Investing in My Harem in the Apocalypse Makes Me Stronger
Chapter 29: Fighting Against the 1st Echelon Rank

Chapter 29: Fighting Against the 1st Echelon Rank

The Ironhide Tyrant reacted fast as it raised both forearms and crossed them in front of its head.

The sharpened rod struck the overlapping plates.

Bang!

The impact pushed the Tyrant backward with its one foot scraped across the concrete.

The rod bent against the armored flesh, cracks spread along the entire shaft before the weapon shattered.

Fragments of metal scattered through the parking entrance.

The Tyrant lowered its arms.

A shallow hole had appeared in one forearm plate.

Dark Ruin energy remained around the wound, slowly eating into the hardened surface.

Cain’s eyes lit up as he had expected the creature to remain completely unmoved, but he actually forced it backward despite being blocked.

The rod failed only because its material could not withstand the amount of Ruin Dragon Force Cain had poured into it.

If he were to throw with a weapon of good quality, it might have pierced its arm.

Cain smiled faintly, "The First-Echelon zombie isn’t that scary."

Ron looked toward the crater beneath the Tyrant’s feet.

"You reached that conclusion after one attack?"

"I think I can kill it."

Cain’s excitement became difficult to hide.

He looked toward the others.

"I’ll leave the small fries to all of you."

Cain leaned forward and chuckled, "I’m off."

He immediately rushed toward the Ironhide Tyrant.

His speed caused his figure to blur before the others’ eyes.

Nathan reacted first as he raised his bow and turned toward the surrounding zombies.

"Move!"

The rest of the team charged after him.

The Ironhide Tyrant roared when Cain entered the parking area.

Its enormous right fist swept toward his head.

Faultline Vision revealed the attack before the arm fully moved. The Tyrant’s weight shifted through its hip, followed by the tightening of its shoulder.

Cain stepped outside the punch.

The fist passed beside his chest and struck a concrete pillar.

Bang!

A large section of the pillar shattered.

Cain entered the opening left by the attack and swung his sword across the Tyrant’s ribs.

Clang!

The blade scraped against the overlapping armor plates.

Only a shallow cut remained, but dark Ruin energy spread from the mark and began corroding the surrounding surface.

Cain immediately understood the problem.

The Tyrant was not fast enough to threaten him consistently, but its defense was far stronger than anything he had encountered.

Faultline Vision traced the instability created by his first strike. The line extended upward toward the side of its neck, but the protection there remained too thick.

Cain’s gaze shifted lower.

The armor behind the Tyrant’s right knee was noticeably thinner.

The zombie turned and charged.

Cain moved aside in response.

The Tyrant failed to stop its momentum and crashed through a parked vehicle. Metal folded around its shoulder as it forced its way through.

Before it could turn, Cain reached its back.

He stabbed his sword behind the right knee. The point entered several centimeters before hardened muscle stopped it.

Black blood flowed around the blade.

Cain twisted the sword and poured Ruin Dragon Force into the wound.

The Tyrant roared and swept one arm backward.

Cain ducked beneath it, then kicked the wounded knee.

The joint bent forward, causing its enormous body to stumble.

Cain struck the same wound again, widening it before pulling the sword free.

The Tyrant suddenly twisted with far greater speed than Cain expected.

Its elbow struck him across the ribs.

Bang!

Cain was thrown backward.

The Ironhide Combat Vest absorbed part of the impact, but one of its metal sections dented inward.

Cain twisted in the air and landed on both feet. His boots slid several meters before he stopped.

A heavy pain spread across his side.

Jack noticed the damaged vest from the other side of the parking area.

"My armor!"

Cain pressed one hand against his ribs.

"Focus on your own fight!"

Vital Restoration allowed him to sense the injury naturally.

Nothing had broken, but the muscles around his ribs were badly bruised.

Cain briefly activated Greater Restoration.

Healing Mana entered the damaged area, reducing the pain enough for him to move normally.

He stopped the skill after a few seconds.

The Ironhide Tyrant was already approaching.

In response, Cain lowered the sword and rushed forward.

The Tyrant swung down at him.

Cain shifted outside the descending arm. As the massive forearm passed beside him, he planted one foot against its lowered surface and kicked off.

The movement launched him toward the Tyrant’s shoulder.

Cain twisted his waist in midair and slashed horizontally across the unstable overlap beside its neck.

Clang!

The Frostveil Sword left a shallow line between two armor plates.

Ruin energy entered the crack.

Cain’s momentum carried him past the Tyrant’s shoulder. He landed behind the creature and immediately moved away before it could turn.

He had found the two places he needed to focus on.

The knee that would bring the Tyrant down and the neck that would kill it.

There was no reason to continue attacking anywhere else.

Nearby, Nathan released another arrow.

The shot curved around a mutated zombie’s raised arm and pierced through its ear.

The familiar energy entered Nathan’s body again.

The notification that he had been waiting for also finally appeared.

[Ding! You have leveled up to Level 25.]

The increase had barely settled when another panel appeared.

[You have reached the maximum Level of the Unranked stage.]

[Further Levels cannot be obtained until you complete your First-Echelon Advancement Mission.]

[First-Echelon Advancement Mission]

[Participate in the defeat of a First-Echelon being.]

[Directly damaging the target is not required.]

[The target must die while you remain within the battlefield.]

[Current qualifying target: Level 35 First-Echelon Ironhide Tyrant Zombie.]

Nathan read the notification quickly, then shifted his eyes toward Cain.

"Cain!" Nathan shouted.

Cain avoided the Tyrant’s fist and cut across the damaged knee again.

"What?"

"I reached Level 25!"

"And?"

"I received an Advancement Mission. The Tyrant needs to die while I remain on the battlefield."

Nathan turned his bow toward the 1st Echelon zombie.

Cain immediately noticed.

"Don’t shoot it."