While, Cecelia tightened the encirclement around the area, 4 women unaware of what was happening were moving leisurely while killing zombies.
Karen who was the strongest amongst them crippled a Stage 1 zombie, while waving her spear covered in bright orange-red flames.
" Mrs Anderson, kill it fast! " She yelled loudly at a woman who looked to be in her late twenties.
" Yes. Thank you Karen! " The woman who was called Mrs Anderson quickly closed in.
While clumsily holding her sword, she plunged it down into the zombie's head.
" Mrs Anderson! Use flames! " Karen yelled again, seeing that Mrs Anderson's sword hadn't been able to pierce through the head.
" Y-Yeah, " Mrs Anderson quickly nodded, as flame erupted from her sword and finally it pierced the head of the zombie.
Karen seeing it work, nodded at her, " Well done Mrs Anderson. "
Mrs Anderson smiled with embarrassment, she really had no talent when it came to fights, and due to some traumatic incidence she had experienced at young age, she was also very prone to fear of blood and gory.
Even now, she had only barely managed to control herself from trembling while killing the zombie.
" Karen, you don't need to call me Mrs Anderson all the time. Just call me aunt May, " May Anderson smiled at Karen wryly.
She then looked at other two women as well, " You two as well. No need to be tense around me. Rather you all are good children. "
Other women and Karen hesitated for a moment, but then smiled with embarrassment, " Okay aunt May. "
" That's better, " May smiled happily as well.
One might actually feel surprised by this situation, as May actually looked only slightly older than Karen, making one wonder why these women were so respectful to her.
Karen who was so stronger than her, also had a lot more cheerful aura around her, besides that her face was very charming, beautiful and filled with Innocence of a young lady of respected house.
But...
Karen knew, they had to act respectful, because May even though looked like in her mid twenties was actually a woman in her mid fifties.
Most important thing was that, she was also the mother of their husband.
So, by relationships they were her daughter-in-laws.
Mother-in-law could be despised, but never one dared to curse her in face.
Besides, May was also a gentle woman with nothing to talk negative about.
She was just slightly clumpsy and slow in uptake, making Karen muse, ' Her nutrition must have all gone into those mountains. '
Karen sighed looking at her own pitiful chest.
After sleeping with her husband Daniel Anderson, a Player from another World, she had become more beautiful. But, her chest had remained pitifully small.
" Why... " Karen subconsciously sighed.
" Are you alright Karen? "
" I'm fine aunt May. Let's find some more zombies for you to level up. "
" I'm really sorry to trouble you. You all have already reached level cap and instead of training yourselves. Now you're stuck with me, " May said dejected.
But, Karen shook her head, " That's not it at all, auntie. I'm rather very happy to help you. After all, you are... You know... "
Seeing Karen's slightly embarrassed expression, May smiled and held her hand, " Hehe. Don't worry. I'll only speak good things to Daniel. After all who doesn't like a obedient and beautiful daughter like you?"
" R-Really? "
" Yes. My son Daniel... He might try to hide it. But, how can he hide it from his mother? you and your sister are definitely the ones he likes the most amongst all other girls. "
" I-I see, " Karen's face turned red.
The current situation felt to her as if she was being accepted by her mother-in-law and this brought her great joy.
' Daniel... I already want to go back and be hugged by him... '
" Yeah. It's just that, you need to eat lot of fruits. See, you're so small. I don't want my grandson to go hungry, " May said so while pushing her own breasts out, making Karen her blush again.
" Aunt May~ "
" Okay. Okay. Don't cry. I'm just teasing you hehe. "
Atmosphere turned comfortable as the two woman, both attractive in their own ways chatted happily while holding hands.
But, then one of the other two girls briefly said, " Somewhy, there are not many zombies around here today... "
" Yeah. Last time, I had to actually fight a Stage 2 Crusher here. "
Karen who was busy with talking suddenly noticed this as well.
The silence which was always there, at this moment was especially thick and suffocating.
It was as if she was into the jaws of the danger, and only had a single moment to pull out her neck.
And as she looked around her black pupils turned sparking red for a moment and her whole body became stern.
May who was nearest to her felt the change, " Karen? "
Karen didn't answer, she said to two other women, " Take aunt May back to Daniel. "
" What are you saying Karen? " One of the woman was shocked by Karen's words.
" Shut up and do as I say! " Karen yelled and the woman couldn't help but nod, understanding that something serious had happened.
But, just then the sound of footsteps echoed from all sides.
Karen's eyes narrowed dangerously, as she felt suffocated.
They were already surrounded!
Many black armored people appeared from all directions.
They were everywhere!
Karen could easily count at least 40 of them.
' There must be more... But, numbers aren't the real problem. '
Karen felt terrified not of numbers.
With the new ability Daniel had unlocked, her offense was already at the level of early Stage 2 human.
She felt terrified of the weapons the black armored people were holding.
" Guns... They have guns, " Aunt May was the first one to become nervous, as her face crumbled into worry.
" I'll hold them back, " Karen calmly said, as she held her spear.
She gently tapped it, and a flame erupted on it surrounding the spear to the hilt.
But, the fire didn't harm Karen.
" Become one with fire, " With a single line she jumped high.
With her stats at Level 19, she could already jump to 10 feets easily.
And as she swirled the spear she was holding around her head, a massive wave of fire formed.
The ring of fire bent to her will, as it turned into the shape of butterfly wings.
" Release! " With another word, hundreds of small fireballs were thrown all around at the black armored people.
Sure enough this made those people panic slightly, but they easily dodged the slow fireballs to the side.
But, just then they noticed that those were not fireballs but tiny butterflies which kept chasing them.
And when they landed
Boom!
The chaos erupted around the lines, as Karen came down.
Her face was slightly pale, and the butterfly wings had disappeared.
" Karen, Are you alright? "
" Aunt May. You need to leave. Daniel must have gotten my signal. He'll save you. Until then I'll hold back these people. "
" Y-You don't need to. W-We can talk with these people. "
" Aunt May. That's impossible. They're not some random group... They're just like us. They're led by a Player. "
As soon as May heard this she became horrified. She didn't even dare to ask how Karen knew this.
" Leave! "
This time, the two women didn't stop as one of them picked up May and they ran towards their own camp.
But...
" It's already too late. "
In front of them stood another adversary, a woman in a blue micro bikini with toned figure and blue cape that fluttered behind her.
Her posture was heroic, and as she had already raised her pistol a gunshot echoed.
The woman holding May fell down, as she had her shoulder pierced.
Karen was furious, as she raised her hand again.
This time she didn't jump up, but the same butterfly wings appeared behind her again.
" Release! "
Hundreds of tiny fireballs were thrown at the woman in micro bikini, and this time as the target was only one. The speed of butterflies was exponentially more.
In return, the woman held her pistol in left hand, and reached out with her right hand for the spear tucked on her back.
And just at that moment the butterflies reached her.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The dust rose around the woman, as Karen grinned.
But, her grin froze as the dust settled.
The woman still stood there, only difference was that the spear that she was holding was charred black and her body was covered in dust.
The bare minimum she was previously wearing had turned to shreds, even the graceful blue cape was in tatters.
" An exceptional trick. My Master was right. Players really can't be underestimated. "
The woman spoke casually.
If she hadn't counterd almost every butterfly with her spear. Then may be, she could have been slightly injured with her steel like body.
" You're at Stage 2..." On the other side, Karen was terrified.
" You're right. I'm The Team Leader of Second Exploration Team. You have injured few of my team members. So, even if in the future we might serve the same man, don't expect me to go easy on you, " Vienna said as she shot towards Karen.
Karen initially panicked, but she didn't back down, " We only need to stall till Daniel saves us! Let's kill her! "
Karen's voice held confidence. She had already sent the signal.
Her lover, her husband, he will without doubt come to save her.
Holding such fantasies, Karen raised her spear covered in flames to meet Vienna's.
In just first exchange, she was thrown away like a rag.
She rose from the dust with the help of her spear. Her face morphed in ugly expression.
' it's impossible to kill her alone... The raw difference in stats... '
Still, she raised her spear again.
" Let's attack this bitch from both sides... "
" Who are you speaking to? Your friend has already run away, " What replied her was Vienna's mocking voice.
Her naked figure had already appeared right before Karen's eyes with a blur, and had already parried her spear.
The blunt end of the shaft struck at Karen's leg as she lost her balance, and was followed in by a round kick right in her gut.
This time she was thrown away to the wall of the certain building, breaking through it she fell backward.
When she finally landed, Karen could feel unbearable pain that she had never experienced in her whole life.
She coughed up some blood, feeling as if her intestines had broken.
But, the pain of betrayal was sharper.
" As expected of pathetic women serving a pathetic bastard. Running away on the cost of their comrade's life. "
Vienna's words also struck her like thunder, as she was picked up by her collar.
" Don't dare you curse my Daniel! " Karen glared at Vienna, while trying to kick her.
But, with her spear gone she couldn't even scratch the monster before her.
' It's futile... I have already lost... Sorry Daniel, ' while thinking so, Karen decided to end her life.
She didn't want to love anyone else except her Daniel.
Even though these feelings were fake, she still cherished them and didn't want them to be defiled.
' I shouldn't blame them... If something bad happened to Aunt May. Daniel will be sad. So, this is for better... '
Vienna not knowing what Karen was thinking smashed her face down into ground.
" Shit... I shouldn't have destroyed her face... "
Karen could barely hear Vienna's grumble, as she felt her consciousness slipping.
Even though she was already Level 19, the special skill she had used was tasking so she couldn't hold on anymore.
But, just when she was about to kill herself she heard Vienna's surprised voice.
" You! "
Swish!
With another sharp wind, Vienna was thrown long away.
" Karen! Are you okay!? Wake up! "
Karen weakly opened her eyes, to see a young woman's face right in front of her.
" Didn't.... You... run away? "
" Are you idiot. How can I leave my daughter-in-law and run away? "
' The one who had run away was the other woman, ' Karen understood.
But, when she looked at aunt May's worried face she couldn't help but laugh.
' I was right... Aunt May.... Is kind... But, she is dumb. '
" Why are you smiling even now. Stand up. We need to run before that monster comes back! "
Karen ignored Aunt May's word as she could feel the hand supporting her was trembling, her eyes as well were nervous.
Currently, without a doubt this woman was terrified.
But, still instead of running away, she had come to save her.
Even while knowing that it was useless.
" You caught me by surprise. But, did you really think. I'll be down with just this much. "
" H-How are you still okay? Didn't I hit your head? " May was stunned.
She stood up and picked up the concrete pillar near which she could barely carry with her level 13 strength stat and stood before Karen protectively.
Karen's eyes teared up.
She didn't know why, but when she saw Aunt May standing in front to save her, she felt a strange warmth.
The love and affection which she had never felt.
' Is this how it feels to have a parent? ' Karen felt like deep crying, because she and her sister had always grown up in orphanage.
The only mother like figure she had always known was the old warden, who would only speak nicely with them in front of sponsors.
' I have to protect her, ' Karen forced herself to stand up.
For the first time, she didn't want to protect Aunt May because she was important to Daniel.
But, because she wanted to protect her!
The flames which had died down, started flaring up again.
But, this time something was different.
The flames she was now conjuring weren't created out of external environment, but from inside her.
Her eyes burned with red flame which slowly turned blue.
Followed by the same blue flame appearing all over her body.
The clothes she was wearing turned into ashes, as the blue flame became brighter and brighter.
Even Vienna stopped in her tracks, as she looked at her in surprise.
" Karen... You're burning, " Aunt May spoke cautiously.
She didn't know what was happening to Karen, but knowing that those flames were created from her son's skills... She knew they won't harm Karen.
But, Karen couldn't hear anything. Only thing she saw now was Vienna.
Her eyes burned with the flames of hatred, as she rushed towards Vienna.
Vienna seemed surprised, but she didn't back off.
' Hot... ' Vienna thought, as she felt intense heat from Karen.
Her body was strong in defense, and it also had great resistance to heat.
She raised her spear and thrusted at Karen, but Karen dodged it even while it brushed against the sides of her waist.
The blood evaporated from there, as wound closed right away.
Karen then completely ignored the defense, and hugged Vienna tightly.
The blue butterfly wings formed behind her, as she broke through the building's wall and jumped high in the air.
Vienna who was right in her arms, screamed loudly.
The heat she could feel from those flames was unberable and it felt as if even her skin was about to melt.
Her confidence wilted away, as her spear fell down.
Her skin started turning red and the burn marks were clear to see, so one could only imagine what kind of pain Vienna was facing.
She tried her best to move away, but Karen held onto her as if holding on for her own dear life.
Vienna now had no choice but to keep struggling while trying to throw away, Karen.
But, Karen who had given up on everything wasn't an opponent she could just thwart away.
Meanwhile, a little far away on the roof of certain two floor building, stood a young boy with silvery white hair, and pale skin.
With him were two people.
A cute little girl in lolita dress. But, just from the chainsaw she was carrying on her back, no one will think of her as cute and harmless animal.
There was also a beautiful young girl, wearing modest two piece swimsuit, staring at the scene far away with worry.
Unable to wait any longer the beautiful girl, who was Madison looked at Alex.
But, Alex was unmoved.
He just calmly said, " It's clear. She has lost. "