Investing in My Harem in the Apocalypse Makes Me Stronger
Chapter 40: Emergency Mission — Kill the 2nd Echelon Zombie

Chapter 40: Emergency Mission — Kill the 2nd Echelon Zombie

"Can you locate it?" Cain asked.

"Near the center."

Nathan pointed beyond the thickest section of the greenery.

"It isn’t moving."

"What rank is it?"

"I can’t tell."

The Wind entering that area scattered before Nathan could gather clearer information.

"I only know it’s far more dangerous than the Ironhide Tyrant." He paused, then continued as he gulped. "Possibly a 2nd Echelon Rank..."

Cain squinted his eyes as he observed at the park.

Whatever waited inside had probably detected them already.

Nathan had sensed it only after approaching the edge of its pressure.

A creature at the Second Echelon should possess perception far beyond that of the Ironhide Tyrant.

It might have noticed the group before they even saw the park.

’Then why hasn’t it attacked?’

Cain had no intention of entering to investigate.

Even though he had become much stronger after obtaining the Undying War Body, Cain had no idea how large the difference between the First and Second Echelons truly was.

Nathan’s First-Echelon advancement had doubled his stats and formed a Mana Core that strengthened every aspect of his Mana usage.

A Second-Echelon creature should possess a stronger Core, a body reinforced by another advancement, and abilities far beyond those of the Ironhide Tyrant.

Entering the park without understanding the enemy would be reckless.

Before Cain could order the others to retreat, a cold notification entered his mind.

[Ding! A Second-Echelon Zombie has detected the Host.]

Cain’s expression stiffened.

A crimson panel appeared before him.

[Emergency Mission]

[Kill the detected 2nd Echelon Zombie within twenty-four hours.]

[Time Remaining: 23:59:59]

[Failure Penalty: The target will permanently lock onto the Host’s existence and pursue him without distance limitation until either the Host or the target dies.]

Cain frowned.

"That’s troublesome."

Elara noticed his expression.

"What is it?"

"The System gave me a mission."

Cain showed them the information.

Ron read the failure penalty twice.

"It’ll chase you wherever you go?"

"Yes."

"Even after we leave the city?"

"The notification says there’s no distance limit."

Ron glanced toward the park.

"That thing hasn’t even moved, and it already wants to chase you?"

"I guess I’m just that attractive to the point of a zombie lusting over me." Cain folded his arms.

"This isn’t the time to be proud."

Cain ignored him and focused on the timer.

Twenty-four hours should be enough.

He could return to the university, prepare the group, and hunt more high-level zombies.

Once he entered the First Echelon, his stats would double again.

The purified Ironhide Essence could also strengthen his body during Core formation.

At that point, killing the Second-Echelon zombie with Nathan and the others should become possible.

"We’re leaving."

Ron asked, "You don’t want to investigate it first?"

"No."

Cain did not need to see the creature to know that fighting it now was a stupid idea.

"We’ll return after becoming stronger."

"We’ll circle south." Cain said as he thought that coming back to the university with the same route would be a bad idea, because in the worst case scenario it might endanger the other people in the Auditorium.

"Then enter through the southern gate?" Elara asked.

"Yes. We go south first, then turn east." Cain nodded.

He added, "Going through this route is out of option now."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "But we don’t know what’s waiting near the southern side."

"That’s better than walking past something we already know is 2nd Echelon."

Cain glanced once more toward the trees.

The park remained silent. The stillness made the creature more unsettling. If it had charged immediately, Cain could have judged its strength but it would have been extremely dangerous.

Instead, it remained hidden, allowing them to leave without resistance.

’Why isn’t it moving?’

The answer might be simple.

As it could be feeding, or might be guarding something.

There was also a possibility that it did not consider them worth chasing yet.

Cain disliked every explanation, but he also felt relieved at the same time.

"Let’s go."

Nathan maintained a wide field of Wind around the group while they headed south.

Only two people in the entire world had publicly advanced to the First Echelon. Yet a Second-Echelon zombie had already appeared.

Cain thought about his family.

His hometown was several cities away.

If creatures like this were already evolving near the university, he had no idea what might be wandering elsewhere.

He believed that his dad might have awakened useful ability and would survive the first chaos considering how he was as a person.

However, his cute little sister was the one who worried him most.

She was clever and cute, but no amount of intelligence and cuteness would allow a child to fight mutated zombies alone in case their parents were away at work.

Cain increased his pace and thought that they needed to depart and leave the university as soon as possible.

Twenty seconds later, Nathan knitted his eyebrows.

"There are quite a lot of zombies following us."

Cain looked at the back, but still found the road remained empty.

"The 2nd Echelon Zombie from the park?"

"No."

Nathan focused on the Wind currents moving through the streets behind them.

"There are many of them."

"How many?"

"Three 1st Echelon Ranks and more than 60 High-level Unranked Zombies."

Cain’s concern disappeared when he heard it.

A faint smile slowly formed on his face.

"They’re delivering themselves to us?"

Ron stared at him.

"Did you forget the Second-Echelon zombie behind us?"

"That’s why we won’t fight them here."

Cain checked his personal information.

[Cain]

[Level: 22]

[Race: Human]

[Talents: Black Menagerie (Primordial-rank), Undying War Body (SSS-rank), Faultline Vision (SS-rank), Piercing Momentum (S-rank), Vital Restoration (C-rank)]

[Beast: Primordial Chaos Dragon]

[Element: Ruin]

[Skills: Ruin Dragon Force, Greater Restoration]

[System Points: 21,700]

[Stats]: Strength: 121 (+45) / Agility: 127 (+50) / Physique: 73 (+81) / Sense: 68 (+5) / Mana: 232 / Magic: 132

His current body stood far above the one that had fought the Ironhide Tyrant.

Strength and Agility more than doubled.

His Physique stat had increased even more dramatically because of his Undying War Body.

If the three First-Echelon zombies possessed strength similar to the Tyrant, Cain did not consider them a serious threat.

He only needed to ensure that the Second-Echelon creature did not notice the battle.

"Increase the pace."

The group accelerated.

Ron moved beside him. "What are you planning?"

"We draw them farther away."

Cain looked toward Nathan.

"You’ll handle the weakest 1st Echelon Zombie."

"I can do that." Nathan nodded.

"We’ll kill the 1st Echelon Zombies as fast as we can."

Cain then turned toward Elara.

"Afterward, you take enough of the Unranked zombies to complete your Advancement Mission."

Cain paused for a moment.

"Ron and Jack will take the rest," Cain continued. "Both of you reach Level 25 today."

"Do you think we’re you? We obviously can’t handle 60 of them." Ron snorted.

"You won’t be fighting all of them alone."

Cain glanced toward Nathan.

"We’ll control the battlefield and leave enough qualifying targets for Elara."

Nathan’s newfound strength and Emerald Tempest allowed him to eliminate anything that threatened to overwhelm the others without stealing every kill.

Cain glanced between them.

"Don’t forget to go all out once the battle begins."

Cain added, "Don’t worry about preserving too much Mana. Nathan and I will deal with anything unexpected, and I can heal your injuries afterward."

Ron stared at his back.

"You say that as if you aren’t the one being chased by a Second-Echelon zombie."

"That’s tomorrow’s problem."

"The timer is already running!"

"Then we’ll just need to solve it before tomorrow." Cain shrugged.