As the zombie's sharp knife-like arm hit the leader's face, a metallic sound echoed instead of flesh being cut.

The leader's cloth was torn by the zombie's sharp arm. Underneath the torn cloth was a piece of bone-like plate that protected the leader's chest.

There was a scratch on the bone plate, it was the scratch the zombie just made earlier.

The zombie however didn't expect that the leader would abandon their defense just so they could land a strike.

Screech!

Another unusual sound echoed as the leader's long sword hit a hard object in place of its ribs.

The leader also didn't expect that the zombie was already smart enough to hide an armor underneath its tattered clothes.

The equal exchange lasted for a few more minutes. However, the status changed when the leader started to get tired.

It was not for naught though as the leader was able to shatter the armor covering the zombie's ribs after a few hits.

The leader opted to slow down the zombie first by injuring it from bottom to top. The zombie was already smart enough to dodge strikes that came for the head, so the leader could only do it slowly.

However, it backfired as the leader was already tired but the zombie was still lively striking back.

"I don't like where this is going!" The leader bellowed as they struck the zombie's knee with a kick.

The zombie groaned as its knee wobbled for a second before stabilizing.

The leader didn't waste this opportunity and immediately followed it with a stab on the zombie's chest.

However, the zombie ignored it and also went for a stab towards the leader's chest.

After a few more strikes, the leader's bone chest armor had also started to crack.

The leader was worried that it might break so they immediately reacted by twisting their body to the side.

Bam!

Bam!

Two clashing sounds echoed as both party's attacks landed at the same time.

It was fortunate that the leader decided to twist their body as the bone chest armor really broke upon contact. As the leader twisted their body, the zombie only managed to wound a slight scrape on the upper chest of the leader.

However, the leader's attack managed to stab the zombie's chest even piercing through all the way to the back.

But it seems that the zombie didn't mind it that much as it could still move just fine, although slower.

The fierce fight continued with the leader trying to think of ways to hit the zombie's head.

"Are you an eel?" The leader ranted while striking the zombie's head with the sword.

"Damn it!"

As always, the zombie would always avoid the strike to its head while ignoring the ones coming to its body.

Pant!* Pant!* Pant!*

The leader was already panting heavily and it seems that the zombie would still be able to hold out another round.

The leader was able to slow down its movements by now, as the zombie wouldn't avoid strikes aside from the ones coming to its head, the leader took advantage of it and struck its limbs as many as possible.

Shreck!

The leader delivered another blow and it came towards the back of the zombie's knee.

Drop!*

The ligament was severed and the zombie fell to one knee without pretense.

The leader smirked in delight as the hard work finally bore fruit.

The leader didn't waste their time and immediately strike back, aiming for the sweet spot, the head.

Swoosh!

"Damn it!"

The leader swore loudly as the zombie was still able to avoid it by leaning back. It even managed to strike back, hitting the leader's thigh in the process.

A gush of bloody wound surfaced on the leader's thigh after it received the hit from the zombie's arm.

However, the leader endured the pain and also counterattacked immediately.

Two successive strikes were released and after the second strike landed, the zombie's head was finally severed from its head.

And like a tomato that drops from the branch, the zombie's head produced multiple thud sounds after hitting the ground.

Pant!* Pant!* Pant!*

The leader released multiple heavy breaths as they tried to calm their nerves.

The leader then reaches out their hand towards the zombie's head.

The leader placed the severed head above the zombie's headless body.

The leader gripped the sword tightly before swinging it down towards the head.

After a few strikes, the zombie's head finally opened into two. The leader reached out their hand to gauge the greenish gel that was situated on the center of the brain.

"This is bigger than what I have expected… but I like it!"

The leader beamed as they held the greenish gem in their hand. The leader clasped it carefully like it was some kind of Holy Relic.

The Apocalypse Virus gel, if absorbed would also help the absorber heal their injuries and recover their stamina.

However, the leader didn't do so and instead put it in their pocket first.

The leader then reached out their hand to their back and took a bottle of water. The leader gulps it all in no time.

The leader then squatted to the ground. However, because the ground was a little wet, the leader's butt also became wet which made the leader gasp in surprise.

The leader wiped their wet butt immediately before searching for another spot that was not wet. However, the leader didn't find anything after a few tries so the leader went back to the zombie's side.

The leader noticed that the zombie's body was not wet so the leader sat there without any other options.

The leader sat in lotus position. In no time, the leader's breathing stabilized and started to form a certain rhythm.

Half an hour had passed in the blink of an eye when the leader opened their eyes. The fatigue they felt after the fight was long gone.

However, the injuries from the fight were still there. The leader took the zombie gel again and clasped it on both of their hands before closing their eyes again to enter a meditative state.

________

Whoever you are that bought the highest tier, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.