Chapter 44 - 43: One Floor from Fire
"The upgrades are complete."
Leon’s system interface blazes with notifications as he slumps against the cracked wall. Blood dries on his lips, tasting of copper and violence. The text scrolls past his blurred vision in streams of blue light.
[WARRIOR ZOMBIE EVOLUTION: GENERAL TIER UNLOCKED]
[ASSASSIN ZOMBIE ADVANCEMENT: ELITE TIER UNLOCKED]
[NEW ABILITIES INTEGRATED]
His warrior zombie materializes beside him, but something has changed. The spectral armor gleams with fire now, flames dancing and gleaming along the edges without consuming the metal. The mantis blade radiates heat like a forge-fresh sword, orange light pulsing through crystalline veins.
Leon gives a tired smile despite the agony in his chest. Even in exhaustion, this upgrade might be the edge he needs for what comes next.
A deep gong reverberates through the guild hall. The sound carries weight beyond mere bronze and steel, it’s the emergency death gong that announces when someone of significance has fallen.
Leon stiffens. In ARES Guild, that alarm means only one thing. Matthias Virell is dead.