The underground parking structure exploded into chaos the moment the crawler variants charged again. Their shrill screams echoed violently through the massive underground area while dozens of pale twisted bodies rushed through ceilings, walls, abandoned vehicles, and concrete pillars with horrifying speed. Flashlights shook across the darkness while gunfire illuminated the underground structure in brief flashes of blood and movement. Every shadow looked alive. Every sound felt dangerous. And standing in the center of that nightmare, the giant mutation leader watched silently without moving.

Smiling, That single expression disturbed everyone more than the monsters themselves.Because infected were not supposed to smile.

"LEFT SIDE!" Reina shouted while firing controlled bursts toward crawler variants sprinting through overturned vehicles nearby. Bullets pierced through several creatures instantly, but more replaced them seconds later. Their movements looked unnatural. Wrong. They climbed upside down across ceilings. Crawled across walls like insects. Twisted their bodies unnaturally while charging through darkness with terrifying speed.

Kaede moved calmly between concrete pillars while eliminating targets with terrifying precision. Every rifle shot hit perfectly despite the chaos surrounding her. One crawler variant leaped toward her from above only for Kaede to sidestep slightly before driving a combat knife directly through its skull without even turning fully toward it. Black blood splattered across the pillar behind her while her rifle immediately fired toward another moving target deeper inside the darkness.

Yuna laughed loudly while smashing one crawler directly into a concrete wall hard enough to crack both the creature and the pillar itself. "NOW this feels like a proper nightmare!" Another crawler lunged toward her from behind, but she spun instantly before crushing its spine midair with brutal force. Blood sprayed across her face while her grin widened dangerously. "COME ON THEN!"

Miyu remained near the center while rapidly analyzing enemy movement patterns through the system interface visible only to her. "They’re coordinating attacks," she warned sharply while stepping backward beside Arata. "The larger variant is controlling their movements."Arata already understood that.

The mutation leader never attacked randomly. Its glowing eyes constantly observed the battlefield while the crawler variants reacted according to subtle sounds and movements coming from it. It was commanding them deliberately.

That meant intelligence.Real intelligence.

The mutation leader suddenly opened its distorted mouth wider before releasing a deep growling sound across the underground structure.

Instantly the crawler variants changed tactics.

Several stopped charging directly and instead disappeared into surrounding darkness while others began circling the group from different directions. They were adapting. Learning.

Reina’s eyes narrowed sharply while reloading quickly. "...It’s testing us."

Then suddenly—The lights went out.

Complete darkness swallowed the underground structure after something destroyed the remaining emergency power system nearby.

For one horrifying second nobody could see anything.

Then screaming erupted from the rear defensive line.

One of the soldiers cried out violently before gunfire exploded wildly somewhere inside the darkness. Flashlights flickered desperately while crawler variants moved between shadows too quickly to track properly.

"STAY TOGETHER!" Reina shouted immediately.

A crawler suddenly appeared directly above Miyu, but Arata intercepted instantly. His blade flashed upward through darkness before black blood sprayed across the floor beside them.

[Host Combat Synchronization Increased]

[Fear Resistance Activating]

[Sensory Processing Enhanced]

[Adrenal Response Stabilized]

The blue screen vanished instantly, Arata’s breathing slowed slightly.

Everything around him suddenly felt clearer.

He could hear the crawler variants moving through darkness more precisely now. Claws scraping against concrete. Twisted breathing. Heartbeats from frightened survivors nearby. Even subtle movements in the air itself.

Another crawler rushed from the side, Dead.

Another from above, Dead. Another from behind, Dead.

But there were too many.The mutation leader suddenly moved for the first time.

Its enormous body crossed the underground structure with terrifying speed before smashing directly through several abandoned vehicles toward the group. Concrete shattered beneath its feet while multiple distorted arms stretched outward unnaturally.

"MOVE!" Arata shouted instantly.

Everyone scattered moments before the creature crashed into their previous position hard enough to shake the entire underground level. Cars flipped sideways from the impact while broken concrete exploded across the floor violently.

The monster roared loudly while glowing eyes locked directly onto Arata.

Then—It spoke again.

"...Different..."

Its voice sounded distorted. Broken. Almost human yet completely wrong at the same time.

Yuna’s grin disappeared slightly. "...Nope. I officially hate intelligent zombies."

The mutation leader charged again directly toward Arata.

Its massive arm swung downward with overwhelming force, but Arata dodged sideways instantly before slashing across the creature’s torso. Sparks exploded instead of blood.

Armor-like flesh.The blade barely penetrated.

The creature retaliated immediately using another arm extending from its side. Arata blocked partially, but the sheer force launched him backward across the underground structure before crashing through a concrete pillar hard enough to crack it completely.

"ARATA!" Reina shouted.

Dust filled the air around him while pain shot through his arms from the impact. The mutation leader moved again before he fully recovered.

Then suddenly—Yuna intercepted.

Her metal bat slammed directly against the creature’s side with explosive force while Reina opened fire simultaneously toward its glowing eyes. The mutation leader staggered backward slightly before roaring furiously.

"HEY UGLY!" Yuna shouted while spinning her bat aggressively despite blood running down her forehead now. "Fight someone crazier!"

The creature actually turned toward her, Almost curious, Then it attacked instantly.

Yuna barely blocked the first strike before getting thrown violently across the underground structure. She crashed through the windshield of an abandoned car while glass exploded everywhere around her.

For one second she remained still.Then suddenly—She laughed.

"...Okay," she muttered while climbing back out slowly covered in blood and broken glass. "That actually hurt."

Crawler variants immediately rushed toward her position from surrounding darkness.Too many.

Before they reached her, Kaede’s rifle echoed repeatedly through the underground structure. Every bullet pierced directly through crawler skulls one after another while Reina moved beside Yuna to provide covering fire.

"Still alive?" Reina asked calmly while firing.

Yuna wiped blood from her face while grinning again. "Unfortunately."

Meanwhile Arata slowly stood again while staring toward the mutation leader.

The system screen appeared once more.

[Critical Threat Analysis Complete]

[Mutation Leader Possesses Incomplete Evolution Intelligence]

[Primary Weakness Located In Upper Chest Region]

[Recommendation: Close-Range Destruction Required]

[Warning: Mutation Leader Attempting Adaptive Resonance]

Adaptive resonance?Arata frowned slightly.

The mutation leader suddenly smiled again while staring directly toward him.

"...Strong..." it repeated slowly. Then surprisingly—The crawler variants retreated backward simultaneously.

Every single one.The underground structure became quiet except for dripping water, heavy breathing, and distant metallic creaking echoing through darkness.

The mutation leader stepped forward slowly, Not attacking, Watching, Studying.

"...Why is it stopping?" Reina whispered carefully.Miyu’s expression darkened slightly while checking the system interface. "...It’s evaluating him."

Arata understood instantly, The creature no longer viewed them as prey.

It viewed them as something else.Then the mutation leader spoke again in its distorted broken voice.

"...Join..."Everyone froze completely.Yuna blinked slowly. "...Did the zombie just recruit us?"

The mutation leader ignored everyone except Arata.Its glowing eyes remained locked entirely onto him now.

"...Become...more..."The atmosphere suddenly became horrifyingly heavy.

Because deep down—Everyone felt something terrifying.The creature wasn’t speaking randomly.It understood evolution.

Growth, Change.And somehow—It recognized something inside Arata similar to itself.

The system suddenly exploded across Arata’s vision violently.

[WARNING]

[Mutation Leader Resonating With Host Adaptation System]

[Unknown Synchronization Detected]

[Potential Evolution Path Conflict Identified]

[Recommendation: Immediate Elimination]

Arata’s eyes sharpened instantly, Connection?What connection?

Before he could think further, the mutation leader suddenly roared violently before charging directly toward him at full speed. The underground floor shattered beneath its movement while surrounding vehicles flipped aside from pure force.

Arata moved simultaneously.

Both collided near the center of the underground structure while shockwaves echoed violently through nearby pillars and abandoned cars. Arata’s blade pierced deeply into the creature’s arm while multiple distorted limbs wrapped around him instantly trying to crush him through overwhelming strength.

The monster’s glowing eyes stared directly into his face from only inches away.

And suddenly—Arata heard something Inside his head.Hunger, Violence, Evolution.

Countless distorted emotions flooded violently through his mind for one horrifying second. Images flashed rapidly across his thoughts. Endless infected devouring humans. Mutated creatures hunting through ruined cities. Towers collapsing. Blood everywhere.

And beneath all of it—A terrifying instinct, Grow stronger, Consume, Evolve.

The system screen exploded violently across his vision again.

[Mental Interference Detected]

[Fear Resistance Activated]

[Synchronization Stability Threatened]

[Emergency Psychological Protection Engaged]

Arata roared before driving his blade deeper directly toward the creature’s upper chest.

The mutation leader screamed violently.

Black blood exploded across both bodies.

"NOW!" Arata shouted.

Reina and Kaede fired simultaneously toward the exposed wound while Yuna charged from the side before slamming her bat directly into the damaged chest area with overwhelming force.

Something cracked loudly.The mutation leader staggered backward roaring in pain while black blood poured endlessly from the opening in its chest.

Then Arata moved again.Faster than before.

His blade pierced completely through the creature’s upper chest directly into the glowing core hidden beneath mutated flesh.

Silence hit instantly.The mutation leader froze completely.

Its glowing eyes widened slightly while black blood continued pouring from its body.

Then slowly—Its enormous body collapsed heavily against the underground floor.

Dead, Completely dead, For several long seconds nobody moved, Nobody spoke.

Everyone simply stared at the corpse.

Then suddenly—Every remaining crawler variant screamed together from the surrounding darkness, And fled deeper beneath the tower.