My 100th Rebirth a day before the Apocalypse

Then, a pop-up appeared before her.

[Potential Zombie King Killed x1]

Kisha blinked in disbelief. She hadn't expected this outcome at all. The potential zombie king was actually a parasite-type, a cunning creature that latched onto a powerful host, devoured its brain, and hijacked its body as if it were its own.

She had always assumed the potential zombie king would be the most visibly dominant, the strongest among the horde. But now, thinking about it, there was strength in being able to take down the strongest without fighting it head-on, too. Being able to overpower and possess the strongest with only a little sneak attack... that was its own terrifying kind of power.

'So, this is why we couldn't find the potential zombie king?' Kisha silently wondered. Even 008 couldn't provide an answer; its sensors have been constantly scanning the map and checking the surroundings for any signs of the potential zombie king, but to no avail.

And only now did it dawn on Kisha that they had been facing it all along.

Her initial assumption had been completely wrong. Only now did Kisha realize the true nature of the 'absolute body skill' that the elite evolved zombie possessed—it was indeed all about physical strength and defense and nothing more.

The elite evolved zombie had strong defenses, but its true power lay in the parasitic evolved zombie, which was the potential zombie king. The potential zombie king didn't need to appear as a separate entity; it simply consumed its host, took over its body, and used its regenerative abilities to aid its host while combining its own skills with the host so they could become one entity and grow stronger.

Kisha also realized that the potential zombie king posed more dangers because it not only had an insane regenerative ability, but also because of its mental-type ability, combined with it. This clarified how it managed to disrupt her telekinetic grip on her floating daggers.

This is also the reason why it could send out a wide range 'Mental Signature Pulse' to call for reinforcements from a distance, because its mental ability amplified it on so many levels, so it could reach an effect that only a fully-fledged zombie king could do.

Now, everything clicked into place for Kisha as she contemplated the situation. With the potential zombie king dead, the remaining zombies lost their coordination and began attacking recklessly. Their only instinct was to feed and fight—nothing more.

For Sparrow and the rest of the team, this change made things much easier. They no longer had to worry about zombies outsmarting them or the additional zombie hordes pouring in from outside the factory, allowing them to focus on eliminating the remaining zombies inside.

Kisha and Duke both felt a massive weight lifted off their shoulders, especially Kisha. With the biggest threat eliminated, they now only had to deal with the remaining zombie horde using a pincer attack. But before proceeding, both of them decided to inspect the fallen potential evolved zombie.

"It really is ugly..." Duke muttered as he pulled his spear free from the wall. As he did, the wall crumbled along with the fallen potential zombie king, burying it under a pile of debris. Kisha, undeterred, used her telekinesis to shift the rubble, pulling the zombie closer to her.

Focusing intently, she began to sense the crystal core within its head. With careful precision, she extracted the core, not even touching it physically. This level of control required immense concentration, as she had to visualize and feel the structure of the zombie's body in her mind, guiding her telekinesis through her mental map.

Duke kept a vigilant eye on their surroundings, watching for any zombies that might ambush them while Kisha carefully practiced her telekinesis. For her, this was more than just extraction—it was a form of training.

A single misstep or excess use of spiritual energy could cause the head to explode, wasting the crystal core. This delicate process helped her refine her control, which would be invaluable later.

Right now, she had no trouble thanks to her 'Mental Capacity' being over ten thousand, but once her stats returned to normal, maintaining this level of precision would be much harder. Mastering this intricate control would prove far more beneficial than simply bursting zombie heads with her Telekinesis Sub: Energy Burst.

Not long after extracting the crystal core, Kisha and Duke dove back into the fray. Kisha was especially eager to wrap up the battle—she had just remembered that the reward for completing this mission was the 'Alchemist Training Manual', and she couldn't wait to get her hands on it. She had drawn a few potion recipes recently and had been dying to try them out.

After all, if she learned to brew potions, wouldn't that open up a whole new money-making avenue through 008's sales channels?

"Host, I love that idea! Count me in! Now, hurry up and kill them all!" 008 chimed in excitedly, practically bouncing in Kisha's mind. It urged her to end the fight quickly so they could claim the reward and head home to study the manual—while Hugo and his team handled the dirty work of shoveling manure and making fertilizer.

That way, they'd make the most of their time, add two more products to their store, and rack up even more system points.

Adding more products to the store would not only attract more customers but also help the store gain recognition across different worlds. This was a huge advantage—once the store became well-known, Kisha could start raising her prices.

After all, when demand outstripped supply, the value of each item skyrocketed. The more she trained and honed her alchemy skills, the more profitable it would be for both her and 008.

With a newfound motivation, Kisha's attacks grew fiercer as she summoned even more enhanced floating daggers to zip through the battlefield. Combined with her 'Rainbow Cube' and Telekinesis Sub: Energy Burst, she decimated the remaining zombies inside the factory, almost single-handedly.

Meanwhile, Duke kept freezing the zombies around him and shattering their frozen bodies from a distance with ease. Their synchronized assault was devastating, and they quickly cleared the area.

When Kisha eliminated the potential zombie king, the danger level of the mission dropped significantly, causing her stat buffs to gradually fade back to normal.

The last of the high-level evolved zombies fell shortly after, marking the end of the battle.

Once the battle was over, the people from the hidden base could no longer hold themselves up. Their knees buckled, and they collapsed to the ground, the weight of the tension finally catching up to them.

Despite Kisha's healing dome and other buffs providing them with stamina and spiritual energy recovery, the mental exhaustion was undeniable. The pressure they had been under, facing such a formidable enemy for the first time outside their comfort zone, left them drained.

It was a sobering reminder of how dangerous the world beyond their base truly was. But even so, they had learned invaluable lessons, ones they could carry with them moving forward.

But for those already accustomed to battles like this—Sparrow, Vulture, and their teams—it was just another day. They moved without hesitation, heading toward the warehouse where the metal drums were stored.

The others, though still catching their breath, let out tired grunts and pushed themselves to follow. Kisha and Duke brought up the rear. Fortunately, the warehouse was just behind the main building, so it only took a short walk, clearing out a few stray weak zombies along the way—an effortless task that felt more like a casual stroll than a fight.