【You need to work on your stamina!】

【You’re weaker than a child loved by the gods and that man with the cold winter smell!】

【Exercise! Exercise!】

【Ben needs to exercise!】

At the mischievous words of the spirits, Benedict plugged his ears.

I looked at that scene and chuckled, then turned around and screamed in horror.

“Guaaaaah……!”

Damn it. Just as I feared, zombies that couldn’t move were being used as stepping stones for others who were approaching us and had already reached near the entrance.

‘Impossible. How did they even think of that?’

The eerie sentence that appeared when numerous error windows popped up crossed my mind.

I wish they would all just die.

Swallowing hard, I ran again.

“Let’s run first.”

“Right.”

“Yes, let’s run!”

We ran without looking back.

And when the entrance had shrunk to a small dot in our view, I stopped and asked Benedict.

“Shoot an arrow for me! Attach this mini magic bomb to the arrow!”

Mini magic bomb.

It was a very small bomb I took from the arsenal of the Keaton Duke House before setting out on this journey.

Wondering what this was, I activated the skill ‘Sage’s Eye,’ and this was the result.

[Item: Mini Magic Bomb] [Origin: Matop] [Type: Custom-made R-Type / Discontinued] [Power: Causes a small explosion about the size of a palm] [Note: Developed to link with other small magic bombs.
Using it alone would only create a small firework, but when used with other magic bombs, it causes a massive explosion.
Detonates 5 seconds after pressing the button.
Sales of this type have been banned because it’s easy for children to handle or swallow.]

〈Aha……. I should carry this with a small bomb.〉

‘Applause for the me who brought this!’

Light as a feather, there was no hindrance in tying it to an arrow and shooting it.

The bow and arrow used by Benedict were crafted by fairy artisans using tough and sturdy wood only found in their homeland, which was lighter and more powerful than human-made bows.

When I handed over the mini magic bomb with a desperate look, the sulking Benedict hesitated for a moment and then tied it to an arrow.

“Is it a straight path from the entrance to here?”

“Yes!”

“Then there’s no problem shooting it.”

While being carried on Ashton’s shoulder, Benedict held his breath and put an arrow on the bowstring.

The mini magic bomb attached to the twilight-colored arrowhead gleamed sharply.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll activate the bomb now. Make sure it reaches the entrance within 5 seconds.”

“No problem at all.”

Confident with Benedict’s answer, I pressed the small button on the bomb.

“It’s done.”

From now on, 5 seconds.

“Shooting.”

4 seconds.

Bang!
When Benedict released the taut bowstring, the moment of the arrow’s flight seemed to slow down.

3 seconds, 2 seconds.

He hit the small mana bomb hanging above the corridor entrance.

Last 1 second.

Beep, beep-beep-beep…!

As one small mana bomb prepared to explode, the others also felt its influence and beeped in unison.

“What, aaaa…?”

The wave of approaching zombies seemed to sense something was wrong upon hearing the sound.

But by then it was already too late.

Boom!

A deafening explosion sounded, and a bright crimson flame obliterated the secret passage entrance, the room it connected to, and the throng of advancing zombies.

“Aaaah!”

Though we’d moved to a safe distance, the scalding heat still shocked us, and we began running again.

Bang, boom!

Even as we ran, we heard the sounds of other bombs going off, ensuring that the chain reaction was working.

Eventually, the sounds of explosions faded, and we ran to a point where we could no longer feel their heat. Silence ensued.

Adrenaline still pumping, I hesitated until Zero updated me.

“Now the search window is finally accessible. The entrance to the secret passage has been successfully destroyed. Due to the explosion, the building has completely collapsed, preventing any more from coming this way.”

‘…What about the zombies?’

“All were caught in the explosion. Those soulless bodies have been disintegrated; reviving them is not an option. I don’t know who was trying to disturb us and reverse the world’s course, but those mangled zombie bodies are beyond repair.”

‘What a relief…’

It wasn’t until I heard Zero’s confirmation that I relaxed.

My legs gave out, and I sank to the ground.

“Ha… Haha… It seems they’re all dead.”

“Is that true?”

Michael asked me. I nodded and even made an OK sign with my hand. Tears and laughter came simultaneously.

“We, we survived! Waaaaaah!”

“Why, why are you crying?”

Ashton, who had always been indifferent to his own death, awkwardly comforted me as I cried.

“Shii… I don’t know. Waaaaaah!”

“Don’t, don’t cry.”

“I want to cry! Waaaah! Who says I can’t!”

Upon my outburst, Ruth and Benedict muttered to themselves.

“If one were to go by voice alone, you’d think she’s a general…”

“Thought she was tough, but turns out she has a soft side too?”

“I heard that, you know? Waaaah.”

Inhaling the smoky smell left in the air after the explosion, I wept uncontrollably.

I survived.

And that fact brought me so much joy that I couldn’t stop crying.