As soon as Shane stepped back into the real world, the first thing that struck him was the scent of blood. It clung to the air, and it was sothing he wouldn’t mistake... Although it mixed with the salt of the sea, he knew it was the stench of blood.
He moved swiftly as he went out of his room, and soon, he reached the coastline defenses.
The scene was grim but victorious.
The shoreline was littered with the corpses of Scaled Human Fish Zombies, their torn bodies piled against the barricades. The defenders were already regrouping. He saw Super Soldiers wiping blood from their pipes, Warden Units reloading their rifles, and a few snipers climbing down from the towers.
"Commander Shane!" one of the foren called out, saluting. "The defenders successfully held them off. All fine now. So injuries, but no casualties."
Another added, "We used up a lot of ammunition and arrows, though. And part of the coastal area’s wrecked. Building a pier here... might be tougher than we thought."
Shane nodded as he also understood their concern. Then, he surveyed the damage. The barricades were cracked, and the shoreline seed to be in terrible condition too...
They were victorious, but the problem of building a port city had been revealed.
Inside his coat, Axis hid quietly, clutching the World Tree seed against her chest. She peeked out only slightly with her wings trembling.
"Boss Shane... this place is dangerous and slls really bad. The quality of the air is bad. No wonder you like it in the Fairy Realm. Thankfully, I have the seed with . I can breathe easily..." Axis complained.
Shane sighed as he considered what to do. He actually had a plan, but it would use up a lot of resources from other Shelters, and it would cost a lot of wealth as well.
"This is indeed a problem for a shelter. If the sea keeps sending waves like this, Blue Haven will never stabilize."
Then, he froze.
He felt a chill run down his spine. From the sea, a few hundred ters away, he felt sothing...
It was a gaze. Soone, or sothing, was watching them.
Shane’s instincts scread. He turned toward the horizon and focused. He confird that there was a figure looking at him...
Without hesitation, he activated his Scouter Lens.
[ Scouter Lens (Epic): Tactical monocle infused with mysterious energy...
This lens, which had a five-minute cooldown, had various effects like finding weakness, talent, skill, and other information for free.
The monocle shimred as it locked onto the distant figure.
The lens pulsed, scanning the target...
If it were a zombie, it would reveal weaknesses and abilities. If it were a survivor, it would expose not just their nas but also their talents and skills.
[ Scouter Lens Activated
Target: Eugene ( Level 55 )
Talent Scan: In Progress...
Cooldown: 5 minutes ]
"What?" Shane was shocked. It was actually another Survivor...
As the lens was loading, he also got a clearer view of the target.
Eugene was half‑subrged in the waves...
He wasn’t a Zombie, but it seed like his talent was related to being a Fishman!
Shane clenched his fist. It seed that soone had already claid the coastal area as their territory... "So it wasn’t just a random wave. Soone orchestrated this."
Soon, the Scouter Lens finished getting all the information he needed!
[ Talent Profile: Eugene ]
[ rman Physique (Legendary): Grants amphibious adaptation. Can breathe underwater, swim at extre speeds, and withstand deep-sea pressure.
Ocean’s Call (Epic): Can influence and command Sea‑Type Zombies within a wide radius. Stronger effect when subrged.
Tideborn Resilience (Rare): Natural resistance to water-based attacks, corrosion, and drowning effects.
Scaled Hide (Epic): Toughened skin layered with strong scales. Reduces physical damage by 30%.
Aquatic Instinct (Rare): Enhances perception in aquatic environnts. Detects movent and hostile intent beneath the waves. ]
"What? He had five talents? They also fit so well together. This guy is incredible. How did I only hear of him now?" Shane muttered in shock.
Of course, Eugene was always active in the World Chat, but Shane simply didn’t care and couldn’t rember the man.
[ Skill Profile: Eugene ]
Wave Command: Issues a psychic pulse underwater, rallying Sea‑Type Zombies to attack in coordinated waves.
Abyssal Summon: Calls forth a cluster of deep‑sea zombies (sharks, eels, or fish‑types) within a 100‑ter radius.
Tidal Surge: Manipulates water currents to knock back enemies or destabilize coastal defenses.
Scale Guard: Temporarily hardens his scales into armor, absorbing huge amount of damage.
Blood in the Water: Marks injured enemies; nearby Sea‑Type Zombies beco frenzied and target them relentlessly.
Silent Dive: Disappears beneath the waves, masking his presence and re-erging at a chosen location. ]
"This is a powerful Survivor... He must be within the top 100..."
Shane frowned as he saw the man’s expression... He could tell that Eugene wasn’t here to make friends.
"A survivor... with the ability to command Sea‑Type Zombies... No wonder the attack was so organized." He thought.
Axis, still clutching the World Tree seed inside his coat, whispered nervously. "Boss Shane... this one is dangerous... Are you going to fight? You have to be careful." She reminded.
"This isn’t just a shelter problem anymore... I think this is so sort of a territorial war."
***
Shane then activated his Flight Skill...
In an instant, he dashed across the air, as he wanted to see this rman guy...
Eugene’s eyes widened.
"A... flying man?" He muttered in shock.
Survivors with flight were rare, and seeing one approach him directly was a bit unnerving since he always felt safe in the water... Seeing soone above him didn’t feel right.
As Shane drew closer, the aura around him beca clear.
"This..."
The man’s presence was terrifying. Eugene’s instincts scread that this man was far stronger than most he had ever encountered.
Shane stopped mid‑air, hovering just above the water... "I am Shane," he said firmly. "The owner of the shelter that’s being built here. This territory is mine."
Eugene frowned after hearing that.
"Shane?" He repeated...
"Right... Shane, the Shadow Strider."
Eugene’s face darkened.
"Shadow Strider...? The Rank 1 Survivor?" He couldn’t help but curse under his breath as he confird this. If this were true, then the man before him was the strongest survivor alive.
A direct confrontation against him would be suicide...
User Comments
0 comments from readers