Zombies Apocalypse: Too Late To Run!

Chapter 7: Classification Of Essence And Advancement.

"Hubert, come down here..."

Only at this moment did Hubert take a moment to look at himself, having transformed with both a tail and a cat's claws and had even scampered up onto the canvas to hide. He knew that cats' instinct to run away was phenomenal, but he hadn't expected it to be to this extent. How embarrassing!

After an awkward period of hesitation, Hubert finally decided to jump down, and Jacob wrapped him in a protective embrace. Ahead, Enda and Gideon were constantly unleashing their abilities to chase after the undead that had just activated its powers. The strange thing was that this undead entity seemed to phase in and out of visibility as if it had some cloaking technique, making it impossible for Enda's lightning to hit. How it utilized its power suggested it had already been promoted to level two or was at the peak of level one. Zombies rank faster than power users, but their strength is explosive and difficult to maintain for a long time. Given the energy pool that Gideon provides, it should be over soon.

Hubert pondered silently, but he had never seen this kind of power in any ancient book. It seemed to be a variant of wind-based abilities, manipulating the self by leveraging the wind and air. While his understanding was not comprehensive, he did know quite a bit about understanding these tactics. Generally speaking, wind abilities are adaptable variations with relatively high adaptability. They can be damaging, supportive, or controlling depending on the individual's power generation mechanism.

"Finally brought it down."

Enda breathed a sigh of relief as he retracted his power. The undead, after phasing in and out for a while, finally succumbed as its energy got depleted. Like a fish on a chopping block, it was struck by Enda's lightning control at the brain center, bursting its head open like crushed bones.

"This is just the beginning. As the undead get higher ranks, their energy production will increase. They can prolong the battles, and it will be hard for us to take them down quickly."

Hubert's words silenced everyone. The low-ranked undead had already caused them challenges to control, let alone when their strength became even more extraordinary, making it harder to handle.

"What's that?"

Everyone followed Caradoc's pointing hand. Inside the skull of the recent undead, a ring of green light ascended. Hubert recognized it, similar to the white circle that transformed him into a cat.

"It's a transformation power. Quickly absorb it."

Jacob looked at Hubert, indicating him to go, but he couldn't get past the climbing net, and many zombies were still waiting to get close. This time Caradoc didn't hesitate to launch a climbing rope from his hand, pushing the nucleus and the white smoke ring toward them, reaching Gideon.

"Absorb them."

"For me?"

"Yes, for you... consider it a gift, and work with me more in the future."

Caradoc winked, his mouth curling into a sly yet endearing smile that momentarily stupefied Gideon. If Caradoc were a girl, he would have fallen in love instantly. Hubert, unable to bear the sight of this camaraderie, grimaced and turned away, to which Jacob perceived his jealousy and whispered,

"Every power node I find in the future, I'll give to you."

Hubert laughed heartily, landing a playful punch on Jacob's chest.

"Remember that."

"I won't forget."

Hubert nodded and turned his attention back to Gideon, who had begun to absorb the power node and the transformation ring. Since it was a low level, the absorption process occurred relatively safely. In the future, higher-level absorptions or promotions would require a protector, as interruptions during absorption or promotion could lead to power backlash, with a high fatality risk.

After absorbing the power node, Gideon instantaneously transformed into a level one air-tier ability user, his eyes gradually shifting to a pale yellow. The white transformation ring entered his body and instantly made him feel light as a feather. With a simple hop, he was up, touching the ceiling.

"Bro, can you fly now?"

"I feel significantly lighter, and my feet are like springs. A little hop and I'm airborne. But it's a little difficult to control... Haha... I can't come down!"

Gideon laughed cheerfully, his head nearly touching the ceiling and seemingly unable to descend. Caradoc promptly launched a climbing rope around his waist and pulled him down. Hubert came over to examine; beneath Gideon's feet was a faintly flickering green light, much like fog, apparently causing his ascension.

Hubert tried to touch the mist beneath Gideon's feet but to no avail. This power system was truly optimal for a support-type ability user like Gideon, allowing him to escape in dire situations. Typically, support-type ability users are targeted first in battles, and an ability user that can provide such a massive amount of energy becomes an instant kill target on the battlefield.

However, it all depends on the specifics of each battle. If the most damaging ability user is taken down first, the support ability user won't last much longer, hence the need for team battles. Currently, Hubert's team includes Enda, a thunder-tier attacker, and Jacob, a fire-tier pure attacker. However, their damage output isn't considered high, and their long-range attacks are somewhat weakened. Although Gideon appears to be an ideal support, providing energy rather than boosting or reducing damage for allies and being unable to heal wounds, prolonged combat could ultimately exhaust his power. Caradoc, being the most stable in control, still needs to optimize his abilities through research. Yet, his paralyzing venom holds great potential.

In all likelihood, the trio of Enda, Gideon, and Caradoc may not wish to team up with him, leaving Jacob as his most probable partner. Hubert subtly glanced at Jacob, observing that he was earnestly looking back. The corner of Jacob's eyes crinkled as if he was smiling, his kind and mature demeanor persuading Hubert to collaborate. Hubert's cat tail, yet to be retracted, swayed happily.

"You know... how to amuse people.” Jacob commented.

He reached out to grab Hubert's cat tail, a sensitive area for cats, which led to Hubert yowling in protest. Then, Hubert turned to Gideon and proposed a plan:

"First, you and the others ascend and get the civilians above to evacuate. In city S, the dense population poses risks if they stay. Lead them to the outskirts of town C for temporary refuge. Along the way, rescue anyone you can. We will meet at the outskirts of town C in a few days. Jacob and I will be searching for my father in the nearby area and looking for other special ability users and civilians."

"But why are we splitting up so hastily? Is it safe?" Enda finally voiced his concerns, sensing Hubert was anxious to disperse the group immediately. Hubert promptly responded:

"Moving together would only attract the attention of the undead. Furthermore, we cannot involve civilians in our search. You and Gideon are experienced, thus capable of protecting them more efficiently. Jacob and I will search for my father and my other relatives. I can't endanger them by bringing everyone into dangerous situations."

"No worries, we're not concerned.” they replied.

Yet Hubert was, and he could not afford to slow down their pace. He shook his head: “While searching for my father, rescue efforts may be delayed. Personal matters should not interfere with our duties."

Gideon, finding Hubert's words reasonable, nodded in agreement: “Fair enough. But don't recklessly put yourself in danger. If you can't find him within two days, stop searching and come to the outskirts to meet me."

"Understood.” Hubert nodded and grabbed Jacob's hand: “Then Jacob and I will go ahead."

Hubert hurriedly pulled Jacob along, their companions likely noticing his worry. However, as soon as they had ascended the staircase and left the corridor, Hubert pulled Jacob into a nearby staff resting room without hesitation. He placed his hands on Jacob's and uttered:

"I feel a surge in energy. Help me."

Hubert's decision to split the group was no coincidence. He sensed a fluctuation in his energy levels, signaling a potential level-up.

...

After an indeterminate amount of time, Hubert and Jacob finally finished their dual cultivation. Hubert sat cross-legged, resembling the meditative pose often seen in martial arts films. As he circulated the energy within his body, he realized he was on the brink of a breakthrough. However, this was promising. A breakthrough required additional energy cores. To expedite the process, he could cultivate with Jacob, but such measures couldn't be overused. Overusing quick level-ups could result in his weakness.

While lost in thought, a sudden burst of orange-red light emitted from Jacob’s body startled Hubert. Jacob was undergoing an advancement to the first level. As it’s usually smooth to transition between the first and second levels for gifted individuals, no magic rituals are required. Hubert observed as Jacob closed his eyes, an orange-red glow dancing around him, seemingly permeating his body.

After about ten minutes, the glow began to fade and eventually disappeared. As Jacob opened his eyes and saw Hubert’s intent gaze, he couldn’t help but smile.

“You’ve advanced to the first level.”

“I noticed. How do you feel? Do you sense a more significant power within you?”

Jacob nodded, lifting a hand. The flame that once burned a pure red had now darkened, faintly lined with black within its core. He remarked: “I feel that my fire can now reach temperatures of up to 800 degrees Celsius.”

Hubert nodded approvingly. While 800 degrees Celsius wasn’t an impressive figure, it was still remarkable for someone who had just advanced to the first level like Jacob. After contemplating, he asked: “What about your ability level?”

“It’s still at zero. No advancement yet. I suspect it will need energy crystals and further cultivation.”

“I figured as much. But it’s good that your gifted individual level advanced first. If too much energy is directed toward the ability level, it can lead to problems during advancement. Although the ability level can automatically advance, if the gifted individual level hasn’t reached the necessary stage, the ability level will stagnate.”

Jacob remained silent, staring at Hubert as he continued to explain. He tried to keep it simple so Jacob could understand.

“In short, it works like this. The gifted individual level is the total energy that sustains your body, while the ability level is the external energy that the body absorbs and metabolizes into strength. For instance, if your ability level is at the peak of level two, also known as the ultimate second level, you can’t advance to the third level if your gifted individual level is still at the peak of level two. That’s why the gifted individual level needs the most cultivation and supplementation.”

“So, what’s the fastest way to advance the gifted individual level?”

“I’m not sure about the fastest way, but meditating and channeling energy is the slowest method, as it requires self-generated and stored energy. In an ancient book of the Wang family, I read that killing gifted individuals and absorbing their energy can be faster. However, this is only possible with individuals of the same system. However, there’s a riskier method—killing zombies and harvesting their energy crystals. Upon death, a zombie’s entire energy concentrates in its energy crystal. Absorbing such a crystal supplement both the gifted individual and ability levels.”

Jacob gave an acknowledging nod. He was privy to all these matters. His predecessor, a superior supernatural being, had left behind detailed records that Jacob had thoroughly studied. However, it was imperative not to reveal too much in front of Hubert, lest it arouses his suspicion. An idea struck Jacob, and he voiced it out:

“Whatever happened to the core we extracted from that undead creature? It’s a metal-element crystal. You should absorb it quickly.”

Jacob’s recall of this matter took Hubert by surprise. He had utterly dismissed it from his mind. He reached into his pocket, in actuality, surreptitiously venturing into another dimension to retrieve the core. The core, resembling a multifaceted glass bead, emanated a weak yellow light. Holding the catch close to his chest, Hubert began to channel his energy, dissolving it gradually before assimilating it into his body. As soon as the treasure infiltrated his body, it ceased to glow. However, Hubert could unmistakably feel an immense surge of energy swirling within him, threatening to burst out any second.

Hubert had never experienced anything like this before, but he was confident his supernatural powers were at their peak. If he didn’t upgrade his phenomenal level soon, he was doomed. The feeling was akin to being overfed, a sensation of imminent regurgitation. Jacob’s worry intensified as he noted Hubert’s pallor. Grasping Hubert’s shoulders, he wiped the sweat off his face, his voice stammering:

“Hubert! What’s wrong with you? What happened?”

Too weak to explain in detail, Hubert placed his hands over Jacob’s.

“Hurry, help me level up!”

Jacob was clueless about the unfolding scenario but chose to comply with Hubert’s request. He started channeling his energy automatically to practice alongside Jacob. Only then did Hubert exhale lightly, waiting for the energy storm within him to stabilize.

In addition to his internal energy, Hubert could sense Jacob’s progression to an intermediate level. The few practice sessions were enough for him to realize that this was a symbiotic relationship, beneficial to both parties. It wasn’t just Hubert who was leveling up; anyone involved with him would also gain an energy supplement. Furthermore, they seemed to be progressing faster than Hubert. He continued to rest against Jacob, waiting for the energy within him to disperse before he could sit upright.

At this point, Hubert unleashed his gold-element powers. Now, he was capable of creating complex weapons. While it previously took a significant amount of energy to conjure three finger-length spikes, he felt he could produce dozens at the same time now. In Hubert’s control, the energy swirled and coalesced into a sound resembling a metal alloy, a faint yellow light flashing for a moment before disappearing. The new supernatural level that was just activated successfully ascended to the first level, one level higher than the higher metaphysical level. If that’s the case, he would have to focus on upgrading the phenomenal level more. However, he shouldn’t practice more with Jacob as it was too draining.

He cast a surreptitious glance at him, promptly detected by the sharp-eyed man.

“Have you ascended a level?” He asked.

“Yes. But at a slower pace than you.”

“Not much difference, anyway. Besides, your supernatural abilities are much stronger than mine.”

Hubert shook his head. Although his powers were more diverse, his metal-element ability was the only one that had risen to level one. It couldn’t compete with Jacob’s fire element regarding raw power since his abilities usually excelled in surprise attacks but were easily countered in direct combat.

Before he could elaborate further, a growing tumult outside their room interrupted him. The cacophony of chaotic footfalls could only mean one thing: the undead had broken through Caradoc’s climbing net. It seemed their recent practice session, coupled with the wafting scent of their sweat, had lured the creatures to them.

“They are almost here. We need to run. We are no match for them now!”