June noticed the mist behind them. It wasn’t difficult to discern that something had happened to the rearguard.
If it were another grade-4 zombie, then there was no point in wondering about the zealots. They’d perish even if others tried to help them.
Instead, it was better to focus on the monstrosity in front. Its form invoked fear, even among the enforcers.
No, it’s more like worry.
Even if just one of them made it to the teleportation circle, it would be their victory. It should have been easy, considering there was only one zombie stopping them.
Yet, none of them stepped ahead.
Not out of fear, but caution.
Why was there a single zombie there? Was it a trap or Blaze’s negligence?
From what they had seen, Blaze wasn’t one to make such decisions. He must have something going on in his mind. Perhaps it was another attempt to toy with their emotions. To show them a way out, only to snatch it away.
While she was lost in her thoughts, she noticed the rain had stopped.
She looked around in confusion. It looked like the rain had stopped just over her, as everywhere else was drenched in the rotten rain.
Johnny yelled as everyone turned towards her.
Breaker had disappeared, leaving two muddy holes where its feet had been.
As for the rain, it hadn’t stopped at all. The zombie’s massive figure was blocking all the rain as it was in the air, preparing to stomp her.
Without her powers, June’s instincts kicked in as she jumped to the side, rolling in mud.
She dodged the attack, but those behind weren’t so lucky. They couldn’t move away in time.
Breaker hit the ground with a loud bang. A wave of mud mixed with flesh and fresh blood spread everywhere.
Half of the zealots were taken down in one attack.
One of their heads landed right in front of the healers. It stared into their eyes as if mocking them.
What good were they if everyone died before they could use their abilities?
Those who survived were in a much worse state. Muffled screams rang out through the grassy forest as they lay there with their broken bones and mangled bodies.
That’s all it took to not only ruin their formation but also their will.
"Don’t waste time!" June yelled, nocking an arrow in her crossbow. "Those who can fight, stay and fight! Everyone else, run!"
June urged them to fight to distract the monster. Yet she herself wasn’t fit to fight.
Yes, she survived the attack, but she was the closest to where Breaker landed. The aftershock of his landing had rattled her bones.
Her hands were shaking crazily. She couldn’t even aim properly at the giant zombie despite its size.
"...this is it, huh?" she mumbled, smiling pitifully.
At the same time, people began running past her. They had been eager to escape, and now that June had given them a way out, they weren’t going to miss it.
At first, only the cowards and the injured tried to escape, but after seeing them, even those who wanted to fight lost their will.
In their minds, why should they sacrifice themselves to protect the weak?
As long as they made it back to the cult, they could spin any story, and the elders would believe them. Even if their lies were discovered and they were punished, surviving mattered the most.
Just like that, the so-called unity and the idea that killing the undead was more important than survival collapsed in an instant.
Breaker ignored everyone else, even as they ran right next to it and set its eyes on June.
From the moment it tried to stomp her, everyone knew she was the target.
Yet, no one knew why.
It probably had something to do with her teleportation ability.
It doesn’t make any sense. They have already interfered with her ability, so why are they so desperate to eliminate her?
Johnny thought as he rushed to June’s aid. Suddenly, it hit him.
"Everyone protect June!" he yelled.
Those who wanted to flee didn’t stop. Unfortunately for them, Johnny wasn’t joking around.
Instead of attacking Breaker, he grabbed a zealot by the face, burning it to a crisp.
"Either that zombie will kill you, or I will," he roared, and his entire body burst into flames.
The zealots turned around, looked at Breaker, and then back at Johnny. They had feared Johnny ever since joining the cult. Yet, he didn’t seem as scary as the zombie behind them.
"You can’t kill all of us," someone yelled. "But that thing can!"
Desperation fueled their fear as they ran away. Johnny grabbed a couple, but it wasn’t nearly enough to stop everyone.
"You bastards! Get back here and fight!"
No one listened to him as they rushed towards the teleportation circle.
However, June was confused by Johnny’s order.
Why did he want to protect her?
They should focus on running away now that the giant was focused on her! But before she could instruct otherwise, blinding light surrounded Breaker.
Under Girl’s lead, the healers were bombarding the creature with their abilities.
June could smell the sizzling, rotten flesh. The chitin plates around Breaker’s body were reflecting some of it, but they didn’t provide complete protection.
Breaker roared in pain and anger. It turned to the healers, preparing to crush them. But then, someone hit it from behind.
Johnny was hitting Breaker with his flaming fists. However, his punches weren’t effective, to say the least.
The chitin plates offered the zombie immunity from flames, and Johnny’s strength just wasn’t enough to crack the plates and burn the interior.
Breaker curled his fingers and punched Johnny back. The latter was flung away in a single punch, and hit June as his flames went out from the blow.
The two rolled in the mud before coming to a stop. Even during the fall, Johnny had protected June, wrapping her arms around her.
"You moron! Why didn’t you leave?" she yelled.
"It’s... no use..." Johnny replied, gritting his teeth to suppress the pain.
Before he could say anything, panicked screams erupted from further ahead. Those who had defied Johnny’s orders and tried to escape stood there, banging their bodies against something.
June squinted her eyes and saw the thing blocking their way out.
It was a massive wall of corpses.