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*Ahem* Stones, I mean.

———

Time – 1230 Hrs

Rika walked out of her room, fully equipped with her gear. Giving a patrol slip to the captain, she rushed out to the streets. The benefit of being on an abandoned island—there was no shortage of vehicles.

She put a silenced bullet in every zombie's head and hot wired a Humvee.

'Easy peasy.'

This model with extra sturdy armor could survive a hit or two from her most troublesome enemy here.

She hopped into the car and drove towards the dock more than 30km away. She would be exhausted if she went there on foot.

Half an hour later, deep water could be seen in the distance along with many boats parked on the side. What separated her were tall fences nearly 5m.

She looked around and found the entry gate locked.

'Why put this fence on a boat dock?'

They were so unreasonable, locking some boats like it was some treasure.

'I can use my power to climb the fences.'

She would be fucked if a Titan-type smashed the fences.

She glanced at the horde chasing after her and shook her head. They were too slow but a minute of delay would get her overwhelmed.

She simulated the plan in her mind as she parked the car and jumped on its roof.

*Graaaawr*

A big guy crawled out of a garage in the distance. She took the marksman rifle from her back.

Aim and fire.

The well-timed shot blasted the Titan-type's head before it even stood up. She kept the rifle afloat with telekinesis and pulled out a 9mm silenced pistol and SMG, shooting any approaching zombie.

'Clear.'

She fastened the weapons on her back and threw her backpack in the air, letting it float with her telekinesis powers.

It's gonna be hard. If only I was a loli.

Making a smile, she jumped on the bag. She almost dropped back to the ground but she focused all of her willpower, maintaining the altitude.

Her head buzzed but she raised the bag higher and higher.

She wiped the thin trail of blood leaking from her nose and crossed the fence. She landed and drank some water from a bottle, pouring the rest on her face.

'Fresh.'

A loud growl interrupted her. She quickly turned around and gawked. Natsumi or whatever her name stood there, smirking, surrounded by two wolves with silver fur. Her eyes blurred as she gazed into their eyes. She looked away and pinched her face.

"Ara, you are still awake?" Natsumi whispered, shock apparent on her face. "I expected nothing less from the country's top sniper."

Her tone tinged with hatred baffled Rika. She had never interacted with this woman then why the hatred?

"Ah, don't worry. I don't only hate you," Natsumi said and her expression twisted, "The captain, the soldiers, the guys, my neighbour, I hate everyone. Every single one of them."

Rika was already preparing her trump card—sneaking out the SMG from her backpack. It didn't take a genius to guess this woman's intentions.

'Just when I was about to escape… fuck.'

"What do you want from me?" Rika asked, trying to buy time.

Natsumi grinned as she patted the wolves' head. "What I want I want is your Ether orb."

The unfamiliar term made Rika tilt her head. "Ether orb?"

"So you also don't know. It's natural I guess." Natsumi nodded her head to herself and took out something from her pocket. "It's this."

Rika examined the tiny dull green pearl in Natsumi's hand. It emanated the same energy she felt in her body.

"What is that?"

"You see these zombies are getting stronger by eating each other, then I thought maybe I could do the same. So I killed a weak magician woman and chop chop chop, I cut her body into pieces," Natsumi's smile twisted as she continued, "I was wrong. I took out her heart to eat but I found this orb embedded into her heart. I call this Ether orb. I ate it and surprisingly, my Ether quantity went up."

Rika's lips parted in disgust. If Natsumi referred to the strange energy as Ether, then increasing its limit sounded wonderful but it also meant killing others.

'She wants my Ether orb—she wants to kill me.'

Natsumi burst into laughter. "I will massacre everyone and eat their Ether orb. I will be the strongest!"

Rika took the opportunity and grabbed the SMG.

"Die."

She pulled the trigger, spraying the entire bullet on Natsumi and her dogs.

Letting out miserable howls, the wolves collapsed. However, Natsumi seemed unharmed.

Rika's eyes widened. She looked closer to find a gleam covering Natsumi's body.

"You bitch killed my precious puppies," Natsumi scowled, "I would have died if not for my passive shield."

Rika paid her no heed and pulled out her sniper. Without even looking into the scope, she fired. However, the bullet ricocheted off Natsumi's forehead.

"Ouch," Natsumi yelped, looking unharmed. "That one tickled a little."

"How in the world are you alive?" Rika muttered as she fired another bullet. "Die already."

"I won't die unless my Ether runs out." Natsumi smirked. "And my Ether capacity is enough to outmatch the bullets in your magazine. So be obedient and let me kill you."

Rika glanced at the knife hooked to her belt.

"I admit I can't fight you when you are close but," Natsumi said and two water orbs appeared in her hands. "Heal. Rise."

The wolves rose sprang to their feet and growled at Rika.

"Water is my element and your death."

The crazy woman conjured dozens of spears made out of ice and threw them. Rika rolled to the side. As she stood back up, a sharp pain ran through her legs.

She pulled out the knife and stabbed the wolf's head biting her thigh.

"Only Aa-chan can touch them you know."

However, a blue shield blocked her knife. Rika glanced at Natsumi who floated a wide smirk on her face.

Rika kicked the wolf in its stomach with her free leg but the bastard only sank its fangs deeper into her thighs.

"No, you won't harm him anymore."

She tried shooting Natsumi but nothing harmed her. The rifle fell from her trembling hands. Her body became numb as the blood poured out, dying the wolf's silver fur red.

'Fuck, I am going to die...'

As her consciousness crept closer to passing out, a faint roar came from the ocean side.

A boat is coming here?

She bit her tongue. "Help!"

For the first time in her life, she had begged for someone's help.

"Got it!" Someone shouted. The voice felt familiar.

She slightly turned her head and froze. A red beam approached like a bullet.

I am dead.

———

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