Surviving the Apocalypse as an All-Time Best Overpowered Necromancer - Chapter 75

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 75
75. New Changes (3)
“Let’s start by checking Burst Burn, then move through Fire, Fire Wall, and Flame Stream in order. I’d like to test basic attacks too, but we can do that later from up above.”
“Got it! I’ll start then. Burst Burn!”
Whoosh.
At the words that followed, Seo Hwa-rin nodded and stood before the door, activating her skill.
Immediately, dozens of large and small flames erupted across the road, and the zombies’ eyes snapped toward Seo Hwa-rin in unison.
The aggro had been drawn from the mere act of using the skill.
Click. Click.
In that instant, the Bone Shielders who had fallen back rushed toward the main gate and took their positions.
It was thanks to Lee Gang-hyuk giving the order the moment the zombies’ attention turned to her.
Along with that, Lee Gang-hyuk frowned, observing the zombies.
‘It seems their intelligence has increased along with their aggression and mobility.’
Before the notification appeared, the zombies had shown no reaction even when she used skills.
They simply…….
kept their eyes on the target directly in front of them, but now they switched targets immediately the moment the skill was cast.
As though prioritizing the elimination of a more threatening enemy.
When Lee Gang-hyuk, certain from this that the zombies’ intelligence had grown, looked at Seo Hwa-rin, she silently nodded as though sharing the same thought.
At the same time…….
she wondered how much stronger the flames hanging in the air had become due to the sword’s effect.
Whether she could establish herself as the team’s dealer.
Eager to know, she unleashed dozens of flames at the zombies all at once.
Whoosh.
Pop-pop-pop-pop.
As dozens of flames struck in succession, attacking the zombie,
suddenly, an enormous explosion erupted in a chain reaction.
Boom!
Bang-!
Each time a flame found its mark, the Marks and Signs that were the sword’s effect continuously generated and vanished, triggering explosions.
The explosions even carried splash damage, causing nearby zombies to stagger and reel from the impact.
‘Extraordinary.’
She had known Burst Burn synergized well with the sword, but not to this degree.
“Amazing.”
Clap clap clap.
While Lee Gang-hyuk marveled silently in shock, Seo A-rin clapped in amazement, and Seo Hwa-rin smiled.
“Then let me quickly test the next skill.”
Her expression was delighted, eyes widened even further—it was clear Seo Hwa-rin herself was quite startled.
Perhaps that’s why she seemed so excited.
Since they needed to check the other skills anyway, and she clearly enjoyed it, Lee Gang-hyuk watched silently without interruption.
But unfortunately, the other skills didn’t perform nearly as well as Burst Burn.
Fire could be cast repeatedly, making it easy to manage the Marks and Signs, but Fire Wall and Flame Stream only generated a single Mark and didn’t convert to a Sign.
“That’s disappointing. Since they deal continuous damage, I thought the effect would apply the same way……. It seems it only applies once.”
When Lee Gang-hyuk explained the cause in a reassuring tone, Seo Hwa-rin shrugged.
“But Burst Burn got stronger anyway. I’m satisfied with just that!”
Though it was difficult to measure exact combat power,
by her perception, it felt roughly three times stronger.
And since this was her assessment against four zombies, what if she’d unleashed it against dozens at once?
‘If my level went up further, it would be a calamity.’
Imagining Burst Burn used against scores of zombies, Seo A-rin clenched her fist.
“No matter how strong the zombies get, you’re even stronger, sister!”
“I concur.”
When Lee Gang-hyuk agreed with Seo A-rin, color bloomed across Seo Hwa-rin’s cheeks.
“I, it’s all because of the sword you made, Gang-hyuk. I just picked up the spoon at an already-set table…….”
“Saying it like that makes it sound like an award acceptance speech.”
“…….”
At his remark, her face flushed even deeper, as though it might burst any moment.
Then…….
“KUOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!”
“!!”
A loud cry echoed from outside the building.
Since it seemed to come from a distance, the three of them broke off mid-conversation and rushed toward the rooftop without hesitation.
Lee Gang-hyuk naturally fell behind, slowed by the zombies and skeletons,
and when he arrived at the rooftop a step late, Seo Hwa-rin and Seo A-rin were already pointing in one direction.
“G, Gang-hyuk, look at, at that.”
“Over there, that……. Above the Express Highway!”
“W, what on earth is that…….”
The moment he reached the rooftop, Lee Gang-hyuk shifted his gaze without time to catch his breath, and his words came out in stammers, his expression bewildered.
On the Express Highway, viewed from the height of a thirty-story building,
there stood a zombie of enormous size—on the very road he’d used not long ago to meet the Jungnang-gu Three.
Its size was estimated at four meters.
Perhaps even larger.
“KUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!”
Fortunately, the creature seemed not to have noticed the three of them, and it shrieked again before disappearing toward the tunnel.
When the massive, unidentifiable creature became impossible to track due to the apartment buildings obscuring the view, Seo Hwa-rin asked in bewilderment:
“That just now……. That was a Mutated Zombie, right?”
In response to her question, Lee Gang-hyuk stroked his chin briefly, then furrowed his brow as he spoke.
“It seems that since yesterday, additional Mutated Zombies have appeared. Perhaps this one we just saw, or perhaps it’s a specimen we hadn’t yet discovered.”
“That would mean…….”
“You don’t think there are more besides that one, do you?”
“There will be more. Or rather, it’s better to assume there are even if there aren’t. Since we can’t know when trouble might strike…….”
Lee Gang-hyuk spoke thus and gazed toward where the massive creature had vanished, then made a decision.
‘I should keep raising my handicraft skill.’
Increasing Charisma to multiply the zombies and skeletons wasn’t a bad option,
but to adapt to this rapidly changing world, raising Handicraft to perfectly extract the abilities embedded in Mutated Zombie Cores seemed far more beneficial than raising Charisma.
‘Especially if I’m to use that creature’s Core……. Handicraft is the only answer.’
Lee Gang-hyuk imagined crafting an item from the massive Mutated Zombie’s Core he’d just witnessed, and turned to Seo A-rin.
“Tell that person about the massive zombie we saw. I’ll notify the Jungnang-gu Alliance about the situation.”
“Ah, understood. I’ll contact them right away!”
* * *
“Brother, Lee Gang-hyuk reports that he sighted a massive Mutated Zombie estimated at four meters on the circular Express Highway.”
“Four meters?”
In the middle of a meeting concerning the notification that had appeared the day before,
Kim Tae-sik’s expression twisted upon receiving the message from Lee Gang-hyuk via Park Mu-jin.
The unexpected appearance of a Mutated Zombie was unwelcome, and sensing something unsettling in it, he asked Park Mu-jin:
“Is Lee Gang-hyuk safe?”
“Fortunately, the distance was great, so he didn’t directly encounter the entity.”
Only then reassured, Kim Tae-sik let out a sigh of relief before shaking his head.
“First a Wolf, now a massive Mutated Zombie……. The world is truly going mad.”
“The world’s been mad since six months ago, so what’s the point now…….”
It wasn’t a question seeking an answer, but Jang Man-ho muttered it as though responding.
When Park Mu-jin tried to silence him, Kim Tae-sik raised a hand to stop him, and laughed bitterly.
“Man-ho, you’re right. The world’s already gone mad.”
“Brother…….”
“Ugh.”
As Park Mu-jin and Jang Man-ho’s expressions stiffened, understanding the meaning behind his laughter, Kim Tae-sik shrugged as though to clear the air and continued.
“First, let’s assign tasks to the non-awakened as we discussed earlier, so they feel a sense of belonging. Whether awakened or not, we’re one community—keep emphasizing that.”
“Yes. I’ll convey this to each Shelter.”
“And what’s the situation on the Chungmuro side?”
“No response since then.”
Since the charging station explosion, Park Mu-jin had sent part of the Vanguard Strike Force to Chungmuro to monitor their movements.
But Chungmuro showed no reaction whatsoever.
As though they knew nothing of the explosion.
“It seems the explosion may not have been ordered by Hwang Gyeong-sik, but rather an impulsive act by raiders backed into a corner.”
“Hmm, but keep checking just in case.”
“Understood. May I leave first then?”
Park Mu-jin asked for permission, and Kim Tae-sik nodded before turning to Jang Man-ho.
“And Man-ho.”
“What is it?”
Sensing Kim Tae-sik had something to say to him, Park Mu-jin left wordlessly, and Jang Man-ho, caught off guard and feeling uneasy, answered curtly, prompting Kim Tae-sik to let out a small laugh before issuing his command.
“You take the awakened and go clean up the station. Take as long as you need. Until those who are unsettled have calmed down.”
“What……. Understood. Just don’t take too long, though. If this drags on, even the uninvolved might start complaining, which could be a real problem.”
Concerned that the awakened might grow resentful if he took too long trying to calm the panicked non-awakened, Jang Man-ho voiced his worry, and Kim Tae-sik nodded with a smile.
“It won’t take long.”
“Of course not—you’re my brother, after all.”
After Jang Man-ho said this and left, Kim Tae-sik alone let out a sigh and recalled the notification that had appeared the day before.
‘This isn’t the end. The zombies will only grow stronger. So we need to prepare for something, but……. I don’t know what or how.’
The calamity that began six months ago was not over.
The zombies’ evolution, the onset of infection, the emergence of new Mutated Zombies, and even notifications deliberately excluding the non-awakened.
Rather, it felt as though everything was just beginning, but unable to grasp what or how to prepare, he studied the unfolded map and thought of Lee Gang-hyuk.
‘Lee Gang-hyuk—what does he make of this situation right now?’
After a moment’s thought, he accessed the community and sent a message to Lee Gang-hyuk.
* * *
[It’s Kim Tae-sik. Are you available to talk right now?]
‘Suddenly?’
After a stretch of silence, he’d reported on the massive zombie and received contact—but not from Park Mu-jin as usual. It came directly from Kim Tae-sik himself.
Was it related to the massive zombie?
Or had they already finished clearing the station in the meantime?
Puzzled, Lee Gang-hyuk tilted his head and replied that he had time, and Kim Tae-sik’s message arrived immediately.
[Thank you for making time. I know you’re busy, so I’ll get to the point: regarding the notification from yesterday and what may unfold ahead, I’ve reached out because I’d like to hear your thoughts on how we should prepare.]
‘What may unfold ahead? I see.’
Upon reading the message, Lee Gang-hyuk realized that Kim Tae-sik was wrestling with the same concerns he was.
That the notification from yesterday wasn’t the end. That the zombies would grow stronger as time passed.
And it seemed he wanted to begin preparing now, aware that waiting until that moment came would already be too late.
Had it been the old Lee Gang-hyuk, he wouldn’t have bothered to answer. But after agreeing to cooperate with them at the summit of Bulamsan,
understanding the situation, he deliberated on how to respond to Kim Tae-sik’s question before sending his reply.

After he answered, there was a long silence. He seemed absorbed in thought, reading the message.
So while he continued with his tasks,
Kim Tae-sik sent a message expressing his gratitude, and Lee Gang-hyuk, without bothering to reply, continued with what he was doing.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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