Zombie Domination-Chapter 67- Fierce Battle

In the facility, the air had turned thick with heat and tension.

Rayden braced himself as Seth lunged toward him, the pressure of his presence now scorching like a furnace. Rayden raised his arms to block but was forced to retreat, Seth’s body radiated heat so intense it warped the very air around him.

Boom!

From Seth’s back, several spheres of condensed energy launched toward Rayden. He dodged, barely, but the shockwaves still knocked him off his feet. Crashing to the ground, Rayden groaned and muttered, "Sheesh... any longer in that heat and I’m toast."

Seth didn’t give him time to recover. "Feel this, Rayden!" he shouted, surging forward with fiery speed.

But Rayden only smiled.

"Time to switch partners."

In a blur of shadows, Julian emerged from the side, intercepting Seth with a solid clash, his [Shadow] skill forming a barrier between them. Sparks and smoke exploded as Julian pushed back, giving Rayden just enough space to retreat across the field.

Now face-to-face with Giroth, Rayden hurled a flurry of energy orbs at the older swordsman. The glowing spheres darted through the air like wasps, but Giroth, ever composed, cleaved through them with elegant strikes. Each orb split and exploded mid-air before they could reach him.

Giroth chuckled as smoke curled around him. "A warm greeting from Captain Rayden... I do hope you’ll prove to be a worthy opponent."

Back across the field, Seth stood up again, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, but the blood dried instantly, evaporating from the heat pulsing off his body.

He clenched his fists. My life force... it’s draining faster than I expected. So this is the cost of power?

Before he could dwell on it, a sudden red light engulfed him and Giroth.

A burst of energy radiated through them.

Velma, still standing some distance away, had finally finished her incantation. "Hey, I’m done," she said with a smirk, her hands glowing crimson. "Don’t you dare lose before I get to watch you shine. [Crimson Oath]!"

In an instant, their wounds began to close, and their strength surged. Seth could feel the burn within him stabilize, the bleeding stopped, the pain dulled. He grinned. "Heh. Finally proving useful, huh, woman?"

Giroth adjusted his grip on his blade. "Time to end this, boy."

Rayden tilted his head with a crooked smile. "Oh boy. This is getting real fucked"

Julian narrowed his eyes, lightning beginning to arc around his arms. "I’ll take them. You support me from behind."

Rayden nodded once, stepping back. "Okay, partner. I’m right behind you."

Julian’s breath came out in short bursts as he faced the two enhanced enemies, his left arm still bloodied and bruised. The pain was sharp, but he kept moving, he had no time to care.

Seth lunged with a wicked grin. "Feel my energy, you bastard!"

Julian sidestepped, his boots skimming the cracked floor as Seth’s fist narrowly missed. But Giroth was already waiting, his katana arcing down like a crescent of death.

Clang!

Julian barely managed to block with his [Shadow], but the force numbed his already damaged arm. He retaliated with a swift strike to Giroth’s ribs, but something felt off, his strength wasn’t hitting as hard as before.

"Tch... that support woman," Julian muttered under his breath.

’She’s debuffing me...’

Behind him, Rayden noticed Giroth preparing for another deadly swing. Without hesitation, he leapt in and struck with a blast of compressed energy, forcing Giroth to retreat before his blade could find Julian’s neck.

"Don’t let up, Julian!" Rayden called out.

"I know," Julian replied, ducking low.

Seth returned with a full-charge punch, energy flickering wildly around his arm. He swung, Julian met it head-on, parrying with a grunt, then blasted lightning straight into Seth’s chest.

Crackling sparks filled the air.

But Seth grinned, absorbing the current into his body. "Thanks for the charge."

Julian cursed inwardly but didn’t hesitate. He slashed with katana, aiming for Seth’s shoulder, but Giroth darted in again from the side, his blade flashing toward Julian’s exposed flank.

Then—

Boom!

A sudden blast knocked Giroth off course.

Rayden stood firm, arm outstretched from his energy strike. "Go, Julian."

Julian nodded and spun toward Seth, who had just gathered enough energy to unleash another devastating wave.

Time slowed.

He could see the heat spiraling from Seth’s core, ready to detonate.

Then—

BANG!

Seth’s body twisted violently mid-charge, his attack veering off-target. He stumbled, shocked. "What the—?!"

Behind him, a soft voice echoed.

"Sorry I’m late."

Aya stepped from the shadows, rifle in hand, steam rising from the barrel.

Her eyes were fierce.

Julian pulled back swiftly, landing beside Aya who was crouched with her rifle still smoking. "Is it done?" he asked, eyes still scanning the area.

Aya nodded. "The gas launcher’s ready." Her voice was quiet but confident as she reached into her pouch. "And Clint asked me to give you these, he said to ’enjoy them’." freёweɓnovel_com

She handed over two small vials, glowing faintly, one deep red, the other pale green.

"Healing and strength boost," Rayden said with a grin, reaching out to take one. "Perfect timing. I’ll go help Julian up front."

Julian was about to take the second potion when his instincts flared.

Clang!

He brought up his [Shadow] just in time, blocking a sudden strike that sparked on impact. Heat radiated in waves.

"Tch." Seth stepped into view, steam rising from his arms. "You really think I’ll let you recover?"

Without hesitation, Julian snapped his fingers. Dark shadows surged from beneath Seth’s feet, wrapping around his legs. The oppressive heat from Seth’s body incinerated them in seconds, but the delay was enough.

Rayden and Julian downed the potions in one swift gulp.

Rayden exhaled sharply. "Now that’s refreshing."

Seth lunged, but Rayden was faster. His gloved fist smashed into Seth’s jaw, sending him staggering.

Seth wiped the blood from his lip, glaring. "What the hell—?!"

Rayden smirked, holding up a gloved hand. "Courtesy of our blacksmith."

"Thank you, Miss Aya," he added with a wink.

Meanwhile, Giroth wasn’t idle. With swift precision, he lunged at Julian. But Julian met him halfway, steel crashing against steel.

Sparks scattered with every blow.

Seth, still recovering, laughed. "You’re slow, old man."

Giroth scoffed. "Such impudence from a boy who reeks of smoke."

Their blades clashed again, Julian with his lightning-fast strikes, Giroth with textbook precision. A sudden shot rang out, Aya’s bullet, and Giroth barely dodged it. He stumbled for just a second.

Julian surged forward.

But a crimson glow burst in the air, magical energy. A red beam shot toward Julian, only to be intercepted by another bullet from Aya, tearing through the spell.

"Hey!" Velma’s voice rang across the field, sharp and irritated. "Don’t rush in like idiots, I’m doing my best to hold your buffs steady!"

Seth growled. "My bad. But now, give us the dual enchant. We need your support."

Velma snapped back. "You think that’s easy?!"

Bang!

A bullet screamed through the air toward Velma, too fast.

Giroth stepped in at the last second, slicing the bullet in two midair.

He looked at Aya and gave a breathless chuckle. "Such a terrifying woman..."

Velma’s eyes narrowed as another bullet whizzed past her cheek, the sound cracking like thunder in the enclosed space.

"You little bitch..." she hissed toward Aya, her voice trembling with rage. "Fine. Screw this, I’ll wipe all of you out."

Crimson light began swirling around her body like a vortex, flickering violently with magical energy. Her expression twisted into something unhinged.

"Hey, you two!" she snapped at Seth and Giroth. "Protect me properly, damn it!"

Seth smirked. "Now that’s more like it."

Julian, realizing Velma was preparing something dangerous, moved first. He surged forward in a blur of speed, blade in hand, eyes locked on her. But Giroth was faster. His katana met Julian’s blade with a deafening clang, steel against steel.

Before Julian could regain momentum, Seth appeared beside him like a flame and slammed his fist into Julian’s side, sending him flying backward across the floor.

Rayden was already charging a cluster of energy spheres in both hands. "Let’s see you laugh this off..."

He hurled the volatile orbs straight toward the trio. The glowing projectiles spun and streaked through the air. aimed to scatter and explode upon impact.

But Giroth stepped forward with eerie calm and drew in a deep breath. In one fluid motion, he unsheathed his blade fully and unleashed his ultimate technique.

"[Endless Bloom: Crescent Sever]!"

A wave of slashes erupted from his katana, precise and blinding. Each one met an incoming orb, and one by one, the spheres were split apart, neutralized without a single detonation.

Rayden clicked his tongue. "Damn... Old man’s cracked."

"Huhu..thank you for the compliment," Giroth said smoothly, before dashing forward like a phantom.

Julian was ready this time. He launched himself forward, meeting Giroth head-on once again.

Their blades collided in a dizzying dance of sparks and motion, but this time, Rayden was right behind Julian, working in perfect sync. A feint from Julian gave Rayden just enough room to strike Giroth cleanly across the side, sending a burst of kinetic force through his ribs.

Seth, seeing Giroth falter, rushed in to help, but a sharp crack echoed across the room. Aya’s sniper round slammed into the ground beside Seth, forcing him to throw up a heat barrier on instinct.

Julian took the opening and swung in from the side, but Giroth caught the blade just in time.

"Persistent..." Giroth muttered.

Rayden was already moving, another punch, charged with his skill, cracked across Giroth’s chest, pushing him back.

But then Seth roared, throwing a mass of molten energy straight at the two of them. It exploded between Julian and Rayden, sending both sliding back several feet, their boots skidding across the metal floor.

Smoke swirled in the air. From behind it, Velma’s voice rang out, thick with venom and rising power.

"You’re too late," she whispered with a twisted smile, her body now glowing like a living sigil. "Prepare to be erased."