The Transcendent Zombie Master

Chapter 3: First Synthesis

The concrete floor shook again. Dust fell into Lain’s eyes, making him blink. The iron door groaned as something heavy bumped against it from the outside tracks.

"They found us," Leo whispered, standing up and gripping his baton.

Mavis stepped back from the green-eyed tongue helper. "Lain, the sounds from the vents are getting louder. The big monster upstairs is searching the area."

Lain stood up and looked at his blue screen.

Current points: 20.

Current squad: Hook Mutant (Lv. 2), Tongue Mutant (Lv. 2).

Spiked Guard (Lv. 5) is holding the surface stairs.

"We cannot stay in this room," Lain said. "We will get trapped like rats. Follow me."

He unlocked the heavy iron door and pushed it open. The dark subway tunnel was full of low, scraping sounds. A group of ten regular zombies was shuffling toward them from the dark end of the tracks.

"Helper one, helper two, go!" Lain ordered.

The Hook Mutant and the Tongue Mutant rushed forward together. The Tongue Mutant shot its long, wet tongue out, wrapping it around a zombie’s neck and slamming it into the ground. The Hook Mutant followed up, slicing with its sharp bone fingers.

Lain and Leo moved along the wall, keeping Mavis between them. Lain kept his metal pipe ready, his eyes watching his point total grow.

Enemy defeated. +10 points.

Enemy defeated. +10 points.

"Lain, look ahead!" Leo yelled, pointing his flashlight.

A different kind of monster was blocking the exit gate at the end of the tunnel. It was trapped inside a metal cage meant for storage, but it was breaking the bars. It was covered in thick, jagged pieces of scrap metal that had melted directly into its skin.

The scrap-metal monster roared, its voice echoing loudly in the enclosed tunnel. It ripped a heavy iron bar off the cage and threw it like a spear. The bar missed Leo by an inch, embedding itself deep into the concrete wall.

"That thing is dangerous," Mavis said, her face pale. "Its skin has fused with iron. Normal weapons won't pierce it."

"Then we use the system," Lain said. "Helpers, attack!"

The Hook Mutant leaped at the scrap-metal monster, swinging its sharp claws. Clang. The bone hooks hit the metal skin and snapped off, green blood spraying from the helper’s fingers. The scrap-metal monster grabbed the Hook Mutant by the head and smashed it hard into the ground, crushing its skull.

Your Hook Mutant (Lv. 2) has died.

"Damn it," Lain muttered. He looked at his screen. The point total had reached forty from the smaller zombies.

The Tongue Mutant tried to bind the monster's arms, but the scrap-metal creature caught the tongue with its bare hands and pulled hard. It ripped the tongue right out, causing the helper to dissolve into gray dust.

Your Tongue Mutant (Lv. 2) has died.

"Lain, we have no helpers left!" Leo shouted, stepping in front of Mavis with his baton raised high.

The scrap-metal monster turned its white, angry eyes toward Lain. It took a heavy step forward, the concrete cracking under its iron feet.

Lain did not run. He opened the system store on his screen, his fingers moving fast.

Points available: 40.

Emergency Synthesis available. Cost: 40 points. You can merge nearby scrap metal with your system energy to create a new weapon or thrall.

"Do it!" Lain thought loudly.

A bright blue circle appeared on the floor right between Lain and the charging monster. The broken metal bars, the dropped iron pipes, and the scraps of metal from the destroyed vending machines all lifted into the air. They flew into the glowing circle, spinning fast like a silver vortex.

The scrap-metal monster ran straight into the light, trying to smash Lain.

Synthesis target captured. Merging scrap metal with organic virus base...

The spinning metal pieces slammed into the monster's body, wrapping around its arms and legs like heavy chains. The creature roared in anger, but it could not move. The blue light turned deep purple, sinking into the monster's skin.

The monster's white eyes flared, then turned a bright, solid green.

The purple light faded. The creature was completely changed. Its body was now covered in sleek, black steel armor that looked like a futuristic suit. Long, sharp blades grew out of its forearms, glinting in the dark tunnel.

Synthesis successful. New Unit created: Iron Blade Vanguard. Level 4.

"Wow," Leo gasped, lowering his baton. "That looks like a robot."

"It is not a robot," Mavis said, stepping closer to look at the sleek metal armor. "It is a perfect fusion of biology and technology. Look at the joints."

The Iron Blade Vanguard knelt on one knee in front of Lain, its head bowed low in total obedience.

"Stand up," Lain commanded.

The metal helper stood up instantly. It was taller than Lain, its sharp arm blades clicking together with a cold, metallic sound.

"We need to get to the surface now," Lain said, looking back down the tunnel. More growls were coming from the dark. "Iron Blade, clear the path."

The metal helper turned around and dashed into the dark tunnel. It moved incredibly fast, its blades cutting through the incoming wave of normal zombies like paper.

Lain, Leo, and Mavis ran right behind it. With every slice of the Iron Blade's weapons, Lain's screen flashed with green text.

Enemy defeated. +10 points.

Enemy defeated. +10 points.

Current points: 60.

They reached the exit stairs and ran upward, leaving the dark subway behind. The hot, red air of the surface hit their faces again.

Up on the street, the level-five Spiked Guard was still fighting, but it was covered in deep burns. It was surrounded by a massive horde of hundreds of zombies.

"Iron Blade, go help him!" Lain ordered.

The level-four metal helper jumped into the street, its arm blades spinning. It sliced three monsters in half with one swing, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Spiked Guard.

"We are still surrounded," Leo said, looking at the endless crowd of monsters running down the avenue. "Where do we go now?"

Lain looked at his screen. He had sixty points. He looked at his two powerful helpers holding the line.

"We don't run anymore," Lain said, his voice cold. "We clear this street."