The corpse of the mutant still steamed, black ichor seeping into the cracks of the broken street. Imura stood over it, crowbar in hand, his chest rising and falling with every heavy breath.
The rush of power from the core still lingered, his muscles buzzing like a live wire. Every movement felt sharper, faster. His grip on the weapon was unshakable, as if the world itself had grown lighter.
He glanced at the empty space where his clones had perished. Already, his ability pulsed, waiting for him to summon more.
"Two clones isn't enough anymore…" he muttered. "System, upgrade clone ability."
The familiar cold glow appeared in the corner of his vision.
[Clone Ability Lv.2 → Lv.3][Active Clones: 3][Clone Durability: Increased.]
Imura grinned, teeth bared. "Perfect. Now we're getting somewhere."
The street was eerily quiet again, save for the faint drip of the mutant's blood. But he knew better than to relax. That roar had probably carried for miles. More were coming.
He adjusted the bag of supplies on his shoulder and set off, three new clones walking beside him like silent guardians. Their blank expressions reflected his own focus.
Every shattered window, every overturned car whispered danger. He was no longer just a scavenger—he was a predator.
As he turned a corner, he stopped. Ahead, a group of zombies shambled through the wreckage of a collapsed bus. Ordinary ones, maybe ten in total.
Imura smirked. "Small fry."
The clones rushed forward at his signal. One swung its pipe into the first zombie's skull with a wet crack. Another tackled one to the ground, pummeling its head until it caved. The third tripped a corpse, holding it down as Imura himself stepped in with a clean stab through its temple.
It was a slaughter. With every kill, his movements grew more precise, his instincts sharper. He no longer hesitated. These weren't people. They were walking EXP.
The system chimed again and again.
[+30 EXP][+30 EXP][+30 EXP]
By the time the last zombie hit the ground, Imura's crowbar was slick with gore. He wiped it clean on a tattered shirt, breathing hard but smiling wide.
"Leveling up… feels addictive."
The system pulsed in agreement.
[EXP: 178/300]
Almost there. Almost to the next level.
Then he heard it.
A scream.
It cut through the silence like a blade—high, sharp, desperate. Not the mindless groan of the undead, but a human voice.
Imura froze, tilting his head. His clones mirrored the gesture, waiting. The scream came again, echoing from the direction of an abandoned shopping street.
He could ignore it. He should ignore it. People were nothing but liabilities—he knew that better than anyone. His parents, gone. His so-called friends, betrayers. His girlfriend, a cheating bitch. Every connection he'd ever had only left scars.
But then the system pulsed.
[Side Quest Available: Investigate the Source of the Scream.][Reward: ???]
A slow smirk spread across his face. "Figures."
If there was a reward, it was worth checking.
He moved quickly, slipping through alleys until the scene opened before him.
At the far end of the street, a horde of zombies had cornered three survivors against the husk of a collapsed storefront. Two men swung rusted pipes desperately, sweat and terror etched across their faces. Behind them, a girl gripped a baseball bat so tightly her knuckles turned white, her wide eyes darting between the approaching monsters.
Imura leaned against a cracked wall, watching.
The men were panicking, sloppy. Their swings were clumsy, predictable. The zombies pressed harder, snarling, reaching. It was only a matter of time before they fell.
And that was when Imura made his choice.
He didn't move to help. He just watched.
One of the men screamed as a zombie latched onto his arm, tearing flesh away with yellow teeth. He went down in a thrashing heap, swallowed by the horde. The other tried to run, but a claw caught him across the back, dragging him to the ground. His cries turned to gargles as the swarm ripped into him.
The girl shrieked, stumbling back. Her bat slipped from her trembling fingers.
Imura exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing. "That's my cue."
"Clones," he said, voice low and calm, "save the girl."
Light flared, and his three doubles surged forward, crashing into the zombies like a flood. Metal pipes smashed skulls. Fists pummeled faces. The horde reeled under the sudden attack.
Imura himself followed, crowbar in hand. His first swing shattered a zombie's jaw, the second crushed through its temple. He ducked under a grasping claw, his movement sharp and precise, then drove his weapon into another's chest.
The clones covered the girl, shoving zombies aside as they carved a path around her. She fell to her knees, trembling, blood spattering across her clothes.
The battle was short, brutal. The men were gone—screams already silenced under the weight of gnashing teeth. But the girl lived.
Imura stood over the last corpse, panting lightly, his crowbar dripping black ichor. His clones faded back into light.
Silence returned.
The girl lifted her head, eyes wide and glassy. Tears streaked down her dirt-stained cheeks.
"You…" Her voice shook. "You saved me…"
Imura tilted his head. Saved her? That wasn't the word he'd use. He'd simply chosen to keep her alive. The men? Dead weight. But her… she might be useful.
He crouched in front of her, crowbar still in hand. Her entire body flinched, as if expecting him to strike her down.
Interesting. Fear and gratitude swirled in her eyes, conflicting emotions battling for dominance.
"What's your name?" Imura asked, his tone flat, unreadable.
She swallowed hard. "S-Saya…"
Imura smirked faintly. "Saya, huh? You're lucky. If you weren't pretty, I might've let you die with them."
Her eyes widened, horror flashing across her face. She glanced toward the torn remains of the men who'd fought for her. Realization dawned—he could've saved them too. He chose not to.
Her voice broke. "Why… why just me?"
Imura rose, turning his back on her. "Because I felt like it."
The system pulsed.
[New Character Encountered: Saya – Potential Ally.]
Imura grinned to himself. Potential ally. Potential pawn.
He started walking, the girl scrambling to her feet behind him.
"W-wait!" she cried, rushing after him. "Please… don't leave me here!"
Imura didn't answer. He didn't need to. If she wanted to survive, she'd follow.
Behind them, the men's corpses twitched as the infection set in. Soon, they too would rise.
Imura didn't look back.
Only one had been worth saving.