Investing in My Harem in the Apocalypse Makes Me Stronger
Chapter 28: Ironhide Tyrant Zombie | Level 35 — 1st Echelon Rank

Chapter 28: Ironhide Tyrant Zombie | Level 35 — 1st Echelon Rank

A black spear appeared.

The weapon was slightly longer than Cain’s metal rods. Its shaft had been constructed from dark metal, and a narrow blade extended from the top.

Nathan inspected it.

[Blackridge Spear (Rare-rank)]

[Strength +10]

[Agility +5]

[Physique +5]

[A balanced combat spear forged from Blackridge Iron. The reinforced shaft can endure heavy impacts, while its narrow spearhead is designed for deep penetration.]

Nathan handed the weapon to Cain.

Cain weighed it once and could feel that the balance was excellent.

Its stat increase was also good enough that it was even better than his boots.

Cain looked toward Ron.

"Take it."

Ron’s eyes widened.

"Really?"

"You can return my sword now."

Ron immediately pushed the sword toward Cain and took the spear without a second thought.

Energy flowed into his body as the equipment bonuses took effect.

Ron tested a short thrust. The increased strength and agility made the movement much faster than before.

"You’re not taking it back later, right?"

"Why would I?" Cain chuckled as he returned the sword to his waist.

"Elara already has a sword. Jack uses his fists."

He glanced at Nathan’s bow.

"Nathan doesn’t need it."

Ron looked at Cain suspiciously.

"And you’re giving me a Rare-rank weapon because you suddenly became generous?"

"You’re the weakest person in this team."

Ron’s smile disappeared, then retorted, "That’s because my level is the lowest."

"Whatever, let’s just continue." Cain rolled his eyes and started walking.

Nathan continued taking most of the kills as Cain wanted him to reach the First Echelon before anyone else in their group.

He was already the highest Level among them, and his ranged combat style allowed him to kill efficiently without wasting too much time.

They followed the main road for several hundred meters.

Nathan’s enhanced sight located stronger zombies between the buildings.

Whenever the targets were isolated, the group approached and eliminated them.

Three mutated zombies appeared within the next section of the road.

Their Levels were 23, 24, and 25.

Nathan killed the first with support from Elara.

The second attempted to rush him, but Ron used the Blackridge Spear to pierce its leg and hold it in place.

Jack crushed the final creature’s knee before Nathan placed an arrow through its eye.

Unfortunately, only one orb dropped.

The green sphere produced a sleeveless black vest reinforced with overlapping metal sections.

[Ironhide Combat Vest (Uncommon-rank)]

[Physique +8]

[A flexible armored vest made from treated mutated hide and reinforced metal. It reduces damage from blunt attacks and protects the chest without heavily restricting movement.]

Jack equipped it.

The armor stretched around his broad body and settled against it.

He struck the metal section over his chest and a muted sound came from the vest.

Nathan’s Level reached 22 after killing more zombies along the road.

However, his arrows were running low despite Ron’s efforts to retrieve them.

Nathan adjusted the remaining arrows in his quiver and said, "We should avoid wasting them on anything below Level 15."

Cain simply nodded his head.

Ron released a breath.

"Finally."

Nathan immediately pointed toward a corpse near a distant intersection.

"There are two arrows over there."

Ron followed his finger and noticed that the corpse was almost a hundred meters away.

Ron cursed and ran toward them as he thought to himself that he would definitely settle this account with Nathan in the future.

Cain smiled faintly.

Nathan turned his attention toward the buildings on the left side of the road.

His expression changed and he immediately raised one hand.

The others stopped speaking.

Nathan remained motionless for several seconds, then he gestured toward a side street.

"This way."

He left the main road and moved toward the buildings.

The others followed him right away.

Ron returned with the arrows and found the road empty.

"You bastards!"

He then hurried after them.

The team entered a narrower street between a shopping center and an apartment building.

Several vehicles had crashed near the far end.

Nathan moved behind a delivery van and lowered his body.

The others gathered near him.

"What did you notice?" Cain asked quietly.

Nathan pointed beyond the buildings.

"Movement."

They advanced through the side street.

The sound of numerous footsteps gradually became clearer.

When Cain reached the end, he saw a wide open area beside a public parking facility.

A Level 19 zombie stood near the entrance.

Another wandered behind it, then more infected emerged from the lower level of the parking structure.

They were not ordinary zombies as every creature Cain could see had reached a high Level.

Several possessed swollen arms, while the others had bone growths around their shoulders or darkened skin covering their bodies.

Dozens moved inside the parking area.

"There are so many." Ron’s eyes lit up.

Cain felt excitement rising inside him as well.

Then the infected creatures near the entrance shifted aside as something larger walked from the darkness.

Its head nearly reached the concrete sign above the parking entrance.

The zombie stood more than two and a half meters tall.

Its frame was broad and horribly swollen. Heavy muscles covered its shoulders and arms, but the surface no longer resembled exposed flesh.

Its skin had darkened into a gray-black color. Hardened sections overlapped across its chest and neck, forming natural armor similar to rough metal plates.

Every step caused cracks to spread beneath its bare feet.

The information above its head immediately changed the atmosphere.

[Ironhide Tyrant Zombie | Level 35 | First Echelon]

Everyone’s expression turned solemn. The difference in rank was far greater than they had expected.

Cain studied the Tyrant.

Faultline Vision revealed lines across its body, but they were much fainter than those of ordinary zombies.

Most weaknesses lay beneath the hardened plates.

The visible fault lines shifted whenever the zombie moved, protected by dense muscle and reinforced tissue.

That meant killing it would not be simple.

Cain looked at the surrounding zombies and a plan quickly formed in his mind.

"I’ll hold back the First-Echelon zombie."

Elara immediately looked at him.

"You’re fighting it alone?"

"For now."

Cain pointed toward the remaining infected.

"Help Nathan kill the others as quickly as possible so that he could reach the First Echelon Rank or the Unranked limit."

Nathan understood as once he reached the Unranked limit, the System would probably reveal the method of advancing or there might not even be any and he could become the 1st Echelon just by reaching the required level.

Cain returned his attention to the Tyrant.

"I don’t know exactly how strong it is."

His fingers tightened around the sword sheath.

"But I’m confident I can hold it long enough for you to clear the small ones if I push myself."

Ron stared at the massive zombie.

"You call those small?"

"They’re small compared to that thing."

Cain looked toward Elara.

"However, I need as much boost as I can." He scratched the back of his head and continued, "So, can I borrow your sword?"

Elara glanced at the Frostveil Sword.

The Rare-rank weapon gave her a large increase in Agility and Strength.

She removed the sheath from her waist and handed it to him without hesitation.

"Take it."

Cain gave her the Blacksteel Longsword in exchange.

Then he looked toward Jack.

"And the armor."

Jack removed the Ironhide Combat Vest.

"You better return it without tearing it apart."

"Unfotunately, I can’t promise you that." Cain chuckled as he put on the vest.

The armor adjusted around his body.

Together with the Frostveil Sword and Windstep Boots, his physical stats rose sharply.

Elara looked at him with concern.

"Don’t force yourself."

"Don’t worry, I won’t."

Ron held out the Blackridge Spear.

"Take this too."

Cain shook his head.

"I’m more familiar with a sword in close combat."

"You’re much more familiar with a spear."

"As a throwing weapon."

Cain examined the Tyrant’s plated body.

"If I throw your new weapon and it disappears through another wall, you’ll definitely complain for at least another month based on how precious the spear is."

Ron slowly pulled the spear back.

"That’s true."

Cain opened his Inventory.

One of the sharpened metal rods appeared in his hand.

He quickly adjusted his stance before pouring the Ruin Dragon Force into his body.

Cain did not limit it to his legs or one arm this time as he circulated the Skill through his entire body.

The Ironhide Combat Vest creaked as his muscles tightened beneath it.

The Ruin Dragon Force also entered the metal rod.

The sharpened pole began vibrating and thin cracks formed near Cain’s fingers.

The material could barely endure the power flowing through it.

Across the parking entrance, the Ironhide Tyrant stopped moving.

Its head turned toward Cain as the Ruin energy had attracted its attention immediately.

A deep growl escaped its chest.

Cain drew his arm backward, then immediately swung his arm as he threw the metal rod.

The rod vanished from his hand as it moved at an extremely fast speed.