Investing in My Harem in the Apocalypse Makes Me Stronger
Chapter 5: Rescuing the Damsel in Distress

Chapter 5: Rescuing the Damsel in Distress

However, since they didn’t have all the time in the world, he would move with Ron first as they were the fastest.

Ron snorted in disagreement when he was being compared to Cain in terms of speed.

After telling his simple plan, Cain turned toward the rescued students.

"Take this seriously."

His gaze moved between them.

"One mistake is enough to get bitten. Aim for the brain. If you cannot reach the head, destroy the legs first and finish it after it falls."

He pointed toward the dead zombies near the entrance.

"Killing them gives experience. Experience increases your Level, and every Level makes your body stronger."

Cain continued, "If you keep hiding behind other people, you’ll remain weak. The only reliable way to survive is to gain enough strength to protect yourself."

Cain did not care whether they liked what he said.

He had already done more than enough by saving them and giving them weapons.

Whether they survived afterward would depend on their own decisions.

Cain walked toward the entrance, Dark gray energy began circulating through his legs.

His muscles tightened as Ruin Dragon Force spread beneath his skin.

He did not activate the Skill throughout his entire body. Strengthening only his lower body consumed far less Mana.

Cain looked at Ron.

"Let’s go."

The two of them rushed outside.

The campus had completely changed.

Cars had crashed against trees and buildings. Several bicycles had been abandoned in the middle of the road, while blood covered the stone paths connecting the dormitories to the rest of the university.

Smoke rose from somewhere near the eastern gate.

A fire alarm continued ringing inside one of the lecture buildings, but nobody seemed interested in stopping it.

Cain and Ron moved along the side of the road.

Ron was naturally faster.

His long legs covered the ground and every movement showed the result of years spent training as a sprinter.

However, when he glanced to the side, Cain was still running beside him.

Ron’s eyebrows twitched.

His steps were heavier than Ron’s, yet the energy circulating through his legs allowed him to match the sprinter’s pace.

"Did you put every Free Stat Point into Agility?" Ron asked.

Cain looked at him as if he had said something stupid.

"Why would I?"

Ron nearly stumbled. "How else are you keeping up with me?"

"I’m using a skill." Cain replied as if the answer should have been obvious.

Ron’s right eye twitched. "You’re using a skill?"

"Yes."

"While I’m running normally?"

Cain nodded.

Ron cursed loudly, "You shameless bastard! How can you use a skill and act as if we’re competing fairly?"

Cain stared at him in disbelief.

’Is there something wrong with this bastard’s head?’

Zombies were roaming around the campus, people were dying inside every building, and Ron was concerned about whether their race was fair.

"This isn’t the time to argue about that."

"You started it by acting cocky!"

"I didn’t say anything."

"Your face said it."

Cain increased his speed.

"We need to reach the training hall as quickly as possible."

The two continued moving through the campus.

They avoided most of the zombies wandering near the road.

Cain did not want to waste Mana or time clearing every infected student between the dormitory and the training hall.

Their objective was to reach Elara as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, avoiding every fight was impossible.

A zombie wearing a security uniform stumbled from behind a parked van and reached toward Ron.

Ron lowered his body and moved past it.

Cain followed behind him and stabbed the zombie through the temple without stopping.

Another infected student appeared near a row of vending machines.

Cain kicked its knee aside before driving the dagger through its eye.

They killed several more along the way, but neither slowed down for longer than a few seconds.

The fencing club’s training hall soon appeared beyond a line of trees.

It was a wide rectangular building separated from the university’s main athletic complex. Tall windows covered part of its walls, allowing sunlight to illuminate the training floor inside.

Several bodies lay outside the entrance.

Cain’s expression became colder.

Before they reached the building, the sound of metal striking something hard came from the other side.

Clang!

Cain and Ron rounded the building.

The rear doors had been forced open.

Several students had gathered outside, with seven of them standing near the wall.

Most were injured or exhausted.

A young woman wearing a torn white fencing jacket stood in front of them.

Her protective mask had already been discarded. Sweat covered her face, while loose strands of hair clung to her forehead.

She held a slender fencing sword in one hand. The blade was covered in pale blue ice, cold mist spread around it whenever she moved.

"Elara," Cain murmured softly.

She was fighting a zombie almost two meters tall.

The infected creature had a much larger body than the others Cain had seen.

Dark gray tissue covered its chest and shoulders. Thick plates had formed beneath its skin, creating a rough layer of natural armor.

Its forehead was wider, while both arms had swollen until they looked heavy enough to crush bone with a single strike.

A line of red text floated above its head.

[Hardened Zombie | Level 11]

Elara moved quickly, she avoided one of its arms and thrust her ice-covered sword toward its neck.

The point struck the Hardened Zombie’s skin.

Crack!

The layer of ice around the blade shattered.

The sword penetrated only a few centimeters before stopping against hardened flesh.

The zombie swung its arm.

Elara withdrew and jumped backward, narrowly avoiding the blow.

Its fist struck the ground and the stone surface cracked.

Elara’s breathing was already uneven.

There was a shallow wound near her ribs, and blood stained the lower part of her fencing jacket.

Cain’s eyes narrowed.

He extended his right hand toward Ron.

"Lend me that for a second."

Ron was still looking at the Hardened Zombie.

He understood what Cain wanted and handed over his javelin without thinking.

Cain caught the shaft and Ruin Dragon Force immediately spread through his right arm.

Dark gray energy flowed from his fingers and covered the javelin.

Fine cracks appeared along the metal surface, but the weapon did not break.

Cain stopped running.

His left foot moved forward, his right arm drew the javelin behind his head.

Cain had repeated this movement more times than he could remember.

However, this was the first time he had prepared a throw using his improved Strength, Piercing Momentum, and Ruin Dragon Force at the same time.

The Hardened Zombie raised both arms and charged toward Elara.

Cain’s fingers loosened.

The ground beneath his feet cracked and the javelin vanished from his hand.

A violent whistle tore through the air.

Elara sensed something pass beside her face.

The javelin struck the Hardened Zombie directly in the head.

Its hardened skull offered no resistance as the entire upper portion of its head exploded.

Dark blood and fragments of bone scattered across the ground as the javelin continued through the creature.

Bang!

It struck the wall of the training hall.

The reinforced surface burst apart. The javelin disappeared through the hole, flying somewhere beyond the building.

The Hardened Zombie remained standing for a moment.

Then its body fell with a heavy thud.

[Ding! You have killed a Level 11 Hardened Zombie.]

[Ding! You have obtained Strength +3 and Physique +6.]

[Ding! You have leveled up to Level 4, obtaining 3 Free Stat Points.]

Cain felt powerful energy rush into his body.

He felt his body had become tougher, strengthening his flesh and bones.

Cain immediately placed all three Free Stat Points into Strength.

[Cain]

[Level: 4]

[Stats]: Strength: 37 / Agility: 18 / Physique: 26 / Sense: 17 / Mana: 173 / Magic: 71

Cain stared at the numbers with a satisfied smile.