Apocalypse Healer - Path of Death

The scene unfolding in the intersection was interesting. The world had turned upside down not too long ago, but the survivors weren't doing a bad job of dealing with the Infected even though they looked like humans. David expected more restraint from other survivors, but they didn't seem to have any major problems fighting – or killing – Infected.

The Hunter missed some arrows, but his accuracy improved after a few accurate shots. The improvements were enough to hit a few more targets, piercing the eyes and brains of a few Infected in one go.

Not too bad.

If David had been fighting the Infected with a bow, he would have been killed within seconds, unable to kill any of them. Or maybe, with fortune on his side, he would have killed one Infected using a bow before he would have been torn apart and eaten alive.

The Hunter was also good at keeping away from the Infected while the Infected charged the hulking man and injured woman. The woman, probably a Mage, was desperate. She bawled her eyes out, snot pouring down her nose, yet she didn't surrender that easily. That surprised David the most. He expected the girl to give up after the Infected scratched her. She was already crying loudly, yet her body never stopped moving.

She released five more deadly attacks, which David assumed were energy bolts or some Skill Rune with a similar name, but collapsed a moment later, her body drenched in sweat.

Six energy bolts in quick succession. No wonder she is exhausted.

David was certain the infection was also draining her, yet the Mage never surrendered. She didn't look tenacious, but her actions brought a smile to David's face. However, he was even more impressed with the hulking man, who'd clearly chosen the Warrior Class.

He wasn't too bad, raising his longsword like it didn't weigh anything as he cleaved through the closest Infected.

David's eyes bulged.

He caught sight of the Warrior's swift movements, slashing and twisting his blade with practiced precision. The Warrior wasn't fast, yet his attacks were 'unique'. His second attack beheaded an Infected before it crashed heavily into another Infected, severing one arm and cutting through half of the Infected's chest.

The Infected's chest slumped down, and it fell head-first to the ground.

David tilted his head, watching the Warrior with interest as he stepped forward, crushing the Infected's head with his foot. The Infected's skull shattered from the impact, and brain mass splattered in all directions.

What a savage. I like it!

David's heart was beating wildly. He would have loved to be in the Warrior's place, swinging a sword and cleaving through his enemies. Unfortunately, he wasn't a Warrior and didn't have a sword. But David wasn't weak, it was more like his field of expertise was different.

Some Infected are getting cut more smoothly than others. Is that a Skill Rune?

The glint in his eyes intensified as something unexpected occurred. He tensed up and studied the fight more intently as one of the Infected, an oddly fast example, arrived beside the Warrior. The Warrior spun around and shifted, switching from a highly aggressive stance to a defensive position near-instantly.

He parried the incoming claw strikes and thrust his sword deep into the Infected' wide-open mouth before twisting the blade with great force, but David wasn't looking at that.

His mind was stuck with the Warrior's defense.

He was slower before. His movement was too sudden. Too…unnatural. Did he really parry the attacks on his own? Maybe that's what his Skill Rune does.

Observing the battle ahead, David fell into deep thought.

"That's what you can do with a proper weapon, some skill, and a good Class." He mumbled, looking at the stones in his hands. No matter how effective the stones seemed, they were still just stones.

Fuck this shit. This is getting on my nerves!!

Only half a dozen Infected were alive, but half had switched their targets. They turned to the Hunter and chased him when he stepped into a crack in the intersection. He'd been retreating, his eyes glued to the enemies, and didn't check what lay behind. A scream escaped his lips as he lost his balance and fell to the ground.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The Infected closed the distance to the Hunter in no time. The Warrior shouted something, but the Hunter couldn't hear him. He'd frozen in his tracks. The Infected towered above the Hunter, his eyes wet. The dam in his eyes burst, and tears streamed down his cheeks as the Infected reached down to scratch and bite him.

Right before the first Infected could touch the Hunter, David arrived at the scene. He rushed to the Hunter's side and smashed one of his jagged stones into the Infected's eye. The stone was the perfect length, digging through the target's eyeball before piercing deep into its brain.

[You have defeated an Infected(Common).]

David didn't need the notification to know that he'd eliminated the Infected. He spun around on his heel, pulling the jagged stone out of the defeated Infected's eye while lifting his other arm. The thick backside of his other stone slammed into the side of the next Infected's skull, cracking it open like an egg.

The Infected was not dead, but by twisting his other arm and using enough momentum, David managed to drive the jagged stone through the Infected's cracked-open skull, eliminating the threat on the spot.

[You have defeated an Infected(Common).]

The last Infected might have noticed David, but it toppled over the Hunter and was about to drive its foul teeth into the young man's neck when David kicked it as hard as possible. His foot crashed heavily into the Infected's side of the head, jerking it to the side. David was certain he heard something crack, but he kept going.

David's mind was blank, his heart was racing like there was no tomorrow.

He inched closer and bent down, thrusting both jagged stones into the Infected's eye sockets when it turned around to bite and scratch him.

[You have defeated an Infected(Common).]

That was batshit crazy!

David was amazed and excited. He pressed his hand flat against his chest to feel his heartbeat and smiled, only to recall that there had been more Infected.

David turned to the Warrior and the unconscious Mage, but they didn't need his help. The Warrior had just beheaded the last Infected. The group of Infected was taken care of, yet the situation was not at its end. A myriad of glowing particles burst out of the final Infected and gathered above its carcass. The particles compressed and transformed into a…bat.

Not the animal, but a baseball bat.

That is…new…The Infected drop loot as well. Neat.

"Thank you…" David heard from behind. The Hunter had gotten up, his cheeks blushed in embarrassment, "Without you, I would be dead."

David nodded curtly.

"Jack, check the surroundings. We've probably attracted the attention of all the Infected around us!" The Warrior shouted.

The Hunter, Jack, groaned, "Only if you collect my arrows!"

Are they friends? Probably not. Maybe they're from the same apartment complex.

David couldn't make sense of the unlikely pair. Their banter sounded relaxed, but to him, it seemed forced, as if tension boiled beneath the surface. Either way, Jack moved toward the highest spot in the intersection, climbing as if scouting for something. There were multiple elevated positions in the intersection – all thanks to the earthquake, transforming the streets and intersections into an abstract concrete landscape, but only one was suitable to sit or stand. The other spots were either too narrow or too dangerous to climb and remain. Except for those with the necessary skills, of course.

The Warrior glanced at David, but only for a moment. He turned to the Mage girl and checked her wounds.

David approached them. The Warrior didn't seem to mind. He didn't even look at David as he arrived beside them.

"Thanks for helping Jack. I'm Sebastian," He introduced himself, his eyes narrowing at the sight unfolding before him. The Infection spread rapidly through the Mage's body. Even the second stage of Infection inflicted on David didn't spread that fast.

Is it because she fainted from overexertion, or because she has a weaker Body stat? It could also be that I'm more resistant to the Infection because of the Holy Sea. A Mage's energy core is probably related to mana or mythical energy.

David cocked his head to the side as he studied the girl. His lips parted to say something, but at this moment, Sebastian turned to look at him.

He noticed Sebastian's gaze trailing from his blood-drenched clothes to the scratch marks on his arm, and finally to the bite mark.

Sebastian's expression hardened, his eyes narrowed, and his hand reached for the longsword.

That's an interesting response. To think someone like you has been living a normal life until…one hour ago…or has it been two? Probably one hour and a bit.

David shrugged inwardly and smiled.

"Calm down, buddy. I am not one of these weirdos," He pointed at the Infected, "I can help her if you want."

Unfortunately, Sebastian wasn't convinced. He stared daggers at David, ready to behead him at any moment.

Healing simple wounds is possible, but reattaching a head…No way!