But before he could think anything else, another announcement was made, "Now, it's time to start our second phase battle…, dear contestants, please enter the cage," the announcer said.
Ren had no time to think about the system; he just entered the cage. "I will think about that later," he murmured.
Many people stood inside, some nervous, some excited, and some trying to act brave, but all of them shared the same goal—to survive and win the prize.
The announcer's voice echoed again, "So, without any further ado… let's start!"
CLANK—!!
The gates around the arena opened at once, and in the next moment, hordes of zombies rushed in from all directions, their distorted growls filling the air.
GGRRRAAAHHH—!!
At the same time, weapons rained down from above, hitting the ground with heavy metallic sounds.
CLANG—!! CLANG—!!
"Pick your weapon and fight! The last one surviving takes it all!" the announcer shouted excitedly.
Ren quickly picked up a weapon, but as his eyes fell on it, his expression twisted in disbelief. "What the fuck can I do with this crap?" he muttered. It was a massive scythe, far too big and heavy for normal use, yet strangely fitting in his hands.
Before he could think further, a zombie lunged straight at him, its claws aiming for his neck with brutal force.
SWIPE—!!
Ren tilted his body slightly, dodging it by a hair's breadth, his eyes narrowing as a faint grin formed on his face. "…Too slow, just how many times do I have to say it… go send your mommy" he whispered, his grip tightening around the scythe.
With a swift motion, he swung it horizontally, the blade cutting clean through the zombie's torso as if slicing through air.
SLASH—!!
The body split apart instantly, collapsing to the ground in two lifeless halves as blood splattered across the floor.
THUD—!!
Around him, chaos had completely taken over. People screamed as they were dragged down, their bodies torn apart without mercy while others tried desperately to fight back.
"HELP ME—!!"
"GET THEM OFF—!!"
"NO—!! NO—!!"
CRUNCH—!!
TEAR—!!
Ren moved forward instead of backing away, stepping right into the swarm as his scythe danced through the air with deadly precision. Each swing was faster than the last, cutting through limbs, necks, and bodies as if they were nothing more than paper.
SWOOSH—!!
SLASH—!!
CRACK—!!
"…Is this a battle royale?" he said with a crooked smile, almost amused by the madness around him.
[ Oh? Look at you… trying to act cool. ]
The sudden voice echoed inside his head again.
Ren's expression twitched slightly.
"…You again."
[Of course. Did you miss me, ruthless zombie killer? ]
A zombie charged from his blind spot, its jaws wide open, ready to bite into his shoulder.
GRRRK—!!
Without even looking, Ren spun the scythe backward, the blade piercing straight through its skull mid-lunge.
CRACK—!!
"…Shut up," he muttered coldly, ripping the weapon out and kicking the corpse away.
[ Such hostility. I am merely here to provide… emotional support. ]
"…Keep talking, and I'll find a way to kill you too, you damn thing"
His voice carried irritation now, his movements becoming sharper, more aggressive as another group of zombies rushed toward him at once.
THUD—!! THUD—!!
Ren stepped forward instead of retreating, dragging the scythe behind him before swinging it upward with explosive force.
BOOM—!!
Three zombies were launched into the air, their bodies torn apart mid-motion as he followed up with another swing, spinning his body to maintain momentum.
SWOOSH—!!
SLASH—!!
Pieces of flesh scattered across the arena.
The ground was already soaked in blood.
Not far from him, a man stumbled backward, trembling as two zombies closed in on him from both sides.
"Someone help me—!!"
Ren glanced at him for a split second.
Then looked away.
…Not my problem.
CRUNCH—!!
The scream didn't last long.
[ Cold. I like it. ]
"…Shut up, you fucking thing. "First, you gave me this weird ability… not even a decent one."
Ren dashed forward again, his speed increasing as he carved a path through the horde, each step more precise, each movement more lethal than before. The heavy scythe that once seemed useless now moved like an extension of his body.
SWISH—!!
SLASH—!!
THUD—!!
[ Do not be like that. Don't you not like it too.
You should be thankful of me.]
"Thankful?" Ren let out a short laugh, sharp and cold. "Yeah… I'll thank you after I figure out how to kill you."
GHHHAAA—!!
A zombie lunged straight at his face—
SLICE—!!
Its head spun mid-air before crashing to the ground.
THUD—!!
"Shove that dream of yours up your ass."
[ Such vulgarity… and here I thought you were special. ]
"…Keep talking," Ren muttered, dragging the scythe through another zombie's body like it weighed nothing.
RIP—!!
[ I am the reason you're alive right now. ]
Ren's smile widened slightly, but his eyes held no humor.
"Wrong."
He stepped forward, spinning the scythe in a wide arc, cutting down everything in his path without slowing down.
SWOOSH—!!
CRACK—!!
"I'm alive because I'm better."
His breathing remained steady, but his eyes… they were changing.
Darker , sharper and more alive then before.
A zombie crawled toward him, half its body missing, still reaching—
"…Pathetic."
STAB—!!
Silence for a brief second around him—
Then more rushed in.
"...Now this is fun."
A zombie lunged straight at Ren, jaw hanging, rotten breath spilling out—
GHHHAAA—!!
Ren didn't even slow down.
"Don't you ever learn…?"
He stepped in and dragged the scythe upward in one brutal motion.
SLASH—!!
The head split open, half of it sliding off as blood burst outward.
SPLAT—!!
Another one grabbed his shoulder—
GRAB—!!
Ren clicked his tongue, annoyed.
"Get the hell off me."
RIP—!!
He tore its arm clean off and slammed the blade through its face.
CRACK—!!
[ Do you not wish to know the reason behind this epidemic? ]
Ren spun the scythe again, carving through two that rushed him from the front.
SWOOSH—!!
TEAR—!!
"…The reason behind this epidemic?" he scoffed. "Like I even care about this piece of shit, good-for-nothing world… or its shitty people."
A man nearby screamed as he got dragged down.
"HELP—!! PLEASE—!!"
CRUNCH—!!
Ren walked past him, totally unbothered.
"…They were dead the moment they stepped in."
[ Your indifference is… admirable. ]
"…Then stop yapping and watch."
Three zombies rushed him at once—
GGRRRAAAHHH—!!
Ren dashed forward instead of back, spinning the scythe wide.
BOOOOM—!!
Bodies exploded apart, ribs snapping, flesh tearing as pieces flew across the ground.
Blood splashed across his face.
He didn't react.
[ However… you should care. ]
"…Oh yeah?"
Another one jumped from behind—
GHHHAAA—!!
Ren ducked low and cut its legs clean off before stomping its head.
CRUSH—!!
"…Give me one damn reason."
[ Because of that girl. ]
Ren's movement slowed—
Just a fraction.
"…Careful what you say next."
More zombies closed in—
THUD—!! THUD—!!
[ The one affected by the antidote. ]
"…Say it clearly."
[ Lucia. ]
Silence.
Then—
BOOOOM—!!
Ren exploded charged straight into the horde, the scythe spinning violently, tearing through flesh, bone, and everything in between.
SLASH—!! SLASH—!! SLASH—!!
Spines snapped.
Blood sprayed like rain.
"…You really don't value your existence, do you?"
He grabbed a zombie head—
CRACK—!!
Smashed it down—
Again—
CRACK—!!
Again—
CRACK—!!
Until it stopped moving.
[ Do not misunderstand. I am on your side. ]
"…Yeah? Sounds like bullshit."
[ But no one can tell what might happen. The antidote… it's not permanent. ]
Ren stopped.
Not fully—but enough.
"…What did you just say?"
Another zombie rushed him—
GHHHAAA—!!
Without looking—
SLICE—!!
It split clean in half.
"…Repeat that."
[ The antidote sustaining her condition is unstable. ]
Ren's grip tightened around the scythe.
"…You talking about Lucia?"
[ Who else? The one you seem… excessively attached to. ]
"…Tch."
More zombies surrounded him—
Closer.Closer—
GGRRRAAAHHH—!!
Ren stepped forward anyway, cutting them down one by one, slower now—but every hit heavier.
SLASH—!!
THUD—!!
"…Stop circling and get to the point."
[ Very well. ]
A zombie lunged—
GHHHAAA—!!
Ren caught its head mid-air—
GRAB—!!
And crushed it like it was nothing.
CRUSH—!!
"…Just say what you want, you fucker."
For a moment—
Even the chaos felt distant.
Then—
[ I require only one thing. ]
Ren's eyes narrowed.
"…Yeah?"
A wave rushed him, not ten, not twenty, but a full wall of bodies piled over each other, broken limbs dragging, jaws snapping, fingers clawing like they wanted to rip his soul out.
THUD—!! THUD—!!
But he didn't move from his place yet.
"…Then spit it out."
GGRRRAAAHHH—!!
Ren exhaled slowly, his grip tightening on the scythe as his eyes turned cold with irritation. "…Annoying."
Then he moved, his foot crushing into the ground as his entire body twisted with force, dragging the scythe in one massive arc that tore through the air like death itself.
BOOOOOOOM—!!
One swing was all it took, the blade slicing across the entire wave in a single motion, cutting through flesh, bone, and everything in between without slowing down even for a second.
For a brief moment, everything froze, as if the world itself had stopped to process what just happened.
Then—
SPLAAAAAT—!!
Bodies separated all at once, torsos sliding off legs, heads dropping, upper halves collapsing as blood burst out in every direction, painting the ground red in an instant. Limbs scattered, organs spilled, and what once was a horde turned into nothing but a field of butchered remains.
Ren stood in the center of it, completely still, his breathing steady, his expression unchanged as if none of it even mattered.
"…Yeah. That's better."
A half-crushed corpse near his foot still twitched weakly, its remaining fingers dragging against the blood-soaked ground as it tried to crawl toward him.
"…You're still trying, huh."
CRUSH—!!
He brought his foot down without hesitation, smashing its head into paste, ending whatever remained of its existence.
Silence followed, heavy and suffocating, broken only by the slow dripping of blood from the scythe.
[ Just become stronger… and unravel the truth behind all this. Assist me in putting an end to this apocalypse. ]
Ren wiped the blood from his cheek with the back of his hand, his lips curling into a faint, mocking smile as his eyes narrowed slightly. "…Oh yeah? And who the hell are you to care about this shitty world, a typical hero from lost legend?"
[ We can discuss that trivial matter later. You should focus on what stands before you. ]
Ren frowned slightly, irritation flashing across his face as he shifted his gaze forward. "…What do you—"
His words stopped midway, his eyes locking onto something in the distance as his body went still for the first time since the fight began.
"…What the fuck…"