crawler, Walker, and Runner Zombies, +10% against Spitter Zombies, +25% Critical Chance, +15% Attack Speed
Special Effect:
Swift: The item is enhanced with a speed boost that can make the user faster and more agile. It has a +100% chance of increasing the user's movement speed and dodge chance for a short duration.
Cost: 25 Spirit Points
Shock: The nail bat is electrified with a high voltage that can shock zombies and make them twitch. It has a +60% chance of causing electric damage to zombies, and a +60% chance of paralyzing them and making them vulnerable to critical hits.
Cost: 50 Spirit Points ]
With the additional 80% Damage against Walker Zombies and the sheer strength of the Super Soldier, Orion doesn't even need to trigger the Special Effects of the Item!
It was enough to use normal smashes even if the Zombie was wearing a helmet!
Bang!
He crushed the head of the undead with ease…
On the other hand, Atlas also noticed a few more Zombies approaching his path…
"Oh… Let me break your heads!"
He didn't wait for the Zombies as he decided to move forward to meet them!
Atlas then used his brute strength to crush skulls and shatter bones.
With the help of his Tier 4 Hunter Gloves, Atlas was confident that he could crush anyone with his palms!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The Zombies fell one by one, their numbers no match for the Super Soldiers' prowess.
Clank! Clank!
The prisoners also stopped mining seeing how the two Super Soldiers easily killed the Zombies… They were simply too strong!
They couldn't help but wonder how did Shane gained such monstrous followers!
Not even a month had passed!
'It must be related to his Legendary Talent…' The three of them thought at the same time. Aside from that, they couldn't think of any other method that Shane could've used to get so many Super Soldiers.
"So lucky… If my talent is also legendary, I would have a different outcome. However, this is still better than surviving in the wild. I can still have food and water without any problems…" Chris watched in awe; his arrogance from yesterday was no longer there.
"I've never seen anything like it…" He admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
Jake nodded, his eyes wide in surprise as he saw how Atlas killed Zombies with his hands. It was simply too terrifying!
"They're like machines… unstoppable." He commented.
Liam, who had been silent, also spoke up.
"If this is what being a Super Soldier is like, I think it would be great if Shane could also give us whatever drug he used on them…."
It was then agreed upon by the two other prisoners.
The two Super Soldiers heard such remarks, and they couldn't help but turn to them.
Atlas glanced back at them, his expression unreadable beneath the helmet he just looted from the Zombies.
"Don't be so eager…" He said. "This power comes with a price."
The group continued to work, the prisoners mining the ore while the Super Soldiers kept watching.
The day wore on, and the mine slowly began to yield its treasures once more.
However, as the clinking of pickaxes against rock had begun to wane as the prisoners neared the end of their grueling day, the Super Soldiers felt another threat coming at them.
"Stop…" Atlas said as he felt the presence of multiple Zombies. This time, they seemed to be stronger than Walker Zombies.
The Prisoners did as they were told, and soon, an eerie silence descended, broken only by the skittering sounds that echoed through the tunnels.
"Mhmm?"
From the shadows, six Crypt Crawlers emerged, their movements were almost silent as they skulked along the walls and ceiling with spider-like agility.
Their eyes glowed with a malevolent light, and they were fixed on the Super Soldiers, who were both emitting a powerful aura around them.
Nonetheless, the Crypt Crawlers seemed unafraid as they looked at the two with predatory intent.
Gulp~
The three prisoners immediately recalled their terrible experience against these Crawlers. Although they somehow killed two of them after Shane intervened, it was mostly because they weren't in a tight space, and these Crawlers seemed to be very terrible in the sunlight.
However, the situation now was completely different.
They no longer have Emergency Flare Guns that they could use after Mr. Wadsworth collected all the items in their Inventory…
Indeed, aside from bread and water, their system Inventory contained nothing!
"Let's back off a bit…" Chris muttered as he felt that 2 against 6 would be a bit too difficult in this tight space… With that in mind, one or two Crypt Crawlers might manage to pass through the Super Soldiers and target the three of them!
Jake and Liam realized what Chris was thinking as they slowly stepped back while watching the Crypt Crawlers.
Just like before, these Crawlers had their limbs contorted and elongated, allowing them to traverse the vertical surfaces with terrifying speed.
As some of the Crawlers glanced in their direction, the prisoners froze, their breaths caught in their throats as the Crypt Crawlers seemed to threaten them not to leave.
Graaghh~
Their fangs bared and dripping with venom.
But before panic could take hold, a thunderous roar filled the cavern.
"Haa~"
Orion and Atlas, the two Super Soldiers, stepped forward with a presence that commanded the battleground.
They were like titans among men, their muscles tensed and ready to unleash destruction upon the creature.
Orion, gripping his Nail Bat with a warrior's resolve, swung with a force that seemed to cleave the very air itself.
Whoosh~
The first Crypt Crawler tried to block it with its limbs and even planned to counterattack with a bite…
However, it underestimated the strength of the Super Soldiers!
Boom!
It was met with a brutal arc of the bat, its body exploding into a shower of gore as the Master-Grade weapon lived up to its lethal reputation!
No, if the Super Soldiers weren't the ones wielding the Nail Bat, this wouldn't have been the result of a single attack!
After all, these Crypt Crawlers were still mid-tier Zombies!
Crack! Smash!
Atlas, his hands sheathed in the Tier 4 Hunter Gloves, moved quickly as he didn't allow Orion to take all the fun!
His grip was like a death sentence, his palms delivering crushing blows that shattered exoskeletons and pulverized the zombies!
The Crypt Crawlers Zombies, swift though they were, could not match the ferocity and precision of the Super Soldiers!
Thud! Crunch!
One by one, the Crypt Crawlers fell, their bodies crumpling to the ground in twisted heaps.
The Prisoner miners watched, wide-eyed and awestruck, as the two Super Soldiers stood amidst the carnage, barely sustaining any injury on their bodies.
"We're done here…" Orion said as he glanced at the three prisoners who were shocked at the result of the battle.
Chris and the other two could only nod as they felt that they could no longer banter with these Super Soldiers. They were simply in a different league!
The three could only exchange glances as they made a silent agreement.
The journey back to the surface was uneventful, but the experience had changed the prisoners.
They had seen the power of the Super Soldiers firsthand, and it had given them much to think about.
***
Back at the estate, Shane wasn't even worried about the three prisoners' safety.
The reason was simple: as the Super Soldiers killed the Zombies, they also looted them in the process. Because of that, Shane was able to receive some of the experience points they were getting!
[ You have earned 6 Experience Points. ]
[ You have earned 6 Experience Points. ]
[ You have earned 6 Experience Points. ]
…
[ You have earned 6 Experience Points. ]
"Nice… Are they killing Crypt Crawlers in the mining site?" Shane muttered while he was getting ready to enter the manor and see the third floor for himself.
But first, a detour was in order—to check on Leo the blacksmith and the progress with the rare ores entrusted to him.
Shane had previously bestowed upon Leo a treasure trove of ores: five pieces each of Starlight Silver, Abyssal Iron, and Phoenix Copper, each with properties as mystical as their names.
[ Starlight Silver Ore: A luminescent metal that seemed to twinkle with captured starlight. Only an experienced eye could see its true value. ]
[ Abyssal Iron Ore: Dark as the deepest chasms, with a weight that spoke of its density. Only an experienced eye could see its true value. ]
[ Phoenix Copper Ore: Warm to the touch, its surface shimmering with a faint, flame-like glow. Only an experienced eye could see its true value. ]